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The Front Porch - November 2009 Subscribe to The Front Porch

Jessica Phillips  |  November 18, 2009

Isn't it interesting how rumors get started? In the liner notes of her latest album, Play On, Carrie Underwood gave a lovey-dovey shout out to boyfriend and hockey player Mike Fisher. Now, rumors abound that the pair are moving in together. Underwood went to her website to set the record [...]

Continue reading "Underwood Sets The Record Straight"

Jessica Phillips  |  November 17, 2009

Many high school graduates would jump at the chance to be a full-time musician instead of going to college. Indeed, teen singers like Leann Rimes, Taylor Swift, and others declined going to college right after high school in order to focus on their careers. With a debut album already [...]

Continue reading "Sarah Jarosz Puts College Over Career"

Jessica Phillips  |  November 17, 2009

Joe Nichols' latest release is a fine country album and I'm glad to see that he is back with new music. One of the best songs on the album is Nichols' autobiographical "Old Friend of Mine," a musical declaration of Nichols' newfound sobriety. Nichols told The [...]

Continue reading "Joe Nichols Talks About 'An Old Friend Of Mine'"

Jessica Phillips  |  November 17, 2009

Backstage at the CMA Awards last week, Taylor Swift said she was already thinking about her next big challenge after becoming the youngest artist ever to win the Entertainer of the Year Award. Will she do Broadway and a TV show like Reba? Dabble in movies like Randy Travis and Toby Keith (she [...]

Continue reading "Taylor Swift's Next Big Challenge? Designing Greeting Cards"

Jessica Phillips  |  November 13, 2009

Keith Urban, along with partners KC Masterpiece and Kingsford, won Billboard's Concert Marketing and Promotion Award, for his "Escape Together World Tour." The partners created some unique experiences for Keith's fans on his tour, including the "Keith Urban Backstage BBQ [...]

Continue reading "Keith Urban Wins Billboard Award, Brings Fans To Australia"

Jessica Phillips  |  November 12, 2009

What were YOUR favorite performances from last night's CMA Awards? I thought I would share some of mine. Martina McBride and "King" George Strait performed a solid duet of "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool," as part of a tribute to Hall of Fame inductee [...]

Continue reading "CMA Performance Highlights"

Jessica Phillips  |  November 12, 2009

One of my favorite things about the Red Carpet at the CMAs is that it lets our country stars have a chance to really shine. Oh sure, they look nice for usual concerts, or they try funky dresses or accessories for other awards shows, or even outrageous clothing for music videos. Yet the CMA [...]

Continue reading "Old-School Glamour Heats Up CMA Red Carpet"

Jessica Phillips  |  November 12, 2009

Taylor Swift swept the Country Music Awards last night, becoming the youngest person to ever win the prestigious Entertainer Of The Year trophy. She also won for Female Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year (Fearless), and Music Video of the Year. THe CMA also surprised Swift with the CMA [...]

Continue reading "Taylor Swift Sweeps Country Music Awards"

Jessica Phillips  |  November 10, 2009

If Drake Dixon, the guitar-wielding tot who rocked out in Randy Houser's "Boots On" video, keeps it up he just might reach the guitar hero status of 8-year-old Matthew Pinkham. At a recent Keith Urban concert, the Aussie guitar god invited Pinkham to join him onstage for a duet [...]

Continue reading "Keith Urban Gets A New (8-year-old) Guitar Player"

Jessica Phillips  |  November 9, 2009

It's not quite the full-scale sequel to Pure Country that so many George Strait fans would love, but Strait is slated to have a small role in an upcoming film, A Pure Country Gift. The same director for Pure Country will direct this movie. Details on the movie are somewhat slim at this [...]

Continue reading "George Strait, Katrina Elam To Be Part of Movie, 'A Pure Country Gift'"

Jessica Phillips  |  November 9, 2009

The CMA Awards will air live on Wednesday night, and stars, production crews, TV networks and media are already getting everything in place at the Sommet Center in Nashville. Yesterday several stars, including Reba, Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, and Billy Currington were on hand to start [...]

