Big Country Notes for JUNE 25

BRAD PAISLEY PASSIONATE ABOUT NEW ALBUM

Brad Paisley says the songs on his new album “5th Gear” are all reflections of him. Paisley says he’s very passionate about the project and whether he’s singing “All I Wanted Was a Car” or “Ticks,” the songs reflect different parts of his life. Paisley says, quote, “We were filming a special out in the woods on my farm a few weeks ago and in the middle of talking about ‘Ticks’ I looked down and guess what was crawling up my arm?” He says when you listen to the album as a whole piece of work it seems as though they had a vision for what it was going to be. He says, quote, “By the time you listen from beginning to end, there are a lot of songs about cars … the past … so I was totally tickled with it by the time I finished saying what I wanted to say.”

BLAKE SHELTON RECALLS HIS FAVORITE COUNTRY SONG OF ALL TIME

Blake Shelton admits he’s a fan of 1980’s country music, so it should come as no surprise that his favorite country song comes from that era – Earl Thomas Conley’s “What I’d Say.” Blake says, quote, “I just think it’s an amazing song. I remember the first time I heard it, it just blew me away.” He adds, quote, “The older I get the more I respect writing like that and even more its performance.” Remember that Conley was dubbed “The Thinking Man’s Country Singer,” Shelton says, quote, “Even after you write those lyrics, as a performer you still have to be able to make it come to life. Earl certainly did that with that song.”

MONTGOMERY GENTRY SEE INCREASE IN ALBUM SALES WITH TOP FIVE SINGLE

Montgomery Gentry are proof there is a direct correlation between a top five single and album sales. When “Lucky Man” went into the top five on the “Billboard” country chart, the duo’s album “Some People Change” had a sales increase of 73-percent. That made the disc the greatest gaining studio music album on the Top Current Albums Chart. Troy Gentry of Montgomery Gentry says, quote, “We couldn’t do this without such a great team” and his duet partner, Eddie Montgomery, agrees. Eddie says, quote, “Yeah, it’s awesome to know we got folks covering our backs when we’re out on the road playin’ for our friends night after night.” The duo will be playing for their friends at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville Saturday night.

BILLY CURRINGTON SAYS IT WAS EASY TO GET THROUGH TOUGH TIMES WITH HIS MUSIC

Billy Currington says he’s been through some tough times. He recalls working in a pawn shop when he first moved to Nashville as the worst job he’s ever had. Then he poured concrete for six years before he got a record deal. Currington says, quote, “I moved to Nashville when I was 18 and I was here ten years before I got a deal. So when I was going through some hard times with a record or something like that, I just remembered when I was at that pawn shop or pouring that concrete. Then times didn’t seem so tough.” There is one thing Billy would like to do that harkens back to his days of working with concrete. He explains, quote, “I look at the arena and I think how I’d love to play there. I poured the concrete while it was being built. It would be cool to walk up on that stage and look around and think about all those long hours and late nights working until two in the morning.” Billy doesn’t regret those days, though. He says, quote, “I look at it as anything that happens now that’s tough I’m reminded of those tougher days. I wouldn’t trade them for the world.”

GARY ALLAN PERFORMS BY REQUEST FOR RED SOX PITCHER JON LESTER

Gary Allan is an inspiration to Boston Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester, who’s in rehab for an injury he sustained earlier in the season. The pitcher is playing with the Red Sox affiliate Pawtucket PawSox, and he asked Gary to come and sing “Right Where I Need To Be” when he took the mound against the Columbus Clippers. Jon says the song inspires him in his quest to return to the Red Sox rotation. There must be some magic in the tune as Lester pitched five scoreless innings and allowed just four hits with two walks and six strikeouts. Gary hopes to record more inspirational songs on his next project, which he has been in the studio working on. The first single from the new disc should ship to radio in the next couple months.

BON JOVI ALBUM CUT INSPIRED BY VISITS TO NASHVILLE

Jon Bon Jovi says one of the cuts on the Bon Jovi’s just released “Lost Highway” album was inspired by Nashville. “I Love This Town” was written by Jon, Richie Sambora and Billy Falcon. As the story goes, the three were on Nashville’s Lower Broadway watching a football game while indulging in wings and a cold beer. Jon says, quote, “We were thinking ‘what could be better? You’re doing what it is you love to do, you’re doing it with friends and you’re doing it in a great environment.’” Realizing that was a great basis for a song, the three left the sports bar, went back to their hotel and knocked out the song in a short period of time. Jon says, quote, “We didn’t even wait for the beer to get warm! The song was done in moments.” He adds, quote, “The great thing about it is even though we wrote it about Nashville, no matter where we go people are going to make it about their town.”
Bon Jovi will be the inaugural performers at The Rock, the new arena at Newark. New Jersey’s Prudential Center. They will perform a multiple number of nights between October 25th and November 1st. This will be the band’s only tour dates this year. The group has partnered with Ticket­master for the first-ever advance concert ticket plus digital album package presale for this event.

QUICK BITES

When Big & Rich were on NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” they had the opportunity to met comedian Robin Williams, who was also a guest on the program that evening. The three met backstage and chatted about the Ultimate Fighting Club.

Marty Stuart will perform at B.B. King’s in New York City on Wednesday. While in New York he will drop by CBS’ “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” on Friday and “Fox & Friends” on Saturday. He plans a return trip to the Big Apple in July when he will perform on CBS’ “The Late Show with David Letterman” with Porter Wagoner.

The Charlie Daniels Band releases “Live From Iraq” tomorrow. The release features a bonus DVD of never-before-seen documentary footage. Charlie says, quote, “I’ll never forget my trips to Iraq, having the honor of visiting with the heroes so far away from home who stand in harms way daily.” Daniels has appearances scheduled for “Hannity & Colmes” today and the “Bill Bennett Show” tomorrow. He is also interviewing with Voice of America’s live music show, “Border Crossing.”

Sunny Sweeney and her band will kick off her first European tour July 7th at London's Luminaire club. The tour will take her throughout the UK and Europe including performances at festivals in England, Norway, Ireland, Sweden and France later this summer. Sweeney has been nominated for “New and Emerging Artist” by The Americana Music Association for its Sixth Annual Americana Music Honors and Awards. The awards show will be held November 1st at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.


HEADLINES FROM HOLLYWOOD

"EVEN ALMIGHTY" WINS WEEKEND WITH LOWER-THAN-EXPECTED EARNINGS

Evan may have reigned at the box office, but the new film didn't bring in as much money as expected. The film, "Evan Almighty," is the most expensive comedy ever made with a price tag of nearly 175-million-dollars. However, the film starring Steve Carell only brought in 31-point-one-million dollars. Studio officials hoped the film would have earnings in the mid-30's, possibly even break the 40-million mark. Coming in second place was the new John Cusak horror film, "1408," which had about 20-million in ticket sales. In third place was "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer." The sequel also garnered about 20-million-dollars in sales. Rounding out the top five were "Oceans Thirteen" in fourth with a little more than eleven-million-dollars and "Knocked Up" grabbing the fifth spot with ten-point-six million-dollars in ticket sales. (Metro Source)

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. "Evan Almighty," $32.1 million.
2. "1408," $20.175 million.
3. "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer," $20.15 million.
4. "Ocean's Thirteen," $11.3 million.
5. "Knocked Up," $10.6 million.
6. "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," $7.2 million.
7. "Surf's Up," $6.7 million. 8. "Shrek the Third," $5.8 million.
9. "Nancy Drew," $4.5 million.
10. "A Mighty Heart," $4 million.