Big Country Notes for MAY 16

“IDOL” CHATTER, STRAIT TRUTH AND ANOTHER BROOKS & DUNN DEAL

Three different artists made multiple trips to the podium last night at the 42nd annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas. The ACM gave trophies away twice to Country Music Hall of Famer George Strait, who shared Song of the Year honors with the writers of his hit “Give It Away” (including fellow Hall of Famer Bill Anderson and producer Buddy Cannon). Strait came back to take Single Record of the Year for the same song. On a night when the ACMs competed on the tube with “American Idol,” former “Idol” winner Carrie Underwood took three trophies: Top Female Vocalist; Video of the Year, for “Before He Cheats”; and Album of the Year for “Some Hearts.” Backstage Carrie said, quote, “I have the best job in the world. “Idol” made its presence felt elsewhere on the show with appearances by Kellie Pickler and Kelly Clarkson, who sang a duet with ACM host Reba McEntire. Carrie apparently TiVo’d last night’s episode, because she had every intention of following the vote from three finalists down to two. Brooks & Dunn also extended their all-time record at the ACMs. With last night’s haul of three trophies—Top Vocal Duo; Vocal Event of the Year, for “Building Bridges,” featuring Vince Gill and Sheryl Crow; and the Home Depot Humanitarian award—they now have 24 ACMs in their career. Their win for duo marked their 14th time to earn that trophy, something they found particularly ironic, given that 13 is not considered lucky in Vegas. Backstage, Kix Brooks laughed that he didn’t think they had a chance, explaining, quote, “We’re in Vegas, 13, we’re dead.” The night also represented the third time that Kenny Chesney took Entertainer of the Year. The only artists to do that before were Garth Brooks, Alabama and Hank Williams Jr., and Kenny was particularly struck by that fact. He told reporters, quote, “All three of those acts… played a big part in the path of my life. The very first concert I saw in my life was an Alabama concert, and it went from there. Those three acts cut a path for a guy like me to do it like I do it. I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am to put my name on that wall with those three people.”
Winners at the 42nd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR Kenny Chesney
TOP MALE VOCALIST Brad Paisley
TOP FEMALE VOCALIST Carrie Underwood
TOP VOCAL GROUP Rascal Flatts
TOP VOCAL DUO Brooks & Dunn
TOP NEW MALE VOCALIST Rodney Atkins
TOP NEW FEMALE VOCALIST Miranda Lambert
TOP NEW DUO OR VOCAL GROUP Little Big Town
ALBUM OF THE YEAR "Some Hearts" - Carrie Underwood
SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR "Give It Away" - George Strait
SONG OF THE YEAR "Give It Away" - George Strait
VIDEO OF THE YEAR "Before He Cheats" - Carrie Underwood
VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR "Building Bridges" - Brooks & Dunn with Vince Gill & Sheryl Crow

ACM FEATURES MAMAS & PAPAS AND POP LEGENDS AS THE CROW FLIES

Last night’s Academy of Country Music Awards showed that country music has expanded its stylistic reach with connections to other music genres. Pop singer Kelly Clarkson joined show host Reba McEntire on “Because Of You,” a song that appears on Reba’s upcoming “Reba Duets” album. R&B vocalist John Legend performed with Big & Rich on “Lost in this Moment.” That moment is believed to mark the first time a soul singer sang on the ACMs since Lionel Richie teamed with Alabama on “Deep River Woman” in the mid-‘80s. Sheryl Crow joined Brooks & Dunn and Vince Gill in winning the Vocal Event award for “Building Bridges,” making her the first purely pop act to take that honor. Jimmy Buffett shared the award with Alan Jackson several years ago, but he’s been in and out of country several times in his career. Backstage, Little Big Town also acknowledged that the composition of their group—two men, two women, strong harmonies—makes them similar to the ‘60s act The Mamas and the Papas. In fact, they admitted they’ve toyed with the idea of recording “California Dreamin’.” They’ve also recorded with rocker John Mellencamp and that’s influenced their work on their upcoming album. Jimi Westbrook of Little Big Town noted, quote, “He spends hours and hours arranging, rearranging, micing drums differently. It’s an unbelievable thing to sit and watch.”

