ALAN JACKSON PLAYS WEEKEND CONCERT FOR EARTHQUAKE DEVASTATED COMMUNITY
Alan Jackson heads to Mineral, Virginia this weekend to put on a show in the Louisa County High School parking lot. Last year, Mineral won an online contest to be the site of a free Alan concert -- Mineral received more than 31,000 votes in the competition sponsored by eventful.com. The show will take place on Sunday (May 20th), following an August earthquake that did millions of dollars in damage to home and buildings in Louisa County. Alan tells us how the contest grew into a much-needed fundraiser. "That thing just kind of grew into this crazy show that it's become, because we had this contest going, I guess, at radio where every town could vote and whoever got the most votes, I'd come and do a free show for or something, I guess is how it started. And then when this town had the earthquake and damaged the school as well as other buildings in town and didn't get much attention for it. Somebody in that town, I believe a fan, got on that internet and rallied all this together and got everybody around the country to vote for this little town to win this contest to do the show; that's how it all started. And so, it's kind of interesting that that much passion went into that and came together. I don't think they said there's about 400 people that live there, so it'll be a small show . . . we're gonna try to raise a little money to help 'em, and I think it's a pretty cool little story." Funds raised for the Louisa Education Foundation (LEF) will be used to assist the county public schools in their rebuilding efforts as a result of the 2011 earthquake. The fund will help in the rebuilding of the Louisa County High School and be earmarked for replacement of the school's extensively-used auditorium. The Louisa County High School is currently condemned after earthquake damage.For more information on how you can help, go to musicformineral.com. AUDIO: ALAN JACKSON ON MINERAL, VIRGINIA SHOW
BRAD PAISLEY, GARY ALLAN KICK OFF NEW TOURS TONIGHT
A couple of powerhouse tours kick off tonight (Friday, May 18th). Brad Paisley resumes his Virtual Reality trek in St. Louis, Missouri with special guests The Band Perry and Scotty McCreery. Over in Gulfport, Mississippi, headliner Gary Allan fires up the Country Throwdown tour. Other acts on that bill include Rodney Atkins, Justin Moore, Josh Thompson, Eric Paslay, Sunny Sweeney, Corey Smith, Florida Georgia Line, and Maggie Rose. This tour plays at outdoor amphitheater and features three stages. In addition to performances on the two main stages, the Bluebird Cafe Stage will spotlight the talents of emerging singer-songwriters Channing Wilson, Rose Falcon and Carly Pearce for intimate "in the round" sets throughout the day along with nightly performances during main stage set changes. Country Throwdown will stop in 20 cities around the country this summer.Here are the dates so far on the Country Throwdown tour: 5/18-Gulfport, MS @ Jones Park 5/19-Lampe, MO @ Black Oak Mountain Amphitheater 5/20-Bonner Springs, KS @ Cricket Wireless Amphitheater 5/26-Gilford, NH @ Meadowbrook U.S. Cellular Pavilion 5/27-Bangor, ME @ Waterfront Park 6/1-Clarkston, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre 6/2-Kettering, OH @ Fraze Pavilion 6/3-Anderson, IN @ Hoosier Park Casino 6/13-Glen Allen, VA @ Innsbrook Pavilion 6/14-N. Lawrence, OH @ Clay's Park Amphitheater 6/15-Danville, VA @ Carrington Pavilion 6/16-Washington, PA @ CONSOL Energy Park 6/17-Syracuse, NY @ NYS Fairgrounds 6/22-Sioux Falls, SD @ W.H. Lyons Fairgrounds 6/23-Rockford, IL @ Davis Park / Metro Center 6/28-Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest 2012 6/29-Marion, IL @ Rent One Park 6/30-Bridgeview, IL @ Toyota Park 7/1-Norfolk, NE @ Divots Conference Center 7/8-Nashville, TN @ The Woods at Fontanel For more information or to purchase tickets visit countrythrowdown.com.
CARRIE UNDERWOOD CHATS WITH OPRAH ABOUT MARRIAGE, LAUNDRY & WHAT 'FREAKS' HER OUT
Carrie Underwood and her husband, Mike Fisher, sit down with Oprah Winfrey for their first TV interview together. Oprah flew to Nashville to visit with the couple in their Nashville area cabin, where they talked about a variety of subjects, including what "freaks" Carrie out. Now that Carrie's a superstar, you'd think she would have people to do everything for her. Well, she could, but she doesn't, as she tells Oprah. "(Oprah) So what thing do you still like doing for yourself even though somebody could do for you? (Carrie) Laundry, even when we're on the road. Laundry and grocery shopping, and it makes tour life a little difficult because those are things I really don't have time to do (Oprah) Right (Carrie) So that's what I do on my days off. We go to the laundromat. I get my quarters (and) go to the laundromat . . . (Oprah) You are kidding me. You are kidding me! (Carrie) And we go do our laundry. (Oprah) Oh, I'd pay to see that -- Carrie Underwood at a laundromat. (Carrie) I just don't like other people doing my laundry. (Oprah) Really? (Carrie) Freaks me out." Carrie also said that being a married woman takes some getting used to, but she's almost there. "I feel like the longer I am married and will be married the more . . . At first it was weird -- 'I can't believe I'm married' -- and sometimes I still have those moments where I can't believe I'm married. I mean, I spent 27 years not being married and I kind of got used to it, so . . . (Oprah) (laughs) Yeah. (Carrie) But now, the more I do it the more I'm able to think more of 'we.' For the first year of our marriage, I still would give people gifts and write 'Love, Carrie.' I'm like, 'Okay, now I'm Carrie and Mike. There's two of us now.' I'm getting better all the time." Catch the whole interview on Oprah's Next Chapter, airing on Sunday (May 20th) on Oprah's OWN network at 8 p.m. ET.Carrie also performs live on the Billboard Awards on Sunday. The show airs live from Las Vegas on ABC beginning at 8 p.m. ET. AUDIO: CARRIE UNDERWOOD TALKS WITH OPRAH ABOUT DOING LAUNDRY AUDIO: CARRIE UNDERWOOD TELLS OPRAH SHE'S ADJUSTING TO BEING MARRIED
DOLLY PARTON, REBA SADDENED BY DONNA SUMMER'S DEATH
Dolly Parton and Reba were among the celebs mourning the death of disco queen Donna Summer yesterday (Thursday, May 17th). Dolly issued a statement through her publicist saying, "I can't believe we've lost another wonderful singer. Donna, like Whitney, had one of the greatest voices ever. I loved her records. She was the disco queen, and will remain so. I knew her and found her to be one of the most likable and fun people ever. She will be missed and remembered." Reba tweeted: "My thoughts and prayers go out to Donna Summer's family. I will miss her but she will live on thru all her wonderful music!" Sara Evans tweeted: "So sad to hear of Donna Summer passing. I absolutely love her music! Had her albums as a child and memorized them! She'll be missed!" LeAnn Rimes tweeted: "Donna Summer.... RIP saddened she's gone so soon" Thompson Square's Shawna Thompson tweeted: "Rip Donna Summer. Thanks for all the great tunes from my childhood at the skating rink! Shawna xoxo" Billy Ray Cyrus tweeted: "R I P #Donna Summer LEGEND !!! Your music will live forever."Donna died in Florida at the age of 63. She reportedly had been suffering from lung and breast cancer.
GLEN CAMPBELL FIGHTS ALZHEIMER'S ON CAPITOL HILL
Glen Campbell visited Capitol Hill on Tuesday (May 15th) to promote awareness of Alzheimer's. The legendary singer was joined by his wife, Kim, and his children Ashley, Cal and Shannon, as well as Harry Johns, the CEO of the Alzheimer's Association. Alzheimer's Awareness advocates and Glen's friends, actress Jane Seymour and her husband, James Keach, were also in attendance. Glen's daughter, Ashley, gave a reportedly tearful speech at the conference, during which she reminisced about going fishing with her dad. She added that soon, he "won't recognize who I am." On Wednesday (May 16th) night, Glen performed for a full house at the Library of Congress.Glen continues on his Goodbye tour tonight (Friday, May 18th) in Paducah, Kentucky. The trek runs through July.
