Welcome to The Boot’s News Roundup, a morning rundown of the news country music fans need to know. Read on to learn more about the latest goings-on in the country, Americana, bluegrass and folk genres.
Songwriter Lee Thomas Miller, known for country hits such as Brad Paisley‘s “I’m Still a Guy” and “You’re Gonna Miss This” by Trace Adkins, has announced that he will run for Congress. According to MusicRow, Miller received a letter signed by more than 70 country artists (including Paisley, Dustin Lynch, Chris Janson and more) urging him to run for Congress as an advocate for the state of Tennessee’s music industry. If elected, Miller would replace Marsha Blackburn, who will soon vacate the seat to run for Senate.
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More than 14 million fans tuned in to watch the 51st annual CMA Awards when ABC broadcast the ceremony on Wednesday (Nov. 8). According to a press release from the Country Music Association, the biggest audience in three years viewed this year’s awards ceremony. This news does come as a bit of a surprise, considering that last year’s broadcast featured a performance from Beyonce and the Dixie Chicks, and was the CMA Awards’ 50th anniversary.
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When the iconic Christmas tree in New York City’s Rockefeller Center is lit just after Thanksgiving, country artists Brett Eldredge and Jennifer Nettles will be on hand to bring a little extra holiday cheer to the festivities. Eldredge and Nettles will both perform during NBC’s Christmas in Rockefeller Center TV special, set to air on Nov. 29 at 8PM ET.
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Speaking of Christmas trees, Craig Campbell will perform at the lighting of the White House Christmas Tree on Nov. 30. Free tickets to the event will be distributed via a lottery, and the festivities will air on the Hallmark Channel on Dec. 4. At the lighting ceremony, Campbell will be joined by Us the Duo, Mannheim Steamroller and the U.S. Navy Band. Of the event, Campbell tells The Boot, “I’m not nervous. I was on a USO Tour last December, so I met a lot of people in DC, so I’m excited to meet up with those guys and be at the White House and sing some Christmas songs.”
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Country singer Walker Hayes and his wife Laney are expecting their seventh child! In an interview ahead of the 2017 CMA Awards, the couple told Taste of Country that they were “living the dream, on cloud nine” after learning the news. In addition to the newest addition to his family, Hayes is set to release a new album on Dec. 8, on which his hit song “You Broke Up With Me” appears.
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I’m With Her, the folk supergroup comprised of Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz and Aoife O’Donovan, have announced plans to release a full-length album. Titled See You Around, the album will feature 12 tracks co-written by the trio of Grammy Awards winners, and is set for release on Feb. 16. Fans can pre-order the album and listen to its title track via the I’m With Her store.
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Keith Urban will perform at the 2018 MusiCares Person of the Year tribute concert and benefit that will honor rock icons Fleetwood Mac. Set to be held on Jan. 26 at Radio City Music Hall, the concert will also feature performances from Haim, John Legend, Harry Styles and Lorde, and Fleetwood Mac will close the evening. Tickets to the event, which serves as a fundraiser for MusiCares, start at $1,750 for spots in the orchestra, or a more affordable $356 for a seat in the mezzanine.
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During the week of Nov. 6, the iconic sign that once adorned Nashville’s RCA Studio A was returned to its rightful place. The sign, which features RCA’s mascot dog Nipper listening to a Victrola phonograph, was removed from Studio A in 1968, when RCA retired the logo. “This is about more than returning an iconic image to Music Row,” says Nashville mayor Megan Barry, who was on hand when the sign was reinstalled after a three-year restoration process. “It’s really the culmination of the preservation and restoration of a cultural and historic landmark. Nashville is proud to be home to one of the world’s most important recording studios.”
This Article Was Originally Posted at www.TheBoot.com
