It’s been another great year in country music…and as we get ready for 2011, we’re looking back at some of the highlights of 2010.
IN JULY…
• Craig Morgan provided a front-row seat on the behind-the-scenes fun in his life with his new TV show, Craig Morgan: All Access Outdoors. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
• Carrie Underwood hit number-one with “Undo It,” from her album, Play On. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
• Miranda Lambert’s digital single “The House That Built Me” is certified Gold.
• Carrie Underwood’s digital single “Before He Cheats” is certified three-times Platinum.
• Jerrod Niemann released his debut album Judge Jerrod & The Hung Jury, featuring the number-one hit “Lover, Lover” and his current single, “What Do You Want.” (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
• Carrie Underwood marries Mike Fisher.
• Brad Paisley headlined the outside aquatic concert event, AquaPalooza. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
• Carrie Underwood’s digital single “Undo It” is certified Gold.
• Kenny Chesney and rocker Steve Miller are featured on CMT’s Crossroads. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
• Gwyneth Paltrow maked her country music debut, singing the title track to her new film, Country Strong. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
010 HIGHLIGHTS: July" width="16" height="14" /> Craig Morgan says he’s having a great time with his TV show, and he’s happy that the viewers are doing the same. (:40)
“It’s just one of the funnest things that I’ve got to do, as far as TV. This is my show, and it’s about how we do what it is we do, in the outdoors, while we’re touring. So there’s a lot of hunting, there’s gonna be a little fishing, there’s a bunch of dirt-bike riding, and a whole lot of concert and behind-the-scenes footage of what goes on while we’re out on the road. A lot of fun, and I…so far, the people that have seen the show have told me how much they’ve really liked it. The cool thing is gettin’ a e-mail from a guy on the website goin’, ‘I love the Outdoor Channel. I love to watch hunting and fishing. This is a show that my family sat down and watched with me. Now my wife watches the Outdoor Channel with me.’ So, that’s kinda cool.”
010 HIGHLIGHTS: July" width="16" height="14" /> Carrie Underwood laughs that her hit, “Undo It,” isn’t one of the kinder ways to look back on a relationship gone wrong. (:39)
“‘Undo It’ is about…it’s kind of mean in the fact that you’re telling this person that you wish you’d never met them. Like, that’s mean. I wish I had never met you. My life was so much better before you. And I wish that I could take all of that back. And ‘Undo It’ is just kind of…it’s one of those…we’ve all had stupid relationships, and you’re like, I wasted my time, you know, they wasted their time. This was not worth it, and I’d give anything to just go back and have that back, and you know, my life would have been easier if you hadn’t been in it. (laughs) That’s horrible…it’s so mean.”
010 HIGHLIGHTS: July" width="16" height="14" /> Jerrod Niemann wanted to create an album that stayed true, instrumentally, to his live show. (:18)
“Goin’ into this album, my biggest concern, or I guess the one thing that I really wanted to focus on is if you were to listen to this album and then go watch us live that it would sound the same. I knew the band was playing on the record, and I didn’t want to bring in a bunch of instruments that we didn’t have in our band.”
010 HIGHLIGHTS: July" width="16" height="14" /> Brad Paisley loved the idea of bringing “Water” to the water with this summer’s AquaPalooza concert on the lake. (:26)
“It’s pretty wild…yeah. Alan Jackson did it last year, and I loved what I saw. When they came to me this year, that was — I don’t know whose idea that it was to ask me, but it’s good timing. And so I really was thrilled to get to do that. It’s so right up my alley, and it’s so perfect for this. There’s something about seein’ these people sitting on inner tubes and boats in the middle of a lake listenin’ to you play that I just can’t think of a better setting to play a music program, really.”
010 HIGHLIGHTS: July" width="16" height="14" /> Kenny Chesney never thought his life would bring him to a point of being on stage with Steve Miller. (:20)
“When I was in high school, I think all four years, and even into college, I know there was one CD that was a mainstay, and it was Steve Miller’s Greatest Hits. And I had that…I listened to his music all the time and never thinkin’ my life was gonna turn out into a place where I would share the stage with him and sing with him.”
010 HIGHLIGHTS: July" width="16" height="14" /> Gwyneth Paltrow talked about why she enjoys country music so much. (:38)
“The thing I love about country music is I love the authenticity of it. Like, I like how the lyrics are often very stripped-down and just real. And I find it refreshing that there’s not a lot of irony in it, and it’s just, like, straight from the heart. And I also love bluegrass, and I just think it’s…there’s a beauty to it that’s combined with a technical skill that I just find awe-inspiring, and I just…I’m very impressed with the skill level and also with the beauty of the songs.”