» Action-Packed:It's less than a week away from The Week Vegas Goes Country! The polls to determine the Academy of Country Music's 2012 Entertainer and New Artist winners go live Monday (3/19) at noon ET at VoteACM.com. The Entertainer nominees include Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton and Taylor Swift. The New Artist nominees are Brantley Gilbert, Hunter Hayes and Scotty McCreery, and all threehave been added to the Zac Brown Band-headlined 2nd Annual ACM Fan Jam, which will be staged at Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay Events Center during and after the ACMs. The Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino will also host the free ACM ExperienceMarch 30-April 1,with 2010 New Vocal Group winners Gloriana and 2012 Vocal Duo nominees Steel Magnolia among the 29 artists and DJs on the lineup. Beginning next Tuesday (3/20), Walmart will carry the 47th Annual ACM Awards Spotlight 'ZinePak, which includes a 120-page magazine and a 20-song compilation. The Reba- and Blake Shelton-hosted ACMs air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena April 1 on CBS-TV.
» Country Goes Aussie:Faith Hill and Tim McGraw are headed Down Under this weekend for the CMC Rocks The Hunter 2012 music festival in Pokolbin, NSW. The superstar couple will headline the event, which will also feature Dierks Bentley, Craig Campbell, Colt Ford, Tracy Lawrence, Eli Young Band, Wynonna and others. Bentley is already touring the continent for the AU leg of the Country & Cold Cans Tour, and caught Taylor Swift's second Speak Now concert in Melbourne Tuesday (3/13). "The girls loved it, as did I," Bentley tweeted. "Lives were changed in that crowd tonight! Thank you."
» Tweet Yes Or No:Thanks to Jake Owen, high school student Tyler Miles scored a date to the prom! Miles enlisted Owen to help him pop the question to Larissa Lewis via Twitter Tuesday (3/13). "Hey Larissa, my name is Jake," Owen tweeted. "We've never met, but I have a question for you ... Tyler Miles wants you to go to prom with him. I said I'd ask you if he treated you nice." After Lewis replied in the affirmative, Owen said, "Tyler, you owe me. You're welcome, bro."
» Benefit News:Rodney Atkins is hosting a tornado relief drive to raise money for three communities affected by the March 2 storms. All proceeds will benefit citizens in East Bernstadt, KY, West Liberty, KY and Atkins' hometown of Harrogate, TN. Atkins and Massey Ferguson will match donations up to $15,000. Learn more and donate directly here.
Miranda Lambert is donating 100% of proceeds from the remaining tickets to her March 24 On Fire tour stop at Louisville's Yum! Center to the American Red Cross/Kentucky Disaster Relief Fund. According to state officials and the National Weather Service, the March 2 tornadoes caused 22 fatalities and injured more than 300.
» In Case You Missed it:Blake Shelton advanced Charlotte Sometimes on last Monday's (3/12) The Voice. Shelton paired Sometimes with Lex Land, and both competed with Foster The People's "Pumped Up Kicks." Miranda Lambert and Kelly Clarkson coached Team Blake, and Jewel and Lionel Richie coached Team Christina. Watch the post-battle interview with Land and Sometimes here.
Dierks Bentley and The Punch Brothers covered Bob Dylan's "Señor (Tales Of Yankee Power)" on Tuesday's Ellen DeGeneres Show (3/13). The appearance was in support of Amnesty International's Chimes Of Freedom: The Songs Of Bob Dylan compilation, which also features tracks by Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson and Sugarland.
Toby Keith performed "Red Solo Cup" on Thursday's (3/15) Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Jennette McCurdy was a guest on Tuesday night's Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson (3/13) and discussed her burgeoning country career. Watch the appearance at the 30:27 minute marker here.
Shooter Jennings performed "The Deed And The Dollar" on Tuesday night's Tonight Show With Jay Leno (3/13). Watch the performance at the 38:01 minute marker here.
» Life Note:Vince Gill filled in for LeAnn Rimes Saturday (3/10) night at the opening of Bowling Green, KY's Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center. Rimes was scheduled to headline the event, but was forced to cancel because of illness. "I've been planning this for the longest time," Gill joked before his acoustic set. "I had to ask my wife Amy [Grant] if I could come up here and sing tonight. She said, 'Go up there and do it.' Here's the funny part: today is our 12th anniversary. So, I don't know if she's trying to tell me something ... After tonight, I might need a small two-bedroom apartment up here in Bowling Green." Gill opened with "Blue Moon Over Kentucky." Rimes is currently resting between takes in the studio.
