egrant
[
Eric Church Taking a Break From the Spotlight in 2013
Eric Church is taking a break, but for a whole year? Here's Taste of Country's Cory Stomblad with more.
As the summer months fades away and cooler weather signals the closure of another year, Eric Church is already plotting his next move for the new year. Though many artists try to remain in the spotlight during a high in their career, a well-deserved break from the demands of being a superstar is in the works for one of the hardest working men in country music.
[
Blake Shelton Admits He’s Sacrificed His Career for ‘The Voice’
Blake Shelton is pretty worn out by now, but he's chugging along. Here's more from Taste of Country's Megan Pacella.
In a recent interview, the normally fun-loving country star Blake Shelton got a little subdued when he revealed that although coaching on ‘The Voice‘ has opened a few doors for him, it has come at a cost. By doing back-to-back seasons of the show, Shelton feels that he’s sacrificed his music career.
[
Keith Urban Accepts Offer to Judge ‘American Idol’
HOT OFF THE PRESS! Two'Idol' judges down, one (or more) to go. And I just read tonight pop singer Katy Perry was reportedly offered $20 million to join the panel and she turned it down! Pop singer/rapper Nicki Minaj is also close to a deal in joining Mariah Carey, and now Urban, for season twelve. Here's the scoop from Taste of Country's Billy Dukes.
[
Keith Urban Close to ‘American Idol’ Deal
So, will Keith Urban take the plunge and join the Idol machine? Sorry Kanye West. Here's the latest from Taste of Country's Billy Dukes.
Keith Urban is very close to reaching an agreement to judge ‘American Idol’ next season. The country superstar admitted he had talked to producers about the vacant seat on the panel for 2013, but now the Hollywood Reporter is reporting he’s close to signing a $3 million to $4 million contract.
[
Eric Church Gets Special Note From Bruce Springsteen Himself
Well, this had to happen sooner or later. Eric Church finally heard from The Boss himself. Here's Taste of Country's Megan Pacella with more.
Eric Church‘s hit song, ‘Springsteen’ borrows the name of the New Jersey rock and roll star, but the tune isn’t exactly about Bruce Springsteen, per se. If you’ve listened — and we know you have — you know that ‘Springsteen’ is more about nostalgia and good memories than it is about the Boss himself. But that doesn’t mean that the iconic rocker doesn’t have an opinion about the song which bears his name. In fact, he likes it so much that he sent Church a handwritten note.
[
Miranda Lambert Uses Twitter for Oklahoma Homeless Pet Crusade
Twitter is very powerful. Especially in the hands of a celebrity supporting a great cause like Miranda Lambert. Here's more from Taste of Country's Amy Sciarretto:
Miranda Lambert is a true crusader for animals and you’ve just gotta love her for her tireless dedication and passion to critters and creatures. In addition to adopting and caring for pets, she is using Twitter to help pets in desperate need find good homes.
[
Keith Urban Is Leading Contender for ‘American Idol’ Judge Spot, Insider Says
Another day, another "Who's going to be one of the new 'American Idol' judges?" story. This time, Amy Sciarretto from Taste of Country tells us country hunk Keith Urban is in a good position, but will he get it?
Keith Urban already has experience as a reality show judge, having served as a coach on the Australian version of ‘The Voice.’ Now, Urban may be lured to a competing show’s lair, since sources are indicating that ‘American Idol’ producers would like a country star on the revamped panel and that Urban their No. 1 choice to fill that genre-specific slot.
[
Rascal Flatts’ Jay DeMarcus Would Love to Be the Next ‘American Idol’ Judge
Many hats have been thrown into the 'American Idol' judges race, and surprisingly, many are country stars, and now one more expresses an interest. Here's more from Taste of Country's Billy Dukes:
Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood… add one more country name to the list of potential ‘American Idol’ judges. Rascal Flatts bassist Jay DeMarcus believes he’d be a good fit to fill Steven Tyler‘s empty chair when the show begins next year.
[
Taylor Swift’s New Single Is ‘Not About Me,’ Joe Jonas Says
Oh, the break-up song. Somehow, Taylor Swift seems to be writing a lot of them, but according to Taste of Country's Megan Pacella, one of Swift's most beloved exes is not the subject of her new single:
Taylor Swift‘s ‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together’ hit airwaves this week and immediately climbed to the top of the iTunes chart. After just days, it’s everywhere, which has the country singer’s ex-boyfriends scrambling to figure out if the song was written about them. Although some of Swift’s fans immediately thought Joe Jonas was the subject of the powerful ‘I’m over you’ anthem, the pop star believes otherwise.
[
Taylor Swift Reveals New Album, New Album Cover, And New Single During Live Video Web Chat
If you are a Taylor Swift fan, get ready for what could be the biggest album release of the fall, and maybe, of 2012. Swift hosted a live video web chat at her home in Nashville Monday night to announce details about her new album, Red, which is tentatively scheduled to be released on October 22nd.
[
Alabama’s ‘American Pride’ Turns 20
It’s fitting that Alabama‘s ‘American Pride’ turns 20 today, as the 2012 Summer Olympics are winding down and Americans are beaming with pride as homespun competitors rack up the gold medals and continue to attract global attention for their athletic efforts, namely in gymnastics and swimming. So touché for the fact that the country band’s 11th platter is celebrating its anniversary.
[
Lisa Marie Presley to Make Grand Ole Opry Debut
On August 21, Lisa Marie Presley will follow in the footsteps of her father, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, by performing on stage at the Grand Ole Opry. In addition to her other popular tunes, Presley will be playing a sampling of tracks from her third album, ‘Storm & Grace,’ which is an Americana record produced by T. Bone Burnett.