Tim McGraw and Carrie Underwood among performers at CMT Disaster Relief Concert
According to source – Country music royalty came out last night in Nashville, Tennessee for the “Music Builds: The CMT Disaster Relief Concert.” Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood and Hank Williams Jr. were just a few of the iconic country singers who graced the stage in order to help raise money for the American Red Cross relief efforts for the recent devastating storms, floods and tornadoes that have swept the country.
From a CMT rep.: “Thank you for helping your neighbors tonight. CMT One Country encourages you to support our neighbors affected by the recent devastating tornadoes and floods. Visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767) or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.”
The “Music Builds: The CMT Disaster Relief Concert” helped raise much-needed funds for the relief efforts through performances by Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood, Alan Jackson, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Keith Urban, Hank Williams Jr., Sara Evans, Alabama, Gretchen Wilson, Lady Antebellum, Ronnie Dunn, Trace Adkins, Little Big Town and more. Erin Andrews co-hosted the event with Ron White and Robin Meade.
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Tim McGraw
How Can the Bruins Overcome the Loss of Bergeron?
According to source – It may be a dead horse at this point, but I know I’m not the only Boston Bruins fan worried that the team’s shot at the Stanley Cup this year will hinge on Patrice Bergeron(notes). Yes, the most important factor in the Bruins’ bitter 2-5 loss against the Lightning in game one of the Conference Finals was the guy who wasn’t actually on the ice. Bergeron’s absence was all too palpable during that frustrating first period when the Lightning scored three consecutive goals.
That first period was a wake-up call. If the Lightning were a lesser team, the Bruins might be able to eke out a win despite the loss of Bergeron, making do and coming out on top in the end. The Lightning have made it clear that they’re not a lesser team.
While some critics and observers are quick to declare the Bruins dead on arrival, the sky isn’t falling just yet. I’m no pessimist but all the celebrations over the sweep of the Flyers, long overdue payback, have quickly worn off. Bergeron’s “mild concussion,” sustained during a collision with Claude Giroux(notes) has gone from a setback into the central story for the team following the Bruins’ loss. Fans had no illusions that Bergeron’s absence wouldn’t be a challenge, but game one has shown just how pivotal the loss could be.
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Weezer, Robbie Williams, Brad Paisley Rock “Cars 2″
Pixar’s “Cars 2″ is getting a crazy sound track that includes Weezer, Robbie Williams, the Japanese girl band Perfume, country star Brad Paisley and French superstar Benabar.
Weezer covered The Cars’ 1984 hit “You Might Think” for the film, and the British Williams and West Virginia-born Paisley — an improbable pair — sing a duet.
It’s a second animated teaming between Weezer and Owen Wilson, who voices Lightning McQueen in “Cars 2.” Weezer performed “(If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To” in 2010′s “Marmaduke.”
Composer Michael Giacchino wrote the score.
It’s Giacchino’s fourth Pixar score. The Oscar and Grammy-winning composer scored “The Incredibles,” “Ratatouille” and “Up.”
“Cars 2″ is the sequel to 2006′s “Cars.” Both are Pixar films directed by John Lassiter — although the new one is co-directed by Brad Lewis. The first “Cars” earned Randy Newman an Academy Award nomination for best song for “Our Town.”
The new movie hits theaters June 24. The soundtrack from Walt Disney Records will be available June 14.
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Weezer
Taylor Swift to perform benefit concert for tornado victims
According to source – Taylor Swift will open the last dress rehearsal for her Speak Now tour to fans as a fundraiser to benefit victims of last week’s deadly tornadoes in the Southeast.
13,000 fans will get a first look at Taylor’s new show almost a week early, as Taylor is inviting them to attend “Speak Now…..Help Now!”, her final tour rehearsal that will also serve as a benefit for tornado victims.
The event will be held on Saturday, May 21 at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. The North American portion of Swift’s Speak Now World Tour 2011 will begin on May 27 in Omaha.
“I was watching the coverage of the tornadoes backstage at rehearsals, and I wanted to do something for the families affected by the damage,” Swift says. “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. So,tickets will be available for people to come see us in the Bridgestone Arena, where we’ve been rehearsing for the last five weeks.”
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Taylor Swift
Usher strives for ultimate musical experience
According to source – If you’re going to put yourself out there as an artist, you might as well set the bar high, right?
Usher is thinking no less than pop music royalty.
“I stand on the shoulders of the giants before me, great entertainers who really paved the way,” he said in a teleconference that kicked off his OMG Tour. “You know, we lost Michael Jackson. A lot of pressure is on me, and I don’t mind taking it. And for all of the entertainers who are still living and keeping it live, I show support and I salute them through what I do. We pay tribute in the way we sing a lot of times and the way we dance.”
Usher Raymond IV, who makes his first appearance here in seven years tonight at the Consol Energy Center, was discovered and mentored in the mid-’90s by the likes of Sean “Puffy” Combs and Jermaine Dupri as an R&B singer-dancer very much in the vein of Michael.
