There's one thing sharp-witted legendary entertainer, singer, and artist Kenny Rogers doesn't like to gamble on: his career. Just another reason why he's one of the greatest. ©-MC

Warner Bros. Records and Rogers have announced they will join forces once again to create sweet music together. Rogers made the revelation Wednesday night during his first of two sold-out performances at the Ford Theater in Nashville as the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum’s 2012 Artist-in-Residence.

Rogers, whose catalog on Warner Bros./Reprise Records includes a string of multi-platinum albums and career hits recorded over the span of several decades, returns to where it all began in 1967 when his career was ignited with his mega-hit with the First Edition, “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In).” Rogers’ new album is being produced by award-winning producer, Dann Huff, and is scheduled for release later this year.

“I’m looking forward to returning home to Warner Brothers Records after all these years,” commented Rogers on his new deal. “Our history together, combined with the incredible team that’s in place now, provides the catalyst for a great new relationship going forward.”

“With his unique storytelling ability and soulful voice, Kenny Rogers’ music has touched generations across all musical formats. He has not only had a remarkable career but is truly an American icon,” said John Esposito, President & CEO of Warner Music Nashville. “Warner Music Nashville looks forward to continuing his musical legacy but more importantly, having him back home at Warner Bros. Records.”

Kip Moore trucks "Live!" today, making his national TV debut by appearing on the hit show "Live! with Kelly" with his hit song "Somethin' 'Bout a Truck" - airing at 9 a.m. central on ABC/Ch. 2 in the Nashville area. Check your local listings to assure appropriate channel/time. The song, by the way, is a Top 5 single and already gold-certified.

After Moore spins his wheels away to leave this performance in the dust, you can check the show's site for video: http://dadt.com/live/special/livestage/ -MC

The Tifton, GA, native released his debut album Up All Night on April 24. It debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Country Album chart and No. 5 on the Billboard Top 200.

"Somethin'" has sold over 680,000 units, sliding in at No. 4 on the Country Singles charts, No. 5 on the Digital Country tracks and ranks No. 9 on Billboard’s Top-Selling Country Digital Songs for First Quarter 2012. It has been in the SoundScan Top 10 Digital Core Country Chart for eleven consecutive weeks and the video has received more than 6 million online views.

He is currently on tour with Billy Currington and David Nail.

Fresh off new release "Hard 2 Love," fronted by the major success of No. 1 single "A Woman Like You," Brice brings his talents to several TV shows in the following few days, including a special stop at "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" tonight (5/1).

His next single, “Hard to Love,” is hitting radio now. Brice’s high-profile media blitz began with co-hosting duties on the No. 1 national morning show “Today” on March 20 and continues through the next two weeks. This week, Brice is back in New York promoting the new album and has already appeared on “Fox & Friends,” CNN’s “Showbiz Tonight,” and “Imus In The Morning.”

In the event you have missed one of these appearances, you can click on the link below:

“Fox & Friends” - http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/fox-fri...t_id=86912

“Imus In The Morning” - http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/1580204048001/

In addition to his time on "Tonight," Brice is also set to soon be on “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” (date TBD). Plus he'll appear and perform on the midday syndicated “The Better Show” on Wednesday, May 2. His busy week will end back east with a visit to “Huckabee” to tape on Saturday, May 5, and to air on May 12.

"Love" gives audiences a glimpse into Brice’s current place in life. In addition to songs explicitly written by Brice for his fiancé and son, the album contains an assortment of songs that cover a multitude of emotions from boisterous party songs to songs about coping with the loss of a loved one.

Brice commented on the selection of tracks: “Everything on the new album is very pertinent to who I am right now and where I am in my life. I have some very personal stuff on there, and had to be really honest with it. Hopefully, folks will see that.”

In addition to co-producing the album, Brice has co-written eight of the 13 tracks. Twelve of these tracks are currently charting inside the iTunes Top 200 songs on the Country chart. For further information, please visit leebrice.com.

Any fool can see that one sure way to find out who your friends are is to ask for their help, and that's just what country (and Christian, thanks to 2009's Grammy-nominated The Rock) music artist Tracy Lawrence is doing in a combination of charity events taking place in Lebanon (about half an hour outside Nashville) .

Folks wanting to get a little sawdust on their halo can make their way to The Mill in Lebanon tonight (4/29) to watch music manufactured by Lawrence and assorted other friendly renegades, rebels and rouges with a concert which begins at 6 and is expected to last until after 10. It'll be almost like a second home, with music from Lorrie Morgan, Joanna Smith (known for "Gettin' Married," she ran in yesterday's Country Music Marathon), Ira Dean (formerly of Trick Pony and currently shopping a major label single/video appropriate for today entitled "Somethin' 'Bout a Sunday"), bluegrass favorites brother/sister duo The Roys, Rick Huckaby, special guests and of course Lawrence. Nashville's Big 98 WSIX afternoon DJ Anthony Allen joins as host for the concert and live auction. You never know what lessons you'll learn or what surprise guests will appear. Lawrence might even paint you a Birmingham if you ask. (read more by clicking "read more" below).

