Taylor Swift to Duet with Tim McGraw, Keith Urban

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Awards, Collaborations, Performances, Country, Pop,

Taylor Swift is teaming up with Tim McGraw and Keith Urban at the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards.

The "22" singer - who is up for five awards - will duet with Tim on the track "Highway Don't Care," accompanied by Keith on guitar, at the event on Sunday in Las Vegas. The country trio originally recorded the song for Tim's 12th album, Two Lanes of Freedom, which was released in February, and last performed it live at the Grammy Awards.

Other all-star duets announced for the night include Stevie Wonder, who is to perform with Hunter Hayes, and co-hosts Blake Shelton and Luke Bryant who will team with Brad Paisley for "Boys Round Here." Luke has a busy night ahead of him as he is also set to perform his new single "Crash My Party," as well as being up for four different trophies, including Entertainer of the Year.

"It's all a dream. All I ever wanted to be is a big old country star, and I cannot believe it's happened. It's the time of my life, and I'm loving every day," he recently said.

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Academy of Country Music Award Nominations Announced

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Awards, Country, Pop, New Releases,

Taylor Swift, Miranda Lambert, Eric Church and Hunter Hayes lead nominations for the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards.

Eric has the most nods for the event with seven, including Male Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year for Chief. Hunter follows with six nominations; Miranda and Taylor have five each. The female singers will go head to head in the Entertainer of the Year category, a title won by Taylor three times, including the last two years in a row. Miranda also has an impressive winning streak, in the Female Vocalist Of The Year category. If she wins again this year it will be her fourth consecutive victory.

Clocking up four awards each are Luke Bryan, Little Big Town and Kacey Musgraves, while Blake Shelton - who will co-host the awards - is up for three trophies, as are Jason Aldean, Eli Young Band, and Florida Georgia Line.

Fans can vote in the New Artist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year categories from March 25, at the academy's website acmcountry.com.

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Kelly Clarkson Wants to Sing with Bruno Mars

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Artist News, Collaborations, Country, Covers, Pop,

Kelly Clarkson wants to work with Bruno Mars. The American Idol winner is a huge fan of the "Grenade" hitmaker and would love to work with him on a version of "Somethin' Stupid," a track covered by Frank and Nancy Sinatra in 1967 and by Nicole Kidman and Robbie Williams in 2001.

"I want to recut 'Somethin' Stupid' with Bruno Mars or [country singer] Blake Shelton," she said.

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First CMA Nominations Revealed

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Awards, Country, Pop, New Releases,

Taylor Swift and Kelly Clarkson were among the nominees unveiled for this year's Country Music Association (CMA) Awards.

Five categories - Female Vocalist of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year, Entertainer of the Year and Album of the Year - were announced live on Good Morning America this morning by Jason Aldean, with the singer finding himself in the running for two awards.

Taylor and Kelly will battle it out with Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride and Carrie Underwood in the Female Vocalist category, while the "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" singer is also in the running for Entertainer of the Year. For that prize, she faces competition from Jason, Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley and Blake Shelton.

Jason and Blake are also up for Male Vocalist of the Year alongside Eric Church, Luke Bryan and Keith Urban. Eli Young Band, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, The Band Perry and Zac Brown Band are shortlisted for Vocal Group of the Year.

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Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lamber Lead CMT Awards Nominations

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Awards, Country, Pop,

Carrie Underwood leads nominations for the Country Music Television (CMT) Music Awards 2012. The former American Idol winner has five nods at the 2012 CMT Awards, including Female Artist of the Year and Video of The Year for "Good Girl."

Miranda Lambert follows with four nods, two in the Video of the Year and Female Video of the Year categories for her single "Over You" and two with her band, Pistol Annies who are up for Group Video and "USA Weekend" Breakthrough Video.

Blake Shelton, Taylor Swift, The Civil Wars and Lady Antebellum all received three nominations.

Ten artists are currently nominated in the night's biggest category, "Video of the Year," but the number will be narrowed down to five during the awards show, which will be broadcast live from Nashville on June 6. The 11th annual ceremony will also stream live on the channel's website, CMT.com, where fans can also vote up until June 4.

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Mix Tape: Sluggish Sales for Lilith Fair, Engagement for Miranda Lambert

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Artist News, Collaborations, Concerts / Tours, Gossip, Alternative, Country, Hip-Hop & Rap, Pop,

-Are the days of big Lilith Fair tours already over? Organizer Sarah McLachlan admits ticket sales for the 2010 version are “pretty soft.”

-Jay-Z and Eminem will both be in an Empire State of Mind when they perform together at Yankee Stadium on September 13. That event will be preceded by a joint Comerica Park appearance in Detroit on Sept. 2.

-Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton will soon be making sweet country music together. The two artists became engaged earlier this month.

-Greyson Chance, the YouTube star who sang “Paparazzi,” now has a record deal with Interscope Records. I wonder if he’ll finish sixth grade first.

-Norway’s a-ha played their last US concert last weekend. The “Take on Me” singers will be disbanding at the end of this year after nearly 30 years together.

Gallery: Mix Tape: Sluggish Sales for Lilith Fair, Engagement for Miranda Lambert

Carrie Underwood’s Historic Win at ACMs

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Artist News, Awards, Country,

Carrie Underwood has just been named Entertainer of the Year at the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards.

The singer made history at the Las Vegas ceremony last night after becoming the first woman to win the prestigious accolade twice, beating off competition from Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban and the Zac Brown Band.

Upon accepting the honor, Carrie - who was also given a special Triple Crown award in recognition of her scooping Entertainer of the Year, Top Female Vocalist and Top Newcomer in the course of her career - said: “I think I just got make-up all over Brad Paisley... Thank you, God, praise the Lord.”

Trio Lady Antebellum were the big winners at the ceremony, held at the MGM Grand hotel, taking home five prizes, including Song of the Year and Single Record of the Year for their hit “Need You Now” - with both categories giving them two prizes as they also wrote the track.

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