Country Music Tattle Tale » Darius Rucker

Lionel Richie Takes You Behind the Scenes of Tuskegee

Country Girl — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:00:38 +0000

This album is AMAZING! I have my review copy and can’t stop listening to it! Check out the behind the scenes footage from the recording of Tuskegee! The new album Tuskegee will be in stores March 27th!

Lionel Richie’s Tuskegee Track-Listing:
1. “You Are” with Blake Shelton
2. “Say You, Say Me” with Jason Aldean
3. “Stuck On You” with Darius Rucker
4. “Deep River Woman” with Little Big Town
5. “My Love” with Kenny Chesney
6. “Dancing On The Ceiling” with Rascal Flatts
7. “Hello” with Jennifer Nettles
8. “Sail On” with Tim McGraw
9. “Endless Love” with Shania Twain
10. “Just For You” with Billy Currington
11. “Lady” with Kenny Rogers
12. “Easy” with Willie Nelson
13. “All Night Long” with Jimmy Buffett

Country Girl wants you to be a Tattle Tale! Have you been to a country concert lately? Run into a country artist while out on the town? We want to hear all about your country music news and entertainment. Email me at countrygirl@countrymusictattletale.com

VIDEO- Lady A, Darius Rucker, & Thompson Square Perform “Black Water”

TawnyTucker — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:45:39 +0000

During their opening weekend of their Own the Night World Tour, Lady Antebellum invited openers Darius Rucker and Thompson Square on stage with them mid-show to sing a Doobie Brothers cover, “Black Water.” Take a look, and enjoy.

Got some country music gossip and don’t wanna be a tattle tale? Email me, Tawny Tucker, Tawny@countrymusictattletale.com

NOW Franchise Releases “NOW That’s What I Call Country Ballads”

Country Girl — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:45:24 +0000

Even after 15 years, the ever-popular NOW records are still going strong, despite a decline in record sales after the emergence of iTunes. The famed NOW franchise is back with a new release, NOW That’s What I Call Country Ballads, featuring 18 monster ballads from hit-makers such as Chris Young and Kenny Chesney to Shania Twain and George Strait.

This is definitely a modern-day collection of country ballads, so if you’re expecting to find “He Stopped Loving Her Today” or “The Dance” on this record, you might be disappointed. Instead, you’ll find Sara Evans’ rendition of Edwin McCain’s “I Could Not Ask For More,” Martina McBride’s latest tear-jerker, “I’m Gonna Love You Through It,” Dierks Bentley’s risque “Come a Little Closer,” and Carrie Underwood’s take on the famous Randy Travis classic, “I Told You So.”

This album is definitely aimed towards a younger audience with songs from crossover artists like Taylor Swift, The Band Perry, and Lady Antebellum, all of whom have had just as much success on pop radio as they have in the country genre. The record also features former Hootie & the Blowfish frontman Darius Rucker’s debut single as a country artist, “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It,” which I still say is his strongest single to date.

If you’re not high-tech with all the latest MP3s and gadgets, this would be a great record to buy if you want some of the greatest country ballads released in the last 10 years or so. Or, you could just turn on your radio – I hear these songs multiple times a day, so it’s nothing new or out of the ordinary. But, like I said, it’s a good record to have on hand in the car if you want some good country slow songs. The NOW records are available wherever records are sold, including online via iTunes and Amazon.

Don’t forget to enter for your chance to win a copy of NOW That’s What I Call Country Ballads from CMTT. CLICK HERE to enter. Hurry! Contest ends Thursday , February 2nd.

Kristi Olson
CMTT Music Contributor

CLICK READ MORE to see the full track listing of NOW That’s What I Call Country Ballads.

1. Taylor Swift                                    Forever And Always (Piano Version)
2. Keith Urban                                    Tonight I Wanna Cry
3. Rascal Flatts                                  What Hurts The Most
4. The Band Perry                             If I Die Young
5. Martina McBride                            I’m Gonna Love You Through It
6. Luke Bryan                                                Do I
7. Jake Owen                                                Don’t Think I Can’t Love You
8. Lady Antebellum                            American Honey
9. Jason Aldean/Kelly Clarkson         Don’t You Wanna Stay
10. Shania Twain                               Forever & For Always
11. Carrie Underwood                       I Told You So
12. Sara Evans                                  I Could Not Ask For More
13. Kenny Chesney                           Better As A Memory
14. Dierks Bentley                             Come A Little Closer
15. Chris Young                                 The Man I Want To Be
16. Darius Rucker                              Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It
17. George Strait                               I Saw God Today
18. Alan Jackson                               Remember When

Lionel Richie’s ‘Tuskegee’ a Star-Studded Attraction

TawnyTucker — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:45:21 +0000

Music icon Lionel Richie will release Tuskegee, a collection of 13 of his international hits recorded with some of the biggest names in country music, on March 27th.

