COUNTRY QUICKIES: 1/9/13

~~ We told ya so!

Jana Kramer confirmed that she and Brantley Gilbert are living together.

In an interview (with CMT Radio Live's Cody Alan) Jana admits: "I actually bought the house, and he is living with me, yes."

"He's paying his little monthly rent."

And Jana says, "I am really happy. [Brantley] is so wonderful, I cannot stop smiling around him. He surprises me with gifts ‘just because.'"
Source

~~ Blake Shelton's co-host for the 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards is Luke Bryan.

Luke will step in for Reba McEntire.  Luke and Blake will host the live three-hour broadcast on CBS, which takes place April 7 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

In addition, Brad Paisley will host a special ACM Fan Jam, an add-on event now in its third year. The Jam will run concurrently with the awards show, and continue after the live broadcast ends. 

~~Taylor Swift and Hunter Hayes represent country on the 22-track 2013 Grammy Nominees album, out Jan. 22.  Proceeds benefit the MusiCares Foundation and the Grammy Foundation.

Swift's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" and Hayes' "Wanted" are included based on their respective Record of the Year and Best New Artist nominations.

The 55th Annual Grammy Awards airs Feb. 10 on CBS-TV.
http://www.2013grammyalbum.com/

~~ SAD NEWS:  Singer Sammy Johns has died of unknown causes at the age of 66. The North Carolina native was best known for his 1975 hit, "Chevy Van," which sold three million copies and was dubbed the "Song of the Seventies" by Rolling Stone magazine.

While "Chevy Van" was Johns' only big hit as a solo artist, Sammy scored major songwriting success with other artists, most notably penning the classic "America," recorded by Waylon Jennings, "Common Man" by John Conlee and "Desperado Love" for Conway Twitty. The latest album in Johns' own discography was 2000's "Honky Tonk Moon".