Julianne Hough had a surprise guest at her recent AOL Music Sessions taping: her big brother, Derek. The fellow 'Dancing With the Stars' pro dropped in to perform 'Dreaming Under the Same Moon,' a song he also lends his vocals to on his little sister's debut album.

"We work so well together," Julianne told The Boot of working with her brother. "We performed together growing up . . . so we collaborate really well and obviously blend well because we're family."

The Hough siblings joke that they were nicknamed the 'Blonde Osmonds' when they were younger, as their entire clan of five towheaded brothers and sisters often performed together.

Julianne Hough knows a thing or two about being on top. After all, the 'Dancing with the Stars' hoofer has snared two trophies on the reality show with partners Apolo Anton Ono and Helio Castroneves. Even though she's temporarily trading in a Pasa Double for a boot-scooting boogie, her winning ways continue: Her self-titled debut CD entered Billboard's country chart at No. 1 in May.

In person, Hough is as charming and unpretentious as she appears on 'Dancing.' The girl next door with the beauty-queen looks laughs easily and often at herself. Before her AOL Music Sessions rehearsal starts, a man stops Hough in the hall to tell her how great her long, flowing locks look and asks if that hair is all hers. She laughs and says, "Of course it is," before pausing for a playful beat and adding, "It's connected to it." As the cameras prepare to roll, she admits that even though she was practically born in high heels, her feet are killing her and she is happy to lighten her load during her chat with The Boot. Read the full interview after the jump.

Artist: Lady Antebellum
Video: 'All We'd Ever Need' (Live AOL Music Sessions performance)
Why It's Cool: We already love their hit debut single, 'Love Don't Live Here.' Now, see Lady A's softer side with this touching love song. The hot trio performed it live in our AOL Music studios.

"Singing is the easy part of my job!" Jewel jokes, proving to be a good sport after a harrowing flight. The famed singer-songwriter had quite a scary trip to our Beverly Hills studios, as her plane had to make an emergency landing at another airport. Still, she arrived cool as a cucumber to her AOL Music Sessions taping, dazzling us with a performance of songs from her new country album, 'Perfectly Clear.'

The 33-year-old songbird has made headlines with her move to country radio, but she doesn't really understand all of the fuss. Jewel says Nashville is where her heart has been all along.

"I didn't wake up and become somebody else on this record," she explains. "Something a lot of people don't realize is four of my six records were made in Nashville with Nashville players. I've been writing and recording in Nashville, because it's a great town based on talent. They don't trade on celebrity."

Their debut album wasn't even on store shelves when Lady Antebellum got the call that they were nominated for the Academy of Country Music's Top New Vocal Group award. They were only on their first single when they won it. Still, the accolade was no surprise to Nashville, as this trio is what many consider the biggest buzz band to come out of Music City in years.

Even with their almost instant success, Lady Antebellum -- Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott -- sure don't seem green. The fresh-faced 20-somethings stroll into our studios after a whirlwind media tour. As exhausted as they are, they have everything down to a science, from their flawless vocal choreography to finishing each other sentences in our interview.

After their impressive Sessions performance (watch it here), The Boot talked to the three friends about everything from life on the road to celebrity crushes. Plus, we get the scoop on how the evolution of Lady Antebellum started with what you might call a musical pickup line.

Tell us the story about how you all met.

Charles: Dave and I are both from Augusta, Georgia, so we've known each other since middle school. We both moved to Nashville about three years ago, and then we ran into Hillary out at a Nashville spot.

Hillary: I actually ran across Charles' MySpace page a couple of months before I met him, and I just thought he was really great. I loved his voice. I loved the songs he was writing with Dave . . . And then I saw him out one night, walked up to him, and I go, "I know you from MySpace!" I know that sounds like a really bad line. [laughs]

Country's Piano Man is back with his first new music in three years. Phil Vassar releases 'Prayer of a Common Man' today. Like his previous albums, it serves a main course of love and family with a side order of playfulness and humor. But this time around, Vassar reveals a little more about himself through his songs, giving fans an introspective look into where he is now, both musically and personally.

"This is probably a deeper record than I've ever done," Vassar tells The Boot. "There aren't a whole lot of 'ditty' things going on on this record ... A lot has happened in the last three years since my last record, so I have a lot to write about."

For one, Vassar was going through a divorce while writing this album. As difficult as that was, he says putting his pain on paper provided a silver lining.

Trace Adkins originally turned down the offer to compete on the NBC reality show 'Celebrity Apprentice,' but the country star is certainly glad he reconsidered.

"It was a thrill," he told us during his Sessions taping. "I love Gene Simmons. Just the opportunity to get to hang out with him and listen to his stories ... It was a once in a lifetime opportunity."

Adkins also has a new friend in 'Apprentice' mastermind Donald Trump. And believe it or not, Trump is actually jealous of the singer -- at least when it comes to his long locks.

"He has hair envy of me," Adkins laughs. "He was always talking about my hair, and I was like, 'Dude, the hair thing is really starting to bug me.'"