Darius Rucker Makes Country Music History

Darius Rucker is making history by being the first African American in 20 years to enter the country music chart top 10.

His song, “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It” is currently at number 7 in the country music chart.

Rucker is probably better known as the lead singer and guitarist in the American rock band, Hootie & The Blowfish but has recently signed to Capital Records Nashville.

He sang background vocals on Radney Foster’s 1998 album, “See What You Want To See”. He sang background vocals on the track “Raining on Sunday”, which became a Top 5 in 2003 for Keith Urban.

He also played a singing cowboy in a Burger King commercial in 2005. Rucker sang a parody of “Big Rock Candy Mountain” in the ad for Burger King’s TenderCrisp Bacon Cheddar Ranch sandwich.

When asked about his current success on the country music chart Rucker told press, “I was just trying to make a record that people wanted to hear”.

“Back in the day I wrote a lot of country songs and we turned them into rock ‘n’ roll songs. Now I get to write those songs and play them as country.”

Rucker’s new country album, “Learn To Live” will be released on September 16th.

Keith Urban’s Back Is Back

Keith Urban is currently riding high in the country singles chart but he has been suffering from back problems recently.

Urban made comments to fans during his concert in Kelseyville, California on the 23rd of August suggesting that he was in some discomfort due to a slipped disc.

However, Urban has recently said that his condition has greatly improved since the concert.

“It’s much better, thank you” he said recently and added, “the whole thing sort of gets exaggerated, as it often does. I just had sort of a bulging L-5 disc. … It was a little painful, but, you know, it just meant I had to perform a bit differently for a couple of shows we did recently”.

Top 40 Country Singles For September 6th-7th

Here are the top 40 country singles for this week…

01. “You Look Good In My Shirt” - Keith Urban
02. “I Still Miss You” - Keith Anderson
03. “Waitin On A Woman” - Brad Paisley
04. “Do You Believe Me Now” - Jimmy Wayne
05. “Should’ve Said No” - Taylor Swift
06. “Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven” - Kenny Chesney
07. “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It” - Darius Rucker
08. “Troubador” - George Strait
09. “She Never Cried In Front Of Me” - Toby Keith
10. “All Summer Long” - Kid Rock
11. “Holler Back” - The Lost Trailers
12. “Good Time” - Alan Jackson
13. “All I Want To Do” - Sugarland
14. “Just A Dream” - Carrie Underwood
15. “Put A Girl In It” - Brooks & Dunn
16. “Johnny & June” - Heidi Newfield
17. “Bob That Head” - Rascal Flatts
18. “Country Man” - Luke Bryan
19. “All I Ever Wanted” - Chuck Wicks
20. “Relentless” - Jason Aldean
21. “I’ll Walk” - Bucky Covington
22. “You Can’t Let Go” - Crystal Shawanda
23. “Let It Go” - Tim McGraw
24. “Come On Over” - Jessica Simpson
25. “In Color” - Jamey Johnson
26. “Love Remembers” - Craig Morgan
27. “Lookin’ For A Good Time” - Lady Antebellum
28. “Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful” - Kellie Pickler
29. “Roll With Me” - Montgomery Gentry
30. “Chicken Fried” - Zac Brown Band
31. “Sounds So Good” - Ashton Shepherd
32. “Let Me” - Pat Green
33. “Anything Goes” - Randy Houser
34. “Don’t” - Billy Currington
35. “Crazy Days” - Adam Gregory
36. “Muddy Water” - Trace Adkins
37. “Fine Line” - Little Big Town
38. “I Do” - Jewel
39. “I Will” - Phil Vassar
40. “She Wouldn’t Be Gone” - Blake Shelton

The chart is based on the American Country Countdown with Kix Brooks.

Sugarland’s New Video “Already Gone”

Here is the new video from Sugarland, “Already Gone” from the album Love On The Inside.

“Already Gone” Lyrics

My Mama mapped out the road that she knows
Which hands you shake and which hands you hold
In m hand-me-down Mercury, ready to roll
Shhe knew that I had to go
And hangout, make lots of noise
Make the mistakes that she made ’cause she knew all along

I was already gone
I was already gone
I was already gone
Life is a runaway train you can’t wait to jump on

They say the first time won’t ever last
But that didn’t stop me. the first time he laughed
All my friends tried to warn me the day that we met
“Girl, don’t you lost your heart yet”
But his dark eyes dared me with danger
And sparks fly like flame to a paper
Fire in his tourch burning me up, but still I held on

I was already gone
I was already gone
I was already gone
Life is a runaway train you can’t wait to jump on

