Justin Moore’s benefit concert for Hurricane Sandy relief raised more than $20,000 Tuesday night in Nashville for the Jersey Shore Relief Fund and the family of his publicist and friend Carly Caramanna.  Carly’s family lost their home and business in the storm, and her father died of a heart attack just days after the hurricane hit.

Jake Owen, Randy Houser and Thomas Rhett were also on the bill for the show, and Justin’s record label Big Machine Label Group also presented a check to Carly’s family.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

 

Join fans of 99 KZ Country on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/99KZCountry

 

 

 

Scotty McCreery and Trace Adkins will represent country music on NBC’s Christmas in Rockefeller Center Wednesday night along with Mariah Carey, Rod Stewart, Cee Lo Green and Tony Bennett. The special takes place in the midst of the 80th annual Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting Ceremony, which means the performances take place outside in the cold. Scotty has been preparing to sing in the chilly conditions.

He tells ABC News Radio, “I got a big old jacket.  I was actually trying stuff on that would keep me warm, ’cause Lord knows New York in the wintertime, it ain’t friendly.”

Scotty will have a scarf to protect his throat while singing too, but he’s not too worried about the cold temperatures.”

“I’ll be alright,” says Scotty.  “It ain’t like I’m going out there for two hours.  I’ll sing my songs.  We’ll be straight.”

Trace Adkins is making his first appearance on NBC’s Christmas in Rockefeller Center, and he took the chance to bring his children to Manhattan during the holiday season.

He says, “I do these kind of things for them.  ‘Cause these are memories that they will cherish.  So, I’m just glad to be able to bring ’em with me.”

NBC’s Christmas in Rockefeller Center airs Wednesday night at 8 p.m. ET.

Of note, Scotty McCreery will also perform on ABC’s Good Morning America on December 11 and December 24.  His new holiday album, Christmas with Scotty McCreery, has been certified gold.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

 

Join fans of 99 KZ Country on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/99KZCountry

 

 

 

Lee Brice has signed on to perform the 79th Annual Hyundai Sun Bowl halftime show on Monday, December 31 in El Paso, TX, and he can thank the Hyundai of El Paso dealership for the gig.

The car dealership’s president, Oscar Leeser, said of Lee in a statement, “My wife and daughter really enjoy his music and we are happy to choose him as the halftime show for this year above many other choices. We are privileged to host a up-and-coming star to El Paso.”

Lee joins a star-studded list of halftime performers at the Hyundai Bowl including Rihanna, Diamond Rio, Lee Greenwood and David Archuleta.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

 

Join fans of 99 KZ Country on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/99KZCountry

 

 

 

It’s obvious music is a huge part of Martina McBride‘s life, but sometimes the power of music just overwhelms her. That’s what happened Monday morning after Martina dropped her youngest daughter Emma off at school.  The Van Halen hit “Right Now” was on the radio, and Martina writes on her blog, “Instantly I was transported back to high school.  Just like that.  I WAS driving my hand-me-down ’75 Dodge Dart on my way to school on a cold crisp Kansas morning.  It was such a powerful, all-consuming feeling.”

Martina felt transported back in time at that moment saying, “It wasn’t so much about a particular memory as it was about a memory of how it FELT.  Transported is definitely the right word.  I was THERE.”

She adds that moments like that one remind her how powerful music can be.

“I just wanted to say to anyone who enjoys my music or makes it a part of their life…thank you,” Martina says at the close of her blog post.  “Thank you for the privilege of allowing me to be part of your life.  Part of your memories.”

Martina is making new memories on her The Joy of Christmas tour playing Green Bay and Milwaukee this weekend.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

 

Join fans of 99 KZ Country on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/99KZCountry

 

 

 

In an interview with ABC’s Nightline that aired Monday night, Dolly Parton dished about her love life, including those rumors that she is secretly gay, and losing a drag queen look-alike contest.

Regarding rumors about her love life, Parton said, “I’ve…been accused of being involved with every man I’m ever seen with or worked with,” she said. “Maybe I have, maybe I ain’t. I never tell if I have. But you know people always saying that.”

Parton has also been accused of being secretly gay and romantically involved with one of her oldest childhood friends, Judy Ogle. She denied the rumors and said she even bonded with Oprah Winfrey over the false tabloid claims. Parton has been married to her husband, Carl Dean, for 46 years.

“Like Gayle [King], [Oprah’s] friend, Judy, my friend, they just think that you just can’t be that close to somebody,” Parton said. “Judy and I have been best friends since we were like in the third and fourth grade…We still just have a great friendship and relationship and I love her as much as I love anybody in the whole world, but we’re not romantically involved.”

As a campy, vampy icon, Parton said she once entered a drag queen look-alike contest — and lost. The other contestants didn’t know they were going up against the real Dolly.

“They had a bunch of Chers and Dollys that year, so I just over-exaggerated — made my beauty mark bigger, the eyes bigger, the hair bigger, everything,” she said, laughing. “All these beautiful drag queens had worked for weeks and months getting their clothes. So I just got in the line and I just walked across, and they just thought I was some little short gay guy…and I got the least applause.”

Parton also said during the interview she doesn’t have any regrets about not having children.

“God didn’t let me have kids so everybody’s kids could be mine,” she said. “I can keep my nieces and nephews and then when I’m sick of them, I can say, ‘Hey, come get these kids, they’re driving me crazy.’ I’m a Great Aunt Granny, is what they call me.”

Parton was promoting her new motivational memoir, Dream More, in stores today.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

 

Join fans of 99 KZ Country on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/99KZCountry