BRANTLEY GILBERT is three years sober and STILL talking about KEITH URBAN being there when he needed help. He says, quote, “Keith spent several hours with me one day out of nowhere, just encouraging me. He told me, ‘Man it’s a whole new world. It’s different but you’re gonna have a lot more fun with it.’ He was uplifting and reassuring. That was a pretty impressive thing to me.”
If you’re into pop singers mixing it up at country awards shows, then you’re going to love this: MEGHAN TRAINOR and ARIANA GRANDE have been added to the performers list at next month’s CMAs.
Meghan will perform “All About That Bass” with some help from MIRANDA LAMBERT . . . and Ariana will be doing a duet with LITTLE BIG TOWN. No word yet on what song they’ll do. The CMAs are November 5th.
ALAN JACKSON will celebrate a quarter century in country music with his “25th Anniversary Keepin’ It Country Tour”. It kicks off January 8th in Ft. Myers, Florida . . . with JON PARDI and BRANDY CLARK as the openers.
He says, quote, “It goes so fast, it’s hard to absorb it all. I’ve played for four presidents and been to just about everywhere in the world. I’ve been lucky to have a career that has lasted that long.”
Alan’s also going to celebrate the anniversary by releasing a new album in January. Grab the tour dates atAlanJackson.com.
The next edition of “CMT Crossroads” will pair up JASON ALDEAN with rock legend BOB SEGER. Yeah, you probably don’t want to miss this one. It tapes October 28th, but there’s no word yet on an airdate.
Speaking of JASON ALDEAN: He’s added 23 dates to his “Burn It Down” tour. It’ll pick up February 12th in Greenville, South Carolina . . . with TYLER FARR and COLE SWINDELL opening the shows. Details are at JasonAldean.com
KELLY CLARKSON is one of the few singers with enough chops to handle pop singer SAM SMITH’S soon-to-be classic “Stay With Me”. She knocked it out of the park during a performance over the weekend in Chicago.
LADY ANTEBELLUM helped celebrate The Grand Ole Opry’s 89th Birthday Celebration with a performance of their song “Bartender”