This Week in Country Music

Lady A stills on top of the song chart while Carrie Underwood spends her fourth week at #1 on the album chart, while her Cowboy Casanova video remains the best video on CMT and GAC.

The AMA's have come and gone, Keith Urban won his first and performed. Carrie Underwood performed another steamy performance of Cowboy Casanova this time with a Vegas feel and male dancers. Although she did loose the Country Female to Taylor Swift.

Taylor Swift accepted her 5 AMA's from London where it was 3am, she beat out Micheal Jackson for the top award, but for a country singer she also took home 2 Pop category awards.....hmmm. This set the internet a buzz the following day, questioning if Swift is country and if people are tired of seeing her?

The most inspirational and touching moment of the week was when Carrie Underwood performed on CNN Heros, which is an amazing show in itself. Then there was Underwoods performance of "Change" from her new album which once again showcased how the CMA people voted the wrong Female Vocalist, brought the audience to there feet for an extensive standing O. Check it out!

Carrie Underwood Tops Charts And Is Ready For "Temporary Home"

Well I think it is no surprise that Carrie Underwood's third album Play On debuted at #1 on both Billboard's country and all-genres charts, to go along with the #1 song for the same week "Cowboy Casanova". This is Carrie's second trip to the top of the Billboard all-genre chart, she did so in 2007 with Carnival Ride. Play On sold just over 318,000 making it the highest album debut by any female of any genre in 2009. "Cowboy Casanova" marks Carrie's 11th #1, making her the only artist to have ever accomplished this feat off of the strength of her first three albums, note that they were all consecutive, every song she has released has gone to the top! WOW.

Underwood took a break from her Play On media blitz to host the CMA's last week, now it's back to work. She has a line up of shows scheduled in L.A.. Last night she appeared on the Tonight Show, performing her upcoming second single from Play On "Temporary Home" and it was pitch perfect. She heads to Jimmy Kimmel tonight and off to Ellen tomorrow.

"Temporary Home" is set to hit radio officially on Dec. 14th, one week after her Variety Show Special, which apparently has an amazing performance of the song which chocked up the audience. "Cowboy Casanova" is Underwood's fastest rising single to date, after only 9 weeks its #1. I predict this inspirational ballad will get there even faster.

CMT has already started show casing it. They have put up the performance from her Invitation Only special which is set to air Dec. 1st. They have also added it to there video countdown even though it is not the official video. It is currently the most streamed video today. So here her performance from last night on the Tonight Show enjoy!

Carrie Underwood And Daughtry's CMA Perfromances Steel Swifts Sweep

They've come and gone, and they were good. Though with every good thing there comes some bad, nothing major just a few awards were undeserving. For now I'll just cover the performaces and the awards recap will follow. The performances for the most part were good, the sound in Somment Centre has never been very good when telecast. We saw Tim Mcgraw return after four years to perform, maybe next year he will be nominated for some.

The show opened with Taylor Swift performing a recycled performance from the AMA's last year. Call my crazy but when you are up for four awards and the big on of the night, and you are opening the show shouldn't you give a fresh performance to your so called peers. She threw a chair from a platform, slid down a pole, sang while on her knees and banging her head around, all the while sounding not so good live, but we have come accustom to that. Ladies and Gents your Entertainer and Female Vocalist of the year. As Faith Hill would say "WHAT"!!! She also performed "Fifteen" up in the grand stands surrounded by a sea of teens who were to my ears delight singing louder then her.

The show quickly recovered with one of the best monologues I've seen since Billy Crystal on the Oscars. Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood are a great comedic combination of class and whit. The video speaks for it's self. The parodies written by Brad accompanied by Carrie's voice made for the best part of their co-hosting, I think they may have a lock on this job for a while. The videos speak for themselves.



Carrie's Swine Flu parody to tune of LeAnee Rimes "Blue" makes you wish she would cover it.



Standout performers that you should check out included;

Daughtry featuring Vince Gill, I'm not sure if this is an attempt at a cross over or if it is just the title of the song accompanied by Vince that got them on the show "Tennesse", but they were good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAH3uPH9Qo0

Zac Brown Band covering Charlie Daniels "Devil Went Down To Georgia".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcauKlJCwvo

Sugarland, This may be an attempt to match "Stay", regardless they were good, but I don't think it will be as big of a hit but it is nice song, "Keep You".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKF_BwrE_HE

The biggest and most talked about performance came from the co-host Carrie Underwood, with her newly 11th, #1 single "Cowboy Casanova" she stepped out of her comfort zone and put on a show stopping production. It mimicked the video, with Underwood strutting her stuff and showing off her moves, sass and gams. As always the vocals from Underwood were flawless. The following day that performance was all the talk all over the net.



