The latest from Jimmy Carter in Nashville

2012-02-15T08:04:00.001-06:00

2012-02-14T21:37:00.001-06:00

full list for 2012 Bonnaroo

2012-02-14T20:52:00.002-06:00

RADIOHEAD •RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS •PHISH THE BEACH BOYS (BRIAN WILSON, MIKE LOVE, AL JARDINE, BRUCE JOHNSTON AND DAVID MARKS) BON IVER •THE AVETT BROTHERS •THE SHINS •FOSTER THE PEOPLE •SKRILLEX •AZIZ ANSARI DISPATCH •FEIST •THE ROOTS •ALICE COOPER •SUPERJAM •BLACK STAR THE WORD (JOHN MEDESKI, ROBERT RANDOLPH AND NORTH MISSISSIPPI ALLSTARS) •LUDACRIS BEN FOLDS FIVE •FLOGGING MOLLY SPECTRUM ROAD (CINDY BLACKMAN SANTANA, JACK BRUCE, JOHN MEDESKI, AND VERNON REID) MAC MILLER •CHILDISH GAMBINO •MAJOR LAZER •TUNE-YARDS •AFROCUBISM •FLYING LOTUS UMPHREY’S MCGEE •LITTLE DRAGON •ST. VINCENT •CITY AND COLOUR •THE CIVIL WARS YOUNG THE GIANT •TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB •PUNCH BROTHERS •NEEDTOBREATHE FITZ & THE TANTRUMS •BAD BRAINS •YELAWOLF •DAWES •BATTLES •DANNY BROWN THE BLACK LIPS •SBTRKT •PHANTOGRAM •KENDRICK LAMAR CHARLES BRADLEY AND HIS EXTRAORDINAIRES •THE KOOKS •THE JOY FORMIDABLE •THE ANTLERS KATHLEEN EDWARDS •MIMOSA •KURT VILE & THE VIOLATORS •ALABAMA SHAKES •DAS RACIST DELTA SPIRIT •GARY CLARK JR. •IVAN NEVILLE'S DUMPSTAPHUNK •LAURA MARLING TRAMPLED BY TURTLES •MOGWAI •THE WAR ON DRUGS •BEN HOWARD •GROUPLOVE BLIND PILOT •ALO •THE DEVIL MAKES THREE •WHITE DENIM •EMA •HERE WE GO MAGIC •K-FLAY THE LONELY FOREST •MARIACHI EL BRONX •BIG FREEDIA •DALE EARNHARDT JR. JR. •THE SOUL REBELS KVELERTAK •SOJA •STEVEN BERNSTEIN'S MTO PLAYS SLY •BIG GIGANTIC •SARAH JAROSZ ORGONE •DARONDO •FRUIT BATS •MOON TAXI

2012-02-14T20:50:00.000-06:00

The Beatles’ iconic (and widely imitated) album cover Abbey Road shows all four band members walking across London’s Abbey Road. At that time The Beatles were recording the majority of their songs and albums at Abbey Road Studios (was then called EMI Studios). On August 8, 1969, Scottish photographer Iain MacMillan captured them simply walking across the street for the album’s cover. The shoot reportedly took just ten minutes but, as you can see, they had walked back and forth across the street before catching that now-famous image. Here is a gallery of outtakes from that famous photo shoot.

BRAD PAISLEY’S VIRTUAL REALITY WORLD TOUR CONTINUES WITH SOLD-OUT SHOWS

2012-02-14T20:45:00.002-06:00

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Feb. 14, 2012) Brad Paisley’s Virtual Reality World Tour 2012 presented by Chevrolet had another fantastic weekend with three sold-out shows in Spokane, WA, Eugene, OR and Tacoma, WA, making it a full sweep of sell-outs of the 12 tour dates so far. Special guests on the tour are CMA New Artist of the Year The Band Perry and 2011 American Idol winner Scotty McCreery.

The Virtual Reality Tour continues this week with shows in Lubbock, TX and Las Cruces, NM. Live Nation is the national tour promoter. Log on to www.bradpaisley.com or www.livenation.com for tour dates and information.

Keith Urban at work Down Under with AU Voice

2012-02-13T21:18:00.003-06:00

2012-02-13T19:24:00.001-06:00

2012-02-13T19:23:00.001-06:00

2012-02-13T19:22:00.003-06:00

2012-02-13T19:22:00.001-06:00

New Dolly statement on Whitney

2012-02-13T13:28:00.002-06:00

“I was brought to tears again last night, as I’m sure many were, when Jennifer Hudson sang ‘I Will Always Love You’ on the Grammys in memory of Whitney. Like everybody else, I am still in shock. But I know that Whitney will live forever in all the great music that she left behind. I will always have a very special piece of her in the song we shared together and had the good fortune to share with the world. Rest in peace, Whitney. Again, we will always love you.”

