Pickler, a native of Albemarle, North Carolina, shot to stardom when she became a contestant during the 5th season of the hit Fox reality show, American Idol. Although she did not win, her sixth-place finish was enough to endear her to fans of pop and country music love songs throughout the country and the rest of the world. In 2006, following the footsteps of her Idol predecessors, she was offered a recording contract by 19 Recordings and BNA Records, through which she released her debut album called “Small Town Girl.” This album has reached sales of over 800,000 copies, and was thus certified gold by the RIAA. Filled with her own brand of country music love songs, this album generated three hit singles, including “Red High Heels” (No. 15), “I Wonder” (No. 14), and “Things That Never Cross a Man’s Mind” (No. 16).

When asked about the choice of title for her debut album, Pickler shared in an interview that “The first song that I wrote was ‘Small Town Girl’ and we thought that it was just appropriate to call the album Small Town Girl. ‘My Angel’ and ‘I Wonder’ are probably the most personal songs on the album. I really like all of them; I can’t even pick a favorite. They’re all my favorite! They’re like my babies.”

The fall of 2008 saw the release of her self-titled second album which generated hit singles, including “Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful” (No. 21), “Best Days of Your Life” (No. 9), and country music love songs, including “Didn’t You Know How Much I Loved You” (No.14), and “Makin’ Me Fall In Love Again.” “Best Days of Your Life” is a particularly special track since she co-wrote this one with none other than Taylor Swift, later becoming Pickler’s first Top 10 hit.

Apart from Swift, Pickler has also shared the stage with fellow artists such as Brad Paisley, Sugarland, Rascal Flatts, and Alan Jackson. While Pickler also opened for Swift’s Fearless Tour last year, this year marks a new chapter in the singer’s life as it has just been announced that she will open for super group Rascal Flatts in their new summer tour dubbed, “JC Penney Presents Rascal Flatts Nothing Like This Tour.” The first leg of the tour will be launched on June 25 at the Time Warner Cable Pavilion located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The tour is slated to cross the country with 26 shows that will run until September 19 with a final show at the Comcast Center in Boston. Expect Pickler to come to your state and belt out her string of hit country music love songs
with tour stops at Charlotte, NC; Atlanta, GA; Tulsa, OK; Cincinnati, OH; Washington, DC; Louisville, KY; Syracuse, NY; Toronto, Ontario and Philadelphia, PA, to name a few.

Aside from her music, she is also involved with many charities such as The American Red Cross and Soles4Souls. Read more about Pickler at http://www.kelliepickler.com/.

For more tips and information about country music love songs, please visit country music blog

Aside from the great musical performances coming from artists who perform their hit country songs along with other guest performers, the annual event has been known to attract country music’s biggest stars, adding glamour to the whole event. This year’s event was hosted by the divine Ms. Reba McEntire who has held the hosting duties for a record 12 times. At the same time, the announcement of this year’s winners sent the country music blog universe abuzz because of some historic feats achieved by winners such as Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, and Miranda Lambert.

Garnering his fourth consecutive Top Male Vocalist of the Year Award, Paisley now has the sole distinction of being the only artist to win three or more consecutive honors in that category. Meanwhile, bagging the Album of the Year Award for “Revolution,” Lambert became the first solo female artist to ever win two Album of the Year awards (she previously won the same award for “Crazy Ex Girlfriend” during the 2008 awards show. Finally, not only did Underwood become the seventh female artist to win the much coveted Entertainer of the Year Award, she was given the Triple Crown Award for having won the Awards for Top Female Vocalist, Top New Female Vocalist, and Entertainer of the Year, cementing her spot not just as a country music blog darling but also one of the best artists of her generation. Other top winners for the night included Lady Antebellum, winning five awards, including Single Record of the Year and Song of the Year (as artists and composers) and the Top Vocal Group Award.

Of course, the 45th Annual ACM Awards would not have been complete without the amazing performances of the scene’s reigning crop of artists belting out country songs that only they know how. This year, the awards show opened with the winning combination of Underwood and Lambert who did a duet on the 40-year-old Creedence Clearwater Revival rock hit, “Travelin’ Band.” The number was made even more memorable when they were joined onstage by fiddler Charlie Daniels and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John Fogerty who composed the song. Another surprising number came from Lambert who gave a stripped down rendition of her song “The House That Built Me.” Her performance surprised everyone she is known for her fiery numbers and rocking country songs.

