Lady Antebellum's Hillary Scott Sets the Record Straight

Hillary Scott celebrated her very first number one hit…as a songwriter ONLY. Hillary co-wrote the Sara Evans hit single, "Little Bit Stronger"…and Hillary was on cloud nine at the #1 party last week! Hillary said she wrote the song when she was getting over a really bad break-up. Lady A was set to record it…Charles Kelly even sang on the song demo with Hillary. But as it got closer to recording the album, Hillary was in a brand new relationship and said she had moved on from the feeling behind “Little Bit Stronger”…so she decided NOT to record the tune for herself. The song eventually got to Sara Evans…and Hillary was blown away by Sara’s take on the song…and well, the rest is history!

But at the party, Hillary said wanted to set the records straight. Apparently, she got word that the guy from her past that inspired “Little Bit Stronger” thinks a different hit song was written about him….and Hillary wanted to let him know…he’s WRONG!!!

Hillary Scott: "I'm in a great, amazing relationship now and that feels like a lifetime ago, but this guy that I dated, I've heard through the grapevine because we still have mutual friends, he thinks that 'Need You Now' was written about him. And that wasn't. This one was. So for the record." 

Charles and Dave were also at the #1 party to support Hillary’s success. And at one point, Charles yelled out to Hillary from the crowd…”Next time, invite US to the writing session”!!!

Congratulations Hillary and Sara on your #1 hit song!

-Ashley

Sara Evans...A Little Bit Stronger #1 Party

Sara Evans had her #1 party yesterday for her hit, “A Little Bit Stronger”. The stars packed the house to support her come-back…Sara took 3 years off from being a Country Music Star….she’s taken that time to settle into her new life as a married woman in Birmingham…with a houseful of kids, Sara says it’s 100 kids! And she admitted that she was worried that the Country audience may have forgotten about her and moved on…but “A Little Bit Stronger” went to #1 and showed Sara that she’s FAR from forgotten!!  In fact, we have MISSED her!!

A Little Bit Stronger has become an anthem…the folks who are recovering from the tornadoes that devastated the south are finding hope in the song….(and Sara will be singing it at the Bama Rising concert next month)… A Little Bit Stronger was also used this week on the Dancing With the Stars Finale…and Sara sang it LIVE on the show.  As Sara sang, if you watched the finale, they had a montage of video clips that showed each celebrity dancer from the beginning of the series…and followed their improvement as they became stronger dancers. It was the first time Sara had been back since her time as a celebrity dancer on the show, so I caught up with Sara and asked her how it felt to be back there….

Sara Evans: “It was very surreal…lots and lots of memories…I was flooded with memories. Seeing all the dancers and some of the contestants  were there that were on my season…so when I got up to actually do the performance, I had a little moment of panic! Like, I’m terrified right now! But then, you know, I got through it fine. But yeah, it was REALLY WEIRD being back there…but so much fun." 

Sara said she didn’t want to watch the videos before she sang, because it made her want to cry!  

It was a great party yesterday….Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum co-wrote A Little Bit stronger…so she was there and she brought Charles and Dave with her.

-Ashley

Reba McEntire is STILL talking about Blake and Miranda's Wedding!

Two weeks ago, Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert had the wedding of their dreams….and one famous guest is STILL talking about it! Reba McEntire, a close friend of the newlyweds, was one of the celebs on the guest list, and Reba gets excited when she talks about how much fun she had at Blake and Miranda’s wedding. Reba says she couldn’t stay in her seat at the reception because Blake and Miranda had the best entertainment…Neal McCoy and karaoke!!! Reba joined several Country Stars on stage to perform any song she thought she knew. And Reba said the party was so much fun she and her husband didn’t want to miss one single second…

Reba McEntire: “Narvel had to go to the bathroom, he said, ‘Don’t get back up on stage ‘til I get back.’ I said, ‘Ok,’ and Neal started singing another song I knew the harmony parts for so I got up and sang with him. I sang with Kelly and with Miranda and uh, Neal McCoy’s piano player and Neal. So, it was a blast! And Miranda was beautiful and Blake was so handsome.” 

