Universal Universal Music Group Nashville Pressroom

The members of Little Big Town are a few dates into their Tornado Tour, and the crowds have been amazing. This past weekend, they had sold-out shows in Huntsville and Knoxville, and the band is thrilled over the crowd’s reaction, especially to the handful of songs from their Tornado album. “It’s exciting…to watch people in the crowd singing the songs that are on the record, but not on the radio yet, but they know all the words to the songs that are on the record,” says LBT’s Kimberly Schlapman. “That’s just so much fun to watch and hear.” Bandmember Phillip Sweet agrees, because one of his favorite moments to perform is on a song that hasn’t been released from their latest album. “I really love the moment of ‘On Your Side of the Bed’ with Karen and Jimi – that’s a really special moment in the show. I really love performing that with them.”

The show, which currently features opening act Kacey Musgraves, is an amazing night of music from top to bottom, but the fans will also appreciate some other fun moments during Little Big Town’s set, including their acoustic medley of their popular web series, “Scattered, Smothered and Covered,” as well as their cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain.”

Check out Billboard’s review of their Knoxville show here.

David Nail is set to join the tour on March 8th in Buffalo, Michigan.

Little Big Town’s latest single, “Tornado” – the title track of their latest album and headlining tour, is closing in on the top of the country charts. It’s the follow-up to their number-one hit, “Pontoon.”

LBT (Tornado tour exciting) OC: (Kimberly) …watch and hear. :28
PHILLIP: “We’re just getting rolling on the tour, and it’s so exciting so far. It just feels so good to play a lot of songs from the Tornado album and to get to do some really cool production. It’s just amazing to do this and to sell our own ticket. It’s a good feeling.” KIMBERLY: “It’s exciting too to watch people in the crowd singing the songs that are on the record, but not on the radio yet, but they know all the words to the songs that are on the record. That’s just so much fun to watch and hear.”

LBT (tour moments) OC: (Jimi) …of the show. :28
PHILLIP: “We’ve got a few little tricks up our sleeve that we’re bringing out new for this tour, some new songs, some things we haven’t done before. And I really love the moment of ‘On Your Side of the Bed’ with Karen and Jimi – that’s a really special moment in the show. I really love performing that with them.” JIMI: “We’re bringing out a little medley of some cover tunes that we do online, and we’ve added a new one to that too, and that’s been a lot of fun. I think fans have really been responding to that, so that’s a fun little part of the show.”

Luke Bryan is currently playing to sold-out crowds on his Dirt Road Diaries Tour, but he’s planning on taking time out to hook up with Blake Shelton to go over their hosting responsibilities for this year’s ACM Awards. “Blake and I, we’re gonna start spending some time on the phone and talking stuff out,” says Blake. “At the end of the day, I mean, whatever the writers write, Blake and I will have to say it, but we’ll certainly have a lot of input to do funny things. There’s not much time, but there’s enough time to where we can brainstorm and put something together.”

The Georgia native is going to make sure he’s very prepared for his new hosting gig. “You just have to prepare and make sure you’re ready for what’s fixin’ to happen,” he says. “And that’s the main thing with me is that by the time I prepare, I’m not going to let myself go out there and be unsure of anything. Just go out there and make the most of it and be comfortable.”

The 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas April 7th on CBS.

On another note, Luke just played to a record capacity crowd at Louisville’s Yum Center to a total of more than 22,000 people, which also happens to be Luke’s own personal best record, as well.

Luke Bryan (fun stuff for ACMs) OC: …stuff together. :21
“Blake and I, we’re gonna start spending some time on the phone and talking stuff out. At the end of the day, I mean, whatever the writers write, Blake and I will have to say it, but we’ll certainly have a lot of input to do funny things. There’s not much time, but there’s enough time to where we can brainstorm and put something together.”

AUDIO: Luke Bryan talks about preparing for the ACM Awards.

Luke Bryan (preparing for ACMs) OC: …great job. :31
“I think for me, you just have to prepare and make sure you’re ready for what’s fixin’ to happen. And that’s the main thing with me is that by the time I prepare, I’m not going to let myself go out there and be unsure of anything. Just go out there and make the most of it and be comfortable, and that’s how you’ve got to roll with it. I’m excited for the opportunity, and I think it’s very, very endearing of the ACMs to have trusted me to come in there behind Reba [McEntire] and fill in, and hopefully, do a great job.”

