Jeff Giles

Trace Adkins Isn’t the Least Bit Excited About His Upcoming 50th Birthday
Half a century of anything is usually a milestone people take pride in — unless you’re Trace Adkins and you’re about to reach your 50th birthday, in which case it’s an occasion worth snarling at.
Yes, the ‘Just Fishin” singer will become eligible for full membership in the AARP on January 13. And while he isn’t normally much of a birthday person, he knows he can’t completely ignore the upcoming bi

Reba McEntire and Rascal Flatts Lead All-Star Lineup for ‘The Country Christmas Collection’ CD
Christmas is a time that reminds us of home and family traditions — two things that have always been celebrated in country music — so it’s only natural that so many country artists have contributed classic songs to the holiday season.
This year, Colonial Candle is extending that tradition with the help of Big Machine Records and an all-star roster of artists that includes Reba McEntire, Martina Mc

Heidi Newfield and Songwriter Bridgette Tatum Team Up on ‘She’s Country’ Tour
Former Trick Pony member Heidi Newfield has been hard at work on the follow-up to her 2008 debut album, ‘What Am I Waiting For,’ for more than a year, but she isn’t letting the delay get her down. In fact, she’s grabbing her band and hitting the road for a run of live dates — and taking some of her girlfriends with her.
Sponsored by Pendleton Whisky and dubbed the She’s Country Tour, Newfield’s fa

Steve Martin and Del McCoury Honored at 2011 Bluegrass Awards
The leading names of the Bluegrass genre gathered on Thursday for the 22nd annual International Bluegrass Music Association Awards, handing out honors to legends (including Del McCoury, who entered the Bluegrass Hall of Fame) and “newer” artists like Steve Martin, who took home the Entertainer of the Year award for his second full-length album of bluegrass instrumentals.

Toby Keith Talks Gay Marriage, ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ and Female Soldiers
Toby Keith has released some of the most proudly patriotic songs in modern country music, making him an easy target for those who prefer to think of country artists (and perhaps country fans) as belligerent or intolerant. The reality, of course, is more nuanced.
The fact is that Keith is simply not shy about speaking his mind, as readers discovered when Keith was asked to share his thoughts on gay

Kristin Chenoweth Is Ready to ‘Pay Dues’ with Her New Album
Country music has often served as a refuge for artists looking to jump-start their flagging commercial fortunes in other genres, and over the last few years, it’s become an even more popular ploy with Jessica Simpson, Jewel and others seeking to find favor with country audiences.
So Kristin Chenoweth knows that her background in musical theater might give some listeners pause, but she says she’s r

Terri Clark Gets ‘Personal’ with Her New Album, ‘Roots and Wings’
Her recording career spans 15 years and eight albums, but Terri Clark might just now be hitting her stride.
Clark’s latest album ‘Roots and Wings’ finds her tapping into her own experiences for a largely self-written batch of original tunes — and earning some of the best reviews of her career along the way. According to Clark, who enjoyed a string of platinum success in the 90s, recent turmoil in
![Watch Glen Campbell Perform Songs from His Farewell Album, ‘Ghost on the Canvas’ [VIDEO]](http://townsquare.media/site/107/files/2011/09/Glen-Campbell.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Watch Glen Campbell Perform Songs from His Farewell Album, ‘Ghost on the Canvas’ [VIDEO]
When Glen Campbell announced his Alzheimer’s diagnosis earlier this year, it served for many as a poignant reminder of the fragility of the human condition and the fleeting nature of our time on Earth. His honesty regarding his condition, and his decision to bid farewell to his fans with a final album and tour, have been an inspiration to countless fans.
Campbell stopped by the Sirius XM studios r

Brad Paisley, Vince Gill, Sheryl Crow, and More Featured on New Album Honoring Mark Twain
It’s arriving a year too late to commemorate the true anniversary of the occasion, but a new double-disc collection has brought together some of country and rock’s biggest names to honor Mark Twain 100 years after his death.
The set, titled ‘Mark Twain: Words & Music,’ features contributions from Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Brad Paisley, Sheryl Crow, Ricky Skaggs, Joe Diffie, Clint Eastwood, a
![LeAnn Rimes Discusses New Covers Album, ‘Lady & Gentlemen’ [VIDEO]](http://townsquare.media/site/107/files/2011/09/LeAnn-Rimes.jpg?w=980&q=75)
LeAnn Rimes Discusses New Covers Album, ‘Lady & Gentlemen’ [VIDEO]
LeAnn Rimes ends a four-year hiatus this week and returns to record store shelves with her 13th studio album, ‘Lady & Gentlemen.’ As with her platinum-selling self-titled release from 1999, ‘Gentlemen’ is a collection of covers — but this time around, she decided to give things a new twist.
The idea, as Rimes explained during a recent Taste of Country interview, was to put a feminine spin on s

Rascal Flatts to Join Grand Ole Opry
It’s been a pretty amazing decade for Rascal Flatts — they released seven platinum-selling albums and graced the charts’ top spots a number of times — but their latest honor might be the most meaningful of all: an invitation to join the Grand Ole Opry.

‘Bait a Hook’ Video Has Justin Moore Living the Good Life
We like to think of the recording artist’s life as a glamorous one, but the truth is, it’s often full of monotonous travel, industry politics and the like.
Sometimes, though, a country star’s life really is everything it’s cracked up to be. Just ask Justin Moore, who recently spent a beautiful fall day lounging on a lake … for work. It was all in the name of filming a fishing-themed video for his