Big Country Notes

MARTINA McBRIDE WOWS CHICAGO CROWD WITH CHRISTMAS SHOW

Fans at the Allstate Arena were treated to Martina McBride and almost 100 children singing Christmas carols when the singer premiered her 2006 “The Joy of Christmas” in Chicago Friday night. According to CMT.com, the two-hour show features classic holiday music, stories and Santa Claus. At one point Martina ventures into the audience in what she terms, quote, "a little Jerry Springer/Oprah moment to see what your Christmas morning is like." The backdrops for the show changed with almost every song, ranging from a Currier & Ives-type scene to the Nutcracker and a live Nativity setting. Songs covered the gamut of the season, from “Silent Night” and “What Child Is This” to the more frolicking “Jingle Bells.” She performed her new duet with the late Dean Martin, “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” by bringing Martin to life via an onstage screen. The segment even had the two bantering back and forth together. McBride is accompanied by a pianist and uses a troupe of ten actors, including her daughters – Delaney Katharine, Emma Justine and Ave Rose Kathleen. She shows movie clips from her family’s Christmas morning with her daughters shaking gifts and attempting their first ride on a new bike.

PHIL VASSAR AND WIFE JULIE HOST DINNER PARTY FOR JAMIE REDFORD

It was a dinner party that won’t be soon forgotten. Phil Vassar and wife Julie Wood-Vassar hosted a 40-person dinner at their home Monday night to welcome Jamie Redford, son of actor Robert Redford, to Nashville for the first time. Among the guests were Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, songwriter Rivers Rutherford, and producer Tony Brown and his wife and “Nashville Star” judge Anastasia Brown. Julie told “The Tennessean,” quote, "I just wanted something casual, but elegant, and just where people would feel comfortable getting together. It was a nice Nashville welcome.” Redford was in town to talk about his upcoming March fundraiser for the James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness. Most of the artists who were at the dinner party will participate in the benefit. Jamie, who also visited the Country Music Hall of Fame and Gruhn’s guitars, said, quote, "I am an avid amateur guitarist and it's like a pilgrimage coming here [Nashville]." With all the talent at the party, there had to be music. Vassar led the evening’s entertainment with a special performance at the piano.

TOBY KEITH’S “BROKEN BRIDGES” DEBUTS ON CMT IN DECEMBER

Toby Keith moves from the big screen to television on December 15th when “Broken Bridges” debuts on CMT at 8 p.m. The movie, which opened to theatres nationwide on September 8th, features Keith along with Willie Nelson, Kelly Preston, Tess Harper, Lindsey Haun and Burt Reynolds. Keith and Preston play high school sweethearts who return home for the funeral of their younger brothers. At this time, Keith meets his daughter, played by Haun, for the first time. Toby and Lindsey also contribute original music to the film via the original movie soundtrack available on Keith’s record label, Show Dog Nashville. The DVD of the movie will be available on January 6th.
To support the release of the movie to television and on DVD, CMT will air a series of programs featuring Toby. Included in the programming will be “CMT Insider Special Edition: Toby Keith,” “Homecoming: Toby Keith” and a special concert feature, “Toby Keith: Live, Uncut & Unleashed.” They will also repeat a showing of “Behind The Scenes: Broken Bridges” about the making of the movie.
The DVD includes additional features, among them four featurettes including a “Meet the Actors” with Keith, Preston, Reynolds, Anna Maria Horsford, Harper and Katie Finneran.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD’S “BEFORE HE CHEATS” ON TOP OF CHARTS FOR FIVE WEEKS

Carrie Underwood is starting to like cheating songs. Her single “Before He Cheats” has been at the top of the “Radio & Records” country chart for five weeks. That brings her total weeks at number one this year to eleven, which means she’s spent more weeks at the top of the country chart than any other artist in 2006. “Before He Cheats” is also in the Top 20 on “Billboard’s” all-format Hot 100 chart and has become the highest ranking song on that chart by any solo artist this year.
Kenny Chesney is in second place as the artist with the most number of weeks at number one on the “Radio & Records” chart – his songs have topped the charts for eight weeks.

