COUNTRY QUICKIES: 10/18/12
~~RUMOR HAS IT…
Jason Aldean will become the first country artist to headline Boston's Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox. The July 13 date is also said to feature Miranda Lambert.
Aldean is expected to have a big press announcement today.
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RELATED NEWS:
Jason Aldean sings a song about a stripper on his new album "Night Train." It's called "Black Tears" and it tells the story of a stripper dealing with the toll of her job.
Aldean called it "one of the most well-written songs on the record."
He says hopefully people who are conservative about music will look past the subject matter and listen to what the lyrics are really saying.
"Night Train" also features a song called "The Only Way I Know" with Eric Church and Luke Bryan, as well as a rap-influenced tribute to Joe Diffie called "1994." The album is out now.
~~In case you missed it... Darius Rucker is the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. Tuesday night GM Pete Fisher and member Vince Gill presented Rucker with the Opry award.
Rucker told the audience, "It meant so much to me ‘cause I knew if I ever could be a member then there's no more conversation about being accepted or anything. I'm in."
RELATED NEWS:
Darius Rucker offered details on his upcoming album. "True Believers" will hit stores in January and feature his current single of the same name.
Also on the album a song Darius is very proud of called "Wagon Wheel" which he recorded with Lady Antebellum.
INTERVIEW AUDIO
~~Katie Couric has landed some country superstars for the ABC special, "All Access Nashville".
Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, Miranda Lambert and Reba McEntire will be featured on the hourlong show, set to air at 9 p.m. ET on Oct. 26.
Luke Bryan, Martina McBride and Jason Aldean will also be in the mix.
~~ Taylor Swift taped her 'VH1 Storytellers' episode in front of 3,000 students from five Claremont, Calif. colleges, inside Pomona College's Bridges Auditorium. The college won her national contest to host the singer-songwriter for a concert.
Swift answered questions and shared backstories on older songs as well as some from her soon-to-be-released fourth album, "Red," due Oct. 22.
Her 75-minute performance included the new album's first single, "We Are Never, Ever Getting Back Together," the title track and the closing track, "Begin Again." She and her full touring band also delivered her hits "Love Story," "Mean" and "You Belong To Me."
The "VH1 Storytellers" episode is scheduled to air at 11 p.m. on Nov. 11.
Source
~~Carrie Underwood's single "Blown Away" has been certified platinum by the RIAA for 1 million digital downloads. The song is also No. 1 on Billboard's country airplay chart. The track is Underwood's 11th single to reach platinum status.
Carrie released the album "Blown Away" on May 1. It was certified platinum in September. The album's lead single, "Good Girl," was certified platinum in June.
~~The Civil Wars will release the seven-track EP "Unplugged: The Civil Wars" on iTunes on Nov. 13. The performance will be released in both audio and video versions. The collection includes songs from their debut album "Barton Hollow" as well as "Kingdom Come" from "The Hunger Games: Songs From District 12 and Beyond".
The release also includes their versions of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" and Portishead's "Sour Times."
~~ T.G. Sheppard is fighting a bladder infection in a Nashville-area hospital, and his wife, Kelly Lang, says his condition is still critical.
She explained: "The bladder infection had spread into his bloodstream and is very hard to treat. That being said, it is the reason for his still being in the Critical Care Unit. I feel that he is getting better, but certainly not great."
Sheppard entered the hospital on Friday, where he has been under constant watch due to complications from the illness.
