Big Country Notes for APR 16

KENNY CHESNEY PLEASES FANS WITH OPENING NIGHT SHOW IN OMAHA

Kenny Chesney hit the stage Thursday night in Omaha, Nebraska before 15-thousand people – a sold-out opening night show for his “Flip-Flop Summer” tour. The “Omaha World-Herald” reports that live video footage from backstage on giant screens heralded the start of Chesney’s part of the show. Beach balls flew into the air as fans rose to their feet when Chesney walked on stage singing his hit single “Beer in Mexico.” The “World” reports, quote, “Fans raised their cups in the air as they danced in the aisles, leaving the arena floor sticky and slick with spilled beer.” Chesney told the audience, quote, "We've been waiting for this night for seven months" before he sang his second song, "Summertime." Guitarist Joe Walsh joined the singer onstage for several songs, including his and Chesney’s performance of Walsh’s hit “Rocky Mountain Way.” Chesney’s portion of the show was nearly two hours long. Opening acts Pat Green and Sugarland were also well received by the audience.
Chesney shared his stage with a four-year old girl who'd brought a sign asking if he'd give her her first kiss during “Young.”
Before the show, the staff of the Qwest Center presented Chesney with a plaque to commemorate over 70-thousand tickets sold in 24 months. Kenny has played five shows played in the market over the past three tours. Chesney says, quote, “People asked us 'Why kick if off in Omaha?' Look at the fans … look at the way they respond.”

CMT MUSIC AWARDS TONIGHT FROM NASHVILLE

The CMT Music Awards tonight will honor the channel’s most popular videos from the past year as voted by fans of the network. There will also be a special presentation to Kris Kristofferson, who is receiving the Johnny Cash Visionary Award. Artists who’ll participate in the Kristofferson segment of the show include Gretchen Wilson, Keith Urban, Luke Wilson, filmmaker and Academy Award winner Martin Scorsese, actor Russell Crowe, Willie Nelson, and record producer Don Was. Rosanne Cash, the daughter of Johnny Cash, will present the award to Kristofferson. Performers for the evening include Hank Williams Jr., who received the Visionary Award last year. Other performers will be Carrie Underwood, Dierks Bentley, Kenny Chesney, Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts, Sugarland, Toby Keith and Bon Jovi. Presenters include Barbara Mandrell, Jason Aldean, Josh Turner, Kellie Pickler, Melissa Peterman, Miranda Lambert, LeAnn Rimes, Taylor Swift, Big & Rich, Blake Shelton and NASCAR drive Jeff Burton.
Chesney, Rascal Flatts and Underwood have the most nominations with three each. The Dixie Chicks, Sugarland, Aldean and The Wreckers had two nominations each.
Turner picked up his first nomination for “Male Video of the Year.” Sting holds the same distinction, being nominated with Sheryl Crow for their duet “Always on your Side” in the newly created category “Wide Open Country Video.”
Fans voted for which Rascal Flatts’ tune they wanted the group to sing as the opening number -- "Life Is A Highway," "Me and My Gang" or "Fast Cars and Freedom.”
The final nominees for Video of the Year will be announced at the beginning of the show, and fans can vote at CMT.com, as well as via mobile phone, throughout the live broadcast to determine the night's big winner.
Comedian Jeff Foxworthy returns as host for the third consecutive year tonight when the awards are broadcast live from Nashville’s Belmont University at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.

ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC ANNOUNCED PERFORMERS FOR MAY AWARDS SHOW

The Academy of Country Music came out of the box announcing heavy hitters as performers on its annual awards show. Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, George Strait, Sugarland and Reba McEntire and Kelly Clarkson will perform on the 42nd annual ACM Awards on May 15th. The awards ceremony will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 15th at 8:00 PM Eastern on CBS.
Strait has the eight nominations, the most for the ACM show this year. He’s up for Entertainer and Top Male Vocalist.
Brooks & Dunn are nominated for seven awards including Top Vocal Duo and Album for “Hillbilly Deluxe.”
Chesney, who holds down the ACM’s Entertainer title, is up for that award again this year. If he wins he will be only the fourth person in the Academy’s history to win that title three or more times.
Sugarland has six nominations including Top Vocal Duo.
McEntire, who’ll host the show, will perform a duet with Clarkson that will be on her upcoming duets album.

MARTINA McBRIDE HAS SEVERAL GUESTS ON NEW ALBUM

Martina McBride says she doesn’t’ ask people to be on her albums just to have guests. While she was recording the project “Waking Up Laughing,” the singer heard several spots where someone she knew would fit perfectly with their vocals. Martina’s daughter, Ava, just under two years old, says “Bye, bye” on the track that follows the final song on the album. When McBride first heard “Trying to Find a Reason” she says, quote, “Keith’s voice just popped in to my head the first time I heard the song. And having him play guitar was a natural addition once he agreed to sing on it.”

