Blake Shelton Reveals His Strategy for Season Two of ‘The Voice’

It feels like only yesterday that Blake Shelton‘s charge Dia Frampton was the runner up on the debut season of ‘The Voice.’ Well, season two is upon us, and Shelton is already raring to go and plotting his methods for another round. Shelton revealed that he will retain last season’s strategy of picking the singers with the most unique and different voices for his team. Obviously, Shelton has no interest in cultivating a poker face during the audition round. “I am picking polarizing voices,” Shelton reveals to The Boot. “That really worked out well for me last time around. There were a lot of great singers on that show, but there was only one Dia and one Xenia. They are so different from any other voices you ever hear. That’s what the show means to me.” Shelton, who serves as a coach and a mentor to each singer on his team, thinks this season will be an improvement from last year, which was by no means a flop. In fact, it was a huge ratings hit. He thinks his show stands out from other reality talent competitions because of the way it’s structured. “That’s the cool thing about having artists be the coaches — we all have a different vision for what ‘The Voice’ is,” he theorizes. “I think it will become even more dynamic this year, as far as how different each one of our teams are. Now we know what we’re looking for and how to go about the game we play.” The second season of ‘The Voice’ will premiere on Feb. 5 on NBC, immediately following the Super Bowl.

(A Taste Of Country)

Oregon's Rose Bowl Uniforms Channel Darth Vader.

Ever wonder what it would be like if Darth Vader played in the Rose Bowl?
You'll find out on January 2. The University of Oregon will debut the latest Nike Pro Combat gear that claims to be the most advanced football uniform system in the world. It's certainly the scariest. Much like the iPhone, the Nike Combat Uniforms -- which first debuted at last year's BCS title game -- keep introducing new versions. This outfit features 11 different materials in the jersey and pants, and 16 in the complete uniform. Oregon fans, always delighted to see their Ducks set trends, will be happy to know that the new unis include larger, bolder numbers with an iridescent sheen similar to that of a mallard duck's feathers. Or Lord Vader's coat.

Two Women Charged for Making False Claims Following Indiana State Fair Stage Collapse.

Sadly, there will always be a few bad apples who attempt to make selfish gains from the misfortune of others. Thankfully, in this case, two women who made false claims in order to get free money following the Indiana State Fair stage collapse have been caught — and are being charged. According to Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry, Stephanie Murry, 25, and Sandra Hurn, 38, of Indianapolis attempted to collect money from both the State Fair Remembrance Fund and the Indiana Tort Claim Fund, though it is believed that neither of the two women were at the fair on the night of the stage collapse.

The pair attempted to collect a total of $22,500 from the available funds. Murry and Hurn claim to have been injured in the crash, which killed seven and injured 58 others just minutes before country duo Sugarland were due to take the stage.

Hurn, who was able to collect a total of $7,500 from the remembrance fund, is looking at a maximum of 36 years in prison if convicted on charges of forgery, perjury, theft and attempted theft. While Murry was denied money because she did not meet the qualifications, she is still looking at a maximum of 14 years behind bars. In order to catch the crooks, officials ‘approved’ both of the women’s requests — and arrested them when they came to get their checks.

“It is particularly troubling that individuals would attempt to illegally profit upon a tragedy such as the State Fair stage collapse. We have zero tolerance for those who wish to gain at the misfortune of others,” Curry said in a statement. “We will not stand idly by while greedy individuals take from those who are truly deserving of compensation from this tragedy.”

(A Taste Of Country)

The Band Perry to Perform National Anthem at Cotton Bowl.

The Band Perry had a banner year in 2011, due in large part to the crossover success of ‘If I Die Young.’ They will soar into 2012 with another heralded appearance. The trio of siblings will perform the national anthem at the AT&T Cotton Bowl at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas on Jan. 6, reports CMT.
The game is scheduled to take place at 8 PM ET on Fox and will feature a match between the Kansas Sate Wildcats and the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Band Perry will sing ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ beforehand. Kimberly Perry and her brothers are of course stoked about the chance to sing the national anthem at a heavily viewed sporting event. Of the opportunity, the singer said, “Cowboys Stadium is one of the biggest and best venues in the entire world when it comes to country music. We are excited and honored to be singing our country’s anthem on such a national stage.”

(A Taste Of Counrty)

Country Weddings and Engagements in 2011.

It seemed that in almost every month of 2011, a new country couple was sneaking away to get married. Beginning on New Year’s Day with Shania Twain, Kellie Pickler and their respective grooms and continuing through to Sunny Sweeney‘s magical wedding date of of 11/11/11, it appears that country stars eloped more often than not in 2011. There were also plenty of high profile proposals, including two members of Lady Antebellum getting engaged to their significant others. There are plenty of pictures and stories of romance to click through in this list of 2011′s country weddings and engagements.

(A Taste Of Country)

Click Here To Check Them Out!

"A Christmas Story" is Our Favorite Holiday Movie and "The Grinch" is Our Favorite Holiday Special.

