2011 was definitely a year of love. Lots of country’s biggest stars were engaged and/or said ‘I Do.’

• Shania Twain & Frederic Thiebaud tied the knot on January 1st in Puerto Rico.
• Kellie Pickler & Kyle Jacobs got hitched in the Carribbean on January 1st
• Blake Shelton & Miranda Lambert got hitched in front of friends, family, and fellow stars on May 14th
• Chely Wright and Lauren Blitzer said ‘I Do’ in their intimate outdoor ceremony on August 20th.
• Randy Houser & Jessa Lee Yantz tied the knot on September 2nd.
• Sunny Sweeney & Jeff Helmer tried their luck on 11-11-11 in Vegas.
• Jessica Andrews & Marcel Chagnon also got lucky on November 11th in their Nashville ceremony.
• Jennifer Nettles & Justin Miller surprised everyone with their Smokey Mountain wedding on November 26th.

Several other folks will get hitched next year after their 2011 engagements.

• Lady Antebellum will have some big celebrations next year when Hillary Scott weds Chris Tyrrell and Dave Haywood marries Kelli Cashiola
• Trailer Choir‘s not-s0-Big Vinny got engaged to Lori Diaz on The Biggest Loser
• Carter’s Chord’s Becky Robertson and producer Jeremiah Scott got engaged
• Bucky Covington & publicist Katherine Cook also got engaged
• Duo Meghan Linsey and Joshua Jones of Steel Magnolia will continue to make beautiful music together as well.

**CMTT’s pick for wedding of the year goes to Blake Shelton & Miranda Lambert…About Dayumn Time!

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

@JakeOwen “God Bless America.”

@UncleKracker “9/11 Feels just like it does every year…..unforgettable.”

@EdensEdge “I remember I was a sophomore in High School in my English class and we all held hands and prayed for the victims of 9/11. Where were you? HB”

@StealingAngels “God bless 9/11”

@DavidNail “My roommate woke me up. Was supposed to do vocals on first record! We never sang that day!”

@OfficialJackson “A lot of us reflecting today. Sharing stories helps to make sure we never forget…”Where Were You” on 9/11/01?”

@ChelyWright “Praying for peace. 9/11/11”

@JamesOtto “On the 10th anniversary of 9/11 I’m Thankful for the sacrifice of Soldiers & Jesus.”

@JRodFromOz “God Bless this amazing country & all who sacrifice so much to allow us keep it that way. Thank you to ALL our heroes & their loved ones.”

@RandyHouser “God Bless all the families of victims of 9/11. We love u and are with you today. God Bless America!”

@JennyAndAshley “Our love & prayers go out to families who lost loved ones 10 yrs ago in the terrible tragedy of 9/11. God bless you all, can’t even imagine.”

@ColtFord “Say a Prayer for the Familes of 9/11 and Say a Prayer for America. This is the Greatest Country!!! Pray for Our Soilders that keep us Safe!”

@Opry “We remember those who lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks 10 yrs ago & all U.S. Troops who have served our country.”

@LBTmusic (Little Big Town) “Remembering 10 years ago today & I’m inspired by the amazing heroic survival stories. May we learn to live in peace Phillip #911Remembered”

@WeAreKingston (formerly the Carter Twins) “We will never forget what happened 10 years ago today! My prayers are with those who lost loved ones today! Love someone today! #9/11”

@JewelJK “9/11….poverty stole our golden shoes, but did not steal our laughter, heartache came to visit, but we knew it was not ever after”

@AmberHayesMusic “I’m proud to be an American! Today we remember those we lost & those who continue to fight for our freedom! We will always remember and never forget 9/11 #GodBlessTheUSA”

@Reba “Thoughts and prayers go out to all the families and friends of the victims of 9/11. We’ll never forget. God Bless America!!!!!”

@JohnRich “9-11:Our generation’s Pearl Harbor. God bless the families of the victims and ALL those who serve to CRUSH terrorism around the world. Amen.”

@TheTimMcGraw “#Iwill 9/11/11 – Please retweet, and help start a 9/11 Tribute chain.”

