Country Music

Music

Would You Hit the Hay With These Country Crooners?

Stagecoach — aka Coachella for country music fans — is this weekend, and the music fest has a long history of mighty fine country star performers.

Stagecoach — aka Coachella for country music fans — is this weekend, and the music fest has a long history of mighty fine country star performers. Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton both performed last year, and this weekend performers include Dierks Bentley and Lady Antebellum's Charles Kelley. There's just something about a cowboy singer who can play a mean guitar and belt out a twangy love song that makes you want to hit the hay with him. But whether they're dressed up for an event or in their jeans and plaid on the stage, these honky-tonk musicians are homegrown hotties!

healthy living

The First Ladies of Country Offer Advice on Healthy Living

Tomorrow we'll celebrate country royalty at the 2012 CMA Music Awards!

Tomorrow we'll celebrate country royalty at the 2012 CMA Music Awards! Whether you're a lover of the genre or you just like bouncing to these tunes when you hear them on the radio, there's lots of inspiration to gather from some of the lovely ladies who top the country charts. From Taylor Swift to Carrie Underwood, click through to learn about some of our favorite country stars manage to work out, eat healthy, and take care of themselves — regardless of how busy they are!

Video

Sexy Country Star Luke Bryan Celebrates CMT Award With Underwear Toss to Crowd

Last night, the country stars shined brightly at the CMT Music Awards.

Last night, the country stars shined brightly at the CMT Music Awards. And one of the big winners of the night also happens to be one of the sexiest cowboys around, Luke Bryan. Even host Kristen Bell was enamored by the crooner. When plopping herself down between Luke and cutie Jake Owen, she said, "I didn't know I'd be sitting right in the middle of Hunksville, TN, population two."

Luke continued to please the ladies throughout the night, performing his hot hit "Drunk on You," and then giving a sweet shout-out to his wife when accepting male video of the year for "I Don't Want This Night to End." In regards to the sexy video he said, "When I came home to show my wife this video, I removed all the bullets out of our house. And I want to thank her for not going to buy more bullets to shoot me with." But the real highlight of the night was when Luke made some lucky lady's day (and possibly life) by having presenter Tom Arnold toss a certain intimate piece of his clothing into the audience for him. When Luke won in 2010, he threw his jacket into the crowd, so this time he went for something even more special — his "lucky camouflage underwear." Needless to say, some young women in the crowd went a little crazy in their attempt to grab those skivvies. Watch the clip now!

women

Hell on Heels: CMT Awards Cowgirls on Being Strong Country Women

Tonight the cream of the country music crop will gather at the 2012 CMT Music Awards, and while there will be plenty of sexy cowboys to ogle, we can't forget about the girl power!

Tonight the cream of the country music crop will gather at the 2012 CMT Music Awards, and while there will be plenty of sexy cowboys to ogle, we can't forget about the girl power! Some of country's fiercest ladies will be there either performing or accepting accolades at the award show. Nominated women include Martina McBride and Carrie Underwood, whose pipes are as strong as their powerful lyrics, and Miranda Lambert and Taylor Swift, who aren't afraid to show their feisty side and mad guitar skills. These cowgirls are notorious for belting out lyrics on being kickass, fearless women. So check out some of our favorite lines from their songs up for an award tonight!

Music

5 Things to Know About Joy Williams of The Civil Wars

Tonight is the CMT Music Awards, and Taylor Swift is nominated for video of the year and collaborative video of the year with country music's next big thing: The Civil Wars.

Tonight is the CMT Music Awards, and Taylor Swift is nominated for video of the year and collaborative video of the year with country music's next big thing: The Civil Wars. Taylor and the folk group — made up of Joy Williams and Johnny Depp lookalike John Paul White — are nominated for "Safe and Sound" off the Hunger Games soundtrack; and The Civil Wars are also nominated for "duo video of the year" for their song "Poison & Wine."

To say Joy and The Civil Wars are having a good year would be an understatement. At the Grammy Awards this year the first-time nominees not only got to perform ahead of Taylor's performance, they won two Grammys: best folk album and best country duo/group performance for their album Barton Hollow. They were on the cover of Billboard magazine in March, performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live in April, and met President Barack Obama and Morgan Freeman when performing at Ford's Theatre Society's Annual Gala last weekend.

