New Albums From Keith Anderson, Jamey Johnson & Heidi Newfield

There were new country album releases yesterday from Keith Anderson, Jamey Johnson and Heidi Newfield.

Anderson’s album C’mon! includes the single “I Still Miss You” and also a collaboration with Foster and Lloyd on “Crazy Over You”. The track was a top 5 hit for the duo in 1987.

Johnson’s album That Lonesome Song features the single “In Color” and collaborations with Buddy Cannon, James Otto and Alabama’s Teddy Gentry.

Newfield’s album What Am I Waiting For offers “Johnny and June” which is her first single as a solo artist. The album was produced by Tony Brown. Newfield was formerly a member of country band Trick Pony.

Hollywood Walk of Fame Adds Brooks & Dunn

Brooks & Dunn now have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame near the Hollywood Roosevelt hotel.

Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn were in Hollywood for yesterday for the unveiling of their very own star. Joining them for the ceremony were talk show host Phil McGraw and his wife, Robin.

The famous duo’s star is located at 7021 Hollywood Blvd. near stars honoring Walt Disney, Mary Tyler Moore, Morgan Freeman, Nicolas Cage, Pierce Brosnan and Patrick Swayze.

The ceremony coincided with Brooks & Dunn’s West Coast tour that includes shows later this week in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia.

Now That’s What I Call Country

The “Now That’s What I Call Music” series of albums has generated sales more than 200 million worldwide over the past decade.

A new compilation called “Now That’s What I Call Country” will be released on August 26th by Universal Music Group. The album will feature 20 top hits in contemporary country music.

The albums will include songs from Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood, Gary Allan, Sugarland, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Taylor Swift, Reba McEntire and Kelly Clarkson, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, George Strait, Julianne Hough, Brad Paisley, Sara Evans, Trace Adkins, Kenny Chesney, Chris Cagle, Josh Turner, Jason Michael Carroll and Kellie Pickler.

The CD will also unlock some bonus downloads from Jamey Johnson, Eric Church, Ashton Shephered, Emily West, Chuck Wicks and others.

Americana Music Festival Talent Announced

Cross Canadian Ragweed, James McMurtry and former Jayhawks members Gary Louris and Mark Olson are just some of the acts scheduled to perform at the 2008 Americana Music Festival set for September 17th thru 20th in Nashville.

The festival coincides with the Americana Music Conference and the Americana Honors and Awards show. The festival will take place at five music venues in and around downtown Nashville and include more than 50 acts.

Other acts scheduled to perform are Marcia Ball, John Cowan Band, Cross Canadian Ragweed, the Duhks, Joe Ely, Will Hoge, Jason Isbell, Jason & the Scorchers, Jim Lauderdale, Kathy Mattea, James McMurtry, Tift Merritt, Buddy Miller, Bruce Robison, the SteelDrivers and Kim Richey, Will Kimbrough & Mando Saenz.

Unreleased Hank Williams Songs Will Double Catalog

Previously unreleased Hank Williams recordings will be available for the first time this fall.

Time Life is releasing the first ever recordings from Williams 1951 Mother’s Best radio show. The recordings will be released over a period of three years and will include 143 songs which have not previously been released.

The original broadcasts were recorded on acetates which were thrown away but later retrieved from a dumpster, ultimately ending up with the Williams estate.

The releases, once completed will effectively double the Williams song catalog. The initial release will include 15 tracks and is expected to be available this fall.

John Rich Performs Song for John McCain

John Rich is scheduled to appear with the Republican presidential candidate John McCain today.

The two will appear at the Country First concert which takes places in Panama City, Fla. Rich will perform “Raisin’ McCain”, an up-tempo rock n roll song that he wrote about McCain’s experiences in a Vietnamese prisoner of war camp and the senator’s current White House campaign.

Rich had endorsed Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson from Tennessee but Thompson withdrew from the race earlier in the year.