One source said being at Blake and Miranda's wedding was like being at a Country Music Awards Show!!! 

AND Reba will join Blake in the newlywed couple’s home state of Oklahoma TONIGHT and TOMORROW NIGHT....Reba and Blake will host tornado relief concerts in Durant.

-Ashley

Blake Shelton, Hold Onto Your Seat!!!

Blake Shelton has become quite the TV star lately. His new gig as a Judge and Vocal Coach on the hit TV show, The Voice…has really taken off….he says he’s even been recognized in local convenience stores in town as that guy on the TV show, so he’s pretty excited. Blake says he and his co-stars on the show were surprised and excited about the show’s success….because they weren’t really sure how folks would react to it. Those shows can go either way. 

But Blake says he’s having a blast on the show…and it’s been a great experience so far…and he told me that he’d like to take home his favorite prop in the show so he can have something to remember the experience…here’s Blake…(Audio) I've asked Mark Burnett if I could take my chair home with me after the show is over and he offered to sell it to me

So if Blake wants his chair, he has to PAY for it!!! Well…it looks the show’s producers are gonna hang on to Blake’s Chair for a while…along with the chairs of his co-stars….because word is, Cee Lo was asked in an interview if all four judges would return for another season of The Voice….and Cee Lo’s response?? Cee Lo said, “That would be a safe assumption.” So it looks like Blake will be back on the show for another season…with a reserved seat!!! 

And…if the show turns out to be a long-running hit, maybe Blake can work out a deal for his chair...or maybe they'll just GIVE it to him! 

-Ashley

John Rich WINS Celebrity Apprentice for St. Jude's Kids!!!

John Rich battled it out last night to be Donald Trump’s next Celebrity Apprentice….facing his opponent, Marlee Matlin on LIVE TV!! And ……..JOHN RICH WON!!!! Mr. Trump said I’m going to do something I’ve never done…and he announced John as the winner…instead of telling Marlee she was fired. 

Last night, John performed a song called, “For the kids” … Marlee Matlin signed the lyrics of the song as John sang. It was a sweet moment. John Rich is giving all proceeds from the sales of the song to St Jude Childrens Research Hospital as well. He even raised an additional $250,000 in the final task, even though the final task was not about fundraising. John’s participation on the show was all about helping the kids at St Jude. John said he just tried to stay out of all the drama, which he says was not acting...it was for real...and it was happening all around him...

John Rich:  “It was over the top. People say, ‘Was that scripted?’ (laughs) Trust me, it was not scripted. People really rev that high and really got that bent outta shape and stayed bent outta shape for a long time. I think for me and Marlee both we kept our eye on the prize which was trying to get to the end to get that big giant piece of money, that quarter of a million dollars.”

John also says that he invited former Apprentice teammate, Gary Busey over to his house to watch one of the final episodes. What in the world was Gary Busey doing in Nashville?? This news is gonna SHOCK YOU!

John Rich:  “Gary was in town…uh…writing songs for his upcoming country album. Can I get a hell yes? That’s what he said, he says, ‘John, I’m in Nashville writin’ songs for my country album.’ Which I will be the first one in line to get that cause I can’t even imagine what those songs must be about and what they must sound like.” 

Gary Busey singing Country Music?? Gary may be out of his mind; but I gotta admit, he was fun to watch on the show. 

And I’m just excited for John…and for the kids of St. Jude. I asked him about it 2 weeks ago at a #1 party…and said you just HAVE to win it…and he said, “You never know…I just might!” I KNEW that was a hint!!

Congratulations, John!!!  

-Ashley

An Insider's Look at Blake and Miranda's Wedding!!!

Us Weekly magazine has published the first “official” photos from Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton’s big Texas wedding…SO… FINALLY…folks can TALK about Country Music’s Biggest wedding!!! I’ve been dying to know what all went on!! 

