(Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Let’s start with the country star that came close to the top 10. Taylor Swift missed it by one coming in at number eleven. She earned $57 million and that is not all Forbes bases the list on. Dorothy Pomerantz of Forbes writes;

It used to be enough for a celebrity to act or sing or swing a bat really well. Now to be considered a real success, he or she needs to sell clothes, hawk fragrances–maybe even invest in technology startups.

Taylor Swift does a lot of these things, but I was really surprised to not see Tim McGraw on the list. He is a sought after actor and has his own cologne and Tim produces other artists. Oh well, on to the rest of the country stars that made the list.

(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Toby Keith makes it for obvious reasons. Toby runs his own record label, restaurants and who knows what else. Mr. Keith landed at number 49 and he should have been much higher. The several times that I had the chance to talk to Toby Keith, he always gave me the impression he did not care about that stuff anyway. I’m sure he still sits and counts his money.

(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

The number 53 spot on the list went to Kenny Chesney. I don’t think I have to go through the list of things he is involved in that would support a higher ranking for him. The guy got his own special on ESPN for crying out loud.

(Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Stagecoach)

This next country star should be in the top ten. Brad Paisley has run a great tour supporting another great album. He co hosts award shows and is all over the TV talk shows. Brad is married to a beautiful actress and well, I could go on, but it isn’t necessary. Brad Paisley ranks number 68 on Forbes list.

(Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

Larry The Cable Guy made the list this year. He has his own show on the History channel now and still tours with the Blue Collar Comedy Tour. Larry was number 91 on the list. I wonder if Larry will invest in a limo now?

(Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Jennifer Lopez is number one and beat out Oprah for the top spot. You really can’t argue, after all there is rumors she will leave American Idol after this season unless she gets more than the $15 million she already gets for the show. Do you think she will get the dough? My friend that is why she is number one.

Forbes World’s Most Powerful Celebrities list is full of surprises this year. It is always fun to read and next year it will be different. Take a look at the list and try to find your favorite celebrity.

Rick Diamond (2) / Royce DeGrie, Getty Images

The first month of summer is the biggest month of music yet. Country superstars like Alan Jackson and Kenny Chesney will be releasing new projects in the list of new country music releases for June 2012, in addition to 10 other hit makers like Josh Turner, Gloriana and Edens Edge. Start saving now so you’re not left out on the new music on the list below.

Jackson and newbie Jana Kramer kick things off on June 5, while Turner, Edens Edge and Darryl Worley have music the next week. June 19 is crowded. Not only is Chesney’s new ‘Welcome to the Fishbowl’ album in stores in June, but so are new projects from Colt Ford, Chris Cagle and the legendary Don Williams.

Take a look at the entire month worth of new country music releases for June 2012 below and plan accordingly.

New Country Music Releases for June 2012:

June 5
Alan Jackson, ‘Thirty Miles West’
Jana Kramer, ‘Jana Kramer’

June 12
Darryl Worley, ‘One Time Around’
Edens Edge, ‘Edens Edge’
Josh Turner, ‘Punching Bag’

June 19
Chris Cagle, ‘Back in the Saddle’
Colt Ford, ‘Declaration of Independence’
Don Williams, ‘And So It Goes’
Kenny Chesney, ‘Welcome to the Fishbowl’
Marlee Scott, ‘Beautiful Maybe’

June 26
Aaron Lewis, ‘The Road’
Gloriana, ‘A Thousand Miles Left Behind’

[button href="http://popcrush.com/new-music-releases-june-2012/" title="New Pop Music Releases - June 2012" align="center"]

Source: TasteofCountry.com

Jason Merritt, Getty Images/Twitter

If it’s possible to become addicted to adopting animals, Miranda Lambert definitely has an addiction — and she might need rehab for the kind-hearted. According to the sassy songstress’ Twitter feed, she has welcomed yet another stray pup into the Shelton household.

