“NASHVILLE” — J.D. Souther
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Actor and songwriter J.D. Souther had to change up his look to play Watty White on the ABC TV show “Nashville.” His hair is literally dyed white. Souther says he didn’t just see a ghost or get old overnight. Souther himself is known for writing some of the Eagles biggest hits, including “Best of My Love” and “Heartache Tonight.” He says he is happy that the show “Nashville” is giving country music the respect it deserves and not resorting to “overdubs or vocal tuners.” The second episode of “Nashville” airs tonight on ABC.

“THE VOICE”
LOS ANGELES (AP) – No steals last night for Team Blake on “The Voice.” He’s keeping country singer Liz Davis. But Blake Shelton didn’t pick any of the singers dropped by the other coaches. Christina Aguilera stole Alessandra, who’s a student at New York’s “Fame” high school. She had been dropped by Team Adam.

JENNIFER NETTLES TO HOST ‘CMA COUNTRY CHRISTMAS’ AGAIN
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – It’s not even Halloween yet, and Jennifer Nettles is already thinking about Christmas. She will be hosting the “CMA Country Christmas” TV special again this year on ABC. The two-hour show will feature performances by Dierks Bentley, Colbie Caillat (kal-LAY’), Lady Antebellum, John Legend, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Scotty McCreery, The Band Perry and Keith Urban. It will be taped in front of a live audience at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on November 3rd. People are encouraged to drop off an unwrapped toy at the arena the day of the show for children in need. Tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster.

LAMBERT, SHELTON TO CELEBRATE THANKSGIVING IN LA
UNDATED (AP) – Los Angeles is getting more festive this fall. Blake Shelton will be taping “The Voice” there through Thanksgiving, so Miranda Lambert is bringing the autumn holiday spirit to him. She tells Good Housekeeping magazine that she will be “buying pumpkins and hay bales somewhere in that crazy city and putting them on the porch.” The couple usually celebrate Thanksgiving at Shelton’s farm in Tishomingo, Oklahoma.

JASON ALDEAN SINGS SONG ABOUT A STRIPPER
UNDATED (AP) – Jason Aldean sings a song about a stripper on his new album “Night Train.” It’s called “Black Tears” and it tells the story of a stripper dealing with the toll of her job. Country Weekly reports that Aldean called it “one of the most well-written songs on the record.” He says hopefully people who are conservative about music will look past the subject matter and listen to what the lyrics are really saying. “Night Train” also features a song called “The Only Way I Know” with Eric Church and Luke Bryan, as well as a rap-influenced tribute to Joe Diffie called “1994.” The album is out now.

TAYLOR HOPES TO SEE MORE STYLISH MEN AT HER SHOWS
UNDATED (AP) – Move over tweens. Taylor Swift says she’d love to see more stylish men at her concerts. She tells Esquire magazine that she loves “the suspenders and plaid pants and whatever. Hair that’s combed.” The magazine recently named her one of the “Women We Love.”

LISA MARIE PRESLEY RECORDS SONG WITH HER DAD
UNDATED (AP) – Lisa Marie Presley has released a duet with her dad. She re-recorded Elvis’ song “I Love You Because” and released it to iTunes. The video premieres on CMT on Thursday. She’s hitting the road for two weeks next month to support her Americana album, “Storm and Grace.” It starts November 1st in Tunica, Mississippi, and ends November 17th at Carnegie Hall in New York.

JAMEY JOHNSON RELEASES TRIBUTE ALBUM TO HANK COCHRAN
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Jamey Johnson sang at Hank Cochran’s bedside the night he died of pancreatic cancer in 2010. And now Johnson is saluting his friend with an album full of Cochran’s songs. Willie Nelson, George Strait and Alison Krauss sing with Johnson on the project as well as Merle Haggard, Elvis Costello, Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Lee Ann Womack and Kris Kristofferson. The 16-track album is mostly duets and includes Cochran classics such as “Make the World Go Away” and “I Fall to Pieces.” Johnson’s duet with Krauss of “Make The World Go Away” is the free iTunes single of the week. The album is called “Living For a Song: A Tribute to Hank Cochran.” It’s out now.

 

‘THE VOICE’
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Changes on Team Blake on “The Voice.” Blake Shelton dropped soul singer Terisa Griffin for mariachi singer Julio Cesar Castillo. But Team CeeLo picks up Griffin. Team Blake tried to steal teen singer Joselyn (JOS’-eh-lin) Rivera when she was dropped by Team Christina. But Shelton was beat out by Adam Levine. More of the battle round on tonight’s show.