--Dolly Parton

2012-02-13T13:26:00.002-06:00

THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS' Occupational Outlook Handbook 2010-2011
1. Judge
2. Fashion designer
3. Insurance underwriter
4. Travel agent
5. Newspaper reporter
6. Broadcast announcer
7. Plant manager
8. Chemist
9. Economist
10. CEO
R

TAYLOR SWIFT WINS TWO GRAMMY AWARDS, WOWS WITH ANTHEMIC PERFORMANCE OF “MEAN”

2012-02-13T13:21:00.001-06:00

Los Angleles, CA – February 13, 2012 –Taylor Swift is now a Six-Time Grammy winner, after taking home trophies from last night’s 54th Annual Grammy Awards for Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance for her #1 smash single “Mean, ” from her 5X Platinum Speak Now album, released on Big Machine Records. The wins come just two years after Taylor first won Grammys in both of those categories in 2010, in addition to Album of the Year and Country Album of the Year.

Written in response to a particularly zealous critic, “Mean,” is both an anthem and a chart-topping favorite that “takes real-world emotional pain and transforms it into clever art” (The New York Times). The Village Voice has lauded “Mean” as “huge and hugely compassionate, and fearless….overwhelming,” and the Associated Press dubbed it “a searing response to being treated badly.”

Accepting her Grammy awards for the song, Taylor said, “There’s really no feeling quite like writing a song about someone who’s completely mean to you and completely hates you, and then winning a Grammy for it.”

Later in the evening, Taylor brought the crowd to its feet during a performance lauded by the Los Angeles Times as one of the show’s “best moments” -- her “playful, banjo-driven” (Entertainment Weekly) take on “Mean,” earning high marks from critics and an impassioned standing ovation from the Grammy audience.

Taylor, who is on the cover of the current issue of Vogue, is the reigning Billboard Woman of the Year and the AMA Artist of the Year. She is both the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year, and has career worldwide record sales in excess of 22 million albums and 50 million song downloads. Her blockbuster Speak Now World Tour concludes next month with shows in Australia and New Zealand.

Taylor Swift Wins Two Grammys Before Sundown!

2012-02-12T17:46:00.003-06:00

The Band Perry on Grammy Red Carpet

2012-02-12T17:42:00.002-06:00

George Jones and Gregg Allman Honored for a lifetime of work

2012-02-12T08:18:00.001-06:00

One of the Greatest Voices EVER! Whitney dead at 48 SO SAD!

2012-02-11T21:27:00.002-06:00

The Recording Academy Statement re: Whitney Houston February 11, 2012

Six-time GRAMMY(r) winner Whitney Houston was one of the world's greatest pop
singers of all time who leaves behind a robust musical soundtrack spanning the
past three decades. Her powerful voice graced many memorable and award-winning
songs. A light has been dimmed in our music community today, and we extend our
deepest condolences to her family, friends, fans and all who have been touched
by her beautiful voice.

Neil Portnow
President/CEO
The Recording Academy(r)

Honorees arriving for Grammy Lifetime Award

2012-02-11T17:01:00.001-06:00

2012-02-09T20:51:00.001-06:00

SCOTTY McCREERY NOMINATED FOR ACM NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR

HIS SINGLE “THE TROUBLE WITH GIRLS” TOPS 500,000 IN SALES

NASHVILLE,TN – Scotty McCreery has been nominated for this year’s Academy of Country Music New Artist of the Year Award, which will be given out during the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas on April 1.

This good news reached Scotty soon after he had been alerted by fans via Twitter that his second single, “The Trouble With Girls,” had just topped 500,000 in sales, making it eligible for a gold certification.

“It’s been a good couple of days,” he says. “I am pumped! Looking at the final eight in the category, everybody in there was so good. I listen to all of their music. So to be a finalist is an honor.

“It’s been an incredible year,” says Scotty, whose debut album was certified platinum in only three months. “Being up for this award means a lot to me. I am ready to head to Vegas!”

On Wednesday, Scotty learned that the past week’s sales of “The Trouble With Girls” pushed the song over the 500,000-sales mark, making it eligible to become his second consecutive single to reach the gold status. “I was so happy when I found out,” he says. “My fans were tweeting, ‘Congratulations on gold,’ and I hadn’t heard yet, so I checked it out. I found out, so I was pumped and made the calls and texts to my family. We are all ecstatic as a family.”

