Taylor Swift’s Advice To Kelsea Ballerini: “Cool is Overrated”
If there’s an unofficial “girls club” in Nashville, KELSEA BALLERINI is a member, and she loves it. She says, quote, “We’re all genuinely friends, and we support and celebrate each other.
“To have legends like Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, and [Lady Antebellum’s] Hillary Scott publicly support me has been crazy. It just makes you feel like you’re doing something right.”
She’s also getting advice. Quote, “Taylor told me, ‘Kelsea, know that cool is overrated. People will always gravitate toward warm and human. That’s always going to win.’
“That was such good advice for me at this stage because sometimes I feel so unpolished. I trip, and I stutter, and that’s who I am. And I think I did try to walk in heels that weren’t mine for a little bit.
“To have someone that is literally the queen of the world be able to speak to what I’m doing and to know I can text her and she’ll give me advice, it’s awesome.”
CARRIE UNDERWOOD’s album “Storyteller” debuted at #1 on “Billboard’s” Top Country Albums chart . . . and it’s a big deal. She’s now the only artist to have her first six albums debut at Number One on that chart. (Full Story)
Speaking of Carrie Underwood. She explains how she and cohost BRAD PAISLEY have to be involved in the CMA writing process. Quote, “It’s our faces out there so we need to make sure we’re saying things we’re comfortable saying, that would be our words and the way we would say them.”
A couple of more Brad Paisley items: In case you missed it: He was on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on Monday . . . and joined COLOR ME BADD for a mashup of their hit “I Wanna Sex You Up”. (Here’s video.)
You can check out the video to OLD DOMINION’s song “Said Nobody” on RollingStone.com. It’s from their album “Meat And Candy”, which is out Friday.
Country Music Association Donates $3 Million to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital
The Country Music Association is now gearing up for the 2015 CMA Awards on Wednesday night (Nov. 4), but in late October, the organization was celebrating for a different reason.
On Oct. 20, the association called in Kix Brooks and Lady Antebellum‘s Hillary Scott to help present a $3 million check to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, in Nashville.
“Country music is a format known for telling stories,” Brooks, who serves on the boards for both the CMA and the children’s hospital, says in a statement. “Now, the country music community will be known for building them.
According to the Tennessean newspaper, the money will be used to pay for a four-story expansion, adding 160,000 square feet, to help the hospital serve more children. The first phase of the expansion will add two floors and about 80 beds, to serve children who need special care, including premature births, neurosurgery patients, organ transplants and more.
Read More: CMA Donates $3 Million to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital | http://theboot.com/cma-vanderbilt-childrens-hospital-donation-2015/?trackback=tsmclip
Two CMA Award Winners Announced
Musical Event of the Year
Django and Jimmie, Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard
“Lonely Tonight,” Blake Shelton feat. Ashley Monroe
“Raise ‘Em Up,” Keith Urban feat. Eric Church — WINNER
“Smokin’ and Drinkin’,” Miranda Lambert feat. Little Big Town
“Wild Child,” Kenny Chesney with Grace Potter
Music Video of the Year (Awarded to Artist and Director)
“Biscuits,” Kacey Musgraves (Directed by Marc Klasfeld)
“Girl Crush,” Little Big Town (Directed by Karla Welch and Matthew Welch)
“Girl in a Country Song,” Maddie & Tae (Directed by TK McKamy) — WINNER
“Little Red Wagon,” Miranda Lambert (Directed by Trey Fanjoy)
“Something in the Water,” Carrie Underwood (Directed by Raj Kapoor)
Read More: 2015 CMA Awards Winners — Complete List | http://theboot.com/2015-cma-awards-winners/?trackback=tsmclip
Eric Church Surprises Fan Club Members With New Album, ‘Mr. Misunderstood’
Members of Eric Church‘s fan club, the Church Choir, have been receiving a special surprise in the mail: a 10-track album of unreleased songs.
Dubbed Mr. Misunderstood, the release begins with a song of the same name and ends with “Three Year Old.” Church unveiled the latter tune, inspired by his son Boone McCoy, at an acoustic show at Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater in late July.
Eric Church, Mr. Misunderstood Track Listing:
1. “Mr. Misunderstood”
2. “Mistress Named Music”
3. “Chattanooga Lucy”
4. “Mixed Drinks About Feelings”
5. “Knives of New Orleans”
6. “Round Here Buzz”
7. “Kill a Word”
8. “Holdin’ My Own”
9. “Record Year”
10. “Three Year Old”