Take a look at Matt Stillwell‘s new video for “Ignition.” What do you think??

Directed by Potsy Ponciroli and produced by Travis Nicholson from Team Genius Films, the music video was taped while on the road from Phoenix, AZ to Austin, TX. With stops along the way, including the Grand Canyon, larger than life images were captured giving the new single a proper visual to equate the powerful message behind the song. Dramatic time-lapse effects were used in the video and Stillwell’s five-month-old daughter Carolina makes her debut.

For up-to-date information on Matt Stillwell, visit www.mattstilwell.net

Dierks Bentley is an accomplished singer/songwriter accustomed to performing his unique blend of country meets bluegrass in packed houses across the country. The superstar recently stopped by CMT’s Nashville studio to film a new episode of UNPLUGGED, debuting exclusively on CMT.com on Tuesday, May 29 at 2:00 p.m. ET. Bentley’s set list includes his bluegrass spin on Adele’s “Set Fire to the Rain,” along with hits from his critically-acclaimed album Home “5-1-5-0,” “Am I the Only One,” “Up on the Ridge” and “Home.”

“I love breaking my songs back down to their original acoustic foundation,” said Bentley about performing on the iconic series. “When I write these songs by myself or with friends, we just use acoustic guitars… so, it’s fun to sometimes go back to just the simple groove and idea you had to begin with.”

The episode will also air as a half-hour special on Palladia (Saturday, June 2nd at 9 p.m. ET), CMT (Monday, June 25th at 10 a.m. ET/PT) and CMT PURE (Monday, June 25th at 9 p.m. ET/PT). In addition, more than 700,000 fans on CMT’s Facebook page can view Bentley’s episode of UNPLUGGED in a dedicated tab available on Tuesday, May 29th.

State Farm is the exclusive digital sponsor of UNPLUGGED. MTV Music Group announced earlier this year that its Grammy® and Emmy® award-winning series, Unplugged would return for the 2012 season with eight episodes spanning across MTV Music Group’s multiple screens and platforms, including CMT, MTV and VH1.

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!

Beginning this week, players of the Facebook game, CMT Presents Platinum Life: Country, can enter the NASHVILLE GET-AWAY Sweepstakes; a national promotion designed for country music’s biggest fans. The Grand Prize winner of the Sweepstakes will receive an all-expense-paid trip for two to Nashville along with tickets and backstage passes to the Grand Ole Opry, a personal tour of CMT studios, and other prizes.

The NASHVILLE GET-AWAY Sweepstakes celebrates CMT Presents Platinum Life: Country’s all-new gameplay, music, cash drawings, and country superstars including Rascal Flatts, Dierks Bentley, Thompson Square, Trace Adkins, Dolly Parton, Joe Nichols, Big & Rich, Colt Ford and Kristin Chenoweth.

Country fans can enter the NASHVILLE GET-AWAY Sweepstakes by playing CMT Presents Platinum Life: Country on Facebook https://apps.facebook.com/platinumlifecountry/. The sweepstakes runs May 21 through July 6 and is open to US residents. Everyone must be at least 21 years old to enter. Complete official sweepstakes rules are available at https://apps.facebook.com/platinumlifecountry/.

No purchase is necessary to participate in the NASHVILLE GET-AWAY Sweepstakes, which can be entered every day. In addition to the Grand Prize trip to Nashville, five second place and 100 third place prizes will be awarded. Complete prizing information can be found at https://apps.facebook.com/platinumlifecountry/. All sweepstakes winners will be randomly selected on July 9th.

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!

Take a look at Jerrod Niemann‘s new video for “Shining on Me.” What do you think?? This song makes me happy…

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!

More artists have been added to the Nightly Concerts at LP Field during 2012 CMA Music Festival, featuring two acoustic performance sets each night.

During Opening Ceremonies on Thursday, June 7, David Nail will perform the title track of his album The Sound of a Million Dreams with the previously-announced Nashville School of the Arts Chamber Choir (under the direction of Walter Bitner). The Nashville School of the Arts has been a recipient of funds from CMA’s Keep the Music Playing program, which benefits music education in Metro Nashville Public Schools. Having a father who is a highly regarded high school band director, taught Nail to be a life-long supporter of music education.

