» Welcoming Committee:Welcome To The Fishbowl's album release week has Kenny Chesney heading northeast for multiple media appearances including a free concert on the Jersey Shore Wednesday (6/20). Academy Award-winning filmmaker Jonathan Demme (Silence Of The Lambs, Philadelphia) will direct the American Express Unstaged concert, which will be webcast live from the beach in Wildwood, NJ beginning at 8:30pm ET on VEVO. Chesney will also hit the Big Apple for appearances on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Thursday (6/21) and the Today show Friday (6/22). "I'm proud of this record because every song on it has been an evolution," Chesney says. "It feels good to be in a place in my career and in my life where I've got an open heart and where I've learned a lot as a human being. I want to take my music and my audience and dig a little deeper, and see if they'll come with me." Chesney will cap the week with Brothers Of The Sun tour concerts in Nashville (6/23) and Charlotte (6/24). More about Welcome To The Fishbowl below.
» Better Weather:Winds in excess of 60 mph threatened headlining sets by Tim McGraw and Eric Church during the opening night of BamaJam 2012 last Thursday (6/10). "After the storms, some groups didn't play, but that's when Tim said he would," our insider tells us. "Eric got on board next and everyone else followed." That day, organizers evacuated the stage areas for an hour to allow the storms to pass. Additional weekend highlights at the three-day Enterprise, AL festival included performances by Casey James, Zac Brown Band, Alan Jackson and Kid Rock. In observance of Father's Day, Zac Brown and fiddle player Jimmy De Martini brought their dads onstage. Brown also joined Jackson for the live debut of their duet "Dixie Highway."
» Beers Ago, Mezcal To Go:Toby Keith will stage an inflatable Wild Shot Bar on select dates of the Live In Overdrive Tour, which launched in Salt Lake City Thursday (6/14). The drink menu includes shots of Wild Shot Mezcal, the Blue Mezcalita and the regular Mezcalita. The Independence Day cocktail All-American Jar will also be on tap, and the festive beverage blends Wild Shot Mezcal and Malibu Rum with piña colada and strawberry daiquiri mixes. At the Mile High City stop Friday (6/15), Overdrive tour supporters and Georgia natives Brantley Gilbert and Thomas Rhett met Denver Broncos' running back and former Georgia Bulldog Knowshon Moreno. Photo evidence below.
» We're With The Bands:Rascal Flatts launched their Changed Tour 2012 in Hartford Friday with Edens Edge, Eli Young Band and Little Big Town. "Rascal Flatts did two encore songs, bringing the other bands out to sing Grand Funk Railroad's 'We're An American Band,'" our reporter says. The LBT set had Kimberly Schlapman showing off her new guitar-playing skills on the song "Your Side Of The Bed." LBT also covered Lady Gaga's "Born This Way." EYB's Mike Eli got up-close-and-personal with the audience when he ran into the crowd, hugging and high-fiving fans in the aisles at the Comcast Arena. Eden's Edge performed a medley of Maroon 5's "Moves Like Jagger," Tim McGraw's "Felt Good On My Lips," Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" and Jason Aldean's "Dirt Road Anthem."
» Tailgates & By Lines:Luke Bryan is among the celebrity counselors participating in Nashville's Third Annual ACM Lifting LivesCamp, a music enrichment program for individuals with developmental disabilities. Campers will craft an original song with newcomer Brett Eldredge and tunesmith David Lee Murphy and record it with Bryan and producer Paul Worley. "I'm looking forward to hearing the song," Bryan says. "I can't wait to see them get out there and do what they do so well. I'm sure it will be great." Lauren Alaina and Jana Kramer are the other camp counselors, and the week-long event culminates with a Grand Ole Opry performance with Big & Rich Friday (6/22).
» B.Y.O.B.o.B:Taylor Swift makes a cameo in B.o.B.'s music video "Both Of Us," premiering in June. Swift guests on the track, which is from the rapper's current album Strange Clouds. The pair filmed the clip in Nashville Thursday (6/14).
» Til New Year's Comes Around:Keith Urban's will launch a 2013 world tour on his home turf in Australia. The international trek opens with two nights at Brisbane's Entertainment Centre Jan. 25-26, with Sydney's Allphones Arena (1/30) and Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena (2/2) also on the schedule. "I can't wait to tour in Australia again," Urban says. "New music, new show ... I know we're gonna have a blast!"
» Crib Notes:Congratulations to expectant parents Jennifer Nettles and husband Justin Miller. This will be the first child for the couple, who married in Nov. 2011. "They are thrilled beyond belief," Sugarland's manager Gail Gellmansays. The birth will coincide with the couple's first anniversary.
Additional congrats go out to Trace Adkins and his family on the birth of grandson Jackson Trace Webber. Adkins' eldest daughter Tarah welcomed Jackson to the world June 6, and the new bundle of joy is Trace's third grandchild.
Hit List
Carrie Underwood is the July cover girl of Canada's Elle Magazine. More here.
The Pistol Annies have launched a new online community dubbed The Henhouse, which features Henhouse Radio and the Live From The Henhouse series, offering what Miranda Lambert calls "advice your momma won't give you."
