2011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights

As we prepare to roll into 2012, we’re looking back at some of the highlights of the year gone by…

In January…

Kellie Pickler and Kyle Jacobs celebrate a New Year’s Day wedding in the Caribbean. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Country Strong, starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Tim McGraw, opens in theatres nationwide. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Brooks & Dunn‘s album #1s…and then some is certified Platinum.
Carrie Underwood‘s album Play On, featuring “Mama’s Song,” “Undo It,” and other favorites, is certified Double-Platinum.
Kenny Chesney hits number-one for two weeks with “Somewhere with You,” from his album, Hemingway’s Whiskey. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Kellie Pickler talks about her one-year wedding anniversary: January 1st, 2012. (:30)
“I can’t believe it’s been almost a year since Kyle and I got married. I’ve been so blessed. He’s the prize, so I’m glad he’s stuck it out as long as he has so far, and I hope that he can stick it out forever. But we’re gettin’ ready to celebrate our one-year anniversary on January 1st, and we are very excited about it. Somethin’ special that we know we’re gonna get every anniversary is fireworks. So, we are lookin’ forward to that.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Gwyneth Paltrow talks about the importance of the music in Country Strong. (:31)
“I think that the soundtracks that usually are the most successful are the soundtracks that were attached to a film where it’s about music in some way. You know, a movie like this, the music is so integral to the story, and it’s about singers. So, country music is so beautiful, and it has such a big audience. But I think there are songs on here too that sort of…they span more than just a hardcore country audience, too. I think it’s a really interesting soundtrack.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Kenny Chesney reflects on his number-one smash, “Somewhere with You.” (:27)
“I love the line of this song where ‘I can’t go out every night of the week, I can’t go home with anybody I meet, and it’s just a temporary high, ’cause when I close my eyes, I’m somewhere with you.’ Anybody that has been in a relationship that associates certain places or certain things or certain music, food, whatever, you go back to that person.”

In February…

Ronnie Dunn hits the charts with “Bleed Red,” the first single from his debut solo album. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Chris Young makes history with his smash, “Voices,” marking the first time in 25 years — and only the second time in the history of the modern Billboard country chart — that a re-released single charted a second time and went to number-one! The song becomes the third consecutive chart-topper from Chris’ album, The Man I Want to Be. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Kenny Chesney‘s “Somewhere with You” becomes an RIAA-certified Gold Digital Single.
Miranda Lambert hits Platinum with the digital single for “The House That Built Me,” from her million-selling Revolution album.
Carrie Underwood‘s digital single for “Undo It” is certified Platinum.
Kenny Chesney‘s second football documentary, The Color Orange: The Condredge Holloway Story, airs on ESPN. It’s the first in a series of quarterback-focused specials by the sports channel. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Brad Paisley drives the pace car at the Daytona 500. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> There was something special about “Bleed Red” that made Ronnie Dunn want to record the song. (:16)
“It was a big song, and I said, you know, ‘I’m gonna have to beat Bono to the punch.’ (laughs) It sounded like U2, and I’m goin’, ‘Okay, so what if Conway Twitty were to come in and put a vocal on this anyway and cut the song?’ So that’s what we did.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Chris Young felt that “Voices” was an important song for him to include on his breakthrough album, The Man I Want to Be. (:20)
“A lot of the songs on the record are really personal to me. I’d definitely say ‘Voices’ was a song that was really important to me, just because I’m a big family person, and that talks about…it’s just so involved in what your family and your friends kind of say to you, things that stick with you in life. I think that was a really important song for me to have on there.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> At his documentary premiere, Kenny Chesney explained what Condredge Holloway means to him. (:03)
“Condredge Holloway is the reason that I love sports and am passionate about it in the first place.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> At his documentary premiere, Kenny Chesney talked about the positive nature of his sports hero, Condredge Holloway. (:39)
“A lot of people want to talk about the fact that he didn’t play in the NFL. The NFL didn’t give him a chance to play quarterback in the NFL. But he never focused on what he didn’t have. He focused on what he had, and was thankful for it. And I mean there’s so many life lessons in Condredge’s story that I’ve learned from, and I think that when people watch this film, the one thing that I want them to take away from watching it is that we all have adversity in our life, all of us. And we all have hurdles, and God knows I’ve had ‘em, and I don’t think I’ve handled it as good as Condredge did his. And making this film on Condredge makes me want to be a better person, a better friend, better all the way around.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Brad Paisley describes the greeting he got from Jeff Gordon while driving the pace car at the Daytona 500. (:22)
“One of the greatest things I’ll ever do. I’m a race fan and a car fan, and so to look in my rearview mirror and see Jeff Gordon, and then the entire rest of the drivers following me around that track three or four times was…you just never think you’re ever gonna see somethin’ like that.”

