Chevy Country Music Calendar Goes Online at CMT.com
CMA new artist of the year nominees Jason Aldean, Rodney Atkins, Lady Antebellum and James Otto are among those featured in the fifth annual Chevy Country Music Calendar. Shot in locations throughout the nation, the 2009 calendar will be distributed via four national magazines — NASCAR Illustrated, Progressive Farmer, Country Weekly and People — to reach more than 2 million subscribers beginning Nov. 23. For the first year, a digital version of the calendar will also be available online at CMT.com. Others featured in the calendar are Heidi Newfield, Rissi Palmer, Joe Nichols, Chuck Wicks, Jypsi, Phil Stacey and NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. The calendars will also be available at multiple Chevy-sponsored events in conjunction with this year’s CMA Awards show to be broadcast live by ABC on Nov. 12.
More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…
‘Rock Of Ages’: Greatest Jack Black Impersonation of All Time
‘Rock Of Ages’: Greatest Jack Black Impersonation of All Time Jack Black fanatics, have I got a show for you. Rock of Ages, the just-off-Broadway musical homage to Reagan-era rock-outs features the Greatest Jack Black Impersonation of All Time. I’m not kidding. Constantine Maroulis (a fourth-season American Idol finalist), may be the show’s “star,” but Mitchell Jarvis is the star. No doubt Jarvis is consciously aping Black’s bug-eyed rocker persona to play Lonny, the show’s postmodern narrator (he’s constantly reminding us we’re watching a musical), but he does it flawlessly. He also resembles Black enough that, I thought it was the comedy superstar himself at the New World Stages, acting alongside the guy who finished sixth on American Idol.
Review: ‘The Secret Life of Bees’
The honey runs thick in “The Secret Life of Bees,” and so does the treacle. The cloying dullness sets in early, although not from the first frame, which begins with a girl’s voice-over narration telling us, “I killed my mother when I was 4 years old.” This sounds like something Mickey Spillane might have cooked up.
In fact, the movie, written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, is derived from a popular 2002 novel by Sue Monk Kidd, which is mostly set in South Carolina shortly after the passage of the Civil Rights Act. This setting allows the movie’s talented but underutilized cast to try out their Deep South accents while sashaying, wriggling, cooing, and weeping.
The Secret Life of Bees star Jennifer Hudson: Diggin’ Her Style
Stylespotter chopped it up with The Secret Life of Bees star Jennifer Hudson. The film, which opens nationwide in theaters tomorrow stars Hudson alongside co-stars Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys, Sophie Okenedo and Dakota Fanning.
Concert review: 2 Worlds, 2 Voices sometimes too forced
Someone described the pairing of Kelly Clarkson and Reba McEntire as like peanut butter and chocolate.
They had their peanut butter and chocolate moments last night at the Mellon Arena.
At times, though, it was also like peanut butter and mayonnaise.
The 26-year-old Clarkson and 53-year-old McEntire are touring together on 2 Worlds, 2 Voices, because Kelly grew up a Reba fan and now they’re both managed by McEntire’s husband.
So, would country fans accept Kelly? Would young rockers want Reba? The half-empty arena tells part of the story.
A sound that can’t be dismissed
There’s something about Pickler that can’t be dismissed
Kellie Pickler’s music is much like the country blonde herself. Awfully slight at first, but after some time, you can’t help but smile and be swayed.
The American Idol finalist sold almost 1 million copies of her debut effort without scoring a radio hit, thanks in large part to sheer force of personality. It’s (again) the best thing about her self-titled second disc, even as some of the material lets her down.
Guitarist CLINT LOWERY Is ‘Excited’ To Get Back To Writing With SEVENDUST
The Rockvine: How have fans reacted to Chris Daughtry being on a SEVENDUST record?
