Keith Urban On Stage; Nicole Kidman and Sunday in Sydney

Keith Urban: CMA Fest Cheerleader
By Tom Roland

When fans look back on the 2010 CMA Music Festival, one of the sonic moments they’re likely to remember collectively will be the close of Keith Urban's Friday-night set at Nashville’s LP Field, where he put together an all-star ensemble for a Beatles cover.

Keith brought out a horn section led byKenny Chesney sideman Jim Horn, keyboard players Tony Brown and Tim Akers and a group of background vocalists that included Sarah Buxton and Little Big Town members Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman for a version of “With A Little Help From My Friends.” Footage of last month’s Tennessee flood — and of neighbors helping each other through it — ran across the video screen in the back, underscoring the song’s communal theme.

Keith did the song twice for a film crew that was taping the stadium shows for the Sept. 1 ABC special “CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night To Rock.” Nashville’s recovery from the disaster is likely to be an undercurrent in the special, in part because it’s an example of a city that pulled together to help itself.

“It feels a little bit like the jazz festival did when we played down in New Orleans after Katrina,” Keith observed backstage. “It gives a different celebratory essence to the festival this year. For me, it’s all about community. Country music is hard to define musically because it ebbs and it flows in and around, just like it always has done, but I think the one constant is the communal feeling in country music and it’s never been more apparent than recently.”

In addition to “With A Little Help From My Friends,” Keith played five more songs for the throng of 40,000, sticking to good-time material. He essentially took the role of Dr. Feelgood as he unleashed “Kiss A Girl,” “Days Go By,” “Sweet Thing,” “I’m In” and “Somebody Like You.” That upbeat set list reflected his feelings about the festival, which brings fans from around the world to hear a stunning volume of music and get a chance to meet some of their favorite stars.

The ticket buyers love it, but so does Keith, who was buoyed by “the random sort of happenings of fans being able to run up to your car at traffic lights and throw CDs in the window, things like that. I just like the energy that happens in town during this week. There’s a place in Australia called Tamworth, which is like a small version of this, but it’s the country music center of Australia, and they have a festival every year in January and it’s that same feeling. [CMA Fest is] much, much bigger, but it’s the same feeling, sort of like a huge family gathering. So I love it.”

The weekend worked out incredibly for Keith, who played three NFL stadiums in three days. In addition to Friday’s gig at LP Field, the home of the Tennessee Titans, he appeared with the Eagles and the Dixie Chicks Thursday at the New Meadowlands Stadium, which hosts the New York Jets and New York Giants. Saturday, he rejoined the Eagles and the Chicks at Gillette Stadium, the home turf for the New England Patriots.






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Sister Antonia and mother Janelle on their way to visit Nicole and Sunday























Janelle and Nicole talk while Sunday plays




















Nicole visits her parents' home

Nicole Kidman: Double Winner, Australian InStyle Women Of Style Awards

Kidman triumphed over Claudia Karvan and Jessica Rowe to be voted winner of the news or entertainment category and was also selected for the reader's choice gong at the ceremony in Sydney on Tuesday night.

The 42-year-old actress was unable to attend the event because she is filming Just Go With It with Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler in Hawaii.

But she did record a special video message that was played to guests, including her sister Antonia and mother Janelle.

"I grew up in a family of women who are very strong and wonderfully opinionated," Kidman said, blowing kisses to her sister who had not been aware of her win before the event.

"My mother was such a huge influence on me, and my education.

"She encouraged me to have a voice and ultimately to give back, so to then be recognised for that makes me very, very proud. It's something I want to continue doing."

Kidman said she believed it was important that women collaborate and honour each other, working together as a collective to achieve change, as she is with her work at the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM).

And to be stylish, she said, was not to compromise.

"Style means having a voice, it means not compromising who you are because of what people say; it means standing proud, and knowing that that sometimes you are going to go in and out of fashion, but still, staying true to yourself," Kidman said, adding she was enjoying her role as a mother.

"Right now I'm very much in a place of nurturing: I love my family, I love being able to take care of my family and I've worked hard so that I can do that."

InStyle editor Kerrie McCallum said Kidman represented what it meant to be at the forefront of Australian style.

"With a career spanning over 25 years, and featuring in more than 30 films, Nicole Kidman is simply an iconic Australian female," McCallum said in a statement.

"An international star, Australia's only winner of a Best Actress Oscar, a passionate charity campaigner, a proud wife and a working mother of three - Nicole Kidman juggles all roles with charm, timeless style and a unique sense of intrigue."

Other winners included designer Kirrily Johnston in the fashion category and Deborra-Lee Furness in the charity and community category.

More than 270 guests attended the red carpet event, including Jodhi Meares, Collette Dinnigan, Kylie Gillies, Claudia Karvan and Leona Edmiston.

Channel 9 News

Here's video of Nicole, her mother Janelle, and sister Antonia.

Congratulations Nicole!





Blogger's Note: Although they are correct that Nicole taped her acceptance message in Hawaii, she was already done filming Just Go With It last week.

candude: Nicole Kidman's last day with us. Very sad. She was amazing; thoroughly prepared and very nice to work with. And on we go...