This year also marked the farewell ACM performance of beloved country duo, Brooks and Dunn. The fans even got to vote for which song the duo will play, and the winning song was unveiled when the duo performed “My Maria.”

The 45th Annual ACM Awards was held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and was aired live on Sunday, April 18, 2010 over at CBS.

For more tips and information about country music blog, please visit country songs

Known for her sensuous renditions of heartfelt country songs, McCready, a native of Fort Myers, Florida, first shot to stardom when she released her debut album on 1996. The album, called “Ten Thousand Angels,” was released by BNA Records and had since been certified as a Multi-Platinum album by RIAA. This album was filled with country songs that McCready delivered in her signature style. Her subsequent album, “If I Don’t Stay the Night” (1997) was also a certified hit. Unfortunately, her third and final album BNA (“I’m Not So Tough” 1999) was commercially unsuccessful, and she never released another album from the same label. Nevertheless, McCready has been able to produce a Number One hit, “Guys Do It All the Time,” as well as the Top Ten hit country songs, “Ten Thousand Angels” and “A Girl’s Gotta Do (What a Girl’s Gotta Do).”

Unfortunately, despite her undeniable talent, she fell victim to a number of circumstances surrounding her personal life, including failed record deals, an abusive ex-boyfriend, arrests, and suicide attempts, making her a controversial figure—a mainstay in tabloid magazines and items reported throughout the country music blog scene. However, her recent stint at the third season of the hit reality show entitled, “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew” helped her overcome her addiction and come to grips with her problems.

On her recent guesting at The View, Mcready was asked how she fell prey to substance abuse, to which she said it was “about one bad relationship after another, whether it be a record company relationship or with a man.” She added, “starting out having a destructive relationship with my parents in my childhood … when there would be some kind of crisis or some kind of painful thing would happen to me, it was readily available to go and drink too much.”

Although she still does not have custody of her son, Zander Ryan McCready, who was born on On March 25, 2006, McCready expressed gratitude that her son is in good hands. The once troubled country singer says she is working hard toward regaining custody of her son. “My mom is watching him now. He has been in her care … I think my mom is very good to him, and I do appreciate the fact that my mom and my stepfather have taken good care of him.”

In a bid to revive her career, McCready has also just released her latest album, the aptly titled ‘I’m Still Here.” Definitely, McCready has a lot to sing about and her fans will be looking forward to hearing her sing new country songs with much more maturity and motivation.

For more tips and information about country music blog, please visit country songs

On December 1993, Twain married music producer Robert John “Mutt” Lang, and everything seemed to be perfect until in 2008 when the tabloids and the country music blog scene itself reported their separation due to his marital infidelity. Although she has withdrawn from the limelight in recent years, Twain is once again poised to reclaim her place in the spotlight with the announcement that she is about to have her own reality show called, “Why Not?”

The stunning 44-year-old country music star is set to begin production on her reality show, which will air in no less than the Queen of Talk’s network, Oprah Winfrey’s OWN cable channel. According to a press release, “The show will follow [Twain] as she begins her climb back to the top, a personal journey filled with risk, revelations and unexpected adventures.”

On why she has decided to come up with a reality show, the famous singer who brought to life immortal country music love songs such as “You’re Still the One” and “From this Moment On” said, “I feel like in a way I’m starting over, with everything. This is a very personal experience that I think is important to share. This is an experience of recovery. I was in a very deep, dark slump, and I needed to find a way to get myself out of it. I had to force myself back out into life, back out into experiencing things.”

The main frame of the show is to highlight the personal and professional journey that Twain has been undertaking to recover from her devastating divorce from her former husband, whom according to one country music blog to another, has admitted to having an affair with Twain’s assistant. The show is also meant to celebrate how she has recovered and found love again. On why she has chosen the title “Why Not”, Twain explained, “One day, someone said to me, ‘Do you want to go jump out of an airplane?’ I felt like I had nothing to lose anymore, so I said, ‘Why not?’ And every day since then, I ask myself that question.”

Although no premiere date has been announced, the show has already created buzz among her fans, prompting them to believe a new album of country music love songs might be in the works.
To this, Twain says, “There’s a lot of recovery to accomplish, I’m not there yet. I’m on my way there. I’m not sure I’ll ever be there.”

With this reality show, her road toward recovery is imminent. Embraced by her fans and admirers throughout the world, Twain will surely make her mark once again in the country music scene that once showered her with accolades and due respect.

