Big Country Notes for Mar 12

TIM McGRAW TO RELEASE FIRST NEW ALBUM IN THREE YEARS

March 27th is a lucky day for Tim McGraw fans: that’s the release date of the singer’s first new album in three years. “Let It Go” features 13 tracks, including his current single “Last Dollar.” McGraw says, quote, “I’m very excited about it. It’s a great collection of songs.” Tim includes one cover song, the Eddie Rabbitt hit “Suspicions.” He and wife Faith Hill duet on two songs, “Shotgun Rider” and “I Need You,” both of which they performed during their “Soul2Soul II” tour last year. Tim says, quote, “When I first heard ‘I Need You’ I instantly knew we should do it together.” The two did an acoustic version in concert and Tim adds, “I was worried the intimacy would be gone in the studio … but I think we may have enhanced it.” Tim also wrote one of the tunes on the album, “Train #10.”

KIMBERLY ROADS OF LITTLE BIG TOWN IS PREGNANT

Kimberly Roads of Little Big Town is going to be a mom. The little one is expected in late summer or early fall. Roads tells fans in a message on the group’s website, quote, "I'm just over the moon about it. We're all very excited about having a Little Big Town baby. ... Everything so far is just going perfectly." The singer married estate executive Stephen Schlapman on a private island in the Caribbean last November.

“DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES” EVA LONGORIA WANTS KENNY CHESNEY TO SING AT HER WEDDING

Kenny Chesney doesn’t know it yet but he might be booked to sing at a wedding in July. Actress Eva Longoria of “Desperate Housewives” told “Cosmopolitan,” quote, "My friend Kenny is going to sing at my wedding. Except there's one snag -- he just doesn't know it yet." To make the gig Kenny will have to fly to Paris, France on July 7th, because that’s where Longoria is marrying NBA basketball player (and French native) Tony Parker. Wonder if Eva has checked Kenny’s tour dates? He’s scheduled to play Qwest Stadium in Seattle, WA that day!

DIERKS BENTLEY EMBARKS ON TOUR TO PROMOTE NEW DVD

Dierks Bentley will soon be taking a very long trip alone, making a memory for every mile. The singer leaves on a whirlwind five-city tour on March 22nd beginning in State College, PA, to promote his live DVD to fans. Dierks will travel 45-hundred miles in three days to promote “Live and Loud at the Fillmore.” Bentley hired a director who had worked on a video by alternative group Coldplay that he liked. The singer says, quote, “I present the music in my live show as a band … and it’s represented that way on the DVD.” He adds, quote, “It really captures the energy that we put out onstage.” The DVD was recorded last June at the Fillmore in Denver, CO. Bentley will do surprise autograph signings and meet and greet sessions in five of the seven cities he plans to visit. In addition to the State College stop, Dierks will visit Reading, PA on March 23rd; Fairfax, VA, March 24th; Rochester, NY, March 29th; Erie, PA, March 30th and Saginaw, MI on March 31st.

TAYLOR SWIFT STARTS A TREND IN SONG TITLES

It seems that Taylor Swift has started a trend. Her hit “Tim McGraw” utilizes the name of the popular singer in the song, even though the tune is not directly about him. Now two more songs have been recorded that are titled with the names of singing stars. Jason Aldean’s “Johnny Cash” was released as a single earlier this year as the first single off his upcoming album. Aldean says, quote, “This is a song I've had my eye on for a couple of years.” He adds, quote, “When we are recording, I always try and think about what songs will be good for our live show, and this is one of those. It rocks hard and our fans are loving it so far." The lyrics of the song are not about The Man in Black, but as the lyrics say, “blastin’ out to Johnny Cash, headin’ for the highway, baby we ain’t ever comin’ back.” Now Tim McGraw has completed the circle by recording a song called “Kristofferson” for his new “Let It Go” album. This song may be more about the title’s subject than the other two as the singer tells his girl he’s gonna take a pencil, open a bottle of 90 proof and “write a song for you like Kristofferson would do.”

QUICK BITES

Darryl Worley will perform the National Anthem at the Kobalt Tools 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway next weekend.

Former country star John Schneider has a new film, “Collier & Co.: Hot Pursuit!” It's a project he began 25 years ago and it's all about family. The actor says it’s a script that will appeal to ages seven through 70. The plot involves a former race car driver trying to hold his family together by becoming a car salesman. Schneider tells “The Tennessean,” quote, "One car has something in it that the bad guys need desperately back, so they kidnap his family in order to get it," said the actor. He adds that he hopes to have the DVD available for Nashville’s DukeFest in June.

Lonestar has parted ways with record label BNA. No word yet on where they will sign.

Jim Collins and Marv Green, the writers of George Strait’s number-one single “It Just Comes Natural,” were honored last Thursday. Strait wasn’t on hand but a huge group of friends and industry VIPS helped the writers celebrate.


“300” EARNS $70M AT BOX OFFICE

A violent warrior epic tops the weekend box office. "300" brought in an estimated 70-million-dollars this weekend, which is a record opening for a March release. The previous record holder for March was "Ice Age 2: The Meltdown," which brought in about 68-million-dollars. In fact, "300" scored the third-highest opening ever for an R-rated movie, behind only "The Matrix Reloaded" and "The Passion of the Christ."
Coming in a very distant second was last week's number one film, "Wild Hogs," which still took in a healthy 28-million-dollars. In third place was "Bridge to Terabithia," which earned nearly seven-million in ticket sales. Two films were tied in fourth place with about six-point-eight-million in sales: "Zodiac" and "Ghost Hunter."

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. (final figures will be released today):

1. "300," $70 million.
2. "Wild Hogs," $28 million.
3. "Bridge to Terabithia," $6.9 million.
4. "Ghost Rider," $6.8 million.
5. "Zodiac," $6.77 million.
6. "The Number 23," $4.33 million.
7. "Norbit," $4.3 million.
8. "Music and Lyrics," $3.8 million.
9. "Breach, $2.6 million.
10. "Amazing Grace," $2.5 million.