JERROD NIEMANN MAKES HIS FAN CLUB COOL
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Jerrod Niemann wants to get drunk with his fan club members. He says he named his fan club “Dehydration Nation” because anybody who signs up to be associated with him is more like a buddy — and he usually has fun drinking with his buddies. Niemann’s plan for world peace starts with his fan club. He says if he could get everybody — 21 and up — to sip adult beverages “swiftly to the point of dehydration” then we would all be in a better place.

TAYLOR SWIFT DRINKING HABITS
UNDATED (AP) – Taylor Swift doesn’t drink much alcohol. She tells Esquire magazine that “if it doesn’t taste like candy or sparkles,” she usually doesn’t drink it. Swift says she sips wine sometimes because it makes her feel classy, but not Scotch — at least not yet.

DIERKS BENTLEY POSTPONES CHARITY EVENT DUE TO WEATHER
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Dierks Bentley is disappointed that he had to postpone his charity event in Nashville because of high winds and storm warnings. But he played an impromptu set at the Hard Rock Cafe instead, and Sheryl Crow joined him. Bentley says it was a tough call to postpone the “Miles and Music for Kids” motorcycle ride and concert, but safety was his No. 1 priority. The money would have gone to support Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital. Since 2006, he has raised over $2 million for Children’s Miracle Network hospitals across the country.

TIM MCGRAW RECORDS NEW SONG WITH NE-YO
UNDATED (AP) – Tim McGraw is teaming up with Ne-Yo again. They’ve recorded a song together called, “She Is.” It will be on Ne-Yo’s R.E.D. album, out November 6th. Ne-Yo appeared on the track “Only Human” from McGraw’s “Emotional Traffic” album earlier this year.

MORE PERFORMERS ANNOUNCED FOR CMAS
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Fans can expect to see Blake Shelton and Lady Antebellum on stage at the Country Music Association Awards this year. They are among the latest performers announced for the event. Eli Young Band and Brantley Gilbert will also be performing. Tickets for the show are sold out. The CMAs air live from Nashville on November 1st hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood.

GEORGE STRAIT SELLS OUT FIRST SIX SHOWS OF FINAL TOUR
UNDATED (AP) – The first six shows of George Strait’s final tour are sold out. He calls it “incredible” and says he never expected the fans to react like this. He kicks off “The Cowboy Rides Away” tour on January 18th in Lubbock, Texas.

RASCAL FLATTS EXTEND ‘CHANGED’ TOUR
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The Rascal Flatts “Changed” tour is continuing next year. The group is kicking off a winter leg on January 10th in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They will play 20 dates with special guest The Band Perry.

MILEY CYRUS TRESPASSER SENTENCED TO JAIL
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Jason Luis Rivera is going to jail for trying break into Miley Cyrus’ house. A judge in Los Angeles sentenced him to a year and a half in jail for misdemeanor trespassing and resisting arrest. Authorities say Rivera was at Cyrus’ home with a pair of scissors claiming to be her friend. She wasn’t home at the time of the September arrest.

TAYLOR SWIFT SAYS SHE’S NOT A KIDNAPPER
UNDATED (AP) – Taylor Swift tells Rolling Stone that contrary to rumors she did not kidnap Conor Kennedy from his high school and fly him to Nashville on her private jet. As she puts it, it’s impossible “to kidnap a grown man.” Kennedy is 18. Swift, who is 22, also tells Rolling Stone she did not crash a Kennedy family wedding over the summer. That story she says was “based on the biggest misunderstanding.” She insists in the interview that she would never show up anyplace she wasn’t invited and says she would “never want to upstage anybody.” As for her thoughts on love – Swift says it’s necessary to “forget about what everyone else thinks.

TRACE ADKINS ‘CELEBRITY APPRENTICE’ ALL-STAR
WASHINGTON (AP) – Trace Adkins did pretty well on “Celebrity Apprentice” back in 2008. He came in second after losing to TV host Piers Morgan. Now, thanks to the Donald – Trump, that is – Adkins is getting a second chance to nab the top spot in “All-Star Celebrity Apprentice.” Adkins will compete on behalf of the American Red Cross. He’ll be joined by his former teammate, actor Stephen Baldwin, on the show’s 13th season, which begins in March. Other celebs returning to the reality show include actor Gary Busey, magician Penn Jillette, rapper Lil Jon, basketball player Dennis Rodman, Twisted Sister lead singer Dee Snider, actress Marilu Henner, and singer La Toya Jackson.

SCOTTY MCCREERY MATH WHIZ
UNDATED (AP) – Scotty McCreery has lots of things to celebrate but lately he’s most excited about doing well on his first college math test. McCreery says he scored a 98 and says he “was pumped about that” because math is not one of his strong suits. McCreery also says being a freshman at North Carolina State is giving him a chance to have a little bit of normalcy.