Harris Interactive just conducted a huge holiday poll. Here are some of the results:
Favorite Christmas Movie: "A Christmas Story" . . . but not by much. 20% of people chose that one, while 19% went with "It's A Wonderful Life", which NBC is airing on Christmas Eve this year. TBS will have your hookup for "A Christmas Story". Favorite Christmas Special: "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". This is the animated version, not the JIM CARREY movie. It was chosen by 23% of respondents. This was another close one. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" got 22%. Sadly, I must report that there was very little love for my personal favorite, "The Year Without a Santa Claus". It finished in 5th place with only 3% of the vote. Have you no love for Heat Miser and Snow Miser? The Holiday Song People Most Look Forward to Hearing is "White Christmas". Followed by "Silent Night" and "Oh Holy Night". The Holiday Song People Want to Go Away is "Jingle Bells". Followed by "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer". No percentages were given for the songs.

John Rich Finds Irony in Scoring Six Drink Tickets on Southwest Flight!!!

Just a few weeks ago, John Rich was kicked off of a Southwest flight home to Nashville for being too drunk. So you can imagine why he found it especially ironic that while boarding yet another Southwest flight early Tuesday morning, he received not one, but six free drink tickets. “IRONY: just checked in for my Southwest flight to New Orleans, and they give me SIX drink tickets!! Its 9:30am….are they setting me up??” Rich tweeted, making light of the situation. The singer was leaving Las Vegas to return home following the American Country Awards in early December when it was decided he was too intoxicated, and thus “not fit for travel under governing federal aviation regulations.” Rich was removed from his flight by Southwest personnel and had to make other travel arrangements, but he obviously harbors no hard feelings about what went down, given his lighthearted tweetS. Rich is currently in the Big Easy to find a location to shoot a new music video. Just before boarding his flight and snagging a handful of drink coupons, the Big and Rich hitmaker tweeted some info about his latest venture, saying, “Off to New Orleans to scout locations for a video shoot on a NEW John Anderson song featuring Haggard and Willie!!! Just WAIT till you hear!”

(A Taste Of Country)

Brad Paisley Is Donating Proceeds From His New Song "Hard Life" . . . To A Very Worthy Cause

BRAD PAISLEY did a really cool thing. He recorded a song called "Hard Life", which was written by his friend Joe Kindregan. Joe suffers from a rare, fatal genetic disease called A-T, or ataxia-telangiectasia.(--It's also called Louis-Bar syndrome.) The song is from Joe's point of view and he doesn't pull punches about what it's like living with A-T. And yet, he remains totally positive. It's pretty inspiring. Here's Brad talking about his buddy. He says, quote, "I've known Joe for several years and he is one of my favorite people. "His disease is physically debilitating but obviously creatively and mentally Joe has such tremendous depth. It's an honor for me to be the person to give voice to his creativity and cause."
Brad is donating all of his artist royalties from the digital version to the A-T Children's Project.

You Can Purchase The Song From Itunes. Click Here!

Luke Bryan Took to His Twitter Page . . . to Apologize for His Drunk Tweets.

You can add LUKE BRYAN to the list of people who may never drunk Tweet again. It started last Thursday when he took his wife Caroline to a Nashville restaurant called Virago. Luke Tweeted, quote, "It's my anniversary. Daddy's getting lucky." And then came the lethal combination of too much firewater and perceived disrespect. Luke wrote, quote, "Hey y'all. It's been a great night. But. However. Virago the sub par sushi joint made me take my hat off mid meal." And then, quote, "After 2 bottles of Dom (Perignon). So will never eat mediocre sushi again on my anniversary." Believe it or not, Luke was just getting started. He then tried to start a backlash. He asked everyone to, quote, "Join me in my boycott of Virago. Sushi restaurant against those who sing and perform country music." And he followed that up with some shameless boasting, quote, "Yes, I left a 150 dollar tip. Had the manager not scolded me like a child I would have left double that." Luke even drove the point home that he was NOT of sound mind. He wrote, quote, "I'm is drunk. Love y'all. See y'all in the morning." As we all know, a round of drunk Tweets must be followed by some sober apologies. The next day, which was Friday, Luke Tweeted, quote, "Well, in the wake of my drunk tweets. I do wanna apologize to Virago. The food was really great and the service was great too." Plus, quote, "Also sorry about the choice words." I guess you can never give too many props to the people you just badmouthed. Luke added, quote, "Also, Caroline and I had a great night together. I never really was that mad. I truly was being silly and got carried away. Sorry again."

All in all, Luke is NOT the first to "Drunk Tweet"....and he won't be the last. At least he apologized. Some don't even do that.

Octomom TV...Oh man....

The Octomom NADYA SULEMAN may have finally figured out how to take care of her 14 kids. TMZ says she has scored a SIX-FIGURE DEAL to do a weekly web show.

Here's the promo for the "Big Show"...

Taylor Swift May or May Not Be Dating the Singer From the Band Parachute.

