COUNTRY CHART Weekend of May 27-28:
2 BRETT YOUNG In Case You Didn’t Know *
3 SAM HUNT Body Like a Back Road
4 KELSEA BALLERINI Yeah Boy
5 DIERKS BENTLEY Black
6 BRANTLEY GILBERT The Weekend
7 DARIUS RUCKER If I Told You
8 DAN & SHAY How Not To
9 FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE God, Your Mama, & Me
10 BLAKE SHELTON Every Time I Hear That Song
11 KEITH URBAN The Fighter w/Carrie Underwood
12 RASCAL FLATTS Yours If You Want It
13 DYLAN SCOTT My Girl
14 COLE SWINDELL Flatliner w/Dierks Bentley
15 LADY ANTEBELLUM You Look Good
16 THOMAS RHETT Craving You w/Maren Morris
17 MIDLAND Drinkin’ Problem
18 JUSTIN MOORE Somebody Else Will
19 ZAC BROWN BAND My Old Man
20 TIM McGraw & FAITH HILL Speak To a Girl
COUNTRY MUSIC NEWS!
Billy Ray Cyrus’s “Achy Breaky Heart” Turns 25
CMT Music Airs 25-Hour Marathon Loop of the Video
Twenty-five years ago today (May 30), Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Achy Breaky
Heart” reached No. 1 on Billboard’s country chart and there it stayed
for five consecutive weeks.
But the song, with its recognizable guitar licks and infectious
melody, will be forever be ingrained in the brains of any music fan who
hears it.
To celebrate, we’ve turned our CMT Music channel into an “Achy Breaky” heaven with a 25-hour marathon loop of the iconic video.
We know what you’re thinking… YASS!
Interestingly, it was love-at-first-listen when Cyrus heard the demo.
The song was originally written by songwriter and U.S. military veteran
Don Von Tress, and it was his first piece of original material to be
recorded by an artist signed to a major label. Two years before its
release, he started the song in his sister’s basement while noodling
with his guitar on a new amplifier his wife had given him for his
birthday.
In a Billboard
interview from 1992, Von Tress is described as a hardworking family man
who had been playing guitar since he was in high school. He was drafted
into the U.S. Army in 1969 and during his time in the military, he flew
more than 140 aerial combat missions as as a helicopter pilot.
By the time “Achy Breaky” was released, he and his family had been
calling Cypress Inn, Tennessee, home since 1976. Back then, when Von
Tress wasn’t working with the wallpaper business he owned with his
sister, he would often spend time in the Muscle Shoals creative
community and play music for fun. He signed his first publishing deal in
1990.
Cyrus’ producers Jim Cotton and Joe Scaife thought the song would be a perfect fit for his debut album Some Gave All, which would break Cyrus as a superstar act.
George Strait, Dolly Parton and Nashville Tapped for ACM Honors
Ryman Auditorium Hosts 11th Annual ACM Honors Aug. 23
Kelsea Ballerini, Eric Church, Toby Keith, Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton, George Strait and CMT’s Nashville are among the entities being honored with special awards from the Academy of Country Music.
The honorees reflect the off-camera winners from the 52nd annual ACM
Awards, and they will be recognized for their specific achievements
during the 11th annual ACM Honors ceremony at Nashville’s Ryman
Auditorium on Aug. 23. The recipients of the industry and studio
recording awards will be revealed at a later date.
Strait will receive the new Cliffie Stone Icon award, which honors
individuals whose careers have significantly contributed to the
advancement of country music in popular culture. The honor was
previously titled the Cliffie Stone Pioneer award, and past recipients
include Alabama, Garth Brooks and Glen Campbell.
With more than 100 million albums sold worldwide, Strait is among the
top-selling artists of all time, and he was inducted into the Country
Music Hall of Fame in 2006. In 2013, he extended his record contract
with MCA Nashville for five more albums with his latest releases being
2015’s Cold Beer Conversation and 2016’s Strait Out Of The Box: Part 2.
Although he retired from touring following 2014’s Cowboy Rides Away
tour, he will return to Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena for his 2 Nights of
Number 1s shows on Sept. 1-2.