KRISTY LEE COOK TURNS TO HER FATHER FOR NEW SINGLE
UNDATED (AP) – Former “American Idol” contestant Kristy Lee Cook will release a new album, produced by Jason Aldean, next year. The first single off Cook’s sophomore release is called “Airborne Ranger Infantry” and in an interview with The Boot, Lee explains the genesis of the song. Her father wrote poems about his experiences in Vietnam and Cook says she took lines directly from those poems. Cook tells The Boot that her father loves the song, but it makes him very emotional. She says “it’s healing but it hurts as well because it takes him back.”

HOLLY WILLIAMS TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM IN FEBRUARY
UNDATED (AP) – Holly Williams, granddaughter of Hank, will be releasing her new album “The Highway” in February. Charlie Peacock co-produced the new release which is Williams’ third album. It features a number of guest appearances including Jackson Browne, Jakob Dylan, Dierks Bentley, and actress Gwyneth Paltrow. Williams tells American Songwriter that her new song “Drinkin”‘ is what her grandfather, Hank Senior, used to call a “10 minute song.” After a bit of a writing lull in 2011 she says she woke up one morning and the song “poured out.”

SWEETHEARTS OF THE RODEO GET ‘RESTLESS’
UNDATED (AP) – Sweethearts of the Rodeo are back after a 15-year hiatus. Their new album is called “Restless.” Sisters Janis Oliver and Kristine Arnold say they talked about doing a reunion record for years but “life always seemed to get in the way.” Oliver focused on raising her daughter with Vince Gill, after they divorced and Arnold also focused on her family and “paying the bills.” But the two say the timing was finally right to focus on music again. They started recording new material in 2008 and the result “Restless” will be released October 23. The sisters are planning a nationwide tour in support of the new album.

LUKE BRYAN ON HIS NEW SINGLE
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Luke Bryan might be country music’s fastest rising star. He was just nominated for seven American Country Awards. That’s more than established stars like Taylor Swift and Lady Antebellum. He’s up for the night’s top honor, artist of the year and has nominations in the male artist, album, video and single of the year categories. Bryan says his new single, “Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye” is a song that plenty of people should be able to relate to. It’s about a couple confronting the end of their relationship.

KEITH URBAN TO RECEIVE NASHVILLE SYMPHONY’S HARMONY AWARD
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Keith Urban will be receiving the Nashville Symphony’s 2012 Harmony Award – a nice way to celebrate his 20th anniversary in his adopted hometown. Urban left Australia and arrived in Music City in 1992. The new “American Idol” judge is being honored for his commitment to music and community. Among Urban’s charitable work is his “All for the Hall” annual concert which has raised millions for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The award will be presented to Urban on December 8.

“X FACTOR”
UNDATED (AP) – Justin Bieber says one of the country guys on “The X Factor” has a great voice. Bieber is a guest mentor and made the comment about Tate Stevens. That was after Stevens performed “Back At One” on last night’s show. So far, Stevens is still in running. But so is everyone else. Twenty-four hopefuls started the episode and the same number finished. There were no eliminations on last night’s program.

SUGARLAND’S KRISTIAN BUSH SELLS OUT SOLO SHOWS, ADDS ANOTHER
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Sugarland’s Kristian Bush says he’s “happy to keep on playing for as long as people want to listen.” After selling out two solo shows he’s added a third at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, Georgia. The encore by popular demand performance will be Monday, November 26. Eddie’s is where Bush got his start and he says he’s “thrilled” that so many fans want to ring in their holiday season with his show. Bush is nominated for CMA Vocal Duo of the Year with Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland.

BILLBOARD ANNOUNCES NEW FORMULA FOR TRACKING HIT SONGS
NEW YORK (AP) – Billboard has a new way of computing its weekly hot country songs chart. The publication announced yesterday morning that from now on chart positions will incorporate digital download sales and streaming data along with traditional radio airplay figures to determine the weekly chart. The changes will also apply to the hot R&B/hip-hop songs and hot Latin songs charts and will match the qualifications for the publication’s all-genre chart, the Billboard Hot 100.

LUKE BRYAN ANNOUNCES FIRST HEADLINE TOUR
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Luke Bryan has had a pretty good year. His latest album “Tailgates and Tanlines” sold over one million copies, he co-hosted the CMA TV special “Country’s Night to Rock,” he took home trophies at both the ACM Awards and CMT Music Awards, and he opened up concerts for a handful of country superstars including Jason Aldean, Rascal Flatts and Tim McGraw. Now, Bryan is getting ready to headline his own major tour. He says he’s “dreamed about this day for a very long time” and has tried to learn from all the artists he’s been on the road with. His “Dirt Road Diaries Tour” will kick off in January of next year. The 20-city first leg will go through March and feature Thompson Square and Florida Georgia Line as openers.

