CMT will honor Jason Aldean, Lady Antebellum, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, and Zac Brown Band, as the top artists of the year premiering Friday, December 3.
NASHVILLE – October 5, 2010 – CMT will honor Jason Aldean, Lady Antebellum, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, and Zac Brown Band, as the top artists of the year in the new 90-minute special, CMT ARTISTS OF THE YEAR, premiering Friday, December 3. Taping in Nashville, CMT ARTISTS OF THE YEAR will bring the honorees together with their peers, as well as celebrities from across the entertainment spectrum for a glamorous evening of star-studded performances from the country world and beyond, all in celebration of the successes of the past year.
CMT ARTISTS OF THE YEAR acts were chosen by ranking the top five artists based on the following criteria: sales (physical albums, digital albums, and single downloads); country radio airplay based on spins; concert grosses as a headliner or co-headliner; and activity on CMT.com (video streams, searches, and artist page views). The rankings were then compiled to identify the leading performers across the four categories cumulatively.
Read more at TV By The Numbers
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@JiveMusic: “Right now @DavidArchie is heading over to @accesshollywood at Rockafeller Plaza for an on-camera interview. Catch him if u can!”
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Fresh off a European USO tour, Kris Allen will play a free concert at the Naval Submarine Base in New London, CT, Friday 0ctober 22. Details HERE.
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Co-Hosts Carrie Underwood & Brad Paisley to Perform at CMA Awards
Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts, Reba McEntire, Sugarland and George Strait have been announced as performers at the Nov. 10 44th Annual CMA Awards, to air live on ABC from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.
All of the newly added performers received nominations this year, with Underwood and Paisley also serving as cohosts for the third year in a row.
Read more at People
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The cover art for Lee DeWyze’s new album has been chosen: @LeeDewyze: “Hey everyone, I saw the Picked the album cover today!!! I’m excited for you guys to hear all of it, hope your day went well. Finishing up In the studio, then I have to clean my house, about 60000 boxes. I’ll let you know how it goes, love you guys and I’ll talk to ya soon! ”
Lee’s new album drops on November 16.
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@MelindaDoolittle: My home away from home. Getting ready to start song #4 for a very special project. Love Ocean Way! http://twitpic.com/2unjlq…Eight songs recorded and the most wonderful turkey burger from Cheeseburger Charley’s makes a great day!
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Dwyane Wade, Shaun White, George Lopez and Angelica Vale Join Marlo Thomas to Support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital This Holiday Season
NEW YORK, Oct. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Celebrities from film, sports, television and music have donated their time and talents to support the 2010 Thanks and Giving® campaign, an annual holiday program to build awareness and raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. For the first time, Miami Heat great Dwyane Wade, Olympic gold medalist Shaun White, Univision’s Angelica Vale and comedian and late night host George Lopez have joined the roster of prominent personalities who have lent their voices to ask consumers to “Give thanks for the healthy kids in your life, and give to those who are not” during the holiday shopping season by participating, alongside St. Jude patients, in national spots on television and in theatres. The announcement was made today by Marlo Thomas, National Outreach Director for St. Jude.
In addition to the stars in the television spots, Katharine McPhee, Julianne Hough, Jewel, Danny Gokey and Jo Dee Messina, will participate in the Thanks and Giving online campaign. The celebrities will provide content that will be shared on www.stjude.org, such as personal photos of themselves with patients and video footage at the Hospital. Additionally, the celebrities will tweet updates about the campaign and utilize their own social networking sites to raise awareness and drive traffic to www.stjude.org. More celebrities are expected to be announced during the Thanks and Giving campaign launch in November
Read more at PR Newswire
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Rival CKX bidders wooing Apollo as partner
Private-equity giant Apollo Management may be smack dab in the middle of the hunt for CKX Inc., the entertainment company behind “American Idol, ” The Post has learned.
Leon Black’s Apollo Management has held meetings with two rival bidders: Allen Shapiro, president and chief executive of Mosaic Media Group, and Robert Sillerman, CKX’s founder and former chairman and chief executive officer, according to sources familiar with the talks.
Sources said JP Morgan Chase’s One Equity Partners has backed away from a partnership with Shapiro, who also participated in the buyout of the TV Guide channel toward the end of summer.
Read more at the New York Post
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Crystal Bowersox’s Ex Boyfriend ‘Wishes Her Well’ Before Impending Nuptials
Bowersox former boyfriend Tony Kusian hopes she finds happiness with her new fiancé Brian Walker, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The talented American Idol runner-up shocked her millions of fans when she announced recently that she was getting married to Walker, later this month.
Kusian’s step mom, Pauleen, told RadarOnline.com: “I think the whole world was surprised by Crystal’s announcement but I know that Tony wishes her and her son well for the future.
Read more at RadarOnline
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David Archuleta – Live AP Interview (recorded 10/4)
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
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The Other Side of Down
David Archuleta may be one of the best singers ever to vie for the “American Idol” title (coming in a wrongheaded second to David Cook), but at this point, his reign seems as distant as the fall of Prussia. (It was, in fact, two years ago.)
In ’08, the elfin Archuleta put out a reasonably successful debut CD featuring the irresistible single “Crush.” He followed that with a largely ignored Christmas album. But things have only gotten harder since. As Archuleta releases his followup CD today, “Idol” talk has shifted away from the singers to the wisdom behind hiring as a musical judge the likes of J.Lo.
