PEOPLE Goes Country

Just in time for the Country Music Awards this week, PEOPLE publishes its Country Music Special Issue, a newsstand-only edition dedicated entirely to the country music scene. The issue features country’s biggest stars including Carrie Underwood, Brooks & Dunn, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson and Taylor Swift among others, and goes inside the homes of other country A-listers for an exclusive peek at their private retreats and family traditions.

Brad Paisley and his wife, actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley are on the cover of the issue and invite readers inside their dream house, a 6,500-sq.-ft. log cabin home on their 87-acre estate in Franklin, Tenn. This house with the smell of pancakes, bacon, coffee and a fire in the fireplace, it’s the best thing in the world, says Kimberly. The couple also shares exclusive first photos of their 8-month-old baby, William Huckleberry Paisley.


People also visits the homes of Sara Evans, Taylor Swift, Gretchen Wilson and others for an intimate look at the rooms they love most. Plus, Martina McBride gives readers a tour of her kitchen and shares recipes for her personal culinary creations. By taking time to make a meal or throw a party, it is a gift you give to the people you care about, says McBride.

The Country Edition of PEOPLE is available NOW!

Jewel officially goes COUNTRY

Scott Borchetta, the president and CEO for Big Machine Records, is launching a second imprint, the Valory Music Company, and has signed Jewel to a multi-album deal, billboard.com reports.

She's just one of the best singer/songwriters in any genre... a move to country is a natural progression for her.

Jewel, who has cut five of her six albums in Nashville, says country has always been in her plans. I've been wanting to do this record my whole career, she says, but my label was always scared of country music. I've always had country songs on my records. If I had been discovered now, living in my car in San Diego, I think I would have been signed as a country act.

Keith and the pain of love

While Keith Urban admits that being away from his wife, Nicole Kidman, is hard, he tells People magazine, I also learned to be really grateful for the pain too because it tells me I'm in love.

Keith, who appears on the cover of the current issue of the magazine, adds, I used to get really sort of weighed down by those sorts of thoughts. Now I go, 'Well God, it just means I'm alive and I've got a heart that's beating and I'm vulnerable. It's okay.'

One way Keith deals with missing his wife while on tour is by watching her movies on cable. I just see her, and I can see all her mannerisms and it makes me feel like I'm watching a little home movie, he says.


Keith also tells People that he and Nicole would love to start a family. We're not not trying to have a child, he says. I just need to say that clearly. At the same time, like any couple, I'm just absolutely into my wife...and very, very full and content, and I'm not without anything. So if it comes, it comes, and if it doesn't, I'm in heaven with my wife.

Brad visits soliders

Last Friday Brad Paisley accompanied the USO on a visit with wounded troops at the Brooke Army Medical Center's Burn Unit in San Antonio.

During the trip, Brad walked from room to room shaking hands with service members, listening to stories, signing autographs and expressing his thanks for their service. He also provided the servicemen and women with free tickets to his concert that night.

Today's USO visit was surreal, he said. Sitting with service members that have been through so much and hearing their stories is something I'll never forget. To them I am just a country music singer, but to me they are my heroes, and I wish them all a speedy recovery.

Brad also gave an impromptu concert in early August to more than 35,000 soldiers and their family members at Fort Campbell in Kentucky, a show he called the most important of the year.

Kix Brooks goes to HARVARD?!?!

Sorta.

Kix Brooks, half of the duo Brooks & Dunn, spoke to about 50 students at Harvard University on Thursday, The Tennessean reports.

Kix was invited by former Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell, who is teaching a seminar there this fall. Kix discussed the business of country music, the overall music industry and Nashville.

It feels good to be able to share such an interesting success story between the music community and the city of Nashville," Kix says. "The students got it, and once again, it made me very proud to realize country music's relevance on the national stage.