LITTLE BIG TOWN, GLEN CAMPBELL TO KICK OFF CMA MUSIC FESTIVAL
Little Big Town and Glen Campbell will help kick off this year's CMA Music Festival with a parade and Block Party on June 6th beginning at 11 a.m. CT in downtown Nashville. Glen will be the Grand Marshal for the Parade. The Eighth Annual CMA Music Festival Kick-Off Parade will launch from Tenth Avenue on Broadway and end at Riverfront Park, site of the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage (First Avenue). One of the most popular features of the parade is the 40 Country Music artists riding in a wide variety of Chevrolet vehicles including vintage Corvettes. Little Big Town has a different mode of transportation planned for the Parade. In support of their new single "Pontoon," group members Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet, and Jimi Westbrook will be riding on four different Premier pontoon boats alongside their fans. Little Big Town will also be performing as part of the LP Field Festival lineup on June 9th. Other artists lining up to participate in the Parade included Bill Anderson, Craig Campbell, Bucky Covington, Cowboy Troy, Ira Dean, Jaida Dreyer, Tyler Farr, Florida Georgia Line, Flynnville Train, Colt Ford, The Grascals, LoCash Cowboys, Randy Montana, Lorrie Morgan, Trent Tomlinson, Trailer Choir, and Rhonda Vincent.
TAYLOR SWIFT MAKES LARGEST ARTIST DONATION EVER TO COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville is getting a huge donation from Taylor Swift. According to the organization, she has agreed to gift them $4 million. This is the largest donation ever given to the museum by an artist, and it will specifically fund the Taylor Swift Education Center, a 7,500-square-foot exhibit and classroom space scheduled to open in 2014. Taylor has been a supporter of the Hall of Fame over the years, including performing for the institution's 2007 All for the Hall New York, 2009 We're All for the Hall and 2010 All for the Hall Los Angeles benefits. She has also loaned the museum dresses, stage costumes and instruments for display. In other Taylor news, she comes in at Number 11 on Forbes' Celebrity 100 list, a ranking of the most powerful celebrities. The list ranked each celebrity based on five factors: money, television/radio, press, web and social rank. Taylor earned $57 million in the last year, making her the 22nd richest celebrity on the list.
Delta Dawn
Alan Jackson heads to Mineral, Virginia this weekend to put on a show in the Louisa County High School parking lot. Last year, Mineral won an online contest to be the site of a free Alan concert -- Mineral received more than 31,000 votes in the competition sponsored by eventful.com. The show will take place on Sunday (May 20th), following an August earthquake that did millions of dollars in damage to home and buildings in Louisa County. Alan tells us how the contest grew into a much-needed fundraiser. "That thing just kind of grew into this crazy show that it's become, because we had this contest going, I guess, at radio where every town could vote and whoever got the most votes, I'd come and do a free show for or something, I guess is how it started. And then when this town had the earthquake and damaged the school as well as other buildings in town and didn't get much attention for it. Somebody in that town, I believe a fan, got on that internet and rallied all this together and got everybody around the country to vote for this little town to win this contest to do the show; that's how it all started. And so, it's kind of interesting that that much passion went into that and came together. I don't think they said there's about 400 people that live there, so it'll be a small show . . . we're gonna try to raise a little money to help 'em, and I think it's a pretty cool little story." Funds raised for the Louisa Education Foundation (LEF) will be used to assist the county public schools in their rebuilding efforts as a result of the 2011 earthquake. The fund will help in the rebuilding of the Louisa County High School and be earmarked for replacement of the school's extensively-used auditorium. The Louisa County High School is currently condemned after earthquake damage.For more information on how you can help, go to musicformineral.com. AUDIO: 
