Academy of Country Music Honors Brightest Stars
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Some of the biggest names in country music came out to honor the icons who paved the way. The Academy of Country Music handed out awards to the artists and musicians who made a difference.
“I just wanted to make a living writing and singing. Now I am 24 years into the business doing that. I still love what I am doing, and I am happy to be here, ” said Travis.
Reigning ACM entertainer of the year Carrie Underwood was glad Travis was there too.
“He has had, and is still having an amazing career, it’s great to be a part of that, ” said Underwood.
The night was about remembering the artists and the musicians who made this industry what it is today.
More Idol Headlines after the JUMP…
Kris Allen Banters, Deflects and Charms Like a Champ
I’ll admit it: I turn into a giddy schoolgirl whenever “American Idol” winner Kris Allen comes to town. I can’t help it! The dude is just so friggin’ charming. We have a familiarity and banter together that I’ve never had with another artist. (Well, Madonna came close. I kid.)
Our “friendship” has even sparked a silly frivolous rivalry between myself and Entertainment Weekly “Idol” guru Michael Slezak, who also gets especially-chummy interviews with Kris. (If you’ve never read Slezak’s recaps or watched his “Idolatory” video show, you are a sad human being.)
Chris Sligh disses ‘American Idol’ alums: I die inside.
Oh, Chris Sligh. I remember when you first graced my TV screen way back in 2007, a breath of fresh air amongst a crop of season six Idol lookers like Haley Scarnato. Oh, how silly you were, bouncing into that Idol audition room in Birmingham like an ever-huggable Teletubby, spouting off funny-isms like, ‘[I want] to make David Hasselhoff cry.’
But now, Chris Sligh, you’re making me cry. And not in a good way. This past Saturday, you took to your blog to give season 8’s top ten Idols some advice following their final tour date. And though you make some valid points throughout your rant (and yes, I will qualify it as a rant), most of your blog post just reeks of arrogance and negativity. So let’s take a look, and refute ‘†and support when necessary ‘†some of your points, shall we?
‘American Idol’ Guest Judge Katy Perry Didn’t ‘Make Anybody Cry’
Katy Perry tried to strike a balance between sympathetic and critical when she sat in as a guest judge for the “American Idol” auditions in Los Angeles. So, how tough was she on the contestants?
“I make ’em cry all the time, ” she joked to MTV News during a set visit for the video of her duet with 3OH!3, “Starstrukk.” “The ‘American Idol’ experience was awesome. If I was offered that job as a permanent host I would ditch my career and take on that career.”
Catching Up with Bucky Covington
Season 5 finalist Bucky Covington is performing a hometown concert for charity this month. We caught up with Bucky to find out more about his return to Rockingham, Backpack Pals, his sophomore album, and more.
Bucky’s new single, “Gotta Be Somebody, ” is a cover of the Nickelback song. When Bucky was in Albany, New York on the American Idols LIVE! 2006 concert tour, he saw lead singer Chad Kroeger sitting in the hotel bar. Chris Daughtry, Kellie Pickler, and Bucky decided to talk to him and ended up going to one of his shows. “I was in a rock band for 10 years. I love the energy of rock, but I love country music. My record producer suggested “Gotta Be Somebody” but I was hesitant because everything Nickelback puts out is so successful and I wasn’t sure how people would respond to a cover of the hit. I love the song, so I gave it my all and the producer helped make it amazing. I love it. I’m very happy. It’s great!”
Constantine Maroulis: The Reality Rocks Interview, Pt. 2
In the second installment of my two-part dressing room interview with season 4 American Idol contestant-turned-Broadway star Constantine Maroulis, he discusses being a rock star in real life vs. playing one onstage; how his Tony-nominated Rock Of Ages musical is different from typical Broadway fare; how Rock Of Ages has made him a better overall performer; and what his future career plans are after Rock Of Ages’ eventual final curtain call. (Don’t panic about that last part–he reveals in this interview that he’s just signed on to star in the show for at least another year.)
ROCK OF AGES Star Maroulis Offers ‘A Night At The Rock Show’ At Joe’s Pub 9/23 & 10/14
Constantine Maroulis, the TONY-nominated star of the smash Broadway hit, ROCK OF AGES, announces that he will launch A NIGHT AT THE ROCK SHOW, a series of performances at New York’s famed Joe’s Pub. Performance dates for the show are September 23 and October 14. Shows on both evenings at at 9:30pm.
A NIGHT AT THE ROCK SHOW will feature Constantine’s unique interpretations of some of the greatest rock songs of all time. Maroulis will be backed by an all-star band, according to press notes.
Free Jason, free jeans
If you like singer Jason Castro AND free jeans, draw a little heart with dreadlocks on your calendar for Saturday, when the American Idol contestant and Rockwall resident hits NorthPark to sing in The Gap store’s new look.
The first 69 customers to the store get a free pair of 1969 Premium Jeans and at 12:30 p.m., Castro takes the mic to sing a set that’s sure to include his fun new single “Let’s Just Fall in Love Again.” Who knows, he just might need a chorus of whistlers to whistle in that happy intro…
Castro will also be performing the night before at the State Fair at 8:30 p.m. on the Chevrolet Main Stage.
Ellen DeGeneres: ‘I think ‘American Idol’ is ready for its first blond judge’
We have an African-American president and a Hispanic Supreme Court justice, so the next step in the interest of equal-opportunity for positions of national power is clearly to have a blond lady sit next to three dark-haired people and judge a televised karaoke contest. Ellen’s logic does seem infallible here. On today’s Ellen DeGeneres Show, Ellen felt she needed to further explain why she’d be a good American Idol judge: ‘I have spent my whole life being judged, so I know what it’s like to be judged. I will be an honest judge without being mean.’ So if that whole ‘I’ll be the people’s judge’ campaign didn’t speak to you, perhaps ‘I’ll be a judge who is able to identify with contestants’ will. Ellen also got a good-natured dig in at Paula Abdul’s spoof of her dance moves on Thursday’s Vh1 Divas concert. It’s true; I’ve been watching Ellen dance for years and I’ve never once noticed her tap her own ass.
