96 Days Of Hot Summer Fun IN FULL SWING!!!

I guess I should start this weeks blog by being honest...it wasn't as "eventful" as last week!I had the time of my life at the CMA Music Festival, but now it's back to reality.We had some very special guests on The Big Ol Morning Show this week, The Roys, Rebecca Lynn Howard and Homer Owens! OK, so Homer is on everyday but he's still "special".The 96 Days Of Hot Summer Fun is in full swing....so be sure to log on and register for a free Hot Summer Fun T-Shirt!Now on to the good stuff, this weeks country music news!If it ain't one blonde it's another. Following in the wake of such flaxen divas as "My Future Ex-Wife" Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift and Julianne Hough, golden-tressed Jewel rockets to No. 1 this week on Billboard's country albums chart with her first Nashville-oriented CD, Perfectly Clear. Simultaneously, Underwood rolls in to the top of the songs chart with "Last Name" a mere 13 weeks after it made its bow. Guess hat acts can't reign forever.It bears noting that Jewel seized the summit with first-week sales of only 47,662 albums, an indication of just how tepid the CD market has become.Other albums making their first showing are The Very Best of Neal McCoy (at No. 51), Dailey & Vincent by the bluegrass duo of that name (No. 57) and former Lonestar lead singer Richie McDonald's I Turn to You (No. 73). Shooter Jennings' The Wolf resurrects at No. 69.There are three new entries on the songs list: Randy Houser's "Anything Goes" (No. 56), One Flew South's "My Kind of Beautiful" (No. 57) and Lady Antebellum's "Lookin' for a Good Time" (No. 60). Kid Rock's "All Summer Long" pops back on at No. 58.Lining up behind Jewel in the Top 5 albums ranking are Taylor Swift, Toby Keith's 35 Biggest Hits, Underwood's Carnival Ride and Julianne Hough, in that order. Reba McEntire's Reba Duets makes a sprightly leap from No. 23, where it's rested for the past two weeks, to No. 12. (Now in its 38th week on the charts, Reba Duets earlier went all the way to No. 1.)After Underwood, the Top 5 songs sequence is, in descending order, Brad Paisley's "I'm Still a Guy," Rascal Flatts' "Every Day," Kenny Chesney's "Better as a Memory" and Blake Shelton's cover of Michael Bublé's "Home."We'll check next week to see if the CMA Music Festival and its attendant hoopla flexed any sales muscle!Until then,

Uncle Rock

--"if you wanna make it, you can't fake it...you gotta LIVE IT!!!!"

CMA Fest Day 4

Well you know the old saying "all good things must come to an end" and come to an end it did! I had an wonderful day 4 in Hitsville, I hit the Riverfront Early for T. Graham Brown, Rissi Palmer and Josh Gracin. After the show I went on music row to buy some "gifts" to bring back to The Big Ol Morning Show! The walk over the E Street Bridge was bittersweet because I knew it was almost over. It felt like Christmas if that makes any kinda sense...you know how you wait for weeks to open the presents on Christmas...and then you do....and it's all over! I have that feeling, that satisfied yet disappointed that it's over feeling. As I hiked across the bridge I thought that I should thank Thornhill GM Superstore for sponsoring the event and the WXCC management for having enough faith to send Ol Uncle Rock to bring you all the info. The night ended with a bang! Performing on the LP Field Vault Stage was Chuck Wicks, James Otto, Bucky Covington (funny story coming up about him on the show Tuesday morning), Randy Travis, Sara Evans, Billy Ray Cyrus (a couple of funny stories about him coming up Tuesday morning), Phil Stacey and wrapping up with Dwight Yoakam! Be sure to tune in Tuesday thru Friday for all the inside info on the 2008 CMA Music Festival. Until then,

Uncle Rock

--"if you wanna make it, you can't fake it...you gotta LIVE IT!!!"

CMA Fest Day 3 Pics

CMA FEST DAY 3

Another eventful day in Nashville TN!

