Grand Ole Opry

by Brad Schmitt

Brad Schmitt is a longtime Nashville entertainment journalist, having shared the goods on Music City’s most interesting people in the newspaper, on TV, and online for more than 15 years. Every week, Brad hits country fans with the latest news from Nashville and the lives of their favorite country artists.

Martina, Chris Young to sing for the land of the free – and national TV cameras

They say the national anthem is one of the toughest songs to sing. But Martina McBride and Chris Young ain’t skeered.

Martina landed herself a star-spangled performance slot before the Kentucky Derby, a great gig because the Derby has used singers of all genres, including pop stars Mary J. Blige and Jordin Sparks.

She’s singing at 5 p.m. ET Saturday (May 4) at Churchill Downs, and her performance will air live on NBC.

About two hours earlier, Chris Young will be belting out the national anthem at the NASCAR Aaron’s 312 race at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama, on ESPN.

Sorry, Ricky Bobby not included.

Trace Adkins catches a little flak on “Celebrity Apprentice”

Now, don’t get me wrong – Trace Adkins’ team won again in last night’s (April 28) episode of the all-star season of Celebrity Apprentice. And Trace, now in the final five, looks like he’ll definitely be in the finals again.

But Trace got a little grief in the boardroom. He was accused of being cold during a meeting with the client and The Donald Trump accused Trace of flying under the radar.

Trace grumbled that his team sure did seem happy to continue using his ideas.

In fact, Trace came up with the major concept behind a video showing off “smart appliances” that can be operated remotely by a cell phone.

And Trace kept bringing the funny.

“Smart refrigerator,” Trace said.

“I want mine to just say, ‘Go away, you’re too fat. Thought you were on a diet. The ice cream’s not for you, fat a$%!’”

For the first time, CMA Music Festival sells out six weeks beforehand

Do what??

The CMA Music Festival puts on four nights of shows at a football stadium, for cryin’ out loud. That’s a lot of tickets, people!

But the festival, set for June, is already sold out! All the tix are gone, The Tennessean reports. Crazy.

Headliners Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and others have lots to do with that, I’m sure.

And so does the increase in popularity of country music.

But the real reason, well, according to me, anyway: Ping pong with Lady Antebellum.

The trio is setting up an autograph booth at the CMA Music Fest that’ll be a copy of their backstage area.

“It’s this really cool, another level of fan experience here at CMA Music Festival,” said Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott.

“We’re going to have a booth that is a replica of what backstage is for us, so we’ll have a tiki bar and our ping-pong table.”

by Brad Schmitt

Brad Schmitt is a longtime Nashville entertainment journalist, having shared the goods on Music City’s most interesting people in the newspaper, on TV, and online for more than 15 years. Every week, Brad hits country fans with the latest news from Nashville and the lives of their favorite country artists.

Martina to salute thousands of cancer survivors at Opry

She’s sure to sing her emotional “I’m Gonna Love You Through It” on what’s sure to be one of the most emotional nights ever at the Opry House.

Martina McBride will be among those hitting the stage for the Opry show on Saturday, Aug. 24, where thousands of women cancer survivors will be in the crowd.

The ladies will be there for the National Women’s Survivors Convention that weekend at Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center.

“We are going to have a lot of fun while also helping them take great steps toward creating awareness and a real movement about survivorship,” said Opry Vice President and General Manager Pete Fisher.

Go ahead and get your tickets for the August 24 show here!

Who’s gonna win The Voice? Just ask Lady A’s Charles

Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum, who’s gonna win this season on The Voice?

“Whoever that blonde girl is,” he tells ABC News Radio.

Ha! Lady A cohort Hillary Scott—a mentor for Adam Levine’s team—tells Charles he is referring to super-cute 16-year-old Danielle Bradbury. Danielle just so happens to be on coach Blake Shelton’s team.

“I’m putting a million dollars in Vegas on her,” Charles says. “She is going to be a star.”

Wow, a million bucks for Danielle to win, huh?

“I don’t know if she’s gonna win,” Charles adds quickly, “but she’s going to be a star.”