The last time I say him, we packed up my things
And he smiled like the first time he told me his name
And we cried with each other
We split the blame for the parts that we couldn”t change
Pictures, dished and socks
It’s our whole life down to one box There he was waving goodbye on the front porch alone

But I was already gone
I was already gone
I was already gone
I was already gone
I was already gone
Hangout, make lots of noise
And layout late with a boy
Make the mistakes that she made, life is a runaway train

My mama mapped out the road that she knows
Which hands to shake, which hands you hold
In my hand-me-down Mercury
Life is a runaway train you can’t wait to jump on

Hurricane Gustav Delays Swampstock 2008

Due to the effects of Hurricane Gustav in Louisiana, Tim McGraw has postponed the Swampstock 2008 concert until 2009.

The event was originally planned for September 13th with appearances planned from Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Dierks Bentley, Jason Aldean and many others.

However, the area of Rayville where the concert was due to be held has been drenched in more than 20 inches of rain over just the past few days. Louisiana has been declared a disaster area by government officials.

McGraw said, “We have spoken with local officials, and Neighbor’s Keeper Foundation wants to lend its support to those relief efforts”.

McGraw also added, “Although Faith and I are personally disappointed, we understand that the priority is people’s homes and livelihood in this challenging time. Our prayers are with our friends and neighbors, and God bless them”.

The concert was being presented by the Neighbor’s Keeper Foundation which is a non-profit organation which was founded by McGraw and Hill.

Taylor Swift Makes Waves Overseas

Taylor Swift may be big news in the U.S. but she’s been wowing crowds in London, England in her first European concert.

The sold out concert at King’s College, London adds to Swift’s hectic schedule at the moment. She will return to the U.S. for a performance in Los Angeles on Sunday at the MTV Video Music Awards hosted by English Actor Russell Brand.

Swift will then travel to New York for Wednesday’s announcement of the Country Music Association nominations with the Rascal Flatts. She will be joining the Flatts again the following night in Virginia Beach when the Bob That Head Tour continues.

If that isn’t enough, Swift will appear as the co-host of ABC special “CMA Music Fest - Country’s Night To Rock” with Kellie Pickler and Julianne Hough. The special will also feature Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, Dwight Yoakam and Rodney Atkins.

Jewel’s Tour Bus Crashes After Show

A bus carrying Jewel’s band crashed into a ditch on Sunday night after a show in Virginia Beach when the driver apparently passed out.

Jewel and husband Ty Murray flew home after the show and were not on the bus at the time of the accident. None of Jewel’s band were injured in the crash.

Jewel’s band members were able to return to Nashville on other tour buses belonging to other artists on the tour including Chuck Wicks, Brad Paisley and Julianne Hough.

Brad Paisley also flew home after the show and many of Jewel’s band were able to board his bus.

Sugarland To Perform At SU2C Finale

It’s been confirmed that Sugarland will be performing alongside Melissa Etheridge during the Stand Up To Cancer finale in Los Angeles this Friday.

The Stand Up To Cancer event will be aired live on ABC, CBS and NBC and will start at 8pm ET/PT.

The event will also include performances from Carrie Underwood, LeAnn Rimes and others.

The event will benefit the Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) organization who are dedicated to speeding up the latest developments in cancer research.

Singer & Songwriter Jerry Reed Dies Aged 71

Singer and songwriter, Jerry Reed has died aged 71. He had been diagnosed with emphysema and was being cared for in a hospice.

Nicknamed “The Guitar Man”, he had several number 1 country hits like “Lord, Mr. Ford”, “When You’re Hot, You’re Hot” and “She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft)”.

Elvis Presley also recorded some of Reed’s songs. Presley recorded “U.S. Male” and “Guitar Man” and Presely’s producer invited Reed to play his distinctive claw style guitar licks on the studio recordings.

Reed was also known for his roles in comedy films like “Smokey and the Bandit” and “The Waterboy”.

Trace Adkins Heading To The Middle East

Trace Adkins is heading to the Middle East to perform for some of the US troops currently serving there.

Adkins will travel to the Persian Gulf when he takes a one week trip to entertain American soldiers serving in the Middle East.

He hasn’t revealed exactly where he will be travelling or exactly when he is going but said, “I’m really humbled by the opportunity to spend more time with our nation’s finest” and added, “This is such an honor for me to be able to visit with our military and tell them how much we truly appreciate all the sacrifices they make for our country and our freedom”.

Adkins is no stranger to the Persian Gulf, he travelled there in 2002 and last year he was honored with a USO Merit Award for his dedication to the American troops.