Alan Jackson will be getting a much-deserved star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame next year!

Jackson is currently celebrating his 20th anniversary in country music at the Cadillac Ranch in Nashville, which happened to include a CMT Award for Performance of the Year for Country Boy.

Alan was chosen from hundreds of nominations by The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce for his career accomplishments and for his charitable work.

The date for the ceremony will be set soon!

[image: newscom]

CMT debuted what is sure to be Alan Jackson’s next hit single, Sissy’s Song. It’s the fourth single released from his Good Times album, and holds a lot of special meaning for Alan and his family.

The beautiful ballad is dedicated to Leslie “Sissy” Fitzgerald, who worked in the Jackson household and with Alan for many years. She died in a motorcycle accident in May 2007, leaving behind her husband (who also works for the Jacksons), as well as a son and daughter.

Jackson wrote the song after a restless night and gave it to the Fitzgerald family for the funeral:

“I didn’t sleep for a while,” said Jackson. “So, I sat down one day and wrote this song and after that I felt all right. A lot of people told me how much it made them feel better and helped them get through it a little easier, so I was very proud of it.”

The video was shot at the Bear Creek Church in Culleoka, Tennessee, and was actually a place of worship and safety for Confederate soldiers during the Civil War.

This week’s Flashback is Alan Jackson’s “Chattahoochee,” the third single from his A Lot About Livin’ (And a Little ’bout Love) album, in 1993.

The song was an instant hit and earned Alan the CMA awards for Single of the Year and Song of the Year. It hit for nearly three weeks at #1 on both the Billboard Hot Country and Canadian RPM Country Tracks charts.

CMT recently released their top 20 videos of 2008. Unsurprisingly it includes Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban and George Strait, with only Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift and Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland managing to break into the seemingly tight boys club this year!

Did your favorite make the cut?

20. Keith Urban: You Look Good in My Shirt
19. Blake Shelton: Home
18. Alan Jackson: Good Time
17. Craig Morgan: International Harvester
16. Darius Rucker: Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It
15. Kenny Chesney: Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven
14. Rascal Flatts: Every Day
13. Billy Ray Cyrus: Ready, Set, Don’t Go
12. Taylor Swift: Love Story
11. Carrie Underwood: All-American Girl
10. George Strait: Troubadour
9. Kid Rock: All Summer Long
8. Brad Paisley: Letter to Me
7. Alan Jackson: Small Town Southern Man
6. James Otto: Just Got Started Lovin’ You
5. Taylor Swift: Picture to Burn
4. Trace Adkins: You’re Gonna Miss This
3. Kenny Chesney: Shiftwork
2. Sugarland: All I Want to Do
1. Carrie Underwood: Just a Dream

Billy Ray Cyrus and teen queen daughter Miley have just announced they will be presenters at the 42nd Annual CMA Awards next week. The pair presented in 2006 as well.

Additional presenters announced will include Heidi Newfield, Darius Rucker, Josh Turner, Lee Ann Womack and Taylor Swift, who will also perform.

Recently announced performers include Jason Aldean and James Otto (each nominated for CMA New Artist of the Year), Martina McBride (nominated for CMA Female Vocalist of the Year), as well as hosts Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, Trace Adkins, Rodney Atkins, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney and The Wailers, the Eagles, Alan Jackson, Kid Rock, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Kellie Pickler, George Strait, Sugarland, and Keith Urban.

The 42nd Annual CMA Awards airs live from the Sommet Center in Nashville, Wednesday, November 12 on ABC.

Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, George Strait, Sugarland, Taylor Swift and Keith Urban have all signed on to perform at the 42nd Annual Country Music Association Awards on November 12.

Tammy Genovese, CMA Chief Executive Officer, said yesterday, “The CMA Awards shine a three-hour spotlight on Country Music, exposing our artists and their music to the world. This first group of performers continues to raise the bar not only for country music, but for all forms of entertainment. We are excited to showcase their amazing talents on the CMA Awards this year.”

Other performers will be announced soon. Sounds like it’s going to be an awesome night already!

A bunch of Country Music Award Nominations have been announced!

Kenny Chesney once again swept it with seven nominations, Sugarland and George Strait have five, and Brad Paisley and Alan Jackson are each up for four. The rest of the nominations should be released later today.