So there.

Brantley hates airport lines so much that . . .

When it comes to airline travel, Brantley Gilbert has a lot of hate.

“I hate customs,” he tells GAC. “I hate going through security. I hate layovers. I hate cancelled flights.”

He’s got a solution.

“I would definitely rather be on my bus. I’ve really gotten comfortable with it. It is a home away from home. I can honestly say I sleep just as good there if not better than at home.”

Can’t wait until August 24? Watch Martina perform “I’m Gonna Love You Through It” for Opry Goes Pink 2011.

Ludacris is Jason’s surprise guest at Georgia Bulldogs stadium

Well, it’s hard to believe, but Sanford Stadium, home of the Georgia Bulldogs, is still standing after Georgia natives Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan played the first-ever (and last?) concert there.

More than 60,000 fans showed for the UGA lovefest, which also included Florida native Jake Owen.

The surprise of the night: Rapper Ludacris joined Jason for “Dirt Road Anthem,” just like Luda did when Jason sang the song in 2011 at the CMT Music Awards.

The whole night was a huge deal for Jason.

“As a kid, I didn’t come here, because we couldn’t afford tickets,” Jason told USA Today beforehand.

“The first time I stepped foot in this place, I was just glad to be able to see a game, much less ever think I would play it,” he said. “At the end of my career, when it’s all said and done, this’ll be the one show I can always look back on and go, ‘That’s one of the defining moments of my career.’”

Caveman Trace clubs his way to second win on Celebrity Apprentice

Look out, folks. Trace Adkins is about to win the whole thing on the all-star season of Donald Trump’s Celebrity Apprentice.

Trace picked up his second win this season as project manager, proving he’ll do almost anything to come out on top.

This time, Trace played a caveman and the star of a minute-long silent movie to promote a tanning lotions product line.

That makes sense, Trace says: “I basically am a housebroken caveman.”

The funny movie showed how a caveman suddenly whisked to 2013 suddenly has so much more color in his life.

“You put a caveman in a modern situation, you’ve got comedy,” explained Trace, who came up with the idea. “Cavemen are always funny.”

Trace picked up another $40,000 for the American Red Cross. In the season’s very first week, Trace won a challenge that scored the charity nearly $700,000.

Taylor says it’s hard to come down off post-concert high

Can you image playing to a loud, rockin’ stadium full of screaming fans?

Can you imagine trying to go to sleep afterward?

“You just kind of adjust your mind to experiencing that level of sound, that level of lights and that level of excitement, and your heart racing,” Taylor Swift told reporters recently.

“It takes a couple of hours to fall asleep that night because your adrenaline is still rushing.”

It’s kind of surreal.

“My real world involves walking on stage and there are thousands of people out there, then walking off stage, and there’s my cat.”

Not that Taylor’s complaining.

“You just don’t want to go too ahead of yourself and think, ‘Huh. I really killed that. Man, those people—they’re so lucky to be here to see me,’” Taylor says. “It’s like, ‘I was so lucky to be on stage in front of that many people.’ That’s the truth of it.”

Taylor’s back on the road Thursday (April 18) for two nights in Atlanta.

by Brad Schmitt

Brad Schmitt is a longtime Nashville entertainment journalist, having shared the goods on Music City’s most interesting people in the newspaper, on TV, and online for more than 15 years. Every week, Brad hits country fans with the latest news from Nashville and the lives of their favorite country artists.

Blake Shelton, country star, TV sensation . . . wedding preacher?

Strange but true: Blake Shelton will be marrying off some of his celebrity friends soon.

That’s according to Kelly Clarkson, who tells Entertainment Tonight that Blake is going to conduct her wedding ceremony when she marries Blake’s manager, Brandon Blackstock.

Well, how did that happen? I’ve got a guess.

You might remember that Blake says he put the pressure on Brandon to propose to Kelly.

In fact, Blake said he would do anything to help out with the wedding. Anything.

And voila.

Kelly says her wedding won’t be the only one Blake officiates—He’s also set to join Pistol Annies’ Ashley Monroe and her baseball pitcher fiancé in holy matrimony.