The Crystal Milestone award has been renamed the Gene Weed Special
Achievement award, which will go to Kelsea Ballerini. The honor is
presented to a country act or industry leader for their unprecedented
achievements during the preceding calendar year. Ballerini’s first three
singles “Love Me Like You Mean It,” “Dibs” and “Peter Pan” are No. 1
hits. She and Maren Morris represented country in the all-genre Best New
Artist category at the 59th annual Grammy Awards. Having staged her
first national headlining tour, Ballerini is currently recording a new
album and on the road with Lady Antebellum’s You Look Good Tour.
Previous recipients for the ACM honor include Jason Aldean, Little Big
Town, Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood.
Eric Church will be honored with the Merle Haggard Spirit award. The
honor is presented to a singer-songwriter who embodies the legacy of the
late country icon with authentic storytelling and genuine performances.
Miranda Lambert was the inaugural recipient of this award in 2016.
CMT’s Nashville will receive the Tex Ritter Film award,
which recognizes a television movie, series or feature film released
during the preceding calendar year that prominently features country
music. Now in its fifth season, the hour-long drama has been seen in 225
territories worldwide. The show has been credited as part of the recent
tourism boom in the city of Nashville, which has seen an amazing
increase in visitors over the past five years. The CMT midseason
premiere is Thursday (June 1) at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
Dolly Parton will receive the ACM Lifting Lives Gary Haber award,
which recognizes artists and industry figures for their philanthropic
endeavors. Since its 1995 inception, Parton’s Imagination Library
non-profit has provided 100 million books to children in the U.S.,
Canada and the U.K. Her Smoky Mountains Rise telethon helped
raise more than $10 million for those affected by the East Tennessee
wildfires that devastated the area in November 2016.
The 2017 Poet’s award honorees are Toby Keith, Willie Nelson and the
late Shel Silverstein for their longstanding musical contributions
throughout their respective careers.
Keith is the writer and co-writer behind many of his songs including
“How Do You Like Me Now,” “Beer for My Horses,” “I Love This Bar,”
“American Soldier” and his 1993 breakout hit, “Should’ve Been a Cowboy.”
He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2015.
Nelson is considered one of the genre’s most prolific music makers.
Before scoring his first No. 1 in 1971 with his version of Fred Rose’s
“Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain,” Nelson broke out as a songwriter behind
hits performed by Patsy Cline, Ray Price and others. He wrote “Crazy,”
“Funny How Time Slips Away” and “Night Life” within one week. To date,
Nelson has written more than 2,500 songs, recorded more than 250 albums
and appeared in more than 25 films.
Known internationally as a beloved children’s book author, offbeat
poet and illustrator, Silverstein will be recognized posthumously for
his contributions to country music, which include the Johnny Cash
classic “A Boy Named Sue,” Bobby Bare’s “Marie Laveau” and Loretta
Lynn’s “One’s On the Way.” Previous Poet’s award recipients include
Bobby Braddock, Kris Kristofferson, Roger Miller, Jimmy Webb and Hank
Williams.
The Mae Boren Axton Service Award will be presented to Reba McEntire
and radio veteran Bob Kingsley. The honor recognizes years of service
and dedication to the ACM.
As previously announced, Lori McKenna is the first female recipient
of the ACM’s songwriter of the year award. Her more recent songwriting
credits include Tim McGraw’s “Humble and Kind,” Little Big Town’s “Girl
Crush” and “Your Side of the Bed.” She also received three Grammy
nominations with her 2016 album The Bird & the Rifle.
Brooke Eden Seeks a Little Space in “Act Like You Don’t”
On a Mission to Move On in New Video
Breakups are hard and even harder when there’s no actual clean break. That is exactly what’s happening in Brooke Eden‘s new gut-puncher “Act Like You Don’t.”
In the story, two people fall in love and stay together while knowing
it’s not quite right. They keep giving it their all because they do
really want it to work. But eventually, they both realize it’s time to
walk away.