Since winning Season Ten of American Idol in May, he has quickly emerged as one of the most successful country stars of the last year. His debut album, Clear As Day, was certified platinum for sales of more than 1 million units in just three months, and he was recently named No. 1 on Billboard magazine's list of Top New Country Artists for 2011. He also won New Artist of the Year at the American Country Awards in December.

Clear As Day debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 and Top Country Albums charts, making him the youngest man in history to open at the top of the all-genre chart with a debut release. It also garnered the highest sales of any country solo album released last year and held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart for six weeks. The album's first single, "I Love You This Big," has also been certified gold. He is currently touring the nation as part of Brad Paisley's "Virtual Reality Tour 2012" presented by Chevrolet.

Voting for the New Artist of the Year will take place at www.VoteACM.com beginning March 19 at noon ET/9 a.m. PT and continue until 5 p.m. PT on Sunday, April 1 (before the live show starts.) The New Artist of the Year final nominees were selected by a combined vote of the fans and professional members of the Academy of Country Music. Professional member votes will be combined with fan votes to obtain the New Artist of the Year winner.

An interview with Scotty will be featured in Great American Country’s ACM New Artist of the Year special that premieres Monday, March 19, at 9 p.m. ET and re-airs multiple times until voting closes on April 1. Additional air times and dates can be found at GACtv.com/ACM.

Dollywood Auditions Sat Feb 25 11-2pm

2012-02-09T17:56:00.002-06:00

Regular Season Auditions

Singers
We are looking for country, musical theater and pop performers. Prepare three songs in the style(s) you do best. Include ballads and up-tempo songs. Bring sheet music in your key and CD accompaniment. An accompanist and CD player will be provided. Some singers may be called back later in the day for an additional movement and vocal audition. Must be at least 17 years old.

Specialty Acts
We are auditioning Southern Gospel and Bluegrass acts. Please be prepared to play three different numbers.

Stage Managers/Technicians
We are looking for stage managers with college, theme park or professional theater experience. We are also looking for audio engineers experienced in mixing live sound, video specialists, light board and follow spot operators, stagehands and backstage dressers. Interviews will be conducted at Dollywood only. For all other cities, applications will be taken at the audition site or you may mail your resume to: Dollywood Entertainment, attn: Tech Applications, 2700 Dollywood Parks Boulevard, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863.

Video Auditions
While live auditions provide the best opportunity for work, we will accept video-recorded submissions. For singers, perform at least three songs (up-tempo, ballad and something that shows your personality, a verse and a chorus is sufficient), do a 30-second monologue (no heavy drama or Shakespeare) and a brief demonstration of your ability to perform simple choreography (an excerpt from a show you performed in is perfectly acceptable). For specialty performers/small bands, prepare a three-minute presentation that shows a variety of what you can do. All submissions are to be on a DVD that includes your name and phone number and formatted to play on a typical US DVD player. Send your DVD and resume to: Dollywood Entertainment, attn: Auditions, 2700 Dollywood Parks Boulevard, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863.

For further information, call (865) 428-9553.

2012-02-08T14:51:00.001-06:00

THE BEACH BOYS TO REUNITE ON THE GRAMMY® STAGE AND JOIN WITH GRAMMY NOMINEES FOSTER THE PEOPLE AND MAROON 5 FOR A SPECIAL PERFORMANCE

THE CIVIL WARS, DIANA KRALL, MACEO PARKER, AND JOE WALSH ADDED TO THE LINEUP FOR THE
54TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS®

Common, Taraji P. Henson, Reba McEntire, and Diana Ross Set to Present
at the Music Industry's Premier Event

Music's Biggest Night® — Hosted by Rapper/Actor LL COOL J — Airs Live on CBS
Sunday, Feb. 12, 8 ET/PT

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Feb. 8, 2012) — The Beach Boys — Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston, and David Marks, who have not performed together live in more than two decades — will reunite on the GRAMMY® stage and join with current GRAMMY nominees Foster The People and Maroon 5 for a special performance; and current nominees The Civil Wars, two-time GRAMMY winner Diana Krall, funk artist Maceo Parker, and six-time GRAMMY winner Joe Walsh have been added to the stellar lineup for the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards® (www.grammy.com). Two-time GRAMMY winner Common, actor Taraji P. Henson, two-time GRAMMY winner Reba McEntire, and Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Diana Ross will appear as presenters. Music's Biggest Night® — hosted by two-time GRAMMY winner LL COOL J — takes place live on Sunday, Feb. 12 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and will be broadcast in high definition and 5.1 surround sound on the CBS Television Network from 8 – 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). The show also will be supported on radio worldwide via Dial Global, and covered online at GRAMMY.com and CBS.com, and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/thegrammys. Additional performers, presenters and special segments will be announced soon. For GRAMMY coverage, updates and breaking news, please visit The Recording Academy®'s social networks on Twitter and Facebook: www.twitter.com/thegrammys, www.facebook.com/thegrammys.

