Hard at work on her upcoming new record, Lee Ann Womack pauses for a trip to Washington, DC. While in the nation’s capitol, the 7-time Country Music Association award-winner will perform at the Centennial First Ladies Luncheon at the Washington Hilton May 9th, then head to the White House that evening for the presentation of the Library of Congress’ Gershwin Award.

“When you’re asked by Congressman Green from Texas’s wife to help her, the collected spouses of Congress, the Supreme Court, President’s Cabinet and the Vice President to help honor our First Lady, you don’t say, ‘Well, I’m working on a record…’,” says the woman who was born and raised in Jacksonville, Texas. “To see all these people come together at a time when working together is gonna be the key to solving a lot of the issues facing our country, to me, that’s a wonderful place to start.”

To thank Womack for her performance, a contribution is being made to the Houston-based Healthcare for the Homeless, which provides long term medical care for people living on the streets or shelters who fall through the cracks. They also help those who can qualify integrate into more conventional forms of healthcare.

“It’s amazing the work these folks do,” Womack says. “Healthcare for the Homeless goes out on the streets to take medical care where people need it. They work with homeless people with serious health-related issues, and when possible, they help them find their way into the more conventional systems that have been set up to help people in need. That I can help in any way is a wonderful thing…”

Later that evening, Womack will join the rest of the committee members at the White House where Burt Bacharach and Hal David are being presented the 2012 Library of Congress’ Gershwin Prize– given to recognize a lifetime of excellence in songcraft. Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder and Sir Paul McCartney are the previous winners.

“Look at the songs Burt Bacharach and Hal David have written! Pop songs, movie themes, musicals… They put life to song, and they make us all hum along with their melodies,” Womack says. “I think people sometimes miss the poetry in what we hear on the radio, so I was thrilled hen they asked me to participate as part of the Committee to honor people who’ve made this kind of contribution… With parents who taught school, I learned lots of every day life can be poetry, it’s all how you see it.

“And it’s also my personal mission to see Willie Nelson receieve this award.”

The Gershwin Prize ceremony — including performances from Lyle Lovett, Diane Krall, Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow, Arturo Sandoval and Mike Myers among others – will be livestreamed by the White House (www.whitehouse.gov/live) May 9 at 7 pm. Eastern. The concert will also air May 21 at 9 pm on PBS.

“To be able to do things like this,” Womack says, “I am very, very blessed. Honoring creative people, celebrating the contributions of the First Lady and all the spouses in Washington, DC. Music can take you a lot of places you’d never imagine, and I try never to forget the power of what musicians, songwriters and singers do – and how it changes the way people look at their lives.”

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!

Dierks Bentley, Sheryl Crow, and others will show-off their waiter and waitressing abilities during the 11th annual Kevin Carter Waiting for Wishes celebrity waiters dinner set for Tuesday, May 8th at The Palm Restaurant in Nashville.

The event is co-hosted by Kevin Carter and Rascal Flatts’ Jay DeMarcus, and is expected to sell out, and at $500 a ticket, it’s sure to raise a pretty penny.

Other celebrity waiters include Lee Ann Womack, as well as NFL players and veterans including Jerome Bettis, Keith Bulluck, Tony Gonzales, Priest Holmes, Derrick Mason and Will Witherspoon. Other athletes and television personalities are also scheduled to participate.

For tickets call Paige Dixon at The Palm at 615-742-3193.

Proceeds go to benefit The Kevin Carter Foundation and Make-A-Wish Middle Tennessee.

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!

It was an exciting moment on the Ryman Auditorium stage during the UMG/Nashville CRS lunch event Wednesday in Nashville (2/22).

UMG/Nashville’s Royce Risser and Luke Lewis present George Strait with a plaque commemorating his first No. 1 as a songwriter, “Here For A Good Time,” Strait’s surprise appearance to open the show drew multiple standing ovations.  The King performed “I’ll Always Remember You” and “Troubadour,” both of which featured backing guitarists Mac McAnally and Steve Gibson.

