Big Country Notes

KENNY CHESNEY TOUR NAMED TOP PACKAGE AT BILLBOARD TOUR AWARDS

Kenny Chesney’s “The Road and the Radio” tour was named Top Package tour for 2006 at the Billboard Touring awards Thursday for the second year in a row. Joining Chesney on the tour, depending on the venue, were Gretchen Wilson, Big & Rich, Carrie Underwood, Jake Owen, Dierks Bentley and Blaine Larsen. Chesney was the only country act on the road this year doing stadium shows. The singer sold out eight stadium shows in cities as diverse as Seattle, WA, Nashville, Boston, MA, Tampa Bay, FL and Chicago, IL.
The Creative Artists Agency, which booked Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s “Soul 2 Soul” tour, was named top agency.

BROOKS & DUNN TAKE HOME TWO INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC AWARDS

Brooks & Dunn took home two Inspirational Country Music Awards Thursday night – “Believe” was named Song of the Year and Video of the year. Carrie Underwood was named Mainstream Country Artist. The awards were held at the Acuff Theatre in Nashville and broadcast on the Gospel Music Channel.

MONTGOMERY GENTRY TO PLAY NEW YEAR’S SHOW IN LEXINGTON

Montgomery Gentry is throwing the duo’s third New Year’s Eve bash in their home state of Kentucky. Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry have invited Gary Allan, Styx and Rodney Atkins to join them at their show at Rupp Arena in Lexington on December 31st. The first year for the show the duo drew eight thousand fans; last year they brought in 12-thousand for the party. Tickets for the show go on sale Saturday.

GEORGE STRAIT HITS 25-YEAR MILESTONE

The newest member of the Country Music Hall of Fame is celebrating another career milestone this year – George Strait has been a national recording artist for 25 years. Strait says it doesn’t seem that long and he really wasn’t even thinking about it being his 25th year until he started recording his latest album, “It Just Comes Natural.” Strait says, quote, “I just haven’t gone along in my career thinking this has been 10 years or 20 years.” When asked how he will celebrate, the singer admits he hasn’t even thought about that. George says, quote, “I’m sure we’ll celebrate in a few ways but I don’t have anything planned for that right now.” In other Strait news, Hallmark announced today that “Fresh Cut Christmas,” a holiday album of traditional seasonal songs personally selected by Strait for Hallmark, has been certified Platinum (one million copies sold) in just seven days. <>

VINCE GILL FINDS HIMSELF AT A GOOD PLACE IN HIS LIFE

Vince Gill says there was a time in his life in the not too distant past that he was questioning what he was doing in music. One of the things that helped him realize he was still doing the right thing was when Eric Clapton asked him to participate in his guitar festival in Texas. Gill says when he saw that Clapton recognized him as a musician, he understood that he didn’t have to fit into a particular mold. Gill says, “It gave me more freedom to be me, and I think that’s what has happened with this record [‘These Days’]. It has songs that are all over the board … things I may not have ever done before.” Vince says he recorded things on this album that are very different for him. While he hopes people will like it, he says he went into the studio with the mind set that he would go in and play and not worry exactly where the music fell. He says, quote, “Whether this record sells a hundred million records or a hundred records, at the end of the day not one note will change because of it. I’ve kind of learned to let go of the results and I feel very comfortable, confident and satisfied that that I did the best I could do within the frame that it that it [album] sits in.” <>

STEVE HOLY HELPS WRITERS CELEBRATE NUMBER ONE

Steve Holy was in Nashville last week to help writers Jeffrey Steele, Shane Minor and Bart Allmand celebrate “Brand New Girlfriend” going to number one on the “Billboard” country singles chart. Holy says, quote, “I don’t get to hang out with these guys enough so it was fun to be able to be in town to help celebrate my second number one.” Holy found the song when a publishing company had invited him over to listen to songs when he was cutting the new album. When asked what struck him about this particular song, Holy says, quote, “Without going into too much detail, I was going through something similar at the time. I figured if I related to it a lot of other people would too.”

QUICK BITES

The profile of Kenny Chesney that was scheduled to air last night on CBS’ “60 Minutes” will be rescheduled.

Carrie Underwood is the only female solo artist to top “Billboard’s” country chart in 2006. In fact, the singer has done it twice -- first with “Jesus, Take the Wheel” and currently with “Before He Cheats”.

Gretchen Wilson and journalist Ed Bradley's became friends after he interviewed her for "60 Minutes." Gretchen says of her interview with Bradley, quote, “"I actually couldn't believe it, a man like him, talking to a girl like me, Ed Bradley was a great man, a phenomenal journalist and a huge music lover. I am honored to have known him and called him my friend." Bradley passed away Thursday.

The “Chicago Sun-Times” reports that actor Robert Downey Jr. has been talking with Keith Urban and his wife Nicole Kidman during this time that the singer is in a rehab center for alcoholism. Downey, who co-stars with Kidman in the new movie “Fur,” has himself battled addiction. Apparently he has been a great source of inspiration for Keith and support for Nicole during this time.

"BORAT” CONTINUES BOX OFFICE BOON

It's another big box office weekend for "Borat." Sacha Baron Cohen's over-the-top mockumentary is again the top draw at the movie box office. "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" maintains the pole position for a second weekend, taking in 29 million in box office receipts and an overall total of 67-point-eight-million. The Tim Allen holiday comedy "The Santa Clause 3" was second with 16-point-nine-million. It was followed by the animated comedy "Flushed Away" with 16-point-seven-million. Opening in fourth place was the new Will Ferrell comedy "Stranger Than Fiction" which made its box office debut with 14-point-one-million in box office receipts. And the gory horror thriller "Saw III," rounded out the top five at number five with six-point-six million.
Meantime, "A Good Year," the new romantic comedy starring Oscar winner Russell Crowe, just managed to crack the top ten in its opening weekend. The film opened at number ten with just three-point-eight-million in box office receipts.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. (final figures will be released today):

1. "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan," $29 million.
2. "The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause," $16.9 million.
3. "Flushed Away," $16.7 million.
4. "Stranger Than Fiction," $14.1 million.
5. "Saw III," $6.6 million.
6. "Babel," $5.65 million.
7. "The Departed," $5.2 million.
8. "The Return," $4.8 million.
9. "The Prestige," $4.6 million.
10. "A Good Year," $3.8 million.