Keith Urban: Newest Grand Ole Opry Inductee

Tears of joy for such a talented and deserving man! Keith Urban, during the All For The Hall benefit, was asked to become a member of The Grand Ole Opry. His induction will take place on April 21, 2012. What a beautiful night of music, memories, and history with groups ranging from The Oak Ridge Boys to The Band Perry. On hand to make the night even more memorable were Keith's heroes Don Williams and Merle Haggard, and of course wife Nicole and daughter Sunday.

Thank you Keith for all you have inspired, the music you've made and continue to make, and most of all CONGRATULATIONS!

Keith Urban Announces 'Heroes' to Play at All for the Hall 2010

Official CMHOF Press Release


KEITH URBAN’S WE’RE ALL FOR THE HALL BENEFIT CONCERT FOR THE COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME® AND MUSEUM RETURNS TO THE BRIDGESTONE ARENA ON OCTOBER 5 Concert to feature Urban, Vince Gill, Dolly Parton, Charley Pride, John Mayer, Alan Jackson, Martina McBride, Miranda Lambert, Alison Krauss and Billy Currington--Tickets on sale Friday, September 17, at 10:00 a.m.

NASHVILLE, Tenn., September 7, 2010 - Near the end of last year's sold out, wildly successful We're All for the Hall benefit concert, which was organized by Keith Urban, Vince Gill turned to his friend and asked, "Hey Keith, this thing turned out all right, didn't it?...What do you say we do it again next year?" To the crowd's delight, Urban announced that We're All for the Hall would return on October 5, 2010.

True to his word, the Grammy Award-winning artist and an all-star lineup of friends will return to Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday, October 5, for a concert to benefit the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum. Reserved seating tickets, which are priced at a family friendly $25 and $35 (does not include Ticketmaster surcharge), will go on sale Friday, September 17, at 10:00 a.m. A limited number of VIP ticket packages will also go on sale on September 17 at www.countrymusichalloffame.org. (Complete ticket purchase information is below.)

The show--which will feature performances from an all-star line-up including Urban, Country Music Hall of Fame members Gill, Dolly Parton and Charley Pride, John Mayer, Alan Jackson, Martina McBride, Miranda Lambert, Alison Krauss and Billy Currington--promises to be a one-of-a-kind, once-in-a-lifetime evening of music, friendship and camaraderie.

All for the Hall is the Museum's first-ever non-bricks-and-mortar fundraising initiative. The campaign addresses the not-for-profit educational institution's need for long-term financial security and provides a safety net for its work. Through an aggressive exhibit schedule, scholarly publications and hundreds of school and family programs, the Museum teaches its audiences about the enduring beauty and cultural importance of country music. Museum Board President Gill created and has led the institution's All for the Hall fundraising initiative since 2005.

"Thanks to all of the artists who gave so generously of their talents and their time, last year's concert went well beyond what anyone could've ever imagined," said Urban. "The awareness and money raised was extraordinary.

"So what do we do for an encore?" added Urban. "This year we've created a musical theme called 'Heroes.' I've asked each artist to play one of their favorite songs from one of their country heroes, besides of course, one of their own hits. There's no doubt that this audience is going to experience a really special night - some of their favorite artists doing songs that, in some cases, they may have never even played live before...and quite possibly won't ever again."

"Last year's We're All for the Hall concert was a landmark for this institution," said Museum Director Kyle Young. "It was the most successful fundraiser in the Museum's history, netting nearly $500,000. And it not only set a new standard for fundraising and event coordination, but also brought together an entire community and helped us to see what can be done by individuals when there is a collective passion for a cause.

"It is beyond gratifying" Young continued, "when the artists we love and chronicle, artists like Vince and Keith, offer us their leadership and financial support. Keith Urban grew up in a home where country music was cherished. He knows the music's history and its heroes. He is one of country music's greatest champions and he is one of this Museum's heroes."

For more on tickets and Special VIP Packages click HERE.

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Thanks to TheBoot.com for the info!


Keith Urban Announces 'Heroes' to Play at All for the Hall 2010




Last year's inaugural All for the Hall benefit concert for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum wasn't even over before its organizer, Keith Urban, announced to the sold-out crowd that he's doing it again in 2010.

On October 5, Keith will be joined by a who's-who list of famous friends for the show. Hall of Fame members Dolly Parton, Charley Pride and Vince Gill will take the stage alongside Billy Currington, Alan Jackson, Alison Krauss, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride and John Mayer.