In March…

Sara Evans releases her album, Stronger, which debuts at number-one on Billboard‘s Top Country Albums chart. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
After officially taking a year off from touring, Kenny Chesney launches his “Goin’ Coastal” Tour. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Brad Paisley celebrates his 10-year anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
Sara Evans mines RIAA Gold with her digital single for “A Little Bit Stronger.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> After an extended break between albums, Sara Evans was thrilled with the end result of her chart-topping Stronger album. (:20)
“It’s just such a sigh of relief to know that it’s done, and I’m very, very happy with it. I mean, I love every song on the record. Every song on the record, I think, could be a single. And there is just no question about did I want each song to go on it. I did, and I love each song, and there’s not one song that I skip over when I’m listening to it.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Kenny Chesney shares how he and his band feel about the fans who come to see them in concert. (:21)
“We are just like them. We have our own problems. We have our own stress. And bein’ able to play music, and to go out there and forget about all of that and feel the love comin’ from the crowd, and for them to feel it vice versa, that’s a very special thing. And I think that’s what we’ve…I think it’s been, for the past decade, just a really awesome love affair. And that’s the best way I can explain it.”

In April…

The 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards delivers an array of highlights, including…
Brad Paisley takes home the Male Vocalist of the Year honor, extending his ACM record with his fifth consecutive win in the category.
Miranda Lambert walks away a big winner with the most awards of the night, claiming Female Vocalist, as well as Video, Song, and Single Record of the Year for “The House That Built Me.” (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Ronnie Dunn makes his solo debut on the ACM stage with a performance of “Bleed Red.”
Sara Evans makes a welcome return to the show, earning a standing ovation for her performance of “A Little Bit Stronger.” (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Jerrod Niemann‘s smash, “What Do You Want,” is certified as a Gold Digital Single, the second Gold certification from his album, Judge Jerrod & The Hung Jury. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Pistol Annies — Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe, and Angaleena Presley — make their television debut on the ACM special, Girls’ Night Out: Superstar Women of Country – The Concert of the Year.
Kenny Chesney hits number-one with “Live a Little,” from his album, Hemingway’s Whiskey. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Miranda Lambert sings the praises of the writers of “The House That Built Me.” (:17)
“It’s one of the most amazing, timeless lyrics I’ve ever heard. And I’m just, I’m just fortunate. I’m just the artist that happened to hear it first and grab it, because I know anybody that would have heard it would have taken it. And it’s one of those songs that’s gonna be…it’s gonna make history. You know, definitely.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Sara Evans feels very blessed at the response she’s received to her new music. (:18)
“The way that the music industry has responded to me and to this album and to my quote ‘comeback’ has been overwhelming and so humbling. And I thank God every day, every single day. It’s just beyond all of my expectations. It really, really is.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Jerrod Niemann was knocked out to receive his second Gold single in eight months. (:35)
“It is unbelievable, because not only just…I was such a…I don’t want to say history buff because some people ask me trivia questions and stump me, but I have loved country music since I was a kid, and I have read so many books, and bought so many albums, and really cared. So just to be a part of that still has not set in, and I don’t know what would happen if it did. It’s so…country music is so much bigger than all of us — it’s been around so long in Nashville, and just, it’s the legacy — so just to have two Gold singles is one unbelievable thing, but to me, in country music, that makes it even more special, way more special.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Kenny Chesney knew that ”Live a Little” had the kind of energy that defines his concerts. (:11)
“This defines our show. I mean, this is classic, the two hours summertime time of the year when we strap on our guitars and go out there and let ‘em have it.”

