NashvilleGab - Country music news and Nashville gossip

Garth's Vegas show appears to have been a spiritual event all around

“I believe this is why I was put on Earth. I’m connecting with the audience on a very intimate level. With the other shows, there were many things to hide behind. This time up here, there’s nothing to hide behind except a guitar, and the older I get, the smaller that guitar gets. I want it to be their most intimate experience ever. I want them to laugh and cry.” Garth talking about his new Vegas show. 

Luckily it wasn't just Garth who had a good time.  I've been reading reviews all day and haven't heard anything bad.  The fans even loved Garth's laid back hoodie and baggy jeans he wore.

And what did Steve Wynn have to say about his pride and joy?

“Celine Dion is a superstar. She talks, but Garth talks better. This is something I haven’t seen since The Rat Pack. Garth had Vegas in its hands. He makes an entire audience fall in love. He has a confidence and personality and ability to communicate that is without compare. If I could sound like him, I would give my life to sing like that.” 

Wow!  Can't wait to see the show myself in person...that is if I can ever get a ticket.

Sugarland sang for the Prez

Wow, three country singers in as many days got to sing for the president (first Toby Keith on Friday and then Sugarland on Saturday).  That's got to be some sort of a record. 

Pictures are starting to emerge of Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush as they performed for the President and First Lady on Saturday for TNT's 'Christmas in Washington 2009.' You can catch the show in its entirety on TNT December 20 at 8pm.

Yes, a picture of Kristian Bush with important people and Jennifer was not in the shot.  This may be the first time ever.

 
Mary J. Blige, Kristian, Usher, Jennifer, Rob Thomas, George Lopez and Justin Bieber.

Brad Paisley's parents are the awards keepers...and sellers

It's time for another funny Jay Leno 10 @ 10 video, this time with Brad Paisley.

Oh, and as a side note I finally know why everyone's suddenly talking about Brad and Kellie's 2007 tour.  He mentions it in the video below. 

A Josh Turner press release

I get sooooo many press releases during the week that it's nearly impossible to write about each and every one.  I would love to give each of them my own Gabby spin, but it's just not possible under the current 24-a-day constraint. Oh if only there were about 10 more hours in the day.  Anyway, to make things a little easier I've decided to go ahead and post some press releases just how I get them.  I'd rather post the boring press release in its cut-and-dry entirety rather than you guys missing out on something you really want to read just because I don't have enough time.  So here you go, a Josh Turner press release... 

Josh Turner announced today that he will release a deluxe version of his new album, Haywire, on February 9th. The deluxe version will include the 11 songs that appear on the standard version (also in stores on February 9) PLUS two previously unreleased songs as well as live audio tracks of his hits "Your Man" and "Long Black Train." There will also be digital elements that include the music video for the debut single "Why Don't We Just Dance" and behind the scenes footage of Turner in the recording studio discussing every song on the album.

In addition, Turner will be featured in GAC's one-hour Origins series premiering on Thursday, December 17 at 8PM ET. During the special, Turner shares personal stories about his musical journey from Hannah, SC to Nashville and how he and his wife Jennifer have adjusted to touring with their two sons, Hampton (age 3) and Colby (6 months). The show also features an intimate performance taped at the famed Loveless Barn.

"Why Don't We Just Dance" jumped three spots this week to #13 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart and it moved up five spots to #12 on the Mediabase/Country Aircheck chart.

Oh how I wish I could have been a blogger back in 2007

Oh man, some websites are rehashing that age old question....did she or didn't she????

So who is the she in question?  Well it's none other than Miss Kellie Pickler of course. 

For some reason all of a sudden a story about Brad Paisley pranking Kellie Pickler on the last day they toured together clearrrrr back in 2007 is making the internet rounds.  Not sure if someone dug up an old interview or if maybe there's a new interview where Brad mentions it, but it's out there all over today.  Well the thing about old stories like this is I only started running this blog in 2008 so anything pre-'08 is pretty much fair game now.  So enjoy. 

Brad says about the prank...“It was her last show, so we produced a video. We called it, ‘You be the judge.’ We showed photos of her before and after American Idol and just asked if anything was different. As most of you know, cosmetically, something is different. “She had to walk out onstage to it (the photos).”

Here you go, the tour video that Brad wanted you to decide for yourself....Did she or didn't she?

Taylor gives gifts to others for her birthday

Do you have people in your life who seem to have everything?  You wonder what the heck gift do I get someone who seemingly needs nothing?  Maybe they're rich and can buy anything they want themselves.  Maybe they have parents who spoil them rotten.  Or maybe they've taken a vow of poverty.  What exactly do you get those people?  Now think about what in the world you'd get Taylor Swift for her birthday. 

