Our buddy Broadway caught up with Miranda Lambert after she won big at the Kentucky Derby. They spoke about her lucky small fortune, duets with her hubby Blake and American Idol Skylar Laine, and of course, Eric Church. Just in case you’ve been under a rock somewhere, Eric opened his mouth and inserted his foot in a recent Rollingstone interview where he pretty much called out artists who use reality tv to make a name for themselves. Well, lets put it this way, Miranda may have made up with Ashton Kutcher, but it’s gonna take some time for her and Eric Church to mend fences.

“It’s sad that, you know, he probably got roped into a really bad interview. I think it’s sad that they portrayed him that way, and that he actually portrayed himself that way. You know, cut down his friends. He probably didn’t realize he was cutting down his friends when he did it. Either way, he just said something stupid, and it’s gonna take him a long time to make it up to people that he offended. “

But, Miranda isn’t planning on holding a grudge or giving Eric the cold shoulder the next time they find themselves together either.

“I’ll be fine, I’m sure that he would be groveling, cuz he should.”

You can listen to the entire interview here.

Got some country music gossip and don’t wanna be a tattle tale? Email me, Tawny Tucker, Tawny@countrymusictattletale.com Don’t miss a country music beat! Sign up to receive free email updates or subscribe to CMTT via RSS today!

BamaJam 2012 is excited to announce the addition of over 35 acts (listed below) to its superstar-packed line-up. The newly-added acts will join previously announced performers Kid Rock, Tim McGraw, Zac Brown Band, Alan Jackson, Eric Church, Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, NEEDTOBREATHE, Casey James, Gov’t Mule, Uncle Kracker, Yelawolf, Ronnie Milsap, Jamey Johnson, Third Day, Stryper and more. BamaJam 2012 is the premier festival of the South, slated for Thursday, June 14th through Saturday, June 16th in Enterprise, Alabama.

This is the last weekend to purchase 3-day BamaJam 2012 passes for the discounted price of $119, with the price set to increase to $135 Monday, May 14th. Buy now to ensure the lowest price! For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.bamajam2012.com, or Ticketfly.com, or charge by phone at (877) 4FLYTIX or (877-435-9849).

See Daily Line-up After the Jump…

Thursday, June 14th
Tim McGraw
Eric Church
Willie Nelson
Darryl Worley
Third Day
Outlaws
Herrick
Dustin Lynch
Tyler Reeve
The FARM
David Kroll
The Lost Trailers
John Nemeth
Joanna Smith
ConnorChristian & SouthernGothic
Bill Gentry
Martin McDaniel
Buffalo Clover
Honey Island Swamp Band
Aerias

Friday, June 15th
Zac Brown Band
Alan Jackson
NEEDTOBREATHE
Ronnie Milsap
Stryper
Michael Sweet
John Elefante
Casey James
Wood Brothers
Badfinger
Sonia Leigh
Nic Cowan
Aaron Parker
Levi Lowrey
Dugas
Albert Castiglia
Wheeler Boys

Saturday, June 16th
Kid Rock
Sheryl Crow
Jamey Johnson
Gov’t Mule
Uncle Kracker
Yelawolf
Randy Montana
Breaking Laces
Drake White
Rosehill
Big Smo
Mockingbyrd
Tyler Farr
Moreland & Arbuckle
Jaida Dreyer
Bridge To Grace
Greg Bates
Downside Up

BamaJam 2012 is pleased to offer the VIP Artist Area ticket for only $399. The VIP Artist Area ticket will grant you access to get up close and personal with the stars themselves while they are performing! There are a limited number of VIP Artist Area Tickets, so act fast. VIP Artist Area Tickets do not have to be purchased in addition to General Admission Tickets. Lawn chairs are permitted in the VIP Artist Area.

Fans of all music genres will experience non-stop entertainment by today’s most popular acts from dual headline stages set at the pristine 1600-acre BamaJam Farms, “Where God and Country Coincide.” Come for the music, cool down in the new water park (opening spring 2012), explore the ATV trails, tailgate at the camping sites, park the RV with full service amenities or swing a club or two at the par 3 executive golf course onsite. Country star and BamaJam Farms spokesman Darryl Worley will perform and host the opening night of what promises to be one of the grandest outdoor entertainment extravaganzas.

BamaJam 2012 is a production of BamaJam Productions, LLC. For more information about BamaJam 2012 artists, tickets, camping, directions, parking, sponsors, jobs and vendors, please visit www.bamajam2012.com

Got some country music gossip and don’t wanna be a tattle tale? Email me, Tawny Tucker, Tawny@countrymusictattletale.com Don’t miss a country music beat! Sign up to receive free email updates or subscribe to CMTT via RSS today!

Eric Church has really created quite a stir with his Rollingstone Comments about reality TV. Well, Jimmy Wayne took to his Facebook page to share his thoughts on the subject and his friend Blake Shelton.