Apparently, the furry black and white pup she rescued from the streets just a month ago wasn’t enough to fill the ‘Over You’ singer’s heart. On Tuesday, the singer shared the photo of this adorable black dog that she found, which she appropriately named after one of country music’s most legendary females.

“New puppy I found last week. Loretta! She will go to a new good home soon I hope. : ) or maybe she is already. Hehe,” Lambert tweeted. Although dozens of her 953,280 Twitter followers replied that they would take the sweet girl off of the country star’s hands, Lambert hasn’t mentioned finding a home (other than her own) for the latest canine addition.

Of course, people are starting to wonder how Lambert ends up with all of these strays. She answered the question that’s been burning up all of our minds when she conversed with Pistol Annies bandmate Ashley Monroe. Apparently, it’s because she’s magnetic — pups just come to her.

“@ashleymonroe said I have “dogdar”. They find me,” Lambert told Monroe. “And I hope I never see the people that dump them. For [their] sake. It won’t be pretty,” she added.

Let that be a lesson to any of you who have been tempted to abandon an animal: If you’re near Miranda Lambert, she’ll probably make the castoff her newest furry friend. And if she finds you, you better watch out!

[button href="http://tasteofcountry.com/hillary-scott-cute-pets/" title="See the Cutest Pets in Country Music" align="center"]

Source: TasteofCountry.com

Paul Kane, Getty Images

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to hear Taylor Swift‘s ‘Mean’ performed from a male prospective? Thanks to a gender-bending performance of the No. 1 country song on last night’s (May 15) episode of ‘Glee,’ fans are now truly able to appreciate the tune from both sides of the spectrum.

McKinley High’s resident heartthrob Puck (Mark Salling) tackled an acoustic arrangement of Swift’s tune with a little help from Coach Beiste (Dot-Marie Jones) in the most recent episode, which also featured celebrity cameo appearances by actress Lindsay Lohan and celebrity blogger Perez Hilton.

‘Mean’ seems a likely candidate for recognizable cover tunes — and we’re surprised ‘Glee’ didn’t take it on earlier, considering the series recurring themes of self-acceptance and teenage angst in a high school setting. In the past, the show has tackled country covers in Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene‘ and Toby Keith’s ‘Red Solo Cup,’ among others.

How does the new version measure up to Swift’s original recording? Watch below and voice your opinions!

Watch Taylor Swift’s ‘Mean’ as Performed on ‘Glee’

Source: TasteofCountry.com

Ethan Miller, Getty Images

In March, Lady Antebellum announced the tornado-ravaged Henryville High School in Henryville, Ind. as the lucky winners in the band’s Own the Night Prom Contest. Holding true to their word, the superstar trio heads to the Midwest today (May 16) to play a private concert for the students who are still trying to piece together a somewhat normal high school experience.

“Helping rebuild this community is our biggest priority right now,” says Lady A leading lady Hillary Scott. “We were so moved by the stories from Henryville High School, but also from the students at their rival schools who raised their hands and said they wanted to help. There has been so much national media attention and so many sponsors and volunteers are stepping forward to help. It’s going to be an amazing day!”

Outreach for the disaster relief has reached a fever pitch, with major media outlets covering the event, and ultimately getting #RebuildingHenryville trending on Twitter. The trio took to their official account too in hopes of garnering support for their goodwill effort.

“@Ladyantebellum is #RebuildingHenryville today! Help out here http://bit.ly/ladyaprom and RT to show your support!” the ‘Wanted You More’ singers tweeted.

“The whole community, especially the students, is excited about Lady Antebellum coming and performing for Henryville,” says the superintendent of the West Clark Community Schools, Monty Schneider. “They missed so much with the school being destroyed that things like this help them feel whole again. They will be talking about the tornadoes for the rest of their lives, but this event will give them something positive to reflect on about that time. It’s going to be a special moment for the entire community.”

The trio will perform a private 45-minute set for the juniors and seniors at the KFC YUM! Center as part of the school’s prom night, which will be followed by a full-fledged post-party concert that will be open to the general public in order to help raise funds to rebuild the town. Lipton Tea’s team has also come on board to help with the event in the spirit of their Drink Positive and Live Positive message, a campaign that Lady A already supports.

The band is on track to reach their donation goal of $250,000. All proceeds raised from the concert portion of Rebuilding Henryville will remain local through the New Hope/Indiana Bankers Association for the benefit of the disaster relief fund. Fans who are unable to attend Rebuilding Henryville can still get involved by making donations in any amount here.

Watch the Winning Submission to Lady Antebellum’s ‘Own the Night’ Prom Contest

Source: TasteofCountry.com

Jason Merritt/Gareth Cattermole, Getty Images

It certainly looks as though Taylor Swift‘s next studio album will be full of surprises! In what seems like an unlikely pairing, British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran took to his official Twitter account yesterday to tells fans he is indeed working with the country starlet on her highly-anticipated fourth album.

“Writing songs with a very cool artist today ,” The BRIT Award winner tweeted. Sheeran quickly clarified his mysterious tweet by adding, ”In and out burger, defacing guitars and writing music with @taylorswift13.”

The cross-genre collaboration isn’t Swift’s first in recent months. In addition to being the featured artist on rapper B.o.B’s song ‘Both of Us,’ the country superstar has also teamed up with pop phenomenon Justin Bieber to pen a track for the young heartthrob’s next album.

“It’s crazy, I mean I even wrote a song with Taylor Swift, so the whole album ranges differently,” Bieber tells U.K. radio station Capital FM. “Everything doesn’t sound the same, everything’s different and [after] each song you won’t expect the next song to happen.”

No word yet on a release date for Swift’s follow-up to her multi-platinum album, ‘Speak Now,’ but the singer does offer an insight on the lyrical direction of the project. In an interview with the New Yorker this past fall, Swift revealed that the songs she’s penned thus far for her 2012 album are “sad.”

“Being so busy, there’s not a lot of time to stop in the middle of the day and just kind of think about this feeling that you just realized about a relationship you had a year ago,” says Swift. “The ones I love the most end up happening very quickly.”

The new album is expected to be released this fall.

[button href="http://tasteofcountry.com/taylor-swift-songs/" title="Top 10 Taylor Swift Songs" align="center"]

Source: TasteofCountry.com

Ethan Miller, Getty Images

Later this week, Toby Keith is gearing up for his 9th-annual Toby Keith and Friends Golf Classic event — but this year’s will be extra special. To kick the whole thing off, Keith will be present for the groundbreaking of the OK Kids Korral in Oklahoma City — a home-away-from-home for children and families being treated at the Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center and other nearby facilities.

The ceremony is set for 10AM local time on Friday (May 18). Later in the evening, Keith will host the annual dinner and auction to help continue the tradition of raising funds for the important cause.

Among those items up for auction include a trip to Africa with Pros for Africa, a Brush Creek getaway, a Dallas Cowboys VIP package, having a menu item named for you at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill, concerts and golf packages, as well as exclusive memorabilia from artists such as Coldplay, Carrie Underwood, the Rolling Stones, the Three Stooges and, of course, Toby Keith himself.

Other auction items on the table include A Day in the Life of Toby on Tour, LA Talk Show Package, ESPYs Package with Adrian Peterson, Houston Astros Suite Package and memorabilia from Bob Griese, Derek Jeter, Drew Brees, Cal Ripken Jr., Tim McGraw, Aaron Rogers, Elvis, Taylor Swift, Jason Aldean and Wayne Gretzky.

The main event — Keith’s Golf Classic — is set for the following day, Saturday, May 19. The celebrities will hit the links in hopes of getting a hole-in-one. Those who do accomplish the victory have a chance at winning a Ford truck from local dealership Seth Wadley Ford.

Monies raised from the event will benefit the Toby Keith Foundation, which was set up to give sick children and their families a helping hand. For more information on the event or the charity, visit its official website by clicking here.

[button href="http://tasteofcountry.com/top-toby-keith-songs/" title="Top 10 Toby Keith Songs" align="center"]

Source: TasteofCountry.com

YouTube

Carrie Underwood has really been making her rounds to promote ‘Blown Away,’ her newest album release. And while the entire album has received critical acclaim from the media, ‘Good Girl’ — the first single from the record — is her most performed song nowadays. On Tuesday night (May 15), Underwood took the soulful anthem to the stage on ‘Dancing With the Stars,’ where she was accompanied by four dancers who tore up the rug.

Underwood’s rocking performance took the ballroom stage by storm during the semi-final competition. With a full band including back-up singers, Underwood took her post by the microphone wearing a short and lacy purple and blue dress. If her vocals weren’t so powerful, her gorgeous getup and signature shoulder-length curly blonde hair would have stolen the show.

During the second verse, the ‘Good Girl’ hitmaker and her backup band were joined by four professional dancers, who twirled and displayed impressive footwork. The two duos flexed their dancing muscles by adding dips and swing moves into the mix.

After an intense round of dancing, one more contestant was eliminated from the 14th season of the show. Julianne Hough also performed with her ‘Rock of Ages’ co-stars.

Underwood has heard her smash hit single performed all over the country since its release in February. In April, the country superstar sang along with the 5th grade choir at PS22 in Staten Island, as they performed their own rendition of ‘Good Girl.’ Last week, a video surfaced of a toddler rocking out to the No. 1 single in her car seat.

Given the mega-popular status of ‘Good Girl,’ it’s not surprising that Underwood made history with her most recent album. ‘Blown Away’ landed Underwood in the books by debuting at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. This makes her only the second country artist in the 47-year history of the chart to have each of their first four albums debut at No. 1.

Currently, Underwood has five CMT award nominations under her belt, including Female Video of the Year, two for Video of the Year, Collaborative Video of the Year, and CMT Performance of the Year. Talk about being blown away!

Watch Underwood’s performance on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ to catch a glimpse of why this lovely lady is getting so much critical acclaim.

Watch Carrie Underwood Perform ‘Good Girl’ on ‘Dancing With the Stars’

Source: TasteofCountry.com

Rick Diamond/Getty Images

Rick Diamond/Getty Images

For the sixth straight year country vocal group Little Big Town will ride motorcycles and sing for charity. Little Big Town will host the 2012 Ride For A Cure in Nashville, Tennessee.

I am a fan of both Little Big Town and riding motorcycles. That makes me wish that I could be in Nashville Sunday, June 10th for the 2012 Ride For the Cure. The event will begin with registration at 8 a.m. local time and include a morning jam session as participants get set to take the ride. When the riders reach the end point at around 12 noon, they will be treated to a concert that will include the event hosts Little Big Town as well as Lauren Alaina, Love and Theft and more. There will also be a live auction.

The entire event is to benefit the T.J. Martell Foundation. For the past 37 years the foundation has raised money to support innovative research for leukemia, cancer and AIDS at eleven research facilities throughout the United States. The annual Ride For A Cure has raised over $260,000 to date for the foundation to honor the late T.J. Martell. Through events like this and others, the T.J. Martell Foundation has raised more than a quarter of a billion dollars for research of these devastating and life-threatening diseases. You can find out more about the T.J. Martell Foundation at the official website.

Rick Diamond/Getty Images

It’s obvious from the photos of the past Ride For The Cure events that the event is a great day of music, riding and fun for a great cause. If you are going to be in the Nashville area, or want to make a trip to be a part of the event, Sunday, June 10th, get all the details at www.nashvillerideforacure.com.

(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Reba McEntire has captured a new generation of fans and she is going back to the small screen with a new show on ABC. This should be pretty easy for her she will play the ex – wife to a cheating country singer.

The name of the TV show will be ‘Malibu Country’ and Reba will be the star of the sitcom. I have been a fan of Rebas for years and when I finally got to meet her last winter all I could muster was a shaky hello. I still kick myself for not getting a hug or a slap.

Nashville Kat had the scoop this morning on ‘Info From Music Row’ and she said;

Reba’s Malibu Country will premiere on ABC November 2nd.

I can’t wait for the sound clips from the show. Here is a preview of what you will see this fall from Reba McEntire in ‘Malibu Country’

Ethan Miller, Getty Images / Time Magazine

Very few who’ve seen the controversial cover of this week’s issue of Time Magazine walk away without an opinion, and country star Sara Evans is no different. She is one of two female vocalists outraged by the photo, which shows a three-year-old boy standing on a chair and breastfeeding from his mother.

“The Time Mag cover is ridiculous! What is wrong with people? My son saw that in a doc office!” Evans tweeted Monday morning. Singer Sarah Buxton quickly replied, echoeing that she shares the ‘A Little Bit Stronger’ singer’s sentiment. “@saraevansmusic I could not agree more. Despicable,” Buxton said.

The issue is focused on attachment parenting, a form of child-rearing that involves breastfeeding to an older age and co-sleeping. While this style is considered controversial and regularly sparks debate, it’s the picture of the 26-year-old mother and her son that has passers-by upset.

The age of the little boy is not what’s bothersome to some — it’s the argument that the magazine is showboating the family simply to boost sales and get people talking. Obviously, it worked. Others, who perhaps prefer a less attached parenting style, have expressed via various outlets on the web that they find the photo “gross” in general.

Click here to take the poll and earn points!

Source: TasteofCountry.com

Frederick Breedon, Getty Images

It’s been quite the month for Jake Owen! Just two days before getting married beachside in his hometown of Vero Beach, Fla., the ‘Barefoot Blue Jean Night’ singer found himself in some serious hot water after entering a local Steak ‘n Shake restaurant wearing a mask over his face. Although the night ended with Owen in handcuffs, the singer adamantly denies doing anything wrong.

“It was a huge misunderstanding,” Owen says in a radio interview with US 99.5 on Monday. “I did nothing, actually. I had a good time. That’s all the really matters. I’m a lover, dude. I do like to have a damn good time. That’s how I roll.”

Despite his strikingly candid chat about the incident over the airwaves, the singer did issue an official apology to his fans and hometown supporters following the incident, though he was mostly apologizing for his negative comments about the police who cuffed him.

“Y’all I apologize,” Owen wrote to his 180,000-plus followers on Twitter. “The [Indian River County] Sheriff was doing their job. I love hometown [sic]. I had too good of a time on Cinco de Mayo. I want to publicly apologize again for bringing to light a situation that I overreacted to.”

While some question the validity of the Owen’s detainment, Florida law Section 876.13 stipulates that “No person or persons shall in this state, while wearing any mask, hood, or device whereby any portion of the face is so hidden, concealed, or covered as to conceal the identity of the wearer, enter upon, or be, or appear upon or within the public property of any municipality or county of the state.”

“I thought it was funny,” says Owen, referring to his decision to to wear the mask into the fast food restaurant, where he was eating with his entire family — nieces and nephews included — when police gave him the metal bracelets. Owen explains, “Unbeknownst to me, I didn’t know there was a law you weren’t allowed to go into a public establishment with a mask on.”

Despite his brief run-in with the law, the singer is remains focused on his touring duties. According his official website, Owen will resume touring at the end of May, with a rigorous itinerary through the end of July. Click here for tour dates and ticket information.

Source: TasteofCountry.com

NBC

Last night (May 14), progressive country star Willie Nelson stopped by ‘Late Night With Jimmy Fallon’ to talk about his new ‘Heroes‘ album, guitars and touring America in his legendary Honeysuckle Rose biodiesel bus. After the interview, the legendary singer performed ‘Texas Flood’ alongside his son, Lukas Nelson.

Fallon started out the interview by complimenting the legendary star, telling him that growing up in Brooklyn, the only country albums his parents played were by Willie Nelson or Hank Williams. Shotgun Willie nodded his head (done up with his signature pigtail braids) and said, “Well, I’m in good company then.”