In May…

Sara Evans tops the chart for two weeks with “A Little Bit Stronger,” from her album, Stronger. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Brad Paisley releases his album, This Is Country Music. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Carrie Underwood‘s “Last Name” becomes her newest Platinum Digital Single.
Miranda Lambert hits number-one with “Heart Like Mine,” from her Revolution album. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Miranda Lambert marries Blake Shelton. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Brad Paisley enjoys back-to-back weeks at number-one with “Old Alabama” featuring Alabama. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Sara Evans talks about the response to her two-week number-one single, “A Little Bit Stronger.” (:15)
“We have gotten so many e-mails, so many comments, people blogging and writing about this song, just saying, ‘Oh my gosh, this is…,’ you know, just that line, when it says, ‘I’m getting a little bit stronger,’ and it just…it’s just so real.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Brad Paisley had a mission in mind for his album, This Is Country Music. (:21)
“You know, when I went in and cut this album, I really did think to myself, ‘How can we make something that represents what I think is country music,’ in all the different styles and all of the things that we talk about and all of the instrumentation and just whatever it is that if it’s called ‘country music,’ that’s what I wanted to do on this record — and that’s a big umbrella.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Miranda Lambert says there’s definitely some of her in “Heart Like Mine.” (:10)
“That’s definitely a look into my world a little bit. I think this song’s just really about embracin’ who you are and knowin’ that, no matter what, somebody loves you without condition.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Miranda Lambert had to get accustomed to being a newlywed. (:05)
“Yeah — a ‘husband’ — still I’m gettin’ used to that word. (laughs) And ‘wife.’ He introduces me as his wife, and it’s kind of like, ‘Oh, my gosh, we’re married.’” (laughs)

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Brad Paisley talks about the experience of singing with Alabama on the smash, “Old Alabama.” (:20)
“It’s really an amazing experience to see them back together singin’ like they are and that sound that the three of their voices have. They’re just responsible for so many of us in music now, you know, that were influenced by them. And getting to hear them on the radio right next to me is the thrill of a lifetime.”

