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

October 12, 2010

» Follow The Forever Road:

If he isn't already, Darius Rucker may well be on his way to becoming a household name in country music — thanks to two events that helped launch his second career. Rewind to 1992 when Radney Foster released Del Rio, Texas 1959. "The guys in Hootie [& The Blowfish] will attest to the truthfulness — I played that album every day for three years," Rucker says. "This album in particular was mind-blowing to me. It was [at that] point where I didn't want to make a country record someday, I had to." Fast forward to a dinner between his manager Doc McGhee and label president Mike Dungan, who just happened to mention that he always thought Rucker was a country singer. According to Nashville's The Tennessean, that dinner (at which Rucker wasn't even present) set the ball in motion for Rucker's debut Learn To Live, which included "Don't Think I Don't Think About It," "Alright" and "It Won't Be Like This For Long." The encore is Tuesday's (10/12) release Charleston, SC 1966, which drew inspiration for its title from that beloved Foster album. Read the full Tennessean feature here, watch Rucker's Good Morning America appearance here and learn more about the sophomore offering below.

» All The Incredible Machines:

Get more bang for your buck when Sugarland and Reba release Deluxe editions of their albums The Incredible Machine and All The Women I Am, respectively. The Deluxe version of Oct. 19's The Incredible Machine will include the album's documentary Blood Love Hope Lust And Steam, the "Stuck Like Glue" music video and a live video of the title track. The Deluxe version of Nov. 9's All The Women I Am will include Reba's AOL Sessions performance, the CMT Unplugged cover of Beyoncé's "If I Were A Boy" and a behind-the-scenes feature about the "Turn On The Radio" music video. Follow the links to pre-order the The Incredible Machine and All The Women I Am.

» Starstruck Truck:

Speaking of Reba, she can give credit to a rogue catering truck for helping her land the lead role in Broadway's Annie Get Your Gun. Confused? We'll let her explain: "In every project that's ever come up in my life, it's kind of been one of those things where I was in the right place at the right time," she says. "[My husband] Narvel and I were going to Europe to do a TV show called The Stars Sing the Beatles. And when we flew to New York to go to London, the catering truck had knocked the door off the [plane], and they had to cancel the flight. So, Narvel said, 'What do you want to do?' And I said, 'Let's go see a play.' So we went to see Annie Get Your Gun, and at intermission, Narvel and I both knew that was a show that I had to do. And so I always wondered, 'Isn't it strange that the catering truck knocked the door off of the plane?'"

» All-American Hometown Girl: Carrie Underwood received a big home state welcome when her Play On tour rolled through Tulsa Sunday (10/10). "Now let's see, where am I tonight?" Underwood teased after the opener "Cowboy Casanova." "I'm home!" Underwood shared stories about playing in the back of pickup trucks at local festivals while singing in a flying pickup truck and gave a shout out to her alma mater Northeastern State University during the show. Read a full review here.

» Candle Shortage In Nashville: Trace Adkins, Dolly Parton, Taylor Swift and Roy Clark were among those who rang in the Grand Ole Opry's 85th birthday celebration over the weekend. More than 8,800 fans packed the Opry House for Friday's show (10/9), which also starred a three-tiered oversized cake. "Sitting backstage at the Opry," Swift tweeted. "It's been rebuilt since the flood and looks better than new. Abigail flew in to visit. I like today so much." Read a full recap here.

» More Purer:

The sequel to 1992's Pure Country will open in select theaters nationwide Oct. 15. Titled Pure Country 2 — The Gift, the film features Katrina Elam in the starring role opposite the original's lead actor George Strait. A 14-song soundtrack will primarily feature Elam and will be available Feb. 15. Sarah Darling, industry exec Jimmy Nichols and Journey's Jonathan Cain perform the compilation's bonus track. Learn more and view the trailer here.

» Way Down Under On The Diamantina: Alan Jackson's first Australian tour sold out within hours of tickets becoming available Friday (10/8), and demand was so heavy in Brisbane — a city of about two million people — that a third date was added there. Jackson, joined by Miranda Lambert, is heading Down Under for shows in Melbourne (3/4), Sydney (3/7) and Brisbane (3/10, 11 & 12). "I'm a Southern man, and that’s about as far South as we can go," Jackson quipped. "I've always heard that it's just beautiful down there, and everybody I know that's been there has loved it." Jackson will also be getting "coastal" when he headlines the final show in the Concerts For The Coast series Oct. 30 in Gulf Shores, AL. The event is free for locals while tickets last. Details here.

» Tool Time:

Armed with the tools of their respective trades, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood manned Birmingham, AL and Big Apple events last week. Working with power tools, Brooks joined more than 400 volunteers in Birmingham, AL Thursday (10/7) to build and repair houses for the 27th Annual Habitat For Humanity Jimmy And Rosalynn Carter Work Project. With her favorite kitchen gadgets, Yearwood made a layered carrot cake for foodies during the New York Wine & Food Festival. Yearwood was also asked to perform a song during the Q&A portion the gourmet event, to which she jokingly replied, "I'm not the singing cookbook lady." Read the full Brooks coverage here and the Yearwood article here.

» Roll With It: Easton Corbin, Steel Magnolia and Josh Thompson were all victim to Brad Paisley's pranks during the World Water Stage's final show on the H2O World Tour. Paisley's crew bombarded the unsuspecting acts during their sets with water guns fights, hot roll downpours and silly string ambushes. Watch here.

»Birthdays

Martie Maguire (Dixie Chicks) (10/12)
Rhett Akins (10/13)
Natalie Maines (Dixie Chicks) (10/14)
Kimberly Schlapman (Little Big Town) (10/15)
Alan Jackson (10/17)
Josh Gracin (10/18)

On TV

Tuesday (10/12): Trace Adkins, Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson (CBS); The Band Perry, Introducing (GAC).

Wednesday (10/13): Jamey Johnson, GAC Special: The Guitar Song.

Thursday (10/14): Gary Allan, Live From The House Of Blues (re-air) (GAC).

Friday (10/15): Darius Rucker, The Band Perry, Top 20 Country Countdown (GAC).

In Stores Tuesday (10/12)

Trace Adkins The Definitive Greatest Hits: Til The Last Shot's Fired
This double-disc compilation spans 28 hits including "You're Gonna Miss This," "(This Ain't No) Thinkin' Thing," "Ladies Love Country Boys" and "I Left Something Turned On At Home." Buy here.

The Band Perry The Band Perry
Lead single "Hip To My Heart" and on-the-cusp of top 10 "If I Die Young" are featured on this 11-track debut. Kimberly, Neil and Reid Perry wrote and co-wrote nine songs. American Idol's Kara DioGuardi is among the co-writers. Purchase here.

Lady Antebellum A Merry Little Christmas
The trio updates classics "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," "All I Want For Christmas Is You," "Blue Christmas," "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" and "Silver Bells" and adds original "On The Winter's Night" on this Target exclusive. Buy here.

Darius Rucker Charleston, SC 1966
Inspired by the title of Radney Foster's Del Rio, Texas 1959, Rucker's 13-track sophomore release pays homage to his roots. "I was born and raised in the greatest city in the world," Rucker writes in the liner notes. "I love Charleston, SC, and I feel it is embedded in my music." Rucker co-wrote all cuts. Brad Paisley appears on "I Don't Care" and bluegrass pickers John Cowan, Sam Bush and Béla Fleck guest on "Love Will Do That." Purchase here.