Big Country Notes for MAY 14

ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS OFERS HUGE LINEUP OF PERFORMERS

Traditionally awards shows provide artists a chance to spotlight upcoming product. Tomorrow night’s 42nd annual Academy of Country Music awards has a great lineup of top country acts, several of whom are bringing special guests. Reba McEntire, who is hosting the evening, will perform with Kelly Clarkson. They will do the song that that is on the upcoming “Reba Duets” album, “Because of You.” Big & Rich are bringing R&B star John Legend to the stage with them. Legend guests on Big & Rich’s upcoming album “Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace.” It will be the singer’s first time on the ACM awards when he sings “Eternity” with the duo.

Other performers for the evening’s awards show include Faith Hill, Toby Keith, Martina McBride, Jason Aldean, Rodney Atkins, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Vince Gill, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, George Strait, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Josh Turner and Carrie Underwood.
Presenting will be Gary Dourdan, Sara Evans, Heartland, Brad Mates of Emerson Drive, Justin McBride, Dr. Phil & Robin McGraw, Craig Morgan, Joe Nichols, Kellie Pickler, Gabrielle Reece, Emma Roberts, Darius Rucker, Eric Szmanda, Luke Wilson, Chris Young, Terri Clark, Montgomery Gentry, Tracy Lawrence, Blake Shelton, Michelle Stafford, Hannah Storm and The Wreckers.
The 42nd annual Academy of Country Music Awards will air from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas tomorrow at 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific on CBS.

GRETCHEN WILSON EXPLAINS WHY HER ALBUM IS CALLED “ONE OF THE BOYS”

Gretchen Wilson’s new album “One of the Boys” will be in stores tomorrow. While the title may seem a little odd to some folks, Gretchen says it makes perfect sense to her because it’s the song that is most her. She says, quote, I remember in the very beginning people asking me, ‘Do you plan to change? Do you plan to go with the flow? Is your music going to change?’ I feel like I’ve grown as a person, as a human being, as a woman and I feel like that the music has gotten deeper. More inside, I guess than it was before.” The album releases the same day as the Academy of Country Music awards show in Las Vegas, which airs on CBS tomorrow night at 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific.

BROOKS & DUNN, ALAN JACKSON WOW CROWD IN VIRGINIA BEACH

Three men and a lot of hit songs make a winning combination for a tour. Brooks & Dunn and Alan Jackson opened the season for the Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheatre and kicked off their 2007 co-headlining tour last Thursday. The crowd loved them. “The Virginia Pilot” reported that after both acts offered hit after hit during their individual sets, Ronnie Dunn and Kix Brooks returned to the stage to join Alan and his band in a rousing jam session. The newspaper says that opening acts Jake Owen and Catherine Britt offered short sets and were well received. The two co-headliners will play 30 dates throughout the summer. Ronnie says, quote, “We’ve been talking about doing this tour forever,” adding that scheduling and other factors always seemed to keep it from happening.

“The Virginia Pilot” reports that there is a great deal of “faith and flag” in both artists’ shows. It said both artists make great use of the huge video screens.

SUGARLAND CONTRIBUTES SONG FOR “GOOD MORNING AMERICA”

Sugarland is singing “GMA is Here” for ABC’s “Good Morning America.” The song is part of a newly launched promotional campaign by ABC for the show. Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush of Sugarland co-wrote the song, adapting their brand new single "Everyday America." Nettles says, quote, “Good Morning America has been such a huge supporter of Sugarland that it feels great to join them in waking up the country every morning!” The special version debuted on GMA last Thursday. Both Nettles and Bush make cameo appearances via their most recent video for "Everyday America" in the 60 second spot.

MEL TILLIS INVITED TO BE A GRAND OLE OPRY MEMBER

Former Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year Mel Tillis was invited to become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry Saturday night. Bill Anderson issued the invitation, asking quote, “How would you like to become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. We’d love to have you.” Tillis, obviously moved by the invitation, replied, quote, “This is another part of a dream yet to be fulfilled. The Opry’s always been on my mind.” Tillis also commented that he is thrilled that he continues to be a part of the country music community. On hand to see their dad invited to join the Opry were Tillis’ son Mel Jr. and daughter Pam Tillis. Pam has been an Opry member since 2000. She will formally induct her father into the Opry on June 9th.

