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

Kenny Chesney’s single “You and Tequila,” the duet with Grace Potter that’s up for two GRAMMY Awards and five Academy of Country Music Awards, has just been certified platinum. It’s the second million-selling song from Chesney’s platinum, #1 album ‘Hemingway’s Whiskey’ (BNA), following “Somewhere With You,” which reached that mark last year. Chesney is up for a total of nine ACM awards, the most of any artist this year.

The recent accolades for “You and Tequila,” written by Deana Carter and Matreca Berg, follow the announcement that the ‘Brothers of the Sun’ Tour, starring Chesney and Tim McGraw, has already sold more than 500,000 tickets. The tour will feature stadium shows on weekend dates at venues across the country, the only cities and venues Chesney will play in 2012.

“It’s thrilling to know that Deana and Matraca’s beautiful song has reached so many people,” Chesney said, “and the fact that a half-million tickets has already been sold for the ‘Brothers of the Sun’ Tour makes me wants to get back on the road and give each crowd the best spring break party of their lives.”

‘Brothers of the Sun’ Tour Dates: https://tickets.kennychesney.com/

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

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

On Tuesday evening, Nashville’s Grammy Nominees got together downtown at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel to celebrate. The Tennessean was there to meet with all the nominees including Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean, Keb Mo, Steven Curtis Chapman and more. Take a look.

Photo: Jeanne Reasonover/The Tennessean

You can see more photos here.

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

A collection of country hits will be out by the end of the month. “Now That’s What I Call Country Ballads” will have 18 country hits. It includes the piano version of Taylor Swift’s “Forever and Always,” “I Could Not Ask For More” by Sara Evans, Lady Antebellum’s “American Honey” and Keith Urban’s “Tonight I Wanna Cry.” The Band Perry, Martina McBride, Shania Twain, Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney and Alan Jackson are also on the collection. “Now That’s What I Call Country Ballads” comes out January 24.

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

This year, the lucky folks attending the ACM Awards can stay an extra day to watch the taping of ACM Presents: Lionel Richie & Friends – A Lifetime of Hits, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Monday, April 2nd, 2012. This country tribute to the legendary Lionel Richie, featuring duets with Lionel from his upcoming album Tuskeegee, will also include some of Richie’s greatest hits performed by Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts, Kenny Rogers and many more. Tickets are $205, $155 and $105 for reserved seating with proceeds benefiting ACM Lifting Lives, the charitable arm of the Academy that is dedicated to improving lives through the power of music.

The show will air at a later date on CBS.

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

The Academy of Country Music announced today that Blake Shelton and Reba will return as hosts together for the second year at “The 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards” on Sunday, April 1, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The ACM Fan Jam will also return for the second year. This year the Fan Jam will be hosted by Zac Brown Band. Additional performers will be announced at a later date.

“ACM Presents: Lionel Richie and Friends – A Lifetime of Hits” will be held on April 2nd featuring performances by Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean, Lady Antebellum, Kenny Rogers, Rascal Flatts, Martina McBride and others. The special will air on CBS on a later date.

WHO’S READY FOR THE ACM Awards????

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