Universal Universal Music Group Nashville Pressroom

Scotty McCreery returned to American Idol in Charlotte on Wednesday night. The Season 10 winner, who’s at work on the follow-up to his debut album Clear As Day, greeted the contestants waiting in line to audition…signed autographs…received a marriage proposal…and ran into a former junior high classmate.

Ever since the day the 19-year-old singer from North Carolina took home the coveted title in 2011, he basically can’t go anywhere in public without being recognized.

AUDIO: Scotty McCreery talks about going out in public.

Scotty McCreery (going out in public) OC: …it’s fun. :09
“It’s definitely weird, you know. It’s a big life change. It’s just one of those trade-offs that comes from doing this kind of job, but it’s fun. It’s fun.”

Why don’t you sing along to Lady Antebellum‘s new single, “Downtown,” with their lyric video. Check it out below!

SINGER/SONGWRITER KACEY MUSGRAVES TO RELEASE HER DEBUT ALBUM, SAME TRAILER DIFFERENT PARK, ON MARCH 19

MUSGRAVES RECEIVES NOMINATION FOR NEW FEMALE VOCALIST FOR THE 48^TH ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS 

EMBRACED BY ROLLING STONE, ESQUIRE AND NPR

Nashville, TN – Mercury Records singer/songwriter Kacey Musgraves will release her debut album, Same Trailer Different Park, on March 19^th. The album is co-produced by Musgraves, Shane McAnally and Luke Laird and features her current single and top 15 hit “Merry Go ‘Round.” Musgraves wrote or co-wrote all tracks on the album.

“The making of this record was such a fun and meaningful time for me,” said Musgraves. “As a writer, singer and producer I learned so much throughout the whole process. I am proud and excited to present a project alongside Shane McAnally and Luke Laird that came from a very real and inspired place in my brain and heart.”

The 24-year-old Texas native has garnered massive critical acclaim with the release of “Merry Go ‘Round” and her reputation for portraying an honest and sometimes uncomfortable truth has been featured in multiple press outlets. Esquire named Musgraves as one of their “15 Music Artists to Watch” and said “This supernaturally effortless East Texan is a songwriter’s songwriter to the point where it’s going to be as fun hearing the songs that don’t wind up on the radio as the ones that do.”

Rolling Stone gave “Merry Go ‘Round” FOUR STARS and named it one of their “50 Best Songs of 2012” while NPR named her as their “Best New Artist of 2012” and included her in the “Best Music in 2013 preview.”

Musgraves recently received her first country music award nomination for New Female Vocalist for the 48^th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards held in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 7. Fans can vote at www.VoteACM.com and www.GACtv.com/ACM January 21st – February 4^th.

Little Big Town has invited Musgraves to open their Tornado Tour starting January 31^st in Murray, KY and this summer she will join Kenny Chesney’s No Shoes Nation stadium tour. For a full list of tour dates please visit www.kaceymusgraves.com. 

Download “Merry Go ‘Round” on iTunes: http://smarturl.it/KMMerryGoRound

Follow @KaceyMusgraves on Twitter: http://twitter.com/KACEYMUSGRAVES

Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KaceyMusgravesOfficial

Lady Antebellum have just released their brand new single, “Downtown,” the first single from their upcoming album due out later this year. The song is fresh, upbeat, sassy and fun, and as Lady A’s Hillary Scott says a bit “quirky.” She also is proud of the girl in the song as she stands up for herself. “I liked the girl in the song is not afraid to just be like, ‘What are you doing? Why aren’t you doing this?’” says Hillary. “Like being so forward and strong, just empowered, I think. I loved it. I love the voice that she has in the song.”

“There’s some sass to this track that makes it really fun to sing…it’s definitely a roll down the windows and bob your head kind of thing,” said Lady A’s Hillary Scott in a press release. “We thought it was a fun way to launch the next record and a fitting preview of what’s to come!”

Lady A will debut the track next week on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (January 28th) and fans can catch a second performance the following week on CBS’s The Talk (February 6th). The group also announced this week that they will collaborate with Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks for an all new CMT CROSSROADS episode set to tape next week in Los Angeles and air later this year.

AUDIO: Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott loves that the girl in the band’s new single, “Downtown,” is strong and unafraid.

Lady A (strong girl) OC: …in the song. :16
“I just loved it. I thought it was playful. I liked the girl in the song is not afraid to just be like, ‘What are you doing? Why aren’t you doing this? Like being so forward and strong, just empowered, I think. I loved it. I love the voice that she has in the song.”

Lady A (quirky song) OC: …seriously. [laughs] :23
“I think there’s a really cool quirkiness to the song and to the delivery and to, you know, the way it was written – and I can say that ‘cause we didn’t write it. It’s just fun and quirky, and that’s so unlike us, that image. I think it just shows that we’re all continuing to grow and change and not take life so seriously.”

AUDIO: Lady Antebellum intro liner for “Downtown”

AUDIO: Lady Antebellum :90 vignette for “Downtown.”