OAK RIDGE BOYS CELEBRATE 40 YEARS WITH A TOUR
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The Oak Ridge Boys have been harmonizing for 40 years. And to help celebrate four decades in the music business the quartet will be kicking off “The Oak Ridge Boys 40th Anniversary Tour” early next year. The group also plans to release a commemorative album and a network television special is also in the works. The first concert of the U.S. and Canadian tour will be held January 19 at the historic Opera House in Galveston, Texas.

LUKE BRYAN TALKS FARM TOUR
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Luke Bryan kicked off his fourth annual Farm Tour and he says it’s the highlight of his year. It includes eight concerts in several southern states, including five in his home state of Georgia. The next one is scheduled tonight in Athens. Proceeds from the shows go to college scholarships for students from local farming families. Bryan says setting up speakers in a field and inviting fans to what he calls a “big old throw down” is a dream come true and helping kids go to college makes it even more special.

‘X FACTOR’
UNDATED (AP) – Willie Jones got a second chance to do “Nobody Knows” on the “X Factor.” The deep-voiced teen was in tears after forgetting the words in an earlier episode. But it turns out he wasn’t cut and performed it again on last night’s episode. He makes it into the top 24, as the field was further whittled down from 60. Another country standout Tate Stevens is still in it too.

JAMEY JOHNSON TO RELEASE HANK COCHRAN TRIBUTE ALBUM
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Jamey Johnson says the man who wrote country classics including “Make the World Go Away” influenced him not only as an artist and songwriter, but also as a person. He is paying his respects by releasing “Living For a Song: A Tribute to Hank Cochran” on October 16. Cochran died at age 74 in 2010 leaving behind a long list of admirers, many of whom join Johnson on the album. Among them, Willie Nelson, who says Cochran “was the best writer up there” and Merle Haggard who says Cochran wanted to be the “Hemingway of country music” and was. Among the artists featured on the tribute are Elvis Costello, Ronnie Dunn, Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Kris Kristofferson, Alison Krauss, Ray Price, Leon Russell, George Strait and Lee Ann Womack. Johnson will kick off the release of the album with a concert at Ryman Auditorium on the 16th, where he’ll be joined by several of his duet partners. He’s also expected to announce his fall tour sometime next week.

TICKETS FOR GEORGE STRAIT’S FINAL TOUR GO ON SALE
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Tickets for the 2013 leg of George Strait’s final tour go on sale this Friday. Strait announced last month that he is riding away – not into the sunset – but he plans to stop touring after he wraps his current The Cowboy Rides Away tour. Strait has 21 dates scheduled for 2013 and 20 more in 2014. In September he told the AP he just doesn’t want to get to the point where he shows up and nobody else does.

KENNY CHESNEY TO SERENADE SAMMY HAGAR
UNDATED (AP) – Kenny Chesney will once again be helping former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar celebrate his birthday. Chesney says he’s “fired up” about playing a one-night only concert at Hagar’s Cabo Wabo Cantina club in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Hagar’s been hosting his Birthday Bashes there for over 20 years. This year marks Chesney’s second Birthday Bash performance and Hagar’s 65th birthday. The concert takes place tomorrow.

NEIL YOUNG PRAISES PISTOL ANNIES
UNDATED (AP) – Neil Young paid a compliment to the Pistol Annies in his recently released book, “Waging Heavy Peace.” Young says he listened to the Annies’ song “Takin’ Pills” and he knows they are writing their butts off. Angaleena Presley posted the excerpt from the book on her Twitter page and tweeted back to Young saying she “kindly and humbly” thanks him.

BRAD PAISLEY FULFILLS DYING MAN’S WISH
UNDATED (AP) – Brad Paisley’s next album will feature a special custom-made guitar. It was given to him by Pennsylvania resident Lee Feldman who was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer last year. Feldman told Fox TV affiliate channel 43 in Harrisburg that he didn’t know what to do with the guitar, one of his most treasured possessions, but then he had a dream. It should go to Brad Paisley who he says could “play the frets off” of it. With the help of some friends in the music business Feldman, was able to personally hand over his guitar to Paisley who told him he’s planning on using it on his next album. Feldman says Paisley also revealed that his grandfather died from pancreatic cancer and that he was the one who taught Paisley “how to play guitar in the first place.” Feldman says he’s happy the guitar isn’t going to sit and collect dust. He says he wanted somebody to play it and now his wish will come true.

