Wynonna and Naomi Judd, the mother-daughter super-duo of country music, have announced they’re reuniting and going on tour!

The two announced Saturday during their visit on CBS’ The Early Show Saturday Edition before the Super Bowl that they plan to reunite as The Judds, and not only will they be going on tour but they’re already planning a new album as well.

The two, who had their first hit in 1984 with Mama He’s Crazy, haven’t toured or recorded together since 1991, when Naomi retired due to Hepatitis C. Though Wynonna has enjoyed some success as a solo performer, she also has not had a hit in a number of years.

The album is slated to drop this fall, and tour plans will be announced soon!

[image: zuma press]

A lot of country super stars have made an appearance or two on the big screen over the years, and Carrie Underwood will soon find her name on that list!

The beautiful blond has landed a spot in her first big screen film project with a supporting role in the upcoming movie “Soul Surfer.”

Carrie has been cast as Sarah Hill, a church youth leader in the movie about the 19-year-old champion surfer Bethany Hamilton, who defied all odds to compete and win professional championships after losing her arm in a tiger shark attack at age 13 in Hawaii.

The film co-stars AnnaSophia Robb as Bethany, with Helen Hunt and Dennis Quaid playing her parents. There is no release date as of yet.

[image: INF]

Carrie Underwood has released the music video for her current single, “Temporary Home.” The song is the second off her current platinum album Play On.

The video follows Carrie as she takes a ride in a cab, stopping briefly at various points and catching glimpses of the characters in the song, from a young boy going to a new home, a single mom and her daughter trying to make their way in the world, before she’s dropped off at a hospital for the song’s finale.

Though the video won’t debut on CMT and GAC until tomorrow, February 4th, it’s currently available exclusively on iTunes for purchase and download today.

Newcomers Zac Brown Band performed their 2009 hit “Chicken Fried” with Leon Russell at the 2010 Grammy Awards this past Sunday, which were broadcast live from Los Angeles.

The performance got mixed reviews online, but I thought they did a pretty good job considering it was a live performance. Because it is country, I wouldn’t expect everyone to be familiar with the song anyway, and those who are vehemently anti-country seem to be the ones who want to be the loudest critics, so take the reviews with a grain of salt!

Anyway, ZBB performed with Leon Russell on the piano, and the group took home the Grammy for Best New Artist, too!

If you caught last night’s Grammy Awards Show you probably weren’t too surprised by many of the wins in the country music categories, and even a few in the mainstream spots as well!

Current country superstar Taylor Swift took home one of the top prizes of the night when her album “Fearless” snagged Album Of The Year, beating out Beyonce, Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga, and Dave Matthews Band.

The Best New Artist award went to one of my favorite new bands of 2009, Zac Brown Band, who beat out Keri Hilson, MGMT, Silversun Pickups, and The Ting Tings.

Best Country Album also went to Taylor’s “Fearless,” and Taylor took home the Best Female Country Vocal Performance award for “White Horse,” which also won Best Country Song.

Keith Urban’s “Sweet Thing” took the Grammy for Best Male Country Vocal Performance, and Lady Antebellum snagged the Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals top spot with their first #1 single, “I Run To You.”

The 2010 Grammy Awards air live tomorrow, January 31st, on CBS beginning at 8:00 p.m. EST, and this year’s list of country music contenders is a great one!

This year’s nominees include:

Best Female Country Vocal Performance
~ Dead Flowers by Miranda Lambert
~ I Just Call You Mine by Martina McBride
~ White Horse by Taylor Swift
~ Just A Dream by Carrie Underwood
~ Solitary Thinkin’ by Lee Ann Womack

Best Male Country Vocal Performance
~ All I Ask For Anymore by Trace Adkins
~ People Are Crazy by Billy Currington
~ High Cost Of Living by Jamey Johnson
~ Living For The Night by George Strait
~ Sweet Thing by Keith Urban

Best Country Album
~ The Foundation by Zac Brown Band
~ Twang by George Strait
~ Fearless by Taylor Swift
~ Defying Gravity by Keith Urban
~ Call Me Crazy by Lee Ann Womack

Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group with Vocals
~ Cowgirls Don’t Cry by Brooks & Dunn
~ Chicken Fried by Zac Brown Band
~ I Run To You by Lady Antebellum
~ Here Comes Goodbye by Rascal Flatts
~ It Happens by Sugarland

Best Country Collaboration with Vocals
~ Beautiful World by Dierks Bentley and Patty Griffin
~ Down The Road by Kenny Chesney and Mac McAnally
~ Start A Band by Brad Paisley and Keith Urban
~ I Told You So by Carrie Underwood and Randy Travis
~ Everything But Quits by Lee Ann Womack and George Strait

[image: zuma press]

When I began listening to country music in earnest in the mid-90’s (out of high school and no longer had anyone telling me what was good music and what wasn’t!), one of my “finds” was Mandy Barnett.

Mandy’s biggest hit single, Now That’s Alright With Me from 1996, was played constantly on a local channel that showed about two hours of country music videos early in the morning while I got ready for work.

The single became her biggest hit from all three of the albums she released, and made it to #43 on the U.S. Billboard country charts. Though she hasn’t put out an album since 1999, she does have a “platinum collection” that was released in 2006.

In the years since, she’s appeared on various CDs and even TV shows with other artists as a background singer or as part of a duet, but has not recorded on her own since 1999 when her label dropped her due to disappointing sales.

Carrie Underwood fans, get your DVR’s ready! The blond bombshell will be performing The Star Spangled Banner at Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday, February 7th.

In what will no doubt be a beautiful performance, Carrie will be opening the big game between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints at Sun Life Stadium in South Florida. The performance will be televised live on CBS Sports prior to kickoff.

Carrie is joining a list of dozens of great performers who have also been invited to sing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl, including Garth Brooks, The Dixie Chicks, Faith Hill, Charley Pride, and Jewel.

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Wynonna Judd will be making an appearance on this Saturday’s The Early Show on CBS. As part of CBS News’ Super Bowl coverage, she’ll be performing as well as making a special announcement during the live broadcast.

The show will be broadcast from Lummus Park in South Beach, Flaorida and anchored by Chris Wragge and Erica Hill. Wyclef Jean will also make an appearance to talk about the recovery efforts in Haiti after the island nation’s devastating earthquake two weeks ago.

Wynonna fans can actually get ticket information about the event by visiting 1iota.com.

[image: bauer-griffin]

Kenny Chesney is heading to Las Vegas because he just can’t sit at home and relax! The talented multi-award winner has announced that even though he’s not touring this year, he’s going to be performing anyway.

Kenny at the 'Invictus' movie premiere in December 2009.

About the special engagement, which will be for four nights only, Kenny has a lot to say!

“Obviously we like to play,” Chesney said. “The beauty of the Joint is that not only is it a great rock and roll room, but they’ll let us get up there and play… and play…and play. We have so much fun, because we can throw in all kinds of stuff we don’t get to play in our regular show, and the audiences are diverse enough that no matter what we throw at them, they know the songs.”

“That’s what’s so great about a gig where the capacity is under 4,000, especially at the Joint. It’s the best of both worlds: you get the energy of a club, but it’s still enough of a stage that there’s room to run around and have fun. Because when we do these smaller, less-structured shows, we like to let loose without tripping over each other or getting tangled in someone’s cord.”

Kenny will be at The Joint at the Hard Rock in Las Vegas on May 14-15 and July 2-3. The four shows each start at 8:00 pm, and tickets go on sale this Thursday, January 28th.

[images: fame pictures]