Continue reading "Reba, Underwood, Paisley backstage from CMA Awards"

Jessica Phillips  |  November 6, 2009

Be sure to watch The Late Show tonight to see Ralph Stanley perform "Room At The Top Of The Stairs." Letterman will also mention Stanley's book, Man of Constant Sorrow: My Life and Times. Stanley's performance rounds out The Late Show's Country Music Week, with [...]

Continue reading "Ralph Stanley To Perform On Letterman Tonight"

Jessica Phillips  |  November 6, 2009

American Idol contestant Danny Gokey is gearing up for the release of his first country single. The single, written by Lady Antebellum's Dave Haywood and Charles Kelley. Let me know what you think! Comments? E-mail [...]

Continue reading "First Listen At Danny Gokey's New Single"

Jessica Phillips  |  November 6, 2009

Kellie Pickler seems to have shed her cutesy blond tresses in favor of reddish-brown. In the video above, she is seen congratulating Laurie DeYoung on her introduction into the Country Music DJ Hall of Fame. Of people who resent the change, Pickler says, "It's just hair! Some people [...]

Continue reading "Kellie Pickler Goes Red"

Jessica Phillips  |  November 6, 2009

Like many country singers, Dolly Parton has relived heavily on songs of faith throughout her career, from the stripped down "Seeker," to the soaring "He's Alive," to her version of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot." Now Dolly Parton will join former Prime Minister [...]

Continue reading "Dolly Parton Joins Tony Blair To Discuss Faith On New BBC Program"

Jessica Phillips  |  November 5, 2009

It's no secret that one of Hollywood's leading men is a country fan, and Matthew McConaughey invited Jamey Johnson to perform at his 40th Birthday Bash. "There were some epic stories told, lot of laughs and definitely some roasting," the actor wrote on his Myspace page. [...]

Continue reading "Jamey Johnson Performs For Matthew McConaughey's 40th Birthday"

Jessica Phillips  |  November 5, 2009

No matter what style of music a band performs, it is rare for a band to stay together for 15 years. In certain tight-knit music communities, such as Christian and bluegrass, where everyone seems to have played in everyone else's band at one time or another, this feat is even more [...]

Continue reading "Blue Highway Celebrates Fifteen Years"

Jessica Phillips  |  November 5, 2009

Banjo.com will host a banjo workshop their retail store in Marietta, GA on Thursday, November 19th. Banjo player Jessie Baker will host the workshop, while Flamekeeper will perform a concert and 30-minute meet and greet afterwards. Flamekeeper won five IBMA Awards this year. Schedule: [...]

Continue reading "Jessie Baker To Host Banjo Workshop, Flamekeeper Performs"

Jessica Phillips  |  November 5, 2009

Kellie Pickler will perform on an upcoming episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition this week. Pickler visited with the Terpenning family in Beavercreek, Ohio to assist in the build, and to perform her new single. James Terpenning was crippled by polio during infancy and abandoned by [...]

Continue reading "Kellie Pickler 'On The Bus'"

Jessica Phillips  |  November 5, 2009

Though Carrie Underwood can handle a range of different song styles, from the sweet and inspirational "Jesus Take the Wheel," to the tear-jerker "Just a Dream," to the tough chick anthem "Before He Cheats," Underwood seems to be enjoying those uptempo rockers a bit [...]

Continue reading "Carrie Underwood Brings On The Sass"

Jessica Phillips  |  November 4, 2009

Now that country queen Carrie Underwood's new album has released, the usually reserved Underwood is using the liner notes to give a lovey-dovey shoutout to boyfriend and Ottawa Senators hockey player Mike Fisher. "Thank you #12," she writes (#12 refers to Fisher's jersey [...]

Continue reading "Carrie Underwood's Boyfriend Inspires Song on Play On"

Jessica Phillips  |  November 2, 2009

Are you an ace musician and bluegrass devotee? Think you've got the chops to perform alongside bluegrass royalty? Tensel and Sally Sandker, daughters of bluegrass diva Rhonda Vincent are looking for members to complete a bluegrass ensemble. The sisters are both enrolled in the bluegrass [...]

Continue reading "Rhonda Vincent's Daughters Auditioning Members for New Band"

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