Country Music News

TRACY LAWRENCE

Attention: Tracy Lawrence fans. There is a wonderful, if brief, interview with Tracy online at CMT.

About recording "Find Out Who Your Friends Are" with Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw, Tracy says: We've all been friends for years. We've talked about it off and on -- for a long time -- of us doing something together. I sang on a track on one of Chesney's albums a couple of years ago with George Jones, and we bounce around and do those things periodically. I thought it would be real cool for the three of us to get together. I thought the lyrics of the song applied so much because they've had their whole deal with the horse.

[Chesney gained national media attention in 2000 when he rode away on a deputy's horse at the New York State Fair. McGraw was charged with attacking the deputies as they tried to corral Chesney and the horse.]

Kenny's had his bumps in the media, and everybody has, but we all met at the same time early on in our careers. And to see everyone succeed to the level that we all have is really pretty amazing -- for three kids to have met all those years ago and still actually have a good relationship with each other. When my vocal was done on the record, I burned copies of it and sent it to both of them. We talked on the phone a couple days later. They loved it and said it was a good idea. We booked a studio and everybody got together to finish up a record.


WILLIE NELSON

Attention: Willie Nelson fans. An awesome, Willie Nelson three-part interview with David Breskin in Musician magazine in 1982 is available online.

Part 1 http://stillisstillmoving.com/?p=1919
Part 2 http://stillisstillmoving.com/?p=1932
Part 3 http://stillisstillmoving.com/?p=1947

CMT

CMT has a new blog for country music lovers at http://blog.cmt.com/ Categories include albums, news, tours and, of course, CMT shows. Also a handful of artist under "Popular Topics." It is worth a look.

COUNTRY MUSIC FAN CLUBS

Your favorite country music fan clubs are included in the BLACK BOOK GUIDE TO OFFICIAL COUNTRY MUSIC FAN CLUBS: THE TOP 100, FROM TRACE ADKINS TO TRISHA YEARWOOD. Now available at amazon.com

Country Music: Billboard Top 10

Big and Rich have the number one song in country music this week, according to Billboard (7-28-07):

1. Big & Rich - Lost in this Moment
2. Kenny Chesney - Never Wanted Nothing More
3. Keith Urban - I Told You So
4. George Strait - Wrapped
5. Taylor Swift - Teardrops on My Guitar
6. Jake Owen - Startin' With Me
7. Montgomery Gentry - Lucky Man
8. Rodney Atkins - These Are My People
9. Jason Aldean - Johnny Cash
10. Bucky Covington - A Different World

It is good to see some of the new country music voices holding their own on the charts.

Billboard's Top Country Albums are:

1. Brad Paisley - 5th Gear
2. Taylor Swift - Taylor Swift
3. Toby Keith - Big Dog Daddy
4. Carrie Underwood - Some Hearts
5. Big & Rich - Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace
6. Tim McGraw - Let It Go
7. Jason Aldean - Relentless
8. Rascal Flatts - Me & My Gang
9. Sugarland - Enjoy the Ride
10. Keith Urban - Love, Pain & The Whole Crazy Thing

Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats" is #18 on the Billboard Top 100 chart this week, down one. Still, the unmistakeably country song has crossed over onto the mainstream chart for 46 weeks now!

Big & Rich's "Lost in This Moment" stays at #38 on the Hot 100, with 17 weeks on the chart.

Taylor Swift's "Teardrops On My Guitar" is up one spot to #40 on the Hot 100, with 19 weeks on the chart.

Tim McGraw & Faith Hill's "I Need You" is up four to #50 on the Top 100, with 9 weeks on the chart.

Country Music at Live Earth

The 7/7/07 Live Earth concert for the planet was seen in more than 100 countries and included a taste of country music

KEITH URBAN sang an awesome rock duet of "Gimme Shelter" with Alicia Keys, then went on to play "Days Go By," "Stupid Boy" and "I Told You So." CLICK HERE to see the "Gimme Shelter" video.

BON JOVI sang a mixed set that included "Lost Highway" and "Who Says You Can't Go Home."

KELLY CLARKSON sang rock - no shade of her REBA duet.

You can catch all of the concerts online at http://www.liveearth.org/

COUNTRY MUSIC: REBA & KELLY CLARKSON

REBA & KELLY CLARKSON DUET

Did you see the REBA and KELLY CLARKSON Crossroads show on CMT last week? If not, it is sure to be rerun.

Once again REBA shows herself to be the a fantastic performer, capable of soulful country and rock. And Kelly held her own with her idol, Reba.

One difference in their singing - Kelly says Reba can hit the low notes she can't, and Reba says Kelly can hit the high notes.

Together, they made some beautiful and memorable music.

You can watch the video of the REBA & KELLY CLARKSON duet of "Because of You" online at YouTube and CMT.

The CD version is online, too. CLICK HERE.

the live performance of REBA and KELLY singing "Since U Been Gone."

the live performance of REBA and KELLY singing "Does He Love You."

the REBA and KELLY Crossroads interview.

Lyrics to BECAUSE OF YOU
by Reba McEntire featuring Kelly Clarkson
(Lyrics & Music by: Kelly Clarkson/David Hodges/Ben Moody)

I will not make
The same mistakes that you did
I will not let myself
Cause my heart so much misery
I will not break
The way you did
You fell so hard
I've learned the hard way
To never let it get that far

Chorus
Because of you
I never strayed too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side
So I don't get hurt
Because of you
I find it hard to trust
Not only me
But everyone around me
Because of you
I am afraid

I lose my way
And it's not too long before you point it out
I cannot cry
Because I know that's weakness in your eyes
I'm forced to fake a smile, a laugh
Every day of my life
My heart can't possibly break
When it wasn't even whole to start with

Because of you
I never strayed too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side
So I don't get hurt
Because of you
I find it hard to trust
Not only me
But everyone around me
Because of you
I am afraid

I watched you die (I watched you die)
I heard you cry
Every night in your sleep (in your sleep)
I was so young (I was too young)
You should have known better
Than to lean on me (lean on me)
You never thought of anyone else
You just saw your pain (you never saw me)
And now I cry in the middle of the night
For that same damn thing

Because of you
I never strayed too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side
So I don't get hurt
Because of you I find it hard to trust
Not only me
But everyone around me
Because of you
I am afraid

Because of you (oooh)
Oooh Because of you (oooh)