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Miranda Lambert, W Magazine Interview: Songstress Talks Marriage, Touring and Taylor

Randee St Nicholas

Miranda Lambert is in the middle of headlining her On Fire tour, but she was still able to make time to sit down with W Magazine for an interview and gorgeous, Marilyn Monroe-esque photoshoot. The songstress chatted about all the duties of headlining a country tour -- which include doing her own hair and makeup for each show -- in addition to how little she's seen her husband, Blake Shelton, in their first year of marriage. She also spoke candidly about the acceptance of country music by mainstream audiences. Here are some highlights from Miranda's W interview:

On the future of country music: "Taylor Swift is a pop singer, but she really helped country music. When she hit, I was thinking, 'Thank God Taylor's out there to show people we're not cheesy.' Some people still think that country music is twangy and cheesy, and they pigeonhole us. But I thought if they're looking for Taylor's videos or songs, they might see or hear other people they like. If her fans are watching for her, they might like me too."

Continue reading Miranda Lambert, W Magazine Interview: Songstress Talks Marriage, Touring and Taylor

Jerry Douglas 'Traveler' Album Features All-Star Cast of Musical Friends

Amazon

Although he's a gifted multi-instrumentalist, Jerry Douglas has become world-renowned for his mastery of the resonator guitar a/k/a the Dobro. In fact, James Taylor told Guitar Player magazine that Jerry Douglas is "the Muhammad Ali of the Dobro." With friends like that, it's no wonder that a whole lot of other friends would hop on board Jerry's latest album, Traveler, lending vocal and instrumental support to the 11-song collection that's due for release on eOne Music June 26.

The liner notes for Traveler, the follow-up to his 2009 holiday collection, Jerry Christmas!, read like a who's who of popular American music, with guest vocals from Eric Clapton, Marc Cohn, Keb' Mo', Alison Krauss and Union Station, Mumford & Sons and Paul Simon. Also along for the ride: Sam Bush (harmony vocals and mandolin), Dr. John (piano), Béla Fleck (banjo), Omar Hakim (drums), Viktor Krauss (bass) and Del McCoury (harmony vocals), among others.

Continue reading Jerry Douglas 'Traveler' Album Features All-Star Cast of Musical Friends

CMT Awards 2012: Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Toby Keith & Pistol Annies to Perform

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The 2012 CMT Music Awards just added even more heat to the stage. The network confirms exclusively with The Boot that they've recruited Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Toby Keith and Pistol Annies to the show's list of performers. Billboard also reports that Willie Nelson, Rascal Flatts, Hank Williams Jr. and the Band Perry will take the stage. They join previously-announced performers Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood and Zac Brown Band on the CMT Music Awards 2012 lineup.

Toby Keith and actress Kristen Bell will co-host the awards show, set to air live June 6 at 8:00 PM ET/PT on CMT and CMT.com. Toby is the only artist to have performed every year at the CMT Music Awards since its inaugural, 2002 show.

All CMT Music Awards categories are fan-voted at CMT.com, through June 4. Get a full list of this year's nominees here.

Continue reading CMT Awards 2012: Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Toby Keith & Pistol Annies to Perform

Joe Nichols, Show-Dog Universal Part Ways

Show Dog-Universal

Without revealing too many details, country star Joe Nichols took to Twitter over the weekend to announce that he and record label Show-Dog Universal have gone their separate ways, Country Music Is Love reports.

"I'd like to thank ShowDog universal for doing the right thing," Joe tweeted. "I'M FREE!!!!!"

"My plans are to make a record with people I trust and love and be at a happy home (label)," he added. "Haven't feel this good about things in a long time."

Continue reading Joe Nichols, Show-Dog Universal Part Ways

Snoop Dogg Now Among Country 'Heroes,' Thanks to Willie Nelson

Matt Simpson

AUSTIN, Texas - When Snoop Dogg passed through Willie Nelson's neck of the woods during South By Southwest in March, he took some time to pay tribute to his unlikely friend.

He regaled reporters with mostly NSFW stories about time the pair spent together in Amsterdam, sharing their mutual love of music, marijuana and fried chicken. The always lighthearted Snoop also got serious when talking about his friendship with Nelson and the 79-year-old singer's unique role as a musical ambassador.

"When I first met him you would think he was a hip-hop artist because he showed love to me as if I was in his world and I never made country music or none of that, but he understood who I was," Snoop said. "And it drove me to make country music. I made a couple of country records and was a part of his album and went to the Country Music Awards and worked with Brad Paisley, went to Johnny Cash's house. I was getting heavy into it and finding country music is a form of hip-hop music. It's the same thing. We're the same people. Don't let the rhythm fool you. It's the same game."

Continue reading Snoop Dogg Now Among Country 'Heroes,' Thanks to Willie Nelson

Mary Chapin Carpenter, 'Chasing What's Already Gone' -- Exclusive Song Premiere

Rounder Records

On June 12, Mary Chapin Carpenter is set to release what is potentially the most poignant, deeply personal album of her career. Ashes and Roses, her fourth for Zoë/Rounder Records (including a 2008 holiday release), is the singer-songwriter's twelfth studio album and features a special duet with James Taylor on the track "Soul Companion."

"Ashes and Roses speaks to a personal journey that included the end of a marriage, the loss of a parent and a life altering illness," says Mary Chapin. "The songs attempt to describe what I saw, felt and experienced along the way."

Among the album's most touching tracks is "Chasing What's Already Gone," which makes its debut right here on The Boot. (Listen below.) It is available for download at iTunes, as part of a special two-song single deal with "Soul Companion." You can also sign up for a free download by entering your email address under the Ashes and Roses artwork at the bottom of this page.

Listen to 'Chasing What's Already Gone'

Continue reading Mary Chapin Carpenter, 'Chasing What's Already Gone' -- Exclusive Song Premiere

2012 CMA Music Festival Adds Nightly Acoustic Performances

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CMA Music Festival is only a few weeks away, and the star power continues to increase. Eight more artists have been added to the lineup, with two acoustic performances included in each of the nightly concerts at Nashville's LP Field.

Lauren Alaina, Kip Moore, Bill Anderson, Love and Theft, Kellie Pickler, Randy Houser, Steel Magnolia and Gwen Sebastian will each perform "unplugged" sets on the big stage during the four-day event. In addition, David Nail will sing the title track of his album, The Sound of a Million Dreams, with the Nashville School of Arts Chamber Choir on Thursday, June 7, as part of the CMA Music Festival's opening ceremonies.

Last year, Lauren, fresh off her second-place finish on "American Idol" (as runner-up to fellow country artist, Scotty McCreery), made her debut appearance at the four-day music event. The Georgia native says it's a great opportunity to meet the fans who helped propel her success on the hit TV show.

Continue reading 2012 CMA Music Festival Adds Nightly Acoustic Performances