Lionel Richie has the best-selling album in the nation for the second consecutive week with Tuskegee, his country duets project that has once again claimed the No. 1 spot on the overall Billboard Top 200 albums chart. Tuskegee also sits at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart for the third week.

With the week’s sales of 114,110, Tuskegee is the best-selling country album of 2012. It is the first country album in more than a year to spend two consecutive weeks atop the Billboard 200. The album’s total sales are 536,967.

“I am excited, overwhelmed, and most importantly, very grateful,” Richie says. “Making this album has been one of the best times I’ve ever had in the studio, so that in and of itself was my wonderful reward. The fact that Tuskegee is being so well received is just icing on the cake. What makes this even sweeter is that I’m sharing this success with my 13 talented friends who gave so generously of themselves to make Tuskegee the album that it is.

“I continue to thank my duet partners, to whom I will remain eternally grateful. Of course, none of this would have been possible without the support of my fans, who continue to inspire me on a daily basis.”

Richie’s time at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart began thirty years to the week that he became a member of the Country Music Association in 1982. While this is certainly not the first time Richie has topped the Billboard 200, this is his first No. 1 album on the country albums chart.

He joins Ray Charles as the only artists in history to have No. 1 albums on both the Billboard Country Albums and R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. (please click "read more" for further details)

Capitol Nashville’s country foursome Little Big Town announced the 2012 CMT Music Awards Nominations in NYC this morning on NBC’s TODAY show with Hoda Kotb and guest co-host Willie Geist. The group received a nomination in the CMT performance of the year category for their moving version of Coldplay’s “Fix You” from the concert special "Music Builds: The CMT Disaster Relief Concert."

Little Big Town was also announced as one of the first performances on the show performing “Pontoon” off of their upcoming fifth studio album. “Pontoon,” written by Barry Dean, Natalie Hemby and Luke Laird was performed by the band at Nashville's recent "All for the Hall" concert and has already created quite a buzz before its official release to radio (April 30th). It's been described as “the single of the summer.”

The 2012 CMT Music Awards mark the 11th anniversary of the show and will air live from Nashville on June 6th on CMT and CMT.com.

Urban outlook: Keith's in at the Opry (plus discount ticket details)
by Melissa Coker

Opry membership? For Keith Urban, it's in the bag. Literally. Sitting in the audience at the Keith and Vince Gill organized "All for the Hall" benefit concert at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on April 10th, everyone stayed silent and watched while a bag containing a special "present" was presented to Urban on stage. It didn't take long for the silence to swell into ecstatic applause though, as the crowd stood to the sight of Urban unveiling a coveted "WSM Grand Ole Opry" mic stand. Gill helped grandly do the honors of inviting Urban into the legendary Nashville country music institution...and an amazed blushing Aussie covered his face with his hands and of course accepted.

It was a true crown atop a night that had already played well into the hand of legends and the Opry, featuring everyone from until-now newest Opry members Rascal Flatts, to Opry members The Oak Ridge Boys and Diamond Rio among the talents to share the stage. Alabama, Little Big Town, surprise legendary guests Merle Haggard and Don Williams joined in - and with what would turn out to be foreshadowing, Opry announcer Eddie Stubbs stood by at a podium throughout "All." Add this to the fact that many artists performed 2-3 songs (typical Opry format) and the sold-out audience was closely cloned to the Opry on just a grander scale. In fact, one of the night's trios to perform, "Blue Sky Riders" is a group which includes in part singer/songwriter Georgia Middleman, who co-wrote Keith Urban's hit "I'm In" with Radney Foster. (The group's other members are Kenny Loggins and hit singer/songwriter Gary Burr). Click "read more" for further info (including an Opry ticket discount code).

Clark's Countless Influence Felt By Many - Artists Share Sympathies
(by Melissa Coker)

If you're reading this, then you probably know the legendary Dick Clark has passed away. Such a true loss, which for an avid Wheel of Fortune watcher (admittedly a unique take on the sad news, though not so much once one sees the tie-in) is still sort of on the heels of losing Wheel's former announcer Charlie O'Donnell (in late 2010) - he used to announce for American Bandstand and would always get a laugh when he'd stylistically proclaim the Wheel category of "Rock On!" in a very Bandstand-y bellow. Even hit Nashville singer/songwriter Tony Haselden, in his song "Who Da Baby Daddy" - a very humorous song about the immaculate conception - gives a nod to Clark's "oldest teenager" status with a line about Dick Clark doing the countdown from the square in Galilee.