Hit List
Carrie Underwood graces the cover of Self's April issue. Inside, Underwood shares her favorite nutrition app, go-to dinner and pre-event workout. "I do more cardio and fewer weights than usual," she says. "Although strength training is important, I don't want to look too muscular on the red carpet." Read the full article here.
Alan Jackson has been added to the BamaJam 2012 lineup. He joins previously announced performers Eric Church, Tim McGraw, Zac Brown Band and Kid Rock. The three-day fest will be held June 14-16 in Enterprise, AL.
Pistol Annies were among the celebrities who walked the red carpet at The Hunger Games premiere in Hollywood Monday (3/12). Miranda Lambert's "Run Daddy Run" features the group, and it's included on the film soundtrack, which hits stores Tuesday (3/20). The movie opens nationwide March 23.
Keith Urban and wife Nicole Kidman attended Sunday's (3/11) Kuwait-America Foundation gala in Washington, DC, and a Lynda Carter-hosted cabaret show closed the event.
Casey James is offering a chance to hear a track per day from his upcoming self-titled debut album (out Tuesday 3/20) and a chance to win a trip to see American Idol. Learn more here.
The 2013 Kentucky Music Hall of Fame inductees are Exile, The Kentucky HeadHunters, Skeeter Davis, Steven Curtis Chapman, Old Joe Clark, The Hilltoppers and Emory & Linda Lou Martin. The induction ceremony will be April 12, 2013 at Lexington, KY's Lexington Center Bluegrass Ballroom.
Birthdays
Charley Pride (3/18) Phillip Sweet (Little Big Town) (3/18)
On TV
Friday (3/16): Lee Brice, Casey James, Top 20 Country Countdown (GAC); Toby Keith, Tonight Show With Jay Leno (NBC).
Saturday (3/17): Chris Young, Origins (GAC); Larry Gatlin, America's News HQ (FOX News).
Sunday (3/18): Craig Morgan, Army Wives (Lifetime).
Monday (3/19): Eric Church, Late Night With Jimmy Fallon (NBC).
Upcoming Album Releases
Casey JamesCasey James (3/20) Lisa MatassaSunshine Highway (3/20)
» Annie Adopted:Pistol Annies and The Voice's RaeLynn hang at the Houston Livestock Show And Rodeo. RaeLynn tweeted Tuesday (3/13), "Just got promoted to 'Baby Annie' officially!" Pictured (l-r) are RaeLynn, PA's Miranda Lambert, Angaleena Presley and Ashley Monroe.
» Steeling The Spotlight:Brad Pitt, South Coast Solar's Virginia Crawford and Steel Magnolia's Meghan Linsey hang at Saturday's (3/10) A Night To Make It Right gala for Brad Pitt's Make It Right Foundation. Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Sean Penn, Morgan Freeman, Robert DeNiro, Kevin Spacey, Sheryl Crow, Kanye West and Rihanna were among the celebrities at the New Orleans event. "I don't get starstruck, but it was like a little mini-Oscars," Linsey said. "You couldn't help but be a little [starstruck] standing on the side of the stage next to Brad and Angelina with a couple of their children." Drew Brees, Ellen DeGeneres and Randy Jackson hosted the benefit, which raised more than $4 million.
It's less than a week away from The Week Vegas Goes Country! The polls to determine the Academy of Country Music's 2012 Entertainer and New Artist winners go live Monday (3/19) at noon ET at 
Faith Hill and Tim McGraw are headed Down Under this weekend for the 
Thanks to Jake Owen, high school student Tyler Miles scored a date to the prom! Miles enlisted Owen to help him pop the question to Larissa Lewis via 
Rodney Atkins is hosting a tornado relief drive to raise money for three communities affected by the March 2 storms. All proceeds will benefit citizens in East Bernstadt, KY, West Liberty, KY and Atkins' hometown of Harrogate, TN. Atkins and Massey Ferguson will match donations up to $15,000. Learn more and donate directly 
Blake Shelton advanced Charlotte Sometimes on last Monday's (3/12) 
Vince Gill filled in for LeAnn Rimes Saturday (3/10) night at the opening of Bowling Green, KY's Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center. Rimes was scheduled to headline the event, but was forced to cancel because of illness. "I've been planning this for the longest time," Gill 
Carrie Underwood graces the cover of Self's April issue. Inside, Underwood shares her favorite nutrition app, go-to dinner and pre-event workout. "I do more cardio and fewer weights than usual," she says. "Although strength training is important, I don't want to look too muscular on the red carpet." Read the full article 