JASON ALDEAN: FAMILY ‘OK’ AFTER PHOTO SCANDAL
UNDATED (AP) – Jason Aldean says his family is “OK” after a tabloid caught him kissing another woman at a bar in Hollywood. Aldean tells CMT that he has said what he needed to say to his wife and two daughters, and hopefully they understand that he knows he screwed up. He says now the family has to deal with the incident in private and try to fix it. Aldean and his wife Jessica have been married for 11 years. His new album “Night Train” is out October 16th.

‘NASHVILLE’ PREMIERES TONIGHT ON ABC
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Hayden Panettiere (pan-uh-TYEHR’) calls the new drama “Nashville” a “dream come true.” She stars as a pop-country singer and loves that the role allows her to act and sing at the same time. Panettiere also has legitimate country roots: her grandmother is from Texas and her mom’s from Kentucky. “Nashville” premieres tonight on ABC.

“THE VOICE”
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Blake Shelton’s steal wasn’t successful. Both Shelton and Cee Lo Green tried to “steal” indie rocker Caitlin Michele on last night’s edition of “The Voice.” The new twist in the series this season is that coaches can pick up singers dropped from other teams. Team Adam let Caitlin go, leading to Green and Shelton attempting to add her to their teams. Shelton tried to convince Caitlin that he had insight into singers with a unique talent. But Green went a step further, telling her his middle name was “Unique.” Caitlin turns down Team Shelton to hitch a ride with Team CeeLo.

LUKE BRYAN LEADS AMERICAN COUNTRY AWARD NOMINEES
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Luke Bryan leads this year’s American Country Awards with seven nominations. Lady Antebellum and Zac Brown Band are next with six nominations apiece, while Eric Church and Taylor Swift each have five nods. Bryan, Swift, Lady A, Zac Brown Band and Jason Aldean are up for the night’s top honor, artist of the year. The ACAs will air live Dec. 10 on Fox from Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Kristin Chenoweth and Trace Adkins are returning as co-hosts. Voting is open on the show’s website: theACAs.com.

AMERICAN MUSIC AWARD NOMINEES ANNOUNCED
NEW YORK (AP) – Luke Bryan and Carrie Underwood are up for two American Music Awards each. They’re competing against each other for favorite country album along with Lionel Richie’s country duets project. Bryan is up against Jason Aldean and Eric Church in the favorite country male artist category, and Underwood’s got stiff competition in the country female category from Miranda Lambert and Taylor Swift. Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts and Zac Brown Band are the nominees in the favorite country band, duo or group category. Nicki Minaj and Rihanna lead the AMA nominations with four each. The show airs live from Los Angeles on November 18th. Fans can pick the winners at AMAvote.com

SHANIA TWAIN WANTS TO MAKE A CHRISTMAS RECORD
UNDATED (AP) – The next music Shania Twain records might have a holly, jolly jingle to it. She tells Up! Magazine that she’s been “dying to do a Christmas album for so long” and now is the best time to do that. Twain is launching her “Still The One” concert series in Las Vegas in December. She says once the show is underway, she’s going to get nostalgic and make the Christmas record happen.

COLLIN RAYE, MARSHALL TUCKER BAND GET POLITICAL
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Collin Raye and The Marshall Tucker Band are getting political this week. Raye is performing his new patriotic single at a campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney in Springfield, Ohio, today. The song is called “Never Gonna Stand For This.” Tomorrow, The Marshall Tucker Band will perform directly after the vice presidential debate at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky.

‘THE VOICE’
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Blake Shelton was caught stealing last night. But he’s not in trouble with the law. There’s a new wrinkle this season on “The Voice.” It’s the steal. Once a singer is dropped from a team, the other judges can pick them up. That happened twice on last night’s show. Team Blake picked up Collin McLoughlin after he was dropped by Team Adam. Adam Levine also picked up a singer dropped by Cee Lo Green. Tonight on The Voice, more of the battle round.

LEANN RIMES HOSPITALIZED FOR DENTAL INFECTION
UNDATED (AP) – A dental infection is to blame for sending LeAnn Rimes to the hospital recently. She tweeted that she felt like she got hit in the right side of her face with a baseball bat and calls it the “WORST way ever to kick off a tour.” The illness forced her to postpone a show. Rimes blogged that she’s been dealing with painful dental issues for 10 months, but she’s getting back on track.

JOHN RICH PROTEGE WINS ‘THE NEXT’
UNDATED (AP) – John Rich’s protege is the first winner of the CW music talent show “The Next.” Country singer Michael Ray won the fan-voted competition, earning a recording contract with Atlantic Records and the chance to open for his mentor on the show, John Rich. Rich dropped to his knees when Ray was named the winner, saying “You earned it, buddy.”

