Sugarland will be hosting a one-hour special on ABC the night before their concert DVD, Live on the Inside, hits Wal-Mart shelves in August.

The duo will will preview a selection of the DVD footage during the special, which will air August 3rdd on ABC. To make the DVD, a Lexington, Kentucky concert was shot last fall using 20 different cameras. The DVD will include these performances of “All I Want To Do,” “Baby Girl,” and “Settlin’,” plus “Genevieve” and covers of R.E.M.’s “The One I Love” and “Nightswimming.”

“We’ve always had a lot of confidence in our live shows because our fans keep telling us, ‘Wow, I had no idea,’” says Kristian Bush. “But there just aren’t enough days in the year to go and play for everybody. Jennifer [Nettles] and I figured, ‘Well, we might as well film it.’ Our music began as a word of mouth experience, and I think our shows are, too — so we’re just trying to get to as many people as we can so they can spread it as far as they can.”

The DVD will be available exclusively at Wal-Mart stores on August 4th.

Taylor Swift kicked off her first solo tour this past week in Evansville, Indiana!

Her Fearless Tour will be hitting 52 US cities in 40 states, and tickets have sold out within minutes of going on sale — in fact, Madison Square Garden sold out within one minute!

Were you able to get tickets?

Taylor’s set list includes:

You Belong With Me
Our Song
Tell Me Why
Teardrops On My Guitar
Fearless
Forever and Always
Hey Stephen
15
The Best Day
Tim McGraw
White Horse
Love Story
The Way I Loved You
You’re Not Sorry
Change
I’m Only Me
Picture to Burn
Should’ve Said No

[image: INF]

Rascal Flatts have added more dates to their upcoming tour and updated a few specific venues. The tour, titled “Rascal Flatts American Living Unstoppable Tour,” kicks off June 5 in St. Louis, MO.

Darius Rucker will be joining the group as their opening act.

June
June 5: St Louis, MO; Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
June 6: Indianapolis, IN; Verizon Wireless Music Center [updated venue]
June 12: Miami, OK; Buffalo Run Casino [new]
June 13: Dallas, TX; Superpages.com Center
June 14: Houston, TX; The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion [updated venue]
June 20: Somerset, WI; Float-Rite Park
June 25: Holmdel, NJ; PNC Bank Arts Center [new]
June 26: Hartford, CT; Meadows Music Theater
June 27: Washington, DC; Nissan Pavilion [updated venue]

July
July 11: Darien Lake, NY; Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
July 12: Scranton, PA; Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain [new]
July 18: Chicago, IL; Wrigley Field
July 23: Jacksonville, FL; Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena [new]
July 24: West Palm Beach, FL; Cruzan Amphitheater [new]
July 25: Tampa, FL; Ford Amphitheater [new]
July 31: Atlanta, GA; Lakewood Amphitheater

August
August 1: Charlotte, NC; Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
August 2: Raleigh, NC; Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek
August 7: Cleveland, OH; Blossom Music Center [updated venue]
August 8: Cincinnati, OH; Riverbend Music Center
August 9: Columbus, OH; Columbus Crew Stadium
August 28: Pittsburgh, PA; Post-Gazette Pavilion
August 29: Hershey, PA; Hersheypark Stadium

September
September 10: Virginia Beach, VA; Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater
September 11: Philadelphia, PA; Susquehanna Bank Center
September 12: Boston, MA; Comcast Center

[image: newscom]

Taylor Swift is partnering up with Verizon to provide high school students a chance to win a free show right at their school!

The contest will run through March 23, and any student can enter by going to TaylorSwiftConcerts.com or texting “TS” to 3401 on Verizon Wireless phones. The school with the most entries will win the visit from Taylor.

Students are encouraged to get their classmates to vote by putting out fliers (pdf) and posters.

[image: bauer-griffin]

Sugarland have announced their 2009 tour plans! This is actually the second and final leg of their Love on the Inside tour from 2008, and starts in April and ends in October. Opening performers will include Billy Currington, Matt Nathanson, Jake Owen, and Eric Hutchinson.

As always, check your local ticket offices for further ticket info and pricing.

Read more

Video has been released this weekend of an altercation that Toby Keith had with a concert-goer at a Kentucky concert on February 9.

A drunken fan apparently flipped Toby off while he was onstage and then threw a beer bottle at him. Toby jumped into the crowd and had a few words with the guy before security finally hauled him off.

At the end of the altercation Toby makes his way back onstage, apologizes to the crowd, explains what happened, and called the guy a “punk-ass mother-******.”

Taylor Swift has announced her plans for her headlining concert tour for 2009! It’s called the Taylor Swift Fearless Tour 2009 and will begin in late April. Tickets are expected to be a pretty affordable $20 or so each.

Taylor’s good friend and fellow country artist Kellie Pickler and newcomer band Gloriana (comprised of Tom Gossin, Mike Gossin, Rachel Reinert and Cheyenne Kimball) will be opening her shows for her.

