Jonas Brothers
Set your TiVo, girls: First-time Grammy nominee Jonas Brothers are set to make their debut performance on the awards show.
The brotherly trio, nominated for Best New Artist, will take to the Staples Center stage on Feb. 8, CBS announced. Other artists scheduled to belt out a tune or two are fellow nominees ...
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Carrie Underwood by Denise Truscello/WireImage.com
The Academy of Country Music Awards opened with a fitting song, Carrie Underwood's Vegas-inspired hit about a drunken night's nuptials, "Last Name."Underwood would go on to win Top Female Artist at the 43rd installment of the ACMAs at the MGM Grand Garden Arena May 18 in Las Vegas. Before the show, stars walked the orange carpet, many making a trip to a crowd of fans who waited hours in the record 104-degree heat to get an autograph. Kellie Pickler signed a copy of an American Idol CD given to her by a fan, laughing and holding it up for photographers. "I love what American Idol did for me," Pickler said. "But it goes fast."The very pregnant Nicole Kidman made a surprise appearance with her husband Keith Urban. The pair spent the most time with the fans, shaking hands and offering thanks to all those that were shouting their congratulations on her pregnancy. "Thank you, I feel good," Kidman told one well-wisher as she made her way from one side of the 20-foot, roped-off fan area to ...
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Kenny Chesney, after being named entertainer of the year for a fourth straight time at Sunday's Academy of Country Music Awards, criticized the change in rules which for the first time in 43 years put the highest honor in the hands of fans and online voting. "[Entertainer of the year] is supposed to represent heart and passion and an amazing amount of sacrifice, commitment and focus," said Chesney, who tied Garth Brooks with the fourth win and now trails only five-timer Alabama. "That's the way Garth won it... the way [George] Strait won it, Reba, Alabama....." Now, he said, it's no more than a "sweepstakes to see who can push people's buttons the hardest on the Internet."The ACM has not yet responded to Chesney's comments. — MWM
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Paula Abdul by Sam Jones/Fox
Times like this, I don't miss our office being a stone's throw from 30 Rock. NBC has announced the lineup for Today's annual concert series, and the tourists first will be amassing to catch Paula Abdul in action, on April 25. Neil Diamond picks up the baton the following Friday, followed by Mary J. Blige, a "surprise reunion concert" (the Partridges, dare I hope?) and Alanis Morisette.The B-52s, somewhat appropriately, mark Memorial Day with a May 26 performance, then cede the stage to Donna Summer. June brings on Chris Brown, Kenny Chesney, Rihanna and Coldplay, while July features Ashlee Simpson (or a facsimile thereof), Rascal Flatts, Natasha Bedingfield and one Miss Miley Cyrus.Standing space is assigned on a first-come, first-served basis at Rockefeller Plaza. So, which of these acts might drag you into our fair city? — MWM
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Kenny Chesney by John Shearer/ WireImage.com
Kenny Chesney tops this year's Academy of Country Music Award nominations with 11, including Entertainer of the Year and Top Male Vocalist. Chesney has been named ACM's Entertainer of the Year for the last three years. Rodney Atkins nabbed six nominations, including Song of the Year for "Watching You" and Album of the Year for If You're Going Through Hell. Paisley received nominations in four categories, including Album of the Year for 5th Gear and Video of the Year for "Online."For the first time, the winner of Entertainer of the Year, the ACM's top award, will be determined by the fans. Voting begins on May 5; check out ACM's website for details on how you can vote. This year's nominees are Chesney, Paisley, Rascal Flatts, George Strait and Keith Urban.The awards will be broadcast live on Sunday, May 18, from Las Vegas (8 pm/ET, CBS) with host Reba McEntire. — Mickey O'Connor
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Brooks & Dunn took home four statues at Tuesday's Academy of Country Music Awards — including vocal duo honors — as well as a huminitarian award. George Strait and Carrie Underwood each grabbed a trio of wins.Most impressively, Kenny Chesney was named Entertainer of the Year for a third straight time. (Chew on that, Renée.) Only Alabama (with five consecutive wins) and Garth Brooks (with four) have bested that accomplishment.
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In an interview airing on Sunday's 60 Minutes, country singer Kenny Chesney sets the record straight on his sexuality, saying, "It's not true" that his marriage to Renée Zellweger broke up because he's, you know.... "Maybe I should have come out and said, 'No, I'm not [gay],' but I didn't want to draw any more attention to [the rumor circulated at the time]," he says. As for citing "fraud" — sometimes code for "One of us is gay" — as the reason for their September 2005 annulment, he and Renée believed that would be the "least harmful" legal term. "And boy, were we wrong!"
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Kenny Chesney was named entertainer of the year, and Brooks & Dunn's "Believe" netted three trophies, at Monday night's Country Music Association Awards. Also of note: Keith Urban, missing from the ceremony because he recently entered rehab for alcohol abuse, received a standing ovation when he won male-vocalist honors.... Performers at the inaugural BET Hip-Hop Awards, airing Nov. 15, include Diddy, Snoop Dogg, Ludacris and The Game.
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Carrie Underwood was the big winner at Monday's CMT Music Awards, taking home trophies in the Breakthrough Video and Best Female Video categories, both for "Jesus, Take the Wheel." Others earning accolades included Keith Urban (Video of the Year, "Better Life"), Kenny Chesney (Best Male Video, "Who You'd Be Today") and Rascal Flatts (Best Group/Duo Video, "Skin (Sarabeth)").
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American Idol's Simon Cowell has unveiled a new singing competition to debut in the U.K. called Star Duets, in which professional recording artists team with celebrities on duets. "We have lined up an incredible cast," Cowell says in a statement. "There may be a few raised eyebrows when we announce who we've got." Pair Kenny Chesney with Renée Zellweger on "Islands in the Stream," dude, and I'll hop the pond to see it.
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