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Daily Roundup: Willie Nelson, Rascal Flatts + More
New music from Willie Nelson hit stores today, and a new song from Rascal Flatts hit radio. Find the Taste of Country reviews on both projects in the Daily Roundup below, as well as which country star wound up on Oprah’s new show with her famous husband.
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Rodney Atkins, ‘Just Wanna Rock N’ Roll’ – Song Review
Much like he did with ‘Take a Back Road’ in 2011, Rodney Atkins has released a song you’ll struggle to keep from singing along with by summer’s end. ‘Just Wanna Rock N’ Roll’ is carefree fun that showcases the singer as a cool breeze on a dog’s-breath-hot summer day.
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Bucky Covington’s Bus Involved in Crash
Bucky Covington‘s tour bus was involved in an accident on I-65 in Birmingham, Ala. on Thursday. A press release indicates that no one was seriously hurt, although a few passengers were taken to the hospital for examination.
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Daily Roundup: Carrie Underwood, Martina McBride + More
It was a fun day in country music news. Martina McBride got nostalgic about her wedding day, and even poked fun at her chosen colors and husband’s hairstyle. Carrie Underwood‘s song ‘Good Girl’ got the toddler treatment, and readers went crazy about winning an autographed copy of Willie Nelson‘s new CD. One tragedy involved a country artist’s tour bus — find out who and how he’s doing now.
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Jermaine Paul From Team Blake Shelton Wins Season Two of ‘The Voice’
Before Carson Daly began ticking off the results of the second season of ‘The Voice,’ he told Jermaine Paul that “You are not a background singer anymore.” Of course the longtime Alicia Keys vocalist had proven himself as a featured act before being announced the winner on Tuesday night but, his win vindicated a career’s worth of hard work and sacrifice.
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Skylar Laine Eliminated From ‘American Idol’
Just when judges were beginning to believe 18-year-old country cutie Skylar Laine could win ‘American Idol,’ viewers sent her home. The Brandon, Miss. native was eliminated on Thursday night, receiving the fewest votes of the remaining five contestants.
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Reba McEntire Congratulates Jessica Simpson on New Baby
The arrival of Jessica Simpson’s baby has transcended the pop world. Even country stars are taking notice of the fact that Simpson has finally given birth. On Wednesday, Reba McEntire congratulated 31-year-old pop singer, who put out a country album in 2008 (though her twang career was short-lived).
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Blake Shelton, ‘Over’ – Song Review
Don’t look now, but eight of Blake Shelton‘s last nine singles have topped the country music singles charts. ‘Over’ could very well become his seventh straight, but that’s more a testament to the artist than the song.
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Eric Church Rips on Reality Singing Competitions, Baffles Blake Shelton
Eric Church has never been afraid to speak his mind, and his recent comments about reality television shows like ‘American Idol’ and ‘The Voice’ have many fans wondering if the ‘Springsteen’ singer was also taking a shot at fellow country stars — namely Blake Shelton.
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Lee Brice Opens Up About Marriage Proposal and How His Fiancee and Son Inspired Songs on ‘Hard 2 Love’
Whatever one calls the opposite of an overnight success story, that’s Lee Brice. This year, 2012, marks his sixth year working in Nashville, but the first five moved like driftwood across Golden Pond. Fans, radio, other artists – everyone knew Brice was there and most agreed he was an artist full of talent and potential, but the former Clemson football player’s first four singles charted in the range of an NFL fullback’s jersey number (29, 32, 44).