Cup of Country- 7/10/15

 Guess what overused term JAKE OWEN is sick of hearing?  He tells “Rolling Stone”, quote, “I get so tired of hearing these people who ask, ‘So what do you think of bro-country?’  I don’t care.”

What he’d prefer is that everyone start focusing on the wide variety of really great country music that’s out there.  He says, quote, “I was at the Big Barrel Country Music Festival in Dover, Delaware.

“The Oak Ridge Boys played, as did Merle Haggard, Kacey Musgraves, myself, and Carrie Underwood, and none of us sound the same.  All the people out in the crowd listened to all of us, and not one of them left.

“No one was like, ‘This isn’t country, I’m leaving.’  People [were] there for the experience and for the music, and they’re there for the way it feels to relate to a song that you just like.  I get so tired of people who try to put everything into a box.”

LITTLE BIG TOWN’s “Girl Crush” has topped the “Billboard” Hot Country Songs chart for 11 straight weeks . . . which makes it the longest-running Number One song by a group.  It broke the record held by The Browns.  Their song “The Three Bells“ was #1 for 10 weeks in 1959.  (Rolling Stone)

COLE SWINDELL posted an Instagram photo of himself with his buddies Kip Moore, Jason Aldean, and Luke Bryan.  All four are from the same state, which is probably why he captioned it “#Georgia.”

WILLIE NELSON will be presented with 2015 Gershwin Prize for Popular Song at a ceremony in November.  He says, quote, “It’s an honor to be the next recipient of the Gershwin Prize.  I appreciate it greatly.”  Previous honorees include Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, and Carole King.  (NBC)

Speaking of Willie:  He recently enjoyed a kiss on the cheek from KACEY MUSGRAVES, and she posted the proof on Instagram.  She wrote, “Photobooth Budz.”

Happy Anniversary going out to Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher. They are celebrating five years of marriage today.