Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton have been no strangers to the small screen lately. Blake took a turn at co-hosting the 'Today Show' with Hoda Kotb last week, while Miranda appeared on 'Good Morning America' on Wednesday (September 1) -- joined by Dierks Bentley -- to announce the nominees for the 2010 CMA Awards. Miranda got a record-setting nine nods (the most ever in one year for a female artist), while fiancé Blake received three. The couple are competing against each other in three different categories.

Life continues to be a roller-coaster ride for country's lovebirds as their busy careers keep them hopping from one venue to the next. Both appear to have their priorities in order when it comes to their careers, and Blake doesn't seem to mind at all that Miranda's profile as a "rock star" is on the rise.

"I won't lie," Blake told the Toledo Blade as he was making his way out of the NBC studios. "I think it's cool that she's a rock star. She's Miranda Lambert on stage, but she's also my girlfriend. But that's not what keeps us together. It's the fact that I know she's at home right now, and I'm getting ready to get on an airplane and fly there and be with her. I can honestly say I'm looking forward to that time with her more than being on an awards show or anything else."

Loretta Lynn, the 'Coal Miner's Daughter,' has enjoyed a 50-year career and in the process has become a true American icon. To celebrate the Kentucky-born legend's 50th anniversary, a diverse group of artists has contributed tracks to 'Coal Miner's Daughter: A Tribute to Loretta Lynn,' an album set for release November 9 on Columbia Records.

Personally chosen by Loretta herself, the list is a who's-who of country and rock favorites including Sheryl Crow, Steve Earle, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Kid Rock, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Allison Moorer, Paramore, Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, the White Stripes, Lucinda Williams, Gretchen Wilson and Lee Ann Womack.

"I am so happy that these singers wanted to do this record," says Loretta. "I love 'em all, and it was so great to hear all the different ways they did my hits," she said, referring to how each artist recorded with their own choice of producer and musicians. "I hope people like it as much as I do and we sell a bunch of records!!"

Steel Magnolia earned their very first CMA nomination this week for Vocal Duo of the Year, and the two could not be more overwhelmed, especially to be included in a category with the iconic Brooks & Dunn.

"It's a huge honor," says the duo's Meghan Linsey. "We went to the CMA Awards last year, and it was our first awards show ever. I remember getting out of the car and thinking, 'Nobody's going to know who we are.' I was just scared to even get out of the car. We got through it and we've gotten to go to a couple more awards shows since then, trying to get used to it. I don't know if you ever do get used to it. I'll have to ask Brooks & Dunn. [laughs] But it's a huge honor to be nominated, especially in a category with Brooks & Dunn and Sugarland and these bands who have been around."

Toby Keith has been traveling to the war zones for over nine years with the USO, making 167 trips so far. The country superstar is a tireless supporter of the military men and women who defend our country, going over to entertain them in oftentimes dangerous territories. "Me getting to go and see their faces light up and be on a base with 25 guys in the middle of nowhere on the Pakistan Border is all I need for a reward," Toby tells The Boot.

It's one thing to show up at a safe venue on American soil to entertain loyal fans, but it's a whole different story when one goes to a war zone. We caught up with Toby to ask him about the scariest situation he's ever encountered on one of his USO tours.

Kix Brooks will officially end his illustrious run as half of the legendary country duo, Brooks & Dunn, tonight, as he and partner Ronnie Dunn take the stage in Nashville for their very last show together. But tomorrow isn't the start of a long vacation for the singer/songwriter. Kix is getting ready to take his own show -- his radio show -- on the road, and hopes to find plenty of time to interact with his fans along the way.

Kix, who has been dividing his time between touring with Brooks & Dunn and hosting the nationally-syndicated American Country Countdown show, will now be able to focus more time on his radio gig, including making plans travel to a different radio affiliate each month. "I'm looking forward to taking our radio show on the road next year and spending more time with the local affiliates that broadcast American Country Countdown each weekend," he says. "This will be a fantastic opportunity to create some unique listener events and have direct contact with devoted Country music fans. The concert series will showcase several of our industry's top names and also introduce some of its rising stars."

Bobby Bare Jr. is popping up all over these days as he revs up his his Carpool America tour with Blue Giant and plays dates with Justin Townes Earle and Drive-By Truckers. Touring behind his sixth album 'A Storm a Tree My Mother's Head,' released on August 31, Bobby has gone from a Grammy nomination at age six for a song he recorded with his dad, songwriting legend Bobby Bare ('Daddy What If'), to jump-starting his career after three children, one divorce, and, yes, a tree falling on his mother's head. Bobby is definitely kicking off this, his first album in four years, in a big way. Besides touring behind the album he co-produced with David Vandervelde, he also produced a memory album, 'Twistable, Turnable Man: A Tribute to the Songs of Shel Silverstein.' Plus, Bobby is the subject of an in-progress documentary.

One spin of his disc (his first on the Thirty Tigers label) and it's easy to see why filmmakers find him fascinating. The songs on his album -- which he recorded in two days in a snow-covered Nashville cabin -- name-check everyone from Elizabeth Taylor, Opie Taylor and Darth Vader to the Dixie Chicks.

Many of his songs also tell personal stories about tragedies -- such as the time a 100-year old beech tree fell on his mother's head in the title song of the album and how his two-year old son almost died -- in surprisingly hilarious, tongue-in-cheek fashion. The Boot spoke to Bobby about all this and more, including where is in his musical career and where he hopes to go.

Is your father's career a curse or blessing on your own career?

It's not like I'm Jakob Dylan. Most people have no idea who my dad is, which I'm fine with. It's so much of a distraction and frustration for Hank Williams III [son of Hank Williams Jr.] or Shooter Jennings [Waylon's son], even though those guys embrace it in a big way. I've never played my dad's songs on stage. Justin Townes Earle is the same way. He has never really played any of his dad [Steve Earle]'s songs, because it's just not his thing. There are different ways to do it. The only shows I've ever done with my dad is him opening up my show at areas when I knew a couple thousand people. Then I'd say "Hey, here's my dad! He's really awesome." And people would laugh their asses off and have a blast.

Gretchen Wilson sits down with The Boot to talk about 'Work Hard, Play Harder,' which she co-wrote with John Rich and Vicky McGehee for her latest album, 'I Got Your Country Right Here.'

It's important to have writing partners who you're comfortable with and who you can say something stupid in front of. When you're writing, you can say a lot of stupid things! But you have to be uninhibited. We get together and write either at one of John's places -- he has a little bar in [Nashville] -- or at my house. We'll sit on the front porch.

This song all started with the tapping of a foot and John playing a riff on the acoustic [guitar]. We just started talking about what we feel makes a good American, a good role model. Then we started throwing ideas around. We all agreed we are in a funk in this country and we don't know if we, as a country, are a bad parent or what has happened. We have lost that good feeling that comes from working hard and feeling proud that you earned something.