Fallon and Nelson chatted about the country singer’s former songwriting career, cluing in viewers that Nelson was the hand behind Patsy Cline’s now-famous rendition of ‘Crazy.’ The ‘Red Headed Stranger’ told the story of meeting Cline’s husband at legendary Nashville bar Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, and how the song came to be from that single interaction.

Of course, Fallon asked to see ‘Trigger,’ Nelson’s beat-up acoustic guitar that never leaves his sight — or his stage. Fallon pointed out the giant hole in Nelson’s signature guitar, and Willie responded, “Well, I think it sounds better [that way],” drawing many laughs from the audience.

It’s clear that Willie Nelson has nobody to impress: He walked onto the popular late-night show wearing a black t-shirt, black pants and a dirty pair of New Balance sneakers. Still, the host was in awe.

Near the end of the five-minute interview, Nelson spoke to the hilarious talk show host about his tour bus, Honeysuckle Rose, which runs off of bio fuel. Nelson wasn’t shy about his political leanings (is he ever shy about politics?), and talked about the problem with America’s dependence on oil. Before the interview closed, the ‘Always on My Mind’ singer invited Fallon onto the tour bus.

“I don’t think I’ll get off it if I get on,” joked Fallon. Of course, Nelson didn’t disagree.

Every interview with Willie Nelson is entertaining, thanks to his straightforward demeanor, but the star really shined in his bluesy rendition of ‘Texas Flood’ with his son. Check it out!

Watch Willie Nelson’s Interview on ‘Late Night With Jimmy Fallon’

Watch Willie Nelson Perform ‘Texas Flood’ on ‘Jimmy Fallon’

Source: TasteofCountry.com

Ethan Miller, Getty Images

Even though Tug McGraw left this earth eight years ago, his superstar son Tim McGraw is continuing to do what he can to keep his legacy alive. On Tuesday June 5, McGraw will host a Celebrity Sporting Clay Shootout benefiting the Tug McGraw Foundation.

Joining McGraw for the event will be an all-star lineup, including the likes of Luke Bryan, Craig Campbell, Montgomery Gentry, Josh Gracin, JT Hodges, Jon Pardi, the Warren Brothers and many more guests, who will be announced in the coming weeks. Heading up the professional contingent for the event is Bill McGuire, the 2011 National Sporting Clay Champion.

The event will pair a pro shooter with a celebrity and two more individuals, making up a total of 15 teams. Each team will make their way through a 15-station sporting clay course to determine who are the top shooters. Celebrities and those in attendance will also be able to enjoy a delicious BBQ lunch and have the opportunity to bid on silent auction items including wine, dining, travel, and sports and music memorabilia.

The Celebrity Sporting Clay Shootout will be held at the Nashville Gun Club in Nashville, Tenn. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Tug McGraw Foundation and its efforts to improve the lives of military service members who have been affected by Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

For more information on the foundation or the shootout, visit the official website set up in honor of Tug McGraw.

Source: TasteofCountry.com

Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Stagecoach

Miranda Lambert is on the cover of ‘SELF‘ magazine telling women to “Rock Your Curves!” Inside she talks about her own shape, marriage with Blake Shelton, carrying a gun and much more.

The reigning ACM and CMA Female Vocalist of the year has been caught up in a whirlwind for the past few years both professionally and personally. It makes sense that ‘SELF’ magazine would want to do a story on the Texas native who has captured the eyes and ears of the nation by just being herself. A few years ago, a friend asked why I like Miranda so much. My response was that she is beautiful, talented and real. She is not the “barbie doll” star that so many female singers look like. Miranda is just a real woman who can field dress a deer, a plus in my book.

In the publication cover story, Miranda talks about being an everyday woman versus a skinny model-actress type. “I don’t care about being stick-thin. I don’t want stuff to jiggle. Really skinny actresses make me hungry—I see them and think, Honey, you need to eat!” she says, adding, “I’m lucky I don’t have to live like that. I feel my best when I’m a toned, not flabby, size 8. Women come up to me and say, ‘You’re beautiful and confident, and that makes me feel I can be, too.’”