Kacey Musgraves came by her artistic talent naturally. Her parents, sister, grandmother and cousins are all creative, but in different ways. The Texas native’s talent is obviously her penchant for capturing real life in song and music and being a conduit for that message with her voice. Her mother not only taught her to sing harmony, but also is an artist herself. “My mom’s an artist with all different kinds of mediums – paint – but she’s always working on something different. Last time, she had like this huge, life-sized horse that she had made out of driftwood, and it was beautiful,” says Kacey. “My Mee Maw, she’s a soap maker. She makes soap, and they’re beautiful and they smell really good and they’re all-natural. My sister has an Etsy store, and she’s constantly creating something and sewing pillows and taking pictures.” Her parents also own a print shop, which among other things, creates graphic designs for labels, T-shirts and more.  

• Kacey is currently sitting inside the Top 15 on the country charts with her debut single, “Merry Go Round.”
• Kacey is up for ACM New Female Artist of the Year, along with Jana Kramer and Sunny Sweeney. Fans can begin to vote today (January 21st) for their favorite artist at voteacm.com.
• Kacey has been chosen as one of CMT’s Next Women of Country, which will showcase the rising talent from female artists and will feature exclusive content such as video premieres and performances. Check it out at CMT.com.

AUDIO: Kacey Musgraves comes from a very creative and artistic family.

Kacey Musgraves (creative family) OC: …and music. :51
“There’s not any musicians, per se, in my family. I mean, my mom has like a musical ear and can pick stuff out on the mandolin. She kinda taught me to sing harmony. But they’re all very creative in their own right, and it’s weird…my mom’s an artist with all different kinds of mediums – paint – but she’s always working on something different. Last time, she had like this huge, life-sized horse that she had made out of driftwood, and it was beautiful. My Mee Maw, she’s a soap maker. She makes soap, and they’re beautiful and they smell really good and they’re all-natural. My sister has an Etsy store, and she’s constantly creating something and sewing pillows and taking pictures. My dad and my mom have had a print shop for the past 20-plus years, where they do stuff like Kinkos, like faxes and copies, but then they also do graphic design for labels and T-shirts and stuff like that. So, everyone  just kind of has their own, I don’t know what it is. Mine was singing and music.”

Gary Allan arrives in stores with his new album, Set You Free, on Tuesday (January 22nd). Gary co-wrote five of the 12 songs on the project, including his current hit, “Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain),” as well as co-produced the project with producers Mark Wright, Jay Joyce and Greg Droman.

The California native is very proud of his eighth studio album. “Anytime you put something out there, it’s nerve-wracking, and you just hope somebody likes it, but this is one of my favorite things I’ve done,” says Gary. “I’m really excited to get this out and see it fester and see what people gravitate towards.”

Catch Gary performing his hit single, “Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain),” on NBC’s The Tonight Show With Jay Leno on Wednesday (January 23rd).

Set You Free Track List:
1. “Tough Goodbye” (Josh Thompson / Tony Martin)
2. “Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain)” (Gary Allan / Hillary Lindsey / Matt Warren)
3. “Bones”  (Keith Gattis)
4. “It Ain’t The Whiskey” (Greg Barnhill / Jim Daddario / Cole Deggs)
5. “Sand In My Soul” (Brad Warren / Brett Warren / Blair Daily)
6. “You Without Me” ” (Gary Allan / John Lancaster / Rachel Proctor)
7. “One More Time” (Gary Allan / Matt Warren / Hillary Lindsey)
8. “Hungover Heart”  (Matt Warren / James LeBlanc)
9. “No Worries”  (Gary Allan / Odie Blackmon / Pat McLaughlin)
10. “Drop”  (Joel Shewmake / Bruce Wallace / Brian White)
11. “Pieces” (Gary Allan / Odie Blackman / Sarah Buxton)
12. “Good As New” (Pat McLaughlin / Billy Burnette)

AUDIO: Gary Allan says he’s very proud of his new album, Set You Free.

Gary Allan (best album) OC: …right now. :12
“This whole album, I’m really proud of the whole thing – that’s the best way to feel when you turn it into the label ‘cause I don’t ever choose. I don’t like to pick singles. I like [the label] to pick. I’ve got a great team right now. All of our ducks are in a row right now.”

AUDIO: Gary Allan says he’ll be a little nervous as he releases his new album, Set You Free, this week.

Gary Allan (release week) OC: …be positive. :28
“For me, it’s nerve-wracking in the sense, not watching the numbers, but watching what resonates and what people gravitate towards. I had the exact same feeling when I finished the record and I had to play it for Mike Dungan, the new head of our label, I felt like I was auditioning for my job. And anytime you put new music out there, because I’m so anti-people’s opinion when I’m making it, so when you’re done and you do put it out there, you just pray that it’s gonna be positive.”

AUDIO: Gary Allan says he is excited to release his new album, Set You Free.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
Gary Allan (one of favorite albums) OC: …gravitate towards. :12
“Anytime you put something out there, it’s nerve-wracking, and you just hope somebody likes it. But this is one of my favorite things I’ve done. I’m really excited to get this out and see it fester and see what people gravitate towards.”