OK, so sources who went say…the PREACHER was cutting jokes even when delivering Blake and Miranda’s wedding vows. The Preacher said to Blake, ‘Do you put Miranda before hunting?’ Of course, Everybody laughed…and Blake looked down, laughing. AND Miranda’s DOGS were in the wedding! Somebody said one ran off in the middle of the ceremony, so they had to chase after it…and everybody fell out laughing at that. 

The food made a big impression on the guests, too. Blake and Miranda had a five-tier vanilla cake with hot pink icing. They also had mini red velvet and lemon cakes served in shot glasses. And you know there was venison, which Miranda and Blake hunted themselves…and they served Herb-encrusted quail and a lot of other meats…so it was down-home southern cuisine, served up Texas-style.

One guest said being at Blake and Miranda’s wedding was like being at a Country Music Awards show. EVERYBODY was there…Martina McBride, Trace Adkins, Reba, Dierks Bentley, Lady A…just everybody! So many stars were there…and having a great time, too.

And…The coolest part of the wedding to me was the entertainment…they not only had Neal McCoy…but they had a karaoke machine!!!…and EVERYBODY got up there and sang! Miranda sang, “Fancy” right there in front of Reba. Reba got up there and sang “Why Haven’t I heard from You” with Kelly Clarkson….and word is, Kellie Pickler sang a whole bunch of karaoke songs until all hours of the morning…I think she may have closed the place down!  

Well US Weekly magazine has more on Blake and Miranda’s big day, including pictures! It’s on newsstands now. Go pick up a copy…if you can find one. People are buying them up like hot cakes!

-Ashley

Alabama Calls on Brad Paisley for 'Bama Rising'

The members of Alabama have put together an All-Star benefit for the victims of the tornadoes that devastated much of their home state. They’re calling it Bama Rising: A Benefit Concert for Alabama Tornado Recovery, and it will take place in Birmingham on June 14th. The Legendary Country Group called on their friends in the Country Music community to join them…Sara Evans, Little Big Town, Dierks Bentley, Martina McBride, Kellie Pickler and Brad Paisley will perform for the benefit. Brad Paisley says after Alabama sang with him on his hit song, "Old Alabama," he was more than happy to return the favor and be a part of the benefit. 

Brad Paisley: Jeff Cook left me a message and said, ‘Well I told you when I was gonna do this with you payback would be a bear.’ So, you know and I said, ‘Yup, well whatever you want I’ll do it.’ And that’s when they came up with the idea to do this concert and what a line up they’re gonna have. It’s crazy. It’s gonna be memorable.

I talked to Randy Owen after the storms, and he was in Alabama during the storm. He and his family were in the basement for hours and hours…but luckily, their home wasn’t in the path of the tornado. But when Randy saw the devastated areas that were hit, he said it’s the worst natural disaster he’s ever seen.

Tickets for the benefit concert go on sale this Friday at 11AM Central at Ticketmaster. For more details, go to BamaRising.com.

-Ashley

England Invades Blake and Miranda's Wedding!!!!

Well, it’s being called Country’s Royal Wedding…and wouldn’t you know, that the very first pictures of Blake Shelton and MIRANDA LAMBERT’s wedding are coming straight from England!!  

A British gossip site has posted aerial photos of Country Music’s biggest wedding, and they are something else! You can see brides maids in pink sundresses and boots…you can see crowds huddled by the BBQ venison buffet line…and there’s even a shot of Blake waiting outside of the tent (I’m assuming before he says his “I Do’s”). Here's the WEBSITE...and check out the pics below:

It’s really kind of funny….this is no Hollywood highly-guarded wedding, prepared for the invasion of paparazzi. This was good old fashioned Country Wedding. These pics show Country folk having a good ole time!  It’s just what we’d expect from Blake and Miranda...but by the way, the cowboy hats are the best defense against aerial photographers....nothing hides a celeb like a Stetson! : ) Us Weekly magazine has the exclusive on the wedding…and the official wedding photos are due out TOMORROW.  