But talking about walking away is a lot easier than the actual
walking. And the calls and texts keep coming. The temptation to pick up
where you left off is around every corner. So, what’s a girl to do?
Go out with your friends and try to forget. Eden does that in her
brand new video. All glammed up, she’s on a mission to move on. But is
her mission successful in the end? Watch to find out.
Are You Carrie Underwood’s Gym Hero?
She Tries to Beat People In Group Classes
The fact that Carrie Underwood works out isn’t news.
But she did recently reveal to People that she is a little quirky about her workouts now. Like how she runs when it’s hot outside.
“I love just putting headphones in and going for a run. I feel so
good when I get home, especially when it’s hot. I’m one of those weirdos
that likes to run when it’s super hot outside,” Underwood admitted
(this week’s Nashville forecast for a string of 85-degree days must be
good news for her).
And Underwood also said that when she goes to group exercise classes, her inner competitive streak comes out.
“I find myself competing with other people in the room. I’m like, ‘Oh
she’s good, I want to be like her!’ I try to ‘beat’ someone in the
class,” she said.
“They have no idea we’re competing!”
Ultimately, for Underwood, exercising isn’t about looking good for
other people. It’s just about feeling good, for herself and her husband
Mike Fisher and their son Isaiah.
“No bad things can come out of taking care of yourself,” she said.
Last Weekend’s Greatest Hits
The Best Tweets You Might Have Missed
What a weekend, right?
There were graduations, backyard barbeques, an Indy car race, some Stanley Cup preparations, and an extra day off for Memorial Day. And you know what else went down last weekend? Tim McGraw showed off for a cause, Maren Morris and her dog got settled in their new home, Brett Eldredge rowed his boat, two of Justin Moore‘s daughters got lake ready, Kacey Musgraves determined that horses are greater than people, Darius Rucker had some trash talk for Scotty McCreery and Kelsea Ballerini basked in the romance of being engaged.
Tim McGraw: “I was nominated by @RobertIrvine to #Flex4Forces with @the_USO… I nominate @Favre4Official and @SollyThomas90”
Maren Morris: “Officially a 1st time home owner!”
Brett Eldredge: “Floatinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn”
Justin Moore: “Getting ready for our first day on the lake#memorialdayweekend”
Kacey Musgraves: “horses > people”
Darius Rucker: “Hey @ScottyMcCreery September 3rd is right around the corner. Y’all are not ready for the Gamecocks!!!”
Kelsea Ballerini: “the guy who flies across the country to catch a show and spend a day off together is the guy you marry.”
There were graduations, backyard barbeques, an Indy car race, some Stanley Cup preparations, and an extra day off for Memorial Day. And you know what else went down last weekend? Tim McGraw showed off for a cause, Maren Morris and her dog got settled in their new home, Brett Eldredge rowed his boat, two of Justin Moore‘s daughters got lake ready, Kacey Musgraves determined that horses are greater than people, Darius Rucker had some trash talk for Scotty McCreery and Kelsea Ballerini basked in the romance of being engaged.
Tim McGraw: “I was nominated by @RobertIrvine to #Flex4Forces with @the_USO… I nominate @Favre4Official and @SollyThomas90”
Maren Morris: “Officially a 1st time home owner!”
Brett Eldredge: “Floatinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn”
Justin Moore: “Getting ready for our first day on the lake#memorialdayweekend”
Kacey Musgraves: “horses > people”
Darius Rucker: “Hey @ScottyMcCreery September 3rd is right around the corner. Y’all are not ready for the Gamecocks!!!”
Kelsea Ballerini: “the guy who flies across the country to catch a show and spend a day off together is the guy you marry.”
Martina McBride Celebrates 25 Years of Hits
What Country Music Was Like When The Time Has Come Debuted
This is what country music was like 25 years ago when Martina McBride released her debut album The Time Has Come.
Essentially, country music was huge.
At the time, Clint Black, Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson were among
the acts who were taking the genre to its highest commercial heights.
Black’s rise to prominence was meteoric following the release of Killin’ Time.
Back then, it was the most successful debut albums in country music
history, selling more than three million copies and resulting in four
No. 1 hits.
Jackson’s first two albums Here in the Real World and Don’t Rock the Jukebox were also multi-platinum sellers. This was before “Chattahoochee” hit in 1993.
Brooks was making history releasing the best-selling country albums of all time, No Fences and Ropin’ The Wind.
The dance boom in the early ’90s also contributed to country music’s
overall popularity. At the time, MTV, TNN and CMT were the only places
fans could watch videos and most of them had choreography fans wanted to
know.
On May 30, 1992, Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Achy Breaky Heart” began its
five-week reign at No. 1, ushering in an all-new country dance craze.
Cyrus’ performance was first introduced in a video with line dance
choreography by Melanie Greenwood. Similar videos and recordings
followed, including Brooks’ “Ain’t Goin’ Down (Til the Sun Comes Up)”
Tracy Byrd’s “Watermelon Crawl” and Tim McGraw’s “Indian Outlaw.” Brooks
& Dunn had “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” and Mary Chapin Carpenter had
“Down at the Twist and Shout,” as well.
But one of the biggest movements in ’90s country was the ascension of
new female entertainers like McBride, Deana Carter, the Dixie Chicks,
Sara Evans, Faith Hill, Lorrie Morgan, LeAnn Rimes, Pam Tillis, Shania
Twain, Lee Ann Womack and Trisha Yearwood. Each rose to fame as
independent stylists and the architects of their own careers at a time
when female artists were starting to comment more freely on issues that
were relevant to their lives. Occasionally their lyrics went beyond
private or gender concerns to address bigger public problems. McBride’s
“Independence Day” and “Goodbye Earl” by the Dixie Chicks were among the
hits that sang about domestic abuse. Reba McEntire’s 1994 ballad “She
Thinks His Name Was John” warned of the dangers of AIDS.
And it’s safe to say that without them, we wouldn’t have Kelsea Ballerini, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood or Taylor Swift.
McBride, one of the genre’s greatest female voices, had been married
to her husband John McBride for four years and they had only been living
in Nashville for two when The Time Has Come was released in
May, 1992. At the time, she was 26, had just made her Grand Ole Opry
debut and was about to embark on her first national tour with Brooks.
Before she signed with RCA in 1991, she found work as a demo singer on
Music Row after gigging around her home state of Kansas for most of her
life. Back then, John had been working as a soundman for artists like
Brooks, Charlie Daniels and Ricky Van Shelton. For a young couple in
their 20s, it was not a bad introduction into Nashville life.
Co-produced by Paul Worley and Ed Seay, The Time Has Come is
steeped in the neo-traditional sound that made ’90s country so
powerful, and the lyrics cut deep. The title track, a fierce breakup
anthem about kicking a loser to the curb, peaked at No. 23 on Billboard‘s
Country Airplay chart. In “Cheap Whiskey,” alcohol is the cause of a
man’s downfall. She sings of love in “Walk That Line,” “I Can’t Sleep”
and “When You Are Old.” But it was her 1993 sophomore album The Way That I Am
that broke her as a superstar act. The 10-song album featured her first
string of hits “My Baby Loves Me,” “Independence Day” and “Life #9.”
Wild Angels followed with the No. 1 hit title track and “Safe In The
Arms Of Love.”
Throughout the late ’90s and early 2000s, McBride continued release
massive hits like “Broken Wing,” “This One’s For the Girls,” “In My
Daughter’s Eyes,” “When God-Fearin’ Women Get The Blues” and “Blessed,”
most of which celebrated family and offered a slight pro-women slant.
She paid tribute to country classics and soul hits with 2005’s Timeless and 2014’s Everlasting, respectively. Her 13th studio album Reckless was released in 2016, and she is currently in the studio recording a new holiday compilation.
Having sold more than 18 million albums over the course of her career, her music has touched the lives of many.
Memorial Day Songs: Country Artists Honor Our Nation’s Heroes
Music Videos Remind Us of Those Willing to Make the Supreme Sacrifice
Country music has a long history of honoring those who have served in
the armed forces, especially those who were willing to die for what
they believe in.
