Most of you who read Country’s Chatter regularly probably remember that this past November 21, I had one of the greatest experiences of my entire life, when I got to board The Santa Train with Wynonna. We traveled a 110-mile route from Shelby, Ky. through Southwest Virginia, and into Kingsport Tennessee, distributing toys to children at stops all along the route.

On that trip, Wynonna said that she would like to get her mom and Ashley to ride The Santa Train with her – maybe even next year. And she did a little more than hint that she and her mom might actually have another tour in their future. Well, it looks like the future is now.

Wynonna announced on the CBS Early Show Saturday morning, that she and mom will be touring together in 2010. This duo sold more than 20 million records during their due career. And following that Wynonna has had a really successful solo career, too!

Here is her video from the CBS Early Show this morning. And following that, I’m going to put up her interview that we did on The Santa Train in November. That was a great train ride, and Wynonna was so  nice to all the media people who were fortunate enough to take that ride with her. You could tell she genuinely enjoyed what she was doing, and helping to distribute the toys to the children. You can read that full article about the train trip here.

I’m sure I’m just one of many fans who will be keeping my eye on the schedule for the 2010 Judds Tour. I have no idea at this point where the duo will be heading, but I’m really hoping they make it somewhere close enough that I will be able to attend one of their shows.

I hope you all have a great Monday. I’m heading to work, then I have to come home and get packed. I’ll be leaving for Nashville sometime around noon on Tuesday. Remember to write when you have a chance, it’s always nice to find real letters, and not just press releases, in my mail box. Talk to you all soon!
Country

How come I always miss the good ones? Bucky Covington dropped into Tootsie’s a while ago, and sang a couple of songs for the crowd. More  Wednesday night, Heidi Newfield stopped in for a visit, and to entertain the fans.

I don’t get to Nashville often, but when I do, I spend my time walking Broadway and visiting spots like Tootsie’s, but I have never been in there when someone like Heidi showed up. But I just love it when entertainers do things like that.

John W. Stone is pretty much a regular at Tootsie’s. I got to meet him when he opened for Craig Morgan at one of our local fairs a few years back. I really liked John a lot, and I’m really surprised that he hasn’t done a little more with his music career. Be sure to check out John’s MySpace page to keep up with where he’s going and what he’s doing … on that schedule are shows in Norway in June, and a cruise with Kid Rock in early May. Now that would be a fun cruise.

Heidi has a few dates up on her schedule, including the Strawberry Festival in Plant City Florida. She’ll be doing that show on March 7. On March 30, she travels to Sioux Falls, S.D., for a show at the Sioux Falls Arena, and on April 25, she will be part of the lineup at the Stagecoach event in Indio, Calif.

I’ll be heading to Nashville on Tuesday, to attend the City of Hope benefit at The Rutledge that night. This will be a quick trip down and back for me. Maybe I’ll have a minute to run into Tootsie’s and see who I might find. I should probably stop in long enough to say “Hi” to John. We’ll see how it goes.

You guys enjoy your Sunday. Keep warm! And drop me a line when you can.
Country

Guess what I’m listening to? Ok, I’ll tell you. It’s Josh Turner’s new CD, “Haywire,” scheduled to release on Tuesday, Feb. 9i.  Josh Turner is set to perform on The Late Show With David Letterman this Monday, February 8.

Josh is also GAC’s Artist of the Month, so be sure to check their web site  to keep up with news and videos, including an interview with Josh.

This Deluxe Edition includes 15 songs – I would have purchased it if it only had one … my favorite Josh Turner song is the first one on the CD, “Why Don’t We Just Dance.”

But in addition to that one, Josh Turner fans will be very happy to find, “Long Black Train,” recorded live! “Your Man” was also recorded Live. I heard a local deejay say once that he thought Josh was a great guy, but he really didn’t care much for his music. To that deejay, I can only say, “listen again”.

I think “Why Don’t We Just Dance” was the right song to put in the lead off position on this CD. That song made it into the Top 10, and I think everyone who has ever heard it loves it. Josh follows that one with “I Wouldn’t Be A Man,” and that one with “Haywire,” and that one with “Your Smile,” and it doesn’t take long to realize that this CD is going to make a great Valentine’s Day gift for anyone who wants to sit by a fireplace, cuddle with their Valentine and listen to some really good music.

You aren’t going to hear any songs about , cheating, drinking, tractors, dying dogs, someone packing their bag to leave, losing your money, or anything else misguided people usually try to tell you is in very country song. You’re going to get good country music, sung by what I believe is one of the best male voices in country music today.

Everyone knows Josh for his “Love Black Train”. I don’t think any of the songs on this CD have the hit potential of that single. But, I still think it’s a really good album. And one I’m really glad I have in my CD collection.

Josh wrote or co-wrote five of the songs on the CD. Here’s the entire list of what you’ll be hearing when you push “Haywire” into your CD player:

Why Don’t We Just Dance; I Wouldn’t Be a Man, Haywire, Your Smile, Lovin’ You On My Mind, As Fast As I Could, I’ll Be There, All Over Me, Eye Candy, Friday Paycheck, The Answer, (and on the Deluxe Edition) This Kind of Love, Let’s Find A Church, Long Black Train and Your Man.

Great music on Josh’s fourth CD set to release on MCA Nashville on Tuesday, Feb. 9. Check his tour schedule, too – you aren’t going to want to miss his show when he gets somewhere near you!

Just three days until this CD is at your local store. So get ready to run out and grab your copy.

