Cat Country 98.7

On Sunday night, April 7th, Jason Aldean will be in the position to make history at this year’s Academy of Country Music Awards ceremony.

The country crooner is nominated for entertainer of the year, which is the same exact award he has won for the past three years running. Jason’s also the recipient of the ACM’s artist of the decade honor, which is named in memory of the show’s longtime producer, Dick Clark.

If all goes well in his favor, Aldean will become the second person to take home entertainer of the year and artist of the decade on the same night. Garth Brooks achieved this double play 21 years ago. George Strait, who won artist of the decade for the 2000s in 2009, lost entertainer of the year that year to Carrie Underwood.

Aldean has amassed 14 ACM Awards and two CMA Awards. In 2011, he took CMA’s album of the year for My Kinda Party and musical event of the year for “Don’t You Wanna Stay,” a collaboration with Kelly Clarkson.

Aldean was the first person to win the ACM Award for entertainer of the year three times before even once winning the equivalent CMA Award. Underwood and Toby Keith have each won the ACM entertainer of the year prize twice but have yet to win the equivalent CMA Award.

The ACMs will air live from Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

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On Tuesday, March 14th, the 54th Academy of Country Music Awards will return to Las Vegas on April 7 and with the first round of performances with the promise to be a memorable evening. Reba McEntire, George Strait and Miranda Lambert are expected to take the stage at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Sin City among countless other superstars within the world of country music.

Previously announced ACM dick clark artist of the decade award winner Jason Aldean will also perform during the telecast. Additional performers are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.Brothers Osborne, Kane Brown, Little Big Town, Maren Morris, Thomas Rhett and Chris Stapleton will also serve as fellow nominees and performers throughout the awards show.

Brothers Osborne garnered four nominations including duo, video and music event of the year. Stapleton, who leads with Dan + Shay with six nominations at the awards show, is recognized in the male artist, album, song and entertainer of the year categories.

McEntire will return as the telecast’s host for the 16th year. She hosted the show 14 times between 1986 and 2012 and returned in 2018 after a five-year hiatus.

The ACM Awards show airs on April 7 from 8-11 p.m. ET on CBS.

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Brad Paisley honors his wife, actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley, with a heartfelt new single titled “My Miracle.” The track has the country singer thanking God for the most important woman in his life.

The chorus goes: “My miracle is five foot five/ No doubt in my mind, she’s the reason I’m alive/ And I wasn’t always spiritual/ Only one thing’s for sure/ How could I not have faith in the God that created her?”

The soaring ballad features delicate pedal steel, Paisley’s impressive guitar licks and light percussion. “My Miracle” was written by Paisley and Gary Nicholson. “I can be a little ornery when it comes to writing love songs,” Paisley says in a statement. “I don’t typically put it all out there, but in this one I did. This is the most powerful statement I think I can make. The one I wrote it for, she is my worst critic typically, but in this case I think I got it right.”

Paisley and his wife have been married for 16 years, after first meeting on the set of his music video “I’m Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin’ Song).”

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Ply Gem, a leading brand of exterior residential building products in North America for more than 75 years, will proudly lead the Home for Good project in 2019 for a fourth consecutive year.

Two of country music’s hottest rising stars, Jon Pardi and Lauren Alaina, will serve as the 2019 ambassadors for the Ply Gem Home for Good project to help build homes across the United States with Habitat for Humanity. Ply Gem’s commitment to the belief that everyone deserves a place to call home aligns with these artists’ core values and desire to give back.

“I grew up in a community where neighbors helping each other is just how it’s done,” says Pardi. “So, when the opportunity came up to work with Ply Gem and Habitat for Humanity families, it was an easy decision—Absolutely! Let’s go help build some houses!”

Since 2016, Ply Gem, through the Home for Good project, has provided a total donation, in value, of more $2.3 million of exterior building products and funds to Habitat for Humanity to help families throughout the nation build homes. The company will support the project with advertising and social media initiatives to encourage its employees, the building industry—including distributors, builders and remodelers—as well as consumers to support its effort to bring solutions and raise awareness of the need for affordable housing in communities across the country. Pardi and Alaina continue a tradition of support and participation in Home for Good project efforts that started with Alan Jackson in 2016 and extended to Darius Rucker in 2017-2018.

“I partnered with Ply Gem and Habitat for Humanity last year on several homes in Cleveland, Ohio and I was able to be there to help welcome the families into their new homes,” shares Alaina. “I think I was just as excited as they were! It was so special and I’m looking forward to doing even more this year.”

“By donating the quality products we manufacture – like windows and vinyl siding to Habitat for Humanity – we’ve helped to build nearly 500 homes in 90 neighborhoods,” says Jim Metcalf, the company’s Chairman and CEO. “We are committed to helping to make home ownership a reality for those in need of affordable housing and we are passionate about contributing to communities where people live, work and play.”