Is TAYLOR SWIFT dating WILL ANDERSON, the singer (slash) guitarist from the rock band PARACHUTE? Maybe. Perez Hilton started the rumor by quoting "sources" who said Taylor spends, quote, "at least three to four times a week" at Will's house. They also claimed Will told an audience at one of his shows that the song "White Dress" was basically written about Taylor. What we DO know is there's a photo of them hanging out over the Thanksgiving holiday. (See Above)

Hey who knows? As long as she's happy. Right?

Brad Paisley Doesn't Like People Saying He Has a Charmed Life.

It may seem like things have come pretty easily for BRAD PAISLEY, but they haven't, and they don't, and he wants you to know that. Brad says, quote, "I cringe every time I read 'The Charmed Life of Brad Paisley' in 'Country Weekly' or 'People' or something, you know, because I do look like I've got it made . . . and I do have it made. "But I always cringe because the 'charmed life' leaves out sleepless nights in the studio and years and years of work."


Well put Brad! Nothing (that's worth it) is easy to get!

Pearl Harbor attack remembered at 70th anniversary ceremonies; 120 survivors to participate.

By Associated Press.

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii — The Dec. 7, 1941, bombing of Pearl Harbor and those who lost their lives that day are being remembered Wednesday on the 70th anniversary of the Japanese attack that brought the U.S. into World War II.

About 120 survivors will join Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, military leaders and civilians to observe a moment of silence in Pearl Harbor at 7:55 a.m. Hawaii time — the moment the attack began seven decades ago.

Click Here For The Full Story.

(The Washington Post)

"The Adventures of Tintin" and "Just Dance 3" Are This Week's New Video Game Releases

"The Adventures of Tintin: The Game" (E10+) . . . for Xbox, PS3, Wii, PC and DS. In the classic comics, Tintin was a young Belgian reporter who investigated mysteries with the help of his dog Snowy and his best friend, Captain Haddock. The comic was hugely popular in Europe and even ran as an animated TV series in the '60s and '90s. This game is based on the new movie adaptation directed by Steven Spielberg which hits theaters a few days before Christmas. The game supports the motion technology of the Kinect sensor and the Playstation Move. It also features two player co-op.

"Just Dance 3" (E10+) is out this week for Xbox, PS3, and Wii. It includes a new four-player mode with choreography for four people. The track list includes Nelly Furtado's "Promiscuous", Cee Lo's "Forget You", and three Katy Perry songs, for a total of 51 dance routines.

John Rich Was Kicked Off a Southwest Flight For Being Drunk and Belligerent.

JOHN RICH was booted off a Southwest Airlines flight out of Las Vegas Sunday morning for being quote, "not fit to travel." Here's what I know: John did a show Saturday night at the Eastside Cannery Resort and Hotel in Vegas. The next morning, he had a 10:50 A.M. flight back home to Nashville. Supposedly he appeared drunk as he was boarding the plane, and got into an argument with another passenger. And according to witnesses, he continued to exhibit drunken behavior once he was seated in the cabin. Airline officials decided it was a problem, so they escorted him off the flight. A rep for Southwest told TMZ, quote, "Our crew assessed the situation and determined that the passenger was not fit for travel under governing federal aviation regulations.
"The customer was rebooked on a later flight, but chose to make alternative travel arrangements. We have processed a refund for the customer and his travel companion." John's spokesman released a statement denying he fought with another passenger . . . but it did leave the door open for other interpretations. Quote: "Did John Rich have a great time with his fans in Vegas? Yes. Was there an altercation? Absolutely not."

Hey...John was havin' himself a "Big & Rich Time"!

Country Stars Share Their Favorite Christmas Memories...

One of the interesting segments of last night's "CMA Country Christmas" was when the artists shared their favorite holiday memories. Here are a few of them...

VINCE GILL remembered how his sister would open gifts before Christmas Day and then re-wrap them without getting caught. He said, quote, "She was good at acting surprised at what she got." Vince's wife AMY GRANT talked about when her cat found her gift live gerbils. Quote, "We're sitting around, all fuzzy feeling, then all of a sudden, I'm going, 'What is that crunching sound under the tree?' It was my big present . . .the gerbils!"

One of KELLIE PICKLER'S favorite holiday memories was visiting the troops in Iraq. She said, quote, "There are so many things we take for granted. We don't realize it until it's not there anymore . . . until that luxury, that freedom, is not there."

KEITH URBAN is from Australia, where it's currently summer. He said, quote, "Christmas was always about going to the beach. And my fondest Christmas memory is about getting in the station wagon with my mom, dad, my brother, and me, and going to the beach for the day."

Hank Williams Jr. Walked Off The Stage at CMT's "Artist of the Year" Taping.

