Tag: Country Y'all! (71-80 of 176)

Aug 17 2009 04:07 PM ET

Taylor Swift previews the MTV Video Music Awards

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Taylor-Swift-VMA_lCountry superstar Taylor Swift is one of several MTV Video Music Award nominees, including Ne-Yo, Cobra Starship, and Katy Perry, appearing in West Side Story-inspired VMA promos that will be airing on the network this month. “It was right up my alley because I did a lot of theater growing up,” says Swift, who will perform her hit “You Belong With Me” on the Sept. 13 awards-show telecast. “It has a very Broadway-esque vibe to it. They’re all intercut story lines with different characters, on our way to the VMAs.”

Photo credit: Rene Cervantes

Aug 10 2009 02:57 PM ET

Country songs to become TV anthology series (or my game show)

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Country singer and former Celebrity Apprentice contestant Clint Black has been tapped to exec produce a new TV anthology series called American Storytellers. According to Variety, the show will turn current and classic country songs into dramatic hourlong episodes. No network or on-screen talent has been announced, but producers will be looking to cast country artists in major roles.

Now, I can see where this sounds like a good idea to someone. Country music tells some hauntingly beautiful/heartbreaking stories (see the clip below). But (a) the genre does have music videos, so we’ve already seen “The Heart Won’t Lie” brought to life and (b) how is this not gonna end up cheesier than a stuffed crust pizza? I don’t think Reba McEntire and Vince Gill can star in every episode — though a girl can dream.

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Aug 5 2009 04:49 PM ET

'The Blind Side' vs. 'The Open Road': The Southern accents showdown

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The trailer for The Blind Side surfaced yesterday, and while some bemoaned how abhorrently schmaltzy it looks — and truly, it is the world’s schmaltziest trailer — I was more worried about Sandra Bullock’s accent. (I’m also worried people are going to think the book is lame, which it resoundingly is not. Read this excerpt, called “The Ballad of Big Mike.” I love you, Michael Lewis.)

“Big Mike” Oher was recently a first-round draft pick for the Ravens, so, happy endings all around.

Anyway, I thought that was my limit on intense Southern accents for the week, until another trailer materialized, and holy outrageous drawl, Batman, Jeff Bridges is out of control. READ FULL STORY »

Jul 30 2009 03:14 PM ET

Paula Abdul: Tread carefully with your 'American Idol' contract negotiations!

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Paula-Abdul_lThe American Idol rumor mill this week has been buzzier than an angry bumblebee. People.com just confirmed the unfortunate news that Kara “The Terrible” DioGuardi has signed a deal and will be back to (presumably) share a new and impressive bag of gaffes, but there’s still no official word on whether Paula Abdul will be back on the show’s judging panel for season 9. (The Los Angeles Times reports sources close to the show who claim that Paula herself has cut her asking price from $20 million to $12 million annually.)

This got me thinking: As Paula considers her negotiation tactics, she might want to cross her fingers and hope that the Idol overlords don’t look too carefully at her recent track record outside of America’s favorite talent competition. Abdul’s 2007 Bravo reality series, Hey, Paula, averaged a paltry 453,000 viewers during its seven-episode run, while her recent single, “I’m Just Here for the Music,” racked up only 64,000 in digital sales, according to Nielsen SoundScan (compared to 387,000 for 2008′s Randy Jackson collaboration “Dance Like There’s No Tomorrow”). Sharon Dastur, program director for New York City’s Z100, says that “I’m Just Here for the Music” fizzled out before she’d even begun to consider adding it to her station’s playlist. If Abdul exits Idol, adds Dastur, she’s more likely to find success in the world of dance-oriented reality television rather than trying to revive her singing career. So whether or not Paula is worth eight-figures in the Idolverse, it’s no guarantee that any career options outside the show would necessarily result in big bucks or massive fan response.

What do you think, PopWatchers? Is Paula overplaying her hand? Do you think she will/should return for season 9? And is this public uncertainty over her future good for the show from a publicity standpoint? Sound off in the comments section below! (And follow me on Twitter @EWMichaelSlezak!)

Photo credit: Jen Lowery/Startraksphoto.com

Jun 25 2009 09:44 PM ET

Jason Aldean & Bryan Adams on 'CMT Crossroads' = 'Heaven'

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I know I'm a fan of Bryan Adams, Jason Aldean, and CMT Crossroads, but how do you watch the sneak peek below of CMT Crossroads: Bryan Adams and Jason Aldean, and not program your DVR to record it Friday night at 9 p.m. ET?

Jun 19 2009 05:00 PM ET

Tim McGraw's cologne: Smells like...victory?

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I've got no problem with Tim McGraw, nor his desire to extend his brand through fragrance — if Paris Hilton and Gene Simmons can do it, why can't he? My problem is with this commercial:

The message I get from that spot is: "If you wanna smell like a roadhouse juke joint filled with sweaty musicians…McGraw." Is this really the best the advertising whiz kids could come up with?

Jun 17 2009 06:56 AM ET

CMT Music Awards: The Best and Worst

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Oh, CMT Music Awards. You’re a night where one man (our friend Dierks Bentley) brings his dog Jake as his date and another (Toby Keith) gets bleeped for saying the words “Long Dong Donkey” while discussing what his rap name could be with his co-presenter, T-Pain. A night where a young woman (Taylor Swift) could win the biggest award of the evening, Video of the Year, for a sweet song like “Love Story,” and another (nope, still Taylor Swift) could close the show essentially stripper dancing while re-creating her CMT Crossroads “Pour Some Sugar on Me” duet with Def Leppard. A night where “Start a Band” collaborators Brad Paisley and Keith Urban actually accept their award from ventriloquist Terry Fator and his dummy Vicky the cougar. Here, a closer look at the best and worst of the fan-voted 2009 CMT Music Awards:

More CMT Shows   More CMT Videos

Best moment in host Bill Engvall’s opening: The video where he crushed Taylor Swift’s dream of hosting the show. You see, her dreams always come true. Cue her insisting that she be in the new Star Trek movie even though it’s already been released and her collaborating with T-Pain on the rap track “Thug Story.” Watch it above.