@JoeDonRooney “#9/11RememberToday My thoughts & prayers go out to all those affected & especially all those lost May God bless them, always & #4ever”

@FollowTheBlonde (Melissa Peterman) “On the 10th anniversary of 9/11 Let us remember how after we were kinder, gentler, more humane 2 one another & continue 2 keep that alive”

@Bomshel “I can not believe it has been 10 years since september 11. I cam still remember exactly where o was an how I felt. Such a sad day. Sending Up lots of prayers for those who lost their lives today and for the families they left behind. For the brave men and women that went into those buildings, and for the soldiers still fighting today.”

@MartinaMcBride “2day we need 2 remember the pride we had in America on and after 9/11.The compassion and patriotism that brought us all 2gether.”

@TheBandPerry “Our hearts go out to the families and heroes of 9/11. Sending warm thoughts and honest prayers.”

@JoshGracin “Never forget this day! I will always remember and do my best to honor those who lost their lives.Keep close those u love and Never Forget!!”

@HunterHayes “Remembering the events of 9/11 and praying for everyone affected and for our men and women serving overseas and here at home…What a beautiful place we have to call home. God Bless America!!”

@LauraBellBundy “10 yrs ago today I was in NYC walking around in a literal fog of smoke shocked & dismayed. Love to all those who lost loved ones on 9/11/01”

Don’t forget to follow Country Music Tattle Tale (@CMTT) on Twitter

If you have any Tweet of the Week suggestions let me know!
Scotty B.
cmttreviewer@yahoo.com
Twitter @stupidkid2150

Chely Wright is hitched. According to People.com, Chely and long-time love Lauren Blitzer tied the knot today in Connecticut. Both ladies wore white gowns, but opted to forget the veil because they love their hair!

The couple then boogied down to music provided by a DJ and served their 200 guests BBQ.

You can read more here.

From Subject Received Size Categories
Country Music Tattle Tale Your Signature Line Code for CMTT 1/5/2010 9 KB

After tomorrow, the “single” part of “Single White Female” will be no more. Chely Wright is getting married. She and her fiancee, Lauren Blitzer, are being married at Blitzer’s aunt’s home in Connecticut.

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

Last night (Aug. 14) at the Indiana State Fair was tradgic. In a freak accident due to storms the stage collapsed just before Sugarland was set to perform killing 5 and injuring more than 40.

Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Here is a collection of tweets that the country music community (and others) have sent for those in Indy. Please use the hashtag #PrayForIndy on twitter.

@SugarlandMusic “We are all right. We are praying for our fans, and the people of Indianapolis. We hope you’ll join us. They need your strength.”

@AnnieClements (Sugarland Bass Player) “From Sugarland…You may see on the news that our stage collapsed tonight. We are all right. We are praying for our fans, and for the people of Indianapolis. We hope you will join us. They need your strength. Thank you.”

@TheBrandonBush (Sugarland Pianist/Accordian/more) “Stage collapsed in Indy, We are ok. Prayers are with those who may not be.”

@SPattonMusic (Scott Patton – Sugarland Guitarist) “Tonight was a tragedy. We are lucky to have avoided serious injury. My heart goes out to those families that weren’t so fortunate.”

@SaraBareilles (Opened for Sugarland) “Fortunately we are all safe, but a tragic stage accident has injured some folks in indiana. Our prayers are with them and their families. “

@BlakeShelton “My prayers to the people at the Sugarland concert in Indianapolis…. Absolutely shocking and hard to comprehend… Beyond belief…”

@MattNathanson “my thoughts and love to @Sugarlandmusic, their crew and their fans tonight.”

@ChelyWright “Sending prayers to the fans who were killed/injured at the Indiana State Fair as they were there to enjoy @SaraBareilles and Sugarland. Xo c”

@Bomshel “I am so sad to hear about the stage collapse at the Indiana state fair. our thoughts and prayers are with you. So so sad.”

@JakeOwen “Every guy in our crew has thoughts and prayers going out to folks at Indiana State Fair and our friends @Sugarlandmusic.”

@EdensEdge “Prayers to everyone at the IN state fair. It’s so scary when a stage collapses…. HB”

@DueWestMusic “What a scary tragic event that just happened in Indiana. This needs to stop happening. God bless those affected.”