Regardless of how you feel about HANK WILLIAMS JR., the man is never boring. His latest bit of chaos happened at the taping of CMT's "Artists of the Year" on Tuesday. Hank abruptly walked off the stage while performing "Tattoos On This Town" with JASON ALDEAN. He wasn't mad at Jason or anything. His reps claim Hank just didn't feel he was doing the song justice. Sadly, the walk-off will not be seen when the show airs on December 13th. Jason simply redid the song on his own with his band.

**Personal Opinion Here***
I would think when an artist asks you to join them on stage (as seen in pic above), you would consider it an honor and see it through. I think it was disrepectful of Hank to walk off. Jason Aldean is a VERY talented person. I think Jason knew what he was doing when he asked Hank to sit in. I think if Jason thought it wasn't going well, he would of said something. It shouldn't be Hanks decision. Small slap in the face to Aldean. But, Jason is a tough guy. I think his skin is much thicker than that.

-Hammer

The Volkswagen Darth Vader Ad Was Named Commercial of the Year.

Remember that Super Bowl commercial where the little kid dressed as Darth Vader thinks he can start the family Volkswagen with The Force. . . when really it's just his dad using the remote ignition? Well, "Adweek" just released their annual list of the ten best commercials that aired around the world and the Volkswagen Darth Vader commercial was number one! I laugh every time I see it.

Here it is! Enjoy!

Country Photos: Taylor Swift Is All About Christmas...

Now that her massively successful "Speak Now" tour is over, TAYLOR SWIFT is relaxing and getting into the Christmas spirit. In the past four days, she's Tweeted photos of Christmas trees, how winter makes her want to bake, and how she and her friends like to make homemade snow globes. Check out the pics Taylor tweeted...

Zac Brown Knows About Getting Paid with Soggy Dollar Bills Soaked in Beer!

Unless you win a reality TV show, you have to pay your dues to get to the top and ZAC BROWN remembers those days every time ZAC BROWN BAND goes on tour. He told CMT about the days of, quote, "Playing in a bar, and then wringing the beer outta my tip money from the tip bucket. At the end of the night, people would be spilling beer and stuff into that bucket, but I didn't care. "I'd reach down and grab the one dollar bills from the bottom and shove 'em in the cargo pants I used to wear I had soggy wads of one dollar bills on me for years. And that was my gas money, and what it took to get to the next place."

This is why I like Zac Brown...he's real! So are most Country artists. They don't forget where they come from.

Xbox is Getting a New Social Feature Called Beacons . . . and PS3 Users Who Bought "Battlefield 3" Are Entitled to Vouchers for A Free Game and Other News!

The next Xbox 360 Dashboard Update is coming on December 6th. It includes cloud storage for your game saves and new social networking features like Facebook sharing.
Click Here For The Full Story

That new Xbox update also includes a feature called Beacons, which let you mark games where you may need help from your friends. They've launched it early through Xbox.com. All you have to do is go to [Social], click [Activity], then click [Beacon] and leave a custom note. You can have three beacons at a time.
Click Here For The Full Story

PS3 users who bought "Battlefield 3" should have also gotten a free copy of "Battlefield 1943" with the game, but it was shipped without it. So, they're making it up to them with a "Battlefield 1943" voucher on December 10th.
Click Here For The Full Story

This week's new downloadable content for the PlayStation Network includes the full version of "Modern Warfare 2", the Sly Cooper trilogy, and "Voltron".
Click Here For The Full Story

Delayed Games: Here's a two-page list of 13 games that were supposed to come out in 2011, but they've been pushed back to next year. They include "Kinect Star Wars", "Mass Effect 3", "The Darkness 2", and "Silent Hill Downpour".
Click Here For The Full Story

Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles Got Married!

JENNIFER NETTLES of SUGARLAND got married to her entrepreneur boyfriend Justin Miller on Saturday. She's 37. We're not sure how old he is, but they've been dating for about two years. Here are the details according to "People" magazine: It was a small ceremony at a chapel near the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. She wore a wedding gown designed by Alexander McQueen and bandmate KRISTIAN BUSH was there. Justin's a former model. If you've seen the video for "Want To", you've seen him, he's the guy sleeping in Jennifer's bed, and she ditches him before getting on the tour bus. He was also her date to the CMAs earlier this month. Jennifer's been married before: She divorced her first husband in 2007.(--He was a club owner named Todd Van Sickle.)Whatever honeymoon plans they have will have to wait until at least next week: Sugarland's performing with LADY GAGA at tomorrow night's Grammy Nominations concert on CBS, and hosting Thursday's CMA Country Christmas special on ABC.

