Toby and Blake Set Release Dates

Sarah Gilbert Skates – 02/07/2007

Two more major country releases will be on hand to hopefully boost 2007 sales. Big Dog Daddy, Toby Keith's next full-length studio project, will be at retailers nationwide on Tues., June 12. As is his custom, Keith served as principal songwriter for the Show Dog project and for the first time in his career, he is also the sole producer. The debut single, "High Maintenance Woman," comes out Feb. 12...Platinum-selling artist Blake Shelton’s fourth studio album, slyly titled Pure BS, is set to be released by Warner Bros. Records on May 1. The lead-off single, “Don’t Make Me,” is currently climbing the charts and sits at No. 14 on Music Row’s Country Breakout Chart. The project is produced by Bobby Braddock, Brent Rowan, and Paul Worley. As previously reported, Tim McGraw has a new album coming out March 27 and Martina McBride follows on April 3.

Dierks Bentley Visits WUSN/US99

02/07/2007

Dierks Bentley was in Chicago last Thursday (2/1) for the opening night of his High Times and Hangovers Tour with Cross Canadian Ragweed. He stopped by to visit the staff at WUSN/US99 before the show. Pictured (L-R): DJ Drew Walker, Programming Asst. Joe Epperson, US99 MD Marci Braun, Bentley, DJ Trish Biondo, AM Show Producer Dominic Fortini.

Emerson Drive Joins America’s Second Harvest

02/07/2007

Midas Records Nashville and Emerson Drive, inspired by the lyrics and video for “Moments,” the new single from their Countrified album, have partnered with America’s Second Harvest. Representatives from the Wisconsin branch of the charity were on hand at the band’s recent Green Bay concert to educate fans about the organization and ask for support. The band recently sold out three shows on the Countrified Coast to Coast Tour which includes stops in 25 cities. Pictured (L-R): David Pichette (fiddle), Joe O'Neil (America's Second Harvest), Patrick Bourque (bass), Brad Mates (lead vocals), Gary Nosacek (America's Second Harvest), Dale Wallace (keyboards), Danick Dupelle (lead guitar) and Mike Melancon (drums).

Artist News Daily (2/8/07)

Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black will perform the duet, "When I Said I Do," on Fri., Feb. 9 on Live With Regis and Kelly during a wedding on the show. Black will also perform...

Kice Painting, Lyric Book Auctioned In Rockies

Jon Freeman – 02/06/2007

An auction at the 13th Annual Country In The Rockies raised $20,000 to benefit the T.J. Martell Foundation and The Frances Williams Preston Research Laboratory. Nashville performance artist Rachel Kice sold her painting titled “It’s Like What They Say” as part of an auction package which also included the handwritten and autographed lyric book for “The Cure,” a song that was written by 65 artists and songwriters on the CMA Awards red carpet in November. Hit writer Monty Powell recorded the song 24 hours later and performed it in Colorado prior to the auction. Margie Geddes of the Red Stripe Beer family was the auction winner and took home the painting and lyric...Kice will also be featured on Fuse On Demand now through March 11. The segment can be viewed through Free On Demand, available on Comcast, Cablevision's iO, AT&T, Insight and Cox.

Grascals Win at SPBGMA Bluegrass Awards

02/05/2007

The Grascals won Instrumental Group of the Year and Bluegrass Band of the Year at the 33rd Annual SPBGMA Bluegrass Music Awards show held in Nashville on Feb. 4. This is the second consecutive year that the band took home the trophy for Instrumental Group. Their sophomore release on Rounder Records, Long List of Heartaches, is also nominated for a Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album.

Artist News Daily (2/6/07)

Big & Rich performed at the dedication ceremony for The Center for the Intrepid at Brooke Army Medical Center on Jan. 29 in San Antonio, Texas. The center is for soldiers who are severely injured in...

Benefit News Daily (2/2/07)

A few of Nashville’s songwriting elite will convene at the Bluebird Cafe Fri., Feb. 9th for SOLID’s first fundraiser of 2007. Sponsored by BMG Publishing, the show will feature performances by Brett James, Marcus Hummon...

The Oak Ridge Boys In South Dakota

02/01/2007

The Oak Ridge Boys performed Wednesday evening (1/31) at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in Rapid City, SD. While in the area they also visited Mount Rushmore and met with Mount Rushmore Park Superintendent Gerard A. Baker. Pictured (L-R): Richard Sterban, William Lee Golden, Baker, Duane Allen and Joe Bonsall.

Artist News Daily (2/2/07)

John Anderson and Big & Rich are set to tape an episode of CMT Cross Country on Feb. 16 in front of an invitation-only audience at the Factory in Franklin. The show will premiere Sat...