Do we smell a new reality show? “Blake Shelton, Hillbilly Wedding Preacher.”

I’d watch it. . . .

Trace barely escapes Trump’s firing finger on Celebrity Apprentice

Whew, that was close.

Trace Adkins, as usual, came up with an awesome marketing campaign on Sunday’s (April 7) episode of Donald Trump’s all-star season of NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice.

The message was simple, the look compelling for a two-page ad for a skin care line created by Donald’s wife, Melania.

One huge problem: The ad misspelled Melania’s name, as “Milania.” The actual misspelling came from a graphic designer that Trace’s team used for the challenge.

But Trace approved the ad, so he ended up on the chopping block (“in the boardroom”) for the first time this season.

“I was responsible for the text,” Trace admitted.

Lucky for Trace, his project manager, ex-NBA bad boy Dennis Rodman, also approved the ad—and Dennis has been on the chopping block before.

So Trump’s firing finger got pointed at Dennis instead of Trace.

And the cowboy rides away unscathed. . . .

Jason says country stars don’t know what to expect from Tim’s TV special

The ACM awards are over, the confetti is being cleaned up and Luke Bryan is still in shock over his first-ever Entertainer of the Year trophy.

But the party’s not over in Vegas: The ACM people are making one more huge show, and this one centers on Tim McGraw.

But it won’t just be a country special. ACM Presents: Tim McGraw’s Superstar Summer Nights, taping Monday (April 8), features rappers Nelly and Pitbull, R&B’s Ne-Yo and rocker John Fogerty mixed in with country superstars like Lady Antebellum and Jason Aldean.

And Jason’s a little unsure about what might happen.

“I think a lot of us are not really a hundred percent sure what it is,” he told reporters.

“We don’t really know what to expect yet,” he says. “But obviously, you’re gonna have a lot of us there, and it should be a fun night.”

You can see the results when the special debuts at 9 p.m. ET May 19 on CBS.

by Brad Schmitt

Brad Schmitt is a longtime Nashville entertainment journalist, having shared the goods on Music City’s most interesting people in the newspaper, on TV, and online for more than 15 years. Every week, Brad hits country fans with the latest news from Nashville and the lives of their favorite country artists.

If Luke gets tongue-tied as host, he’ll look to Jason Aldean for a laugh

We’re less than a week away from the ACM Awards Sunday night (April 7) on CBS.

And that means Luke Bryan is oh-so-close to his first major awards show co-hosting gig; he’ll share those duties with buddy Blake Shelton.

Luke tells reporters he’s relying on “preparation and prayer” to get ready for the big night.

Oh, and if all else fails, Luke says he’ll look at Jason Aldean in the audience.

“When I do start getting tongue-tied, I’ll have to look down at him. I’m sure he’ll wink at me and be bent over laughing in his chair,” Luke says.

“It’ll be a funny moment.”

Trace gets traded to losing team, but still does great on “Celebrity Apprentice”

It’s not hard to tell when Trace Adkins is perturbed.

“I don’t like you very much right now,” Trace boomed at Donald Trump on Sunday’s (March 30) episode of the all-star season of Celebrity Apprentice.

The Donald had just plucked Trace off the winning team that he created at the beginning of the season and put him on the losers’ team, which had reality TV villain Omarosa in its ranks.

Trump wasn’t too concerned about Trace’s declaration: “A lot of people don’t like me,” the billionaire said matter-of-factly.

Turns out Trace needn’t have been worried about the team change either.

Yes, his new team continued to lose, but Trace was safe from elimination: He raised lots o’ money in the art-sale challenge.

Bonus: Omarosa is the celebrity who got fired.

Ding dong, the witch . . . .

Sweet treat: Please pass the Very Perry Chocolate Cherry

The Band Perry releases a new album, Pioneer, tomorrow (April 2), and the trio has a tasty promotion lined up, The Tennessean reports.

Kimberly Perry and her two brothers have teamed up with Nashville-based Gigi’s Cupcakes to create a new product this week – the Very Perry Chocolate Cherry cupcake.