Beyond just the King of Pop’s style, he took into account the work ethic behind it.
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Usher
OFFSTAGE: Carrie Underwood’s High School Reunion
As if it’s not enough torture already to go to a high school reunion, imagine having Carrie Underwood at yours. I mean, no matter how gorgeous of a dress you bought, how high your heels were, how much you spent on highlights and lowlights, how much weight you lost, how natural your spray tan looked and how perfect you made your post-high school life sound, it would be really tough to measure up to Underwood at a reunion. She went back to Oklahoma to attend the 10-year Checotah High Class of 2001 (where she was the salutatorian) reunion this past weekend, and some of her classmates posted pictures on Twitter. One’s a class photo and another shows Underwood with a friend. Honestly, though, even though a lot of people dread their class reunions, Underwood looks truly happy in these pictures.
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Carrie Underwood
Taste of Country’s Kenny Chesney Contest Winner Announced
According to source – Taste of Country is thrilled to reveal the lucky winner of our Kenny Chesney contest! We’ll be flying winner John Bruce Evans and a guest out from Texas to Green Bay, Wis. to see Chesney perform live on June 11 at Lambeau Field, where they’ll also get the chance to meet the country superstar.
“My wife and I both entered in hopes of winning and surprising my 15-year-old daughter with the tickets for her birthday — she is fixing to be 16 on Monday, May 9,” John Bruce Evans tells Taste of Country. “We never thought we would win, so when my wife called me and told me we had won I was shocked and couldn’t believe it. My daughter had the same reaction, and now that it has finally sunk we are so excited and somewhat still in shock that we won!”
Evans says that he and his wife brought their daughters to see Chesney once about seven years ago, and that they’re all big fans of him. “We can relate to his songs,” he says. “I dream of living on the beach and soaking up the sun with a cold one in my hand.”
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Michael Buble – Crazy Love
This is only Michael Buble’s fourth label album since 2003, which would suggest he’s interested in producing quality rather than quantity.
Crazy Love contains a number of standards that he covers with ease and, in the case of the opening track Cry Me a River -recycled many times – creates his own, original bond-like version. I was at first wondering if Shirley Bassey might be lending her backing vocals, but alas no.
Easily compared to Frank Sinatra, his voice is powerful, smooth and even slightly edgy when required – it’s a talent that’s undeniable. It’s certainly the perfect CD if you want to create that 1950s soundtrack for your themed dinner party or cocktails.
I confess I was one of the many in Australia who bought his first album, the self-titled, Michael Buble in 2003. Despite this, I found I didn’t get excited about this album until I heard Buble’s revamp of Stardust, nine tracks in. I guess that may just be a sign that my musical tastes have changed quite dramatically since 2003. Here, Stardust is a collaboration with American group Naturally 7. Reminiscent of Manhatten Transfer, against Buble’s deeper vocals, their very ‘naturally’ produced harmonies are sublime. Combine this with a subtly styled arrangement and you have what I consider perfection in a song, one I’ll be adding to a mix some time soon.
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michael_buble
Visiting and diving the Georgia Aquarium
Encountering sharks in the wild is rarer than one might think. Many divers never see a shark, and for many others it is a once in a lifetime experience. But if spotting any shark underwater is an uncommon occurrence, the chance of encountering a whale shark is practically nil unless you go on special whale shark trips, and even then success isn’t guaranteed.
There is, however, a way to not only see whale sharks, several of them, but also more sharks than most divers will ever see, all in one dive. That’s when you dive the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. They have a 6.3 million gallon exhibit with thousands of fish, including tiger sharks, hammerheads, zebra sharks, rays, guitarfish, humpback wrasses and whole schools of tarpon, pompano and cownose rays. And whale sharks. Four of them.
I got to experience diving the Georgia Aquarium, the world’s largest, on my birthday. For the occasion, Carol had organized a weeklong trip that took us first back east to see her parents, then on to Atlanta, Georgia, in a rental. I had no idea what was on the agenda but the destination became clear soon enough.
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Georgia Aquarium
Zac Brown Band Brings It Back to Georgia
According to source – Friday night the air was cool and crisp but the music at Encore Park was hot as Georgia asphalt. The Zac Brown Band rocked the capacity crowd with an awesome concert. Although in the midst of an international tour, Zac Brown was quick to point out that he was glad to be home.
The Dahlonega native and winner of multiple music awards including a Grammy for Best New Artist in 2010 is not an overnight success story. As early as 2002 the band had a touring schedule of over 200 dates. This year’s tour includes London, England and Edinburgh, Scotland. Not too bad for a Georgia boy.
This concert was straight form the heart. If you have never heard The Zac Brown Band, you don’t know what you are missing. Yes, this is country music, but it’s not what you are thinking. Start with a large dose of melodic song writing, a pinch of country influence, a peck of harmonic vocals, add six heaping spoonfuls of Georgia’s top musicians and you have the Zac Brown Band.
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Zac Brown Band