Blake Shelton: Country making a comeback

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added: 6 Feb 2012 // by: newsdesk 

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Blake Shelton believes a country singer could win the second series of The Voice US.

The singer is a judge on the reality TV show which returns to NBC for its second series tonight.

Having excelled as a country singer himself, the Honey Bee crooner was pleased to see several strong musicians representing the genre in the auditions stages of the programme.

'There are some country singers that are really good,' Blake told American publication People. 'We had a few last year but we didn't end up with a country singer in the final four.'

Blake was so impressed with the strong showing he predicts that a performer of the much-loved genre could go on to triumph in the new series.

He takes his place on the judging panel alongside Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Christina Aguilera.

'I know anything can happen,' he said. 'But I really believe in my heart that one of several country singers that we have on our show this year have a shot at winning the whole thing.'

Last year the first series of The Voice US saw Javier Colon crowned the winner. Mentored by Adam, his prize included $100,000 and a coveted recording contract.

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Quick quips: Merle Haggard, America, Glen Campbell, Peter Hook, Academy of Country Music, Miles Davis

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added: 27 Jan 2012 // by: VVN Music 

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Merle Haggard is once again out of the hospital and has traveled from Macon, GA to his home in Redding, CA to recuperate. Haggard had been hospitalized twice in the last week in Macon for treatment of pneumonia and a number of other ailments.
Merle will recuperate for a number of weeks before going back on the road in late-February.

America will receive the 2,459th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 6. Gary Beckley and Dewey Bunnell will be honored in front of the Musician's Institute surrounded by the likes of Motley Crue, Ozzy Osbourne, Rush, Al Jolson and Hal David.

The great Glen Campbell will perform on this year's Grammy broadcast with Blake Shelton and the Band Perry. Glen is a Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient and is currently out on the road with his Goodbye Tour. He recently revealed that he is in the early stages of Alzheimers.
Sergio Mendes, who is up for an Academy Award for best song for Real in Rio from the animated film Rio, says that there will most likely be a sequel to the film. He said on Tuesday "I think the plan is for the movie to come three or four months before the World Cup. Fox has been talking about (it) and it looks like it's going to happen. We're going to have a meeting I think next week and Carlos [Saldanha, the director] is coming to town to tell us the story, and it looks like it's a go."

Peter Hook, formerly of Joy Division, doesn't seem too upset with the whole Disney/Unknown Pleasures T-Shirt controversy. He told Billboard, "It's a funny one. I suppose you would have to say it's a compliment coming from an organization like Disney. When you consider that Joy Division were only together for three years, it's certainly a fantastic compliment 34 years later to still be able to make a splash like this is. The fact that it's sold out is an even greater compliment. I tried to get one but it seems that they're all gone."

CBS, the Academy of Country Music and Dick Clark Productions have announced that they have agreed to a ten year deal that will keep the awards on CBS through 2021. CBS has carried the annual affair since 1998.

Finally, here is the official designs for the Edith Piaf and Miles Davis commemorative stamps we reported earlier this week.

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Kenny Chesney leads Academy of Country Music nominations

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added: 27 Jan 2012 // by: VVN Music 

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The Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards nominations were announced on Thursday morning via a digital press conference introduced by Reba McEntire and fearturing announcements by Lionel Richie, Beth Behrs (2 Broke Girls), Nancy O'Dell (Entertainment Tonight) and Michael Ausiello (TVLine.com).

Kenny Chesney lead the way with nine nominations including Entertainer of the Year which he has previously won four times. Jason Aldean was second with six followed by Lady Antebellum with five, Brad Paisley with four and Toby Keith, Taylor Swift (the current Entertainer of the Year), the Eli Young Band and the normally not very country Grace Potter with three.

As happened with the rival CMA Awards, nominations for veteran performers were few and far between in the major categories. Vince Gill and Amy Grant are up for Song of the Year for Threaten Me With Heaven (recorded by Gill) and Alabama is up for Vocal Event of the Year for Old Alabama which they recorded with Brad Paisley.