Oh my goodness, talk about stress inducing!  All I can say is glad I wasn't invited to THAT birthday party. 

Anyway, it sounds like Taylor's party goers to her birthday party yesterday had nothing to really worry about because Taylor decided to be the gift giver instead of the gift getter.

Dang! And to think I wasted my party invite for nothing. 

According to People.comTaylor decided to mark her 20th birthday on Sunday with a Christmas-themed birthday party for friends, her band and her tour crew at her family's home in Hendersonville, Tennessee.

"It's more like an end-of-year Christmas party that happens to be on my birthday," says Swift, who spent the night before at home, baking butter cookies and gingerbread cookies with cream-cheese icing for her guests.

The biggest gift came from Swift herself. The singer has donated $250,000 to schools around the country that she's either attended or worked with. The money will pay teachers' salaries as well as buy books and fund various educational programs.

"Something I wanted to do at the end of this amazing year and especially on my birthday was give back to something I really believe in, which is education," says Swift. "The schools that I went to and the amazing people I got to learn from really turned me into who I am, and I wanted to give back."

Very cool Taylor, very cool.

Craig Morgan, a bathroom, and a Christmas tune

This is actually a story that's a week or two old, but I just now got around to finding the audio of Craig Morgan's holiday version of Bonfire so I thought I'd pass it on.  Besides, the song was recorded in a hotel bathroom, what more could you ask for in a recirculated story? 

Anyway, Craig says about his new Christmas offering.... "One day I was just playing around with this song and also riffing on some Christmas stuff I was thinking about putting in the show, and then I started messing with the lyrics. Within about ten minutes I had this new version, and everyone got a kick out of the idea . . . so we decided to run with it!"

Being that it was last minute and there was no time to search for a studio, Craig took advantage of those awesome bathroom acoustics and recorded the song in the bathroom of Room 418 at the Holiday Inn Express in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Now that's a holiday memory to be proud of.  Such fun.  You can buy the song digitally starting December 21st.

Kenny Rogers had a reason for not appearing in Christmas in Canaan....he's too dang old

Say it ain't so!  Kenny Rogers is too decrepit to appear in movies? 

Billy Ray Cyrus' new TV movie "Christmas in Canaan" debuted this weekend, and was missing one person we may have all hoped would be there....Kenny Rogers.  It seems only right considering the fact that Kenny co-wrote the book the movie is based on.

Well Kenny probably could have appeared in the movie if he had wanted to but says his movie-making days are probably behind him because he's just too dang beat up.

“My body is falling apart. The only way that I could do it is if I played a character who gets shot in the left leg and the right shoulder in the opening scene.”

Ahh, well then I guess us fans will just have to relive the good ol' Gambler days. 

On a side note, I was going to put a clip of Kenny's Gambler movie but then I found this video of him performing the classic song The Gambler with the muppets.  Yep, the muppets won out hands down.

Garth and Trisha celebrate their anniversary in style....at McDonald's

Garth Brooks had a huge, HUGE weekend with his return to the stage in Vegas this weekend, but something else that happened last week that probably ranks much higher in Garth's books, his 4th wedding anniversary to Trisha Yearwood.  But as things often do, they didn't go as planned.

Garth says he had a big, fancy dinner planned to celebrate, but instead he and Trisha ended up celebrating with a McDonald's fries.

Mmmm. Fries.

"That was our anniversary dinner," he told reporters Friday at Wynn Las Vegas.  "We had a big night planned and at the last minute they moved the youngest one's Christmas carol program to that night," Brooks said. "I promised them a big, fancy dinner, but we went and grabbed McDonald's fries and went home."

But you know what I've learned over the 16 years of being married myself?  It's those sort of "goofs" that make for the best memories. 

Brad Paisley's first public performance was a pain in the butt

Brad Paisley is one awesome guy to watch perform, but apparently that's come with practice because his first big public performance was one big ol' pain in the butt....literally.

Brad's first big break was that he got to sing the national anthem before an ice hockey game in West Virginia but the performance didn't exactly go as an up-and-coming performer would hope.

Paisley reveals, "Before I had a record deal, I was in West Virginia and they asked me to sing the national anthem at a minor league hockey game. They had the mic in the middle of the ice. I had to go out in the dark and then they were going to put the spotlight on me.

"When I walked out, I slipped, and I'm on my butt and then the spotlight hit me, looking like a crime scene."

Now if only there were a video proof I'd be one happy blogger.