“Cherry” comes from Kimberly’s fave character from the coming-of-age book/movie The Outsiders, and that’s how Cherry got into one of the songs on the album – and into the name of the cupcake promoting the album.

If you followed that, you should get a free cupcake.

Sure, Kimberly, Neil, and Reid love making music, but they also liked having a hand in creating a tasty treat.

“That was another thing on our bucket list, a cupcake,” Reid reveals.

Check!

THE BAND PERRY is in the opry.com New Music Spotlight with their new album PIONEER:  Click here to enter to win concert tickets and a meet and greet with the band, listen to the album, and more!

by Brad Schmitt

Brad Schmitt is a longtime Nashville entertainment journalist, having shared the goods on Music City’s most interesting people in the newspaper, on TV, and online for more than 15 years. Every week, Brad hits country fans with the latest news from Nashville and the lives of their favorite country artists.

Blake launches new season of The Voice—with a little name calling

So things are gonna be a little different when NBC’s The Voice launches Monday night (March 25).

Shakira and Usher are replacing judges Cee Lo Green and Christina Aguilera, for now, anyway.

So Blake Shelton is getting in there to pick on the new kids.

“They’re smart, those two. I’ve got to hand it to ‘em,” Blake told reporters. “I mean, they’re losers, but they’re smart.”

And here we go!

But seriously, folks, Blake thinks the tone might be a little bit different.

“I have always just kind of lollygagged through this thing and just kind of not taken it too seriously, you know. Just had fun with it. I tell you what,” Blake said.

“We got in those blind auditions, and Shakira and Usher, it wasn’t play time. They were very serious. They were determined to win this thing, you know,” Blake said.

“And I wouldn’t be surprised if one of ‘em does, because they’re putting a lot of time and effort into it.”

Do NOT tell Trace he washes his hair with lard

Anyone else feel like Stephen Baldwin is lucky to be alive after poking repeatedly at angry bear Trace Adkins on last night’s (March 24) episode of the all-star season of Celebrity Apprentice?

Trace and Stephen are actually on the same team, though it didn’t feel like it when they were working on a challenge to promote a hair care product.

In dismissing Trace’s ideas, Stephen came up with this humdinger:

“Trace lives in Tennessee. Trace washes his hair with lard.”

That prompted one of several profane words and gestures from Trace throughout the challenge.

“I don’t mean to be a jerk,” Stephen said at one point.

“Too late,” Trace fired back.

The good news: Despite feuding, Trace’s team won the challenge, and Trace lives to compete for another episode.

Little Big Town says Keith is breaking country stereotypes on American Idol

Folks, ya can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a major TV network show that has a country star on it.

Trace Adkins is on Celebrity Apprentice, Blake Shelton is on The Voice, Kellie Pickler and Wynonna are on Dancing With The Stars—and Keith Urban is the country rep on the judges panel on American Idol.

The folks in Little Big Town have big love for Keith on Idol.

“He represents country music very well, too, because people stereotype us sometimes,” Jimi Westbrook tells ABC News Radio.

“I think his intelligence shows through, and I love it. I loved watching him in that moment. He’s really great at it.”

Go Keith!

by Brad Schmitt

Brad Schmitt is a longtime Nashville entertainment journalist, having shared the goods on Music City’s most interesting people in the newspaper, on TV, and online for more than 15 years. Every week, Brad hits country fans with the latest news from Nashville and the lives of their favorite country artists.

And the Emmy goes to. . . Trace Adkins?

Trace Adkins is just KILLIN’ it on the all-star season of NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice, right?

I mean, did you see him play the hunky pool repairman in a commercial on last night’s (March 17) episode?

Guest judge and past Celebrity Apprentice winner Arsenio Hall said Trace – on a team filled with actors – deserved the Emmy.

“He was really good,” Arsenio said.

“That’s how I roll, bro,” Trace responded, laughing.

You might remember Trace was project manager and won on the very first week of this season.

Trace will continue to be in the spotlight, with a little bit of conflict with teammate Stephen Baldwin.