The other half of the duo, Ronnie Dunn and his wife, Janine, hosted a party for 300 at their home Friday to celebrate the release of the movie August Rush, on which Nashville music executive Anastasia Brown served as musical director. The guest list included Kix, Sheryl Crow, Guy Clark, Kim Carnes, Rodney Crowell, Holly Williams, Raul Malo, Suzy Bogguss and Blue County.

Kenny plays for over a million

Kenny Chesney drew more than 1.2 million fans for his 2007 Flip Flop Summer Tour, which played 6 NFL stadiums as well as venues like New York’s Madison Square Garden.

Kenny’s tour grossed more than $75 million, even with a relatively low ticket price. I know I’ve said it before but I really do try to make sure that the people who want to come out and party with us can, Kenny notes. I know what it’s like to not be able to go to a show you’re dying to see, and if I can help give my fans the opportunity to get here, or bring a date and make a little less, well, it’s okay.

Carrie's Carnival Ride

The release of Carrie Underwood’s second album, Carnival Ride, is currently the biggest selling album in the US, and the biggest female album debut of 2007! Sales have reached 527,101 units sold and has a 60% lead over her first album.

Digital sales have also made it country music’s highest ever digital album debut in chart history!

Carrie can be seen on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Monday Nov. 5, Good Morning America on Monday Nov. 12, and The Late Show with David Letterman on Tuesday Nov. 13. She’ll also be performing at the CMA Awards on November 7. She’s up for three awards herself: Female Vocalist of the Year, and Single of the Year and Music Video of the Year for Before He Cheats.

Sugarland's Mutual Admiration Society

Sound like a lovely little situation, huh?

Part of experiencing Sugarland's music is watching the pair interact onstage. We perform songs we believe in, the duo's Kristian Bush tells richmond.com. It can be very compelling.

Kristian is full of admiration for his partner, Jennifer Nettles. She does all the heavy lifting, the singing, he says. It's a beautiful thing to hear the words and melodies come to life with someone who is so talented.

Both Kristian and Jennifer spent time in other bands before getting together, and Kristian says those experiences helped shape the pair's friendship and business partnership. We learned how not to act as well as how to react, he says. We're also older now and have each achieved a certain amount of success. There's a lot of respect involved. We've learned to communicate.


In other news, Sugarland has added five holiday tracks to their latest CD, Enjoy the Ride, and plans to re-release it on November 6. This new edition of the album will be sold exclusively at Wal-Mart stores. A second disc will contain the Christmas favorites Nuttin' For Christmas, Holly Jolly Christmas, O Come, O Come Emmanuel and Winter Wonderland, as well as the original track Little Wood Guitar, written by Kristian and Ellis Paul. Kristian and Jennifer Nettles produced all five of the holiday tracks.

CMAs add Dierks and LBT!

Country's biggest night... has got a little bit bigger... Little Big Town will perform, and Dierks Bentley will present during the CMA Awards on Nov. 7. Little Big Town is nominated for group of the year and the Horizon Award. Bentley's Long Trip Alone is up for album of the year. Emerson Drive will present CMA Awards in the pre-televised portion. In addition, actors James Denton, Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Kate Walsh will serve as segment hosts for the ceremony, which will air live on ABC.

Lonestar Kicks Off Christmas Season With New CD At Cracker Barrel

Lo-HO-HO-HO-nestar!

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store and multi-platinum recording group Lonestar have combined authentic Country music with the joys of Christmas this holiday season. The result is a new CD titled My Christmas List and places another exclusive recording in Cracker Barrel's growing collection of quality Country music. On sale November 6th at all Cracker Barrel locations and online at crackerbarrel.com, My Christmas List features eleven newly recorded songs, highlighted by the energetic vocals delivered by Lonestar's new lead singer, Cody Collins. In addition to nine Christmas classics like Joy To The World, Silent Night, and Jingle Bells, this Lonestar CD features two new songs written especially for this project. The CD's title track, My Christmas List, reflects how priorities change with age.