NASHVILLE (AP) – Kenny Chesney and Jason Aldean are merging tours. They will play 10 dates together next year, beginning May 2 in San Francisco. Chesney says there aren’t a lot of guys who put out the effort the way Aldean does. Aldean says he has a real friendship with Chesney but “that doesn’t mean I’m going to make it easy to follow me every night.”
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NASHVILLE (AP) – If Ronnie Milsap had listened to his counselors, he never would have made it to the Country Music Hall of Fame. Milsap says they told him he’d never make it as a professional musician. However, Ray Charles told him he would make it. Milsap was inducted on Sunday in a ceremony in Nashville. Bluegrass musician Mac Wiseman and late songwriter Hank Cochran also were inducted.
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COALGATE, Okla. (AP) – The father of country music star Reba McEntire has died in Oklahoma.
A post on the singer’s verified Twitter account Friday says Clark McEntire passed away Thursday night in Coalgate.
The director of Brown’s Funeral Service in nearby Atoka confirmed the death, saying McEntire had been in declining health since suffering a stroke a few years ago. He was 86.
A post on the country star’s Instagram account says her father was “born and bred a cowboy.” It says she’s thankful he’s no longer suffering.
The post includes a photo of her father on horseback, saying: “He always told us kids never to run your horse to the barn. He was just taking his time to go on home.”
Funeral home director Eddie Brown says a service will be held Wednesday.
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NASHVILLE (AP) – Members of Little Big Town barely remember their debut at the Grand Ole Opry 15 years ago. Jimi Westbrook says the Opry had a cancellation and Little Big Town was invited to perform at the last minute. He says they had been a band only for a couple of months and they had never played for anyone outside a living room. Westbrook says they told the Opry, “Well, yeah! We’ll come sing our three songs we know.” Little Big Town are now the newest Opry members. Vince Gill and Little Jimmy Dickens inducted them on Saturday. Little Big Town’s new album, “Pain Killer,” is out this week.
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Alan Jacksonopens his 25th Anniversary Keepin’ It Country Tour Jan. 8 in Fort Myers. Dates are planned through May, with Capitol’s Jon Pardi and Slate Creek’s Brandy Clark in support. See the full itinerary here.
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Broken Bow’s Jason Aldean will continue his Burn It Down Tour into 2015 with 23 more dates and two new guests, Warner Bros./WMN’s Cole Swindell and Columbia’s Tyler Farr. The second leg of the tour will kick off Feb. 12 in Greenville, SC. More dates here.
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NICEVILLE, Fla. (AP) – Dustin Lynch says he’s gotten a few stitches and he’ll be OK, but the guy who threw a beer can at him got away. Lynch was performing in Niceville, Florida, on Friday at the Boggy Bayou Mullet Festival when someone beaned him with a full can of beer. Lynch had a cut below one of his eyes. He still finished the show.
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NASHVILLE (AP) – The man who gave us “Dropkick Me, Jesus (Through the Goalposts of Life)” has died. The Nashville Tennessean reports songwriter Paul Craft died Saturday after years of deteriorating health. He was 76. Craft also wrote “Hank Williams, You Wrote My Life” for Moe Bandy, “Take Another Swing At Me” for Randy Travis, “Brother Jukebox” for Mark Chesnutt and “It’s Me Again, Margaret” for Ray Stevens.
NASHVILLE (AP) – Sara Evans will make a guest appearance on the ABC show “Nashville.” She will play herself on the October 29 episode. She will perform her new single, “Put My Heart Down.”
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LOS ANGELES (AP) – John Denver will get a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Two of Denver’s children will accept the honor. The band Trampled By Turtles will perform an acoustic version of “Annie’s Song” at the unveiling, which is set for October 24.
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The Band Perry will play two concerts for winning high schools in the State Farm-funded Celebrate My Drive campaign, which aims to promote safe driving among teens. High schools can register to win not only a concert, but one of 90 $25,000 grants and one of 10 $100,000 grants. More info here.
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LOS ANGELES (AP) – Jason Aldean has another number-one album. “Old Boots, New Dirt” sold 278,000 copies its first week out. It debuts on top of the Billboard 200 album chart. His last album, “Night Train,” also debuted at number one in 2012.
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Arista’s Brad Paisleyisn’t a moonshiner, but he plays one in his new clothing line. The superstar has partnered with Boot Barn to launch Moonshine Spirit by Brad Paisley, including boots, jeans, hats, t-shirts, jewelry, belts and woven shirts. “Boot Barn and I have created what I think is an authentic and very wearable line of country clothing,” says Paisley. “It’s hip, modern, progressive, rugged and country – ready for the stage and ready to go out on the town. It embodies the enthusiasm of my new album Moonshine In The Trunk.” The duds debut at the Nashville Boot Barn grand opening Oct. 24 and nationwide Dec. 1.
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