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KHAZ Country Music News: Toby Keith to Receive Songwriter Icon Award from National Music Publishers’ Association

khaz toby keith 20130513Toby Keith is already one of the music world’s most decorated singer/songwriters, and now he’s getting another big item for his trophy case.

The Oklahoma native has been selected to receive the 2013 Songwriter Icon Award from the National Music Publishers’ Association June 12 at the Marriott Marquis in New York City. That award goes to a songwriter in recognition of their personal achievements and work on behalf of music publishing and creators’ rights.

In addition to this latest honor, Toby also holds the title of Billboard‘s #1 Country Songwriter of the Decade and the Nashville Songwriters Association International Songwriter/Artist of the Decade, both for the 2000s.

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KHAZ Country Music News: Country Stars Roll Out the Red Carpet for the Mothers in Their Lives This Weekend

khaz miranda lambert 20120808Mothers are constantly popping up in country songs from Carrie Underwood’s “Mama’s Song” to Garth Brooks‘ “Papa Loved Mama” to Miranda Lambert‘s latest hit, “Mama’s Broken Heart.”  While all those songs may not be appropriate for Mother’s Day this Sunday, quite a few country stars are paying tribute to the special moms in their lives this weekend:

— Miranda Lambert loves to cut loose with her mom, Beverly, on the road.  She says, “My mom is a riot.  She’s like, such a party animal.  She loves to be on the road with me.”

Miranda admits she wouldn’t be where she is today without her mom, dad and brother standing behind her all these years.

“They know when I need my space, but they also know when I need support,” Miranda explains.  “So it’s really great to have a family like that.”

— This Mother’s Day, Darius Rucker will give his wife Beth the gift most moms would dream of — getting time away from the kids.  Darius admits he’s not really a good gift-giver, because he’s given Beth permission to just buy whatever she wants.

He says, “I think my time is the best thing I can give to my family, because I’m on the road so much.  So, that’s what I try to do.”

Eric Church owes his success as a country star to his mother, who he credits with passing on her musical talent to him.  He says, “She sings great, always has, her mom sung great.  I owe my musical chops to her.  And she still sings some.”

On a larger scale, Eric credits his mother with making him who he is today.

“I think that she’s given me a lot of the qualities that it has taken for me to get me where I am,” he says. “Not only as a musician, but as a man.”

Little Big Town‘s Karen Fairchild always dreamed of becoming a mother, and now she’s thankful to have her little son Elijah with husband and band mate Jimi Westbrook.

Karen says, “There isn’t anything that means more to me than sitting on the bench and eating a grilled cheese sandwich with this little guy that calls me mama.  There isn’t anything better than that.  He’s just a little miracle.”

 

Brad Paisley‘s mother plays a big role in his two sons’ lives, especially since his wife Kimberly Williams-Paisley started appearing on ABC’s Nashville.

Says Brad, “My mom has become even more important now that I have children because no one works harder at picking up the slack in our children’s lives than my mom.  Her and my dad are invaluable.”

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KHAZ Country Music News: Chris Young Indulges His Film Buff Side Despite Brad Paisley Tour Demands

khaz chris young 20120424Chris Young is a self-professed “comic book nerd,” so it’s no surprise he recently made a special trip to the movie theater to catch Iron Man 3.

He says, “I was like, ‘I have to see it, ’cause if I don’t see it before we start Brad there’s no way I’m going to make time to go see it while we’re out there.'”

Of course, Chris is talking about his spot on Brad Paisley‘s Beat This Summer tour kicking off Thursday night in Missouri.  Though he’ll be busy entertaining concert crowds across the country, Chris plans to sneak out and see a few other movies this summer including the new Superman film Man of Steel and the horror film The Conjuring.

Says Chris, “If I can go see a movie, I’ll go see it in a heartbeat.”

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KHAZ Country Music News: Kip Moore Says Sophomore Album Will “Turn Some Heads”

khaz kip moore 20121129Kip Moore fans won’t have to wait long for brand-new music once his latest hit, “Hey Pretty Girl,” runs its course on the country chart.  He’s been in the studio quite a bit lately working on the follow up to his debut project, Up All Night.