TAYLOR SWIFT TURNS THE TABLES ON AN OPENING ACT

Taylor Swift has been invited to open a series of dates this summer for the Tim McGraw and Faith Hill “Soul2SoulII” tour. The young singer turned the tables on that scenario by inviting her co-star in the video “Teardrops on My Guitar,” Tyler Hilton, to open for her in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. It was Taylor’s first time to headline a show in her hometown. She says, quote, “So many things were running through my head during that first song…so many things. I remembered exactly where I sat when I saw Melissa Etheridge play there five years ago as a little 12-year-old girl with a huge (and what seemed like impossible) dream.” She adds, quote, “This is a life people wish for, and I'll never forget that there was a time that I didn't have it. There was a time when I didn't live it. I think it's really important to remember where you came from. It keeps you normal.”
When Taylor performs her hit single “Tim McGraw” on the “Soul2Soul II” tour it may be the first time the singer Tim McGraw has heard her do the song live. Dates on which she will perform will be announced soon.

COUNTRY WEEKLY MAGAZINES HOSTS FASHION SHOW

Clay Walker will step up in his cowboy boots to host “Country Weekly’s” Fashion Show presented by Wrangler on June 6th, just prior to the CMA Music Festival. Participants include Catherine Britt, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Lonestar, Neal McCoy, Danielle Peck, Tanya Tucker, Trent Willmon, Darryl Worley and Chris Young. The magazine partners with Wrangler and Hard Rock Cafe Nashville to bring these singers onto the fashion runway. The event will raise money and awareness for Musicians On Call. Only 250 guests will be able to attend the event at the Hard Rock Café.

QUICK BITES

Gene Watson has signed with Shanachie Entertainment. Watson will go in the studio this month with producer Brent Rowan to record his first studio album in three years. It will include new material and some re-recordings of his hit songs. The disc will be released in September.

Taylor Swift will perform on The Gracie Awards on June 18th live from New York City. The Gracie’s honor achievements by women in TV and radio. Her debut single “Tim McGraw” has been certified as a Digital Gold single by the Recording Industry Association of America. Taylor is one of only ten country artists to achieve that feat.

Bucky Covington’s fans came through in a recent on-line auction at Opry.com. His autographed, hand-written lyric sheet for his lead single “A Different World” raised just over four thousand dollars for the Opry Trust Fund, an organization formed to provide financial assistance to those in the country music community going through an emergency or time of need.

Danielle Peck is featured in the current issue of “Nashville Lifestyles” magazine in a photo spread bringing awareness to the Fashion Fights Poverty campaign.


"SPIDER-MAN 3" NETS MORE BOX OFFICE GREEN

"Spider-Man 3" continues to dominate the movie box office. The third film in the hit superhero franchise took in another 60-million in North American ticket sales this weekend to maintain its top standing at the box office, and bring its worldwide total to 622-million dollars. That puts the movie dubbed "the most expensive movie ever made" comfortably in the black. Columbia Pictures, the movie house behind "Spider-Man 3," says the action adventure cost 258-million dollars to produce, with sources estimating an added 125-million-dollars in prints and advertising to the film's price tag.

"Spider-Man 3" easily outpaced the competition in ticket sales this weekend. Its nearest competitor, the zombie thriller "28 Weeks Later," opened at number two with ten-million dollars. The Jane Fonda-Lindsay Lohan comedy "Georgia Rule" opened in a distant third place with five-point-nine-million. It was followed by "Disturbia" at number four with four-point-eight-million, and the new comedy "Delta Farce" at number five with three-point-five-million.

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. "Spider-Man 3," $60 million.
2. "28 Weeks Later," $10 million.
3. "Georgia Rule," $5.9 million.
4. "Disturbia," $4.8 million.
5. "Delta Farce," $3.5 million.
6. "Fracture," $2.9 million.
7. "The Invisible," $2.2 million.
8. "Hot Fuzz," $1.7 million.
9. "Next," $1.604 million.
10. "Meet the Robinsons," $1.6 million.