Brooks & Dunn, ACM Build Playgrounds In Two Cities Tomorrow

Sarah Skates – 10/24/2007

Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn will help build playgrounds in Shreveport, La. and Nashville tomorrow (10/25). They are teaming with 350 volunteers from The Home Depot, as well as volunteers from the Academy of Country Music and KaBOOM! to erect the playgrounds, being built in their honor as winners of the 2007 ACM The Home Depot Humanitarian Award. The duo will spend the morning in Shreveport (Brooks’ hometown), and then fly to Nashville for the afternoon build.

Sara Evans Opens Tour

10/24/2007

Sara Evans had plenty of experts on hand to help her get ready for the opening night of her Chevy-sponsored headlining tour in Fort Wayne, IN on Oct. 19.

Picture (L-R): Lon Helton, Publisher Country Aircheck; Rob Kelley, Operations Mgr. K105; Dave Michaels, Assistant Operations Mgr. K105; Joe Galante, Chairman Sony BMG Nashville; Scott Lindy, Dir. Country Programming Sirius Satellite Radio; Jay Michaels, PD WAWC; Butch Waugh, Exec. VP Sony BMG Nashville Keith Kauffman, PD WSIX; and Evans (center).

Show Dog Nashville Hosts Carter's Chord Showcase

10/23/2007

Show Dog Nashville recently hosted a songwriter’s showcase for Carter’s Chord. The trio of sisters performed songs they have been working on for their 2008 debut album, including upcoming single, “Young Love,” which was written by Hillary Lindsey, Aimee Mayo and Scooter Carusoe.

Pictured (L-R): Mayo, Carter’s Chord’s Becky Robertson, Carusoe, Carter’s Chord’s Emily Robertson, Lindsey and Carter’s Chord’s Joanna Robertson.

Music Industry Events Welcome Community

Sarah Skates – 10/23/2007

Music business partygoers and civilians alike are invited to free events on Thurs., Oct. 25 in Nashville.

• Lonestar will join Aaron Neville and Take 6 as performers in Holiday Notes from Home at the Opry House, being taped for worldwide broadcast Christmas Day on Armed Forces Television. Also playing will be the Band of the Air Force Reserve and the Air Force Strings. Anyone with a loved one serving in the military is encouraged to bring a sign supporting them. Free tickets are available at the door beginning at 4 PM on the day of the show. The audience should be seated by 7:45 PM.

• CMT invites the public to a free show featuring the cast of its new series Gone Country. The concert, hosted by John Rich, will include performances by Bobby Brown, Carnie Wilson, Dee Snider, Diana DeGarmo, Julio Iglesias Jr, Maureen McCormick and Sisqo. With help of hit Nashville songwriters, they will debut a country song developed for the series. Doors open at 5:30 PM at the Wildhorse Saloon and the show is at 8 PM.

• As previously reported, the Americana Music Festival opening party on Wed., Oct. 31 is free and open to the public. Jim Lauderdale, Buddy Miller, and Rodney Crowell will perform a tribute to Porter Wagoner 5:30-7:30 PM at the Tennessee State Museum.

Big Kenny's Letter From The Sudan

10/23/2007

Kenny Alphin of Big & Rich and wife Christiev are in Akon, Sudan delivering medical and school supplies, musical instruments, clothing and building tools to the Kunyuk School for Girls. This is an e-mail sent earlier this week by Alphin.
_______________________

The past 24 hours in the village of Akon have been the most incredible of my life. We were greeted on the runway by over 500 singing children and community members and leaders. David (Physician and friend David Marks is coordinating medical supply aid with Dr. Luka Deng on the ground in Sudan) met with over 75 patients today and the line will be longer tomorrow as word spreads. From the school under trees, the clinic with not more than a roof and a table, to a public meeting where they all sang and expressed their appreciation of our visit and urgent needs, this trip has already surpassed my expectations.

Some thirty of the patients seen today had malaria. Most of them had to wade across rivers to come to school. Some walk three hours each way to get here. I’ve never in my life seen a more impoverished situation nor have I ever met more genuinely happy and appreciative people. They have fought for over 20 years for their basic freedoms, now they have to fight for their lives, the basic necessities of food, water, education and healthcare. Their main concern is to save their children. The aid we were able to bring will no doubt save lives.

We were able to arrive with all 20 crates of aid we brought from the US in addition to picking up a couple hundred survival kits from CSI for returning refugees. The trip has no doubt encouraged us all to take responsibility to help and improve humankind. A world without prejudice!

Love will lead the way,
Bk and the Team Akon

Artist News Tuesday (10/23/07)

Recent Grand Ole Opry inductee Josh Turner is set to release his third album for MCA Records Everything Is Fine on Oct. 30. Turner has seven co-writes on the twelve track project. The album...

Toby Celebrates at Sammy Hagar’s 60th Birthday Bash

10/22/2007

Toby Keith joined Ted Nugent, Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, in performing at Sammy Hagar’s 60th Birthday Bash in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Kenny Chesney, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Jay Leno were among those who could not attend but sent video greetings. The bash took place on Oct. 13 as the finale to nine days of partying.

Pictured (L-R): Criss Angel, Michael Anthony, Toby Keith, Sammy Hagar, Chad Smith and Ted Nugent. Photo: ©Mark Weiss

Wagoner Diagnosed With Cancer

Sarah Skates – 10/22/2007

Porter Wagoner

Sara Evans Visits The View

10/22/2007

Sara Evans performed her latest single, “As If,” during a recent appearance on ABC’s The View. The song is one of four new tracks on her recently released Greatest Hits album.

Pictured (L-R): The View co-hosts Sherri Shepherd and Elisabeth Hasselbeck; Evans; and co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar.

GAC Exclusive Premiere of Garth Video Tonight

Sarah Skates – 10/19/2007

Click for more Garth on GAC