For more tips and information about country music love songs, please visit country music blog

The new album, released by RCA Nashville, contains 11 tracks of great country songs that only McBride can deliver: “Wrong Baby Wrong Baby Wrong,” “ Just Call You Mine,” “Sunny Side Up,” “Walk Away,” “I’m Trying,” “What Do I Have To Do,” “Don’t Cost A Dime,” “Ride,” “You’re Not Leaving Me,” “Wild Rebel Rose,” and “Lies.” In her latest album, McBride also donned the producer’s cap by serving as the co-producer, together with musician Dann Huff, whom many from the country music blog scene say, is influential in breathing new life to McBride’s traditional approach to singing country songs.

When asked about her experience collaborating with Huff on her country songs, McBride says, “It was amazing. We’ve known each other for a very long time. He’s always played guitar on my records. Being able to work with him was great. Obviously, I have a relationship and a trust there. I really admire him as a musician and a producer. He’s a very positive person, a lot of good energy. It was just a lot of fun from the beginning to the end. It was very positive–everything making a record should be.”

She further adds, “I think there’s a certain freedom to the way he makes records and a certain not a lot of pressure. He’s a great singer as well as a great musician. He has good ideas. I felt this freedom to really just open up and try different things. Plus, we’re both really big ’80s-rock fans. That was an influence we brought out in each other. I was at a space where I was ready to try something new and different and let go a little bit of the control and I was always being in control. I let him do what he does. It was a good experience.”

Thus far, the first single “Ride,” has reached the #11 spot on the Billboard Country Chart. This same single also gave her a nomination for Female Video of the Year at the 2009 CMT Music Awards. The second single, is a McBride-style ballad called “I Just Call You Mine,” which critics say, is arguably the best song in “Shine.”

Explaining the title of her album in a recent interview, McBride shared how she just loved the word “Shine. She added, “I feel like it’s really positive. It’s funny: since I named the album ‘Shine,’ I see the word everywhere. There are all kinds of stuff out now that has the word shine. It’s positive and it feels powerful. It feels like what the album’s about. It feels like what I want to do with the album, which is go out there and light up the world.”

Currently, McBride is busy promoting her album on the “SunnyD Presents Shine All Night Tour” with Trace Adkins. For tour updates and information, you can visit her website at

For more tips and information about country music blog, please visit country songs

The Entertainer of the Year Award cemented Underwood’s place in country music history, as she is only the 7th female to take the award in ACM’s 40-year history. She joins the ranks of previous winners such as Loretta Lynn (1975), Dolly Parton (1977), Barbara Mandrell (1980), Reba McEntire (1994), Shania Twain (1999), The Dixie Chicks (2000) and Underwood herself since she won the same award last year (2009).

Since she first came into the country music scene via her heart-warming renditions of pop and country songs as the winner of the 4th season of Fox’s hit TV show, American Idol, Underwood has continued to make her mark by bringing in a fresh sound in the music scene, making her one of the biggest selling country music stars of all time. Her debut album “Some Hearts,” which included her breakout hits such as “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” “Wasted,” and “Before He Cheats,” was certified seven times platinum and the fastest selling debut country album in Nielsen SoundScan history since 2006. In addition, it was hailed as the best-selling solo female debut album in country music history, as of February 2008.

In 2007, riding high on the success of her debut album, she released her successful sophomore effort, proving that she is no flash in the pan. Her second album, “Carnival Ride,” produced hit country songs such as “So Small,” “All-American Girl,” “Last Name,” “Just a Dream,” and “I Told You So”. Then, in 2009, she released another album of country songs entitled, “Play On,” bringing in an edgier sound exemplified by the first single, “Cowboy Casanova.” The album has since sold over 11 million copies in the US alone, surpassing her fellow Idol champion, Kelly Clarkson. Just recently, Underwood performed her single “Play On” at the 2009 CNN Heroes Awards held at The Kodak Theatre on November 21, 2009.

Apart from Underwood’s success as a country music artist, Underwood has also become a role model for young girls everywhere with her squeaky clean image and big heart. In addition, she is also a mainstay of one country music blog to another thanks to her much publicized relationship with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. Now, she is happily engaged to Ottawa Senators hockey center Mike Fisher.

With her much publicized personal and professional pursuits, Underwood has gained popularity both here and abroad, making her one of the hottest country music artists of her generation. With her recent win at the recently concluded 45th Annual ACM Awards, Underwood has, no doubt, left an indelible mark in the industry.

