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Posted yesterday at 5:00am
 Capitol NashvilleSome of music's biggest names will be spotlighted Saturday night on a special edition of ABC's 20/20.
Called Rock 'n Royalty: Billboard's All-Stars, the show will be anchored by Barbara Walters, and feature the best and most memorable moments from ABC interviews conducted throughout the years with a variety of pop and country superstars.
Among the moments featured on show are Katie Couric's 2012 interview with Taylor Swift to announce her RED tour, and a new interview with Lady Antebellum, conducted by ABC's Juju Chang.
Interviews with Madonna, Cher, Justin Timberlake, Mariah Carey and Beyoncé are also featured. Comedian Tracy Morgan, who hosts this Sunday night's Billboard Music Awards also sat down for a new chat.
The two-hour special airs Saturday night at 9 p.m. ET.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted Friday night
 Robin Williams Via TwitterA few weeks back, Kelly Clarkson tweeted a photo of herself with Robin Williams, posing on the set of a CBS comedy pilot called The Crazy Ones. Turns out she made a cameo as herself in the pilot, and now that CBS has now picked up the show for the fall, we'll be able see her. A sneak preview, however, is available online now.
The Crazy Ones is set in Chicago, and is about a father and daughter, played by Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar, who both work in advertising. In the pilot, they try to persuade Kelly to sing a McDonald's commercial, but she tells them she wants to change her image and "sing about sex."
"They said I wouldn't have to act, 'cause I suck at acting," says Kelly in the preview. "They said, 'Well, you're playing yourself.' But it's not myself!"
Kelly says she "lost" it during a scene where Robin Williams and another cast member try to come up with ways that Kelly can sing about sex, and still sing about McDonald's. Next, we see her in the studio singing a song called "It Ain't the Meat It's the Motion" -- which is a real song, by the way -- and simulating being in the throes of sexual passion.
The show's executive producers say that Kelly was "amazing" in the episode, adding, "She rocked it!"
The Crazy Ones will air on Thursdays this fall at 9 p.m.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted Friday evening
 ABCWynonna will return to ABC's Dancing with the Stars for Tuesday night's finale. She'll join the other celebrities from this season's cast on the show, including remaining finalist Kellie Pickler.
Look for Wy to perform her cover of Foreigner's "I Want to Know What Love Is." PSY will be there to sing his latest hit, "Gentleman," and Pitbull will perform his new single, "Hands Up."
The Dancing with the Stars finale airs Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted Friday afternoon
 CMABrad Paisley gives fans a look at the staging of his Beat This Summer tour in the new GAC special, Brad Paisley Spins the Wheelhouse: Live in Vegas, airing later this month. The special, filmed at The Orleans in Las Vegas after the ACM Awards last month, features appearances from Carrie Underwood, Dierks Bentley and rock legend John Fogerty.
Brad delivers classic hits including "Mud on the Tires," "Water," and "Old Alabama," as well as new songs from Wheelhouse, including his latest hit, "Beat This Summer."
Brad Paisley Spins the Wheelhouse: Live in Vegas premieres Wednesday, May 29 at 10 p.m. ET on GAC.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted Friday afternoon
 Michael Becker / FOXAmerican Idol runner-up Kree Harrison is making a beeline back home to Nashville to make her Grand Ole Opry debut on June 4. That show serves as the Opry's kick-off to the CMA Music Festival.
Kree is floored to be on the bill. She says, "I'm speechless. It has been my lifelong dream to perform at the Grand Ole Opry. I am so honored to be invited!”
Friday is Kree's birthday, and she told reporters in a conference call that getting the invite to perform on the Opry is the "best birthday present I've ever gotten in my life." She added that she cried when Keith Urban told her Thursday night that she'd be performing on the Opry.
Kellie Pickler, Rascal Flatts and Keith Urban are also on the Grand Ole Opry June 4.
Kree's debut single, "All Cried Out," is now available at iTunes.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted Friday morning
 Dana TynanSugarland's Jennifer Nettles has announced plans to release her debut solo album this fall. She's working with producer Rick Rubin, who has been in the studio with everyone from Johnny Cash to Jay-Z.
Jennifer says, "I am absolutely thrilled and wholly proud to be working with Rick. If you ask any musician who is on their producer ‘bucket list,’ Rick would be on each and every one."
Sugarland's last album, The Incredible Machine, was released in 2010. Jennifer gave birth to her son, Magnus Hamilton, last December.
