Universal Universal Music Group Nashville Pressroom

Lady Antebellum kick off their Own the Night 2011 Tour in Knoxville, Tennessee on Friday night (November 11th). The 21-city trek features Charles’ brother Josh Kelley, as well as a combination of Eden’s Edge and Randy Montana in the opening slot. “We’ve been looking forward to launching this tour for years and putting together our first arena headlining tour. We’ve been opening up and sitting side stage watching Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw, all these guys, tour, so this is our first chance,” says Dave. “So, this is kind of our first shot at letting all these dreams culminate and come together, and couldn’t think of a better way to kick it off than ending this year after the CMAs doing it.”

The band, who picked up their third CMA Vocal Group of the Year award this week, is poised to hit the top of the country charts with their latest hit single, “We Owned the Night.”

AUDIO: Lady Antebellum’s Dave Haywood talks about launching the group’s arena tour, Own the Night 2011.

Lady A (launching arena tour) OC: …doing it. :30

“Well, we’ve been looking forward to launching this tour for years and putting together our first arena headlining tour. We’ve been opening up and sitting side stage watching Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw, all these guys, tour, so this is our first chance. We’ve actually been building, working with a designer to build the stage, and video screens and stairs and elevator lifts and just fun stuff that we’ve always dreamt of doing. So, this is kind of our first shot at letting all these dreams culminate and come together, and couldn’t think of a better way to kick it off than ending this year after the CMAs doing it.”

AUDIO: Lady A’s Dave Haywood and Hillary Scott talk about the group’s ever-evolving live show.

Lady A (show evolves) OC: …a vacation. :55

DH “Our show has kind of been evolving, hopefully naturally. I don’t want to say we don’t enjoy and love playing intimate places, that’s the way we write anyway, just sitting around acoustic. I think everybody dreams of playing there songs in a big arena where thousands of people are there. We at least write with that in mind, whether or not it’s always going to happen in that way. I feel like we try to make our show bigger for some of these fairs and festivals, because some of these things are just giant fields literally, of fifteen or twenty thousand people and  there are obviously twenty other artists on the bill that day. But we will try to build it and try to sculpt an entire body of work that kind of goes through a process. I think for us, we have our stuff that we play, and I don’t know if we change it necessarily. (HS) “We took a lot of notes from playing with Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney.  Being on tour with them, especially Chesney, he just sends people on a vacation.” 

Go behind the scenes of Luke Bryan‘s new video for “I Don’t Want This Night To End” and get insight from the major players in the piece. Luke takes on the role of a “country singer” who shows interest in a woman.

Ellen DeGeneres sent Luke Bryan to chat with all of the country stars on the red carpet before the Country Music Awards in Nashville on Wednesday night. Watch him catch up with Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Rascal Flatts, Darius Rucker and Reba McEntire right before the big event.

Lady A wants to thank YOU as they celebrate their win of Vocal Group of the Year at the 2011 CMA Awards! And they can’t wait to see you out on the road for their Own The Night Tour, kicking off Friday (November 11th).

Dierks Bentley will be celebrating Veterans Day in San Jose, California today, by holding a party prior to his show to raise awareness for the Wounded Warrior Project. Hepartnered with the organization and their Believe in Heroes initiative at selected stops on his Country & Cold Cans Tour, and has held these types of parties all over the country. Dierks feels we should honor Veterans every day,  not just one or two. ” I think what’s great about Veterans Day and the Wounded Warriors Project, which is something we’re working very closely with, is it’s not just about their ‘hurrah hurrah, we support  you guys.’ It’s about the long term hurrah,” Dierks says. It’s about being here for them when they come back and helping them come back…So, I think Veterans Day is something that happens once a year, but I think in the country community, it really is something that we are and need to be thinking about 365 days a year because those folks need us.”

Dierks is quickly climbing the country charts with his anthemic hit, “Home,” which is from his forthcoming album due in February.

Dierks Bentley (soldiers sacrifice) OC: …folks need us. 1:37

“The one thing I think country music fans and the singers, we all really can appreciate and think a lot about is the soldiers and their families. On the most basic level, I think, for me on the road, I just think about being gone two, three days, maybe a couple of week at a time, that seems like a long time when you have kids and families, but these soldiers, they’re gone months, years at a time. They’re doing 12 to 15 to 18-month deployments, three, four deployments in, they have family back home — that in itself is such a huge sacrifice, that’s just the beginning of it, that’s just scratching the surface with what these guys are doing every day — preparing for battle, actually being in battle, being wounded in battle, sometimes dying in battle, so this country, obviously, we would not exist without those courageous men and women and our future depends on them. And I think what’s great about Veterans Day and the Wounded Warriors Project, which is something we’re working very closely with, is it’s not just about their ‘hurrah hurrah, we support  you guys.’ It’s about the long term hurrah. It’s about being here for them when they come back and helping them come back…So, I think Veterans Day is something that happens once a year, but I think in the country community, it really is something that we are and need to be thinking about 365 days a year because those folks need us.”