Anyway, it's beyond fair to say that Clark's lovable and affable personality of a Pyramid (as in the TV game show) schemer brought many a new music star to light during his time as host of American Bandstand, entertained us with various blooper shows, and stood the test of time by counting us down into the new year every year (including 2012, with Ryan Seacrest) and of genre with his work on the ACM Awards (which his son Rac now produces), which recognizes many a Nashville star and country music celebrity. According to Nashville's News 2 This Morning, he even once taped a program in that very studio on Murfreesboro Road in Nashville. Rather than try to put remorse into too many personal words here, I've taken to gathering a few Tweets from the music community and sharing those in this space. These are of course but a small smattering. (Click "read more" to see them).

ACM and CMA award winning Country recording artist Tracy Lawrence found out who his friends AREN'T recently as the singer and crew woke to a surprise while touring in Bakersfield, CA this week. An equipment trailer carrying music gear was broken into and several items were reported stolen.

Several music companies came to the aid of Lawrence and crew to help replace the stolen items. Robert Keeley of Keeley Ellectronics jumped on board by donating replacement gear for a Guitar Rig. Others quickly shipped equipment in time for the next concert included; Howard Jones - Digital Console Rental, Jamie Jackson - Sam Ash Music, Indianapolis IN, Jason Goldin - Sam Ash Music, Glendale AZ, and Matt Adams.

Lawrence continues his tour in the west for the following dates: 4/19 Bakersfield, CA, 4/20 Nice, CA, and 4/21 Red Bluff, CA. Let's hope his visit to Nice proves nicer than his time in Bakersfield.

Singer-songwriter Kip Moore’s single “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck” becomes eligible for gold certification this week as it prepares to park in the Top 10 of the country radio charts.

"Truck” has sold more than 485,000 units and ranks No. 9 on Billboard’s Top-Selling Country Digital Songs for First Quarter 2012. It has been in the SoundScan Top 10 Digital Core Country Chart for seven weeks and the video has received about 5.5 million online views.

In addition, VEVO has selected him as its “Detected” developing artist for April. “Detected” is a series presented by bing that highlights rising musicians and bands through exclusive music videos and interviews. VEVO is the world’s leading all-premium music video and entertainment platform. He is the first country artist selected by VEVO for any of its developing artist programming.

“There is no way to emotionally prepare for what is happening right now,” Moore says. “The whole thing is more humbling than anything else. I’ve yet to wrap my head around this movement that is happening right now, especially with all of the reviews of this album.

“I never dreamed I would have a gold single before the album comes out,” he says. “You always believe in yourself as an artist and believe that it is going to happen, but when it is actually happening, you get so used to it not happening that when it starts working, there is no way to put into words how that feels.”

He will release his debut album, Up All Night, on April 24, and he wrote or co-wrote every song on the Brett James-produced project. (Unfortunately his "true" debut single "Mary was the Marrying Kind" is not on the album nor currently available through Amazon - but IS available by purchasing/pre-ordering the deluxe version from iTunes here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/preorder/u...d515414488

The common threads of Up All Night are universal coming-of-age themes as well as the roller coaster of love and loss. He relied on his personal experiences of growing up in a family of eight in the small town of Tifton (in fact the same hometown of singer/songwriter Cyndi Thomson), Ga., to craft these songs, whether it’s about the fun times of his youth in “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck” and “Beer Money” to troubled teens finding refuge in each other in the anthemic “Drive Me Crazy.” “Crazy One More Time” is about a powerful reunion with a lost love and the romantic “Hey Pretty Girl” is about the ideal version of a forever love. “Reckless (Growing Up)” is a semi-autobiographical take on his journey from Georgia to Nashville and the grateful “Faith When I Fall” was penned the day after he was offered his record deal.

Moore is excited that people will soon get to hear his entire album. “I am ready to see people react to the body of work in this project,” he says. “It’s going to be a deeper record than people might be expecting. I’m anxious to see the responses that people have and what they like the best, which songs they are connecting to and are emotionally invested in.”

His single and his energetic live shows have been earning tremendous reviews from fans and critics alike. That word is spreading even faster now that he has joined Billy Currington and David Nail on tour across the nation.

“What is wild is that people have gone out of their way to research me as an artist and they are calling out songs from the album before it is out,” he says. “They already know the words because they’ve researched them online. It’s a neat thing to see how people have researched beyond ‘Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck.’"

For more country music news PLEASE visit: http://www.examiner.com/music-scene-i...issa-coker