Carrie Underwood, Little Big Town, Lady Antebellum and Luke Bryan are scheduled for the CMA Music Festival in Nashville, TN set for June. Click for more information.
Kacey Musgraves, Jana Kramer and Lauren Alaina Taking Part in CMT Next Women of Country Campaign – There’s no question country is a male-dominated format these days, so CMT is shining a light on the women in the genre with their Next Women of Country campaign. The year-long initiative will feature Kacey Musgraves, Jana Kramer, Lauren Alaina, Kelleigh Bannen and a few other signed and unsigned female acts. CMT will promote the campaign across all their platforms including CMT and CMT.com. Fans can visit NextWomen.CMT.com to see the latest videos from the featured female acts. – Read more at ABC News Radio
American Idol: 14 Diva Moments From the Season 12 Premiere — Starring Nicki & Mariah! – I can’t lie: My inner feminist clenches her fists with rage every time Hollywood perpetuates the idea that two or more powerful women can’t peacefully and professionally collaborate on a project. That said, my inner feminist isn’t foolish enough to believe that the antics of borderline cartoon characters Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj on American Idol will in any way harm or advance the plight of womankind in America. Therefore, the Gloria Steinem in my heart has given me the go-ahead to put together a gallery of the 14 most ridiculous diva moments from the show’s Season 12 premiere on Wednesday night. – More at TV Line
Idol Alum Melinda Doolittle Talks About New Judges
Fresh from the Smash Set: 12 Scoops from Katharine McPhee, Jeremy Jordan & Krysta Rodriguez – Theater fans have a ton of reasons to be excited about the second season of NBC’s Smash (debuting February 5), not the least of which is hunky star Jeremy Jordan, spunky newcomer Krysta Rodriguez and a slew of Broadway veterans who will pop up on the hit show. Broadway.com invaded the Brooklyn set of the musical theater dramedy to chat with Jordan, Rodriguez and returning star Katharine McPhee about all the exciting things we can expect from the new season—and the new actors. Here are a dozen scoops we learned about life in the Smash lane! – Read more at Broadway.com
“American Idol” Runner-up Diana DeGarmo Will Star in NCT’s Pre-Broadway Engagement of “Nerds” – “American Idol” Season 3 first runner-up Diana DeGarmo will star as Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs’ girlfriend Sally in the North Carolina Theatre‘s pre-Broadway engagement of Nerds, a frisky new PG-13-rated musical comedy about the birth of Microsoft Corporation and Apple. Broadway veterans Stanley Bahorek and Darren Ritchie will co-star as Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Steve Jobs in the NCT production, which runs Feb. 18-20 and 22-27 and Jan. 29-Feb. 3 in the A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater in the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Raleigh, NC. – Read more at Trangleartsandentertainment
Ratings Rundown: ‘Idol’ Premiere and ‘Nashville’ – ABC’s Nashville averaged 6.5 million viewers last night. According to the L.A. Times, the show is attracting an unusual set of viewers—it is tied as the most popular new show among women 18-34. For advertising reasons, the network expected, and wants to, draw in more 18-49 year old fans. Among the theories for the younger-skewing watchers: thanks to hit acts including Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood, younger women like country music more than older women. Or perhaps younger women are more interested in Hayden Paneittere, or the competing singers storyline. The program also has unusually high DVR numbers. – Read more at Music Row
Adam Shankman Inks First-Look Deal With Warner Horizon Television For Cable Series – Adam Shankman is venturing into cable. The director/producer/choreographer and his sister, producer Jennifer Gibgot, have closed a two-year first look deal with Warner Horizon Television for their Offspring Entertainment banner. Under the pact, the duo will develop and executive produce scripted cable projects for the studio, a division of Warner Bros TV. Shankman also has the option to direct. In development, Shankman and Gibgot will be assisted by Offspring’s Matt Smith.- Read more at Deadline