@LauraBellBundy “My thoughts & prayers go out to the Sugarland fans in Indianapolis as well as Kristian, Jen & the @sugarland band/team. tragic”

@JMCOfficial (Jason Michael Carroll) “My thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those that were killed at the Indiana State Fair”

@GlorianaTheBand “Thoughts and prayers goin out to everyone at the @Sugarlandmusic concert at the Indiana state fair 2day. We are sending our love to u all -G”

@DavidNail “We are with you Indianapolis, we were just there! Prayers your way!”

@HunterHayes “Praying for everyone at the fair in Indianapolis. Our thoughts are with you all tonight!”

@Opry “Thoughts and prayers are with those affected by the accident at the Indiana State Fair.”

@StormeWarren “Unbelievable tales from Indy. Praying for everybody. Winds are going to keep getting stronger. Stages need to match. Sad.”

@SuzannAlexander “Sad to hear about accident at Indiana State Fair…prayers to everyone..”

@JayDeMarcus “All thoughts and prayers go to the folks in Indy and Sugarlands camp tonight… What an awful tragedy…”

@EastonCorbin “My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone that was injured and killed at the Indiana State Fair tonight.”

@SaraEvansMusic “Omgosh! Just heard about the stage at Sugarland concert! My prayers are with everyone involved! “

@MartinaMcBride “So sad to hear about the State Fair in Indianapolis. Our prayers are with Sugarland, their fans, and all the personnel working there.”

@SteelMagnolia11 “So sad to hear about the lives lost and those injured at the Sugarland concert in Indianapolis. Our prayers go out to their families.Xo Meg”

@Reba “What happened in Indianapolis tonight is what promoters, artists, crews and fans pray never happens. From my band, crew and the entire Starstruck organization, we send our thoughts and prayers to the 4 people who lost their lives tonight and to everyone who was at the concert . Jennifer and Kristen, I love you both.”

@JoshGracin “@IndyStateFair my heart goes out to everyone. I’ll be watching this closely .”

@KeithUrban “”I just saw the footage from Indiana State Fair tonight on youtube and am absolutely in shock. We send our prayers and thoughts to each and everyone of you who were there and your families and loved ones as well. God bless you all” – KU”

@DierksBentley “man… my heart goes out to all the country fans at the Indiana state fair. praying for you all….”

@LNTweet “Our Thoughts and Prayers are with everyone who was at or affected by the tragedy in Indianapolis tonight! God Bless everyone involved!”

@LoCashCowboys “jst came offstage & heard what happened in Indiana. Our Hearts, Prayers & Thoughts are w/all of u & ur families on this very sad nite-locash”

@ChuckWicksMusic “The band and myself just watched the horrible footage of the Indiana State Fair…shocking. Thoughts and Prayers to anyone involved.”

@CHRIS_Daughtry “Wow! Just saw video of Indiana State fair stage collapse! We’re played that stage! So horrible!”

@TwoFootFred “My thoughts and prayers go out to the fans who lost their lives tonight at Sugarland’s show at the IN Stare Fair… God Bless!”

@JaronATLRTL “Filled with sadness for those killed and injured in Indiana tonight. So so scary.”

@KChenoweth (Kristin Chenoweth) “My heart goes out to fans in Indiana and Sugarland.”

@CrystalBowersox “Omg so sad for the fans and friends and families…”

@TheDavidCook “Awful news about what happened at the Indiana State Fair. Thoughts are with all those affected.”

@RyanSeacrest “Just saw the vid of the stage collapse in indiana, unbelievable. Sending prayers to injured fans and @sugarlandmusic & crew. So sad…scary”

@UncleKracker “My heart goes out to the families of the fans who lost their lives last nite at the Sugarland show in Indiana.”

@KrisAllen “Horrible what happened at the Indy State Fair. Praying for the families of the people that lost their loved ones.”

@JulianneHough “My heart hurts so bad for these people! This footage makes me so sick…”

@KatieArmiger “My heart goes out to the families of those that were killed and those that were injured when the stage collapsed at the Indiana State Fair.”

