Thompson Square‘s career is in a sweet spot right now, which is why they named their upcoming sophomore album Just Feels Good.  The same can be said for the married duo’s experiences on Luke Bryan‘s Dirt Road Diaries tour too. They’re on that trek all year long with tour mates Florida Georgia Line, and the chemistry between the performers that the fans see on stage isn’t just an act.  It turns out they’ve all become fast friends in the last few months

Thompson Square’s Keifer Thompson tells ABC News Radio, “It’s not like, ‘You’re the opener.  I’ll see you on stage, and we’ll act like we’re best buddies.  And then get the heck off my stage.  Don’t come in.  Don’t even think about coming and drinking my alcohol.’  That sort of thing, it’s not like that at all.”

Keifer’s wife and duo partner Shawna Thompson adds that they’ve been hanging out and partying with the Florida Georgia Line guys quite a bit.  She’s also grateful to Luke, who allows them the tools they need to put on the best show possible for the fans.

Says Shawna, “Luke has just been so sweet and let us use all of the stage, all of his lights. ‘Whatever you need, use it.’  Just good people.  Just good people to be out there with.” 

Thompson Square has been performing new music on this tour, including their latest single, “If I Didn’t Have You.”  Their sophomore album, Just Feels Good, is out this Tuesday.

 

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

 

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George Strait and Garth Brooks are teaming up for a joint performance at the ACM Awards in honor of the late Dick Clark, who began producing the ACMs in 1979. He passed away last year.  Also, the ACM Artist of the Decade Award will be renamed the ACM Dick Clark Artist of the Decade Award in his honor. George was given that award for the 2000s, and Garth took it for the ’90s.

Garth commends the Academy for renaming the trophy in honor of Dick Clark, saying, “There may be others who have contributed as much to the music industry, but there is definitely no one that has contributed more than Dick Clark.  He was music’s best friend, and a dear friend to me.”

George adds that Dick Clark made country accessible to a wider audience. He says, “Garth and I were so grateful when we each received the ACM Artist of the Decade Award, so it’s only fitting that we’ll be honoring him with this tribute performance at the ACMs.”

The 48th Annual ACM Awards will broadcast live on CBS from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 7 at 8 p.m. Eastern.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

 

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The Road to the Ram Jam all-star country music series continues, with Easton Corbin‘s 2012 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn now up for auction.  Easton drove the truck for the past year, and the money raised through its auction at eBay.com/RoadtoRamJam will benefit the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund. That organization honors Americans in the Armed Forces who have sacrificed life or limb in the line of duty by awarding college scholarships to their children.

Easton says, “I definitely encourage my fans to bid on the auction.  They get a great truck out of the deal and also provide college scholarships to some well-deserving young people.”

Easton’s Ram is the fifth and final truck to go up for auction as part of the Road to the Ram Jam.  Zac Brown‘s truck recently went for $39,300 with proceeds going to his Camp Southern Ground.  Brantley Gilbert‘s Ram truck raised more than $34,000 for the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.  Billy Currington‘s truck raised about the same amount for Team Rubicon, while Kellie Pickler‘s truck brought in more than $36,000 for the USO Warrior and Family Care program in January.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

 

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Alabama will launch their Back to the Bowery tour April 4 with a free show at the Bowery in Myrtle Beach, SC. That club is the spot where the band played their first show back in 1973, and current fan club members will have the opportunity to win tickets to the show through a lottery . The remaining tickets will be available after that on a first come, first serve basis. Check out TheAlabamaBand.com for more details.

The Back to the Bowery tour officially kicks off April 5 with the first of two sold-out shows at the Alabama Theatre in Myrtle Beach.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

 

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Newcomer Kacey Musgraves has already made a splash with her top 10 debut single, “Merry Go Round,” and now her debut project, Same Trailer Different Park, is available in stores and online.  Kacey lifted the title of the album from a lyric in “Merry Go Round”: “Same hurt in every heart/same trailer, different park.”

It’s one of her favorite lines on the album, and she explains, “It kind of just means we’re all kind of in this together.  We’re all hurt the same way.  We all feel the same way, although we’re all different.  That’s why I love it.”

Kacey could have just made her debut album self-titled or called it Merry Go Round, but something so obvious just didn’t suit her or the music on the album.

“I kind of love it when album titles make people think,” Kacey says.

Kacey is performing songs from Same Trailer Different Park during her set on Kenny Chesney‘s No Shoes Nation tour through August.  They’ve got a show in Albany, NY Thursday night.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

 

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George Strait‘s new album, Love Is Everything, is due out May 14. The first single from that project, “Give It All We Got Tonight,” is climbing the charts fast thanks in part to the Sixty for Sixty campaign, launched to secure George’s 60th #1 country hit while he is still 60-years-old.  Strait celebrates his 61st birthday on May 18.

For more information on the campaign, go to SixtyforSixty.com.  For the latest dates on George’s The Cowboy Rides Away tour, go to GeorgeStrait.com.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

 

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The ACM Awards just added a ton of star power for April 7th’s show.  Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum and Little Big Town are joining the list of performers.

ACM Awards co-hosts Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan have previously been confirmed to perform, along with Kelly Clarkson, Miranda Lambert, George Strait and The Band Perry.

Brad Paisley will headline the 3rd Annual ACM Fan Jam, taking place during the show, and will be joined by Dierks Bentley, Hunter Hayes, Brantley Gilbert, Jana Kramer and Florida Georgia Line. Rapper and actor LL Cool J will also make a special appearance during the Fan Jam.

The ACM Awards take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, with the ACM Fan Jam performances broadcasting live from the Orleans Arena nearby.

The 48th Annual ACM Awards air live on CBS Sunday, April 7 at 8 p.m. Eastern.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

 

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Kenny Chesney launched his No Shoes Nation tour Saturday night playing for nearly 48,000 fans in Tampa, FL. The two-plus hours show took place at Raymond James Stadium and featured hits like “Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven,” “Anything But Mine” and “Out Last Night.” Opener Kacey Musgraves also joined Kenny on stage for a duet of “Come Over.”

Speaking of the set list, Kenny says, “We brought back some songs we’ve not done in a while, like ‘How Forever Feels,’ stripped things back a bit for ‘You & Tequila’ and even pulled out one no one in the band saw coming with ‘Old Blue Chair.'”

Kenny also had Eric Church and Eli Young Band on the bill along with Kacey.

“I think this is one of the best packages we’ve had. It’s very progressive,” Kenny says of the lineup. “I think it’s going to be an incredible summer.”

For a complete list of No Shoes Nation tour dates, go to KennyChesney.com.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

 

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