Luke Bryan’s “I Don’t Want This Night to End” has topped the country iTunes chart this week. The track from his latest album, tailgates & tanlines, sold 50,000 digital downloads over the past week. The Georgia native takes a few minutes during a very busy CMA week to thank his fans and radio for making the single No. 1 download.

November 11th, which is also known as Veterans Day, honors our military vets who served, and many times, sacrificed their lives, to safeguard our freedom and democracy. At 11 a.m. on November 11th, 1918 — “the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” — a cease-fire came into effect that would end World War I. The day was first proclaimed in 1919 by President Woodrow Wilson to celebrate the ending of World War I. It was later renamed Veterans Day by President Eisenhower in 1954 to celebrate all veterans. Dierks Bentley has partnered with the Wounded Warrior Project and their initiative, Believe in Heroes, to recognize the enormous sacrifices made by our newest generation of veterans and to honor the service of these individuals over a two-month campaign leading up to Veterans Day. The Believe in Heroes campaign provides the American public with an opportunity to show their support and appreciation of our veterans in their communities and across the nation. The mission of the Wounded Warrior Project is to honor and empower wounded warriors…AND to raise awareness and enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members, to help them aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs.

Dierks’ own father is a Veteran, having served as a second lieutenant in the Army during World War II. “It’s amazing, he served in WW2, he was in Japan, and he doesn’t tell me too many stories about it, but I know for him, he really enjoyed his time in the Army,” says Dierks. “It was a chance, he grew up in a town of 1200 people and…to join the army and get a chance to go overseas and see some of the world. He really enjoyed the men in his company and lost some friends over there. He doesn’t talk too much about that aspect of it, but he has nothing but good memories of being able to serve and be part of that.”

Eric Church recently finished up a tour with Toby Keith, who always brought up soldiers during such songs as “Courtesy of the Red, White & Blue” and “American Soldier.” He feels the country music format is the leader in making the military a priority. “I’m proud for our format, and I’m proud for the music that that’s something we stand by when I’m not sure others do as much. I mean, not that they’re not patriotic. I just think that that’s something we make a focal point, and I’m proud to be involved in.”

AUDIO: Dierks Bentley talks about his father, who served in the Army during World War II.

Dierks (dad in WW2) OC: …honor them. :54

“My dad was a second lieutenant in the Army. My dad’s older than most dads. My dad had me when he was 51, or helped have me when he was 51. It’s amazing, he served in WW2, he was in Japan, and he doesn’t tell me too many stories about it, but I know for him, he really enjoyed his time in the Army. It was a chance, he grew up in a town of 1200 people and the Army was, you know to join the army and get a chance to go overseas and see some of the world.  He really enjoyed the men in his company and lost some friends over there. He doesn’t talk too much about that aspect of it, but he has nothing but good memories of being able to serve and be part of that.  What a feeling that must be that I will never know, to put on that uniform, American flag patch on your shoulder, and you’re out there literally fighting for the flag, fighting with your brothers next to you and for everyone back home. So it’s just something that we can never really honestly have a sense of how that feels, but certainly we can honor them.”

AUDIO: Dierks Bentley talks about Veterans Day.

Dierks Bentley (Veterans Day) OC: …need us. :13

“I think Veterans Day is something that happens once a year, but I think in the country community, it really is something that we are and need to be thinking about 365 days a year because those folks need us.”

AUDIO: Eric Church sends out a message to members of the military – past and present – for Veterans Day.

Eric Church (Veterans Day Msg.) OC: …Veterans Day. :17

“Hey Guys! I’m Eric Church. Happy Veterans Day! I appreciate so, so, so very much the sacrifice you guys give and go through for us to live the way we do. And I wouldn’t want anybody else on the front lines but you guys. I feel safe at night knowing that you’re there, and I appreciate you very much. I can’t thank you enough. Happy Veterans Day!”

AUDIO: Eric Church talks about the servicemen and women and how country music makes them a priority.