For more tips and information about country music blog, please visit country songs

As the term implies, country rock is a fusion of rock and country. It used to refer to the rock musicians who added a bit of country flavor into their brand of music during the late 1960s to the early 1970s. The pioneers of this genre include Bob Dylan, The Byrds, Emmylou Harris, Gram Parsons, and the Eagles.

Country rock, at that time, tried to sway from pop culture to make a shift to hippie style and movement. At the same time, the likes of Buffalo Springfield, Neil Young, Linda Ronstadt and Poco went along with the trend. Since then, this type of music has been making popular waves into the music industry as we know of today.

What sets country rock apart from other types of country or rock music is that it utilizes one standard country instrument, may it be a pedal steel, fiddle, or bass. It also incorporates some country harmonies such as blues and boogies, which are now classified as “Southern Rock.” It can also essentially mean rock bands playing country songs.

One thing that makes this type of music very popular is the beautiful blend and harmony between country and rock. Try combining other types of music together, and it would be difficult to get what country rock has achieved all these years. The immense popularity of country rocks singers are more than a testament to how much people love, adore, and appreciate this brand of music.
Below you will find a list of some of the greatest country rock songs ever written and sang.

- Desperado – Eagles
- Take It Easy – Eagles
- Peaceful Easy Feeling – Eagles
- Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door – Bob Dylan
- Lay Lady Lay – Bob Dylan
- I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight – Bob Dylan
- Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You – Bob Dylan
- Heart of Gold – Neil Young
- Cowgirl in the Sand – Neil Young
- Long May You Run – Neil Young
- Time Between – The Byrds
- You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere – The Byrds
- One Hundred Years From Now – The Byrds
- The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down – The Band
- When Will I Be Loved – Linda Ronstadt
- Teach Your Children – Crosby, Stills & Nash
- Joanne – Michael Nesmith
- Panama Red – New Riders of the Purple Sage
- You Better Think Twice – Poco
- Christine’s Tune (Devil in Disguise) – The Flying Burrito Brothers
- Return of the Grevous Angel – Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris
- Falling in and out of Love – Pure Prairie League
- Seven Bridges Road – Steve Young / Eagles
- Lookin’ Out My Back Door – Creedence Clearwater Revival
- Girl From the North Country – Bob Dylan/Johnny Cash (duet)
- Broken Arrow – Buffalo Springfield
- Listen to a Country Song – Loggins & Messina
- Fallin’ in Love – Souther, Hillman, Furay Band
- Across The Great Divide – The Band
- One Hundred Years – Gram Parsons

Reading a country music blog would help you get to know more about this specific genre. For those who love both country and rock, this fusion is probably one of the best things that ever happened to the music industry.

For more tips and information about country music blog, please visit country songs.

Surely, serenading the woman of your life would not only be inexpensive but certainly sweet and unforgettable. If you want to consider this idea, here are some tips on how to do it the right way.

1. Choose the right love song.
When choosing what country love song to serenade your ladylove, one thing you can do is to read a country music blog
, which has all the information you need when it comes to romantic country music.

Some of the most romantic loves songs of the modern times include:
“Love Story” by Taylor Swift, “Alright” by Darius Rucker, “God Love Her” by Toby Keith, “Feel That Fire” by Dierks Bently, “Sweet Thing” by Keith Urban, “Big Green Tractor” by Jason Aldean, “Summer Nights” by Rascal Flatts, “White Horse” by Taylor Swift, “Don’t Think I Can’t Love You” by Jake Owen, and “I Run to You” – Lady Antebellum.

Now if you want to go classic, some of the best options include:

“I Will Always Love You” by Dolly Parton, “How do I Live?” by Tricia Yearwood, “Crazy” by Patsy Cline, “The Dance” by Garth Brooks, “Always on my Mind” by Willie Nelson, “It’s your Love” by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, “I Swear” by John Michael Montgomery, “You’re Still the One” by Shania Twain, “Forever and Ever, Amen” by Randy Travis, “She Believes in Me” by Kenny Rogers, and “When you Say Nothing at All” by Alison Krauss.

When choosing a song, you do not only listen to the melody or tune, you also need to read and understand the lyrics so you can pick a song that best reflects the love story that you and your sweetheart share. You also choose a song that has some sentimental value for you, like the song that you first danced with together or the song that you heard when you first met her.

2. Be creative.
Do not simply serenade her; add a bit of creativity to make it more memorable. For example, you can round up your friends and have them play instruments while you sing. Or you can have name written in huge letters in a wide space near her house where you intend to serenade her.