Kip tells The Island Packet the new album “really feels like the essence of what I do.”  He says, “We hope to have a single out by the end of the summer and have the record out sometime in 2014.”

Kip isn’t giving up any details on exactly what fans can expect from his sophomore album though.  “I guess you’ll have to find out,” Kip says with a laugh.  “I do think it’s going to turn some heads, though.”

Kip is likely to slip in a few of those new songs into his show Thursday night in Huntsville, AL.

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KHAZ Country Music News: Carrie Underwood’s “Sunday Night Football” Gig A-OK with Her Hockey Player Husband

khaz carrie underwood 20130508Carrie Underwood is the new voice of the NBC Sunday Night Football theme, and no one is more excited about it than her hockey-playing husband Mike Fisher.  Though he’s a member of Nashville’s NHL team the Predators, Carrie says, “He’s a sports dude.  Yes, he plays hockey but he definitely loves football, as do I.”

Mike has a lot of friends on different NFL teams too, and Carrie adds, “I think me being a part of that with them and with a sport that he loves, I think it’ll just make it all the more better for him.”

Carrie is the third artist to deliver the NBC Sunday Night Football theme.  Pink performed “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” in the first season, with Faith Hill taking over in 2007.  The theme for primetime television’s top-rated show borrows its melody from the Joan Jett hit “I Hate Myself for Loving You.”

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KHAZ Country Music News: Kenny Chesney Scores Seventh #1 Debut on “Billboard” 200 with “Life on a Rock”

khaz kenny chesney 20130418Kenny Chesney scores his seventh #1 debut on the overall Billboard 200 chart this week with his new album, Life on a Rock.  The set sold 152,800 copies to become his 12th consecutive #1 debut on Billboard‘s Country Albums chart too.

The songs on this album are highly personal, and Kenny never thought most of them would never be heard by fans.

He says, “The idea that it debuted at #1? Well, that tells me people, music fans care about songwriting and what you share…about looking back and moving on, something more than just partying and having a good time.”

That’s not to say Kenny has given up his good-timing ways.  Check out KennyChesney.com to see where he’s taking his No Shoes Nation tour next.

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KHAZ Country Music News: Toby Keith Raises Money for Opening of OK Kids Korral

khaz toby keith 20121018Oklahoma, as the foundation the event supports prepares to mark a milestone.  In October, the Toby Keith Foundation’s OK Kids Korral — a home-away-from-home for children undergoing cancer treatment and their families — is set to open.

“We’re proud of how far we’ve come,” Toby reflects on the decade long effort begun after a band member’s child battled cancer.  “Ten years ago, we were just in the process of healing from the loss of my band member’s child and now we’re getting ready to open our doors to thousands of people who need support.”

Sports greats ranging from baseball’s Greg Maddux to Olympic gold medalist Bart Conner are set to join Toby on the links.  The event makes most of its money from auctions, featuring items from Taylor Swift, Jimmy Buffet and Toby himself, as well as tickets to both the ACM and the Emmy awards.  You can find more information at www.tobykeithfoundation.org.

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KHAZ Country Music News: Dustin Lynch Prepares for Keith Urban Tour by Visiting American Idol Set

khaz dustin lynch 20130508Dustin Lynch won’t head out on tour with Keith Urban until July, but the two have already been hanging out. In fact, the American Idol judge recently invited Dustin to the Idol set.

“It was kind of funny being in the audience,” he says. “It’s a lot smaller of a room than it looks like on TV…Most everybody in the room was screaming for him the whole time.”

He also got to rub elbows with rapper Drake and Keith’s fellow judges Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj. But it was Randy Jackson who made the biggest impression.

“The Dawg man! We had met, I can’t even remember where we met awhile ago, and he remembered me. I guess he and Keith had been chatting about the tour and whatnot, so that was a pretty cool moment.”

Dustin believes Keith’s exposure on American Idol can only help the shows this summer.

“I think it’s gonna bring a lot of people to our tour this year that have never been to a country show,” he says. “Not only our show, but also give country music a chance, and I think that’s kind of broadening our fan base as a whole, as a genre. So, it’s nothing but good.”

The Light the Fuse tour kicks off  July 18 in Cincinnati, Ohio, with Dustin and Little Big Town opening for Keith.

