Tag: Country Y'all! (51-60 of 176)

Jun 23 2010 12:27 PM ET

Sandra Bullock opts for guitar over wardrobe malfunction at Nashville Rising

Sandra Bullock made a surprise appearance at Tuesday’s Nashville Rising: A Benefit Concert for Flood Recovery. When her Blind Side co-star Tim McGraw and his wife, Faith Hill, invited her to introduce Faith, she thought she’d come and do some funny bits, have a wardrobe malfunction. But after hearing how generous the community had been when it came time to take care of one another, she wanted to give them something more: a song. She strapped on a guitar, asked the audience to be quiet, and launched into “Smoke on the Water.” Watch the clip below. (Yes, this is a comedy bit, and Bullock’s streak of charming public appearances at a time when most celebrities would be asking for complete privacy continues to keep fans firmly in her corner.)

P.S. If you were wondering, Miley Cyrus, who was among the artists delivering real performances, did tame her wardrobe for the event. She wore pants.

READ FULL STORY »

Jun 21 2010 06:17 PM ET

Guess the artist from the track list!

guess-the-artist-bannerImage Credit: Image Source/Getty ImagesNew game, PopWatchers: Guess the artist from this list of tracks from his/her/their upcoming album. We’ve hidden the name of the new single so there’s no cheating. Still, this one’s pretty obvious, right? Answer after the jump.

1. “Brown Chicken Brown Cow”
2. “Hold My Beer”
3. “Cowboy’s Back in Town”
4. NEW SINGLE
5. “Hell, I Can Do That”
6. “A Little Bit of Missing You”
7. “Still Love You”
8. “Don’t Mind If I Don’t”
9. “Ala-Freakin-Bama”
10. “Break Her Fall”
11. “Whoop A Man’s Ass” READ FULL STORY »

Jun 7 2010 12:45 PM ET

Margaret Cho reveals the true story behind the 'country murder ballad' on her upcoming album

margaret-choImage Credit: Rahav Segev/Getty ImagesOn Aug. 24, Margaret Cho will release a comedy music album, Cho Dependent, featuring collaborations with the likes of Fiona Apple, Ani DiFranco, Patty Griffin, and Ben Lee. “It’s funny songwriting, but it’s not song parody,” Cho told us recently while sitting down with EW and her Drop Dead Diva costar Brooke Elliott. Then, she launched into the story behind her favorite track on the album, “I’m Sorry,” co-written by Andrew Bird.

MARGARET CHO: I fell in love with a guy who worked on All-American Girl, which was my first TV show, and he didn’t like me back at all. He didn’t like me back. And it broke my heart. I was early 20s, really in love with him. I was in love with him for 17 years, and I never Googled him, because I didn’t want to know what had happened. In my mind, I thought I’m sure he’s married and livin’ in a white house with a wife and kid, this fantastic life that I had imagined for him. So I never Googled him, and then finally, 17 years later, I turned 40, and I thought I should Google him and just see. [Laughs] ‘Cause he might get divorced or something. You never know, in their 40s, people switch partners. So I Googled him, and this thing came up on Wikipedia, and it said his name, and it said American screenwriter, producer, worked on All-American Girl with Margaret Cho, and in 2007, was arrested for murdering his wife. He bludgeoned her to death and stuffed her body in the attic for a month until it had partially mummified. READ FULL STORY »

Apr 29 2010 08:00 AM ET

'American Idol': Rascal Flatts, Shakira, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas and...Lady Gaga? (On the scene for Top 6 results)

Idol-Diaz-SeacrestImage Credit: Michael Becker/Fox/PictureGroupThis is gonna be kinda weird, dear readers. Not Rascal Flatt’s Gary LaVox trying to dance with Shakira weird, or Shakira trying to quote Roosevelt and/or Casey Kasem weird. But, well, there’s not all that much to tell you about the on-the-scene action during last night’s live American Idol results show. As you may have gathered, a good half of the evening was pre-taped, and the judges and contestants were nowhere to be seen when the cameras weren’t broadcasting live.