3. Surprise her.
The element of surprise is very important with these kinds of gifts. It would not be a good idea to give her a heads up about what you are planning to do. Surprise her and she would love this gift even more.

4. Commemorate the event.

Do not forget to commemorate the event with video or still pictures. So that in the future, you can relive the memory more easily when you look at these pictures and video.

Romantic gestures such as serenading have been neglected because of the fast-paced lifestyle that we all live today. However, it is through these small acts of romance that one is able to express how he truly loves his better half.

For more tips and information about country music love songs, please visit country music blog.

In 2006, Pickler released her debut album, “Small Town Girl,” which sold over 800,000 copies. The album, certified gold by the RIAA, produced three hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts “Red High Heels,” “I Wonder,” and “Things That Never Cross a Man’s Mind.” According to Pickler, “I Wonder” was a “very hard song for me to release, and I think that’s probably the most personal song we’ve released to country radio. That was a big step for me to open up that part of my life.” Opening up that part of her life with her own brand of country music love songs did wonders for Pickler’s career as her fans seemed to have responded positively to her songwriting.

When asked about her rise to fame, Pickler said, “It’s definitely a dream come true. I never thought that I would have my own album coming out. Because in the past seasons of American Idol, usually the first runner up and the winner are the only ones that really put out a CD, you know? So, yeah, I was very surprised and shocked when I found out that Joe Galante from Sony BMG wanted to meet me and was very shocked when he signed me. It was just an incredible day and it’s just nice to finally have my dreams become a reality.”

Riding on the success of her debut album, she then released her self-titled sophomore album in 2008. This album spawned hits such as “Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful” and “Best Days of Your Life,” as well as country music love songs “Didn’t You Know How Much I Loved You” and “Makin’ Me Fall In Love Again.” Incidentally, Pickler co-wrote “Best Days of Your Life” with none other than the reigning country music blog princess- Taylor Swift, for whom she has recently opened as a support act in her shows. Pickler is currently writing her new album while opening for Swift on her “Fearless Tour 2010.”

“I’ve been writing a lot,” Pickler said in an interview when asked about her third album. “I write because I love to. For my new album, I’m writing a lot for it and getting ready to jump in the studio.” She added, “I’m at a point with my third record where I’m trying to decide how much I want to let people in and how much I want to be open about and I don’t know how much I’m ready to talk about and really how much I’m willing to let people in. That’s where I am right now.”

Check out http://www.kelliepickler.com/ for more news.

For more tips and information aboutcountry music love songs, please visit country music blog.

Regarding the single, “Best Days Are Ahead of Me,” Gokey said, “So many people knew me on the show from the tragedy of the guy who lost his wife. Before going on ‘American Idol,’ I was a very unhappy person. I was very hurt. Going on the show gave me a second chance. I followed a dream. I found a purpose. I’m happy now. I just found out through an A&R guy that the guy who wrote this song had also lost his wife and that’s why he wrote that song. I had no idea! It’s become an anthem for me. And now I relate to it even more.”

Daniel Jay Gokey, or more commonly known to mainstream fans as Danny Gokey, first caught the country’s attention when he became a finalist on the 8th season of hit Fox TV show American Idol in 2009, the year Kris Allen went on to win the title. Nevertheless, Gokey clearly made a mark among fans because of his warm personality and candor. In that same year, the 28-year-old Milwaukee native once again grabbed headlines and made the rounds of every country music blog out there when he announced that he is trying his luck in the country music scene.

Although he admits that he had a “gospel guy” vibe during his stint with the show, Gokey said he took to heart what guest judge Randy Travis said about exploring country music as a better musical option. Gokey says in an interview, “Country music has been a big influence on my life.” In fact, during his Idol stint, he covered not one, but four country songs from artists such as Lee Ann Womack and Rascal Flatts, whom he says is “one of my favorite groups.”

To the critics, he had this to say, “I always put my own voice in it. My voice is my voice. I never changed no matter what I did.” When asked about his decision to take Travis’ advice and go the country route, Gokey now says, “I’m so glad I did it.” Continuing to brush off negative comments posted from one country music blogto another, Gokey said in an interview that, “I have paid my dues,” to which he added, “I wasn’t an overnight sensation. I put in eight years of heavy work into my music while working a full-time job before ‘Idol’ came along.”

Currently, Gokey is busy preparing for his upcoming summer tour with Sugarland this summer. Preliminary dates and venues have already been announced over at his website: http://www.dannygokey.com/.

For more tips and information about country music blog, please visit country songs.