BRAD PAISLEY MAY FIND IT HARD TO HIT THE ROAD AND LEAVE FAMILY BEHIND

A kid named William Huckleberry is making it tough for Brad Paisley to hit the road the end of the month. Brad and Kimberly’s son will be just two months old when Brad heads out for his “Hershey’s Presents Bonfires & Amplifiers” tour April 26th in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Always the optimist, Brad jokes, quote, “It will be really good to get some sleep on that bus though.” Special guests Jack Ingram, Kellie Pickler and Taylor Swift will also be on the tour. Ingram, himself a dad, says he doesn’t really have any advice for Brad. Ingram says, quote, “Brad seems like he’ll be a good dad, I think he’s gonna be alright.” As previously reported, the second leg of Brad’s tour will feature special guests Rodney Atkins and Swift. They will tour with the “Bonfires & Amplifiers” tour beginning September 6th and wrapping November 17th. Brad will play a total of 75 dates this year.

KELLIE PICKLER SAYS “I WONDER” IS HONEST SONG ABOUT LIFE

Kellie Pickler says in music you just can’t have secrets, and her hit single “I Wonder” is a good example of that statement. The song is Kellie’s very honest thoughts about going through life not having her mother by her side. Kellie says, quote, “Writing that song was a kind of therapy for me … it’s obvious I’m still dealing with the whole issue.” She admits it may be hard for her to sing night after night. The singer says, quote, “Maybe someone else will hear that song and if they’re going through the same thing and they will see that they can get through it.” She adds, quote, “It is about one of the things people take for granted, like having a mom or dad around.”

VINCE GILL CELEBRATES 50TH BIRTHDAY WITH FRIENDS

Vince Gill stayed home to celebrate his 50th birthday, but some of his famous friends dropped by to sing for him. CMT.com reports that it was a grand celebration for Gill Thursday, who had just performed two sold-out concerts in Nashville the week before. Songwriter Thom Schuyler kicked off the event with his hit song made famous by Lacy J. Dalton, "16th Avenue." Others crossing the stage, set up in Vince and wife Amy Grant’s back yard, were Don Schlitz, who sang "The Gambler” and Rodney Crowell, who performed "'Til I Gain Control Again." Jeff Hanna of The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band sang the band’s hit "Mr. Bojangles." Vince’s daughter Jenny Gill and Amy also performed, as did songwriters Leslie Satcher, Al Anderson, Fred Knobloch and Beth Nielsen Chapman. Ever the entertainer, Vince also took to the stage, performing for other celebrities in the audience including Grand Ole Opry members Bill Anderson and Del McCoury and Hanna’s wife, songwriter Matraca Berg.

QUICK BITES

Billy Ray Cyrus and dance partner Karina Smirnoff dance the rumba to Tina Turner's "What's Love Got to Do With It" tonight on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.”

Big & Rich, Taylor Swift, The Wreckers and Jack Ingram are among the country artists chosen for Rhapsody Originals, the exclusive video performance series from RealNetworks’ Rhapsody online music service. Jack and Taylor’s feature performances will premiere this summer. To check out Jack on Rhapsody visit http://www.rhapsody.com/jackingram; to check out Taylor on Rhapsody visit http://www.rhapsody.com/taylorswift.

Danielle Peck says she is not crazy about shopping. Although she will be attending tonight’s CMT Music Awards in style, she says, quote, “I avoid malls and don’t like to shop. I only go shopping when I need something specific like a pair of shoes or jeans for an upcoming show or event.”

Luke Bryan and his pal, Pittsburgh Pirate first baseman Adam LaRoche, were both onstage in Pittsburgh last week. Luke performed a free show at the Saddle Ridge Country Night Club and LaRoche stopped by to do a meet-and-greet with Luke. Then he joined Bryan and his band during their 90-minute set.

CMT.com celebrates its 10th anniversary this month. The Internet site launched as Country.com on April 14th, 1997.



LaBEOUF PUSHES "DISTURBIA'' PAST "BLADES" AT BOX OFFICE

Shia LaBeouf's new teen thriller "Disturbia" took in a three-day total of 23-million dollars to make it the number one flick in the country. "Disturbia'' rewrites Alfred Hitchcock's classic "Rear Window'' for a teen audience. The Will Ferrell comedy "Blades of Glory'' took the silver after being number one for two weeks straight. "Blades" managed another 14-point-one-million dollars over the weekend to bring its total gross to 90-point-two-million dollars. The animated family adventure "Meet The Robinsons" took third place with a little over 12 million in box office receipts. The new Halle Berry-Bruce Willis thriller "Perfect Stranger'' opened in fourth place with eleven-and-a-half-million. It was followed by the Ice Cube family comedy "Are We Done Yet?" in fifth place with nine-point-two-million in ticket sales. Another new release, the new comic-book based action adventure picture "Pathfinder'' opened in sixth place finish with 4.8-million dollars.

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. "Disturbia," $23 million.
2. "Blades of Glory," $14.1 million.
3. "Meet the Robinsons," $12.1 million.
4. "Perfect Stranger," $11.5 million.
5. "Are We Done Yet?", $9.2 million.
6. "Pathfinder," $4.8 million.
7. "Wild Hogs," $4.6 million.
8. "The Reaping," $4.6 million.
9. "300," $4.3 million.
10. "Grindhouse," $4.2 million.