"Thanks to all of the artists who gave so generously of their talents and their time, last year's concert went well beyond what anyone could've ever imaged," Keith reports of the 2009 event, which was the biggest fundraiser in the museum's history, bringing in close to $500,000. "The awareness and money raised was extraordinary.

"So what do we do for an encore?" he asks. "This year we've created a musical theme called 'Heroes.' I've asked each artist to play one of their favorite songs from one of their country heroes, besides of course, one of their own hits. There's no doubt that this audience is going to experience a really special night -- some of their favorite artists doing songs that they may have never even been played live before ... and quite possibly won't ever again."

Last year, Keith and Vince served in the house band for all of the acts. There's no word yet on whether the two guitar virtuosos will do it again this year.

Tickets to All for the Hall 2010, which returns to Nashville's Bridgestone Arena, are priced at $25 and $35 and go on sale September 17 through Ticketmaster. VIP ticket packages will also be up for grabs that day at www.countrymusichalloffame.org.

Nicole Kidman Named Best Local Nashville Celebrity

Thanks to an E! Online Positive poster for the heads up....


2010 Toast of Music City

Best local celebrity

1. Nicole Kidman
2. Vince Gill
3. Taylor Swift

Congrats to the winners!

Voting was conducted online and by the public through the ToastofMusicCity website.

Lost In The Nashville Flood

Lost In The Nashville Flood

Anyone who knows the feeling of becoming intimately familiar with a particular musical instrument can’t help but sympathize with all those musicians who lost prized pieces of equipment during the recent floods in Nashville.

I reached out to several to ask whether they’d been affected by the wall of water that submerged Soundcheck Nashville, one of the key musical equipment storage facilities there. A lot of people think of instruments as little more than furniture that's easily replaceable, but that notion quickly fades when you hear a musician talk about a favorite piece of musical equipment. And even for those instruments that might be in good enough shape to repair, the chorus from those dealing with them was remarkably consistent: "They'll never be the same."

Brad Paisley had all his guitars and other equipment he uses on tour at Soundcheck because he and his crew were rehearsing for a tour that opens May 21 in Virginia Beach, Va. Ironically, it’s “The H20 Tour” from the track “Water” on his latest album, recorded long before the flood.

“It was under the Cumberland River,” Paisley told me by phone from his home in Nashville. “I don’t know what was in that water, but it was bad. There were spiders, snakes, it was just awful….The bridge on my Telecasters -- they’re fairly new guitars, and they’re chrome-plated. Some of them are titanium, and they had corrosion that looked like they were 50 years old.”

Paisley’s equipment was insured -- many musicians' gear wasn't -- but even so, he notes that several of his favorite guitars that were destroyed were vintage instruments 50 or 60 years old that can’t be replaced.

“I called Vince [Gill] right afterward and said, 'Tell me your '53 Tele wasn’t in there.’ That's the one guitar you most associate with him. He said, 'It wasn’t -- actually, everything I tour with was in a truck that couldn’t get back to Soundcheck because of the rain.’ He just had his collectible stuff there, which is just as bad. Keith [Urban] and I were just the opposite. Everything we have that goes on the road was in there.”

Keyboardist John Hobbs told me about the Hammond B3 organ he’s played on innumerable recording sessions and live performances: “My B3 I bought from a lady in Ohio who bought it new in 1955. She had nursed it, and it had the maintenance record taped to the top of the bench: ‘Cleaned and oiled, Feb. 1, 1956…Cleaned and oiled Feb. 1957.’ Unbelievable. I had it all cherried out with the very best tubes to get it sounding great. I even had a name for it, I called her Nellie Belle. Anyway, it’s a hit, it’s a big hit.”

Guitarist John Jorgenson just returned from a tour through Europe, “which had its own challenges with the volcano, immigration issues, etc…."

Back in Nashville, he said, “My home, family and pets were all OK, but not so much my instruments. My basement flooded with all my vintage Vox amps, and once I was able to get them recovered I found out about Soundcheck, where I indeed had a lot of instruments and amps stored -- most of the ones I used on tour with Elton, and all the ones I'd have taken to sessions, many one-of-a-kind, specially made for me, the others vintage.

“It was of course horrible to know that they were all sitting in water for days and I was in Europe and could do nothing about it, although no one else could either, as the whole building was inaccessible. [I’m] back home now, and dealing with the massive amount of ruined gear and instruments ... they were much worse than I thought, as all the guitars spent days submerged in water containing diesel fuel and sewage.”

Then he ran part way down the laundry list of his damaged equipment:

“Monteleone mando[lin] is toast, Gibson A2 [mandolin] went into a bag in so many pieces, '61 Les Paul SG [electric guitar], '64 SG Custom, '70 Les Paul Custom, Yellow Submarine Casino, Hank Marvin Strat ...four vintage AC30s [Vox amplifiers], 2 JJ Matchless [amps] ... A dozen amps and about 25 guitars, plus cases, trunks, rack units, pedals ... incredible.”

I mentioned to him that Keith Urban and Vince Gill, both of whom lost a considerable amount of instruments and gear, opted not to do interviews out of respect for musicians who were in far worse shape.

“I understand perhaps why some others don't want to speak about it,” Jorgenson said, “but it certainly is an aspect of this whole story that many don't understand.”

Joe Chambers, a musician who opened the Musicians Hall of Fame about a year ago, put it this way: “This is a very personal thing. An instrument becomes an extension of you. Music itself is all mental. Personally, somebody could hand me a yellow guitar with pink polka dots on it, and I couldn’t be very creative with it. I’d reject it. By the same token, it could be a guitar that’s not necessarily a brand name, but just one that sounded good in the right hands and it makes beautiful music.

“You could take a really nice instrument, but it might not lay in your hand right, so you’re not going to play to the best of your ability,” Chambers said. “For songwriters and musicians, these things are not tangible.”

Paisley said the guitars he’s lost represent more than just physical objects -- “It seems like they become old friends.” At the same time, he said, “They are just guitars. I haven’t had time or an inkling to be sad or complain about anything…. I think the silver lining is that we’ve seen a side of Nashville you only see emerge in this kind of adversity, and it’s a fantastically graceful place. No one’s looking for a handout. No one’s even angry.

“They just instantly went into this everybody-needs-help-and-we’re-going-to-help-them mode,” Paisley said. “This is a small town basically, and it’s small enough that it’s hard to look the other way.”

-- Randy Lewis


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BENEFIT UPDATE

If you are in the Los Angeles area (5/15), there will be a night of comedy to benefit Tennessee flood victims. David Spade and Friends takes place at the Hollywood Improv. Other comics performing include Jeff Ross, Kevin Nealon, Sarah Silverman, Todd Glass, and Chris Hardwick. 2 shows, 8 & 10 pm. All proceeds go to charity.

Lorrie Morgan Visits Soundcheck Nashville After The Flood

Nashville Helping Nashville

It was a wonderful night of music and community that raised over $1,700,000.

Fortunately Flood Relief with Vince Gill and Friends was not only carried by the local Nashville affiliate WSMV but by other Tennessee stations, CNN, Fox News, and The Weather Channel.

Before the telethon even began, $10,000 was already in the bank for the Middle Tennessee Harvest Food Bank, Red Cross, and the Salvation Army. Vince Gill kicked things off by announcing he and wife Amy Grant are donating $100,000 to the cause.

The night was filled with old and new friends of Gill's who came by to share a story and a song. Naomi Judd added some levity to the night with some amusing stories about some neighbors who were affected and who added that Keith Urban is also her neighbor in Leipers Fork.






















Taylor Swift called in and publicly donated $500,000 to flood relief.

Julie Roberts who showed up with a broken foot told about how her and her family were rescued and lucky enough to be there tonight sing with Vince.

Lorrie Morgan, Nashville native, shared her personal story where her sister has lost her house. She performed a Jeannie Sealy tune, "Don't Touch Me", by the Grand Ole Opry fixture who was also personally affected by the flood.

Keb' Mo', a longtime friend of Vince's who just moved to Nashville the week prior to the flood, came by to take donations and help the cause.

Mark Volman, a member of the 60's group The Turtles and Belmont University professor came by to help friends and answer phones.

Stephen Curtis Chapman, a resident of Nashville who has gotten through tough times before with the help of Nashville, came by and sang a tune with Vince, and manned the phones.

Amy Grant made the important point that those that ask others to give should be the first ones in line giving, and that is why she and husband Vince donated such a large amount in such a public fashion.

In between songs, Gill told stories and riffed in his usual style, but talked with Lorrie and Keith about the loss of musical instruments at Soundcheck. Everyone from Keb' Mo' who just moved in to longtime session players to superstars like Keith have lost precious instruments and performance gear. They still haven't been able to find out exactly what was lost. The damage whether it be houses or musical treasures is still unknown, but the spirit of the musical community is alive and well.

