It’s been another great year in country music…and as we get ready for 2010, we’re looking back at some of the highlights of 2009.
IN JUNE…
• Kenny Chesney hit number-one with “Out Last Night,” a new song included on his Greatest Hits 2 album. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
• Alan Jackson celebrates his 20th year in the music biz with a free club show in Nashville during CMA Music Festival week. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
• Kellie Pickler is chosen as PETA’s Sexiest Vegetarian Alive. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
• Speaking of Kellie Pickler, the digital single of her hit, “Red High Heels,” from her debut album, Small Town Girl, is certified Gold.
• Carrie Underwood also had the digital single of her song, “I Told You So,” from her Carnival Ride CD, certified Gold.
• And not to be left out, the digital single for “Ticks” from Brad Paisley‘s 5th Gear CD was certified Gold, as well.
• Speaking of Brad Paisley, at the CMT Music Awards, Brad walked home with Male Video of the Year for “Waitin’ on a Woman” and Collaborative Video of the Year with Keith Urban for “Start a Band.”
• We’re not done with Brad Paisley yet…he also released his new album, American Saturday Night, this month. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
• Montgomery Gentry officially join the Grand Ole Opry. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
009 HIGHLIGHTS: June" width="16" height="14" /> Kenny Chesney thinks his fans can appreciate the sentiment behind “Out Last Night.” (:19)
“I love bein’ able to write a song where you actually get into the details of a moment. And this song definitely does that. And also I would like to think that this is how a lot of my fans are gonna feel the next mornin’ after they get up after comin’ to one of our shows, so (laughs) I think that this is gonna be a very real thing for everybody involved.”
009 HIGHLIGHTS: June" width="16" height="14" /> Alan Jackson reflects on how he’s changed since he began his career. (:38)
“I’ve changed…I’m probably more confident than I was then ’cause I was pretty introverted and shy. I remember my band, some of those guys had been with me for twenty years, but I hired this drummer right after the first hit or so, and he said, later…after, years after we’d hired him and we were good friends, and he said, ‘I’ll never forget the first time’, he said, ‘you never looked up when you met me.’ He said, ‘You wouldn’t look up; you were so shy you wouldn’t even look up to talk to me.’ You know, so I’m a little better than I was then, but I’m probably more ornery than I was then though, you know, so…(laughs) changes. You know, everybody wises up as they get older, hopefully.”
009 HIGHLIGHTS: June" width="16" height="14" /> Kellie Pickler says that going vegetarian has her feeling better than ever. (:26)
“It’s been one of the best life-changing things that I’ve done for myself. I’m much more healthy. I have a lot more energy, and a couple months after I gave up the whole meat thing, I went to my doctor and had blood work done just to see what all my levels were, and…you know, protein…I got thyroid checked…everything, okay? And I am the healthiest I have ever been, ever!”
009 HIGHLIGHTS: June" width="16" height="14" /> Brad Paisley explains how he came to name his new album, American Saturday Night. (:26)
“We named this album early on because we had written that song, and it felt like that summed up a lot of what was going on, thematically, in this record. And there’s nothing…one thing I learned last year, the one night of the week, really, when everybody is willing to be entertained and ready to let loose and sort of forget about whatever’s goin’ on is Saturday.”
009 HIGHLIGHTS: June" width="16" height="14" /> As they prepared to become members, Montgomery Gentry recalled Eddie’s father, Harold, and his dream of being part of the Grand Ole Opry. (:53)
Eddie: “There’s been a million thoughts that went through my head over the Grand Ole Opry…so much about my Dad and…(Eddie chokes up)…go ahead T — say something…”
Troy: “I know this has been a big dream of Eddie’s come true. Eddie’s family, mom and dad, their whole family has been musical throughout their…throughout our career, as well…but especially through Eddie and John Michael’s growing up. And it had always been his dad’s dream to play the Grand Ole Opry — and I think the closest he ever got was playing Ernest T’s Record Shop late night show. Eddie’s dad had told him that you hadn’t made it in country music ’til you’ve played and been a part of the Grand Ole Opry. I know that if his dad was here today, he’d be very proud of him — and I know he’s looking down on both of us with a big ol’ grin on his face.”