Eric Church (Veterans Day) OC: …always will be. :50

“What I respect and admire is the sacrifice those guys and girls go through for us to live the way they want to live too. I’ve been out with Toby [Keith], and it’s been really great to be out with him and to see all these soldiers. You know, he brings them on stage during ‘Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue’…and ‘American Soldier,’ you know, they honor ‘em and he encourages ‘em to wear their uniforms. I love that that’s something our format embraces. I’m proud for our format, and I’m proud for the music that that’s something we stand by when I’m not sure others do as much. I mean, not that they’re not patriotic. I just think that that’s something we make a focal point, and I’m proud to be involved in. And again, I’m very thankful for the sacrifice that those guys endure, and it’s something that’s always been very important to me and always will be.”

You can now download your very own copy of Dierks Bentley‘s “Home” — it’s now available on iTunes! After writing the tune with Brett Beaversand Dan Wilson, Dierks felt the song would be pretty special. Judging by the way the song is charging up the country charts and the effect it is having on the fans, his feelings weren’t off-base. The singer is not trying to change the world, but he does wish the song could bring people together and give them hope for a brighter future. ” I hope in some sense it can bring people together and find more things in common than we don’t, and hope for the people that are going through tough times, that so many people are right now with the economy,” says Dierks. “Just help people feel inspired and look back and look at the country, from just a long term perspective, not just this day, this week, this month, this year, but just the history of this country and all the people that came before us and sacrificed their lives for us.”

“Homes” is the second single from Dierks’ forthcoming album, which is due in February. The lead-off single, “Am I the Only One,” recently topped the country charts. 

AUDIO: Dierks Bentley expresses his hopes for “Home,” the single heading up the country charts.

Dierks Bentley (hopes for Home) OC: …things right. 1:21

“This song is written in a way that is opened-ended as far as what they want to walk away with. I mean, I think it’s obvious it’s a song about our country, about the ups and downs and the scars we have in our past.  But at the end of the day, no matter what side of the fence you’re on, where you stand on certain issues, where you come from, your background, you have to walk through the front door of your house every day, this is our house, this is our home, this is our one country. There’s not another one you can go to. I hope in some sense it can bring people together and find more things in common than we don’t and hope for the people that are going through tough times, that so many people are right now with the economy. There’s certainly still a lot of tough times ahead, and they see that we’ve overcome so much as a country in the past and there’s no reason why we can’t overcome these things again and really be the number one, the best country in the world as far as a place to have these freedoms and to raise your family and to pass something on to the next generation. Just help people feel inspired and look back and look at the country, from just a long term perspective, not just this day, this week, this month, this year, but just the history of this country and all the people that came before us and sacrificed their lives for us. We’re standing on their shoulders and we need to honor that, and I think  the best way to honor that is come together and make things right.” 

Luke Bryan is premiering the new video for his current single, “I Don’t Want This Night To End,” with VEVO today. “I Don’t Want This Night To End” premieres across VEVO, including VEVO.com, VEVO’s free mobile apps and on VEVO syndication partners like YouTube.

Bryan once again teams up with Tacklebox Films director Shaun Silva in the video which is “Part One” of a two-part music video saga.   For the first time in a music video, Luke showcases his acting ability by playing the leading man.  “It’s really cool to write a song and then act out a part for the video,” he says. “I pulled out some of the old theatre skills from back in my high school days!”  

Luke plays a Country music star who falls for a new girl in town (played by actress Cameron Richardson) while he is home from the road. A chance meeting leads to a night they will never forget.  But is that the end of their story?

Luke is nominated in the New Artist category and will also be performing on the CMA Awards this year. Fans can tune in on Wed., Nov. 9 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network.

Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott was named Songwriter of the Year from the song-royalties organization SESAC (pr. See-Sack) on Monday night (November 7^th). It’s her third Songwriter trophy in four years. She also received individual ribbons for co-writing three hits for Lady A – “Our Kind of Love,” “Need You Now” and “Just a Kiss,” not to mention recognition for the No. 1 song, “A Little Bit Stronger,” which she co-wrote and was a hit for Sara Evans. Hillary also was presented a more personal gift from the organization – they gave a donation to a charity that does missionary work in Haiti, a place where Hillary has visited many times to assist with earthquake relief.

In other news, Hillary and her Lady A bandmates are nominated for Vocal Group of the Year at Wednesday night’s CMA Awards, where they will also perform. You can catch all the action live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena beginning at 8pm ET on ABC.

At the No. 1 party for “A Little Bit Stronger” in May, Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott, who co-wrote the song with Luke Laird and Hillary Lindsey, talked about how she came up with the idea for the song, and which song her ex-boyfriend thinks is about him.

Hillary Scott (A Little Bit Stronger) OC: …not ‘Need You Now.’ [laughs] :37