However, after the show was over and the 19 Entertainment logo had chirped, none other than Lady Gaga invaded the Idoldome, and, shockingly, she decided to put on an insanely elaborate spectacle involving a 20 foot (or so) working fountain and a half-dozen (or so) half-naked male dancers. Of course, you at home won’t get to see her performance until it airs during an upcoming results show, so my descriptions of it may not exactly make a whole heap of sense — and Lady Gaga already enjoys tango dancing on the far edge of basic visual comprehension anyway. READ FULL STORY »

Apr 28 2010 06:40 AM ET

'American Idol': Shania Twain sways, hugs, chats, and claps on the scene of Top 6 performance night

Idol-Shania-TwainImage Credit: Ray Mickshaw/FoxAs I walked through the CBS Television City parking lot to the Idoldome last night, I passed two massive black steel abstract trees, and a pair of park benches with backs that looked like giant bloody razor blades. “Ah, country week on American Idol,” chirped my snark demon, Smirkelstilskin. “It always takes me back to that glorious winter of 1986, when I headlined a West Berlin production of Waiting for Godot.” (I’ll get back to the trees and benches, promise.) After I got to my seat, Smirkel then caught sight of season 6 runner-up Blake Lewis hobnobbing with one of the sway pits, sporting a frosted emo haircut that made it clear he’d gone to his barber with a worn-out copy of Us Weekly, pointed to a picture of Kate Gosselin, and said “I wanna look like this — but just the front part.”

With that, Smirkel was sated indeed, and curled back into his roly-poly shell. Which is just as well, really, since the rest of the evening proved decidedly uneventful. It all skipped by with barely a hitch, but there’s still plenty of behind-the-scenery to chew on regardless. So if you’ll skip with me over the jump, I’ll give you the full breakdown of what got Shania Twain swaying in her seat, whether Casey James really cares if he wins, and how Kara managed to stumble into yet another compromising double-entendre after the show. READ FULL STORY »

Apr 27 2010 09:15 PM ET

'American Idol': The Top 6 tackle Shania Twain tunes. How'd they do?

American-Idol-Top-6Image Credit: Michael Becker/Fox;Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Image When it comes to American Idol, Shania Twain can seemingly do no wrong! Season 9′s most delightful guest judge returned to Fox’s ratings mammoth tonight in the form of mentor/songbook subject, and for the first time since season 8′s delectable Rat Pack Week, not a single contestant stunk up the joint. Can I get a yee-haw and a what-what? Okay, sorry…I won’t attempt to get in touch with my barely existent country roots again. But the good news is, the competition that’s sounded depressingly like “Crystal, Lee, & a Bunch of Half-Interested Also-Rans” may be turning into something of a horse race. Not to mention, if Ken Warwick & Co. get smart and try to reboot the Idol judges’ panel for season 10, they’ve already got a guaranteed winner in Ms. Twain. (Who else sees the value in hiring one Shania for the price of an Ellen and three Randys?)

And now for the bad news: As Ellen pointed out, Wednesday’s results show telecast is going to be a tough one, because it’s not like 97 percent of viewers are going to hear the name of the person whose journey came to an end, shrug their shoulders, and say, “Eh. I’d had it with that Andrew Garcia dood anyway.” If I had to guess, I think this week’s bottom three will consist of High School Student Aaron Kelly, Michael “Big Mike” Lynche, and either Casey James or maybe a MamaSox shocker (because too much backtalk makes speed-dialers’ fingers freeze).

But I leave that for y’all to discuss in the comments, because I’ve got a gargantuan-length TV Watch recap to write — update: It’s now liiiive, so check it out! – which will post tomorrow a.m. on EW.com. Until then, check me out on iTunes check out the latest episode of Idolatry (after the jump), share your prediction of who’s getting the (cowboy) boot on Wednesday, and do sign up to follow me on Twitter @EWMichaelSlezak! (Related: Idol’s 13 Awkward Mentor Moments; Allison Iraheta turns 18: Let’s make her album turn platinum; ‘American Idol’ announces tour dates: Will you see them in concert?)

Tonight’s Set List READ FULL STORY »

Apr 26 2010 11:04 AM ET

'American Idol': What should the Top 6 sing for Shania Twain Week?

