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The Country Music Association has set the date for country music’s biggest night! The 2012 CMA Awards will be airing live on ABC on November 1st from 8pm-11pm ET from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN.

Voting begins for CMA members on June 25th, and the eligibility period for the 2012 awards runs from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012. The second round of voting will kick off on August 9th with the final list of industry selected nominees being officially released in September.

The second annual Johnny Cash Music Festival has announced its official line-up, and it will include Willie Nelson, Dierks Bentley, The Civil Wars and Rosanne Cash! The music fest takes place on October 5th in Jonesboro, Arkansas, and proceeds go to fund the restoration of Cash’s boyhood home in Dyess, Arkansas.

Tickets will be available starting Friday, May 25th and run from $37.50 up to $150. Those willing to spring for the higher ticket price will get access to a meet and greet with the artists before the concert.

The CMT Music Awards are not messing around this year adding even more country music stars to their list performers! Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood and Zac Brown Band have already been announced and now Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Toby Keith, Willie Nelson, Pistol Annies, Rascal Flatts, The Band Perry and Hank Williams, Jr. have been confirmed as well!

The awards show will be hosted by Toby Keith and Kristen Bell and will air live on CMT and cmt.com on Wednesday, June 6th at 8pm CT!

Country music duo, Big & Rich, have released a new video for their single “That’s Why I Pray“! This is brand new music from the duo, and it is currently available on iTunes! So, check it out and head on over to download it (well, if you like it!).

Watch “That’s Why I Pray” Now

“Sound Of A Million Dreams” is David Nail’s latest single and title track to his album. The video is a simple, but special one. It features old home videos of him and then just him and his band on a stage singing with great emotion to an empty auditorium. The end also has a special message so be sure and watch the whole thing through!

“Sound Of A Million Dreams” is the follow up to “Let It Rain.”

Enjoy!

Kenny Chesney has released another single on top of “Feel Like A Rock Star,” only this time he is solo! I have a feeling that “Come Over” is going to be another love-song hit for Chesney. Below is the audio for the single, so listen and enjoy!

The Josh Abbott Band recently released their album, Small Town Family Dream. Not only is it the title to track number 12, it is also a very fitting title for the compilation of the songs on this album.

“I’ll Sing About Mine” not so subtly calls out songs like “She Thinks My Tractors Sexy” for singing about everyday tasks that seem to be glamorized by those who aren’t actually performing them.

“She Will Be Free” is a sweet, not-so-slow song about a very strong woman who obviously has a very special place in a man’s heart. “Touch” is the follow up to JAB’s very popular, very racy “Taste.” It is also the band’s current single.

“Idalou,” “My Texas,” “Dallas Love,” “Matagorda Bay” are all songs about Texas, which is a common theme in JAB music. “Hell’s Gates On Fire” is about the devastating fires that ripped through Texas last year.

“Rain Finally Coming Down” has a classic lovers theme with plenty of fiddle that JAB is known for.

The title track, “Small Town Family Dream” is almost the exact opposite of fellow Texas-country band the Casey Donahew Band’s “Double Wide Dream.” Both a great songs, but STFD is more of a white picket fence version, so sweet. I love it!

As I believe this album will be a huge hit with Texans, I also believe it is a solid album that anyone can appreciate! Heck…I do and I’m from Oklahoma!

Below is the track listing for the album and below that is the official music video for “Touch!”
Small Town Family Dream Track Listing
1. Idalou
2. I’ll Sing About Mine
3. Touch
4. She Will Be Free
5. Hotty Toddy
6. FFA
7. Flatland Farmer
8. My Texas (feat. Pat Green)
9. Dallas Love
10. Hell’s Gates On Fire
11. Rain Finally Coming Down
12. Small Town Family Dream
13. Matagorda Bay

Goodbye Normal Street is the Turnpike Troubadours third studio album. The band has been getting a lot of attention the past few years, winning awards and being exposed to fans simply by word of mouth. They have a sound like no other and it is definitely working for them. All eleven songs on this album were written by one or more members of the band.

This record has a very honest, edgy, sound that is provided by some very talented musicians. I normally save this line for the end (only when I truly agree with it), but if you haven’t already I suggest you go and buy this album!

I have to say that every song in this grouping makes me either want to dance or sit up late drinking. Take that as you may…

“Gin, Smoke, Lies” is the band’s current single and has a bit of a dark, you-can’t-get-things-past-me feeling to it. It’s no B.S. and I dig it! I would say “Wrecked” is currently my favorite song on the album, with “Quit While I’m Ahead” coming in at a close second!

“Call A Spade A Spade” has one of the best lines in a song that I have heard in a long time “everything’s so easy, up until its complicated.” This song, in my opinion has a classic, honky-tonk vibe to it.

Songs like “Blue Star” and “Good Lord Lorrie” leave me wanting to know the back-story to them, I feel like they are good ones.

I think this album can easily relate to many generations and here’s why…One day my grandma was in the car with me when “Empty As A Drum” came on my playlist. The first line was said and she gave me a look and said “what is this?” with a not-so-happy look on her face. By the end of the song she was slightly swaying and said “it has a good beat.” Now if you knew her you would know that is a huge compliment.

So as I said before, go get this album! It gets an A+ from me and my lovely grandma!

Goodbye Normal Street Track Listing
1. Gin Smoke & Lies – Even Felker
2. Before The Devil Knows We’re Dead – Felker, RC Edwards
3. Southeastern Son – Felker
4. Blue Star – Felker
5. Call A Spade A Spade – Felker, Jamie Wilson
6. Morgan Street – Edwards
7. Gone, Gone, Gone – Felker
8. Good Lord Lorrie – Felker
9. Empty As A Drum – Felker
10. Wrecked – Felker, Edwards
11. Quite While I’m Ahead – Felker

Hunter Hayes is the new face of CF Martin & CO! The young country music artist is joining forces with the guitar craftsmen as their official brand ambassador! He will be taking his Martin 42-style instrument with him as he hits the road this fall on tour with Carrie Underwood on her 2012 Blown Away Tour!

“It is an absolute honor to be named an official Martin Ambassador and to be recognized by the Martin family. To me, the Martin brand is a name I can trust. They make timeless guitars and prove themselves time and again with their elegant tone and sound. The craftsmanship that goes into every piece is one that has shaped some of my favorite music, and is certainly at the forefront of my own sound. I can’t wait to show off my new Parlor 42-style model on the road!” -Hunter Hayes

Since Hunter plays just about every instrument under the sun, and he’s being playing those instruments since he was approximately four years old, I’m gonna go ahead and say that Martin Guitars has nabbed themselves one heck of a spokesperson!

Country music trio, Gloriana, are releasing a new album! Titled A Thousand Miles Left Behind, this marks the group’s first release after Cheyenne Kimball’s departure in 2011 to pursue her own solo music career. The lead single “(Kissed You) Goodnight” is currently available, and the album will be released on July 31st.

Other tracks include: “Wanna Take You Home,” “Sunset Lovin’,” “Go On…Miss Me,” “Doin’ It Our Way,” “Can’t Shake You,” “Turn My World Around,” “Carolina Rose,” and “Soldier Song”.

Check Out The Cover Art!