April
April 23 - Evansville, IN @ Roberts Stadium
April 24 - Jonesboro, AR @ Arkansas State University
April 25 - St. Louis, MO @ Scottrade Center
April 30 - Charleston, SC @ North Charleston Coliseum

May
May 1 - Jacksonville, FL @ Jacksonville Arena
May 2 - Biloxi, MS @ Mississippi Coast Coliseum
May 6 - London, UK @ Shepherd’s Bush Empire
May 7 - London, UK @ Shepherd’s Bush Empire
May 14 - Spokane, WA @ Spokane Arena
May 15 - Seattle, WA @ Key Arena
May 16 - Portland, OR @ Rose Garden
May 17 - Nampa, ID @ Idaho Center
May 21 - Phoenix, AZ @ Jobing.com Arena
May 22 - Los Angeles, CA @ Staples Center
May 23 - Las Vegas, NV @ Mandalay Bay
May 24 - San Diego, CA @ San Diego Sports Arena
May 26 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Venue to be announced

June
June 4 - Enterprise, AL @ BamaJam
June 5 - Cincinnati, OH @ US Bank Center (w/ Keith Urban)
June 6 - Auburn Hills, MI @ The Palace at Auburn Hills (w/ Keith Urban)
June 7 - Ft. Wayne, IN @ Memorial Coliseum (w/ Keith Urban)
June 11 - Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
June 12 - Greensboro, NC @ Greensboro Coliseum Complex
June 13 - Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arnea (w/ Keith Urban)
June 24 - Oshkosh, WI @ Country USA Festival
June 25 - Cadott, WI @ Chippewa Valley Country Fest
June 27 - Des Moines, IA @ Wells Fargo Arena (w/ Keith Urban)
June 28 - Moline, IL @ Mark of the Quad Cities (w/ Keith Urban)

July
July 8 - Calgary, Alberta @ Pengrowth Saddledome
July 9 - Edmonton, Alberta @ Venue to be announced
July 10 - Craven, Saskatchewan @ Craven Country Jamboree
July 11 - Winnipeg, Manitoba @ MTS Centre
July 16 - Twin Lakes, WI @ Country Thunder Festival
July 17 - Columbus, OH @ Venue to be announced
July 18 - Charleston, WV @ Charleston Civic Center
July 23 - Cheyenne, WY @ Cheyenne Frontier Days
July 24 - Rapid City, SD @ Rushmore Civic Center
July 25 - Minot, ND @ North Dakota State Fair
July 31 - Boston, MA @ TD Banknorth Garden (w/ Keith Urban)

August
August 1 - Philadelphia, PA @ Wachovia Center (w/ Keith Urban)
August 7 - Detroit Lakes, MN @ We Fest
August 8 - Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center (w/ Keith Urban)
August 9 - Omaha, NE @ Venue to be announced
August 27 - New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
August 28 - Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun
August 29 - University Park, PA @ Venue to be announced
August 30 - Louisville, KY @ Venue to be announced

September
September 4 - Greenville, SC @ Venue to be announced
September 5 - Charlotte, NC @ TWC Arena
September 10 - Lafayette, LA @ Cajun Dome
September 11 - Bossier City, LA @ Venue to be announced
September 12 - Birmingham, AL @ BJCC
September 25 - Dallas, TX @ Venue to be announced
September 26 - Little Rock, AR @ Venue to be announced
September 27 - Tulsa, OK @ Venue to be announced

October
October 1 - Cleveland, OH @ Venue to be announced
October 2 - Grand Rapids, MI @ Venue to be announced
October 3 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Venue to be announced
October 8 - Indianapolis, IN @ Venue to be announced
October 9 - Chicago, IL @ Venue to be announced
October 10 - Minneapolis, MN @ Venue to be announced

[image: newscom]

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.

Lady Antebellum and Miranda Lambert have officially joined Kenny Chesney’s concert tour, Sun City Carnival.

Lambert and Lady A were added to the line-up as opening acts late last week and will be joining Sugarland and Montgomery Gentry.

About the addition of Miranda, Kenny says:

“This tour is going to be a wild ride. Miranda came out and did a few shows with us, and the energy is the right stuff… She rocks hard, but she’s country from a place most people forget it’s coming from. And she knows how to have fun, which is as much a part of it as anything.”

[image: newscom]

George Strait has announced plans for his 2009 concert tour! So far we know that Julianne Hough will be opening and I’ll keep you updated on who else will be slated to appear as well.

His schedule so far includes the following cities and dates and more will be added over the next few months:

May
May 9: Hidalgo, TX*; Dodge Arena
May 15: Charlotte, NC; Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
May 16: Raleigh, NC; Walnut Creek Amphitheatre
May 22: Cincinnati, OH; Riverbend Music Center
May 23: Pittsburgh, PA; Post-Gazette Pavillion
May 29: Holmdel, NJ; P.N.C. Bank Center
May 30: Boston, MA; Tweeter Center

June
June 12: Virginia Beach, VA; Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
June 13: Washington, DC; Nissan Pavillion
June 28: Cadott, WI*; Country Fest 2009
June 29: Milwaukee, WI; Music Fest 2009

July
July 11: Calgary, AB; Calgary Stampede
July 12: Craven, SK; Craven Country Jamboree
July 17: Salt Lake City, UT; USANA Amphitheatre
July 18: Cheyenne, WY; Cheyenne Frontier Days
July 24: Indianapolis, IN; Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
July 25: Tinley Park, IL (Chicago); First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre

(*Julianne Hough will not be performing)

[image: newscom]