A few other details have emerged about the wedding….mostly about the BLING. Word is, Miranda and Blake used the same jeweler that made CARRIE UNDERWOOD's engagement and wedding rings. Miranda's wedding band is a five-carat white diamond "Eternity" ring and Blake's ring was designed after the tattoo on his arm. Supposedly, the jewelry designer spent 60 days hand-engraving the tattoo pattern, and at Miranda's request, he included a black diamond on the inside of the ring. During the wedding, Miranda wore a 1.2 million dollar diamond necklace and diamond teardrop earrings to match.

It’s been a big week for Miranda…she got married, then her song "Heart Like Mine" went to #1.  That’s the best wedding gift of all!  

And Miranda’s first tweet as a married woman was, “Mrs Shelton Here…WINNING!!”  

-Ashley

EXCLUSIVE: Gary LeVox has Bieber Fever!!!

Remember the infamous pictures of Justin Bieber’s shocking haircut that went viral on the web? It wasn’t just the haircut that was so shocking…part of the shock was that the Rascal Flatts were in those pictures with Justin Bieber!! One photo showed the lead singer of the Flatts, Gary LeVox…actually CUTTING Justin’s hair! Check it out: 

Well yesterday, I caught up with Gary…and of course I had to ask him how in the world that came about…

Gary LeVox: The hair that shocked the world! yeah, you know what? He was just sittin' back there and he was like, "I'm...I gotta get a haircut. I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna get my haircut right now." So we took the picture of me cuttin' his hair...and then 15 minutes later...no lie...it was on CNN Headline Breaking News. 

Ashley Mann: Oh Everywhere...it was EVERYWHERE. Were you Impressed by him??

Gary LeVox: You know what? I was really impressed by him. One, because of, just his musical gifts. You know, I mean, he taught himself how to play like 7 different instruments. Plus, him singing LIVE was really great. Plus he's a great dancer...and his knowledge of music...but his character is really, really the most important thing I was interested in seeing.  And man, he's just a great kid. My hat's off to his parents, you know, you can tell he's had a great upbringing...and he's the real deal. He really is. And, you know, just the way he interacts with his fans...like my daughter...he's really got what...that "it factor" you hear so much about...Justin's got the "It Factor"...I think it might've been because of the way I cut his hair...(laughs)

Ashley Mann: I heard you tell someone that you had a low-grade Bieber Fever...

Gary LeVox: (laughs) I did!!! It was about 100. 

Ashley Mann: (laughs) Well it sounds like...you're saying a lot of really nice things about this boy...sounds like its more than a low-grade..

Gary LeVox: Yeah...it's a...I had to say low-grade Bieber Fever because my 10 year old had full-blown about 106, I think.  But, yeah...Justin...he's great, you know? And hopefully we can do something again in the future. But to be his age and to be probably the biggest pop star in the world right now...He's handling it with a lot of class and a lot of integrity.

Sounds to me like Gary has full-blown Bieber Fever…and after hearing Gary say such nice things about Justin, I may have a touch of Bieber fever myself!  

The Rascal Flatts have been nominated for a couple of CMT Music awards…one of which is for Collaborative Video of the Year for their song, “That Should Be Me” with Justin Bieber.

The CMT Music Awards will air live from Nashville on June 8^th on CMT…I wonder if Justin will make an appearance for that? We’ll see… 


-Ashley

Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert are MARRIED!!!

Well, their big day is being dubbed, "The Country Royal Wedding"…and it’s definitely the biggest wedding in Country Music to have the Male Vocalist and Female Vocalist of the year tie the knot...Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert got married!!! Yep…Blake and Miranda are now husband and wife. 

Their Wedding details are starting to emerge little by little. Here’s what we know: Blake and Miranda got hitched Saturday night at the Don Strange Ranch 45 miles outside of San Antonio…(it’s a real working longhorn ranch, by the way.  Check it out HERE). Blake and Miranda said “I Do” on a hill outside at sunset in front of 550 family members and friends. Miranda walked down the aisle wearing her mother’s wedding dress (which is really sweet. Miranda could've had her pick of any of the biggest designers out there...plus, it has to be good luck, because her parents are STILL together). And, as you can imagine, it was a star-packed event. The guest list includes Reba, Martina McBride, Lady A’s Charles Kelly, Dierks Bentley….and even Blake’s TV co-host, Cee Lo Green was there.

