CHRIS YOUNG CELEBRATES THIRD CONSECUTIVE #1 SINGLE, “VOICES”
 
Chris Young is celebrating a hat-trick today as “Voices” becomes his third consecutive #1 single from his sophomore album, The Man I Want To Be. “Voices” takes the #1 position on both the Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Aircheck charts.
 
The feat is made even sweeter as Young breaks a 25-year record, marking only the second time in the modern era of the Billboard country chart that an artist re-released the same recording to chart-topping status. “Voices” becomes the first re-release to reach #1 since Randy Travis’s “On The Other Hand” went to the top in 1986 after initially peaking at #67.
 
“Voices” – co-written by Young, Chris Tompkins, and Craig Wiseman – was first released summer 2008 and originally peaked on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart at #37 as the debut single from Young’s sophomore album, The Man I Want To Be. “Gettin’ You Home” and “The Man I Want To Be” enjoyed back-to-back #1 success, with today’s #1 “Voices,” completing the trifecta.  
 
On the heels of this exciting news the brand new single “TOMORROW,” from Young’s highly anticipated forthcoming summer album release, delivers digitally to country radio TODAY.
 


 RASCAL FLATTS CHANGE MANAGEMENT

Turner Nichols & Associates had managed the career of Super Group, Rascal Flatts, for a decade, but Rascal Flatts has now taken charge of their own management now directed by Rascal Flatts Entertainment (615 772-5466) .

"The Flatts are great guys and will always be part of our family as well," added Trey Turner and Doug Nichols. "We wish them nothing but the best."

GRETCHEN WILSON TO GRAMMY AWARDS AND MORE IN L.A.

After Gretchen Wilson attends Sunday night's Grammy Awards, where she's a double-nominee for "Best Country Female Vocal Performance" and "Best Country Song," she will stay in Los Angeles to make a couple of high-profile television appearances. On Monday, February 14, she will make her debut appearance on the popular new CBS Television show "The Talk," and the following day she will return to the "Tonight Show with Jay Leno." That same evening, she will join fellow songwriters Chris Young, Brett James, Victoria Shaw and host Bob DiPiero at Club Nokia for the CMA Songwriters Series.
She will perform her Grammy-nominated single "I'd Love To Be Your Last" on both "The Talk" and the "Tonight Show" exactly as it was originally recorded -- with just acoustic guitar and cello. "This is such a beautiful love song, just so beautifully written by Rivers Rutherford and Sam and Annie Tate," said Gretchen. "It's the kind of song that almost makes you cry every time you hear it. It's the last track on the (I Got Your Country Right Here) record and I'm really glad we put it on there." The original recording and/or the radio remix have both been a Top 5 Download on MPE. The song can be heard here.
Following Grammy week, Gretchen will be back on the road for dates in Mahnomen, MN and Dubuque, IA before heading home for a Grand Ole Opry appearance and the annual Music At The Mill benefit concert for McClain Christian Academy in Lebanon, TN.

COUNTRY VIBE WITH CHUCK AND BECCA TURNS 3
 
The Country Vibe with Chuck and Becca begins its third season the week of February 21. Hosted by Chuck Long and Becca Walls, the show features interviews and news from the world of country music.
 
This season, the show is adding more fun and games to its format.  “Last year, we noticed a significant increase in viewer response any time we included quirkier segments like our 5 on the Vibe spots (which featured guests answering humorous, left of center questions in less than a minute),” notes host Chuck Long.  “So we’re adding more of that feel to Season 3.”
 
"We're also making sure our viewers get the most information about their favorite artists and all the latest country music news long after the show is over through our daily country music news updates on TheCountryVibe.com and through regular updates on Facebook and Twitter," adds Becca.  "We're more interactive and connected than ever this season!”
Fans can keep up with Chuck and Becca on Facebook by searching The Country Vibe and on Twitter @TheCountryVibe.

 
CMA ANNOUNCES FIRST PERFORMERS FOR CMA MUSIC FEST TODAY

The CMA will announce the first performers for 2011 CMA Music Festival tomorrow (Tuesday, Feb. 8) at 10:00 AM/Central exclusively on the official CMA Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/countrymusicassociation). If you would like to get those names at 10:00 AM/Central, please visit that page today and click “like” so the news will show up in your newsfeed.
 
We will also send out a press release with the same information tomorrow at 10:30 AM/Central.
 
2011 CMA Music Festival will be June 9-12 in Downtown Nashville. This is the 40th CMA Music Festival, which started as Fan Fair in 1972. Last year more than 65,000 fans from all 50 states and 26 nations attended the event.
 