Here are five more things you should know about this woman who rocks (including her Taylor Swift and Adele connection!):

  • Hailing from Santa Cruz, CA, Joy was 17 when she signed a recording contract with Reunion Records, balancing a singing career with finishing up high school. She began her career as a contemporary Christian music artist before leaving Reunion and founding Sensibility Music with her husband. Then one of her first songs on her own label, "Charmed Life," appeared on the season finale of Grey's Anatomy in 2009.
  • Joy's been married since 2004, and it's not to her Civil Wars partner. Joy's happily paired up with her manager and Sensibility Music cofounder, Nate Yetton.
  • In 2009, Joy formed The Civil Wars with John Paul White, whom she met at a songwriting session in 2008. Their first studio album, Barton Hollow, was released in 2011 and debuted at No. 1 on iTunes's album sales chart and at No. 12 on the Billboard 200. The band even opened for Adele's 2011 North American and UK concert tour.
  • Joy, 29, and her husband are expecting their first child this month! Joy announced the pregnancy on Twitter right before the Grammys this year, saying, "My baby bump & I will see you on the red carpet."
  • Fellow singing starlet Taylor Swift gave Joy and The Civil Wars a helping hand when she included the band's song "Poison & Wine" on her official iTunes playlist, saying, "I think this is my favorite duet. It's exquisite." And then she really brought them into the spotlight when she teamed up with the group for "Safe and Sound" on the Hunger Games soundtrack.

Check out photos of Joy and The Civil Wars over the years now!

Music

Short-Shorts Country Playlist

Something about Summer makes me think of country music and wearing jean short-shorts.


Something about Summer makes me think of country music and wearing jean short-shorts. It could be due to my Texan upbringing or the fact that I recently watched the Footloose trailer. While you're toning your legs for the Fourth, let Trace Adkins, Eric Church, and Luke Bryan take you to a romanticized countryside, complete with bluebonnets, a warm breeze, and a hot cowboy (aka Dierks Bentley). You'll feel like a sharpshooter when listening to sassy songs by independent women like Ashton Shepherd, Miranda Lambert, and Taylor Swift. So y'all, the next time you're sporting them shorts, you'll hear the fellows saying, "Bow chicka wow wow."

To see the full playlist, read more

Advice

Words of Wisdom From Dolly Parton on Her 65th Birthday

It's pretty hard not to love Dolly.

It's pretty hard not to love Dolly. She dresses like a tramp and makes no apologies for it, acknowledging it's made her millions. From poverty to country music queen to beauty icon, she's beloved not just for her music, but also for being brassy, sassy, and self-deprecatingly honest. Who better to take advice from?

  • On being a woman: "It's a good thing I was born a girl, otherwise I'd be a drag queen."
  • On beauty: "You'd be surprised how much it costs to look this cheap!"
  • On bad press: "I'm not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes because I know I'm not dumb . . . and I also know that I'm not blonde."

Read the rest below.

News

Speed Read! John Mayer Is a Situation at CMT Awards

Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, and John Mayer's abs enjoyed the CMT Awards last night — PopSugar New twist in Amanda Knox case as mafioso says he did it — Daily Beast Housewife Danielle Staub hopes her sex tape outsells Kendra's — Jezebel Senate candidate Carly Fiorina caught mocking opponent Barbara Boxer's hair — Huffington Post Tragic: preteen suicide bomber kills 40 at Afghan wedding — Washington Post Trailers for books latest trend in publishing — Double X

Dolly Parton

4th of July Quiz: How Well Do You Know Your Country (Music)?

When reflecting on all things American this 4th of July, I think of apple pie, representative democracy, Elvis, reality television, stuff like that.


When reflecting on all things American this 4th of July, I think of apple pie, representative democracy, Elvis, reality television, stuff like that. Of all the things I associate with this land of ours, few things strike me as uniquely American as country music, and whether you love it or loathe it, I bet you know a thing or two about it.

Some of the best musical artists we Americans get to claim came out of this genre, including Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, and Dolly Parton. So in honor of this grand country and some of music's greats, I challenge you to test your knowledge about country music!

Source and Source

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Poll

Are You Ready for Snoop Country Dogg?

Jessica Simpson isn't the only vocalist to dust off them boots and don a cowboy hat for the country crowd.

Jessica Simpson isn't the only vocalist to dust off them boots and don a cowboy hat for the country crowd. Snoop Dogg's recently released album Ego Trippin' features a rap-infused, western ditty called "My Medicine." Listen up and let me know if you're feeling Snoop's nod to Nashville.