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Pop music icon Lionel Richie has revealed that he’s planning a return to country music, nearly seven years after his last country project became a huge hit.

Richie was on hand to present the trophy for Entertainer of the Year at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville during the 2018 CMA Awards on Wednesday night, November 14th, and in a red carpet interview, he told Nashville’s Tennessean newspaper that he’s “about to make that move right now.”

Richie says he’s had many questions since as to whether he might be interested in doing more.
“They keep asking me over and over again … A lot of times, people try to make up something to make it happen,” he shares. “But I’m getting it from country radio: ‘When are you gonna do it?’ So let’s not play around. Keep your ears open. It’s gonna be something surprising.”

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CMT have announced their list nine new female acts named to its Next Women of Country 2019 class; Ingrid Andress, Lauren Duski, Emily Hackett, Stephanie Quayle, Tenille Townes, Leah Turner, Anna Vaus, Rachel Wammack and Lainey Wilson have all been selected for the program that’s supportive of up-and-coming female artists in the genre.

Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild announced the newest group of artists on November 13th, during an annual showcase at City Winery in Nashville. The 2019 class is a diverse mix of artists, some whom are signed to record deals, while others are working independently. Duski competed on Season 12 of The Voice and is now an independent artist, while Townes spent the summer of 2018 opening for Miranda Lambert and LBT on their collaborative Bandwagon Tour. Her new single “Somebody’s Daughter” has been making waves on the charts, and the same can be said for Wammack’s debut single, “Damage.”

“Everyone says, ‘Let the best songs win,’ and we truly believe that, male or female, let the best songs win, but we do need that equal playing field,” Next Women of Country founder Leslie Fram said during the event. “We need that to enact fairness on the charts, playlists and not to have to hear there’s only one slot for a female.”

CMT’s Next Women of Country began back in 2013. In the years since, powerhouse acts including Maren Morris, Kelsea Ballerini, Cam, Carly Pearce, Ashley McBryde and more have been part of it. The yearly program culminates with the CMT Next Women of Country Tour, and Cassadee Pope will serve as the headliner for 2019, with Clare Dunn and Hannah Ellis joining her on the tour.

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Her parents were such 70s music fans they actually named her after James Taylor their favorite artist.

Taylor needed 3 tries to get her driver’s license, and considers herself a very good driver.

Although Taylor is a prolific songwriter, she’s an accomplished musician as well, playing four instruments; the ukulele, the guitar, piano and banjo.

One of her 1st jobs as a teenager was working as an intern at the CMA Music Festival one year, as a 14 old. We don’t think she’s hurting for money these days, as her estimated net worth is north of $320 million.

Finally, she’s earned 8 ACM’s, 19 AMA’s, over 20 Billboard Awards, 4 Billboard Touring Awards, over 30 BNI Awards, 12 Country Music Association Awards, and 6 CMT’s, her 10 Grammy Awards may be the most impressive. In fact, she’s a record holder for becoming the youngest artist ever to win a Grammy Award for ‘Album of The Year.’

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Carrie Underwood received her star a few weeks ago, while Roy Acuff was honored in 1960. Alabama, Eddy Arnold, Gene Autry, Clint Black and Garth all have their stars. Brooks and Dunn received their Hollywood Walk of Fame Star in 2008, Glen Campbell in 1960, Johnny Cash in 1976, Patsy Cline in 1999, and John Denver in 2014 are all in the select group.

There are a few surprises; Dolly has two Hollywood Walk of Fame Stars, Gene Autry has 5 stars, one in each nominating category. Stars must agree to pay $40,000 to get a star, and the star must agree to receive the star (only 2 have declined the offer, names not released) and 4 stars have been stolen (Gregory Peck, Jimmy Stewart, Kirk Douglas, and one of Gene Autry’s stars)

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Carrie Underwood will be honored in a very special way Thursday September 20th, receiving her very own Hollywood Walk of Fame star on Hollywood Boulevard. Carrie’s membership into Hollywood royalty will be the 2,646th star, rubbing elbows so toe speak with Humphrey Bogart, Rock Hudson, Garth Brooks, Vince Gill, Dolly and more.

Carrie rose to fame and fortune by winning the 4th season on ‘American Idol’ and hitting the charts with “Cry Pretty” ‘The Champion” “Blown Away” and “Before He Cheats.” Throughout her career Carrie has earned seven Grammys, 14 ACMs and six CMAs. Carrie’s latest LP ‘Cry Pretty’ her 6th dropped a few days ago. Her star will be in a great spot, at 1750 North Vine Street, right in front of the recognizable Capitol Records Building. Brad Paisley will be the guest speaker for the ceremony, and Idol judge Simon Cowell will also be in attendance.

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