@BuckyCovington “Thoughts and prayers go out to those who were affected by the tragedy at the @Sugarlandmusic show @IndyStateFair”

@TheJoshThompson “My prayers go out to the families of the ones lost last night at the Indiana State Fair. Sadness”

@NealMcCoy “I’m so sorry about what happened at the Sugarland concert,,,;our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved”

Don’t forget to follow Country Music Tattle Tale (@CMTT) on Twitter

If you have any Tweet of the Week suggestions let me know!
Scotty B.
cmttreviewer@yahoo.com
Twitter @stupidkid2150

I’ll admit, this is late, but to my defense…I’m a reader of novels, and it’s hard for me to stay focused on a book I already know the ending to.

Chely Wright‘s biography, Like Me left no stone unturned in the revealing story of the once-famous singer coming to terms with her sexuality. After the media blitz surrounding the book’s release, I wasn’t surprised by much inside. I was however, surprised by how much Chely was willing to share about the intimate details of her various relationships. Inside, Chely pulls back the curtains on her relationships with lovers, friends, family, and the music industry.

It’s Chely’s intimate relationships which will really surprise readers. Chely is open from the beginning about her attraction to women, but many will be surprised to learn she has been in love with a few women in her life…One of which was married while simultaneously involved with Chely. She also divulges intimate details about her relationship with Brad Paisley, whom she swears is the only person she was sexually involved with on her tour bus.

Although Chely expresses remorse throughout the book for the hurt she’s caused and any wrong-doing she’s done; I wonder how she feels about baring intimate details of those close to her. I almost feel like she’s sacrificing the privacy of those around her in the name of self-discovery and personal healing.

The “true” color of Nashville is painted in the pages of Like Me. Fellow artists, media, and industry folks seemed quick to judge Chely and slow to embrace. All the while, her family was left in the dark but was quick to love her when the truth came out.

Like Me is an organized, sometimes shocking and sometimes mundane tale of self-discovery as Chely Wright comes to terms with being homosexual. But it would prove comforting to anyone struggling with self acceptance or fear of not being accepted by others.

If you’d like to purchase Like Me click here, and let us know what you think when you’re done.

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

THIS CONTEST HAS ENDED

Congratulations to our winners:

• Stacy G.
• Kelsey Macy
• Mike B.

Chely Wright’s memoir, Like Me, makes her the first country music star to acknowledge her homosexuality and  her life hasn’t been the same. But that’s a good thing!

In the paperback edition of Like Me (Hal Leonard Books, $18.99), Wright tells the story of her life and her career; about growing up in America’s heartland, the youngest of three children; and about barely remembering a time when she didn’t know she was different. She then brings the story up to date with an afterword in which she discusses the many ways – mostly positive – her announcement in May 2010 has affected her life and her career.

In Like Me, Wright tells of making up her mind at an early age to become a country music star, knowing then that her feeling and crushes on girls were “sinful,” and hoping and praying that she would somehow be “fixed.” We see her, a homecoming queen, heading out on her own at 17 and landing a job on the Ozark Jubilee (the show that launched Brenda Lee, Red Foley and Porter Wagoner); being cast in Country Music, U.S.A., doing four live shows a day; and, after only a few months in Nashville, seeing her dream come true – performing on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry.

And, Wright tells of the prospect of losing everything she had worked so hard to create, of how her success, combined with hiding who she was, took its toll, and ultimately, of finding the guts to untangle herself from the image of the country music star she had become, an image steeped in fans’ long-held expectations of what a country artist should be.

In her afterword, Wright describes the reaction to both her book and her announcement last year from her family, her friends (inside and outside of Nashville), her fans, and the wider public, including those who only then learned of her and her music. Wright also discusses how she has embraced her new role as a spokeswoman for LGBT issues and how invitations to play for troops overseas have stopped coming in.

Chely Wright’s magical, musical journey has taken her from Wellsville, Kan., to Nashville and New York. Her journey as an openly gay woman has only just begun, and it’s off to a great start.

CMTT has your chance to win 1 of 3 copies of “Like Me”   Just click the enter to win button below:

HURRY we will be picking the winners on Friday, May 28th!

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