Morgan: What do you think Clint? There hasn’t been much talk about it other than before it happened…
Clint: I think that people who have a really negative outlook on it that voice their opinions too much when we see them — there’s always going to be extreme thoughts. There are people who are really big SEVENDUST supporters that go, “Okay, we’ll let them get by with this,” even if they’re not really big Chris Daughtry fans. I think there’s a big group of people who ordinarily wouldn’t listen to the band who say, “Hey, what’s this about?” who are in that Chris Daughtry universe. It’s definitely an extreme situation — you got a guy who’s not in the exact demographic of a SEVENDUST fanbase and you mix those two you’ll have people on both sides of the fence. There hasn’t been that much of a negative reaction. A lot of people thought that was going to be like the first single that Chris Daughtry card played real hard, but we didn’t. I think ultimately the guys were just friends with the guy, and he’s a big SEVENDUST fan and they had a track that fit his style and they loved him as a singer, and I did too. They let him come in and sing off the verse. It’s simple, I don’t think there was a big master plan behind it all.
Q&A : Diana DeGarmo ‘Rewinds’ Her American Idol Experience
The new season of American Idol Rewind has been bringing back some classic Idol memories, so I thought it would be a good time to catch up with some of the former contestants we haven’t heard from in a while. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be posting my exclusive Q&As with former Idols including Diana DeGarmo, Anthony Federov, and John Stevens.
Let’s start with Diana DeGarmo, who faced off with Fantasia in the season three finale. Diana filled me in via email about her latest career move and her Idol regrets.
14th Annual Inspirational Country Music Awards winners
The Isaacs opened the show with the song “Mamma’s Teaching Angels How To Sing” as a tribute to the late Dottie Rambo and Phil Stacey showed why he was a standout on American Idol last year with his performance of his new single, “Identity.” Other performers included host Collin Raye, Tracy Lawrence, Greg McDougal, Point of Grace, Del Way, CrossCountry The Band, Russ Murphy, Sandra Dee, James Payne, Last Light Band, Mike Rimmey, Tommy Brandt, and Austin’s Bridge.
Will Susan Lucci survive ‘Dancing With the Stars’?
Stars will be falling from ‘Dancing’
Much as it amazes me to say this - ” Dancing With the Stars” is getting kind of interesting at this point.
This week, the fifth, throws a bunch of new dances at our hoofing contenders, and these dances are so new, that even voters-at-home may have a tough time judging them. They are: The west coast swing, the salsa, the jitterbug, and the hustle. Never before seen on “DWTS,” which means a whole new set of challenges for everyone.
Leachman ‘livens’ up ‘Dancing with the Stars’?
All hail Cloris Leachman.
As the oldest contestant to compete on ABC’s ”Dancing with the Stars,” the 82-year-old actress is single-handedly bringing a spark to the mega-hit that it’s never had.
Technically, she’s one of the worst dancers in the show’s history - if you believe the judges’ scores. But despite that, the audiences have embraced her every week.
She’s still in the competition because the at-home audience vote for her and loves to see what she’ll do or say next. That’s the beauty of live TV.
This is how Alison Becker, the host of Vh1’s Top 20 Countdown, introduced the top music video of the week…
Last week she talked about the cornfield in Utah that was manicured into the image of David. They even showed an aerial shot of it.
That is some pretty serious plugging for Archie! Congratulations, David!!!
I pretty much LOVE that sentence right there.
http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2008/10/16/underwoods_star_shines_bright/
Underwood’s star shines bright
“When Carrie Underwood won “American Idol” a mere three years ago, she was a blandly pretty singer with a blandly pretty voice and a stage presence so robotic than some Internet wags snarked that there must have been a flaw in her emotion chip. She’s gotten an upgrade. After last night’s sold-out show at Agganis Arena, even her detractors might be hard-pressed to deny that Underwood is a star.”
^its a nice review realizing her growth as a performer over the last couple of years
I am glad that they are releasing Phil Stacey’s “Identity” as a single — it’s a very good song. Go Phil!
Also, completely agree with DeGarmo. No way AI was ready for a contestant as young as she was to go that far in the competition. Really wish she would have waited a year or two. Hope her country album does well.
Are you sensing the underdog pattern in the contestants I like from AI…sigh…
Why do so many AI contestants go country…is that just a more “accepting” genre and easier to break into? Are country fans less discriminating?
Don’t know much about the genre (love old school country: Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson) so I freely admit I know next to nothing about new coutry.