In June…

Brad Paisley launches his H2O II (two): Wetter & Wilder World Tour with special guests Blake Shelton and Jerrod Niemann. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Ronnie Dunn releases his debut solo album, titled Ronnie Dunn. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Amid the autographs and excitement of the annual CMA Music Festival, Chris Young plays the Music Fest main stage for the first time, one day before his 26th birthday. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Sara Evans‘ smash, “A Little Bit Stronger,” becomes a million-seller, RIAA certified as a Platinum Digital Single.
Kenny Chesney‘s “Goin’ Coastal” Tour becomes the first concert at the newly renovated Lambeau Field, home of the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Jake Owen begins a summer on the road as special guest on the U.S. run of Keith Urban‘s Get Closer 2011 World Tour.
Sara Evans joins headliners Rascal Flatts on the band’s summerlong “Flatts Fest” tour.
Cars 2 roars into theatres with new music from Brad Paisley, including “Nobody’s Fool,” written and recorded by Brad, and “Collision of Worlds” — a vocal and writing collaboration with British singer/songwriter Robbie Williams. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Alabama resident Sara Evans, Brad Paisley, Kellie Pickler, Jake Owen, and other artists come together in support of iconic supergroup Alabama‘s BAMA RISING: A Benefit Concert for Alabama Tornado Relief. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Jerrod Niemann talks about touring with Brad Paisley. (:54)
“Someone asked me, they said, ‘What’s better than bein’ asked to go out on tour with Brad Paisley?’ And I said, ‘Honestly, to be asked a second time,’ because it’s such a honor and just a learning experience to even be involved with a show that size, and then you look at the entertainer bein’ Brad Paisley, as a person, entertainer, and just a man, you can learn so much from him, just the way he treats everybody. And you can always see in an establishment when something trickles down because you can sort of trace the steps back up to where it came from. And Brad, bein’, you know, at the top of his game, with all these people out there — they’re all happy, good-hearted — I mean, just willing to help. I’ve yet to see anybody treat anybody with any disrespect, so it’s just a great influence to be a part of it, and also it’s just fun to get in front of that many country music fans and just try to turn them on to music that not only myself but everybody on the road with us worked so hard to make.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Ronnie Dunn had a number of goals for his solo debut album, and authenticity was one of the big ones. (:15)
“This record is really important to me, for obvious reasons. And it needed to be personal, it needed to be autobiographical, but it needed to be authentic, more than anything. And I feel like I was able to accomplish that.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Ronnie Dunn talks about being the “new kid” with his debut solo album. (:10)
“Oh, that’s right — I’m a freshman now. (laughs) So I’m a freshman now. I’m supposed to have first-album jitters. That first album is always supposed to be your best, right? I’m feelin’ pretty good about this one.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Chris Young talks about his first LP Field performance at the CMA Music Festival. (:21)
“This is the first time I’ve been in that stadium playing, ever, in any capacity. I’ve sung the national anthem there from some Titans games, but I’ve never really…never been there with the band, so this is a big deal for me; it’s a big deal for them. And, you know, I’ve been goin’ to CMA Music Fest since I was a kid, so it’s very, very, very cool.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Chris Young says it’s a curious turnabout from being an autograph-seeking fan to being an artist at the CMA Music Festival. (:11)
“It’s a little strange if you think back to the fact that I was walkin’ around gettin’ autographs from other people. So it’s a little bit different knowin’ that now I’ve got people bringin’ stuff up to me, but it’s a good feeling.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Kenny Chesney felt the history in bringing his tour to Wisconsin’s Lambeau Field. (:13)
“I’m very passionate about football and sports, so to be able to go into Green Bay, Wisconsin, and set all of our stuff up at Lambeau Field — a place that has had so much history in the world of sports — is very special.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> If given a choice of writing music or voicing an animated character for a film like Cars 2, Brad Paisley says he’ll stick with the music. (:15)
“I prefer this. This is a lot of fun. Anytime they need somebody to write music and want to give me a call, I’m up for it ’cause it’s…that’s the fun part is to me is doing what I do for them. I’d like to be an animator for them, actually, but I’m not any good at that, comparatively.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Kellie Pickler is proud of country music and was proud to be a part of the BAMA RISING benefit. (:25)
“One of the greatest things about country music is the fact that we always, somehow or another, we always end up comin’ together. And the people of country music — not just the artists, but the fans — come together, too. And we just gotta…we gotta take care of each other; we gotta look out for one another. It always makes you feel good, too, because when you do things like that, I feel like God’s gonna bless it.”

In July…

Brad Paisley‘s This Is Country Music album is certified Gold.
Chris Young strikes Gold with the digital single for “Tomorrow.”
Chris Young releases his third album, NEON. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Kenny Chesney‘s “Somewhere with You” is certified Platinum.
Chris Young scores his first Gold album with The Man I Want to Be.
VH1 premieres the one-hour Miranda Lambert: Behind the Music.
Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood are announced to return as co-hosts of the CMA Awards for the fourth consecutive year. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Chris Young hits number-one with “Tomorrow,” the first smash from his NEON album. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Jake Owen earns digital Gold with “Eight Second Ride.”
Jake Owen‘s smash single, “Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” is certified as a Gold Digital Single. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Chris Young says that he enjoyed challenging himself vocally on his 2011 album, NEON. (:17)
“I definitely pushed myself on a lot of these tracks to do some falsetto stuff. Do some stuff that uses my entire range and startin’ with ‘Tomorrow’ and movin’ on to some other stuff on the record like ‘Lost’ and ‘You.’ And I just made it a very, very vocally challenging record, and it was a lot of fun.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Brad Paisley is grateful to have Carrie Underwood by his side to co-host the CMA Awards. (:09)
“We have a great time. She is the best co-host I could ever ask for, and really, it’s a great combination. You can tell I think that we have a good time with it.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Chris Young talks about his chart-topping single, “Tomorrow.” (:23)
“You know, what’s so cool is literally from the time it was out, people would go nuts because they knew that it was a new one, and they were excited for a new one. It really has lived up to all of the expectations that I had for it, and I think that is because it’s such a powerful song. There’s just a lot of emotion in it, and I think a lot of people can relate to it.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Jake Owen found a song that’s true to his lifestyle with his summertime smash, “Barefoot Blue Jean Night.” (:25)
“Growin’ up in Florida, I know definitely what summer feels like, all year long (laughs), pretty much. I was very fortunate to grow up down there — and take that for granted, I now see — because as I live here in Nashville, as beautiful as it is here, snow is not my forté, man. So I was very much looking forward to summertime. So when we recorded this tune, ‘Barefoot Blue Jean Night,’ I already had so much summer energy built up in me that I was ready to layer it down on the tune.”