Award summary coming soon, stay tuned.

SNL, CMA's, Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley and TSwizzle (?)

Taylor Swift was on Saturday's SNL, hosting and performing. I find SNL skits have been lacking in the last bit, but I guess she did well with what she was given to work with. It was obvious that the show was geared to a younger audience.

Her acting was better then her performing....it almost hurt to watch. Although she did actually use country instruments this time, but did you catch when her guitarist wasn't playing the guitar...he noticed the camera was on him and he stopped strumming but the music was still going hmmm A.S. anyone. Maybe she just isn't cut out for performing on live television. Enough talk about this.

CMA preparations and festivities are underway, and their is a buzz in Nashville. The hosts Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood are exceptionally busy. Tomorrow morning after countless hours of rehearsing, they will be performing out front of the Sommet Center, for a free concert to be aired on Good Morning America, then back to rehearsing and press for them. Carrie will be featured in a special with Robin Roberts in the evening.

Swift is set to open the show and apparently set to do an acoustic performance later in the show, (I don't know why she has to perform twice at everything, there are so many talented artist there.) The Net is at ends about the Entertainer of the Year award so we will just have to wait and see.

Perform aces, awards, speeches, all makes for some good times...hopefully.

Carrie Underwoods Play On is Another Multi-Platinum

This decades Queen of Country, Carrie Underwood has another multi-platinum record on her hands. Play On that hit stores this past Tuesday, shows Miss Underwood's growth, maturity in writing and vocals, and her long awaited willingness to let people in and know more about her. The current ACM Entertainer of the Year and three time CMA and ACM Female Vocalist of the Year, doesn't look like she will be giving up the Vocalist titles anytime soon. She may have been out of the loop for a bit, but it was well worth the wait Play On is the best of Underwood's three albums. Underwood stated that "this is my most versatile album, and has a little bit of something for everyone." That sum's up Play On perfectly, There is something for everyone.

There is definitely a bigger country presence on this album compared to the two previous. Although there are distinct mixes with pop and rock, the country sound seeps through it all, and I believe Nashville living is wearing off on Underwood's vocals, you can hear more twang and she hits all the right classic country notes in many of the songs. You can clearly pick out the songs that were influenced by her newly gone public beau Mike Fisher, who she public thanks in print for his influence in the Thank You's of the cd's jacket.

I've already reviewed Cowboy Casanova, Mama's Song, Temporary Home and Undo It. So on to the rest of the ear candy where easily eight of the thirteen songs could be singles and most likely #1's at that. I could dissect each song, but i will let you all come to your own conclusions about the album and only make a few comments about each, cause this is worth discovering for yourself.

Quitter is and uptempo song letting someone know that you are not going to just quit on them like you did the others because this person is worth all the ups and downs that come with relation ships. The mandolin and steel guitar are jumping out of the speakers and give the song its hook.

Change brings Carrie back to a familiar place, with this inspirational ballad. She made people think with Jesus Take The Wheel, and So Small, now she is making people see the you can "Change" the world with every little act of kindness.

Someday When I Stop Loving You is just a perfect ballad that could have easily had Martina McBride's stamp on it.

Songs Like This The gist's of it, "If it wasn't for guys like you, there wouldn't be songs like this." The triplet banjo pattern takes the lead then there is a "Single Ladies" style J-stepping groove, the chorus brings a delightful organized ciaos. The instrumental bridge ups the ante again, and sounds like the country version of something that belongs on a Cheap Trick record. Great Tune all around!

This Time a quieter ballad that really brings on the romance when you hear it.

Look at Me a cover of Alan Jackson's (who is one of Underwood's favorite artists) original, it lives up to the challenge and possibly then some. With Vince Gill backing Carrie's masterful display of vocals, this could be a winning single, not to mention a good old fashioned country love song, or possible wedding song. Maybe she could duet with Jackson!

Unapologize is a ballad that says I'm taking back my sorry for saying I love you and telling you everything that s great about you. I'm not sorry, I'm proud.

What Can I Say which features Sons of Sylvia is a big duet ballad where both parties are wishing there goodbye would have been better even though they agree they will stay apart.

Play On the title track is yet another inspirational song, telling people to "Play On" through it all, no matter what happens, ups and downs, just "Play On".

This is most definitely a cd worth picking up and will undoubtedly be at the top of all charts this week.