It seems like Us Weekly magazine has the exclusive on the wedding. Miranda and Blake both talked to the mag after the ceremony, saying, "I'm married to my best friend! Looking forward to a lifetime of laughter." Blake chimed in, too saying, "I wanted to be married to Miranda the day I proposed. Finally, it's official!" Read more from Us Weekly HERE.

Hopefully they will post pictures for us to see soon…

Congratulations to Mr. And Mrs. Shelton…Best wishes for a long and very happy marriage!

-Ashley

It's Friday the 13th...and Taylor Swift Shares her Lucky Number with Those in Need!!!

Today is Friday the 13th…so I just HAD to talk about….Taylor Swift!!! The Number 13 is Taylor Swift’s lucky number, so today I had to talk about Taylor and how she’s sharing her luck with others who need it most. AND...at the same time, she’s giving 13,000 lucky fans the unbelievable opportunity to see her show 2 weeks before her tour begins! Taylor is opening up her final dress rehearsal on Saturday, May 21st to the public as a benefit for tornado victims in Alabama. Taylor explained why she decided she had to do something to help: 

Taylor Swift: So many of the people on my crew and band and the dancers, they have relatives in Alabama who were sending them videos of a cyclone in their local park or down the street from them. So we turned on the T.V. and we were watching the coverage. You know, it seems like something that was absolutely necessary.

Taylor is calling this dress rehearsal show, "Speak Now Help Now", and it's a true dress rehearsal. Taylor says to expect a few mistakes and maybe even some do-overs. Tickets are on sale for $50 each at TaylorSwift.com. Everyone that attends will receive a commemorative t-shirt…how lucky is that??! But even if you aren't buying tickets, Taylor has a way that you can make a donation on the site. 

Happy Friday the 13th, Taylor! Thank you for offering up your talents for those in need.

-Ashley

Jason Aldean's #1 Party for "Don't You Wanna Stay"

Jason Aldean had his #1 party yesterday for his hit song, “Don’t You Wanna Stay”….and I was there. It was a who’s-who of Music Row.  Other Country Stars were there, too….the JaneDear girls and John Rich….and I’ll get back to John Rich in a minute….

I caught up with Jason before the awards presentation, and he was of course happy to have the number one…but you know, he was more excited for the guys in his band…one of which just recently celebrated the #1 for Thompson Square “Are you Gonna Kiss me Or Not”...as a producer on that project. 

Jason Aldean is that kinda guy…the folks he works with are like his family.  His band plays on all his records, which is rare in this business, and they were all there at the party. Jason brought his wife and 2 little girls to the party…and his publicist was there, hugging Jason's little girls, like they were her own.  You can just tell that Jason’s entire crew is like family.  It was really great to see that. 

Kelly Clarkson was in Los Angeles and couldn’t make the party yesterday, but I was told that she’d much rather be in Nashville celebrating with Jason.  She was upset that she couldn’t make the trip back.  All 3 songwriters were there, too, of course…and this was their first #1 song…as a group and individually.

Now back to John Rich. He was there because he’s the publisher for one of the writers. John discovered this songwriter at a Mexican restaurant on Nolensville Road.  John was having dinner there, and the writer was singing. John signed him right there over chips and salsa.  It’s a cool story…and now they’re celebrating their first #1. 

I caught up with John after the awards and plaques were handed out, and I congratulated him. And I know yesterday was all about the #1 party, but I wanted to ask him a totally different question…so I did…

I asked him, “Are you gonna win the Celebrity Apprentice?!!!”  And he said, "I made the final Four, that’s good, right!?  I said yes, it was..."but, you’ve got to WIN!! Win for Country Music John!" He said, "You never know…I just MIGHT."