^^Maybe because they like country music themself….
The conclusion my friend and I made is… country market is not as fucked up as other ones, it’s less effected by digital (illegal or not) downloads.
Sixteen is too young an age minimum. I shudder to think Simon could prevail in actually lowering it even further. It should be at least 18 imo.
I hope it is ok to put this here. David Archuleta was #1 on VH1 for the second week in a row.
Spamalot to Close on Broadway on January 18, 2009
Monty Python’s SPAMALOT, will play its last pair of coconuts on Sunday, January 18, 2009 following the evening performance, after 1,582 performances (and 35 previews) at the Shubert Theatre in New York.
Clay Aiken, who finishes his return engagement in the production on January 4, 2009, stars as Sir Robin.
When Monty Python’s SPAMALOT closes on Broadway it will have grossed over $175,000,000 and will have been seen by more than 2 million people. The musical recouped its entire investment in under six months.
Broadway World
There is some talk that Clay may extend his run to finish out the final 2 weeks.
in response to wondering why so many idols try country, i would say it seems like the easy thing to do getting acceptance as a country artist, but if you look at the successes of the idols, basically if your name is not Carrie Underwood your success is minimal
Kellie Pickler, Bucky, and Josh Gracin have had moderate success with country radio and touring, they are pretty much considered 2nd tier country artists, ones who are out there, but probobly won’t ever hit superstar status
Kristy Lee, Phil, and everyone else are basically a blip on the country radar….not many country fans (unless they watch idol) know or care who they are
i think for these lesser idols the key to future success in the genera would be to get a good song and let it take them up the charts…trying country because it seems to herd in ex-idols definetly dosen’t mean country stardom
Thanks for the responses re former idols and country. I have also read that Haley Scarnato and Diana DiGarmo (and Jessica Simpson-although not an idol) have moved to Nashville and gone country, along with the others mentioned here. It just seems that it is a genre that is more welcoming and not as discriminating in taking to singers who want to go country.
Kurt Nilsen(yeah the one beat Kelly and won World Idol) went country too, that absolutely broke my heart, since I don’t care about it one bit. But he’s so good I’ll listen to country for him.
Hmmmm… so many have gone country, and honestly it’s the one genre of music I cannot listen too for more than 30 seconds..except for the old school ones I’ve already mentioned.
It seems one note with the same lame themes. I just wondered if so many went that way because it is easier.
I bet Kurt is not. First of all…he’s Norwegian. And he has the live album that was… fastest selling album of all time in Norway or something. The others…I couldn’t care less about.
t2, I am not positive about “Identity” being released as a single. With all due respect to “Phil’s people,” they haven’t kept us, his Philnatics, very informed. The song has been playing for a while now on Christian radio stations and has been on mediabase. Since I haven’t been able to access my mediabase account any more, I couldn’t check on the song’s status. I honestly don’t know how accurate the information is. Those closest to him have not said that this is what he had in mind to do. If they do release it, of course I will be very pleased. I would just like some more “official” information first, though.
gabygal, Phil has not “tried out” country. In several interviews he has done, including from the Grand Ole Opry, he said he grew up in Eastern Kentucky, where he was born, listening to country artists singing Gospel music, and also bluegrass music. He would say that country, and music in general, is “in his blood.” Country was the genre he stood out with on Idol.
Layla, Phil’s themes are not the usual you may hear in country music. His cd is full of positive and uplifting songs, showing basically what he is about: love for God, like in “Who You Know” and “Identity;” love for his wife, like “If You Didn’t Love Me” and “Looking Like Love.” Being a pastor’s son, too, he has learned to offer encouragement and support to people, so he has songs on there like “No Way Around a River” and ” ‘Round Here.” He only put 1 “sad” song on there, “Still Going Through,” which he actually said really did not tell even his own story. His song, “Old Glory,” released around the July 4th weekend, unfortunately seems to be restricted to being a “seasonal” song; but I’m sure that it would have gone higher on the charts if it had received more airplay. He has received standing ovations for it when performing it, including at the Grand Ole Opry. I know, from reading recaps of people who have seen him in concert, that he is a great performer and people are touched and impressed by his attention to his fans. He is doing a lot of appearances where he gives back, which I am proud to see him do. I would not write him or anyone else off yet that you term as “blips” on the radar.