Other performers at the luncheon included Lee Ann Womack, who sang “Same Kind Of Different As Me.” The audience stomped to the rhythm of Drake White’s “What You Can’t Have” when he went mic-less mid-song. Randy Rogers Band (“If I Had Another Heart”), Randy Montana (“Little Rock And The Rain”), Josh Kelley (“It’s Your Move”) and Mallary Hope (“Black Widow Spider”) each premiered new music.

Laura Bell Bundy (“That’s What Angels Do”), Canaan Smith (“We Got Us”), Kip Moore (“Somethin’ ‘Bout A Truck”), David Nail (“Sound Of A Million Dreams”), Easton Corbin (“Lovin’ You Is Fun”) and Josh Turner (“Time Is Love”) also performed new(ish) singles. “Your Man” songwriter and new UMGN artist Chris Stapleton preceded Turner with “Sometimes I Cry.”

Scotty McCreery made his Ryman debut with “You Make That Look Good,” while Lauren Alaina returned to the venerable stage for the first time since her American Idol audition with “Dirt Road Prayer.”   The concert’s second standing ovation went to Kacey Musgraves, who put her spin on small town living in “Merry Go ‘Round.”

Before singing “Red Words,” Vince Gill revealed that his appearance was a “thank you” to radio as he is no longer a UMG artist.

“For the first time in 30 years, I don’t have a record deal,” he said. “Don’t know that I want one. I’m just grateful for where I’ve been, and you’ve been a big part of where I’ve been and where I’m going. To my MCA family, it was really a sweet ride the last 23 years, and I appreciate everything you do.”

Lionel Richie and guest Luke Bryan closed the show with “Easy” and “Oh No.” “I’ve never been intimidated in my life,” Richie said before the set. “But in this case, Luke came to hotel and [he] knows my catalog better than I do.”

You can see all of CMTT’s photo from the luncheon on our Flick page by clicking here.

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

Some of today’s hottest country stars will join members of the Band of the Air Force Reserve along with The Air Force Strings from Washington D.C. to present Holiday Notes From Home—a TV special to air over the Christmas holiday on the Armed Forces Network (AFN). The program is sponsored by the Air Force Reserve Command.

Holiday Notes From Home will be broadcast in 177 counties to over 1.7 million people all around the world, including Iraq and Afghanistan along with every military installation overseas and all the ships and submarines at sea. It will also air on Great American Country (GAC).

Country hitmakers Little Big Town and Lee Ann Womack took some time out of their busy schedules to join hosts, chart topping country artist, Clay Walker and Great American Country’s (GAC) Nan Kelley, to give something back at this time of year and deliver this heart-felt holiday tribute, produced specifically for the men and women of our military and their families. This show also included a pre-show performance by southern country/rocker Adam Fisher.

This time of year can be especially difficult for our troops—separated from their families during a season that is all about family and tradition. The show will bring a little bit of “home” to those serving the call of freedom around the world. Christmas carols, the holiday spirit and the newly restored Opry stage decorated for the holidays will hopefully bring military families closer together and help them experience the magic of the season.

“This concert is for all of our troops who are continually deployed overseas, all of their families who are left behind, and for the employers who make such a big difference in those families lives,” said Lt. Gen. Charles E. Stenner, Jr., Chief of the Air Force Reserve. “If we can give just a little back to all those groups of people, I want to do this each year.”

Great American Country (GAC) air dates and times
(please note all times are in eastern time zone):
12/22/2011 08:00 PM
12/23/2011 12:00 AM
12/23/2011 11:00 AM
12/23/2011 05:00 PM
12/24/2011 07:00 PM
12/25/2011 10:00 AM

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

Some of today’s hottest country stars will join members of the Band of the Air Force Reserve along with The Air Force Strings from Washington D.C. to present Holiday Notes From Home—a TV special to air over the Christmas holiday on the Armed Forces Network (AFN). The program is sponsored by the Air Force Reserve Command.