In August…

“Remind Me,” Brad Paisley‘s duet with Carrie Underwood, is certified as a Gold Digital Single. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Kenny Chesney‘s “You and Tequila” featuring Grace Potter becomes a Gold Digital Single.
Pistol Annies release their album, Hell on Heels, which debuts as the week’s number-one country album. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Jake Owen earns a number-one debut with the release of his third album, Barefoot Blue Jean Night. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Kenny Chesney‘s Hemingway’s Whiskey becomes a million-seller and his tenth Platinum album.
Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood hit number-one with their duet, “Remind Me.”
Casey James releases “Let’s Don’t Call It a Night,” the first single from his 2012 debut album.

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Brad Paisley sings Carrie Underwood’s praises over their hit song, “Remind Me.” (:37)
Carrie: “It’s not a typical duet either. It’s not like…”
Brad: “No…”
Carrie: “…he sings a verse, and then I come in and sing a verse. And then…”
Brad: “Right…”
Carrie: “…I kind of interject in the middle of the chorus, which is nice. It’s refreshing.”
Brad: “It is. Yeah.”
Carrie: “It’s not your formula duet.”
Brad: “You don’t expect your voice. You’re not expecting to hear this awesome departure from the mediocre singer you’ve gotten used to for a verse and part of a chorus. You hear this person who is the best…”
Carrie: “He doesn’t give himself enough credit.”
Brad: “I’m not kidding. You hear this person who is the best we have come in and lift this song to a height that you didn’t think it was about to reach, and it’s great.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Miranda Lambert feels blessed at the success of Pistol Annies. (:17)
“It’s so crazy, you know — you have this little dream with your girlfriends of startin’ a band together and puttin’ out a record and writin’ songs and havin’ fun, and we did all that — and people actually like it and are buyin’ it. So, it’s this huge blessing. It’s kind of actually has exceeded my expectations, big time.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Jake Owen feels very fortunate to be able to say that he’s at a great place in his life right now. (:23)
“It’s a pretty good time. I can’t complain whatsoever. I honestly…I really…I have not been this happy in my life in a long time. I think for the first time in my life, I finally know where I am. I’m comfortable with where my music is, I’m comfortable with where my personal life is, and I don’t have anything that I wish for. Like, I’m comfortable with the way everything is. I just…it’s all about maintaining it, and I feel good. I really do.”

In September…

Miranda Lambert strikes Gold with the digital single for “Only Prettier.”
Carrie Underwood‘s digital single for “Just a Dream” is certified Platinum.
Jake Owen scores his first number-one single, as he notches back-to-back weeks at the top of the chart with “Barefoot Blue Jean Night.” (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Jake Owen‘s “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” becomes a million-seller, certified as a Platinum Digital Single.
Ronnie Dunn‘s poignant single, “Cost of Livin’,” is featured in a BBC story on country music as a voice that speaks to the economic struggles being faced by so many people. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Chris Young follows-up four number-one singles in a row as he hits the airwaves with “You,” the second single from his NEON album. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Brad Paisley wraps his H2O II (two): Wetter & Wilder World Tour having played to more than one million fans in 52 markets.
Carrie Underwood is among the artists singing with living legend Tony Bennett on his Duets II (two) album, which debuts at number-one on the all-genre Billboard 200 album chart.