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KHAZ Country Music News: George Strait Was Unsure About Recording the Slightly “Risqué” “Give It All We Got Tonight”

khaz george strait 20130312No one on the country chart today has had more hits than George Strait, so it’s hard to imagine he’d ever doubt his ability to deliver a song in the studio.  It turns out George needed an outside vote of confidence when he went in to cut his latest single, “Give It All We Got Tonight.”

George admits he was intrigued with the song from the start.  He says, “First time I heard it I thought, ‘Hmm, that’s a great song.  A little different for me, you know, a little risqué kinda.’  I’m thinking, ‘I don’t know if I can pull this off or not.'”

George talked it over with Brian Wright from his record label, who told him to just go for it in the studio.  Strait was pleased with the results.

“I just love it,” George says.  “I mean, it’s a little different, the melody’s a little different, and great lyrics.”

He adds with a big laugh, “It’s kinda about parking, you know, which I’ve done a few times back in the early days.”

“Give It All We Got Tonight” is the lead single from George Strait’s new album, Love Is Everything, due out Tuesday, May 14.

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KHAZ Country Music News: Hall of Fame Sets Date to Honor Kenny Rogers, Bobby Bare and “Cowboy” Jack Clement

khaz kenny rogers 20130410Kenny Rogers, Bobby Bare and “Cowboy” Jack Clement will officially become the newest members of the Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday, October 27.

Typically held in the Hall’s Ford Theater, the Medallion Ceremony is an all-star tribute that serves as the formal induction into country music’s most exclusive ranks. It’s also the occasion when the Hall unveils the honorees’ bronze likenesses that will hang in the Rotunda.

Kenny Rogers is being honored as this year’s Modern Era Artist, for hits ranging from “The Gambler” to “Lucille” to “Islands in the Stream,” his duet with Dolly Parton.   Bobby Bare is the Veterans’ Era Artist, known for songs like “Detroit City” and “500 Miles Away From Home.” “Cowboy” Jack Clement enters the Hall of Fame in the Non-Performer category, for producing acts ranging from Johnny Cash to Jerry Lee Lewis to U2.

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KHAZ Country Music News: Kenny Chesney Spreads the Love for Boston Bombing Victims on Katie

khaz kenny chesney 20120711Kenny Chesney sits down to talk with Katie Couric next week on ABC’s Katie in an hour focused on the Boston Marathon bombings.

While the beginning of the show features first responders from the tragedy, Kenny also performs “Spread the Love,” the centerpiece of his efforts to help bombing victims. He’s donating all his proceeds from downloads of the song to help pay for prosthetics and related care.

“Meeting the firemen and policemen, EMTs and the doctor who was running the Marathon and broke through the police barricade to treat the injured was really a profound perspective-giver,” Kenny says.  “You look at those people, who didn’t think about their own safety, but helping others — and you realize what a hero really is!”

Kenny and Katie also have a little fun on the show, tasting his new Blue Chair Bay Rum and talking about his new CD, Life on a Rock.

Kenny’s episode of Katie airs Monday, May 13 in syndication.

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KHAZ Country Music News: Carrie Underwood is the New Voice of “Sunday Night Football”

khaz carrie underwood 20130508It’s official. Carrie Underwood is replacing Faith Hill as the voice of Sunday Night Football.

The American Idol winner hinted at the announcement Monday, tweeting “Just to let you know, we have some great news that we’ll be sharing tomorrow! I’m really excited about it! Stay tuned…”

Calling Carrie “our first and only choice,” the show’s producer confirmed that Carrie will sing the theme song starting September 8, as the season kicks off with the Dallas Cowboys taking on the New York Giants.

Pink performed “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” in the first season of Sunday Night Football, with Faith Hill taking over in 2007.  The theme for primetime television’s top-rated show borrows its melody from the Joan Jett hit “I Hate Myself for Loving You.”

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KHAZ Country Music News: Shania Twain Offers 22 More Reasons She’s Still the One

khaz shania twain 20130508With two dozen sold-out Vegas shows already under her belt, Shania Twain is ready to embark on the next leg of her run at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. Shania’s new dates start October 15 and run through December 14. In all, 22 additional performances of Shania: Still The One are now on the schedule for this year. Tickets go on sale Friday.

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