Where veterans do shine is behind the scenes as producers, engineers and, especially, instrumentalists. They have 23 nominations in those "off-camera" categories, just over 50% of all of the nods.

Two awards, Entertainer of the Year and New Artist of the Year are voted on by the public at the ACM Awards site (VoteACM.com). The first round of New Artist voting has already begun with the second round and Entertainer voting scheduled to start on March 19.

The awards will be aired on CBS on Sunday April 1 at 8 PM and will be hosted once again by Reba McEntire and Blake Shelton.

The nominees with veteran artists in bold:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

Jason Aldean
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
Blake Shelton
Taylor Swift

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Jason Aldean
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
Blake Shelton
Chris Young

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Sara Evans
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR

Love and Theft
Montgomery Gentry
Steel Magnolia
Sugarland
Thompson Square

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

The Band Perry
Eli Young Band
Lady Antebellum
Rascal Flatts
Zac Brown Band

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Chief ' Eric Church
Four The Record ' Miranda Lambert
Hemingway's Whiskey ' Kenny Chesney
My Kinda Party ' Jason Aldean
Own The Night ' Lady Antebellum

SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR

Crazy Girl ' Eli Young Band
Don't You Wanna Stay ' Jason Aldean With Kelly Clarkson
Red Solo Cup ' Toby Keith
Tomorrow ' Chris Young
You And Tequila ' Kenny Chesney Featuring Grace Potter

SONG OF THE YEAR

Crazy Girl ' Eli Young Band - Composers: Lee Brice, Liz Rose
Home ' Dierks Bentley - Composers: Brett Beavers, Dierks Bentley, Dan Wilson
Just A Kiss ' Lady Antebellum - Composers: Dallas Davidson, Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott
Threaten Me With Heaven ' Vince Gill - Composers: Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Dillon O'Brian, Will Owsley
You And Tequila ' Kenny Chesney Featuring Grace Potter - Composers: Matraca Berg, Deana Carter

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Homeboy ' Eric Church
Just A Kiss ' Lady Antebellum
Mean ' Taylor Swift
Red Solo Cup ' Toby Keith
Tattoos On This Town ' Jason Aldean

VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR

Country Boy ' Aaron Lewis Featuring George Jones & Charlie Daniels
Don't You Wanna Stay ' Jason Aldean With Kelly Clarkson
Old Alabama ' Brad Paisley Featuring Alabama
Remind Me ' Brad Paisley Duet With Carrie Underwood
You And Tequila ' Kenny Chesney Featuring Grace Potter

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

Rhett Akins
Dallas Davidson
Ben Hayslip
Luke Laird
David Lee Murphy

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

Mark Bright
Buddy Cannon
Nathan Chapman
Jay Joyce
Frank Liddell

AUDIO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

Jeff Balding
Derek Bason
John Kelton
Mills Logan
Justin Niebank

BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Mike Brignardello
Kevin "Swine" Grantt
Mark Hill
Michael Rhodes
Jimmy Lee Sloas

PERCUSSIONIST/DRUMMER OF THE YEAR

Matt Chamberlain
Chad Cromwell
Shannon Forrest
Chris McHugh
Greg Morrow

FIDDLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Glen Duncan
Stuart Duncan
Larry Franklin
Joe Spivey
Jonathan Yudkin

GUITARIST OF THE YEAR

J.T. Corenflos
Kenny Greenberg
Jay Joyce
Brent Mason
Adam Shoenfeld

PIANO/KEYBOARD PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Tony Harrell
John Hobbs
John Jarvis
Charlie Judge
Michael Rojas

SPECIALTY INSTRUMENT(S) PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Eric Darken
Aubrey Haynie
Ilya Toshinsky
John Willis
Jonathan Yudkin

STEEL GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Paul Franklin
Mike Johnson
Greg Leisz
Russ Pahl
Scotty Sanders

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