A TIRED PAISLEY ENJOYS HIS NEW STATUS

When Brad Paisley took Top Male Vocalist at last year’s Academy of Country Music Awards, it marked his first time to win the award. His competitors might have been “ticked” (not really, but Brad did sing “Ticks” on the show!), but Brad was elated. He confessed backstage that he’s been working of late on very little sleep—he’s been busy promoting his new album, kicking off the new tour, and helping take care of his son. In fact, he says that when he talks to his wife, Kimberly Williams, from the road, she’s been so emotional that it leaves him feeling things more deeply than he usually does. He told reporters, quote, “All the emotions are ten times what they could be.” One reporter noted that his music bears lots of similarity to the late Roger Miller, who had a way of being both clever and poignant in his songs. Appropriately, Brad indicated that his son’s middle name, Huckleberry, is a direct reference to Roger’s Broadway play “The River,” which surrounded fictional character Huck Finn. Brad said, “I keep going back to Roger and his genius and trying to capture that in some of the songs that I write.” He added, quote, “I’m not the new Roger Miller in any way in that he was out of this world.”

CLAY WALKER ANNOUNCES WEDDING DAY

Clay Walker and Jessica Craig have announced September 28th as their wedding day. The couple, who met in New York City at the Country Music Association awards, will tie the knot in New Orleans, Jessica’s hometown. Clay says, quote, “I don’t know what makes a person deserve finding the love of your life but it happened to me.” He says he thinks it’s more about getting yourself ready for it to happen than going out and finding that person first, explaining, quote, “I started working on things I didn’t like about me and making better the good things about me. I prayed a lot and really just started finding peace with myself andd right about that time I met Jessica.” Clay adds, quote, “I don’t think that was coincidence. You can call it destiny, fate, whatever … I feel like it’s the greatest moment of my life and I feel like she’s the greatest thing that ever happened to me.”

BIG & RICH GO MULTIPLE PLATINUM

Big & Rich's are a triple threat – triple Platinum that is. Their debut album, “Horse of a Different Color,” was certified triple platinum for shipments of three million copies by the Recording Industry Association of America on Monday. The project featured the hit single "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy," which was previously certified as a Gold digital single and, as a phone ringtone, a gold mastertone. The duo’s third album, “Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace,” will be released in June.

GRETCHEN WILSON AND FRIENDS ROCK LAS VEGAS

Gretchen Wilson has taken Las Vegas by storm. She not only celebrated yesterday’s release of her “One of the Boys” project at an album release party, she taped a tribute to Heart for “VH1’s Rock Honors.” She also performed at a free concert Sunday on Fremont Street, which kicked off her 2007 tour. Special guests for that show were John Rich of Big & Rich and Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart. While John, Ann and Nancy won’t be along for the rest of the tour, the pink flamingos and Airstream travel trailer will be. It’s Gretchen’s official set for her tour this year.

SEAN HANNITY ANNOUNCES FREEDOM CONCERTS 2007

Montgomery Gentry, LeAnn Rimes and Lee Greenwood will perform at Fox News personality Sean Hannity’s “Freedom Concerts” this year. The first show will be in Atlanta, Georgia on July 10th followed by July 26th show in San Diego. Cincinnati will host a show on August 9th followed by Dallas on August 14th. The final show will be in Jackson, New Jersey on September 11th. The Hannity Freedom Concerts benefit the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund for the children of America's Military Heroes who have been killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty. For more information on tickets go to http://www.hannityfreedomconcert.com/.

QUICK BITES

Kenny Chesney and his opening act Pat Green weren’t through performing even though the doors close at Grand Rapids' Van Andell Arena Monday night. The two headed down the street where they joined The Lost Trailers for jam session that totally surprised the club’s audience.

Darryl Worley performed Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” at Smith’s Olde Bar in Atlanta Saturday night. He was there to be a part of the “500 Songs for Kids” festivities. The two-day event was the biggest music charity in Georgia history. All proceeds from the evening will benefit 13 different charities. Worley’s performance benefits Kate’s Club and Camp Twin Lakes was benefited.

Shooter Jennings and his six-year girlfriend, actress Drea de Matteo, are expecting a baby. Shooter is Waylon’s son and his Drea is an actress who had a key role on HBO’s “The Sopranos” until she was killed off last year

Vince Gill and Ricky Skaggs and headline two of the “Bluegrass at the Ryman” shows this year, July 5th and July 19th, respectively. Others in the lineup include Country Music Hall of Famer Earl Scruggs on June 21st; Rhonda Vincent on June 28th, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver on July 12th and Mountain Heart and The Grascals on July 26th.

Tanya Tucker has sold her home and surrounding 500-acres to a developer who plans to build an 18-hole golf course on it along with a subdivision. In fact, Tucker’s nearly 23-thousand-foot home is expected to become the clubhouse, according to “The Tennessean.” The sale ended up being a thirteen-point-five-million dollar deal, which included an additional tract next to Tucker’s property. Homes in the new subdivision will start at about 550-thousand dollars.