The Civil Wars and Foster The People each have two nominations. The Civil Wars are up for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for "Barton Hollow" and Best Folk Album for Barton Hollow. Foster The People have nods in Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for "Pumped Up Kicks" and Best Alternative Music Album for Torches.

Three-time GRAMMY winners Maroon 5 are nominated in Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for "Moves Like Jagger" (with Christina Aguilera).

Previously announced performers for the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards include Adele (in her first live performance since undergoing vocal cord surgery last fall); Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson; Tony Bennett and Carrie Underwood; Chris Brown; Glen Campbell with The Band Perry and Blake Shelton; Coldplay and Rihanna; deadmau5; Foo Fighters; David Guetta; Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt; Lil Wayne; Bruno Mars; Paul McCartney; Nicki Minaj; Katy Perry; Bruce Springsteen And The E Street Band; and Taylor Swift. Aldean, The Band Perry, The Civil Wars, deadmau5, Foster The People, Guetta, Minaj, Parker and Shelton will perform on the GRAMMY telecast for the first time. Previously announced presenters are Marc Anthony, Dierks Bentley, Jack Black, Drake, Fergie, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ryan Seacrest, Ringo Starr, and Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson. LL COOL J has hosted "The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live!! — Countdown To Music's Biggest Night" since its inception in December 2008, and this is his first time hosting the annual GRAMMY Awards telecast.

The 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards are produced by John Cossette Productions and AEG Ehrlich Ventures for The Recording Academy®. Ken Ehrlich is executive producer, Louis J. Horvitz is director, and David Wild and Ken Ehrlich are the writers.

Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards — the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music — The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs. The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @TheGRAMMYs on Twitter, like "The GRAMMYs" on Facebook, and join The GRAMMYs' social communities on YouTube, Tumblr, Foursquare, GetGlue, and Instagram.

# # #

2012-02-08T07:42:00.001-06:00

GRAMMY® PRE TELECAST CEREMONY TO BE STREAMED LIVE AT GRAMMY.COM ON SUNDAY, FEB. 12 STARTING AT 1 P.M. PT

Kim Burrell, Joyce DiDonato, Steve Earle, Le'Andria Johnson, Kelly Price, Rebirth Brass Band, and Trin-I-Tee 5:7 to Perform at Prelude to Music's Biggest Night® And Kick Off
The 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards®

Dave Koz and MC Lyte will Co-Host the Star-Studded Ceremony and
Gerald Clayton, Chick Corea, Brandon Heath, Jimmy Jam, Arturo O'Farrill, OK Go, Corinne Bailey Rae, and Esperanza Spalding Will Present the First 68 GRAMMYs of the Night

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Feb. 7, 2012) — The 54th Annual GRAMMY® Awards Pre-Telecast Ceremony will take place on Sunday, Feb. 12 from 1 – 3:30 p.m. PT at the Los Angeles Convention Center and will be streamed live internationally at www.grammy.com/live and www.cbs.com beginning at 1 p.m. PT. Attended by nominees and industry VIPs, the star-studded ceremony with be co-hosted by current GRAMMY nominee Dave Koz and Recording Academy Los Angeles Chapter President and rapper MC Lyte. The pre-telecast will feature performances by current nominees Kim Burrell, Le'Andria Johnson, Kelly Price, and Trin-I-Tee 5:7 in a "Ladies of Gospel" segment as well as current nominees mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, singer/songwriter Steve Earle and New Orleans' Rebirth Brass Band. Presenting the first GRAMMY Awards of the night in 68 categories will be current nominees Gerald Clayton, Chick Corea, Brandon Heath, Arturo O'Farrill, OK Go, Corinne Bailey Rae, and Esperanza Spalding as well as GRAMMY-winning producer Jimmy Jam. The live stream of the Pre-Telecast will remain on GRAMMY.com as video on demand for 30 days following the event. Following the ceremony, the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be broadcast live on the CBS Television Network from 8 – 11:30 p.m ET/PT. For GRAMMY coverage, updates and breaking news, please visit The Recording Academy®'s social networks on Facebook and Twitter: www.facebook.com/thegrammys and www.twitter.com/thegrammys.