Gretchen Wilson Accused Of Copyright Infringement By Black Crowes

Attorneys representing the Black Crowes claim a song performed by Gretchen Wilson is partly based on the bands 1991 hit “Jealous Again”.

The song in question, “Work Hard, Play Harder” is currently being used by the TNT network during ads for the Saving Grace TV show.

According to Billboard the Black Crowes attorneys have served copyright infringement notices to Wilson, her record label Sony BMG and J Money Music. Wilson co-wrote the song with John Rich and Vicky McGehee according to the ASCAP Web site.

“Work Hard, Play Harder” has not been released as a single by Wilson. Brothers Chris and Rich Robinson of the Black Crowes wrote “Jealous Again” which was featured on the bands 1990 debut album “Shake Your Money Maker”.

In a statement the Black Crowes manager Pete Angelus said, “We find the musical verses of Wilson’s song to be such an obvious example of copyright infringement that I expect all parties to reach a relatively quick resolution to avoid litigation.”

A spokesman for Wilson said that Wilson had no comment regarding the allegations.

Police Investige Mark Chesnutt’s Tour Bus Accident

Law enforcement in Texas are continuing their investigation into an accident that occured on the morning of Sunday July 27th.

The accident involved Mark Chesnutt’s tour bus. The singer was not on board when the bus was rear ended by a car traveling at an estimated 100 miles per hour.

No one was injured in the accident that took place around 3:30 am outside of the Dallas city limits on Interstate 30.

Police said the car’s driver was driving without a license and had apparently been drinking. One of the two police cars sent to the scene was delayed by a flat tire.

Chesnutt’s road manager, Kenny Thurman, changed the tire while the officers were investigating the accident.

Kenny Chesney Joins Farm Aid

Kenny Chesney is the first artist confirmed for the September 20th Farm Aid concert. The concert annually features four artists with longstanding ties to the organization’s board: Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews and Neil Young.

“American family farmers are what this country’s built on,” Kenny observes. “They’ve fed us and kept us strong and healthy for how many generations? Growing up in a small town outside Knoxville, it was a big part of who we were, and it’s something we shouldn’t lose. If I can help be part of that whether it’s raising money, or awareness, or just letting those family farmers know someone knows and cares well, that’s why I’m coming to Boston. It’s a small thing, but a big deal.”

It marks the second time Kenny’s played Farm Aid. He made his first appearance at the event in 2005, just days after Renee Zellweger filed for an annulment of their marriage, and got some words of comfort from Willie, who ended up employing Kenny as a producer for his Moment Of Forever album. Among the songs Kenny sang at that Farm Aid was “Back Where I Come From,” which he also trotted out this weekend in his stadium gig with Keith Urban, LeAnn Rimes, Sammy Hagar and Gary Allan. According to The Boston Globe, the Gillette version of the song featured guest vocal appearances by Boston Red Sox pitchers Tim Wakefield and Mike Timlin, and by New England Patriots football players Tedy Bruschi, Wes Welker and Mike Vrabel. Kenny also threw out the first pitch on Friday for the Red Sox game at Fenway Park.

Willie, incidentally, had his own notable onstage guest this weekend. Former President Jimmy Carter jumped on stage at Atlanta’s Chastain Park, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, to play harmonica while Willie sang the state song, “Georgia On My Mind.”

Faith Hill Singing Sunday Night Football Theme

Faith Hill is singing the opening theme for NBCs Sunday Night Football again. Her performance of “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” will debut on September 7th during the first regular season Sunday Night Football broadcast featuring the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears.

Additionally, Hill will also participate in a preseason promotional campaign to begin Sunday August 3rd during the Pro Football Hall of Fame game between the Indianapolis Colts and Washington Redskins.

The first promo depicts NFL players preparing game-time snacks for Hill and her girlfriends. The cast includes Dwight Freeney and Bob Sanders of the Colts, Tony Gonzalez of the Kansas City Chiefs, Torry Holt of the St. Louis Rams and Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens.