Posted: October 9th, 2008 at 11:18 am| By: Kelli Finglass
For some of the contestants who showed up to Texas Stadium for auditions back in May, their lives changed over night. Others left the stadium that night with their dreams put on hold, dealing with one of life’s many disappointments.
We began the day with 600+ contestants, and I have to applaud each and every one of them for having the courage to at least dream big. If you don’t know what you want, you won’t get anything, but the reality is that there are only 36 places on our squad, and we only have room for the best.
Posted: October 7th, 2008 at 2:28 pm| By: Whitney Self
I can’t remember a holiday without the Judds. Last night, I had the true pleasure of seeing Wynonna Judd perform a Christmas special, Holiday Notes From Home: A Christmas Tribute for the Troops at the Grand Ole Opry House. Her mother Naomi even joined her onstage for a couple of the carols. I have to say, I was on a musical high when I left. Not only was I ready for Christmas, but Wynonna’s voice sounded so beautiful, so strong, that I spent the rest of the evening with goose bumps.
Posted: October 6th, 2008 at 3:45 pm| By: Kim Sorensen
Anna and Bo were married on CMT’s show My Big Redneck Wedding. They share their thoughts about the big event.
Howdy y’all,
Bo and Anna here, telling you how our wedding went and how muddy great it was. First of all our wedding was on May 10th 2008 and was held at our house. But before I tell you how the actual wedding went, let us tell y’all of all the crazy, emotional and muddy things we had to go through to get to our wedding. Read more…
Posted: October 2nd, 2008 at 3:06 pm| By: Kelli Finglass
It’s hard to believe that we are entering into our third full season of Making the Team. For me, the beginning of a new season always conjures up a variety of emotions — a combination of anxiety, dread and excitement. Believe it or not, I, too, get pre-audition nerves and suffer through sleepless nights (exacerbated by my snoring 15-year-old Shih Tzu) just like the contestants!
Posted: September 29th, 2008 at 3:31 pm| By: Sebastian Bach
My mom is a huge country fan, and she raised me on Willie Nelson. My dad loves Neil Young, who’s not maybe a “country” artist but has a lot of country songs. But mainly Willie Nelson, that’s the main country influence for me. I met Willie, I love his music, I’ve been on the Honeysuckle Rose before, and a lot of the reason I took this show is just to blow my mom’s mind! I just loved calling her and saying “Mom! I’m in Barbara Mandrell’s house!” Just that alone blows my mom’s mind, she can’t believe that!
Posted: September 27th, 2008 at 7:31 pm| By: Whitney Self
The first time I heard Trace Adkins‘ “Muddy Water” was at the recent CMT Crossroads taping with 38 Special. And let me just say this: If there was only one song of the night that I could see and experience again, with no question, this would be it. Though I danced to “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk,” sang along to “Wild-Eyed Southern Boys” and kept the beat to “Chrome,” nothing could have topped their last performance of the night, “Muddy Water.”
Posted: September 25th, 2008 at 1:26 pm| By: Tom Mabe
Hey Gang! Friday night — Sept. 26 — CMT is playing back-to-back episodes of Mabe in America! 10 and 10:30 p.m. ET/PT. These are the best bits of season one.
I’m performing in Detroit Friday, so I’ll catch the later showings at 1 and 1:30 p.m. ET/PT. I’ll probably catch it again Sunday night at 10 and 10:30 p.m. ET/PT just to see how nice my Ford F-150 looked before Jimbo wrecked it moving a Cub Cadet to his house. You can’t make a Michigan u-turn in Kentucky — especially on I-65! Jimbo, you’re funny, but you drive as good as Stevie Wonder. No worries though …
Posted: September 18th, 2008 at 12:06 pm| By: Alison Bonaguro
Plenty of young celebs claim they just aren’t that into the sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll scene. Then the next day, there are half-naked pictures of them all over MySpace. So how do we know that won’t happen to Taylor Swift? Because her gut instinct after the racy VMAs was dead on. “I think that there was a little too much sex being talked about instead of music,” Swift told reporters. That’s a good sign. That means she knows right from wrong, and that will make all the difference as she faces the temptations of stardom.
Posted: September 15th, 2008 at 3:35 pm| By: Alison Bonaguro
Good Morning America is about to kick off this “50 States in 50 Days” thing, and Brad Paisley thinks it’s a great idea. “I think they’re doing a really admirable thing by going out, leaving their New York studio, and covering the heart of America,” Paisley told the press. The news show will report from every state in the days leading up to the election. And since the start of this journey will take place on Amtrak trains, Paisley will be on GMA on Wednesday (Sept. 17) near a train stop in Gustavus, Ohio, where he’ll sing his No. 1 hit “Waitin’ on a Woman.”
Posted: September 12th, 2008 at 5:23 pm| By: Alison Bonaguro
In yesterday’s blog about attending the Soundstage taping for Faith Hill’s holiday TV show, I forgot to mention one thing. Actually, 13 things. And those would be the 13 songs she sang after she sang an hour of Christmas classics.
So while the first half of the concert had her all glammed up in a gold floor-length gown and entire ensemble behind her, the second half was more “Mississippi Girl.” After she took a short break to slip into something more comfortable (black pants, black top and glittery sweater), she came back onstage to belt her way through so many of the soulful country hits that have made her famous.
For some of the contestants who showed up to Texas Stadium for auditions back in May, their lives changed over night. Others left the stadium that night with their dreams put on hold, dealing with one of life’s many disappointments.
I can’t remember a holiday without 
Anna and Bo were married on CMT’s show 
It’s hard to believe that we are entering into our third full season of 
Hey Gang! Friday night — Sept. 26 — CMT is playing back-to-back episodes of 
Plenty of young celebs claim they just aren’t that into the sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll scene. Then the next day, there are half-naked pictures of them all over MySpace. So how do we know that won’t happen to 
Good Morning America
In yesterday’s blog about
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