MORE CMA AWARDS PERFORMERS
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Carrie Underwood will be pulling double duty at the Country Music Association Awards again this year. She’s co-hosting with Brad Paisley and will perform, too. Kenny Chesney, Eric Church and The Band Perry have also recently been added to the line-up. Previously announced performers include Paisley, Jason Aldean, Kelly Clarkson, Miranda Lambert and Zac Brown Band.

KEITH URBAN MAKES WIFE FEEL SEXY
UNDATED (AP) – Keith Urban makes his wife feel sexy. Nicole Kidman tells Harper’s Bazaar magazine in its November issue that Urban gave her confidence by being kind and understanding. She says he opened her up to her sexuality and trying new things.

JERROD NIEMANN WANTS FANS TO ‘FREE THE MUSIC’
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The title of Jerrod Niemann’s new album, “Free The Music,” has different meanings. Neimann says for him, it was about freeing his mind in the studio, but for fans, he hopes the music frees them from their job, school, ex-boyfriend-girlfriend-wife or whatever it may be. Niemann studied country music history and used old school sounds like horns throughout his album.

EDENS EDGE SINGER MARRIES
UNDATED (AP) – The lead singer of Edens Edge is a married woman. Hannah Blaylock tied the knot with Justin Wakefield during a quiet ceremony in the band’s home state of Arkansas. They exchanged vows under a White Oak tree decorated with fisherman’s rope and glass floats from Alaska, where Blaylock grew up. She walked down the aisle to a song her brother wrote about his wife called “Falling Over You.” The newlyweds are taking some time for a honeymoon before Edens Edge joins the Rascal Flatts “Changed tour.”

BILLY RAY CYRUS SETS NEW ALBUM RELEASE DATE
UNDATED (AP) – Billy Ray Cyrus’s new album “Change My Mind” will be out on October 23. Cyrus says the 10-song CD is a personal one and he’s lived through every emotion expressed in every song. They come to him, he says, when he’s “dealing with heavy stuff.” And if he’s “going through something emotional” he says the songs “pour out.” The only way he knows how to express himself he says is to “write it all down.” “Change My Mind’ the album’s title track is already climbing the charts.

KELLY CLARKSON CELEBRATES 10 YEARS WITH GREATEST HITS
UNDATED (AP) – It’s been over a decade since Kelly Clarkson won the first season of “American Idol” and then watched her career skyrocket. And to celebrate her 10-year anniversary she is releasing a greatest hits album. Clarkson made the announcement on her website last week. She says the last decade “has been tough, but inspiring” and admits in a message to her fans that it was a lot of pressure for a 19-year-old girl to handle. But now she’s 30 and Clarkson says she is smart enough to know it’s time to stop, catch her breath, and be proud of what she’s accomplished. With that in mind, she also announced she’ll be releasing a new song this month. It’s called “Catch My Breath.” It will be included in “Greatest Hits – Chapter 1” which is set for release November 19. On November 1 Clarkson performs at the CMA Awards where she is nominated in the female vocalist of the year category – her first solo nomination.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD CONFESSES TO HAVING A THING FOR BIG HAIR
UNDATED (AP) – Carrie Underwood’s look has evolved and become more sophisticated since her debut on “American Idol” back in 2005, but she tells People magazine she’s not giving up her big hair. Underwood says “the number-one thing” she does when someone fixes her hair, is put her fingers back in and “make it look bigger.” She attributes her fondness for statuesque styles to her childhood idols – Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette.

BRAD PAISLEY TO HELP OUT A TRIBE IN AFRICA
UNDATED (AP) – Brad Paisley is planning to donate a cow to a Massai tribe in Kenya. In 2007 Paisley bet a Detroit morning show radio producer that he couldn’t travel to 10 countries in 10 days. That producer headed to Africa with a big Brad cardboard cutout that became a hit in a Massai village near Mt. Kilimanjaro. Last week, Steve Grunwald, the roving radio producer, received a request from the Massai tribe for a cow. Grunwald reached out to Paisley for some help. During a radio interview that aired last week Paisley said he’s “totally game” and “all in.” It’s a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help out” he says and offered to send Grunwald back to Kenya with a cow. The cow has already been named Paisley.

RAILROAD REVIVAL TOUR CANCELED
UNDATED (AP) – Willie Nelson, Jamey Johnson and Band of Horses are among the performers whose appearances on The Railroad Revival tour have been canceled. The artists were planning to travel by train from Georgia to California later this month, with concerts in various cities along the way. But, a statement posted on the tour’s website Friday says the tour has been canceled. The statement says it was a difficult decision but it was determined that “certain complications would not permit them to host the shows in the manner intended and that the bands and fans deserved.” Railroad Revival Tour will be giving ticket holders a full refund.