It is also funny how in the country market, the sales expectations seem to be a lot less. Bucky has released many singles by his label and has gotten lots of airplay. Like someone mentioned above, he is considered a moderate success, yet I believe he has sold less than 400,000 albums. Katherine, on the other hand, sold around the same number, and in top 40, was considered a failure by her label and was dropped. Don’t mean to pick on Katherine. She just had a sales number that was relatively similar to Buckys. Country seems to have more patience with artists and allows them to grow as artists.
When I got up this morning, I watched VH1 countdown. The girl said lots of good things about David and crush. iCarly, new album shot, etc. Congrats David! Good job Arch angels..
Now Cook’s fans know what to do. Go Cookies!
Man, that billboard review of Light On posted in yesterday’s headlines was awesome.
Glad to have you back on line, MJ! Missed you during the outage, and by the time it was over, I started a period away from the internet….
Dee- I have only watched VH1 for a couple of weeks because of David, but the idols seem to do really well. I guess we all know how to vote. ;)
Gaby isn’t “writing him off”. It’s true that so far Phil’s impact on the country charts has been minimal, and she’s simply stating that fact.
Please be careful not to become angry or defensive when addressing your fellow posters.
Mac- yes you can get away with selling less as a country artist and still be seen as pretty successful, because the country radio market has much less of an impact on a national scale (less people hear it compared to pop radio, therefor less people wanting to purchass)
CFIdolsfan - I am not trying to offend Phil fans, I was just trying to put in perspective that just because an artist goes into country after idol, they are not immediately considered a country STAR
The perspective to people who don’t pay attention to country is that these idols go into country because it is easier, when in reality their impact seems to be similar to Katherine, Blake, or other less successful pop idols (not trying to offend fans of those artists just stating facts based on their musical impact)
I am not an expert in sales, I just know what I have read in following some of the idols and others. Josh Gracin’s big wish in life was to have a gold record (that’s 500,000), so I have to assume that is a very big deal in the country world. And yes, he got a gold record with his first album. Don’t know if he will make it with the follow up as IMO, it’s not as good as the first album overall.
I am rooting for Phil because his voice is so incredible and so identifiable. IMO, Phil and his voice were greatly underrated on the show.
Sorry for giving the impression that I was offended, mj, and Gaby
. That was not the intention. I was stating what I , as his “phan,” have heard him say, and what my impression was of Gaby’s statement. I may have come across as being somewhat sensitive because it is hard when the fans of other country Idols attack you and your favorite on other boards and would rather not have you around. Thanks for rooting for him, t2, 
. Many feel the way you do, and Phil is proving himself to be a good singer and, to use his dad’s words, “a consummate performer.” I guess I’ll go the way of the expression, “slow and steady wins the race.” he’s got my vote every time, and I can only trust that he will get better and better.
Ack! Another leaked DA song on FOD if anyone is interested. Snippet only…
http://fansofdavid.com/
^Please let your vote in the poll too, it seems like is important!!!!
Thanks for the heads-up, Jabkmc. As for the song–MUCH better than the other two that leaked. I can hear this one on the radio whereas not so much with the others. That bridge is pretty killer with the high notes. Me likey.
Aladdin: I like it too. There’s some rock in there as well. Reminds me of Avril “I’m with you” and strangely “ruined me” that bridge is a killer! yeah!
Did you guys voted???
Woohooo!!! I love it when he goes into that echoey falsetto near the end. It gives me chills! I like it better than either of the Hands songs. Should be the next single, imo.
Well, I’m not going to go so far as to say it should be the 2nd single until I hear the rest of the songs on the album, but I do think it’s a strong single contender. One thing that it has that Crush doesn’t have is the ability to be played on the rhythmic Top 40 stations.
ITA. Those “hands” songs sounded like throw-aways to me. Anyhoo, I posted something out front about it…