Big Country Notes for MAY 15

ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS SHOW TONIGHT ON CBS

All eyes are on Las Vegas tonight for the Academy of Country Music Awards. Reba McEntire hosts the extravaganza for the ninth year. She says, quote, “Some of my favorite memories are Mac Davis, John Schneider … hosting with Hank Williams Jr. was a treat. I remember when George Strait, Randy Owens and I hosted it, sitting back stage singing John Anderson songs.” George Strait is up for eight awards, Rascal Flatts six and Carrie Underwood five. Big & Rich have four nods each while Vince Gill, Josh Turner and Gretchen Wilson have three each. Additionally, Brooks & Dunn will receive the prestigious Home Depot Humanitarian Award. The 42nd annual Academy of Country Music Awards will air from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas at 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific on CBS.

Rodney Atkins says of fellow artists and nominees Craig Morgan and Chris Young: “You can’t help but pull for people you’ve become friends with and Craig’s [Morgan] a great guy. He’s a hunter fisherman kind of guy. And Chris is great – they are both just regular joes.”
Phillip Sweet of Little Big Town says of being at the ACM’s this year: “This is such an amazing journey for us. Last year we performed with just two acoustic guitars – first awards show performance. This year it’s just exciting for us to come back and bring a little bit more of that journey with us.”

Josh Turner says he’s like to win Top Vocal Event because, quote, “It’s a song I wrote that’s a very personal song to me and one of my biggest heroes, Dr. Ralph Stanley, is singing on it with me. Plus one of greatest groups in country music, Diamond Rio, is singing on it.”

FAITH HILL WILL DEBUT NEW SINGLE ON ACM AWARDS SHOW TONIGHT

Faith Hill will debut her new single tonight on the 42nd Academy of Country Music Awards on CBS. The new song, “Lost,” was completed just this past week and will be the first single from her forthcoming greatest hits package entitled “The Hits.” Hill says, quote, “When we heard the final playback of the song, I don’t think that there was any question – everyone knew that it was special.” She adds, quote, “The timing couldn’t be better for us to play something new for our fans.” “Lost” was written by Kara DioGuardi and co-produced by Byron Gallimore and Faith.

MONTGOMERY GENTRY IN LAS VEGAS TWICE

Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry of Montgomery Gentry have a busy week ahead of them. They’re in Las Vegas tonight for the Academy of Country Music Awards show. After the show they fly to Los Angeles, where they tape the hit television show “Las Vegas.” Their appearance on “Las Vegas” includes a performance and a speaking part. The two joke that they worry the director might take one look at them and say, quote, “Don’t worry about your lines, just stick to your music.”

GRETCHEN WILSON RELEASES “ONE OF THE BOYS” TODAY

Today is a special day for Gretchen Wilson because her new album “One of the Boys” arrives in stores. Wilson says she took more time to write and work on this album and, quote, “I feel like this really reflects where I am in my life right now. There are songs that show a softer side – more vulnerable – but there are definitely still some butt-kickers!” She co-wrote all but two of the eleven tracks on the album. Gretchen is in Las Vegas for the ACM awards tonight.
Track Listing for “One of the Boys”:
1. The Girl I Am
2. Come To Bed (Featuring John Rich)
3. One Of The Boys
4. You Don't Have To Go Home
5. Heaven Help Me
6. There's A Place In The Whiskey
7. If You Want A Mother
8. Pain Killer
9. There Goes The Neighborhood
10. Good Old Boy
11. To Tell You The Truth

JOHN ANDERSON RELEASES “EASY MONEY” TODAY

John Anderson new album “Easy Money” comes out today, the singer’s first new album in six years. The first single, “A Woman Knows,” and its accompanying video are already out. The disc features guest vocals from Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard on “Willie’s Guitar.” Keith Urban came by the studio to lend a hand on guitar for the title track. The album is produced by John Rich of Big & Rich, who also wrote the first single. This is the first time in Anderson's nearly 30-year career that he has not produced one of his own albums. Anderson and Rich collaborated as writers on two songs on the album. Rich told “Billboard,” quote, "What inspired me to work on this project is the mere fact that John Anderson is one of the greatest country singers in the history of country music, and he has been absent from radio for several years." Rich adds, quote, "I wanted to hear him singing again, simple as that. He's as good, or maybe better, than he ever was, and many of my artist friends consider him a major influence on their music, as do I."

QUICK BITES

Josh Turner performed his hit single "Would You Go With Me" on the “Today” show's Plaza Friday to launch their Summer Concert Series.

Little Texas’ new album that releases today is a greatest hits-plus collection titled “Live and Loud.” It includes their songs "My Love," "First Time for Everything" and "God Blessed Texas."
However fans will find a few surprises including covers of the Beatles' "Get Back" and the Eagles' "Peaceful Easy Feeling."

Billy Currington's "Good Directions" replaced labelmates Sugarland’s “Settlin,’” marking his second number one single on the “R&R Country” chart this week.

IN STORES TODAY

Gretchen Wilson – “One of the Boys”
John Anderson – “Easy Money”
Little Texas – “Live and Loud”