Was that a HINT or WHAT?!  : )  John Rich, I HOPE you WIN!!!  

Congrats to Jason Aldean, Kelly Clarkson...and all three writers....Paul Jenkins, Andy Gibson and my friend, Jason Sellers!!! 

-Ashley

Keith Urban Lands a Nashville Star!

Keith Urban is the next in line to get a star on the Music City Walk of Fame. Keith will receive the honor this weekend…his star will be unveiled during a special ceremony this Sunday afternoon at 2:30. The event is open to the public and will be held at Nashville's Walk of Fame Park….which is downtown on Demonbreun Street between 4th and 5th Avenues…so it’s right across the street from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

The Music City Walk of Fame honors musicians and performers from all genres of music, as well as industry insiders who’s work reflects and preserves Nashville's musical heritage. Keith’s star will give our Walk of Fame a total of 50 stars or Markers. Previous honorees include Reba McEntire, Wynonna Judd, Vince Gill, Martina McBride, and Hank Williams Sr. Even Jimi Hendrix has a star downtown. Bill Anderson will also receive a star on Sunday, alongside Keith.

It should be a fun time on Sunday. You never know what stars may turn out to show their support. Maybe Keith’s wife, Nicole, will show up? Now Keith and Nicole both will have stars on the Walk of Fame. Keith’s is here in Music City…Nicole’s, of course, is in Hollywood!

For more information about the Music City Walk of Fame, click HERE. 

-Ashley

Carrie Underwood's Reunion...and Garth Brooks' Diploma in Oklahoma!!!

It was a big weekend for a couple of Oklahoma-born Country stars! One Country Icon received a college degree…and another Country Star surprised her town when she showed up at her 10 year high school reunion. 

First, thanks to the tweets of fellow classmates (who are also Country Music fans), we now know that Carrie Underwood surprised her classmates when she showed up to her 10 year high school reunion over the weekend! The Checotah High School Class of 2001 took photos with their famous classmate at the reunion and posted them all over facebook...and tweeted like crazy! One person tweeted a photo of the entire class….and there's Carrie Underwood... right there in the middle!!! For more info, click HERE.

And…it’s that time of year. Folks are putting on their caps and gowns, getting ready to get that diploma or degree and flip that tassel to the other side of their cap…and that’s exactly what a Country icon did over the weekend in Oklahoma. 

Garth Brooks received a Masters Degree from Oklahoma State University!!! One of his fellow classmates tweeted a picture posing with the famous graduate…and there he is….Garth Brooks, all decked out in cap and gown! Congratulations Garth! To read more on this story, click HERE.

-Ashley

Taylor Swift: "Speak Now....HELP Now!"

Taylor Swift has announced that she is opening up the last dress rehearsal for her Speak Now Tour to 13,000 fans…and she’s doing this as a fundraiser to benefit victims of the deadly tornadoes in the Southeast.

Those lucky fans will get a first look at Taylor’s new show almost a week early!!! Taylor is calling it “Speak Now…..Help Now!" Her final tour rehearsal is on May 21st at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. The North American portion of her Speak Now World Tour 2011 kicks off on May 27th in Omaha, Nebraska.

Taylor says, “I was watching the coverage of the tornadoes backstage at rehearsals, and I wanted to do something for the families affected by the damage,” says Taylor. “I’ve never opened a rehearsal to the public before, but I felt that inviting my fans to the last rehearsal for the Speak Now Tour would be a great way to raise money.” 

Taylor’s been rehearsing at the Bridgestone for the last 5 weeks, and she admits there will probably still be some “fine-tuning” to the show that night; Taylor says it will be a “true rehearsal.”

Ticketing information and “Speak Now….Help Now!” event details are available at www.TaylorSwift.com. 100% of ticket sales will go directly to help tornado victims.

-Ashley

Dierks Bentley Forgot Mother's Day??!!

