KENNY MAKES GRAMMY DEBUT

Seems unlikely that Kenny Chesney has never appeared on the Grammy Awards show,    but  he will finally make his debut on the show when the 51st edition of the Recording Academy's awards show airs on CBS  from Los Angeles on February 8th.

“It's funny… I've been part of some amazing tv things that have brought all kinds of performers together - 'Willie Nelson's 70th Birthday Party,' 'Genius: A Night for Ray Charles' - but there's just something about the Grammy Awards,” Chesney says of his upcoming performance. “You know when you walk out on that stage you're with the very best of every kind of music there is, and it's a place where you feel like when you get the call, it really means something.”

Kenny will be performing with a variety of stars on the first list of performers including, Coldplay, Jonas Brothers, Lil Wayne, and Katy Perry.
 
Chesney, who is nominated for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for “Shiftwork,” his duet with George Strait from the double platinum approaching, Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates, will be performing something from the album which also yielded the three multiple week #1s: “Don't Blink,” “Never Wanted Nothing More” and “Better As A Memory.”

ALSO, CHESNEY ADDS STAR POWER TO HIS ROAD SHOW AGAIN

In addition to rising stars, Miranda Lambert and Lady Antebellum, Kenny adds heavy hitters, Montgomery Gentry and Sugarland to an explosive musical mix of cool talent that will make his '09 tour the one to beat again this year.  
 
            “I’ve been on the road with both Sugarland and Montgomery Gentry,” says the 4-consecutive and current Academy of Country Music and 4-time and reigning Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year. “Jennifer and Kristian and Eddie and Troy are all people who get the road, get the fans, get having fun and are all about getting out there and having the best time they can on that stage… and when Sugarland or Montgomery Gentry comes off, you know those people were rocked.”
 

 


KEITH URBAN’S “SWEET THING” VIDEO PREMIERS  GLOBALLY

Photo by Haislop

DIERKS BENTLEY SIGNS ON WITH VECTOR MANAGEMENT

Dierks Bentley has signed with Ken Levitan's Vector Management, the powerhouse company headed by Ken Levitan. The Capitol Records Nashville artist was previously with Scott Kernahan’s Rogue Music.

Bentley is planning the Feb. 3 release of new album, Feel That Fire, and heading out on the final leg of Brad Paisley’s Paisley Party Tour this weekend. He was in New York earlier Monday (1/12) to participate in iTunes' Live From Soho at the Apple Store, where he joins Taylor Swift as the only country artists who have taken part in the series.

Vector’s other clients include/or have included Emmylou Harris, Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt, Michael McDonald, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Jonny Lang, Patty Griffin, Trace Adkins, Trisha Yearwood, Craig Morgan, Hank Jr., Kid Rock, Peter Frampton, Bon Jovi and Kings of Leon.

TAYLOR SWIFT #1&2 ON 2008 YEAR-END CANADIAN COUNTRY ALBUMS CHART

PHOTO by Haislop

JIMMY WAYNE IS FIRST COUNTRY ARTIST FEATURED ON
AOL’S “THE DL SHOW” / TEAMS WITH RIDERS JEANS

Jimmy Wayne will be the featured artist guest on WGN Midday News TODAY January 15th. Wayne will perform 4 songs, including his multi-week #1 hit “Do You Believe Me Now” and his current Top 25 single, “I Will” with his full band.  Taping in Chicago, WGN Midday News is the #1 ranked midday news show in the U.S.
 
Wayne visits the windy city this week to promote his appearance at the two-day Country music festival Mega Winterfest on Saturday at Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles.
 
Wayne has also teamed with Riders Jeans for a promotion in Country Weekly, running in the magazine’s January 26th issue, on stands now.  One grand prize winner will win a trip to Nashville to have dinner with the star.
 
In addition, Wayne is the first country artist featured on AOL’s comedy sketch series, ‘The DL Show’.  Jimmy will appear throughout the month of January on AOL in four comedy shorts, entitled ‘Jimmy Wayne’s Country Slang’.  The comedy series originated with urban artists as ‘Hip Hop Slang’.

MARTINA MCBRIDE TO SING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM AT THE
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME ON JANUARY 18 IN PITTSBURGH
 
As the Ravens and the Steelers take the  field for the AFC Divisional Championshi[ game this Sunday, Martina McBride will sing the National Anthem to get things started.
To date, the multi-platinum singer’s rendition of the Anthem has led to 26-5 wins for NFL home teams.  Steelers’ fans can hope Martina’s good luck will continue in Sunday’s game, airing at 6:30PM ET on CBS.

TRAILER CHOIR SINGLE, GETTING SINGLED OUT

Show Dog records says they're happy Trailer Choir's new single, "What Would You Say," is impacting at radio before it's Feb. 2nd  impact date.  

"What Would You Say" is inspired by a call Trailer Choir's Butter received
from his father following the Sago, West Virginia mine collapse that claimed
12 lives. Some of the victims wrote short notes to loved ones, and Butter's
father asked the singer-songwriter, "What would you say if you were in that
situation?"
Butter was moved by the thought, and so was Trailer Choir's Big
Vinny. The two collaborated to turn the concept into a song, which is the
first single from an upcoming album project.

"We hope this song will shine a beautiful light on those hard working men
who lost their lives in the early morning of January 4, 2006," Butter says,
"and hopefully inspire all of us to live every single moment we have on this
earth."