When I moved to Nashville it didn’t take me long to realize I was one of millions who visit this town searching for that once chance to be heard and then hope and pray it’s leads to a record deal; The chances of winning the KY lottery are better.
I went to a writers night at the Douglas Corner where I saw a young man performing in the round. He sang a song about prison and a dog. It was titled ole Red. That slim young man was named Blake Shelton. I introduced myself and complemented the song. He said- yeah, I hope the label let’s me record that song. I pondered his response on my way home that evening driving towards Mt. Juliet TN where I lived in the basement of the Kelso’s home. “I hope the label let’s me record it? This went around and around inside my head. I couldn’t believe that someone as talented as this guy was had to ask anyone if he could record a great song. It really helped put things in perspective.

Many years went by, Blake and I both were on the radio. It was surreal! I shared my opinion with someone who’d moved to town just like I did and trying to figure out where to go and what to do. It’s like this: you’re a pie baker. You supply all the ingredients and you bake the pie. You slice and you slice. You serve and you serve. Although you bought all the supplies and worked so hard in the hot kitchen you only ended up with what was left on the knife. That’s all the pie you’re gonna get and if you’re ok with that then you may have a chance in this business.

Today’s climate is much different than it was 10 years ago and not for the better. It’s harder now than it’s ever been. Illegally downloading has severly crippled the entertainment business. Record labels have closed & song writers have been forced to move on and find other ways to provide for their families. Artist are one song away from losing their record deal. Creating and recreating yourself seems to be one route to take in order to stay ahead of the plague. Reality tv may not be the best tv we’ve ever seen however it’s generates lots of traffic. Blake Shelton was asked to be on The Voice. Anyone in their right mind would have taken that opportunity and would have done so at half the price. This not only generates traffic for Blake Shelton but it helps the entire Country Music genre. That’s our guy representing us on National TV. Our spokesperson. Our ambassador.
When I look back and think of that tall skinny young man sittin’ behind that microphone in a round at Douglas Corner and see him now in that big red chair on THE VOICE helping others live their dream it’s make me proud to know him and call him a friend. Blake Shelton is one of the best singers Country Music has heard in a very long time. He’s funny and whitty. He’s married to a wonderful woman who took care of my dogs foot once while we were on the road doing a show.
The point is: there’s no formula. There’s no particular “way”. There’s many ways to breaking into this business. A reality tv show is just one of many. A parent who has two million dollars to give the label is obviously another way. Luck is last but not least and as we all know one out if a gazillion wins the lottery!

Rock on Blake Shelton!

Nicely said Jimmy!!! It doesn’t really matter how someone gets to the top…Only talent keeps them there!! And national platforms like TV and movies only bring more people to our genre!!

Got some country music gossip and don’t wanna be a tattle tale? Email me, Tawny Tucker, Tawny@countrymusictattletale.com Don’t miss a country music beat! Sign up to receive free email updates or subscribe to CMTT via RSS today!

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know by now that there’s a current beef between Eric Church and Blake & Miranda. In the latest Rolling Stone magazine, Eric has a two page interview titled “Boozin’ and Crusin’ With Country’s Rowdiest Star”. When reality TV and The Voice was mentioned, he was quoted saying….

“It’s became American Idol gone mad. Honestly, if Blake Shelton and Cee Lo Green f—ing turn around in a red chair, you get a deal? That’s crazy. I don’t know what would make an artist do that. You’re not an artist.”

“If I was concerned about my legacy, there’s no f—ing way I would ever sit there [and be a reality-show judge]. Once your career becomes something other than the music, then that’s what it is. I’ll never make that mistake. I don’t care if I f—ing starve.”

Now I’ve met Eric, and he was really quiet, but decent to us. So I decided to go out and buy the new Rolling Stone Magazine issue just to see how bad this interview was and if it was blown out of proportion or not.

In the beginning of the article it says that “Eric Church loves Bruce, Jack Daniel’s, and rocking arenas to the ground”…(and apparently doesn’t care what anyone thinks!) Eric Church starts off by talking about hunting rattlesnakes with a loaded gun and then leads into saying how he doesn’t want anything to f—–ing change. His producer Jay Joyce was talking about quitting smoking and Eric said “Don’t quit f—-ing smoking. Nothing can change”. Talk about being selfish and superstitious. The article went on to talk about how at one point, word spread that Eric Church and his band was trouble and how he couldn’t book anything major for FOUR years after he was pulled off the Rascal Flatts tour.

During this time, Church said he remembers sending out his guitarist, Driver Williams, to play Pantera instruments before their sets to get rid of the older fans.

“It didn’t interest me to play for people who were 80 years old”….”They’ll be dead soon anyway. By the time you come back on tour and play again, they’ll be gone.”

Wow….now in my opinion that is almost more rude than what he said about The Voice and Blake Shelton. I know for a fact that some artists can’t stand others or have very heavy opinions. That doesn’t mean you should just share all of your most intense thoughts and risk hurting others when you are being interviewed! Eric, are you trying to be the Kanye West of country music? I hope not! Of course late last night, Eric said that what he said in this interview wasn’t meant to hurt anyone…However, I wonder how someone like Willie Nelson feels about that old person comment. As Miranda pointed out, he’s about to turn 80 next year! Better see Eric before you get the boot Willie!!!