American-Idol-Top-6Image Credit: Michael Becker/Fox;Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Image Yee-haw! It’s Shania Twain Week on American Idol. Yet while the dormant country superstar proved to be a fabulous guest judges during the season 9 Chicago audition episode, I can’t help but feel that the show’s remaining six contestants will be navigating a minefield choosing from the pre-approved list of 50 Shania tracks currently streaming at iTunes (and listed after the jump). Past history has already shown us the perils of tackling some of Twain’s campier, uptempo tunes on the Idol stage: In season 5, early front-runner Mandisa got the boot after tanking on “Any Man of Mine,” while season 4 victor Carrie Underwood didn’t exactly have an Idol moment on “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” Which is why I pity the fool who chooses “That Don’t Impress Me Much” and finds him- or herself attempting to pull off the “Okay, so you’re Brad Pitt” spoken-word interlude. (Insert silent shudder here.) If Ken Warwick has any kind of soul, he’ll limit the use of that track (and perhaps “Nah!”) to the results-show group “performance.”

Either way, though, the show must go on. Here’s my dream set-list for Tuesday night. When you’re done reading, suggest your own in the comments below. And to get all my Idol news and commentary, follow me on Twitter @EWMichaelSlezak!

Casey James: “There Goes the Neighborhood
Lee DeWyze: “You’re Still the One” (time for this cat to go “vulnerable” already!)
Crystal Bowersox: “Home Ain’t Where His Heart Is (Anymore)
Siobhan Magnus: “Waiter! Bring Me Water!
High School Student Aaron Kelly: “Up!
Michael Lynche: “Forever and for AlwaysREAD FULL STORY »

Apr 8 2010 10:57 AM ET

Shania Twain to have reality show on Oprah Winfrey's network

shania-twainImage Credit: Ray Tamarra/Getty ImagesOWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, which launches Jan. 1, 2011 on what is currently the Discovery Health Network, has announced that country singer Shania Twain will star in a one-hour reality series. Per the release, Why Not? With Shania Twain will have her opening up about her “life-altering heartbreak” (the very public end of her 14-year marriage) and how she’s moving on. “Follow her as she begins her climb back to the top, a personal journey filled with risk, revelations and unexpected adventures,” it says.

If you’re going to do a  reality show, there’s no one better to hook up with than Oprah to make it seem like a classy “documentary series.” I’ve always thought of Twain, 44, as a private person, but fan club members have been treated to plenty of personal videos on her official site. Her guest judging gig during this season’s auditions on American Idol earned rave reviews and ratings (and a song from our Michael Slezak) — the rumor is, she’ll return to mentor the contestants. And she does actually have an interesting story: This is one of country music’s top-selling artists, trying to make a comeback (and by that, I simply mean release an album for the first time in years), in a world that remembers her fondly but also has no shortage of sassy, fashionably-daring female singers upon which to focus.

Are you in or out?

Apr 6 2010 11:04 AM ET

CMT Music Awards: Vote for Jason Aldean and Bryan Adams' 'Heaven'

The first round of nominees have been released for the fan-voted CMT Music Awards. Jason Aldean, Lady Antebellum, and Sugarland lead the noms with four each. Two of Aldean’s nods stem from his CMT Crossroads performance of “Heaven” with Bryan Adams. Watch it after the jump, then vote for it for CMT Performance of the Year before May 11. The top vote-getters make it into a final round. The awards are handed out live June 9. If you ask me, CMT Crossroads — which pairs a country star with an artist from a different genre for a revealing conversation and a concert of each other’s tunes — is the best thing on the network. READ FULL STORY »

Mar 5 2010 01:50 PM ET

'Idol' exit Q&A: Haeley Vaughn talks about connecting with her music, and Simon's cryptic prediction

idol-haeley-vaughnImage Credit: Patrick Ecclestein/FoxHaeley Vaughn was nothing if not relentlessly cheerful during her tenure on American Idol, so it’s kinda bracing to hear her sound so hushed and droopy the day after she was eliminated from the show. Well, for the first 15 seconds, anyway — then it was back to the upbeat Haeley we all know and love.

Hi Haeley.
Hi Adam, how are you?

I’m okay — more importantly, how are you doing today?
Um, I’m doing okay, I guess. I’m a little disappointed.

It seemed like an emotional final performance for you.
Oh yeah, definitely it was. I was crying through my song, and then my friends and the contestants behind me were crying. It was definitely hard to do. I have a really good relationship with all of the contestants. They’re like family to me. It was really hard saying good-bye to everybody.

Is there anyone you’re going to miss in particular?
I’m going to miss everybody so much, equally. I love everybody. Everybody! READ FULL STORY »

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