Holiday Notes From Home will be broadcast in 177 counties to over 1.7 million people all around the world, including Iraq and Afghanistan along with every military installation overseas and all the ships and submarines at sea. It will also air on Great American Country (GAC).

Country hitmakers Little Big Town and Lee Ann Womack took some time out of their busy schedules to join hosts, chart topping country artist, Clay Walker and Great American Country’s (GAC) Nan Kelley, to give something back at this time of year and deliver this heart-felt holiday tribute, produced specifically for the men and women of our military and their families. This show also included a pre-show performance by southern country/rocker Adam Fisher.

This time of year can be especially difficult for our troops—separated from their families during a season that is all about family and tradition. The show will bring a little bit of “home” to those serving the call of freedom around the world. Christmas carols, the holiday spirit and the newly restored Opry stage decorated for the holidays will hopefully bring military families closer together and help them experience the magic of the season.

“This concert is for all of our troops who are continually deployed overseas, all of their families who are left behind, and for the employers who make such a big difference in those families lives,” said Lt. Gen. Charles E. Stenner, Jr., Chief of the Air Force Reserve. “If we can give just a little back to all those groups of people, I want to do this each year.”

Great American Country (GAC) air dates and times
(please note all times are in eastern time zone):
12/10/2011 08:30 PM
12/11/2011 07:00 PM
12/14/2011 08:00 PM
12/15/2011 12:00 AM
12/15/2011 10:00 AM
12/18/2011 10:00 AM
12/22/2011 08:00 PM
12/23/2011 12:00 AM
12/23/2011 11:00 AM
12/23/2011 05:00 PM
12/24/2011 07:00 PM
12/25/2011 10:00 AM

Internationally known artists such as Wynonna and Naomi Judd, Lonestar, Aaron Neville, Amy Grant, Take Six and Sandy Patti have graciously given their talents to entertain the troops overseas with previous Holiday Notes From Home shows. Holiday Notes From Home originally started out as a radio show over ten years ago, but due to it’s immense popularity, the Air Force Reserve Command decided to transition to television to reach a larger audience. To date, the show has entertained millions of American men and women serving the call of freedom abroad. In 2009, the show garnered the first Emmy nomination ever received by a military band. With talents like Little Big Town and Lee Ann Womack, this year’s show is destined for greatness as well.

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

Samuel M. Simpkins / The Tennessean

Last night, country stars took over the Gaylor Opryland Hotel for the ASCAP awards which reward songwriters for the great songs over the years. Dierks Bentley, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, and Josh Turner all attended. You can see more pictures here at Tennessean.com.

Samuel M. Simpkins / The Tennessean

Brad was honored for his song “Anything Like Me.”

Samuel M. Simpkins / The Tennessean

Samuel M. Simpkins / The Tennessean

Samuel M. Simpkins / The Tennessean

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

The annual Holiday Notes From Home Christmas concert is being taped Thursday, October 6th at 7pm at the Grand Ole Opry House. This event will be hosted by none other than GAC’s Nan Kelley and country music star Clay Walker.

The free tickets are an early holiday present to anyone who wishes to attend, with priority given to military families. The show will be taped live at the Opry and features performances by Little Big Town, Lee Ann Womack and a pre-show set by country outlaw Adam Fisher.

Members of the United States Air Force and Air Force Reserve, service members from Fort Campbell, KY, and the Tennessee Army & Air National Guard will be invited as special guests. They will accompany participating artists to send their holiday greetings to our soldiers and their families serving all around the world. The recording, Holiday Notes From Home, will air numerous times throughout the Christmas season on the Armed Forces Radio and Television Network (AFRTN).

Tickets are free and the event is open to everyone who wants to hear great music while showing their support for our military. If you have a loved one serving in the military, bring a sign to show some pride for your friend, spouse or family member. Tickets are available at the link below. The audience will need to be seated by 6:45 p.m.

Get tickets at http://holidaynotesfromhome.eventbrite.com/
Got some country music gossip and don’t wanna be a tattle tale? Email me, Tawny Tucker, Tawny@countrymusictattletale.com