Radio Country: BIG FROG 104'S HOT NEWZ FROM NASHVILLE

July 20, 2010

» Record-Setting Country:

Fall is always prime time for album releases, but this year's schedule is uncommonly packed with superstar offerings. Toby Keith will release his 14th studio album Bullets In The Gun Oct. 5. Watch the video for lead single "Trailerhood" here. Also just announced, Reba will release her still-untitled next album Nov. 9; it will contain her recently released single "Turn On The Radio." "I fell for the song immediately," Reba says. "I love that it’s ... about a woman who has been done wrong by her lover and is telling him to turn on the radio if he wants to hear from her through their favorite song." Kenny Chesney opens the season with, appropriately, "The Boys Of Fall" from his Sept. 28 album Hemingway's Whiskey. Darius Rucker wrote 77 songs for his 12-track collection Charleston, SC 1966. According to the Associated Press, the record is titled in homage to Radney Foster's solo debut Del Rio, TX 1959. Zac Brown Band will release The Foundation's follow-up You Get What You Give Sept. 21.

Blake Shelton brings in guest and fiancée Miranda Lambert on his All About Tonight "six pak" album, which hits stores Aug. 10. Lambert is featured on "Draggin' The River" and co-wrote "Suffocating" with Lady Antebellum's Hillary Scott. Jamey Johnson's double disc release The Guitar Song (9/14) features "Macon," Kris Kristofferson's "For The Good Times" and Bill Anderson on the title track. Other major releases include Trace Adkins' Cowboy's Back In Town (8/17), Little Big Town's The Reason Why (8/24) and Sugarland's The Incredible Machine (10/19). See a full list below.

» Money Business: Kenny Chesney and Toby Keith are the only country artists on Forbes' "Top-Earning Musicians" list, which counts down the highest-paid performers between 2009-2010. Chesney lands the No. 9 spot with $50 million and Keith ties at No. 10 with the Black Eyed Peas and Coldplay with $48 million. The artists are ranked by an aggregate of touring dollars, publishing royalties, endorsement deals and other revenue streams. U2 leads with $130 million, followed by AC/DC ($114m), Beyoncé ($87m), Bruce Springsteen ($70m) and Britney Spears ($64m). Complete list here.

» The Honeymooners:

Newlyweds Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher have been photographed soaking up the Tahitian sun and touring the French Polynesian sights on their honeymoon. According to People, Mr. and Mrs. Fisher have been swimming and have taken a helicopter tour of the island. Read the full article here.

» By The Time I Get To Phoenix:

More supporters are coming out of the woodwork as Jimmy Wayne closes in on Phoenix to complete his 1,700-mile Meet Me Halfway walk for homeless teens. Wayne hasn't been alone on the road since he hit the Arizona state line. "People want to help," Wayne told us in our weekly update Friday (7/16). "It decreased my level of cynicism. Every time you turn around there's bad news and then coming out here, someone gets in their car and drives all the way out to find us and give us food and refuses to take money. They do everything because they sincerely care. I don't take it for granted." Wayne is scheduled to arrive in Mesa, AZ July 31 and Phoenix Aug. 1. Follow Wayne the rest of the way and learn more about the mission here.

» Self-Promotion: Lilith Tour vet Jennifer Nettles (Sugarland) graces the cover of a Self magazine mini-issue focusing on the traveling festival. "Back in the late '90s I did the side stage at Lilith Fair in Atlanta, and at the end of it we got to go up and perform with all the other artists," Nettles says. "It was pretty much a crowning moment of my independent musician career, and I'm now excited to go back in this capacity and be there on the big stage ... We're going to represent!" The 34-page Love Your Lilith issue features Nettles, Martina McBride and others. The deluxe 68-page edition includes a 15-track CD, magnetic photo frame and a flower seed packet, and will be available at Wal-Mart stores nationwide Aug. 3. Details here.

» Wall Bling:

Several country artists will soon have shiny new plaques to hang on their walls commemorating milestone sales achievements. Zac Brown Band's "Chicken Fried" has sold two million copies. Brad Paisley's "Then" and Kellie Pickler's "Best Days Of Your Life" have sold one million copies each. Kenny Chesney with Dave Matthews' "I'm Alive," Jamey Johnson's "In Color," Joe Nichols' "Gimmie That Girl," Josh Turner's "Why Don't We Just Dance" and Carrie Underwood's "Temporary Home" have each sold 500,000 copies.

» Rodeo Drive:

The Country Music Hall Of Fame is offering the last few VIP tickets for Brooks & Dunn's final show Sept. 2 at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena. There are a few "Play Something Country" seats at $300 each, which include a B&D merchandise bundle and an autographed item. And there are more than 100 "Friend Of The Museum" tickets at $250 each, which include a museum membership. Details here.

» Jury Verdict:

Congratulations to Karen Grugan, winner of the first-ever copy of "Lover, Lover" singer Jerrod Niemann's debut album Judge Jerrod & The Hung Jury. Grugan will receive two round-trip tickets to San Francisco, a two-night hotel stay, Niemann concert tickets and meet-and-greet passes. The grand-prize package also includes a commemorative "First On Earth" CD plaque presentation at the July 31 show. Buy your own copy here.

» Chronicle: The country music community is mourning the loss of celebrated session guitarist Fred Carter, Jr., who passed away Sunday (7/18). The late Nashville session guitarist and father of Deana Carter can be heard on Simon & Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water, Waylon Jennings' Lonesome, On'ry And Mean, Levon Helm's Levon Helm & The RCO All-Stars, Roy Orbison's Crying and others.

»Birthdays

Julianne Hough (7/20)
Radney Foster (7/20)
Brad Mates (Emerson Drive) (7/21)
Alison Krauss (7/23)
Pam Tillis (7/24)

On TV

Tuesday (7/20): Zac Brown Band, Miranda Lambert, Steel Magnolia, On The Streets (GAC).

Wednesday (7/21): Jimmy Wayne, Coming Home (re-air) (GAC).

Thursday (7/22): Dierks Bentley, Soundstage (re-air) (GAC).

Friday (7/23): Jerrod Niemann, Top 20 Country Countdown (GAC).

In Stores Tuesday (7/20)

Flynnville Train Redemption
The five-piece band returns with their 11-track sophomore album, which features the single "Preachin' To The Choir." The group's Brian Flynn, Brent Flynn, Thomas Bales and Damon Michael co-wrote five songs on the project. Flynnville Train co-produced. Buy here.

Various Artists Sweet Home Alabama: The Country Music Tribute To Lynyrd Skynyrd
Eric Church, Randy Houser, Uncle Kracker, Shooter Jennings, Jamey Johnson, Randy Montana, Eli Young Band and Ashley Ray tackle eight Skynyrd songs on this Wal-Mart exclusive. Tracks include "The Ballad Of Curtis Loew," "Simple Man," "Tuesday's Gone," "Gimme Three Steps" and "Sweet Home Alabama." Purchase here.