You may never be able to chill out with Brantley Gilbert cruising down the road in his truck, but now you can at least own Brantley’s truck.  He’s been driving a 2012 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn for the past year, and that truck is now up for bid at Ebay.com/RoadtoRamJam as part of the Road to the Ram Jam All-Star Country Music Series.

Brantley made sure to take good care of the truck, though he tells ABC News Radio, “We’ve had it in a mud hole or two, and it’s done some donuts.  But it’s still in perfect condition.”

In order to keep the truck in great shape, Brantley wouldn’t allow smoking or dogs in the vehicle.

He says, “You know, I’ve got a pitbull.  I may or may not have kept that rule, but I hope I broke it in well for ’em.”

Proceeds from the sale of Brantley’s truck will go to the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, or IAVA.  That organization helps soldiers find work and education when they get out of the service, and Brantley supports military-related causes like this because of his cousin, who is currently serving as a Marine.

“I definitely, definitely support ’em,” Brantley says.  “I miss my boy too.  I’m ready for him to come home, so this is my way of kind of keeping in contact.”

Brantley is one of five country stars auctioning off their Ram trucks for a good cause.  Kellie Pickler raised more than $36,000 last week for the USO Warrior and Family Care program.  Billy Currington, Easton Corbin and Zac Brown Band are also taking part in the Road to the Ram Jam campaign.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

 

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Reba has been an open book with her fans for decades now, so it’s no wonder she’s comfortable playing what is pretty much a version of herself on her new show Malibu Country.  Reba stopped by Good Morning America Monday to chat about her role as single mom Reba Mackenzie saying, “What you see is what you get.  I am pretty much that character.  I try to raise my kids right.  I try to discipline ’em, just like in real life.”

Reba’s on-screen relationship with Lily Tomlin, who plays her character’s mother Lillie Mae, also mirrors Reba’s relationship with her real-life mom Jackie.

“We were buddies, best friends, and that’s the way we are on the TV show,” Reba says of that mother-daughter dynamic. As for working with Lily, Reba says, “She’s wonderful to work with.  To hang out with.  I just love it.”

Malibu Country airs Friday nights at 8:30 Eastern time on ABC.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

 

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Martina McBride is honored to have snagged the opening spot on George Strait‘s The Cowboy Rides Away tour, and George makes the gig even sweeter by being such a gracious host. Martina recently tweeted a picture of a bouquet in her dressing room with the caption, “On this tour George has flowers for me in my dressing on the 1st night of each wkend. #classact.”

The Cowboy Rides Away tour marks George’s farewell to life on the road. Check out GeorgiaStrait.com or MartinaMcBride.com for tour dates.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

 

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After serving in the opening spot on shows with the likes of Rascal Flatts, Brad Paisley, Eric Church and Miranda Lambert, Justin Moore is set to launch his first headlining tour March 14 in Pikeville, KY.  The Outlaws Like Me tour will feature Dustin Lynch and Jon Pardi, and Justin is ready to take the audience on a big ride during his headlining set.

“Over the last few years I have been out with some of the best artists in our genre and I have learned so much from each of them,” Justin says.  “I’m ready to take everything they have taught me to build our show.  It’s going to be a blast I can’t wait!”

Dustin has played several dates with Justin over the last few years, and he has nothing but glowing reviews for Justin’s live show.

“He’s an incredible singer, and he puts the crowd in the palm of his hand,” Dustin tells ABC News Radio of Justin’s onstage presence.  “I’ve learned a whole lot on how to work a stage, and his shows are really choreographed great as far as how he takes you from highs and lows throughout the whole time.” 

Here are the tour dates:

3/14 — Pikeville, KY, Eastern Kentucky Expo Center
3/15 — Troy, OH, Hobart Arena
3/21 — Kearny, NE, Viaero Event Center
3/22 — St. Joseph, MO, St. Joseph Civic Arena
3/23 — Farmington, MO, Farmington Civic Center
3/28 — Davenport, IA, Adler Theatre
3/29 — Brookings, ND, Swiftel Center
3/30 — Bismarck, ND, Bismarck Civic Center
4/13 — Dodge City, KS, United Wireless Arena
4/18 — Erie, PA, Erie Insurance Arena
4/19 — Johnston, PA, Cambria County War Memorial Arena
4/20 — Corbin, KY, The Corbin Arena

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

 

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Chris Young is headed to New York City for an appearance on Katie, and you could be in the audience.  A post at KatieCouric.com calls for Chris’s biggest fans to write in and explain why they should be invited to see Chris perform on the show this Tuesday.  We’ll keep you posted on when Chris’s appearance will air.

In other Chris Young news, he’s set to take part in a Livestream performance and Q&A session on February 14 at 5:30 p.m. Eastern.  The webcast will originate at the Livestream NYC studios, and you can catch it at New.Livestream.com/LiveStreamSessions/ChrisYoung.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

 

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Keith Urban, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw have been added as presenters at the 55th annual Grammy Awards Sunday, February 10 on CBS. The show will be broadcast live from the Staples Center in L.A., and Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood are already slated to perform.  In addition, tour mates Dierks Bentley and Miranda Lambert are teaming up for a performance on the show.

In other Grammy news, a new hour-long special, The Grammys Will Go On: A Death in the Family, will air on CBS Saturday, February 9 at 10 p.m. ET. The program gives a behind-the-scenes look at how Grammy producers and performers handled the unexpected death of Whitney Houston the night before last year’s broadcast. Taylor Swift joins Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen and Katy Perry on the show to give their personal accounts of the situation.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

 

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Little Big Town‘s album Tornado turned out to be one of country’s biggest-selling albums in the past few months, and now they’re taking that new music on the road with the Tornado tour launching Thursday night in Murray, KY.  While they got a chance to sing some of the new music on the road with Rascal Flatts last year, this trek offers Little Big Town the chance to perform every song on Tornado if they so choose.

Little Big Town’s Kimberly Schlapman tells ABC News Radio, “I don’t think we’ve ever been as excited as we are about getting on tour because of that, ’cause there are a lot of fans who have bought this record.”

Tornado ended up spending five weeks at #1 on Billboard‘s Country Albums chart late last year, and Kimberly sees this tour as a chance to thank their fans for the support.

“It’s not a great economic time in our country, and people, when they fork out money for a record, that’s really special,” Kimberly explains.  “So, the fact that a lot of people have done that, we’re really appreciative and we are going to put our hearts and souls into this tour, and it’s gonna be fun.”

Country newcomer Kacey Musgraves is also on the Tornado tour, and it turns out she’s just as big a fan of Little Big Town as the fans in the audience.

Kacey tells ABC News Radio, “They are the sweetest people in the industry that I’ve probably ever met.  They are more deserving and hardworking than most people ever will be.”

Little Big Town’s latest hits “Pontoon” and “Tornado” featuring a funkier sound than most other songs on country radio these days, and Kacey thinks her straightforward songs like “Merry Go Round” will fit in nicely with Little Big Town’s catalog.  She’s also excited to showcase her music to a lot of first-time listeners in quite a few historic, intimate theaters on the trek.

Says Kacey, “I like rockin’, like, rowdy shows too, but that’s my favorite environment.”

Check out LittleBigTown.com for a full list of tour dates.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

 

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