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

Trace Adkins appeared in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade yesterday singing a snippet of “You’re Gonna Miss This” with his family by his side. I understand time constraints but wish he could have sung the whole song!

Trace Adkins quietly released “X” this week, his tenth album.

The first single, the gospel-inspired Muddy Water, is already making its way up the hit charts.

The album includes 13 songs:

1. Sweet
2. Happy To Be Here
3. All I Ask For Anymore
4. Let’S Do That Again
5. Hauling One Thing
6. Better Than I Thought
7. It’d Be
8. Marry For Money
9. Til The Last Shot’S Fired
10. I Can’t Outrun You
11. Hillbilly Rich
12. Sometimes A Man Takes A Drink
13. Muddy Water

[image: amazon]

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.

November doesn’t have as many country music album releases as October did, but that there are a few that have been long-anticipated!

Which one are you most looking forward to?

November 4:
Brad Paisley - Play
Randy Travis - Christmas on the Pecos (DVD)
Randy Owen - One on One

November 11:
Taylor Swift - Fearless
Keith Urban - Love, Pain & the whole crazy World Tour (DVD , Wal-Mart exclusive)

November 18:
Blake Shelton - Startin’ Fires
Lee Brice - Picture of Me
Randy Houser - Anything Goes

November 25:
Trace Adkins - X
Patti Page - Greatest Hits Live and Best Country Songs

[image: amazon]

I’m really looking forward to Trace Adkins’ upcoming single!

It’s titled “Muddy Water” and Trace says he’s had it in his head for a while but just hadn’t recorded it until now. It tells the story of a recovering bad boy who decides to make a fresh start and needs to be “baptized in that muddy water.”

It’ll be the first single released from his upcoming album which is scheduled to drop November 25th.

What do you think?

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.

I love this song - Trace Adkins performed his current single “You’re Gonna Miss This” at last night’s ACM Awards.

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

And not only will Kenny and George be performing at the ACMs but they’ll be singing a duet together on TV for the first time ever!

They’ll be performing their single “Shiftwork” live, which they haven’t done anywhere else yet.

Several other artists will be making special appearances as well, and include Toby Keith, Kellie Pickler, LeAnn Rimes, Trace Adkins, Rodney Atkins, Garth Brooks, Brooks & Dunn, Miranda Lambert, Montgomery Gentry, Lady Antebellum, Brad Paisley, Jewel, Rascal Flatts, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Clint Black and Keith Urban, as well as illusionist Criss Angel.

The ACM Awards will air Sunday, May 18th at 8pm EDT on CBS, and will be hosted for the tenth time by Reba McEntire.