His duet partners on Tuskegee include Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles, Jason Aldean, Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, Darius Rucker, Rascal Flatts, Kenny Chesney, Billy Currington and Little Big Town. On this worldwide, multi-genre album, Richie is also joined by the likes of such superstars as Shania Twain, Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson and Jimmy Buffett.

In addition, the Academy of Country Music and dick clark productions will tape an all-star concert special, Lionel Richie and Friends “In concert” at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 2nd. The show will air at a later date on the CBS Television Network. Some of his greatest hits will be performed by Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts, Kenny Rogers and many more.

“Tuskegee is where it all began, the place where I felt that everything was available and possible,” he says. “It’s where I learned about life and love and the power of music, and the place I built a musical foundation that knows no genres or boundaries.

“Doing this album was coming back to the beginning, back to basics, back to home,” he says. “The part of it I love the most is that the journey has been one of discovering myself. By the time I got back to Nashville, I clearly knew that the roots of my songwriting, my storytelling, were from the South.”

It’s also been a process of rediscovering the hits that have served as the soundtrack of the lives of generations around the world.

“Every Lionel Richie song that I can think of I had a personal experience with – high school homecomings, proms, you name it,” says Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts, who duets on “Dancin’ On the Ceiling.” “Lionel was always playing in my house. His music always said what we felt and couldn’t express.”

Once again, Richie is following his songs as they take him back to country, where they have been welcomed for more than two decades. Conway Twitty recorded “Three Times a Lady,” Kenny Rogers famously sang “Lady” and Alabama recorded “Deep River Woman.” Artists such as Tim McGraw, Darius Rucker and Rascal Flatts perform his songs in their shows. He has performed on the Country Music Association Awards three times, and his 2011 performance receive two standing ovations and was recognized as the highlight of the evening.

“When I did the CMAs and the room was singing along with me, it was really more like a family reunion than it was a concert or show,” he says. “It was just great validation to know that the music was accepted like it was.”

These innovative musical interpretations have given new meaning to his songs while serving as a powerful reminder of the timelessness of his impressive body of work. He asked the other singers to select the songs and ignore his original version and instead perform the song as if it were their own. “I wanted it the way they would do it in their show, which means I captured their essence. You make the song a Willie Nelson song. You make the song a Rascal Flatts song.

“It’s special to the point where it sounds new again, so I’m excited just as the writer, as the original parent of this child. I’m excited to see another generation embrace the music.”

Richie says recording Tuskegee was perhaps the most fun he’s ever had in the studio.

“Tuskegee is going to be one of the most special albums I’ve ever done in my life. This is something that’s going to be so special forever because it’s a moment in time when these artists all got together and celebrated some music,” he says. “What started out as a collaboration of a group of very talented, very successful artists ended up growing into brand new, very good friends.”

Got some country music gossip and don’t wanna be a tattle tale? Email me, Tawny Tucker, Tawny@countrymusictattletale.com

Dierks Bentley & Darius Rucker Added to Pre-Super Bowl Festivities

TawnyTucker — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:00:33 +0000

According to The Tennessean, Dierks Bentley and Darius Rucker have been added to the Pre-Superbowl festivities on February 5th. Fans can visit the Super Bowl Village in downtown Indianapolis prior to the game to catch the free performances. Other performers include LMFAO, Patti LaBelle, and more.

Got some country music gossip and don’t wanna be a tattle tale? Email me, Tawny Tucker, Tawny@countrymusictattletale.com

CMA Country Christmas to Re-Air this Saturday

Country Girl — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 22:00:04 +0000

Don’t forget to catch the reairing of CMT Country Christmas this Satruday, December 17th at 9/8c on ABC.

“Viewers now have a second opportunity to experience the music, memories, and stories of the season with some of our format’s biggest stars and their families,” said CMA Chief Executive Officer Steve Moore. “Fans have been calling since the original airing asking for more, and we are glad to give them a second helping.”

Artists who perform in the special and share their favorite holiday traditions include Lauren Alaina, Amy Grant, Faith Hill, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Scotty McCreery, Kellie Pickler, Rascal Flatts, Darius Rucker, Brian Setzer with special guest Brad Paisley, Sugarland, Keith Urban, and Vince Gill with Miss Piggy.

ABC to Re-Air CMA Country Christmas

TawnyTucker — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:45:54 +0000

“CMA Country Christmas,” hosted for the second year by Jennifer Nettles, of reigning CMA Vocal Duo of the Year Sugarland, re-airs Saturday, December 17th (9:00-11:00 PM/ET) on ABC.

“Viewers now have a second opportunity to experience the music, memories, and stories of the season with some of our format’s biggest stars and their families,” said CMA Chief Executive Officer Steve Moore. “Fans have been calling since the original airing asking for more, and we are glad to give them a second helping.”

Got some country music gossip and don’t wanna be a tattle tale? Email me, Tawny Tucker, Tawny@countrymusictattletale.com