Dierks Bentley can’t be the only man out there who needed to be reminded that this Sunday is Mother’s Day. Unfortunately, Dierks' reminder came while he was standing in front of a whole lot of microphones...including mine!!! I caught up with Dierks backstage at the Opry on Tuesday night, and when he was asked what his Mother’s Day plans were...his response was, “Mother’s Day is this weekend?” Good thing he got the reminder, because now, I’m sure, he’s busy making plans. 


Dierks tried to explain that Moms go easy on their sons if they forget the holiday; but guys, you don’t want to forget your wife!!! Here’s what  Dierks said after he was reminded about Mother’s Day:


Dierks: “Your actual mom, there’s some slack there.  But your wife...you know, anyone that tours…that has kids and wife back home... it’s tough, man. It’s a lot of work. So I definitely need to step up and think of something great to do this Sunday for sure…but um, nothing yet. As usual, I’ll probably get something last minute…but hopefully it’ll be great. She deserves something great!”

Now to his credit, Dierks has a very busy touring schedule. He’ll be performing every night up until Mother's Day. But he does have Mother’s Day off, and he did say he was gonna give Cassidy something GREAT…so he’s safe this year.

So this is every man’s reminder: Don’t forget your Mom or your wife this Sunday!!! Cards and flowers are always good…of course, jewelry is even better!

Happy Mother’s Day everybody!


-Ashley

Thompson Square's EMOTIONAL first #1 Party!!!

Thompson Square had their very first #1 party this week for their hit song, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not." I talked to Keifer and Shawna before the festivities began. They are such a sweet couple with amazing chemistry…you can feel it when they walk into a room. So much has happened in their career in the past year, really.  Not that their success has been overnight…Keifer made sure I knew that they’ve been working hard for 13 years trying to “make it." But just a year ago, they were both bar tending downtown.  And now, they’re celebrating a number one hit…PLUS…the song is one of the top ring tones of any song in any genre of music….AND they’re nominated for a couple of CMT Music Awards AND they’re touring with Jason Aldean…so they’ve definitely hit a lot of music career milestones this past year. I asked Keifer and Shawna if all of this success and working together everyday...day in and day out has affected their marriage. Here’s Shawna’s response to that: 

Shawna: “Keifer and I have worked many, many jobs together. We moved to town the same week…Keifer got me my first job at a boot store that he worked at…and I did photography, he did graphic design…we bartended together…so really…it hasn’t been that different…its really the only way that we know, as far as work.”

Both brought their parents and other close family members to the #1 party, and I wasn’t prepared for such an emotional event.  Keifer warned us all that they are both "criers"…and he was right!  He presented his precious parents with a plaque and they all hugged and cried for a long time.  Shawna had a plaque for her parents, but her dad couldn’t make the party because he’s not doing so well…so she said she’d hold on to it until she can see him in person…and she hugged her mom and cried. But the most emotional moment was after Keifer thanked everybody one in the room. Shawna took the mic and said, "I want to thank one person…and that’s Kefier. Because without you, I wouldn’t be here.  I thank God for you everyday.”  Then they hugged and cried…and then we ALL cried!!! I’ve never been to a party like that before.  : ) 

They’re so humble and sweet…Congratulations, Keifer and Shawna! It couldn't have happened to a nicer couple!

-Ashley

The Opry presents "Play On, Nashville!"

Last night, the Opry celebrated the spirit and resilience of Nashville…with an evening they called, “Play On Nashville”! The Opry remembered the one year anniversary of the Nashville Flood. It was a star-packed night, too….Trace Adkins, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, ALABAMA…Charlie Daniels and Brad Paisley!  I caught up with each star backstage…and everyone recalled where they were last year when they heard the news or saw the devastation….All felt the emotions come back when they recall the images of the Opry after the flood.  But mostly the evening was about how we all as a city came together after the flood…and helped each other….and how the Opry kept the music playing, using other venues without ever skipping a beat. 

Brad Paisley explained what the Opry means to the city of Nashville….