George Strait will receive the Country Radio Broadcasters Career Achievement Award during the Country Radio Hall of Fame ceremony in Nashville on Tuesday (February 26th). He is being awarded for his contributions to country radio throughout his 30 year career, including hitting the top of the country charts 59 times (on his way to his 60th with “Give It All We Got Tonight,” selling more than 68-million albums and playing to millions of country fans. While he may be putting his tour bus out to pasture next year, he’s certainly not giving up making music. “I still really enjoy singing, and that’s really who I am,” says George. “I mean, I love to fish, and I love to do all these other things, but my love has been and still is country music and singing. So, for as long as I can keep doing it, that’s what I’m gonna do.”

“Give It All We Got Tonight” is the first release from his forthcoming album, due out later this year.

George is currently making his way across the country with his Cowboy Rides Away Tour, which makes stops in Knoxville on Friday (March 1st) and Saturday in Lexington (March 2nd).

AUDIO: George Strait has scored 59 number-one songs, and he’s been a country music staple for 30 ‘strait’ years. He says he still loves to sing.

George Strait (music) OC: …gonna do. :19
“I still really enjoy singing, and that’s really who I am. I mean, I love to fish, and I love to do all these other things. But my love has been and still is country music and singing. So, for as long as I can keep doing it, that’s what I’m gonna do.”

Gary Allan hits the airwaves with his new single, “Pieces,” this week, and we’ve put together a few audio vignettes — :30, :60 and :90. We also have an intro liner for you to use, as well.

Keith Urban talks about his 4th annual ‘We’re All For The Hall’ benefit concert, Rebels and Renegades, the Outlaws are IN! Featuring an AMAZING line up including Keith, Vince Gill, Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, Rosanne Cash, Eric Church, Brantley Gilbert, Kris Kristofferson, Loretta Lynn, Tim McGraw, Montgomery Gentry, Willie Nelson, Kid Rock, Billy Joe Shaver & Hank Williams Jr.! Join us April 16th in Nashville, Tennessee to support the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum!

Easton Corbin debuted the music video for his latest single, “All Over the Road,” on Friday (February 22nd). In the clip, he’s taken “hostage” after the convenience store he works at is robbed by a devilishly attractive female, who seems to want more than just cash. Watch it below:

Scotty McCreery enlists his Pittsburgh audience to help with the ‘Harlem Shake.’

Tickets on Sale March 1 at 10:00 a.m. CST

 NASHVILLE, Tenn., February 21, 2013 – 2005 CMA Entertainer of the Year and four-time Grammy Award winner Keith Urban and Country Music Hall of Fame member Vince Gill will return to Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday, April 16, for We’re All for the Hall, a concert to benefit the Country Music Hall of Fame^® and Museum. Reserved seating tickets, which are priced at $35 and $50 (does not include Ticketmaster surcharge), will go on sale March 1 at 10:00 a.m. CST.  A limited number of VIP ticket packages will also go on sale on March 1 at Ticketmaster.com. (Complete ticket purchase information is below.)

This year’s theme Rebels and Renegades, the Outlaws are IN will feature performances from an all-star line-up including Urban, Gill, Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, Rosanne Cash, Eric Church, Brantley Gilbert, Kid Rock, Kris Kristofferson, Loretta Lynn, Tim McGraw, Montgomery Gentry, Willie Nelson, Billy Joe Shaver and Hank Williams, Jr.  It promises to be yet another in a line of one-of-a-kind, once-in-a-lifetime concert events highlighting great music, friendship and camaraderie. 

“The purity in making music on your own terms – to create art in your own way – for me is at the heart of the outlaw spirit,” said Urban.  “It’s those outlaws that we celebrate this year, who not only made it possible for a guy like me to do what I love, but who play a pivotal role in the strength of country music’s diversity.”

Museum Board President Vince Gill created All for the Hall, an artist-led fundraising initiative for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.  Funds raised through these events directly support the museum’s mission and underwrite preservation efforts, exhibitions and educational programs that teach audiences about the enduring beauty and cultural importance of country music.
“The first three We’re All for the Hall concerts raised approximately $1.5 million,” said Museum Director Kyle Young.  “Those dollars go toward our operating expenses, directly funding the care of our collection, exhibitions, programs and more.  We are beyond grateful to Keith Urban and Vince Gill.  They are two of country music’s greatest stewards and ambassadors, and we are honored by what they have done for this institution.  I’m certain that this year’s We’re All for the Hall show will not only be an important source of revenue for the museum, but a ‘once-in-a-lifetime, only-in-Nashville’ concert for everyone lucky enough to attend.”

Reserved Seating Tickets

Tickets ($35 and $50, plus Ticketmaster surcharge) go on sale March 1 at 10:00 a.m. CST. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, the Bridgestone Arena box office or by phone at (800) 745-3000.  Phone, internet and outlet orders are subject to a convenience fee.