Trace Adkins Reveals Plans for New House

Now that the charred rubble of Trace Adkins‘ old home has been cleared away, he and his family are anxious to move in to the new house that’s being built on the same piece of Nashville property. It’s been over five months since the Adkins were forced to relocate to a guest house when the main structure burned down. Adkins tells Taste of Country that the blueprints don’t call for a large, extravagant mansion. “We’re just not into that,” he says. “We want it to be warm and welcome. It’s going to be reasonable. It’s not going to be ridiculous.” While his wife Rhonda added a few modern conveniences to the final design, there will be nothing that will land him an episode of ‘Cribs’ any time soon. However, next summer, the Adkins’ home may wind up as the hot place to cool down. “I’ve heard that the new one is going to have a pool, so I guess I’m finally going to be one of those snooty home owners that has a pool,” the ‘Million Dollar View’ singer says, laughing. With a pool comes a pool boy and a gardener and then … wait a second. Wasn’t that the plot of the music video for ‘Marry for Money’? Adkins is staying busy this holiday season. On Dec. 5, he’ll return as host for the American Country Awards on Fox. Kristin Chenoweth will join him onstage this year for the 8PM ET broadcast.

(Taste Of Country)

Country Artists Talk About Their Favorite Thanksgiving Dishes.

Everyone has that one favorite dish they can't wait to dig into on Thanksgiving and country stars are no exception. Here are a few them talking about theirs.

EASTON CORBIN: "We eat deer meat at Thanksgiving. Is that odd? Not in the south, right?"

HILLARY SCOTT of LADY ANTEBELLUM: "My favorite Thanksgiving food would have to be my grandmother's sweet potato casserole. There's just something she puts in it (probably all the love) that makes it better than anything I've ever tasted."

ALAN JACKSON: "My favorite Thanksgiving dish would be the homemade, cornbread-based kind of dressin' that we always have with turkey. That recipe is a combination of my mama's and (my wife) Denise has taken it and perfected it over the years, so that me and my children really enjoy it."

JAMES OTTO: "I love to eat,sadly, and all the best foods come out of Thanksgiving, like stuffing and all the things that are bad for you."

JUSTIN MOORE: "Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, because you don't have to fool with presents! It's just everybody gets together, drink beer and fry turkeys."

JAMES WESLEY: "We eat sausage balls with Louisiana hot sauce. My wife made those one year, and they were so good. They're so little, but you just pop them and before you know it you've eaten a whole loaf of bread. We sit around, eat, watch TV and tell stories on one another."

Kimberly Perry Wore the Same Dress to the "AMAs" that Emma Stone Wore to the "MTV Movie Awards".

Normally, I couldn't care less if two stars get photographed wearing the same dress, or skirt, or sensible pantsuit. But I'm feeling a need to speak up because, in this case, "Us Weekly" totally set up KIMBERLY PERRY to look bad.
Here's what happened: The dress that Kimberly wore to Sunday's "American Music Awards" is pretty much the same one EMMA STONE wore five months earlier to the "MTV Movie Awards". Whatever, right? But "Us Weekly" decided to run a side-by-side comparison asking people to vote for "Who Wore It Best?" Emma won by a landslide, but I'm calling HUGE FOUL because the photo made Kimberly look four feet tall. (--Here's the comparison.)

So, because I believe she was wronged, my lead in photo is a much more flattering photo of Kimberly Perry. Gotta sick up for my "Country Peeps"!

My Life: #2 - "I'm A Klutz!"

Ya know, it's not easy being me. Light on my feet...sometimes. A klutz? MOST OF THE TIME! I came in today feeling pretty good. Had a nice weekend. Giants lost. My wife is away on business...nothing earth shattering That is until my clumsey side showed itself this morning at 5:15. Getting ready for the show doing my usual until....I trip over the studio chair, go flying and slam my hand into our internet computer keyboard. Smash hand onto spacebar and voila! Spacebar no longer works. So as I type this, the space bar is missing, using a pen to hit the little "space button" where the bar use to exsist and its taking forever for me to type this entry. I now have to explain to our engineering dept how I'm an idiot and how I broke the spacebar. This should be good...I'm a KLUTZ!
Welcome to my life!

Amazon Black Friday Week Deals Feature Scotty McCreery, George Strait, Taylor Swift & More!

The Black Friday deals keep coming as the hectic shopping day grows nearer. Amazon is now offering up a platter of music-related items that will be on sale, and there are plenty of country stars — Scotty McCreery, George Strait and Taylor Swift, just to name a few — whose merchandise will be discounted this week. On Thursday, Nov. 24, country music fans can snag a copy Scotty McCreery’s debut and chart-topping album ‘Clear as Day‘ for just $5! Joe Nichols‘ LP ‘It’s All Good‘ will also be sold at a fraction of the original price on Thanksgiving day. The following day is Black Friday, and there will be tons of CD’s on sale that day. If you like George Strait, you can purchase a copy of his latest album ‘Here for a Good Time‘ for only $5. Toby Keith‘s ‘Clancy’s Tavern,’ Lauren Alaina‘s ‘Wildflower,’ and Alison Krauss‘ ‘Paper Airplane‘ are also being sold at the discount price of $5. Brad Paisley fans can also get a deal on ‘This Is Country Music‘ if they are willing to spend $6 on the disc. On Sunday and Monday, Nov. 27 and 28, Lady Antebellum‘s wildly popular ‘We Own the Night‘ album will be on sale for $7 on Amazon.com, while Taylor Swift’s ‘Journey to Fearless‘ DVD will be listed for only $7 as well. If you love country music or are looking for some great and cheap Christmas gifts, get your mouses ready to seize those Black Friday deals on Amazon! The feverish shopping frenzy will be worth it, since you won’t see discounts like this for the rest of the year!