Notable songs date back to Ernest Tubb’s “Soldier’s Last Letter,” which spent four weeks at the top of the country chart in 1944.
Poignant stories abound, but many of them are rarely — if ever —
shared by those who modestly downplay their contributions. As we
celebrate the holiday, here are several music videos that tell those
stories.
“Some Gave All,” Billy Ray Cyrus (1992)
The star of CMT’s Still the King has gained a lot of media attention lately with the 25th anniversay of his mega-hit “Achy Breaky Heart.” The title track of his 1992 debut album, Some Gave All, wasn’t a huge hit at radio, but it became one of his signature songs and proved that the Kentucky native had a lot more to offer than a cool haircut and fancy stage moves.
The star of CMT’s Still the King has gained a lot of media attention lately with the 25th anniversay of his mega-hit “Achy Breaky Heart.” The title track of his 1992 debut album, Some Gave All, wasn’t a huge hit at radio, but it became one of his signature songs and proved that the Kentucky native had a lot more to offer than a cool haircut and fancy stage moves.
“American Soldier,” Toby Keith (2003)
Simply stating the emotions of a soldier who’s called to duty, Keith was inspired to write the song with Chuck Cannon after meeting troops during his USO tours.
Simply stating the emotions of a soldier who’s called to duty, Keith was inspired to write the song with Chuck Cannon after meeting troops during his USO tours.
“Arlington,” Trace Adkins (2005)
The song was inspired by U.S. Marine Cpl. Patrick Nixon, the first soldier from Tennessee killed during the war in Iraq. Songwriter Dave Turnbull wrote it with Jeremy Spillman after meeting the soldier’s father.
The song was inspired by U.S. Marine Cpl. Patrick Nixon, the first soldier from Tennessee killed during the war in Iraq. Songwriter Dave Turnbull wrote it with Jeremy Spillman after meeting the soldier’s father.
“I Drive Your Truck,” Lee Brice (2013)
It’s a tribute to Medal of Honor recipient Jared Monti, who was killed in battle in Afghanistan in 2006. Songwriter Connie Harrington got the idea for the lyrics after hearing his father interviewed on National Public Radio. She wrote it with Jimmy Yeary and Jessi Alexander.
It’s a tribute to Medal of Honor recipient Jared Monti, who was killed in battle in Afghanistan in 2006. Songwriter Connie Harrington got the idea for the lyrics after hearing his father interviewed on National Public Radio. She wrote it with Jimmy Yeary and Jessi Alexander.
“8th of November,” Big & Rich (2005)
Kris Kristofferson narrates the introduction to this true story about Vietnam veteran Niles Harris and his experience on Nov. 8, 1965 when the 173rd Airborne Brigade was ambushed by more than 1,200 Vietcong soldiers. It was written by John Rich and Big Kenny Alphin.
Kris Kristofferson narrates the introduction to this true story about Vietnam veteran Niles Harris and his experience on Nov. 8, 1965 when the 173rd Airborne Brigade was ambushed by more than 1,200 Vietcong soldiers. It was written by John Rich and Big Kenny Alphin.
“If You’re Reading This,” Tim McGraw (2007)
McGraw teamed with Brad and Brett Warren to write the song about a soldier’s letter that’s intended to be sent only if he dies. McGraw debuted it on the 2007 Academy of Country Music Awards.
McGraw teamed with Brad and Brett Warren to write the song about a soldier’s letter that’s intended to be sent only if he dies. McGraw debuted it on the 2007 Academy of Country Music Awards.
“Just a Dream,” Carrie Underwood (2008)
In “Just a Dream,” an 18-year-old woman finds her life forever changed when she attends the funeral of her husband, a soldier who has been killed in action. The powerful song was composed by Steve McEwan, Hillary Lindsey and Gordie Sampson.
In “Just a Dream,” an 18-year-old woman finds her life forever changed when she attends the funeral of her husband, a soldier who has been killed in action. The powerful song was composed by Steve McEwan, Hillary Lindsey and Gordie Sampson.
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