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For this week’s Urban Chat, Keith Urban — who was under the weather with the flu — fills you in on rehearsals, shows and the premiere of American Idol before heading to Australia for the tour!!

BBTW, he lets us know that the live shows for Idol will begin near the end of February.

NASHVILLE – The one-of-a-kind, award-winning CMA Music Festival takes over downtown Nashville for four days this summer, Thursday through Sunday, June 6-9, with a star-packed lineup that includes Luke Bryan, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Carrie Underwood, and more artists to be announced soon.

The Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience began in 1972 as Fan Fair®, bringing 5,000 fans to Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium. More than 40 years later, the legendary festival has become the city’s signature music event, which annually attracts tens of thousands of fans from all 50 states and around the globe and has raised millions of dollars for music education. The event will once again be filmed for an ABC Television special airing later in the summer, shining a national spotlight on both Country Music and Music City.

“What an exciting lineup – and we are just getting started,” said Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “Ticket sales are stronger than ever and we are always researching and developing ways to enhance the Festival experience for our attendees and the artists who continue this time-honored tradition of giving back to the fans.”

Bryan was nominated for CMA Male Vocalist and Album of the Year for tailgates & tanlines and will launch his first headline tour, the “Dirt Road Diaries Tour,” this week. Bryan last performed at CMA Music Festival in 2012, where he also co-hosted the “CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock” special on ABC last summer.

Platinum-selling group Lady Antebellum, made up of members Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, and Hillary Scott, has won seven CMA Awards, including Vocal Group (2009-2011), Single (2009 for “I Run to You” and 2010 for “Need You Now,” which also earned them an additional Award for producing), and New Artist of the Year (2008). They last performed at the Festival in 2012.

Reigning CMA Vocal Group of the Year, Little Big Town – consisting of members Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet, and Jimi Westbrook – has received a career total of 11 CMA Award nominations and two wins in 2012 for Single of the Year for “Pontoon” and their first Vocal Group of the Year trophy.

A five-time CMA Award winner, Underwood will also perform on the Nightly Concerts at LP Field during 2013 CMA Music Festival. Underwood has won three CMA Female Vocalist of the Year Awards (2006-2008); and has co-hosted the CMA Awards for the last five consecutive years. After winning “American Idol” in 2005, she made one of her first public appearances at CMA Music Festival, and has been a strong supporter of the event ever since. Underwood last performed at CMA Music Festival in 2012.

Fans can purchase tickets through Ticketmaster at Ticketmaster.com or 1-800-745-3000. They can also purchase them by calling 1-800-CMA-FEST (262-3378). Ticket prices are based on the level of seating at LP Field for the Nightly Concerts, and range from $125 to $350 plus handling fees. A limited number of four-day parking passes for LP Field are also available (parking is not included in the Festival ticket price), ranging from $60 for Cars to $140 for an RV/Motorcoach, plus handling fees.

Ticket and parking prices are subject to change without notice. All sales are final and non-refundable. Four-day ticket pricing corresponds to seating levels at LP Field. Children 3 years and younger are admitted FREE. For information on ADA seating, please call 1-800-CMA-FEST.

Fans can stay in the loop by visiting CMAfest.com, the official website of CMA Music Festival, where they can sign up for the CMA Exclusive e-news, follow the CMA Facebook and Twitter feeds for more insider info and of course see the entire lineup of Country Music’s biggest stars as they are announced in the coming weeks.

CMA Music Festival celebrates the unique relationship between Country Music artists and their fans in the heart of Music City. The artists participate for free, and on their behalf, CMA donates half the net proceeds of the Festival to support music education through the Keep the Music Playing program.

To date, more than $6.1 million has been donated to purchase musical instruments and supplies, providing thousands of students with the resources and opportunities they could not have afforded on their own, and giving many of them the motivation to remain in school. The total also includes a $1 million endowment for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Words & Music program, which assists language arts and music teachers with classroom instruction in the basics of songwriting. CMA will announce the donation from the 2012 CMA Music Festival in February.

Featuring concerts, autograph signings, family activities, and more, CMA Music Festival is an unparalleled celebration of America’s music.

In 2012, more than 450 artists performed more than 200 hours of concerts. The event drew a record 71,000 fans daily from all 50 states and 24 nations and for the third consecutive year sold out each nightly concert at LP Field. According to the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau, direct visitor spending generated by the Festival totaled more than $35 million. CMA Music Festival is a four-time winner of the International Entertainment Buyers Association’s LIVE! Award for Festival of the Year (2004, 2006, 2008, 2010).

CMA Music Festival will once again be filmed for a national television special to air on the ABC Television Network. This is the 10^th consecutive year that the event has been filmed for a network television special, a feat no other music festival has achieved. “CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock” will be executive-produced by Robert Deaton.

CMA Music Festival is organized and produced by the Country Music Association. Fan Fair® is a registered trademark of CMA. Chevrolet™ is the Official Ride of Country Music. Transitions Optical; The Official Eyewear of the CMA Music Festival.