JOSH TURNER ADMITS HE’S PICKY ABOUT THE SONGS HE RECORDS

When Josh Turner goes in to record he looks for the very best songs he can find, but he also looks for a particular kind of song – one that he can identify with that portrays his own personal lifestyle. The singer says he tries to pick songs that he can deliver to an audience and make them believe that he lived them. Josh says, quote, “Johnny Cash was the best as far as that’s concerned -- singing about so many different kinds of things. Whether he’d lived them or not, he could make you believe it.” Turner related the story Cash always told about folks coming up to him and saying ‘My father was in prison with you.” Turner says, quote, “Cash never was in prison. But he made the listener believe he had been there.” Josh says if a singer has the ability to make the listener believe that he or she has lived what the song says, then they are accomplishing something. The singer adds, quote, “I intentionally sing songs that I have lived or songs that I can relate to because I know if I can relate to them then my fans can too.” <>

MARTY STUART BRINGS JOHNNY CASH SONG TO PORTER WAGONER

Country Music Hall of Famer Porter Wagoner is finally getting around to recording a song Johnny Cash sent to him in 1981. The reason he’s so late in putting it on an album is that Marty Stuart forgot to give it to him! Marty says, quote, “I was touring with John [Cash] in Europe and we were listening to a Porter Wagoner album. John said, ‘I have a song for Porter.’” Cash put the song in an envelope and gave it to Marty to give to Wagoner, but Marty forgot. Fast forward to 2006, and Marty is producing Porter’s new album. He remembered the song and looked around until he found the envelope with the tape of “Committed to Parkview” in it. Of the new album, Marty told “The Tennessean,” quote, “We are doing an unapologetic, hard-core country record. We are bringing Porter’s sound into the 21st century.” The new album will be released in the spring of 2007 to commemorate Porter’s 50 years in music.

KELLIE PICKLER SAYS SHE COULDN’T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT HER FANS

Kellie Pickler, who's gone from being on "American Idol" to a summer tour with her fellow finalists, says her fans are the best. The tour was barely over before Pickler returned to Nashville to complete her debut album, followed by numerous television appearances and other interviews. Now that she’s had time to actually perform for her fans, she says she realized how great and loyal they can be. Pickler says, quote, “They support us and come up and talk when we’re on tour. I just love it when they say ‘I love your song.’” She adds, “2006 has been the best year ever.”

HEARTLAND LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING WHAT THEY DO BEST

Heartland just celebrated a number one single, “I Loved Her First,” and the follow-up to the bands debut effort, “Built to Last,” has been released. Band member Jason Albert admits that they’ve discussed the stress of releasing a second single after such a successful debut but, quote, “We’re just going out there and being who we are -- playing good music for our fans. We’re gonna do what we do best and just be Heartland.” He adds, quote, “We’re looking forward to getting out there and playing our music for as many people as we can. We’ve got dates booked now pretty solid through August of 2007.” Albert says the band would like to hook up with a major artist as an opening act but nothing has been finalized at this point.

QUICK BITES

Martina McBride will help light the tree tonight on NBC’s ninth annual “Christmas in Rockefeller Center.” She will also sing “Oh Come All Ye Faithful” and “Let It Snow.” She joins other performers including pop stars Christina Aguilera, Lionel Richie and Sting, rocker Bette Midler and “American Idol” winner Taylor Hicks on the special.

Keith Urban, the Dixie Chicks, Alison Krauss, Sheryl Crow and others will pay tribute to James Taylor on tonight’s “Great Performances: A Tribute To James Taylor” on WNET New York at 8 p.m.

Danielle Peck will help turn on the Christmas lights at the public square by the courthouse in Nashville tomorrow at 5 p.m. She’ll be singing Christmas carols as well as helping turn on Nashville’s official tree.

Charlie Daniels has been awarded the "Seven Seals Award" from the National Committee of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). The presentation took place at the Charlie Daniels Museum in Nashville. The award is presented to corporations and individuals who have demonstrated and provided long and continuous support of the National Guard and the Reserve Forces.

A 1991 recording by The Carter Family, consisting of sisters Helen, Anita and June, is being released after being found on a shelf in a Nashville studio. “The Carter Family: Together Again” can be purchased at www.CarterFamilyCD.com or at amazon.com.