(Taste Of Country)

There's a Woman In Florida Already Lined Up Outside Best Buy for Black Friday!

You REALLY want to save $15 on a Blu-ray player THIS badly?
In St. Petersburg, Florida, there's a woman who's ALREADY camping out in front of a Best Buy for Black Friday. And she's been there since Wednesday . . . meaning she's doing NINE days of camping to be first in line for sales! (?) Her name is Christine Orta, and she's a college student who's on break right now, so she has the time. She says she's camping out because, quote, "You've got to pinch a penny . . . it's affordable right now."

Really???

(Tampa Bay Online)

Trace Adkins is "Country Weekly's" Sexiest Man . . . and You Can Download His Song "Million Dollar View" for Free!!

The readers of "Country Weekly" have voted TRACE ADKINS as their Sexiest Man. As part of the honor, they put him on the cover of the issue that hits newsstands today. And as an added bonus, the magazine is giving away Trace's song "Million Dollar View" for free. Just hit up CountryWeekly.com and click on the "Free Download" button on the left side of the page. You'll have to give up your email address.

Did William Shatner Almost Die Deep-Frying a Thanksgiving Turkey?

WILLIAM SHATNER has teamed up with State Farm Insurance to warn Americans to be careful when deep-frying turkeys this Thanksgiving. And as it turns out, he speaks from personal experience. He says, quote, "Several years ago I was burned on my arms after accidentally dropping the turkey in the hot oil. People need to remember that hot oil and turkey can be a dangerous combination. "Ignorance is the friend of accidents. Be enemies with ignorance."

The Band Perry and Thompson Square Had a Huge Increase in Record Sales After the CMAs!

Several artists enjoyed a nice bump in sales after the CMAs. THE BAND PERRY'S self-titled debut album saw an increase of 112%. They'd won the awards for New Artist of the Year, plus Song of the Year and Single of the Year for "If I Die Young". THOMPSON SQUARE enjoyed a 96% surge in sales of their self-titled debut CD, and sales of ERIC CHURCH'S album "Chief" were up 61%. They'd both lost out to the Band Perry for Best New Artist. JASON ALDEAN'S smash album "My Kinda Party" jumped 53% after he picked up the award for Album of the Year. And BLAKE SHELTON'S "Red River Blue" was right behind that with a 52% increase after winning Male Vocalist of the Year.

David Nail's New Album is Getting Props From Two NFL Quarterbacks . . . Jay Cutler and Blaine Gabbert!

DAVID NAIL'S new album, "The Sound of a Million Dreams", dropped yesterday. It's a little too early to tell how well it'll do. But it's already getting serious props from two NFL studs. Chicago Bears quarterback JAY CUTLER already bought the album. He Tweeted, quote, "DavidNail on iTunes. Just downloaded it, well done buddy. Check it out, some of his best work yet."
As did Jacksonville Jaguars QB BLAINE GABBERT who wrote on his Twitter page, quote, "Gotta check out davidnail's new album 'The Sound of a Million Dreams' on iTunesMusic."

Way to go David!

How Many Times Do You Think They Say, "The Force" in All Six "Star Wars" Movies Combined?

Someone who loves "Star Wars" (and has way too much time to kill...just sayin') went through all six movies and counted how many times the characters say the phrase, "the Force." It turns out, those two words are uttered 91 times. There's a minute-long montage of them on YouTube called "Star Wars: The Force Supercut." Here it is...

New Video Games This Week!!

The most anticipated game of the week has finally come!!
"Assassin's Creed: Revelations" (M) . . . on Xbox360, PS3, and PC. The fourth game in the "Assassin's Creed" series features both Ezio and Altair as playable characters. Ezio travels to Constantinople and fights templars who are searching for a way into Altair's hidden library, which contains a powerful artifact. Your new weapons include a hookblade and the new ability to create bombs using hundreds of random components you find across the city. "Revelations" also includes the multiplayer action introduced in "Brotherhood", along with some new game modes.

"Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary" (M) . . . on Xbox360. The game that started it all for "Halo" fans has been re-mastered with HD graphics and a few other nifty features. The campaign now has achievements, and supports online co-op play. And multiplayer will feature six maps inspired by the first two "Halo" games. You can also use Kinect to scan items in game for later review in your library, and you can even throw grenades if you feel like getting off the couch.

"Need for Speed: The Run" (T) . . . on Xbox360, PS3, Wii, PC, and 3DS. In this game you play as a guy who needs to win a cross country race from San Francisco to New York City in order to settle a $25 million debt. "Transformers" director Michael Bay did the trailer and there are just as many explosions as you would expect.

"Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games" (E) . . . on Wii. Everyone's favorite plumber, hedgehog, and friends compete in over 30 Olympic events like synchronized swimming, soccer, and rowing.

"Jurassic Park: The Game" (T) . . . on Xbox360, PS3, and PC. This adventure game follows the events of the first "Jurassic Park" movie.


These are some of the noteable titles this week! Enjoy!

Hammer

Tim McGraw And Kenny Chesney Are Touring Together Next Year!

Last week there were rumors that TIM MCGRAW and KENNY CHESNEY would be recording a duet and launching a co-headline tour! No word on the duet, but the tour is confirmed. It's called Brothers of the Sun and it kicks off June 2nd in Tampa, Florida. JAKE OWEN and GRACE POTTER & THE NOCTURNALS will be opening the shows!

Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood Help Build 100 Homes for Habitat for Humanity

Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood were noticeably absent from the 2011 CMA Awards, but for good reason. The country music couple not only make music together, they give together too — Brooks and Yearwood, along with Habitat for Humanity, helped build 100 houses for hurricane victims in Haiti last week. They weren’t alone, however. The pair, who have been married for six years this December, were just two of 500 volunteers building new homes for those in need as a part of the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project. This particular project, which is an annual event, is in its 28th year. Brooks, Yearwood, the Carters and other dedicated helpers acted to rebuild only a small fraction of the 105,000 houses that were destroyed by the 7.0-magnitude earthquake in January of 2010, displacing thousands of families. The Carter Work Project, with Habitat for Humanity, will continue its efforts in Haiti in 2012 in hopes that it will offset some of the great loss and raise awareness surrounding the destruction that is still, for the most part, untouched.

(Taste Of Country)

Veterans Day: A Day Of Celebration and Rememberance...

Today is a day to reflect, on the men and woman who have each shown their love for our country and family by serving in our military. We hug and hold our service men and woman that have returned safely home to us. We remember those who are gone. It is with a tear in my eye that I type this today. I come from a military family, most of whom are gone. But all served and served proudly. To my family that defended and held postions on Omaha Beach and on the shores of Italy during WWII, I salute you. To my family that served in Korea keeping the DMZ secure, I salute you. To my father, who served in Vietnam. I am so proud to call you dad. I miss & love you and mom very much. I hope that I served with as much honor and courage as all of you. To all of my friends that are currently serving, I love you all. Stay safe. To families that have their members serving in our armed forces, all of our hearts are with you. No matter how tough times get, just know this...you are never alone. You have respect, support and love from all of us. Thank you for your strength and THANK YOU to your family members for keeping us safe and free. God Bless our Armed Forces and God Bless America.

Hammer

Last Night's CMA Gift Bags Were Worth $15,000!

One of the biggest perks of being a performer or presenter at an awards show, is all the free swag they throw at you. And it's always good stuff. For example, last night's gift bags at the CMAs were valued at $15,000. It was a wide range of stuff too. From custom jewelry, designer sunglasses and clothing to scarves, leather messenger bags and iPod accessories.

Side Note: If nobody wants theirs...I'll take it! Yeah Right! They're not giving those up! Nice to dream though.

Hammer's CMA Picks!

First, let me start by saying that I don't gamble...because I suck at it! Like I said earlier today, I couldn't pick the winner of a one horse race! With that being said, here are my CMA picks for tonight.
Entertainer Of The Year
Brad Paisley

Female Vocalist Of The Year
Taylor Swift

Male Vocalist Of The Year
Keith Urban

New Artist Of The Year
The Band Perry

Vocal Group or Duo
Rascal Flatts

Vocal Duo Of The Year
Sugarland (This one was a tough decision. Thompson Square is really cool. But I think that they have a little way to go. Just sayin')

Single Of The Year
Honey Bee - Blake Shelton

Song Of The Year
Dirt Road Anthem - Jason Aldean

Album Of The Year
Speak Now - Taylor Swift (This too was a tough decision. But according to the numbers, Taylor Swift out earned Brad Paisley by roughly 5 million dollars last year. I'm guessing that might be a factor here.)

Musical Event Of The Year
Old Alabama - Brad Paisley

Music Video Of The Year
Old Alabama - Brad Paisley

There ya go! Let's see how close I was. Feel free to play along!

"My Life": Episode 1

Ya know, every now and then certain Things" happen in my life that I need to share with you all. Don't ever think "Why does this only happen to me?" Oh No, my friends! You can guarantee that it's happened to me too. So, for my first intallation of "My Life", I just want to point out that so far, every morning this week, when I go into a commercial break, the VERY FIRST commercial is the ad about "Low Testosterone". You know the one "Are you half the man you use to be?" What the hell??? Is this the girls in the office having fun with me? Or is it a sign from the Lord above? Either way, it can only happen to me. Welcome to "My Life".

Have a great day!

Hammer

Brad Paisley’s Son Tries to Impress Carrie Underwood With ‘Cave Man’ Moves!