Co-host Koz is nominated for Best Pop Instrumental Album for Hello Tomorrow.

Performers Burrell, Earle, Johnson, Rebirth Brass Band, and Trin-I-Tee 5:7 each have one nod: Burrell for Best Gospel Album for The Love Album; Earle for Best Folk Album for I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive; Johnson for Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance for "Jesus"; Rebirth Brass Band for Best Regional Roots Music Album for Rebirth Of New Orleans; and Trin-I-Tee 5:7 for Best Gospel Album for Angel & Chanelle Deluxe Edition. DiDonato has two nominations for Best Opera Recording for Vivaldi: Ercole Sul Termodonte and Best Classical Vocal Solo for "Diva Divo." Price has three nods for Best R&B Performance (with Stokley) and Best R&B song for "Not My Daddy" and Best R&B Album for Kelly.

Presenters Clayton, O'Farrill, OK Go, Rae, and Spalding each have one nomination: Clayton for Best Jazz Instrumental Album for Bond: The Paris Sessions; O'Farrill for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album for 40 Acres And A Burro; OK Go for Best Short Form Music Video for "All Is Not Lost"; Rae for Best R&B Performance for "Is This Love"; and Spalding for Best Jazz Instrumental Album for Bird Songs (with Joe Lovano/Us Five). Corea has two nominations for Best Improvised Jazz Solo for "500 Miles High," and Best Jazz Instrumental Album for Forever (with Stanley Clarke and Lenny White). Heath has three nominations for Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance and Best Contemporary Christian Music Song for "Your Love," and Best Contemporary Christian Music Album for Leaving Eden.

Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards — the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music — The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs. The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @TheGRAMMYs on Twitter, like "The GRAMMYs" on Facebook, and join The GRAMMYs' social communities on YouTube, Tumblr, Foursquare, GetGlue, and Instagram.

2012-02-07T19:07:00.001-06:00

2012-02-07T19:06:00.001-06:00

Madonna World Tour 2012

2012-02-07T14:10:00.001-06:00

May 2012
29 - Tel Aviv, Israel - Ramat Gam Stadium

June 2012
3 - Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Yas Arena
7 - Istanbul, Turkey - Turk Telecom Arena
11 - Zagreb, Croatia - Maksimir Stadium
14 - Milan, Italy - Stadio San Siro
16 - Florence, Italy - Stadio Franchi
20 - Barcelona, Spain - Palau Sant Jordi
24 - Coimbra, Portugal - Estadio Cidade de Coimbra
28 - Berlin, Germany - O2 Arena

July 2012
2 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Parken Stadium
4 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Ullevi Stadium
7 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Ziggo Dome
12 - Brussels, Belgium - Stade Roi-Baudouin
14 - Paris, France - Stade de France
17 - London, United Kingdom - Hyde Park
21 - Edinburgh, United Kingdom - Murrayfield Stadium
24 - Dublin, Ireland - Aviva Stadium
29 - Vienna, Austria - Ernst-Happel Stadion

August 2012
1 - Warsaw, Poland - National Stadium
7 - Moscow, Russia - Olimpiski Arena
8 - St. Petersburg, Russia - SKK Arena
12 - Helsinki, Finland - Olympic Stadium
15 - Oslo, Norway - Telenor Arena
18 - Zurich, Switzerland - Stadion Letzigrund
21 - Nice, France - Stade Charles-Erhmann
28 - Philadelphia, PA - Wells Fargo Center
30 - Montreal, Quebec - Bell Centre

September 2012
1 - Quebec City, Quebec - Plains of Abraham
4 - Boston, MA - TD Garden
6 - New York, NY - Yankee Stadium
10 - Ottawa, Ontario - Scotiabank Place
12 - Toronto, Ontario - Air Canada Centre
15 - Atlantic City, NJ - Boardwalk Hall
19 - Chicago, IL - United Center
23 - Washington, DC - Verizon Center
29 - Vancouver, British Columbia - Rogers Arena

October 2012
2 - Seattle, WA - Key Arena
6 - San Jose, CA - HP Pavilion
10 - Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center
13 - Las Vegas, NV - MGM Grand
16 - Phoenix, AZ - U.S. Airways Center
20 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center
24 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center
27 - New Orleans, LA - New Orleans Arena
30 - Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center

November 2012
1 - St. Louis, MO - Scottrade Center
3 - St. Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center
10 - Cleveland, OH - Quicken Loans Arena
15 - Charlotte, NC - Time Warner Cable Arena
17 - Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena