Courtesy of Sony Music Nashville

Love and Theft‘s new single, ‘Angel Eyes,’ is giving the band a handful of firsts, including the fact that it’s a their first release as a duo. The video for the tune was just released, showing a more mature side of Eric Gunderson and Stephen Barker Liles as they flirt with temptation of dating the preacher’s daughters.

The video was shot on Liles’ farm outside of Nashville, and features their friends and family as the extras who come out for the big bonfire barn party, following Gunderson’s afternoon Harley ride and Liles’ cruise around town in his Mustang with their girls in tow. As a preacher’s kid himself, Liles knows all too well the mischief that is to be had growing up with that particular title.

But like good boys, Gunderson and Liles return their sweethearts to the front steps of the church at the end of the video, as their preacher father (played by Liles’ real-life preacher father) gives the the boys the look of questioning their involvement with his girls.

For Gunderson, the song is an extra special single, as he co-wrote the tune with newcomer Eric Paslay. Click here to read our interview with Paslay about how the song came about.

Watch the Love and Theft ‘Angel Eyes’ Video

Source: TasteofCountry.com

Jason Merritt, Getty Images

Taylor Swift is a walking anomaly. She’s risen to the top of the charts with songs about love and loss, while at the same time assuring the public that she’s absolutely loving being single. On ‘The Tonight Show’ with Jay Leno on Monday (Feb. 20), Swift opened up a bit about her Grammy-winning song ‘Mean’ and gave some insight into one of the reasons she is perhaps so content to be living the single life for a while.

“I’m a Sagittarius, and it says one of our major qualities is that we’re blindly optimistic,” she tells Leno in the clip below. “So when I’m in love, I’m just stupid about it, and I trust people – constantly. And then I always am like, ‘I’m not gonna trust people anymore. I’m gonna be one of those dark, twisty girls who guys love because they’re all like guarded and stuff.’ And then I just trust people again.”

This moment of truth came just after Leno asked the country starlet about her quote in her recent ‘Vogue’ cover story, where she said, “I’m smart unless I’m in love.” Speaking of her ‘Vogue’ experience, Swift gushed about how she was so excited to finally be able to live that dream. “I just loved the whole shoot, working with the coolest photographer and stylist and people,” she said. Even when the team cut her hair and put her in a hat, she says she just said ‘OK’ because that’s what you do when you’re working with ‘Vogue.’

Looking back on her recent two-Grammy win, Swift offered a little explanation behind her hit song ‘Mean,’ which most people assume to be about an experience she had in high school… but actually has a totally different origin.

“A lot of people think that I wrote it about being bullied in high school, and when the song went out into the world it kind of became that,” she explains. “But I actually wrote the song about a critic who kept giving me really bad reviews. Nothing ruins your day like getting a bad review. And then there’s this scathing review which is kind of past constructive criticism, and it’s kind of more into like I hate you territory, which is mean.”

While Swift shares that you never develop skin thick enough to handle those reviews, she says she loves hearing that others relate and are able to get out of abusive relationships or bullying situations because they feel empowered by the song. Still, the country star — who admits to getting her feelings hurt easily — says she no longer checks her Google alerts to see what people are saying about her.

Watch Taylor Swift on ‘The Tonight Show’ with Jay Leno

Source: TasteofCountry.com

Jason Kempin, Getty Images

Craig Campbell is revving his engines. The ‘Family Man’ singer will make his way down to the Daytona International Speedway this coming weekend, where he will headline the Coca-Cola stage in the Midway Fan Zone prior to the start of the Daytona 500. Campbell will hit the stage at 10:45 AM ET on Sunday, Feb. 26. He is slated to play a free, 90-minute set. Yes, you read right. The show is free.

The race itself starts at 1 PM so Campbell will certainly do his best to entertain the crowds for an hour-and-a-half before the actual race. Few things mesh as well as country music and fast cars and it’s a foregone conclusion that Campbell will do the genre proud.

According to a press release, Campbell has already designed his set list for this performance. He plans to play ‘Family Man’ and ‘Fish’ from his self-titled debut, as well as his new anthem ‘When I Get It.’

So if you’re based in Florida and were already planning to head down to the big event, make sure to get their early so you can take in Campbell’s free set.

Source: TasteofCountry.com

Stephen Lovekin, Getty Images

NBC’s hit musical drama ‘Smash’ tells the story of what it takes to make it in a Broadway show, and while country music is in a different genre altogether, the show and its stars have been giving some pretty big nods to the sound. Last Monday (Feb. 13), we saw actress Megan Hilty’s character Ivy offer up a slowed-down cover of Carrie Underwood‘s ‘Crazy Dreams.’ Tonight, according to mjsbigblog, we can expect to see another star performing a karaoke version of Gretchen Wilson‘s ‘Redneck Woman.’

This time the character going country is Katharine McPhee‘s Karen, who heads back home to Iowa for a baby shower. While there, she tests her pipes at a karaoke bar, putting her spin on the hit country song and showcasing her killer vocal abilities.

Wearing a plum dress and some kind of a baby shower necklace, McPhee’s character takes the mic in the clip below and never looks back. Though she seems laid back and almost hesitant at the beginning, like she doesn’t quite know all the words, but her rowdy friends are making her try. But with the natural choreography that quickly ensues and the pure charisma of Karen’s performance, it seems she does know the words after all.

Kicking off her shoes while singing the like “I’ll stand barefooted in my own front yard / With a baby on my hip,” Karen brings the house down and delivers a fun-loving performance.

For an L.A.-born pop singer, McPhee is pretty impressive in her country twang and her uninhibited ability to belt out the lyrics to a song called ‘Redneck Woman.’ Catch this clip on tonight’s episode (Feb. 20) of ‘Smash,’ which airs at 10 PM ET.

Watch Katharine McPhee Perform Gretchen Wilson’s ‘Redneck Woman’

Source: TasteofCountry.com

Frazer Harrison / David Livingston, Getty Images

Here’s a look at some notable birthdays being celebrated today:

Jeri Ryan
Age: 44
Occupation: Actress
Known For: Playing the liberated (“de-assimilated”) Borg, Seven of Nine, on ‘Star Trek: Voyager,’ roles on other shows like ‘Leverage,’ ‘Boston Public,’ ‘Dark Skies’ and ‘Shark,’ and her current role as Dr. Kate Murphy on the ABC drama ‘Body of Proof’

Drew Barrymore
Age: 37
Occupation: Actress, Producer and Director
Known For: Her star-making childhood role in ‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,’ two stays in rehab by the time she was 14, rebounding nicely with adult roles in ‘Boys on the Side,’ ‘The Wedding Singer,’ ’50 First Dates’ and the ‘Charlie’s Angels’ film franchise, co-founding the prolific Flower Films production company, her recent engagement to art consultant Will Kopelman, and just being all-around adorable

Kyle MacLachlan
Age: 53
Occupation: Actor
Known For: His roles in the cult films ‘Blue Velvet,’ ‘Showgirls,’ ‘Dune’ and ‘The Doors,’ work on the TV shows ‘Twin Peaks,’ ‘Sex and the City’ and ‘Desperate Housewives,’ and a lengthy relationship in the 1990s with supermodel Linda Evangelista

Rachel Dratch
Age: 46
Occupation: Actress and Comedienne
Known For: Being a cast member of ‘Saturday Night Live’ from 1999 to 2006, appearing in movies including ‘Down with Love,’ ‘Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star’ and ‘I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry,’ and her enviably close friendship with Tina Fey

James Blunt
Age: 38
Occupation: Singer, Songwriter and Musician
Known For: Singles including ‘You’re Beautiful’ and ‘Goodbye My Lover,’ being nominated for five Grammys, selling 18 million albums, and having a long string of model girlfriends

Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

Facing huge budget shortfalls, the United States Postal Service has proposed solutions including closing hundreds of post offices and eliminating Saturday deliveries. Now it may be considering jacking up the price of stamps, too.

The popularity of internet services like online bill pay have led in part to a 1.7 percent decline in mail volume, causing the USPS to anticipate losing $14.1 billion in 2012 — with bigger losses expected in the years to come.

In response, postal officials sent a letter to Congress last Thursday in which they recommended several changes, including the possibility of increasing the price of a stamp from its current 45 cents up to 50 cents. While stamp prices have gone up four times since 2006, chief financial officer Joe Corbett said, “Clearly, we’re [still] underpriced [and] would like the ability to move that price up.”

The USPS says the extra nickel, which would likely be added in one or two-cent increments until 2015, would raise revenues by $1 billion annually. Although taxpayers don’t foot the bill to keep the postal service running, Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe told Congress that failing to help the organization limit its losses would result in a “long-term burden to the American taxpayer.”

[Time]

We are still soaring from our first Grammy experience – imagine performing in the presence of icons like Glen Campbell, Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen. We were also grateful to be there with the music community as we mourned the icons we’ve lost this year. 

It’s been kind of a meteoric rise for the band, but there appears to be no limit to the success they have ahead of them in the business. If you would like, please enjoy the video for the single:

To hear the best country IN the country, listen to Y95 Country. Like us on Facebook:  Y95 Country.

Jason Merritt, Getty Images

When you’re the young daughters of superstar Jason Aldean, whose career is literally smokin’ hot, it’s hard to not fall in love with the same career choice as Dad. Aldean’s two youngsters, Keeley (9) and Kendyl (4), have found that love, but the level of seriousness for their future is still in question.

“They do have a love for music, I do know that,” Aldean reveals to Taste of Country. “It’s funny … we were going out to eat last night, and an Adele song came on the radio. My 4-year-old’s back there singing at the top of her lungs. I kind of looked at my wife and I said, ‘Well if they want to be a singer and pattern themselves after somebody, that would be a good one!’ [laughs].”

“They sing everything,” continues Aldean. “They know songs on the radio that I’ve never heard of, and they’re back there singing them. They definitely have a love for it. Whether or not it’s going to consume them like it did Dad, I don’t know. If it does, it does. It would be something that I would definitely encourage them to do and kind of give them my two cents worth. But I’d encourage them if they came to me and wanted to be an architect, you know what I’m saying?”

There is only one thing that would hold him back from giving his daughters the green light to pursue music. “If they’re terrible, that’s where it’s going to get a little sketchy,” he says with a grin. “If they’re awful and they think they can sing good, then you’ve got to be a parent and be encouraging, but at the same time, you don’t want them going out and embarrassing themselves either [laughs]! So we’ll see. They do have a love for it, but I don’t know to what extent yet.”

Source: TasteofCountry.com

Photo from UW Athletics

In a season that has had it’s share of ups and downs, the Cowgirls basketball team has had a remarkable run in conference play.  While much of the attention has been given to Kayla Woodward as a two-time conference player of the week as only a Freshman, contributions in this surprising season have come from many names on the roster.

Of all the player you’ve seen or heard contribute for the Cowgirls this season, which one is your favorite?  For some, this could mean who has had the greatest direct impact on wins or losses, while others might vote for the Cowgirl who hustles the most during the game.  Whatever your leading factor in determining your favorite Cowgirl, let us know who has been your favorite all season long!

Lee Baird

Good news for Wade Hayes, who is continuing his chemo treatment after being diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer in December. The ‘Old Enough to Know Better’ and ‘I’m Still Dancin’ With You’ singer is back on his feet, doing some light working out and even getting ready to tackle the world of songwriting this week.

Hayes’ Facebook admin team gave fans an honest update last week that expressed the reality of the ups and downs the singer continues to face on a daily basis. “He says he’s doing OK,” posted Helen, the head of the singer’s fan club. “The first chemo [treatment] – 4 weeks ago – kicked him pretty hard, but the second one wasn’t so bad. He has his third one today. He was on his way to workout – the doctor cleared him to work with light weights. He’s trying to gain back some of the considerable weight he’s lost. He’s working on his music – has a writing appointment next week – is planning to put out another album.

“He’s bolstered by your prayers and support [and] is depending on them,” Helen continued. “He especially appreciates the encouraging messages he’s received from those who’ve gone through this same ordeal.”

Hayes underwent an extremely successful surgery in December, and began his six months of chemo soon after recovering from his stint in the hospital. All of us at Taste of Country continue to send our best and well wishes to Wade during this trying time.

Source: TasteofCountry.com

I-80 Corridor     Rock Springs – I-80 between Rock Springs and Point of Rocks – EASTBOUND    

Frederick M. Brown, Getty Images

Blake Shelton fans will be excited to learn that on Season 3 of NBC’s ‘The Voice,’ when one of those iconic red chairs swivels around, their favorite country papa bear will still be sitting in it. The Wrap is reporting that Shelton has signed on for another season of the show, along with all three of the other celebrity coaches — Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green and Adam Levine.

While the coaches seem to enjoy their time on the show, they’re certainly not lending their musical expertise for free, or anything even remotely close to the vicinity of free. The Wrap reports that Aguilera will receive $10 million for returning, while the other three judges will each see their current pay doubled to $6 million.

The show, which is currently in its second season, is gearing up for a third season in the fall. When asked to confirm that the lineup of celebrity coaches will remain the same, a spokeswoman from NBC contended that no final decisions have been made and that there’s still room to see different judges enter the mix.

On the current season of the show, Shelton and the other coaches are still trying to craft their perfect teams, listening to each performer during the blind auditions and only hitting that giant button to turn around when someone truly wows them. So far, Shelton has six of his 12 slots filled with hopefuls, including Brian Fuente, Erin Willitt, Gwen Sebastian, Jermaine Paul, Jordis Unga and RaeLynn.

Tune in Mondays at 8 PM ET on NBC to see how this season plays out. And rest assured knowing that, regardless of which contestants are voted off and have to leave, the coaches aren’t going anywhere. For those salaries, we don’t blame them!

Source: TasteofCountry.com

Ethan Miller, Getty Images

Perhaps guitar-slinging favorite John Mayer was a little more impacted by his time with Taylor Swift than he originally thought. Though the ‘Heartbreak Warfare’ singer hasn’t quite gone country, he just released a clip from his upcoming single ‘Shadow Days,’ and we detect a bit of a twang in there. The single is the first from Mayer’s impending record ‘Born and Raised,’ which doesn’t yet have an official release date.

In this one-minute clip, you can get a feel for how Mayer’s lyrics fit the more countrified feel. “Well I ain’t no troublemaker/ And I never meant her harm,” he sings, later jumping into the chorus: “I’m a good man, with a good heart/ Had a tough time, got a rough start.” It all culminates with the line, “But my shadow days are over.”

Like country crooner Keith Urban, Mayer underwent a throat surgery that resulted in a period of complete vocal rest. But now he’s back and gearing up for the release of this record. On his Tumblr page he told fans, “I’m excited to share the first bit of sound from the album … Been looking forward to a post like this since October 14, 2010, the first day I started writing this group of songs. Enjoy.”

This record has obviously long been in the works, and while definitive details are hard to come by, rumors circulated in 2010 that one of Mayer’s acquaintances suggested he was formulating a comeback of some sort to Swift’s open criticism of him in her song ‘Dear John.’ How and if he will do this, however, remains to be seen.

Listen to a Clip of John Mayer’s ‘Shadow Days’

Source: TasteofCountry.com

Alex Wong, Getty Images

Alan Jackson will cruise onto ‘The Tonight Show With Jay Leno’ on Friday, March 30 to perform his new single, ‘So You Don’t Have To Love Me Anymore.’ If you haven’t thought that far ahead about your plans, now you have a pretty good idea of what you will be doing that evening.

Country Music is Love reported the news about Jackson’s booking on the late night gab fest. Since country fans have to wait a little over a month to see Jackson land on ‘The Tonight Show’ stage, it’ll be a good idea to make yourself a note or a reminder now. This is one performance you won’t want to miss or forget about.

What a great way to end the week and an amazing way to spend a Friday night — enjoying brand new Alan Jackson music on late night TV, but not before enjoying some of Jay Leno’s humorous commentary on pop culture and current events. Who out there plans to watch this performance and episode?

‘So You Don’t Have to Love Me Anymore’ is currently available at all digital retailers.

Source: TasteofCountry.com

Twitter

Between stops on the 2012 Thaw Out Tour, Rascal Flatts‘ Jay DeMarcus has had some time to spend with his too-cute-for-words 14-month-old daughter, Madeline. The scruffy dad tweeted this photo to fans on Thursday, causing a collective round of “Awww’s” across social media networks.

“My heart,” DeMarcus tweeted. Again … “Awwwww.” Last month, the bassist announced that he and his wife Allison were expecting baby number two this summer. If you’re counting at home, that’s going to make six kids — five girls and one boy — for the country trio.

The second-biggest arrival in DeMarcus’ life will be the band’s new album ‘Changed’ on April 3. Recently, they revealed the track listing for the project. “We mixed it up and did something a little different,” Gary LeVox said. A deluxe edition featuring four bonus songs will also be available on the same day.

Source: TasteofCountry.com

Larry Busacca, Getty Images

After Chris Brown was given the stage for not one but two Grammy performances this year, Miranda Lambert has had no problem stepping up to let her fans know how she feels about the hip-hop artist and his past as an abuser. Not only did she tweet several times with her feelings on the matter, but Lambert finally took her anger to the stage at a show this week, as seen in the below video Taste of Country received from a fan.

Walking to the front of the stage, Lambert picked up a giant green poster from an audience member in the front row. Holding the poster up, she asserted into the mic, “Nothing else needs to be said tonight, ladies and gentlemen,” revealing the neon sign that reads: “Take note Chris Brown.” What the country star would like Brown to note are the lyrics to her female-empowered song ‘Gunpowder and Lead,’ which tells the story of a woman getting back at her abusive husband once and for all.

In the clip, Lambert can be seen encouraging her fans to get a good picture of her holding the sign, and she even takes some time to carefully display it as she calls out Brown by name and adds, “Beatin’ up on a woman is never OK, so that’s why my daddy taught me early on in life how to use a shotgun.” From there, she launches into the song about revenge, getting fans excited by its new connotation.

Earlier this week, Lambert tweeted her surprise about Brown’s Grammy appearance, saying, “Not cool that we act like that didn’t happen. He needs to listen to Gunpowder and lead and be put back in his place. Not at the Grammys.” Brown later responded, not directly to Lambert, but to the media in general, saying “DEAR MEDIA.. Ur plan is not working.. I’m not going anywhere so get used to me.” Perhaps the media will have to get used to Brown’s public appearances, but there’s one blond country power princess who’s not letting him off that easily.

Watch Miranda Lambert Speak Against Chris Brown in Concert

Source: TasteofCountry.com

Kevin Winter / Frazer Harrison, Getty Images

Here’s a look at some notable birthdays being celebrated today:

Kelsey Grammer
Age: 57
Occupation: Actor
Known For: His two-decade portrayal of psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane on the hit sitcoms ‘Cheers’ and ‘Frasier,’ providing the voice for characters like Sideshow Bob on ‘The Simpsons,’ currently starring in the Starz series ‘Boss,’ and a tabloid-friendly personal life that’s included four marriages

Jennifer Love Hewitt
Age: 33
Occupation: Actress
Known For: Starring in the ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ film franchise and on the TV shows ‘Party of Five’ and ‘Ghost Whisperer,’ popularizing the weird vajazzling trend, and previous relationships with celebrities including singer John Mayer, who reportedly wrote his hit song ‘Your Body is a Wonderland’ about her

Tyne Daly
Age: 66
Occupation: Actress
Known For: Winning a 1989 Tony for her work in ‘Gypsy,’ earning six Emmys for her roles in ‘Cagney & Lacey,’ ‘Judging Amy’ and ‘Christy,’ and being the older sister of actor Tim Daly

Mary Chapin Carpenter
Age: 54
Occupation: Singer, Songwriter and Musician
Known For: Country hits like ‘I Feel Lucky,’ ‘He Thinks He’ll Keep Her,’ ‘I Take My Chances’ and ‘Shut Up and Kiss Me,’ being the only woman to have won four consecutive Grammy Awards for Best Female Country Vocal Performance, and writing or co-writing songs for other artists like Joan Baez, Cyndi Lauper and Wynonna Judd

Ellen Page
Age: 25
Occupation: Actress
Known For: Her Academy Award-nominated work as the quirky title character in ‘Juno,’ roles in other films including ‘Inception,’ ‘Whip It’ and ‘X-Men: The Last Stand,’ and being the spokesperson for Cisco Systems in a series of ads

UW Cheerleaders (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

With head coach Larry Shyatt’s bid to ‘Restore the Magic’ inside the Arena-Auditorium, the atmosphere at Cowboy basketball games has been better than Laramie has seen in quite a few years. UW is 18-8 on the season and the success seems to have added to the number of people finding their way inside the A-A. So are all of these fans fare-weather?

You can help us find out by answering the poll below. Let us know the biggest factor in determining whether or not you spend the money and time to attend a Wyoming Cowboy basketball game.

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Classically trained pianist turned singer-songwriter Nicolle Galyon stood apart from the other country contestants on ‘The Voice‘ Monday night. Actually, she sat… while delivering a tender, piano driven version of Kenny Chesney‘s ‘You Save Me.’

Only Adam Levine spun around to watch the performance, meaning the Sterling, Kan. native will join his team when the show moves into the battle rounds. “I feel like I’m living a dream, I don’t know, my head’s in the clouds right now,” Galyon said after her audition, admitting that she would have chosen the Maroon 5 rocker had all four mentors fought for her.

“When you weren’t nervous you were so special,” Levine said. Blake Shelton added that the blonde singer didn’t get nervous until Levine spun around. Gaylon said at that point she felt like she had gotten what she came for so she lost focus.

According to her page on Facebook, Gaylon is a staff songwriter for Warner-Chappell Publishing. “I play piano. I write songs on the piano. I sing the songs i write on the piano,” she writes in her biography. The other coaches appreciated her desire to make the piano as important an instrument as the fiddle in Nashville, but also suggested she learn guitar.

The audience went wild when Levine spun around, and a big smile broke out across Gaylon’s face. Clearly excited, she said,”I don’t even remember the audience, I just felt like I was singing to these four chairs.”

Watch Nicolle Galyon Sing Kenny Chesney’s ‘You Save Me’ on ‘The Voice‘

Source: TasteofCountry.com