Alright to be totally honest, I slept in this morning! I recharged the batteries until about 10 or 11 this morning. Now, I've said it before and I'll say it again.....the only "bad" part of the CMA Music Festival is there is too much too do!" I wanted to have a chance to go to the Grand Ol Opry before I headed back to WV, so I went to Opry Mills mall and the Opry building. I arrived at the Riverfront Stage at around 3 and it was an excellent day time show! I saw Darryl Worley

He was all patriotic and sang "Have You Forgotten"...the crowd was lovin' it! Hey, do you remember little Billy Gillman? He had the single "One Voice".....well I saw his show and he is atleast 21 or so! I couldn't believe little Billy Gillman was that old (made me feel old)
My favorite at the Riverfront Stage Was Jeffery Steele. You might remember him from the single "Just The Way We Do It Round Here", but he has written some BIG hits.....My Town, What Hurts The Most, Speed, Chrome...the list goes on and on.

I even had a chance to meet and greet with Show Dog Nashville recording artist Mica Roberts!

But the night ended with a bang!!! The LP Field nightly concert featured Jason Michael Carroll, Craig Morgan, Little Big Town, Jamey Johnson, Rodney Adkins, Darryl Worley, Alan Jackson, Trace Adkins and Kenny Rogers. All in all it was an excellent day in Guitar Town. I feel like I am just hanging out with about 160,000 of my closest friends! Be sure to check out tomorrow nights blog for a review of CMA Fest Day4 and a CMA wrap up blog. Until then,

Uncle Rock

--"if you wanna make it, you can't fake it...you gotta LIVE IT!!!"

CMA Fest Day 2

What a day a Coal Country! My day started bright and early this morning with Miss Tia and the "Big Ol Morning Show"! We had a chance to review opening day for the CMA Music Festival and talked a bit about the artist coming up for day 2. Don't get me wrong, I am having a blast in Nashville but I still miss goofing around with Tia, Homer and the gang from the show. Nevertheless the show must go on...and go on it did! I made it to the Riverfront Stage around noon and got to spend the entire day with Kenny and Tiffany (my VIP Guests), they have been really cool to hang around with and I expect to remain friends with them long after "Fan Fair". My Friday included a trip to the mother church of country music....The Ryman Auditorium! Kenny and I even had a chance to record songs in the Ryman Studio and I will play them for you on the Big Ol Morning Show Tuesday morning! It was an eventful day that included everything from bull riding (on a fake bull of course), $11.oo cheeseburgers, karaoke and the lovely..........wait for it.........keep waiting........CARRIE UNDERWOOD!!! I had my trusty "Carrie's Future Ex-Husband" sign with me and she at least gave me a thumbs up when she seen it! Now I'm taking that as a yes, we haven't set a date yet but I'll keep you posted (in my dreams). In all seriousness it was an outstanding night at LP Field. The show started with Ashton Shepherd, Jack Ingram, Lady Antebellum and Miranda Lambert, all of which I missed because I waited in the Carrie Underwood photo line. It was worth the wait to get to show her my sign and take some killer photos! Josh Turner had an excellent set, and I'm not the biggest Faith Hill fan, but she was much better live. Then the suprise guest was Keith Urban, man that dude can pick a guitar! All in all it was a wonderful night two. Be sure to check out the blog tomorrow around midnight for CMA Fest Day 3!

Until then,Uncle Rock
--"if you wanna make it, you can't fake it...yoiu gotta LIVE IT!!!"

CMA Fest Day 1 Pics

The view frore oom the top of LP Field right before show time

Me Chillin in a Limo with our "VIP" Guests going to LP Field nite time show

CMA Fest Day 1

Well it has been everything that I expected...only HOTTER! The temp in Music City hit 96.5 degrees today(coincidence?) It was a fun filled day with more music than you can shake a stick at. On the Riverfront Stage I had the chance to meet and greet with Keith Anderson, Phil Stacey, Aaron Tippen, Eric Church, Jimmy Wayne and Chris Young. Taylor Swift and Kix Brooks walked by and shook my hand so I don't consider that a "meet and greet", but it was still really cool! The highlight of the day was, ironically enough, the night time show at LP Field, the home of THE Tennessee Titans! We saw Montgomery Gentry, Jewel, Taylor Swift, Kellie Pickler and Sugarland. Again, big credit to Taylor Swift for a great live show. The kid is gonna be around a while folks, just get used to her :P Sugarlands set was the best of the night in my opinion. I have posted some pics from the first day of CMA Fest on my blog for you to check out. Be sure to check my blog daily for updates everyday from the CMA Music Festival!
Until next time,

Uncle Rock
--"if you wanna make it, you can't fake it...you gotta LIVE IT!!!"