VIP Packages
VIP packages will go on sale March 1 at Ticketmaster.com.  They include:

“For You” Package

$3,500 for one ticket (A portion of this package is tax deductible to support the preservation of country music)

30 packages available

• Invitation for one to a VIP dinner the evening of April 15, hosted by some of Keith Urban’s close friends and collaborators

• One Premium Floor Concert Seat and Commemorative Ticket

• Meet & greet for one with Keith Urban before the concert on April 16 (timing TBD), which includes an individual photo

• Framed meet & greet picture mailed to your house one week after the concert

• One Keith Urban autographed electric guitar

• One invitation to a post-concert party on April 16 at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

• One commemorative Hatch Show Print event poster autographed by Keith Urban and Vince Gill

• One complimentary parking space for the April 16 concert within a one-block vicinity of the concert and post-party venues

• One “Friends & Family” membership to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, which includes unlimited free admission for the entire household to the museum and most public programs for one year (valued at $100)

 “Guitar Slinger” Package

$2,500 for one ticket (A portion of this package is tax deductible to support the preservation of country music)

10 packages available

• Invitation for one to a VIP dinner the evening of April 15, hosted by some of Keith Urban’s close friends and collaborators

• Meet & greet for one with Keith Urban before the concert on April 16 (timing TBD), which includes a group photo

• One Premium Floor Concert Seat

• One invitation to a post-concert party at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

• One commemorative Hatch Show Print event poster autographed by Keith Urban and Vince Gill

• One complimentary parking space for the April 16 concert within a one-block vicinity of the concert and post-party venues

• One “Friends & Family” membership to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, which includes unlimited free admission for the entire household to the museum and most public programs for one year (valued at $100)

 “Highwaymen” Package

$200 for one ticket (A portion of this package is tax deductible to support the preservation of country music)

60 packages available

• One Premium Floor Concert Seat

• One complimentary parking spot for the April 16 concert within a one-block vicinity of the venue

• One commemorative Hatch Show Print event poster

• One “Individual Membership” to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, which includes unlimited free admission for one to the museum and most public programs for one year (valued at $40)

AUDIO: Keith Urban talks about the importance of his All for the Hall benefit.

Keith Urban (all for the hall) OC: …we’re doing it. :37
“The history and the weight of what it is that they’re maintaining and bringing forward and presenting to the public is vitally important. I mean, this town has only got tourism because of what’s in that hall ultimately. So, for me, it’s not just bringing money to the hall, it’s bringing awareness that the hall is there and what it’s about. It’s keeping, for me, remembering the center of it all. I came here just to play music and I was inspired by music, and the history of this genre is right there. And as I’ve said before, if we’re going to pull it forward, then we’ve got to know where it came from, and we know what we’re doing and why we’re doing it.”

American Idol is heating up with the competition as more contestants are eliminated this week, counting down to the live episodes, which kick off the week of March 5th. Judge Keith Urban has truly fought for several of the contestants, even when the other judges want to send them home, as such was the case for Shuba Vedula during Wednesday night’s show. So, how does he deliver constructive criticism and still be the nicest guy on the judges’ panel? “Something that’s just straight soul-crushing and not helpful to them, I just don’t see anything worth in it,” says Keith. “I’m trying to give specific direction, if it’s something they can work on. It’s just my opinion, and it’s not to say it’s a fact. They can take it, they can leave it, but I try to deliver it in a way in which I’d like people to deliver it to me.”

Keith’s wife (Nicole Kidman) and daughters (Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret) visited him on the set of American Idol, which having their girls surrounded by creativity is really important to both parents. “Nic and I love them being around that kind of environment – watching people sing, watching them perform and being around the music,” he says. “It’s all they both have ever known is being around that, and being around a movie set since they were born.”

American Idol airs Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8pm ET.

Keith Urban (AI-delivering judgment) OC: …on the person. :35
“I think every person handles critiquing differently, and I’m trying to sort of get a feel for what the artist is comfortable hearing and what they’re not going to be comfortable in hearing. And something that’s just straight soul-crushing and not helpful to them, I just don’t see anything worth in it. I’m trying to give specific direction, if it’s something they can work on. It’s just my opinion, and it’s not to say it’s a fact. They can take it, they can leave it, but I try to deliver it in a way in which I’d like people to deliver it to me, or again, it’s really based on the person.”

AUDIO: Keith Urban talks about his daughters Sunday and Faith coming to see him on the American Idol set. [NOTE: phone quality]

Keith Urban (AI-daughters) OC: …this season. :22
“They actually came down to the set for a little while. Nic and I love them being around that kind of environment – watching people sing, watching them perform and being around the music. It’s all they both have ever known is being around that, and being around a movie set since they were born. So, they’re certainly music fans. They haven’t watched the show yet, but I have a feeling they will be [watching] this season.”