Self Magazine

Yesterday (5/15) Miranda celebrated her first anniversary of being married to Blake Shelton. She admits that their first year of marriage has not been the perfect scenario with each of them having hectic schedules. However, they do have some typical conversations that married people have. Miranda recalls asking Blake something: “I asked Blake, ‘Dude, why didn’t you tell me I got fat?’ He said, ‘That would go over like a lead balloon. It’s not my job to tell you you’re fat. It’s my job to tell you you’re beautiful.’”

Miranda has never been shy about talking about her love of hunting and guns. She also is not shy about telling people that she carries a gun on her for protection. “I carry a weapon. I got a death threat a few years ago and was really scared. But I don’t want bodyguards. I am my own security,” she tells the publication.

You can find out more about Miranda from “Randa-Ritas”, her workout routine, her girl group ‘Pistol Annies’, and whole lot more in the cover story in ‘SELF’ magazine at newsstands everywhere.

YouTube

Have you ever wondered how the country stars live on the road when they are touring? Thanks to a video he posted we can see how Keith Urban starts a day on the road.

We’ve all seen those big tour buses rolling down the road and have wondered who was on them and what they are doing inside them? The country stars call their tour buses their “home on wheels” because that is exactly what they are. Stars, like Keith Urban, spend so much time rolling from city to city for concerts that they have created a small version of home inside the bus. They have TVs, stereos, sinks, stoves, microwaves, refrigerators and everything else needed to live as comfortably as possible rolling down the road.

When you get up each morning you may have a little routine you go through to get your day started. You may start the coffee, use the restroom and then get yourself some breakfast before you shower and head off to work. You may wonder what Keith does to start his day on the road. Well, he does pretty much what you do.

In this episode of ‘Urban Chat’, Keith reveals how he gets his morning started on the bus. It’s a Thursday morning on the road for the country singer. He’s in Orlando, Florida and fresh out of bed. Find out what Keith Urban does to get started in the morning on the road by watching the video below.

(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images for The Smith Center)

I have been a fan of Willie Nelsons for quite some time. I know his addiction to happy smoke is a turnoff, but his music has always been great. This new album is a collection of songs from the 30s and 40s and some interesting guests singing with him.

Some of country music’s legends are on these songs with Willie, like Kris Kristofferson and The Hag. Jamey Johnson joins him and so does Sheryl Crow. The surprise of the album is Snoop Dog performing ‘Roll Me Up And Smoke Me When I Die’ he does a pretty good job staying in tune with the country legend.

Willie Nelson also covers a couple rock tunes from Pearl Jam and Coldplay. I think this is a really decent album and fun. Remember Willie is coming to the U.S Cellular Coliseum Saturday June 9th. It would be a good idea to get the album downloaded to your iTunes or pick it up where you buy your albums err CD’s.

Willie Nelson performs live ‘Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die’

Larry Busacca / Rick Diamond, Getty Images

Country music’s hottest couple celebrates one year of marriage today! To ring in Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert‘s anniversary, we’ve collected all the highs and the many lows of their last 12 months together into one neat list. Find our tribute to the power couple, as well as the new song from Kenny Chesney, in the Taste of Country Daily Roundup.

Also find out what television show Carrie Underwood will be on this week and what Jake Owen said just two weeks before proposing to his now-wife. There are a few non-country headlines as well — like who the new ‘X Factor’ judge will be.