A music video of David Nail covering Adele's "Someone Like You" was featured on the VEVO homepage all day Monday (6/18). Watch the clip here.
Cleveland Browns' Colt McCoy was the surprise guest at Brad Paisley's concert Friday. The pair sang "I'm Still A Guy."
Lauren Alaina performed with her dad J.J. at a music festival in Chattanooga, TN over the Father's Day weekend. The pair's set included Alison Krauss' "When You Say Nothing At All."
The Australian leg of Lady Antebellum's Own The Night tour is sold out. More here.
Birthdays
The late Chet Atkins (6/20) Chuck Wicks (6/20) Kathy Mattea (6/21) Allison Moorer (6/21) Kris Kristofferson (6/22) The late June Carter Cash (6/23)
On TV
Tuesday (6/19): Kenny Chesney, On The Streets (GAC).
Wednesday (6/20): Joe Nichols, Backstory (GAC).
Thursday (6/21): Bobby Bare, Larry's Country Diner (RFD-TV); Kenny Chesney, Late Night With Jimmy Fallon (NBC); Lee Brice, Today (NBC).
Friday (6/22): Kenny Chesney, Top 20 Country Countdown (GAC) and Today (NBC).
In Stores Tuesday (6/19)
Kenny ChesneyWelcome To The Fishbowl "There is a reason I recorded each one of these songs; they each have their own thread of commonality in my life," Chesney says in the liner notes of his 13th studio album. "My hope is that those of you who hear this music feel the same way. And I hope you get as much enjoyment listening to and living with this album as we did making it." Current single "Come Over" opens the 12-track collection, which also features the Tim McGraw duet "Feel Like A Rock Star." Chesney co-wrote the title track and "To Get To You (55th And 3rd)" with Skip Ewing. Grace Potter guests on a live version of "You And Tequila."
Marlee ScottBeautiful Maybe (Big Ride) Hillary Lindsey (Carrie Underwood's "Jesus Take The Wheel"), Aimee Mayo (Tim McGraw's "My Best Friend") and Troy Verges ("Kenny Chesney's "You Save Me") are among the hit songwriters with credits on Scott's 12-track debut album. The album also features the lead single "Train Wreck."
» Will The Real Slim Paisley Please Stand Up? Dressed as an uncanny Brad Paisley stunt double, newcomer Kristen Kelly (r) pranks the Virtual Reality tour headliner (l) mid-show.
» You Don't Knowshon Like We Do: Georgia natives Brantley Gilbert, Denver Broncos' Knowshon Moreno and newcomer Thomas Rhett (l-r) meet at the Mile High City stop on Toby Keith's Live In Overdrive tour.
» Baby I Got View:Thompson Square's Shawna and Keifer Thompson (l-r) take in the Big Apple from the observation deck of the Empire State Building.
Welcome To The Fishbowl's album release week has Kenny Chesney heading northeast for multiple media appearances including a free concert on the Jersey Shore Wednesday (6/20). Academy Award-winning filmmaker Jonathan Demme (Silence Of The Lambs, Philadelphia) will direct the American Express Unstaged concert, which will be webcast live from the beach in Wildwood, NJ beginning at 8:30pm ET on 
Winds in excess of 60 mph threatened 
Toby Keith will stage an inflatable 
Rascal Flatts launched their Changed Tour 2012 in Hartford Friday with Edens Edge, Eli Young Band and Little Big Town. "Rascal Flatts did two encore songs, bringing the other bands out to sing Grand Funk Railroad's 'We're An American Band,'" our reporter says. The LBT set had Kimberly Schlapman showing off her new guitar-playing skills on the song "Your Side Of The Bed." LBT also covered Lady Gaga's "Born This Way." EYB's Mike Eli got up-close-and-personal with the audience when he ran into the crowd, hugging and high-fiving fans in the aisles at the Comcast Arena. Eden's Edge performed a medley of Maroon 5's "Moves Like Jagger," Tim McGraw's "Felt Good On My Lips," Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" and Jason Aldean's "Dirt Road Anthem."
Luke Bryan is among the celebrity counselors participating in Nashville's Third Annual ACM Lifting Lives Camp, a music enrichment program for individuals with developmental disabilities. Campers will craft an original song with newcomer Brett Eldredge and tunesmith David Lee Murphy and record it with Bryan and producer Paul Worley. "I'm looking forward to hearing the song," Bryan says. "I can't wait to see them get out there and do what they do so well. I'm sure it will be great." Lauren Alaina and Jana Kramer are the other camp counselors, and the week-long event culminates with a Grand Ole Opry performance with Big & Rich Friday (6/22).
Taylor Swift makes a cameo in B.o.B.'s music video "
Keith Urban's will launch 
Congratulations to expectant parents Jennifer Nettles and husband Justin Miller. This will be the first child for the couple, who married in Nov. 2011. "They are thrilled beyond belief," Sugarland's manager Gail Gellman 
Carrie Underwood is the July cover girl of Canada's Elle Magazine. More 
Kenny Chesney Welcome To The Fishbowl
Marlee Scott Beautiful Maybe (Big Ride)