For now, it seems Jennifer and her Sugarland duo partner, Kristian Bush, are taking some time apart to work on outside projects, though a rep for Sugarland's record label tells ABC News Radio the duo has not broken up. You can keep up with Jennifer at JenniferNettles.com, and the latest on Kristian will be posted at KristianBush.com.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted Friday morning
 Warner Music NashvilleThere will be no shortage of events for country fans to attend surrounding next month's CMA Music Festival, but Warner Music Nashville is offering one of the week's most star-studded shows, separate from the nightly concerts at LP Field. The 2013 CMT Music Awards Official Fan After-Party will feature performances from Jana Kramer, Brett Eldredge, The Farm and Charlie Worsham immediately following the CMT broadcast on June 5.
The Official Fan After-Party takes place at aVenue in downtown Nashville, just steps away from the Bridgestone Arena, which is hosting the CMT Music Awards again this year.
Tickets are on sale at the official store at WarnerMusic.com/Warner-Nashville.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted Friday morning
 Kevin Mazur/WireImageTaylor Swift and Lena Dunham, the creator and star of the award-winning HBO series Girls, have a mutual admiration society going on Twitter, but now it appears as though they've taken their friendship offline and into -- gasp! -- the real world.
Life & Style magazine reports that both Taylor and Dunham attended the star-studded Met Gala in New York City on May 6, and then afterwards, they grabbed a late dinner together. According to an insider, it was Lena who made the first move, telling Taylor that there was a "really cute diner" by her house, where they could have "like, salads and stuff."
Not long ago, Taylor said she was "floored" to learn that Dunham was a fan of hers.
"When I found out that she listens to my music...it absolutely floored me," said Taylor. "It made my day, honestly. So, I think, to me, for there to be someone with that creative of a mind and that impressive writing talent, for someone like that to listen to my music it was a real, really good day for me."
Taylor doesn't just like Dunham and Girls; she's also a fan of Dunham's boyfriend, Jack Antonoff. He's the guitarist in the band fun., and Taylor told Billboard that they're one of her favorite bands right now.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted Friday morning
 Comstock/ThinkstockWhat is the name of the Eli Young Band's lead singer? HINT: It's not Eli Young. ANSWER: Mike Eli.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted Friday morning
 Burke/Triolo Productions/ThinkstockThe Eli Young Band will release their new single in July, and a new album is expected to follow later in the year.
Brad Paisley performed the song "Runaway Train" on The Late Show with David Letterman earlier this week.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted Friday morning
 ACMThe ACM Presents: Tim McGraw's Superstar Summer Night special airs Sunday night, and fans can expect to see top country stars like Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan and, of course, Tim McGraw, on the show. Stars from the pop and R&B world are well-represented too with Nelly performing the "Cruise" remix with Florida Georgia Line. Tim also shares the stage with Ne-Yo and Pitbull on the show. Luke says the resulting set list looks an awful like some of the playlists he has on his personal iTunes collection.
Says Luke, "I feel like so many country fans out there, they're rocking out to Nelly too, and Nelly's going to be here. It's a great thing that so many genres can come together, and it's based around country. And I think it's fun for the fans."
Tim had a big hand in selecting which stars would appear on the show with him, and Pitbull was a pop star he definitely wanted on the bill. Tim and his wife Faith Hill first met Pitbull at the Grammy Awards earlier this year.
Tim explains, "He came up and introduced himself to me and we started talking, and when we walked away, I told Faith that, 'That's just a real guy there, a really genuine guy.'"
Tim was also really impressed with Pitbull's smooth dance moves at the show taping last month in Las Vegas.
"I'd throw something out if I tried to move like that," Tim says with a laugh, "but he brought so much energy to the stage."
Faith Hill, Lady Antebellum, Brantley Gilbert, Keith Urban, Taylor Swift and rock legend John Fogerty also perform on ACM Presents: Tim McGraw's Superstar Summer Nights, airing Sunday night at 9 ET on CBS.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted Thursday night
 Republic NashvilleThe multi-artist Alabama tribute album Alabama & Friends will hit stores later this year, and a slew of big-name country stars are hitting the studio with the band for the project. According to Billboard, the Eli Young Band recorded their version of "The Closer You Get" this week in Nashville. Rascal Flatts' Joe Don Rooney tweeted they have been working on a cover of the Alabama classic, "Old Flame."
Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Jason Aldean, Trisha Yearwood and Toby Keith are also contributing their takes on Alabama hits to the project.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted Thursday evening
 Photo Credit: Randee St. NicholasMiranda Lambert picked up an MTV O Music Awards nomination for her "Fastest Girl in Town" video in the Best Interactive Music Video category. This particular awards ceremony celebrates the intersection of music and technology.
As you may recall, Miranda released a special version of that clip that allowed fans to view multiple angles during her car chase scene with co-star Danica Patrick of NASCAR fame. That version also allowed fans to unlock bonus content and even win items featured in the video.