AshleyFig
Country Music Gossip Queen on K92.3 Orlando’s Country
Follow Me! @ashfig

Eric Church doesn’t hold back in an interview with Rollingstone magazine. Inside, Eric basically says that reality tv is no way to start a career, further your career, or basically have any positive aspect on much of anything at all…He says this in so many words, many which can’t even be written here. In fact, Eric calls-out Blake Shelton specifically for being part of something as successful as “The Voice.”

It’s become American Idol gone mad. Honestly, if Blake Shelton and Cee Lo Green f—ing turn around in a red chair, you get a deal? That’s crazy. I don’t know what would make an artist do that. You’re not an artist.”

“If I was concerned about my legacy, there’s no f—ing way I would ever sit there [and be a reality-show judge]. Once your career becomes something other than the music, then that’s what it is. I’ll never make that mistake. I don’t care if I f—ing starve.”

Well, nothing gets past anyone these days, and thanks to Twitter, Blake Shelton was able to post a response…And I’d like to give Blake props for keeping his cool, and not stooping to the curse-a-thon Eric chose to display.

“@keepinitblog: Eric Church slams Blake Shelton, @NBCTheVoice, in his interview: http://fb.me/1IjOR0jgE” I wish I misunderstood this…

Miranda also came to her husband’s defense, as well as to the defense to artists who sprung from Reality tv everywhere.

Thanks Eric Church for saying I’m not a real artist. Or @kelly_clarkson, @carrieunderwood & @KeithUrban. Your welcome for the tour in 2010.

Miranda was participant in Nashville Star while Kelly and Carrie are American Idol success stories. Keith Urban is currently a judge on the Australian version of “The Voice.”

What do you think of Eric’s statements in Rollingstone??  I give him kudos for doing country music his way, but I don’t think that gives him the expertise to tear down how other folks go about it.  After all, country music’s fan base is only getting bigger because of these shows.

**Update….Eric has released a statement with ABC News

“part of a larger commentary on these types of reality shows and the perception they create, not the artists involved with the shows themselves.”

He goes on to explain that shows like The Voice and American Idol make it seem like artists can take a shortcut to success and don’t show the hard work that goes into making a music career successful once the cameras stop rolling.

“Every artist has to follow up television appearances with dedication towards their craft, but these shows tend to gloss over that part and make it seem like you can be ordained into stardom,” says Eric. “I have a problem with those perceived shortcuts, not just in the music industry.”

Responding directly to Miranda’s tweet, Eric adds, “I have a lot of respect for what artists like Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, and my friend Miranda Lambert have gone on to accomplish. This piece was never intended to tear down any individual and I apologize to anybody I offended in trying to shed light on this issue. ”

Eric expresses gratitude to the artists and fans that have helped him so far and says he didn’t mean for his “comments to undermine their talent and achievements.”

Got some country music gossip and don’t wanna be a tattle tale? Email me, Tawny Tucker, Tawny@countrymusictattletale.com Don’t miss a country music beat! Sign up to receive free email updates or subscribe to CMTT via RSS today!

Colt Ford never likes to disappoint his fans so when Eric Church had to cancel this past Sunday’s “Blood, Sweat, and Beers” tour date in Bloomington, IL, Ford decided to head across the street at a local bar to perform a 90-minute acoustic set.

“I felt really bad my buddy Eric Church had to cancel the show. There is no one that takes care of his fans more than Eric and that is why I have so much respect for him. Things just happen sometimes,” explains Ford. “I texted him to ask if he was cool with me and the boys going across the street and playing some acoustic songs for the folks that were hanging around. He said ‘hell yea’ and we dang sure did. It was special. We made the best out of a tough situation. I got everyone to give Eric a big ‘hell yea’ and we had a ball. It is all about the fans for me and Eric.”

Eric was forced to cancel the April 29th show late in the day, when he couldn’t regain his voice.

I’m so disappointed. I apologize to everybody for having to cancel tonight’s show. I’ve played shows with injuries before but unfortunately cannot overcome having no voice. I hate that this came so late in the day but I’ve tried everything I know of to get it back and wanted to give it as much time as I could to try and make the show happen. To the fans that were planning on attending, I owe you one.” – Eric

Known for his authentic brand of country rap, Colt Ford is currently headlining his own “Declaration of Independence” tour with labelmates The Lacs, JB and The Moonshine Band, and Lenny Cooper. Ford is putting the final touches on his fourth studio album, Declaration of Independence, which will be released later this summer.

For up-to-date information on Colt Ford, visit www.coltford.com

Got some country music gossip and don’t wanna be a tattle tale? Email me, Tawny Tucker, Tawny@countrymusictattletale.com Don’t miss a country music beat! Sign up to receive free email updates or subscribe to CMTT via RSS today!

Want to see grammy-award winning country star Eric Church live on Saturday, May 5 at his sold out Nashville show?  NRA Country has a chance for you to win some tickets!  Please visit http://nracountry.com/eric-church-ticket-giveaway for more information and GOOD LUCK!

CMTT wants you to be a Tattle Tale! We want to hear what you have to say about country music and your favorite artists. Email Jessica at countrygirl@countrymusictattletale.com. Don’t miss a country music beat! Sign up to receive free email updates or subscribe to CMTT via RSS today!