LEE BRICE GETS POLITICAL
UNDATED (AP) – Lee Brice is facing some stiff competition for the best New Artist trophy at the upcoming CMA Awards. In an effort to boost his chances the “Hard to Love” singer has put out some videos – humorous spoofs of political campaign videos that have gone viral. In one ad he defends his position as the leading CMA nominee – and says that “quite frankly” he doesn’t understand why Obama and Romney have to blast each other’s records because as he points out he’s “never heard a record from either of them.” Brice’s opponents in the November 1 “election” for best new artist are Hunter Hayes, Brantley Gilbert, Thompson Square and Love and Theft.

KEITH URBAN PLAYS DIPLOMAT
NEW YORK (AP) - New "American Idol" judge Keith Urban says he's like the UN - playing diplomat between fellow judges Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey. At a New York Film Festival gala Wednesday honoring his wife, Nicole Kidman, Urban said, "We're all passionate people and we're learning a new dance." Kidman thinks her husband will be good for the show. Apart from being the new resident peacemaker, she says he genuinely "loves helping young talent" and she even sees it in the way he is with their daughters. She describes Urban as "very nurturing." Earlier this week TMZ had a leaked video that shows Idol judges Minaj and Carey going at it.

"X FACTOR"
UNDATED (AP) - Willie Jones could be in trouble on "The X Factor." He's the deep-voiced black teen who sings country. But Willie forgot the lyrics to "Nobody Knows," while performing a duet with contestant Tate Stevens. Willie told the judges it was Tate who picked the song and L.A. Reid says Willie might have been hustled. No more eliminations were announced on last night's show. But the field is to be cut to 24 next week.

TANYA TUCKER POSTPONES DECEMBER CONCERT DUE TO 'HEALTH CONCERNS'
UNDATED (AP) - Tanya Tucker has postponed a December concert because of undisclosed "health concerns." That's according to an upstate New York newspaper (Oneonta Daily Star). The show originally scheduled for December 9 was to be the 53-year-old singer's last 2012 tour date. It has been rescheduled for August 17 of next year. There's been no official public statement from Tucker or her representatives. The information was released by the executive director of the Foothills Performing Arts Center where the December 9 concert was scheduled to take place. The "Delta Dawn" singer's last major release is her 2009 "My Turn" album, a collection of country cover tunes.

NASHVILLE SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - "It all begins with a song" as the slogan says. And now The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame has a permanent home at the city's new convention center. Nashville's Mayor Karl Dean announced the plans yesterday. He called songwriters the unsung heroes of the city's country music industry and called the new Music City Center a fitting space to showcase and honor their creativity. The Hall of Fame is expected to be complete in time for the opening of the Music City Center this coming spring.

LYLE LOVETT TO RECEIVE ASCAP CREATIVE VOICE AWARD
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)- Four-time Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, composer and actor Lyle Lovett is being awarded the Creative Voice Award by The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. ASCAP President Paul Williams says Lovett is "a musical hero in more ways than one" and is being recognized for his artistry as well as his work advocating on behalf of fellow musicians and his work with lawmakers to protect copyrights. Lovett will be presented the award at the 50th Annual ASCAP Country Music Awards in Nashville on October 29.

LUKE BRYAN HEADED BACK INTO THE STUDIO
UNDATED (AP) - Luke Bryan says writing songs is "pretty weird and crazy and pretty special all at the same time." Bryan is in the middle of his Farm Tour but he's headed back into the studio to work on a new album next month. According to The Boot, Bryan wants to shake things up a bit but he doesn't want to change his music too much and risk losing fans. He told The Boot he's already got some new songs for the album and is hoping to write some more that help him grow as an artist.

SCOTTY MCCREERY ON HIS UPCOMING CHRISTMAS ALBUM
UNDATED (AP) - "Christmas with Scotty McCreery" is hitting the store shelves in less than two weeks. McCreery says his goal for the holiday album - his first - was to make an album that would make both him and his fans feel good. He tells GAC that he "just wanted it to be holly and jolly and really lift people's spirits in the Christmas season because it's supposed to be a really happy time." But, he says, he also wanted to "get across the real reason for the season" and that's why he chose the song 'Christmas in Heaven' - his favorite on the album. He says he knew he wanted to record the song after listening to the first verse. The album is available October 16.

KEITH URBAN-“IDOL” PEACEMAKER
NEW YORK (AP) – Keith Urban is the man in the middle. The new “American Idol” judge had to play peacemaker between Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey. Video leaked to TMZ shows Minaj and Carey in a heated and sometimes profane argument. Urban says he feels like the United Nations. He made the comment on the red carpet yesterday, at the New York Film Festival gala honoring his wife, Nicole Kidman. Idol debuts in January.