That’s all for me this morning. I’ll talk to you guys soon. Write when you get a minute!
Country

On Monday morning I put up some pictures from the Grammys. And I listed the winners in the country music categories. This morning, I’ve got some photos of our country entertainers with their Grammy awards, and a little news about some of them.

Here’s the list of winners, one more time.
Best New Artist- Zac Brown Band
Best Female Country Vocal Performance- "White Horse", Taylor Swift
Best Male Country Vocal Performance- "Sweet Thing", Keith Urban
Best Country Performance by Group/Duo- "I Run to You", Lady Antebellum
Best Country Collaboration w/ Vocals- "I Told You So", Carrie Underwood & Randy Travis
Best Country Instrumental Performance- "Producer’s Medley", Steve Warlner
Best Country Song- "White Horse", Taylor Swift
Best Country Album- "Fearless", Taylor Swift
Album of the Year- "Fearless", Taylor Swift

I was really happy to see Lady Antebellum take home the Grammy for Best Country Performance by a Group/Duo. I am a huge Lady A fan, and I’m obviously not the only one. They currently have the No. 1 album in all genres of music! Their sophomore album, “Need You Now” is at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top 200.

The Taylor news for this write-up is probably something you have all heard before. Yes, Taylor did indeed drop one of her Grammy awards the night of the award show. I had heard that she tripped going up the stairs, someone else said that she stumbled on her dress and dropped one – but apparently, she was just trying to hold all four of them at the same time when one of them decided to take a dive for the floor. No one seems to know if the Grammy will be replaced – at least they aren’t saying anything about that right now.

Zac Brown Band, is bringing their Breaking Southern Ground tour to the West Coast beginning in March. And in July, they are teaming up with Dave Matthews Band. Shows scheduled are July 3-4, East troy, Wisc.; July 9, Hershey, Pa.; July 10, Pittsburgh, Pa.; July 16-17, New York City, N.Y.; and July 23, Washington, D.C.

Not much I can say about Carrie that hasn’t been written everywhere lately. She will be performing the national anthem at the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 7, has a great new song and video, “Temporary Home,” will be on an episode  of “How I Met Your Mother,” in March, and is filming her first movie, where she will be playing Sarah Hill, a church youth leader. The movie is called “Soul Surfer,” and will also feature Dennis Quaid and Helen Hunt.

Keith Urban has the cover of an upcoming special Country issue of People magazine. The article about Keith is called How love changed my  life.

That will take care of things for this morning. Looks like we’re in for another cold – and possibly snowy – weekend here in northeast Tennessee. I hope this gets behind us before I head to Nashville on Tuesday for the City of Hope benefit at The Rutledge.

You guys have a great day, and stay warm! I’ll talk to you all soon. Write when you have a minute!
Country

Last night, after I sat through another hour of not all that good auditions for American Idol, I decided it was time I listen to what I knew was going to be very good country music. I pushed “Best of Chris Cagle” into my CD Player, and thought I relax a little.

That didn’t happen… Oh, I listened, but I didn’t do much relaxing. If anything, I wanted to get up and dance. When the first track, “Hey Y’all” finished, on came “Country By the Grace of God.” Two in a row that are a little more than ‘tap your toe to this one’ songs. They’re the kind of song that you hear and you want to go to a concert. You can just see Chris on stage singing them. And that’s good.

The third song is one of his top 10 hits, “What A Beautiful Day.” It’s one we all know, and one most of us can sing along with, and I’m glad it’s on a CD titled Best of Chris Cagle. It needed to be. And while we’re talking about songs that just had to be on that CD — How about his No. 1 hit, “I Breath In, I Breath Out,” No. 8 song, “Larado,” No. 5 “Chicks Dig It,” and No. 3, “What Kinda Gone”. They’re all there, too.

I’ve been a Chris Cagle fan for a very long time, so I’m familiar with all the songs on the CD. The other songs you’ll get to hear in this 15-track CD include “My Life’s Been A Country Song,” “Wal-Mart Parking Lot,” “I’d Be Lying,” “My Love Goes On and On,” “Look At What I’ve Done,” “Anywhere But Here,” “Miss Me Baby,” and “No Love Songs.”

Chris wrote or co-wrote 10 of the 15 songs on this CD. One thing I really liked about this CD is that while I knew all of the songs, it had been a very long time since I heard some of them. It was really good to sit down and listen to the whole CD, something I know I’ll do time and time again.

I had the opportunity of seeing Chris when he was on a CMT Tour a few years back with Brian McComas and Rascal Flatts. That was at Freedom Hall in Johnson City. I also got to see him when he did a show at our Appalachian Fair in Gray, Tenn. He put on a super show, and he was on of those entertainers who knows how important it is to go out of your way to say “Hi” to your fans. He signed autographs, posed for pictures, and made sure everyone at his concerts had a really great time.

CONTEST:  This CD will be released on Feb. 9, 2010. You can enter to win your very own copy now. All you have to do is fill in the entry form below. I’ll draw one winner on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2010, and that person will receive the Best of Chris Cagle. Keep an eye on your e-mail, because if your name is selected at random from all the entries received, I’ll be sending you an e-mail requesting your name and address so the CD can be mailed to you. Good Luck!

I’m not going to say that only Chris Cagle fans are going to enjoy this CD, because I believe anyone who likes country music is going to play this one until they wear it out. It’s more than the Best of Chris Cagle … it’s Chris Cagle at his best.

I’ve got to get my very busy Wednesday started, so I’ll talk to you all soon. Have a great Wednesday!

Later,
Country