(AP) – The wait is almost over for Billy Dean fans. On September 25, Dean is releasing his first full-length studio album in nearly four years. “A Man of Good Fortune” will include 10 tracks, seven of which Dean co-wrote. On his website, Dean says the “record sounds young, but the lyrics are for grown-ups.”
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(AP) – Blake Shelton fans can now get more B-S for free. He’s making his fan club free starting later this month. Country Weekly reports that Shelton insists the deal will benefit everyone and he doesn’t want current paying members to “freak out.” He says all the pre-sales and everything they’ve had up until now won’t change, it will get better.
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(AP) – That awkward moment when Martina McBride finds out on Twitter that her former label is releasing a greatest hits album of hers. McBride tweeted “Wow! Kinda sucks” that she got the news that way. The 40-song double disk comes out Oct. 22 through RCA Nashville. McBride says she’s not mad about it, but it “just would have been cool to get a phone call.” She says she hopes she at least gets a free copy.
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(AP) – The Oak Ridge Boys are ready to deck the halls with a new holiday album. They are releasing “Christmas Time’s A-Coming” on Sept. 25 through digital and retail outlets across the country. An exclusive version is already available through Cracker Barrel, which features two bonus tracks. Joe Bonsall says the CD has a great mix of new and traditional songs that they look forward to adding to their Christmas tour in November.
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(AP) – Get ready for new Brad Paisley music. He’s releasing a top secret new single from his upcoming studio album on Thursday night. Paisley is performing at the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas this weekend. He’s kicking off the second leg of his Virtual Reality Tour next week in Florida.
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(AP) – Blake Shelton is sticking with “The Voice” this spring, and he’ll have two new buddies beside him. NBC says Usher and Shakira are joining as new coaches, when Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green take a break from the show. Adam Levine is also returning as a judge. NBC says Aguilera is going on tour to support her new album. Green is developing new music and a sitcom based on his life.
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(AP) – CMT reports Martina McBride will kick off a holiday tour on Nov. 23. “The Joy of Christmas” tour will run until Dec. 21 and make 16 stops including Atlanta, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh and Chicago. But before that, McBride will hit the road in the fall for her “One Night” tour starting in Nashville, Tenn. on Sept. 28.
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(AP) – Keith Urban is getting a seat at the table — the judges’ table on “American Idol.” Urban and Nicki Minaj were officially announced as the new judges yesterday by Fox. They’ll be joining Mariah Carey as this season’s freshmen judges. Randy Jackson will stay on as the sole remaining original “Idol” judge. “American Idol” returns for its 12th season in January.
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(AP) – Dolly Parton will soon cheer Las Vegas gamblers on at the slot machine. Parton is teaming up with International Game Technology to feature some of her chart-topping hits in video slot and five-reel spinning reel games. The “Dolly Parton Video Slots” will debut during the Global Gaming Expo Oct. 2-4 in Las Vegas.
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(AP) – Charlie Daniels and his band are the opening act for ESPN’s “Monday Night Football.” Country Weekly reports that Daniels and his band re-recorded their hit “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” with new lyrics for the game open. Hank Williams Junior previously sang the theme song until last year.
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(AP) – Craig Morgan likes the outdoors and it shows. For the fourth season he’s joining the “Field and Stream Total Outdoorsman Challenge” on the Outdoor Channel. Morgan already hosts “Craig Morgan: All Access Outdoors.” He’ll provide color of the competition, which includes 14 contestants.
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(AP) – You can now walk all over Vince Gill. He got his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame surrounded by his wife Amy Grant and good friend Reba McEntire. Gill’s star is one away from Grant’s. Gill lived in California for eight years and says his current hometown of Nashville is too humid. He says being a “big fella,” he doesn’t like that very much.
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(AP) – After 13 years as a band, Little Big Town finally has a No. 1 song. “Pontoon” is the lead single from their new album “Tornado,” which hits stores on Tuesday.
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