CMT'S "FUNNY" COMPETITION ONLINE

For the second year in a row, CMT is launching a national online search to find America’s NEXT BIG COMIC.  Beginning today, viewers can head over to CMT.com to watch video clips from each of the top 12 comics, and cast their votes on who should advance to the next round and ultimately be crowned the winner.   Rooftop Comedy, the leading distributor of interactive comedy videos, scoured standup comedians from across its network of 21 performance venues and, along with CMT Executives, hand-picked 12 finalists on the verge of stardom.
 “Comedy is a proven hit for CMT fans, which is even more evident with the recent success of WORKING CLASS on the network,” said Lewis Bogach, Vice President of Production at CMT.  "With that in mind, we're really excited to be partnering with Rooftop Comedy again to find CMT's NEXT BIG COMIC."
              The online competition will run for five weeks, and each week viewers can watch new video clips of the comics at CMT.com.  Contestants are narrowed down from 12 to eight on February 14, and again from eight to the final four on February 21.  The finalists will then have three weeks to convince fans they are CMT’s NEXT BIG COMIC when they go head-to-head onstage in a battle to win the most laughs and votes.  Video pleas encouraging fan voting will hit CMT and CMT.com on February 28, and the final round of voting online will begin March 7 when CMT kicks off BIG NEW COMEDY WEEK, a week filled with original, comedy-inspired programming and standup performances. The winner of CMT’s NEXT BIG COMIC will be announced March 14.
 
            The top 12 finalists for NEXT BIG COMIC were revealed at CMT.com today, and include:
Comic Name                                        Current Location
Cy Amundson                                       Minneapolis, MN
Tim Harmston                                       Minneapolis, MN
Tom Segura                                         Los Angeles, CA
Michael Palascak                                 Orland Park, IL
Andy Woodhull                                     Chicago, IL
Keith Alberstadt                                    New York, NY
Kelly MacFarland                                  Watertown, MA
Nate Bargatze                                       New York, NY
Andrew Norelli                                       Los Angeles, CA
Matt White                                             Atlanta, GA
Andy Sandford                                      Atlanta, GA
Sean Keane                                          San Francisco, CA

WAYLON JENNINGS LEGACY COMMEMORATED
IN STAR-STUDDED TRIBUTE CD RELEASING FEBRUARY 8

He’s been awarded 2 Grammys, 2 ACM Awards and 4 CMA Awards. With 40 million units sold and 16 #1 singles, Waylon Jennings remains a legendary force across all genres of music.
This week will mark the ninth anniversary of Waylon Jennings’ passing, and to celebrate his enduring legacy, country music's finest are joining forces to pay tribute to the original outlaw on the new CD The Music Inside: A Collaboration Dedicated to Waylon Jennings, Volume 1, releasing Tuesday, February 8.  
Recording for the three volume series started over two-and-a-half years ago, and it's been a labor of love for Waylon's widow Jessi Colter, son Shooter Jennings and guitarist Reggie Young, who along with Producer Witt Stewart, have assembled a star-studded roster of artists to pay tribute to Waylon and highlight his undeniable musical and cultural influence.
“There have been several tribute albums made in my father's honor, all of which were great tributes to his legacy.  But this one has been a true passion project for a lot of artists and friends who truly wanted to remember and give back to the wonderful man he was,” says son Shooter Jennings.  “In the years since my dad passed away, I've grown as an artist and I feel this is the first time I've truly been able to give back to the man who inspired, influenced and nurtured me and my musical passion.”
This first volume features Waylon's most critically and commercially acclaimed tracks, uniquely interpreted and performed by yesterday’s and today's country legends, including Kris Kristofferson, Jamey Johnson, Trace Adkins, Patty Griffin, Randy Houser and John Hiatt. Also included are new recordings by Shooter Jennings, Jessi Colter and the Jennings classic "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way," the first new music in over ten years from super-group Alabama.
 
THE MUSIC INSIDE:  A COLLABORATION DEDICATED TO WAYLON JENNINGS, VOL. I
Official Track Listing:
1.   This Time – Jamey Johnson
2.   Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way – Alabama
3.   I’m A Ramblin’ Man – Randy Houser
4.   Belle of the Ball – Shooter Jennings
5.   Good Hearted Woman – Sunny Sweeney and Jessi Colter
6.   Don't You Think This Outlaw Bit's Done Got Out Of Hand – James Otto           
7.   Just To Satisfy You – John Hiatt w Waylon Jennings
8.   Rose In Paradise – Kris Kristofferson and Patty Griffin
9.   You Ask Me To – Trace Adkins
10. Go Down Rockin' – Waylon Jennings
(Bonus Track) The Wurlitzer Prize (I Don’t Want To Get Over You) – Chanel Campbell
 
THE MUSIC INSIDE: A COLLABORATION DEDICATED TO WAYLON JENNINGS, VOL. I will be released on ScatterRecords and Big Machine Records on February 8th. Volume II is scheduled to release on June 14, the day before what would have been Waylon’s 74th birthday. Volume III is slated to release Fall 2011, the day prior to Waylon and Jessi’s 42nd wedding anniversary.
For more information regarding the project, visit: www.waylonjennings.com <http://www.waylonjennings.com/>