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Jake Owen says it’s been a long road to his first number-one single, but it feels great. (:27)
“Barefoot Blue Jean Night’ — that song has kind of changed my life a lot. As my tour manager has said, you know, we’ve been…for six years now, we’ve been climbin’ in that car every Sunday with all the other drivers, racin’ around the track, every single week, just tryin’ to make it into that winner’s circle. And finally, for the first time, we’re able to pull on in there and do some donuts, you know, in the grass and celebrate a little bit, you know, metaphorically speaking.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Ronnie Dunn talks about the reaction to his single, “Cost of Livin’.” (:27)
“I’ve never had a song that’s seemingly as relevant to the times and kind of accurate and spot-on to what’s goin’ on in America and in the world right now as ‘Cost of Livin’.’ We’ve had stuff from ‘Boot Scoot’ to ‘Believe’ that were well accepted, and been lucky enough to have been associated with a lot of others, but not anything this passionate this early.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Chris Young talks about recording his single, “You.” (:27)
“When we went in and made it, the feel of like, do you know the song ‘I’ll Take You There’? The R&B…the (singing) ‘I’ll take you there…,’ we took that feel, if like that and a steel guitar had a baby, that’s (laughs)…that’s what this song is. And we went out to do that on purpose. I mean, it’s…obviously, the instrumentation is very, very country, but it has that kind of R&B feel to it. You know, it’s just a different song.”

In October…

Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood hit Platinum with the digital single for “Remind Me.”
Miranda Lambert‘s “White Liar” is certified as a Platinum Digital Single.
“Old Alabama,” with Brad Paisley featuring Alabama, is certified Gold.
Kellie Pickler makes her acting debut with a performance on The CW series, 90210. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Ronnie Dunn sings the national anthem at Game 3 of the World Series. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Amid Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Kellie Pickler performs on the Grand Ole Opry’s “Opry Goes Pink” event, in support of Women Rock for the Cure’s fight against breast cancer. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Brad Paisley and wife Kimberly Williams Paisley help bring attention to the issue of hunger by teaming with the Sesame Street Muppets for the primetime special, Growing Hope Against Hunger.

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Kellie Pickler says that she had a great time as a guest star on 90210. (:25)
“It was really, really great. All the people were so…the cast was amazing; they were so sweet. And so…they were so welcoming, and made me feel like, comfortable, on set, ’cause I’d never been on set before. I’d never done anything like that, and so this was really just a way for me to kind of get my feet wet and see if I even like doing this. And I play Sally Butler, who is a country girl, so I didn’t have to stretch too far.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Ronnie Dunn enjoyed a big weekend in Texas after an invitation from baseball legend and Texas Rangers’ top man, Nolan Ryan. (:15)
“Nolan Ryan had called and asked if I would do the national anthem for the World Series. Then I’m gonna stay over the next day, on Sunday, and sing for the Cowboys game. So while I’m down in Texas, I’ll take care of some bidness and have some fun at the same time.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Kellie Pickler talked about the importance of care and prevention during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. (:38)
“It’s so wild because now we have the technology and the ability to detect certain things before it gets out of control. And for the women of this generation to not take advantage of that is bad! We gotta stay on top of it, and it is so important that you check with your doctor and make sure that you are all clear. I have a lot of people very close to me that…older women that they didn’t have that advantage when they were younger. And there’s a lot of ways to prevent things from getting out of control if you catch it in the early stage, you know, so, it’s important.”

In November…

Brad Paisley releases his book, Diary of a Player, co-written with David Wild, and scores a New York Times best-seller. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Miranda Lambert releases her fourth album, Four the Record. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood co-host the CMA Awards for the fourth year in a row.
Brad Paisley, Vince Gill, and Keith Urban perform a tribute to the great Glen Campbell at The 45th Annual CMA Awards, following the revelation earlier in the year that Glen is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Miranda Lambert wins her second consecutive Female Vocalist of the Year honor at The 45th Annual CMA Awards.
Kenny Chesney‘s “You and Tequila” featuring Grace Potter takes home the Video of the Year honor at The 45th Annual CMA Awards.
Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw announce their ‘Brothers of the Sun’ Tour for summer 2012, featuring special guests Grace Potter & The Nocturnals and Jake Owen. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Brad Paisley’s book, Diary of a Player, is a celebration of the guitar heroes who touched his life, including the man who gave him his first guitar, his grandfather. (:15)
“The guitar has gotten me everything that I have in life. I would have absolutely nothing if my grandfather hadn’t existed. Well, obviously, but if he hadn’t been who he was, if he hadn’t loved what he loved and passed that on to me, I wouldn’t have anything.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Miranda Lambert is thrilled to have released her fourth album. (:08)
“I’m up to four records! Four is a big number. Four’s a big birthday for albums. (laughs) I’m very excited to have made it this far.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Miranda Lambert talks about Four the Record‘s first smash single, “Baggage Claim.” (:09) (note content)
“‘Baggage Claim’ is different for me. It’s fun; it has a great groove; it’s fun to sing live; and it’s an anthem for anyone that’s tired of puttin’ up with somebody’s crap.” (laughs)