‘American Idol’ goes home to Showtracker
With the departure of No. 1 “American Idol” fan Richard Rushfield from the Los Angeles Times, Idol Tracker is closing shop.
But that doesn’t mean we’re easing up on “American Idol” coverage! For all things “Idol, ” head over to the The Times’ TV blog, Showtracker.
(And before you go, don’t forget to check out our ultimate interviews with Allison Iraheta, Kris Allen and Adam Lambert.)
‘Fame’ lives into a new century; do you remember their names?
Who knew it was the movie that was going to live forever?
Nearly 30 years ago, after Broadway’s A Chorus Line paved the way but before the quick-edit flash of MTV became the rage, the backstage showbiz saga was given an all-singing, all-dancing surge of youthful vigor by Fame, as directed by British auteur Alan Parker.
Now, the inevitable, glossier remake arrives in theaters Friday.
Yes, legwarmers and ghetto blasters are ancient artifacts now. Hip-hop has supplanted disco as the urban beat of choice. The institution that inspired the 1980 movie and supplied much of the cast, New York’s High School of Performing Arts, has been knocked down and reborn as part of the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts
Miley Cyrus To Preview ‘Party In The U.S.A.’ Clip On ‘Dancing With The Stars’
Miley Cyrus gave fans their first taste of “Party in the U.S.A.” over the summer at the Teen Choice Awards, and now the singer/actress will offer a sneak peek of the song’s video Wednesday on “Dancing With the Stars.”
In a message on her Facebook page, the singer told fans, “Breaking news! A sneak peek at the world premiere of Miley’s new music video for ‘Party in the U.S.A.’ will be airing this week during the live 3-night ‘Dancing With the Stars’ premiere! … More details to come.”
MTV News has confirmed the details of the sneak peek, which, according to Cyrus’ reps, will be an exclusive 90-second version of the video airing during the show Wednesday. The full-length video will be available online.
Ratings: ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and ‘House’ lead a night of premieres
It was an evening full of premieres last night with ABC’s Dancing with the Stars and Fox’s House coming out on top, according to preliminary overnight ratings. Jenna Elfman’s new CBS sitcom, Accidentally on Purpose, debuted to a decent 9 million viewers. Meanwhile, a week after the boffo 17.7 million premiere for NBC’s The Jay Leno Show, the variety series has dropped to a not-so-impressive 5.7 million viewers.
Monday’s DWTS: What You Didn’t See
Brotherly Love: Aaron Carter had ‘the Boys’ in his corner Monday night on Dancing with the Stars ‘†as in his brother Nick and the rest of the Backstreet Boys. The group, whose new CD This Is Us comes Oct. 6, were on their feet after ‘little Aaron’ performed the show’s first dance of the season, an admirable cha cha with partner Karina Smirnoff. Carrie Ann Inaba remarked that Carter is ‘all grown up, ‘ a sentiment the Boys shared with PEOPLE after the show. ‘We’ve grown up with him and still he has that spunk he had when he was six, ‘ Howie Dorough said. Nick, meanwhile, said his little brother ‘killed it! ‘ ¦ I told him that he needs to remember that it’s not how you start, but how you finish.’
Jermaine Jackson & Marie Osmond Attend ‘DWTS’ Together
“Dancing with the Stars” alumna Marie Osmond was ET’s special correspondent backstage at Monday night’s season premiere. But before chatting it up with the new breed of dancers backstage, she and Jermaine Jackson told ET why they were there together.
“We’re here to support Donny, ” Jermaine said. “Donny the dancer.”
Marie went on to reveal what Donny told her about the Jacksons.
“[Donny] said to me he knows the Jacksons can dance, but he’s not sure that the Osmond males can dance.”
‘Dancing With the Stars’: Ladies’ night
Season 9 continued its super-sized premiere week with its round of female contestants. And it did seem like the ladies had the harder job, given that the female role in ballroom dancing is often the showier one, and that the female contestants had to follow the sexilicious performances by our professional ladies the night before.
And there didn’t seem to be any preferential treatment for the fairer sex; the judges were just as harsh with their criticism and skimpy with their scores as they were on Monday. Hey, at least it gives the contestants the room to improve, right? Though the results were somewhat surprising:
Jordin Sparks Urges Teens to Help Make a Difference in Themselves and the World
WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ — Jordin Sparks is on a mission to spark some change by inspiring teens to make a difference. Sparks and the National Milk Mustache “got milk?”(R) Campaign have partnered with VH1 Save The Music Foundation to launch the ‘Drink Milk for a Change’ program. Sparks knows that drinking milk for a change can help make a difference in herself and her world. Drinking nutrient-rich lowfat milk helps teens look and feel their best – with strong bones, lean muscles and healthy hair and skin. And, studies suggest that teens that drink nutrient-rich milk instead of sugary sodas and sports drinks tend to be leaner than teens who drink little or no milk.(1-2)
Sparks is helping to launch the new ‘Drink Milk for a Change’ campaign to show teens the simple steps they can take to help make a difference in themselves and the world. An easy way is to make a commitment to drink milk and encourage others to do the same by making a Milk Mustache ad at bodybymilk.com. For every Milk Mustache photo created, one dollar will go to support VH1 Save The Music Foundation*. The VH1 Save The Music Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring instrumental music education in American public schools, and raising awareness about the importance of music as part of each child’s complete education.