Worst moment in host Bill Engvall’s opening: When Bill mistakenly thought that the audience would laugh at this joke: “Do you know what Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, and John Rich all have in common? At one point or another this year, they all had to be bailed out.” Crickets. Except for in my living room. He continued. “But last week John Rich said on Larry King that he might run for the governor of Tennessee in 2010. It’s not that he likes politics that much, he just thinks it will be easier than asking for a pardon.” Half the audience grew a sense of humor.

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May 21 2009 04:20 PM ET

Paula Deen's goat story made my morning

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Paula Deen was on the Today show this morning, promoting her new book and cookin’ up a storm, y’all! Dessert with Kathy and Hoda was fine, but things took a turn for the bizarre when she and Matt tag-teamed a beet salad, which starts around 2:35….

I’m going to call this "This is how to tell a goat story, How I Met Your Mother: A play in one act."

Paula: I’m not a big fan of goat cheese… It takes me back to a day, y’all, there was a goat in my life called Thumper—

Matt: A goat in your life?

Paula: It was actually my aunt and uncle’s goat, Thumper, and he would wee wee in his beard, and it would stink so bad!

Matt: Why did you have to do that!? Did you have to tell the goat wee wee story?!

~fin~

I have watched this nine times. Seriously, Matt Lauer, 10 bonus points for hilarity.

Apr 6 2009 10:39 AM ET

ACM Awards best and worst: McConaughey, McGraw, and...Jamie Foxx?

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Carrieunderwood_l_2Carrie Underwood became only the seventh woman to win Entertainer of the Year at the Academy of Country Music Awards Sunday night — and the first since the Dixie Chicks in 2000. Here’s the best and worst of the night as seen from in front of my television.

Best Plug: Matthew McConaughey. I’m not a fan of award shows pimping presenters who have projects to peddle — McConaughey has a movie coming out next month that I’m going to refuse to name here in protest — but at least he gave us a happy ending. Presenting the night’s final award, Entertainer of the Year, he said he had to first throw out a thank you. In 1987, he and his brother took a short road trip to another town in Texas to see a hot new artist named Dwight Yoakam. "While we’re there, we meet a couple of ladies that we’re trying to pick up, right? Conversation comes around to what we do for a livin’, and so on cue, my brother and I said, ‘Well, we have an exclusive contract with George Strait. We custom-make his boots.’ And they were like, ‘Really?’ We’re like, ‘Oh yeah. Say, as I a matter of fact, out in the parking lot, in the trunk of our white Corvette, we have the next year’s new edition white ostrich quill George Strait signed series that he’s gonna wear on tour next year.’ [Cut to Strait, who's laughing] And they got pretty excited about that and said, ‘Well, can we see? Can we see? Can we see?’…And we obliged…Point of the story is, we got lucky that night. Thank you, George." This was McConaughey’s first ACMs, and he said he wants to come back. I can see him being their Jack Nicholson. He was already sitting in the front row wearing sunglasses (he just needs to learn to smile!). He was also referenced in a speech: Accepting her award, a tearful Underwood said, "I don’t know what to say. I got nothin’…I want to see those boots, Matthew. [Audience erupts in laughter] I’m just kidding. Apparently you all agree."

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Apr 5 2009 02:00 PM ET

Heidi Newfield: The EW Pop Culture Personality Test

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Heidinewfield_lHeidi Newfield is nominated in a surprise four categories at tonight’s Academy of Country Music Awards (CBS, 8 p.m. ET) including Top Female Vocalist and Single, Song, and Video of the Year for her hit "Johnny and June," which she’ll also perform. We decided to get to know the former Trick Pony lead singer, who’s gone solo with the album What Am I Waiting For, with an EW Pop Culture Personality Test.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: The person or band you still need to see in concert?

HEIDI NEWFIELD: We were just talking about this the other day: I have not seen Bruce Springsteen in concert, and that’s just wrong. I still kick myself that I never got to see Ray Charles in concert, that’s a huge regret of mine. So sad I never got to see The Police when they did their last tour. And AC/DC, they just came to town and I was workin’.

The song you wish you’d written?

"I Can’t Make You Love Me." That’s one of my all-time faves. I wish my name was on that one.

What is your position on karaoke?

I suck at it. That’s my position on it. [Laughs] I’m absolutely the worst karaoke singer on the planet. It’s because I’m used to playing with a live band, and it’s so different when you walk up there and you sing to the record. I promise you I have screwed up my own songs. People have literally been in the bar going, "Is that… that’s… no, nevermind." [Laughs] Obviously, I can always pull up a Trick Pony song. Or I’ll do something Fleetwood Mac or Stevie Nicks. Growing up playing in all kinds of situations, from bars to events, I covered a lot of Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks.

Your guilty pleasure dance song?

Right now, it’s Jamie Foxx’s "Blame It." If you want something, like, fallback, baby girl, it’s gotta be "Brick House." "Sweet Home Alabama." Oh, I’m totally embarrassed to admit this, but anything like "We are Family," the stuff they play at weddings and you’re like, "Oh, I haven’t heard this for awhile."

So you’re doing the Electric Slide is what you’re saying?

I’m not afraid an Electric Slide. I’ll get out there and rock it with the best of ‘em.

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