The current lineups for the Nightly Concerts are as follows in alphabetical order:

Thursday, June 7:
Full band performances: Jason Aldean, Glen Campbell, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley,and Zac Brown Band
Acoustic performances :Lauren Alaina and Kellie Pickler
Special performance: David Nail with the Nashville School of the Arts Chamber Choir (under the direction of Walter Bitner)
National Anthem performer: Nashville School of the Arts Chamber Choir (under the direction of Walter Bitner)
Host: Storme Warren (GAC’s “Headline Country”)

Friday, June 8:
Full band performances: The Band Perry, Brantley Gilbert, Ronnie Milsap, Jake Owen, Blake Shelton, and Carrie Underwood
Acoustic performances: Randy Houser and Gwen Sebastian
National Anthem performer: Oak Ridge Boys
Host: To be announced soon

Saturday, June 9:
Full band performances: Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Hunter Hayes, Faith Hill, Little Big Town, and Kenny Rogers
Acoustic performances: Love and Theft and Kip Moore
National Anthem performer: Julie Roberts
Host: Melissa Peterman (CMT’s “The Singing Bee”)

Sunday, June 10:
Full band performances: Dierks Bentley, Alan Jackson, The Mavericks, Martina McBride, Scotty McCreery, and Rascal Flatts
Acoustic performances: Bill Anderson and Steel Magnolia
National Anthem performer: Sarah Darling
Host: Evan Farmer (CMT’s “Top 20 Countdown”)

Tickets to the individual Nightly Concerts are $40 (plus applicable handling fees) for general admission in the upper deck of LP Field. Fans can purchase their tickets through Ticketmaster at Ticketmaster.com or 1 (800) 745-3000. They can also purchase them through CMAfest.com or 1 (800) CMA-FEST (262-3378).

Four-day ticket packages are also available, from only $125 per person plus handling fees. Four-day ticket package categories correspond to varying levels of seating at LP Field and include admittance to all four Nightly Concerts as well as all daytime Festival activities, including the Fan Fair Fall where artist autograph signing sessions are held. Children 3 years and younger are admitted FREE. For information on ADA seating, please call 1-800-CMA-FEST.

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’s not every day that fans get to become part of one of the hottest tickets in country music, but for Peter Geiger from North Carolina, he’ll get to do just that. As the winner of the Design Rascal Flatts’ Tour Guitar contest, presented by CMT and Taylor Guitars, he’ll enjoy seeing a guitar that he designed played by Rascal Flatts on their upcoming Farmers Insurance Presents “Changed Tour.” In addition to the guitar being played by band members onstage in cities across America, Geiger will enjoy a VIP experience to see the band live and receive his own autographed, custom-designed Taylor GS8 model.

Geiger’s winning design, which features a license plate theme and the word “Changed,” a nod to the band’s new album, was applauded by band members Gary LeVox, Joe Don Rooney and Jay DeMarcus in the video below as they sorted through hundreds of entries.

As an artist who designs guitars out of old license plates, Geiger tells us he was selective in his composition.

“Each guitar tells a person’s life story. I used those [license] tags because that’s where the band is from, Ohio, Oklahoma, and now, Nashville, Tennessee.” Geiger, who has been designing for about five years, heard about the contest through the Web. As a country music fan, he says it’s exciting for him to win this contest. “It’s the first guitar design of mine that will come to life and be played,” he shares. “I can’t wait to see it on stage.”

While the grand prize winner has been selected, fans will have additional opportunities to win Rascal Flatts autographed GS Mini guitars at select concert dates, on CMT RADIO LIVE WITH CODY ALAN, and on CMT.com, provided by Taylor Guitars. In total, CMT and Taylor Guitars will give away 15 guitars throughout the summer-long promotion.

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!

The 2012 CMT Music Awards is guaranteed to be the hottest ticket in town this summer with performers including Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood and Zac Brown Band during this year’s live show. Country music’s first fan-voted awards show, now in its 11th year, will broadcast from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, June 6th at 8:00 p.m., ET/PT on CMT and CMT.com. Additional performers, along with host and presenters will be announced soon.

Tickets for the show will go on sale Monday, May 21st at 11:00 a.m. ET/10:00 a.m. CT at all Ticketmaster outlets and the Bridgestone Arena Box Office.

Fans can vote online at CMT.com, and on their mobile device at CMT Mobile or the CMT Insider app available on iPhone, iPad and Android now through June 4th to determine the winners. The five finalists for VIDEO OF THE YEAR will be announced at the beginning of the live show and fans can then vote at CMT.com, CMT mobile, on the CMT Insider app and via text message throughout the live telecast (ET/CT only) to determine the night’s big winner.

For more information as it becomes available, follow CMT on Twitter (@FollowCMT), hashtag #CMTawards and become a fan of the CMT Music Awards on Facebook.

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!