The 42nd annual CMAs will be air November 12th in Nashville.

Entertainer of the Year:
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
George Strait
Sugarland
Keith Urban

Album of theYear:
“Carnival Ride” by Carrie Underwood
“Cowboy Town” by Brooks & Dunn
“Good Time by Alan Jackson
“Just Who I Am Poets and Pirates” by Kenny Chesney
“Troubadour” by George Strait

Group of the Year:
The Eagles
Emerson Drive
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Rascal Flatts

Best Male Vocalist:
Kenny Chesney
Alan Jackson
Brad Paisley
George Strait
Keith Urban

Best Female Vocalist:
Alison Krauss
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

Musician of the Year
Jerry Douglas - Dobro
Paul Franklin - steel
Dana Huff - guitar
Brent Mason - guitar
Mac McAnally - guitar

Single of the Year
Don’t Blink by Kenny Chesney
Gunpowder & Lead - Miranda Lambert
I Saw God Today - George Strait
Stay - Sugarland
You’re Gonna Miss This - Trace Adkins

Vocal Duo
Big & Rich
Brooks & Dunn
Montgomery Gentry
Sugarland
The Wreckers

New Artist
Jason Aldean
Rodney Atkins
Lady Antebellum
James Otto
Kellie Pickler

Song (given to songwriter)
Good Time - Alan Jackson
I Saw God Today - George Strait
Letter To Me - Brad Paisley
Stay - Sugarland
You’re Gonna Miss This - Trace Adkins

Song Event
Every Other Weekend - Reba McEntire and Kenny Chesney
Another Try - Josh Turner and Trisha Yearwood
Gone Gone Gone - Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
Life in a Northern Town - Sugarland, Little Big Town, Jake Owen
Shift Work - Kenny Chesney and George Strait

Music Video
Don’t Blink - Kenny Chesney
Good Time - Alan Jackson
Stay - Sugarland
Waitin on a Woman - Brad Paisley
You’re Gonna Miss This - Trace Adkins

[image used with permission from newscom.com]

“Good Time” is the title track from Alan Jackson’s 15th studio album. It was released in April and became his 24th #1 and 48th top ten hit.

The song has references to Brooks & Dunn’s “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” and Hank Williams, Jr.’s “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight.”

The official music video can be found on Youtube. Make sure you check out the line dance instructional video too!

Image details: 2008 CMT Music Awards - Show served by picapp.com

Alan Jackson will be kicking off his “Good Time” fall tour starting October 2. The majority of the shows will be throughout the midwest, Canada, and the west coast. Trace Adkins will be opening for him!

Tickets go on sale July 26 and can be purchased from Ticketmaster.

October
Oct. 2 Crown Center Coliseum; Fayetteville, NC
Oct. 3 BiLo Center; Greenville, NC
Oct. 9 US Cellular Coliseum; Bloomington, IL
Oct. 10 Sears Center; Hoffman Estates, IL
Oct. 11 Fed Ex Forum; Memphis,TN
Oct. 23 The Centrum; Worchester, MA
Oct. 24 The Spectrum; Philadelphia
Oct. 25 Patriot Center; Fairfax, VA

November
Nov. 6 Schottenstein Center; Columbus, OH
Nov. 7 Bank of Kentucky Center; Covington, KY
Nov. 8 The Palace of Auburn Hills; Auburn Hills, MI
Nov. 13 John Labatt Center; London, ONT
Nov. 14 Air Canada Center; Toronto, ONT
Nov. 15 HSBC Arena; Buffalo, NY
Nov. 21 Save Mart Center; Fresno, CA
Nov. 22 Arco Arena; Sacramento, CA
Nov. 23 Citizens Bank; Ontario, CA

Taylor Swift, Kellie Pickler, and Julianne Hough will all be hosting the CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock on Monday, September 8 on ABC.

Image details: 2007 ACM New Artists Show - Backstage served by picapp.com

Filming Thursday through Sunday during the annual CMA Music Festival, the special features country acts during a four-day party and music celebration in Nashville.

Some of the artists slated to appear include Trace Adkins, Rodney Atkins, Billy Ray Cyrus, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Jewel, Miranda Lambert, Kellie Pickler, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Josh Turner, Carrie Underwood, Dwight Yoakam and surprise appearances by other country stars.