Before Brad Paisley filmed the ‘Remind Me’ video, his son Huck (William Huckleberry) had a chance to meet Carrie Underwood for the first time. The 4-year-old has long had a crush on the blond singer, and Paisley says his boy made the most of his opportunity. “He got all excited. He had to pick out what he was gonna wear,” Paisley said during a CMA Awards press conference. “He picked out a Batman shirt.” Paisley and Underwood are once again hosting tonight’s ABC broadcast. "[He] bought me flowers, wrote me a note, showed me karate moves and stuff,” Underwood added, smiling. It’s clear she finds the adulation adorable. Paisley finds it hilarious, if not a little confusing. “And then I looked over,” Paisley continued, “and they had been talking for a little bit, and he’s standing beside the couch … and he’s got the pillow from the couch and he’s pushing it up as high as he can get it over his head and he goes, ‘Hey, Carrie. Look how strong I am.’” “I don’t know what kind of cave man these kids turn into, but it sort of starts really early,” Paisley said. He then went on to share that Huck has been checking out other women recently, specifically Kimberly Perry from the Band Perry, who’ll be touring with Paisley in 2012. “There’s still Jasper,” the shocked and heartbroken Underwood meekly whispered into her microphone. Jasper is Paisley’s youngest son, who has also shown interest in Underwood. When the two met, he stared up at the singer for an uncomfortable amount of time.

(Taste Of Country)

Where Are They Now? : JONATHAN LIPNICKI

Here's a photo of "Jerry Maguire's" JONATHAN LIPNICKI, now 21 years old, in training to be an MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) Fighter. Can't believe that movie was so long ago...man, I'm just getting old!

Oh, by the way... Ladies, "You're Welcome!"

Top 10 Romantic Songs

I thought I would share this list with you courtesy of A Taste Of Country...ENJOY!

Our Top 10 Romantic Songs come from every era of country music. Blake Shelton and Brad Paisley are the storytellers in the group, while Tim McGraw pours his heart out to the woman he cherishes. Then there are promises made by George Strait and Randy Travis and a Conway Twitty song that verges on going too far before returning to lyrics safe to play with the kids around. The words of these romantic songs are those that a woman yearns to have whispered in her ear. These are the voices that send shivers down her spine. These are the songs that men dream of playing for someone special, some day. Note: No babies were made during the making of this Top 10 list.

(A Taste Of Country)

CLICK HERE To View The list!

Keith Urban Is Having Throat Surgery to Remove a Polyp From His Vocal Chords

KEITH URBAN has scheduled throat surgery later this month to remove a polyp on his vocal chords. It's a minor, outpatient procedure but he still has to shut things down and recuperate afterwards. Keith will be honoring SOME of his appearances between now and the surgery. Unfortunately, he's postponing January's "We're All For The Hall" benefit concert. No word when that'll be rescheduled.

Read The Statement On keithurban.net

Billy Currington is Being Stalked . . . By The Guy Next Door

This is right out of a movie . . . except it's for real. BILLY CURRINGTON'S neighbor has been SPYING on him with a telescope and binoculars for six months. And get this: Billy found out when the creep actually told him, and was proud of it. Billy laid out the story in a series of Twitter posts. First he Tweeted, quote, "Just found out this guy has been watchin' me thru a telescope and binoculars from his house for six months. So creepy." And then this Tweet, quote, "I know this 'cause he knocked on my back door and told me this and that he knows when I come and go and says he wants to take me fishin'." Followed by this one, quote, "He says, 'Hey man, u can come to my house anytime u want to' and I say, 'Hey bro, wtf?' He [says he's] got three boats and 'I reallyyy wanna take you fishing'." Plus this, quote, "I say, 'Hey man u writin a book on me how u know all this stuff bout me?' He said, 'I got these great pair of binoculars!'" And this, quote, "He said, 'u see that house over there, bro? The one that's all lit up? That's mine, man! I see you over here every day!'"


Okay...now THATS too creepy. Just sayin'. - Hammer

Thoughts From Craig Morgan...Former U.S. Army Ranger!

Earlier this year we got CRAIG MORGAN'S take on the killing of Osama bin Laden. Craig's a former Army Ranger who's served overseas, so I respect his opinion. So here's what he thinks about the U.S. pulling our troops out of Iraq. He said, quote, "It's a good thing. It's where we're at. We will still have a presence there. "But as far as a show of force and a large group, it's not necessary anymore. I know this for a fact. I've been there recently and we don't need as many people there as we had in the past. "But we do need a presence and I'm confident that we will maintain a presence in that country in the same way we have in Korea since the Korean War." One more thing: Craig got in early on the whole SOP craze, which is where you take photos of people "Sleeping on Plane". But now it's morphed into something way better. Now Craig and his crew snap photos of kickass mullets. Craig says, quote, "Me and the whole band, we're mullet hunters. So we try to find as many people with mullets as we can and take pictures."

Here's a photo Craig posted of a dude rocking a world-class rat-tail mullet! LMAO!