That’s sad, considering Archuleta has an ache in his voice that’s more convincing, and a timbre more individual, than almost any other “A.I.” contender. The best parts of his debut CD gave those qualities the right warm and wounded setting.
Read more at New York Daily News
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Exclusive Q&A with David Archuleta
J-14 caught up with American Idol alum turned superstar David Archuleta to chat about his new album The Other Side of Down (out today!), the difficulties of love, and the possibility of an upcoming tour!
Read more at J-14.com
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UNDER DEADLINE FOR ‘IDOL’ ONLINE AUDITIONS? UNDERWOOD’S GOT ADVICE
As everyone knows, a lot of changes are coming to the new season of “American Idol.” Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, of course, are joining the judges’ panel, the age limit’s been dropped by a year, and for the first time, contestants can now audition online. Online auditions are taking place at http://www.myspace.com/americanidol, and there’s one day left to enter.
Read more at All Access
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Clip of Rhenotha Whitaker singing with Jennifer Hudson at NJPAC
Newark resident Rhenotha Whitaker didn’t expect to take the stage at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center this weekend. But when she was pulled out of the audience by Jennifer Hudson, her impromptu rendition of Chaka Khan’s “Sweet Thing” rocked the house. See Hudson push a backup singer out of the way too. (Video courtesy of Rhenotha Whitaker)
| Clip of Rhenotha Whitaker singing with Jennifer Hudson at NJPAC |
Read more at NJ.com
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Carly Smithson & We Are the Fallen – Aids Walk Kick off party 2010
Interview conducted at the Hollywood Tower for the LA aids walk kickoff. The walk takes place October 17
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Danny Gokey – Froggy 101 Breast Cancer Awareness show highlights
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Glee Sneak Peek: Mark Salling’s Puck Covers Mr. Billy JoelRead more at E Online
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Lance Bass And Baz Luhrmann Make ‘Glee’ Pleas
It seems everyone has “Glee” fever, including onetime ‘NSYNC member Lance Bass and “Moulin Rouge” director Baz Luhrmann, who are both making their cases to get involved in the show.
“I love ‘Glee.’ I think it’s great, ” said Bass, who also recently weighed in on the current season of “Dancing With the Stars.” “I did get to see the premiere, which I loved. Maybe they’ll have a boy-band episode one day. I have no idea! [They should] go for the gusto. Go for the ‘Bye Bye Bye.’ ”
“I’m a great fan of ‘Glee.’ I spoke to [show creator] Ryan [Murphy]. I tried to find a moment to do an [episode] with him, ” he shared. “I’d love to do that. I think those kids are phenomenal. If I could, I’d love to [direct an episode]. I’d like to contribute to that, because I do think that is what I hoped when I tried to smash the door 10 years ago [with ‘Moulin Rogue’].”
Read more at MTV
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‘Glee’ co-creator Ryan Murphy talks tonight’s controversial episode
Spoiler alert: Tonight’s episode of Glee is one of the series best and most emotional hours to date. When Finn (Cory Monteith) sees a religious vision in his grilled cheese (the episode ain’t called “Grilled Cheesus” for nuthin’), he inspires the other New Directions teens — and even Jane Lynch’s Sue Sylvester — to contemplate their own views on spirituality. “I love when people see Jesus in bird droppings on the windows and then there are lines out the door and that seems to happen so often now, ” says co-creator Ryan Murphy. “To me, it just shows everybody in our society, particularly young people, are just desperate to believe in something.”
Read more at Entertainment Weekly
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Glee Cast: Let’s Tackle Gay Suicide Right Now
The Glee kids are one of the most sought after, and overworked, casts around right now, and yet they still manage to spend tons of their free time doing charity.
Most of the cast, sans Lea Michele and Dianna Agron, hosted a benefit Sunday to raise money for The Rape Treatment Center. And many of them talked to us about an upcoming episode that will address another unfortunate, but prevalent social issue: gay suicide.
“[Show creator] Ryan [Murphy] wants to do an episode about it, which I think is very smart of him, ” the delectable Matthew Morrison told us. “As a cast I don’t know much we can do. That’s why I think an episode would be great… Ryan is very current with staying on the times, so I think it would be this season if it were to happen.”
Read more at E Online
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Are You There, God? Glee’s Twist on Faith
When Ryan Murphy was an altar boy, he was obsessed with the Shroud of Turin, a centuries-old piece of cloth said to bear the face of Jesus. On Tuesday’s episode of Glee, Finn will see God in his grilled cheese sandwich. (He proceeds to ask the “Cheesy Lord” to grant him three wishes.)
Having the glee club wrestle with matters of faith could be controversial. Outside of 7th Heaven and similarly earnest shows, religion is a rare presence in primetime television. Could Glee, with its brand of biting, often politically incorrect humor, be sensitive enough to do justice to the hot-button topic?
On the surface, Finn’s divine discovery is just another way to mock the sweetly dim character. But in the same episode, Glee delves deeper into serious questions of faith when a tragedy prompts Kurt to reveal that he doesn’t believe in God. Some of his classmates tell him he’s wrong; others pray for him in their own ways.
Read more at TV Guide