Today on Taste of Country:

Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert’s Anniversary: Reflecting on a Year of Highs and Lows
Kenny Chesney, ‘Come Over’ – Song Review
Sara Evans Outraged by Controversial Time Mgazine Cover
Luke Bryan vs. Chris Young – The Showdown
New Songs on the Radio — May 2012
Carrie Underwood to Go ‘Dancing With the Stars’ This Week
Can You Guess Whose Tattoo This Is?
Kenny Chesney Joins Drew Brees and Matthew McConaughey for Amazing Race Charity Event
Super Bowl Chili Recipe by Jim Collins
Jake Owen Wasn’t Planning to Get Married
Lady Antebellum Refresh Themselves in New Lipton Iced Tea Commercial
Best Potential Best Man – Readers Poll
Wade Bowen Raises $150K for Texas Advocacy Center During Annual Concert and Golf Benefit
Chris Young Becomes on Uncle
Taylor Swift to Make it Up to Fan Who Missed Show Due to Drunk Driving Accident

Taste of Country Also Recommends:

12 Reasons Why It’s Absolutely Essential That There is a ‘Saved by the Bell’ Reunion
How Much Did Jessica Simpson Make From Baby Maxwell Drew’s First Photos?
Slash Denies Scott Weiland is Back in Velvet Revolver: ‘He’s Out of His Mind’
Adele’s ’21′ Rumored to Be Reissued With New Songs
Demi Lovato Officially Joins ‘X Factor’ to Judge Alongside Britney Spears

Source: TasteofCountry.com

Sandra Mu, Getty Images

You know how disappointing it is when you miss out on seeing one of your favorite artists play live? Well, imagine if you were on your way to a show and a drunk driver crashed into your car, and instead of in your concert seat, you ended up at the hospital. That’s exactly what happened to 13-year-old Taylor Swift fan Summer and her mom Michelle. Lucky for them, Taylor Swift is known for her big heart — she won’t let her fans miss out.

Summer had waited nine months to see the country-singing sweetheart play a show at Power Balance Pavilion in Sacramento, Calif. Unfortunately, tragedy struck when a drunk driver careened into Summer and Michelle’s car when they were halfway into their two-hour drive to the arena. While Swift was singing her heart out for a huge crowd at the pavilion, Summer and her mom were being carted off to the hospital. The teenage Taylor Swift fan sustained some serious injuries, including a nasty gash on her arm that left a scar.

When Officer Mike Lowry arrived on the scene to help, he was first taken aback by the scene of the accident. But before long, he turned his attention to Summer’s sweet attitude, noticing that she was smiling and putting on a brave face for her parents, despite her painful injuries.

Though the teen never made it to see the ‘Ours’ hitmaker in concert, the officer set out on a personal mission to ensure that Summer gets to a Taylor Swift show. Once Swift’s management team found out about the accident, they promised the brave fan that she’ll be guaranteed to see Swift next time she rolls through Sacramento. To tide Summer over, the ‘Safe & Sound’ hitmaker personalized and signed some Taylor Swift swag for her fearless fan.

Judging by Swift’s generous outreach to fans who need help (like Kevin McGuire, the high school student and two-time cancer fighter she invited to the ACMs), it’s not surprising that she would guarantee Summer and her mom a seat at her next gig.

Watch the News Clip about Taylor Swift Reaching Out to Her Fan

Source: TasteofCountry.com

(Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Stagecoach)

Congratulations to Jason Aldean, his latest single  ”Fly Over States” reached number one on the country singles charts today, becoming his ninth career #1 and 5th consecutive single off his My Kinda Party Album to hit the top spot.

“I’ve always loved this song, and I really hoped it would be a single eventually. I didn’t know we would get to put out five songs off this album, let alone have all of them go to #1. It totally blows my mind,” said Aldean. “I’m really looking forward to the summer leg of the tour and getting some new music ready!”

Aldean is currently headlining the record-breaking 2012 My Kinda Party Tour.  Aldean has sold out every show so far this year, setting over a dozen venue attendance records along the way, including the Peoria Civic Center’s this past Thursday night.

Jason Aldean’s duet with Kelly Clarkson, “Don’t You Wannt Stay,” was certified double platinum last week for digital sales of more than 2-million copies.  This is Jason’s 2^nd double platinum digital single, following “Dirt Road Anthem.”

Jason Aldean has sold more than six million copies of his four studio albums and topped the charts with nine number one songs. The reigning CMA Album of the Year, My Kinda Party, was the top-selling country album of 2011 and the #5 best-seller in all genres.