Brad: “The Opry is a metaphor really of Nashville…and what the Opry did I think the city has done to a large degree…which is rebuild itself and better than before. The Opry is obviously better than before. If you walk around backstage at all... and out there in the arena too…it’s such a magical place and…I couldn’t be prouder of this place and this town.”

Brad Paisley was instrumental in bringing the Opry back to life. I can still remember when he and Little Jimmy Dickens put the oak circle back into the renovated Opry Stage. It was an especially emotional night for me. As someone who was personally affected by the flood, it meant a lot to me that the Opry came back from that…and better than ever.  The Opry is an inspiration to me, and I’m sure to a lot of folks in town who’ve gone through the same thing.

-Ashley

Blake Shelton: TV STAR!!!

Blake Shelton said he was thrilled to be recognized recently at a late night stop at a convenience store in downtown Nashville. The clerk recognized him as a TV star, not a Country star. So it’s official…Blake is a big hit as one of the celebrity judges on the new hit TV show called, The Voice. The show holds ‘blind’ auditions in front of 4 judges, who then build teams of singers that they will coach and those singers will compete against the other judges’ teams. I caught up with Blake and asked him what kind of vocal coaching he does with the singers he’s chosen. Here’s what Blake told me about his coaching technique:

“My coaching is gonna be…I want to be a friend to these people on my team and let ‘em know that I’m on their side. And I wanna help ‘em with their song choices..and the keys that they sing their songs in…and how they approach being on stage..and ultimately, even the ones that aren’t on my team anymore that I can’t talk about…keeping in touch with them, and being sure that they have my phone number. And they can call me anytime, you know? Because I understand that the position they’re in is a tough one. I couldn’t have been a brand new artist that never really performed in front of that many people…all a sudden standin’ on stage in front of a huge studio audience plus millions of people watching at home and not had a panic attack, you know? It’s a lot of pressure that they’re under. My thing is let them know that they have a friend and they have somebody that’ll fight for ‘em and will be in their corner and pull strings and favors for ‘em when they need it.  You know I think that’s as important in this business as anything.”

Well, Blake can certainly hold his own, I’m sure, but word is...Reba McEntire will join Blake on the show and help him coach his team during the battle rounds of the show’s competition. So far, each judge has 3 of the 8 singers who will ultimately make up their team. 

The Voice will hold a second round of blind auditions on TONIGHT at 8pm on NBC!

-Ashley

Lady Antebellum Performs for Nashville's Oasis Center

Friday night, Lady Antebellum performed for homeless teenage girls, as part of Nashville’s Oasis Center’s annual Divas Nashvegas event.  This year, the event took place on a farm in Franklin, and they called it “the Lady is a Diva.”  It was an amazing night under the stars…they had two huge tents set up...and both were packed with people. It was a who’s who of Nashville… politicians, music industry execs…and Country Stars.  Wynonna was there. She is the original "Diva"…and helped get the event started years ago.  Wy made announcements in the beginning and presented some ladies with awards for being outstanding volunteers at the center. 

Joining her on stage were several girls who have gone through the programs at the Oasis Center…girls who’s lives have improved greatly because of the organization.  These teenage girls went from being homeless, lost in the system….to with the help of Oasis center…graduating from some of Nashville’s TOP private schools! I was blown away by what the Oasis Center does. Please check them out here for more info and ways you can help: The Oasis Center

The event was incredible! It was catered by my friends at the Loveless Café….YUM! The evening was dressy casual (the invite said to wear jeans and diamonds! And they sold those flashing rings to raise additional money for the Oasis center). 

And…OH! The music was FANTASTIC!!!  Mandy Barnett (from "Always Patsy Cline") was the opening act…and Lady A finished the evening.  Lady Antebellum performed an acoustic set…just 2 guitars and a piano.  They were so relaxed and fun…in fact, at one point, Charles invited one gal on stage to dance with him!  Charles and his wife Cassie have been volunteers at the Oasis center for years…and Cassie attended the event. It was a really fun evening.  AND…I believe they raised more money this year than any year so far!

-Ashley