Amy Grant performed with husband Vince, singing her new single "Better Than A Hallelujah".

Vince Gill joined his western swing Station Inn buddies in a rousing rendition of Bob Will's "San Antonio Rose".

The show closed with Vince Gill's signature tune "Go Rest High On That Mountain".

We at STS would like to share Keith Urban's performances. Keith told Vince wife Nicole sends her prayers and that what he has potentially lost is nothing in comparison to what so many others have endured.

Keith sang "Everybody", did an interview, and after taking phone calls performed "I'm In", a request from a fan in TN who donated. Vince accompanied along with an accordion player.




















Even though the telethon is over you can still help. At the top of the sidebar is all the information you'll need to donate to the Nashville Red Cross.


"I can't save anybody but I can play the guitar for a little bit." ~Vince Gill

Keith Urban To Participate In Nashville Flood Relief Telethon

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- WSMV-TV Channel 4 will broadcast Working 4 You: Flood Relief with Vince Gill & Friends on Thursday, May 6, in prime time from 7 to 10 p.m.

Other stars scheduled to appear include Keith Urban, Alison Krauss, Naomi Judd, Darius Rucker, Phil Vassar, Steve Wariner, Buddy Jewell, Lonestar, Bo Bice and Lee Roy Parnell.

Nashville and the surrounding middle Tennessee communities have been devastated by floodwaters after the area received 15 inches of rain within a 48-hour time period. Thousands of middle Tennesseans have been evacuated from their homes with many losing everything to the flood. Many of the victims do not have flood insurance, and the demands on relief agencies are stretched to the limit.

“These are our friends and family; we always take care of our friends and family,” said Meredith Senior Vice President and WSMV-TV General Manager Elden Hale Jr. “It’s unfortunate that we’re called upon to do this again for our neighbors, but we are very proud to have the ability to reach out to so many people with Nashville’s flood relief telethon.”

All proceeds from Working 4 You: Flood Relief with Vince Gill & Friends will benefit The Salvation Army, The Red Cross and The Second Harvest Food Bank.

Channel 4 is unable to accommodate a live audience at the station. The only way to see the telethon is on Channel 4 and WSMV.COM

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For more information on how the flood has affected Nashville musicians please click HERE.

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Are you on Twitter? Spread awareness and show your support with the Nashville Flood 2010 Twibbon! You can place it on your Facebook page as well. Click HERE to add it now!

Keith Urban On The Flooding In Nashville

Keith Urban appeared on CNN today, from Nashville, to talk about the flooding that has affected so many in Tennessee. The show was Rick's List and although the host wanted to discuss Keith's wife and his good looks, the musician was ready to say what was in his heart. Unfortunately most of his equipment was stored along with Brad Paisley's and Vince Gill's in the same location so he is not sure what the extent of the personal damage is just yet. He was scheduled to start recording the new album this week, but with everything else up in the air, that is now too. As expected Keith and Nicole are assisting financially with the effort and Keith pointed out his loss should not be compared to those who have lost everything. The local radio stations are all about fundraising at this point and everyone is helping in every way they can. The country music community will be doing a benefit concert. Nashville helping Nashville.

As usual the skeptics have turned on Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman declaring they simply don't care and will be using the floods for PR.

Tara: Its very telling that while other Country stars are making statements and urging the fans to give to the Red Cross- the vacationer hasn't said a peep.


Sorry Tara but Keith's Twitter gave a link to donate two days ago. Where were you?

nomorefan: And I agree, the Kidmans will ride the PR train on this disaster. I wonder if they even have a clue what is happening?


Ridiculous! Spending your time talking about Dorf is really helping!

nomorefan: Ya know, while searching for some fun video to share with you. I'm seeing a similar hair color between Dorf's hair piece and Mr. Nicole Kidman's colored hair!

In the end nothing the couple does will be enough from the skeptics point of view. Then again they live in a fantasy world where KUNK's dirty money can magically fix everything for everyone if only they cared.

Stay tuned here for more of the truth.

Keith's interview with Rick Sanchez is now available HERE.


There's no better way to end this blog then to say if you can help those affected please do.

Donate to Red Cross Nashville - http://www.nashvilleredcross.org/

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If you are on Twitter, follow http://twitter.com/countryschatter and they will donate 10 cents for every new follower through 05/07. Retweet and pass it along!