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Brad Paisley talks about paying tribute to the great Glen Campbell on the CMA Awards show. (:18)
“I love the fact that we are paying tribute to him now, not 20 years from now, looking back on whoever, you know, it’s just, this is the time, and this is…it’s really…I believe in that. I believe that this is just a tribute to him because of the fact that now is the time to do it.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Kenny Chesney says that his 2012 tour with Tim McGraw will be a blast. (:11)
“It’s gonna be a rockin’ show — I can tell you that. And it’s still hard for me to believe, you know, that we’re gonna go out there, and I’m gonna spend next summer with my buddy Tim McGraw. And he and I are gonna have a blast out there with everybody.”

In December…

Newcomer Brent Anderson makes his Grand Ole Opry debut from the stage of the Ryman Auditorium. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
The fan-voted American Country Awards features a performance by Chris Young, who wins a pair of honors as Artist of the Year: Breakthrough Artist and Single of the Year (for “Voices”). (AUDIO INFO BELOW)
Brad Paisley wins Artist of the Year: Male at the American Country Awards.
Carrie Underwood continues as the American Country Awards‘ most-awarded artist, adding three to her mantel with Female category wins for Artist of the Year and Single of the Year and Music Video (both for “Mama’s Song”).
Brad Paisley and Kenny Chesney are among the artists celebrated as CMT airs its 2011 Artists of the Year special.
Country Weekly readers name Carrie Underwood Country’s Most Beautiful Woman of 2011.
Pistol Annies‘ acclaimed debut album, Hell on Heels, lands on multiple year-end “best-of” lists, as does Miranda Lambert‘s fourth album, Four the Record. (AUDIO INFO BELOW)

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Brent Anderson says that his Opry debut was all the more special because of where it took place. (:18)
“And it’s not just the Grand Ole Opry. I mean, that’s incredible, and then you add in the fact that you’re playin’ at the Ryman…I mean, that’s the Mother Church of Country Music. This is a big deal, you know? I don’t really know how I got in the position where I can play there, you know? You dream about that your whole life. I’m just…I feel lucky and blessed and just grateful for the opportunity.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Chris Young is getting the “hang” of award shows — and he was excited to be a nominee and performer on the American Country Awards. (:32)
“I like goin’ to award shows now that I end up spending more time backstage than I do actually out in the audience. Because as I’ve gotten to know different artists and gotten to do stuff like this year where we had our first performance, gettin’ to perform on the CMAs, you have to be backstage for some of that stuff. So other than when your award gets announced, when you’re sittin’ out in the audience, you’re backstage hangin’ out with everybody. And I don’t know if everybody does that; I don’t know if I’m supposed to do that, or supposed to say that, but it’s just…it’s a lot of fun. You know? It’s kind of like just one big country music hang.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Miranda Lambert talks about the spirit of excitement and openness she brought to her acclaimed album, Four the Record. (:09)
“Definitely feel like I went into this album, makin’ Four the Record, with just a mind of ‘anything goes,’ and I definitely think it sounds like that.”

011 REWIND: A Year of Highlights" width="16" height="14" /> Angaleena Presley says that she and fellow Pistol Annies Miranda Lambert and Ashley Monroe found a collective voice on their debut album, Hell on Heels. (:11)
“I think that in our solo careers we’ve expressed ourselves, but there’s power in numbers, and I feel like with this record we’re just brave to the power of three.”

View all posts