TAYLOR SWIFT ON JOHN MAYER
UNDATED (AP) – “Presumptuous” is the word that Taylor Swift chooses to describe John Mayer in a recent interview with Glamour magazine. Mayer took Swift’s song “Dear John” personally and told Rolling Stone said that he was “really humiliated” by the lyrics which made made him feel “terrible.” But Swift, who is featured on the cover of Glamour’s November issue, says she never discloses who her songs are about and she doesn’t want to know the specifics of what Mayer said. As Swift says that’s because she puts a “high priority on staying happy” and knows what she “can’t handle.” Swift explains it’s not because she’s an “egomaniac” who doesn’t want to hear anything negative about herself. She says it’s because she “never developed that thick a skin.”

TV SHOW ‘NASHVILLE’ GETS ITS OWN MUSIC DEAL
BEVERLY HILLS (AP) – Connie Britton, one of the stars of ABC’s upcoming drama “Nashville,” says the opportunity to sing was one of the reasons she took on the role of Rayna James, a country star down on her luck. Britton had no professional singing experience before signing on, but things are apparently going so well that ABC Studios and Big Machine Records – home to artists including Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw and Rascal Flatts – announced yesterday an exclusive partnership to release and market music from the series. Members of the cast including Britton, Hayden Panettiere, and Jonathan Jackson are slated to sing original material created for the series by both new and established songwriters. The show, shot entirely in Music City, offers a window into the world of the record business. Big Machine will release original music from “Nashville” each week on iTunes and ABC’s Music Lounge. The series premieres on October 10.

“THE X FACTOR”-BOOT CAMP
UNDATED (AP) – Willie Jones continues to impress the judges on “The X Factor.” He’s the deep-voiced black teen who sings country. Last night the 17-year-old from Louisiana did “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy.” Willie makes it through to the next round. So does Freddie Combs. He’s the minister from Tennessee who weighs 540 pounds. About 120 hopefuls made it through the original auditions to Boot Camp. Half were cut last night. Tonight, the eliminations continue.

CHARLIE PRIDE FINDS A HOME AT THE SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM
DALLAS (AP) – He grew up the son of sharecroppers in Mississippi and became one of country music’s biggest stars. Now the Smithsonian in Washington has acquired memorabilia from Charley Pride’s life, including a pair of boots and one of his guitars, for the upcoming National Museum of African American History and Culture. Pride says it was difficult to part with some of the items, but it’s nice to know that they will be in a museum where he can always go visit. Dwan Reece, the museum’s curator of music and performing arts, says Pride is “a great example of a man transcending the barriers of race who was accepted by audiences because he was a good country singer.” Pride, at 78, is still touring and heads to Ireland this month and the U.K. next month. He has three Grammy Awards, dozens of No. 1 hits and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2000. The Smithsonian new museum is scheduled to open in 2015.

EMERSON DRIVE READY TO “ROLL”
UNDATED (AP) – Multi-award-winning Canadian group Emerson Drive plans to release their fifth studio album “Roll’ on October 30. The lead single from the new album, “She’s My Kind of Crazy,” has been the highest-selling Canadian country song for the past eight weeks. The next single due out on October 23 is “Let It Roll,” a song written with members of Doc Walker. “Let It Roll” marks the first time two Canadian country bands have ever released a “duet” to radio. Emerson Drive is expected to announce plans for their 2013 tour soon. In the past they’ve hit the road with acts like Shania Twain, Toby Keith and Big and Rich.

SCOTTY MCCREERY MUSEUM EXHIBIT
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – Scotty McCreery has been racking up accolades and awards ever since his winning performance on “American Idol” last year. He’s got a platinum album, ACM and CMT Music Awards and now he has a new museum exhibit dedicated to his achievements. The North Carolina Museum of History is currently showcasing objects donated by McCreery, including the outfit he wore for his final duet on “Idol” back on May 25, 2011. McCreery sang “Live Like You Were Dying” with country music star Tim McGraw. The outfit consists of a black leather jacket, jeans, T-shirt and cross necklace. The exhibit also includes the lyric sheet for “Live Like You Were Dying,” along with his gold record for his first album, “Clear as Day.” The exhibit runs through January 4.

GARTH BROOKS CONCLUDES THREE-YEAR RUN IN LAS VEGAS
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Garth Brooks says he’s “thoroughly enjoyed” his run at Wynn Las Vegas but the show will not go on. The 50-year-old singer will play six more dates this fall concluding his three-year run on November 17. In a news release Brooks called Steven Wynn “the easiest and best boss” he’s ever worked for. Brooks came out of retirement to take the job in 2009. It came with the gift of a jet from Wynn. According to the news release, Brooks plans to film his one-man show next for a possible network special. He’ll be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame later this month.