The O Music Awards winners will be announced on June 19, and fans can vote for the winners at OMusicAwards.com or through the Awards Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted Thursday afternoon
 Arista NashvilleCarrie Underwood fans will want to make plans to head to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum soon to relive her Blown Away tour. A special exhibit featuring 12 vignettes from Carrie's latest live show will run June 5 through November 10 of this year only at the museum.
The exhibit will include custom outfits Carrie wore onstage and customized microphones made for and used by Carrie on the tour, as well as costumes and instruments from her band members. Those items will be shipped directly to the Country Music Hall of Fame once Carrie wraps up the Blown Away tour May 23. By the end of the trek, she will have played 112 dates in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Northern Ireland and Australia.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted Thursday morning
 Grand Ole OpryThe Grand Ole Opry will salute members of the U.S. military with a special performance and red carpet parade on Tuesday, May 21. The event marks the 40th anniversary of the return of American troops from Vietnam, and Vietnam Veterans from Tennessee and Tennessee National Guard soldiers will enter the Grand Ole Opry House on a special red carpet before the performance that night.
Craig Morgan, Easton Corbin, Lee Greenwood and Diamond Rio are among the stars scheduled to perform on the Opry for this special show.
Go to Opry.com for tickets and more information.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted Thursday morning
 Comstock/ThinkstockWhich one of the siblings in The Band Perry is the middle child? Reid Perry.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted Thursday morning
 Valory Music CompanyJustin Moore's name may not be the first one that comes to mind when you're listing country's best male vocalists, but listen again to his #1 "Small Town U.S.A." or his latest single, "Point at You." You'll find he's got one of the widest ranges of any guy on country radio today.
So, how does Justin keep his voice in tip-top shape?
"Probably drink less now," Justin says with a laugh. "That might help."
In all seriousness, Justin feels practice really has made perfect with his singing voice over the last few years.
He says, "I think, just like anything else, the more you do something, I think you should be getting better at it. If you’re not, you’re probably in the wrong business."
That singing experience has changed Justin's voice too. It's a little raspier and deeper than it used to be, and those new qualities are showing up on his third studio album, due out later this year.
"There’s a couple places where, to me, it sounds drastically different," Justin explains. "To fans, I don’t know if it will.
Justin will be showing off his vocal chops this weekend at a pair of shows in Georgia with Darius Rucker.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted Thursday morning
 Capitol NashvilleLady Antebellum's Dave Haywood became the third and final member of the group to get married a little over a year ago. In that time, he's learned a lot about how to communicate with his wife, Kelli.
Dave tells ABC News Radio, "You really have to commit an incredible amount of time to working on the relationship. You know, obviously when you're dating you're kind of coming and going a lot, but being in it for the long haul is the priority."
Of course, Dave is on the road constantly performing concerts around the world. He admits that distance could make it easy to just walk away and not discuss the finer details of his marriage. Lucky for Kelli, Dave's just not that kind of guy.
He says, "Even the smallest things you have to talk about, even for a long period of time, we'll have a conversation about the smallest thing in the world."
Look for Dave to perform "Goodbye Town" with his Lady Antebellum band mates on the ACM Presents: Tim McGraw's Superstar Summer Night special, Sunday night at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted Thursday morning
 Burke/Triolo Productions/ThinkstockPistol Annies' new album, Annie Up, sold 82,000 copies for a #2 debut on Billboard's Country Albums chart behind Lady Antebellum's Golden.
Tim McGraw appears on NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Thursday night.
The Band Perry will perform with American Idol finalist Janelle Arthur and Keith Urban will perform his new single, "Little Bit of Everything," on the two-hour season finale of American Idol Thursday night at 8 ET on Fox.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
Posted Thursday morning
 Photo Credit: Sarah BarlowThough Taylor Swift has become one of the biggest pop stars in the world, she's still a country girl at heart. In a new interview with Billboard previewing this Sunday's Billboard Music Awards, Taylor pointed to Florida Georgia Line's monster hit "Cruise" as one of the songs that made the biggest impact in any format this year.
Taylor says of the song, "It’s the catchiest thing I’ve heard in years, and I love the Nelly version too. They’re out on tour with us right now, so I get to hear it all the time."
Taylor also singled out the death of country icon George Jones as the biggest loss so far this year in music.
"His influence on country music and his legacy will last forever. On top of all of that, he was a very sweet man and I'm so sorry we've lost him," Taylor says. "George Jones never stopped wanting to be onstage. He played live shows until the day he died, and that passion for performing is something I look up to."
Look for Taylor to perform on the Billboard Music Awards this Sunday night at 8 ET on ABC.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio
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