In the tease for the next episode, Stephen says, “I don’t wanna be a jerk,” and Trace shoots back, “Too late.”

And that’s enough for me to set my DVR.

Carrie couldn’t stand the crying cows – so she won’t eat ‘em

OK, we all know Carrie Underwood is a vegetarian, and in an interview with U.K.’s The Guardian, she gives us some insight into that decision.

Carrie grew up on a cattle farm in Oklahoma, and she hated the days when dad would sell off some of the cows.

“[T]hey would cry for each other for a couple of days,” Carrie said. “That’s why I don’t eat meat.”

Well, that and the time she saw her parents castrate a bull.

“That’s when I stopped eating red meat.”

And Luke’s hoping for yet another No. 1 album

You may have heard that Luke Bryan scored his first ever No. 1 album on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart with his latest Spring Break collection released earlier this month.

And that just makes him hungry for more.

Luke is back in the studio making a new studio album, and he says he’s much better at, well, making albums.

“I’m starting to know more about recording and being a true recording artist,” he told reporters recently.

“From the first album, all I did was just try to sing loud in the studio and just try to think that just having a big, old, loud voice was the thing to do,” he said.

“Now I’ve really learned that each song and the style of delivering it – there’s so many things that I’ve learned different. I think it’s finally all coming together, and I’m proud of that.”

No release date yet for the new album.

Watch Luke show off both his vocal and dancing talents live on the Grand Ole Opry:

by Brad Schmitt

Brad Schmitt is a longtime Nashville entertainment journalist, having shared the goods on Music City’s most interesting people in the newspaper, on TV, and online for more than 15 years. Every week, Brad hits country fans with the latest news from Nashville and the lives of their favorite country artists.

Taylor belongs with 10-year-old cancer patient – for a day, anyway

Taylor Swift visited a 10-year-old fan in Omaha’s Children’s Hospital & Medical Center on Saturday (March 9) after the girl’s friends and relatives lobbied the country star for the visit.

The Omaha World-Herald published a pic of Taylor with Lauren Hacker, 10, in Lauren’s hospital room.

Taylor also signed an acoustic guitar for Lauren’s brother, Jonathan.

The visit happened after Lauren’s friends re-cut Taylor’s hit “You Belong With Me” and re-named it “Come See Lauren Please.”  Then, they posted a lyrics video of the new version to YouTube.

And it worked! Ain’t that sweet?

It’s not the first time Taylor responded to an online effort to get her attention. You might remember last year that Taylor invited teen cancer patient Kevin McGuire to the ACM Awards after he invited her to his prom.

Anyway, Taylor is in Omaha, Neb., because that’s where she opens this year’s world tour Wednesday (March 13).

Here’s the News: Huey Lewis fulfills Darius’ pop dreams

Even stars freak out when they meet other stars.

Darius Rucker loves going to the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in Cali every year. He even got to have a drink with Clint Eastwood last month.

Oh, but that’s not all: Darius has long been a huge fan of Huey Lewis, and when Darius was playing a thank-you concert for the tourney’s volunteers, he spotted Huey in the crowd.

So Darius popped over and told Huey he was about to play “Workin’ for a Living.”

Huey said, “No way!” and then grabbed a harmonica and joined Darius on stage, playing harp and singing harmonies.

“Man what a great musical moment for me,” Darius told ABC News Radio.

So how did Darius do, you know, in front of Huey and all?

“Yeah, I killed it,” Darius said, laughing.

Good on ya.

It’s a girl! Another Lady for the Lady Antebellum family

OK, you remember that Hillary Scott of Lady Antbellum told fans just before Christmas that she and her hubby are expecting their first baby.

Now, Hillary’s peeps told US Weekly that the baby is a girl!

You might recall that Hillary’s hubby is the band’s drummer, Chris Tyrrell, so this baby girl is probably kicking pretty hard.

Congrats to the happy couple.

Watch “Come See Lauren Please, Taylor!”–the video that brought Taylor to Omaha’s Children’s Hospital & Medical Center–here.