Reba McEntire and husband featured in romantic Country Weekly special
Oklahoma country star Reba McEntire and her husband Narvel Blackstock are among the husband-wife teams featured in Country Weekly’s “Hottest Couples” cover story, featured in the magazine’s Feb. 9 issue, on sale now.
The special section celebrates great marriages and love stories in country music, including Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, George and Norma Strait and more, according to a news release. Couples such as John and Martina McBride share their thoughts on marriage and their long-lasting relationships.
“It’s an unconditional kind of love,” says Martina McBride in the release.
The section also features stars who tied the knot over the past year, including Sara Evans, Jewel and Eric Church, and new babies born to stars such as Keith Urban, Josh Gracin and Luke Bryan.
-BAM
Brad Paisley adds Tulsa show to list of sell-outs
Brad Paisley (Associated Press photo)
Tulsa’s BOK Center has been added to the list of venues Brad Paisley has sold out on “The Paisley Party Tour.” Saturday’s show is listed in a news release as one of the seven capacity crowds the country star has sold out on the last leg of the tour. Here’s an edited version of the release:
Multi-platinum Arista Nashville recording artist Brad Paisley is continuing his string of sell-outs for ‘The Paisley Party Tour’ by playing to capacity crowds this past weekend in Austin, Texas; Bossier City, La.; Tulsa, Okla.; and Lubbock, Texas. The tour has sold-out seven of the first eight tour dates on the final leg and extends to this weekend dates in Dayton, OH, Moline, IL and Omaha, NE.
The tour has sold more than 225,000 tickets in the first quarter of 2009 for 24 dates – so far. Special guest on the tour is Dierks Bentley with Darius Rucker on the January dates and Crystal Shawanda in February.
The reigning Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association Male Vocalist of the Year, Paisley also announced this week his upcoming 2009 tour, ”American Saturday Night,” with special guests Bentley and Jimmy Wayne. The kick-off date for the 41-city tour is scheduled for June 5 in Charlotte, N.C.
Paisley recently earned his 13th No. 1 single and a record-setting ninth consecutive with “Start A Band,” his duet with Keith Urban. The single is from his November 2008 release “Play,” a critics-favorite guitar-driven mostly-instrumental album. Paisley is currently cover feature on the March issue of Guitar Player magazine. “The Paisley Party Tour” has sold more than 750,000 tickets for its 59 dates and continues through February.
After selling 5 million copies of his previous three albums and amassing ten Top 10 hits, including five No. 1s, country music star Bentley is ready for the next phase: the Feb. 3 release of “Feel That Fire,” a 12-song serving of rockers and ballads with a dash of honky tonk and bluegrass. With the lead single and title track blazing toward the No. 1 spot, Bentley is looking forward to spending 2009 on the road sharing the new music with his fans.
Wayne is one of the biggest success stories of 2008. “Do You Believe Me Now,” the title track from his first new CD in almost five years, hit the top of the charts and held onto the No. 1 spot for three weeks. The follow-up single, “I Will,” is tracking as well as its predecessor, and will certainly join the ranks of previous Wayne hits, including “Stay Gone, “I Love You This Much” and “Paper Angels.” In addition to the chart success, Wayne spent the bulk of late 2008 on the road connecting with fans.
-BAM
David Cook returning to Tulsa in spring
David Cook (Associated Press)
Reigning ”American Idol” David Cook has announced his plans for his first solo tour, which will kick off next month in Tallahassee, Fla., and end up in April on familiar ground – at the University of Tulsa.
Cook, who lived in Tulsa before he auditioned for the reality TV show, will be taking “The Declaration Tour – 2009″ in support of his self-titled debut album, which was released in November. It will mark the first time Cook has been on the road since headlining the “American Idol” Season 7 tour, according to a story on his official Web site.
Cook entered the Billboard charts at No. 3 with “David Cook” (19 Recordings / RCA Records) last fall. The Rob Cavallo-produced album also debuted as the No. 1 album on the digital album chart and is the best debut from an “American Idol” winner since 2006. The first single, “Light On,” dominated the AOL Top 40 radio chart with eight nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 and is currently in the top 10 at Hot AC radio. In late September, “Light On” premiered on AOL Music’s pop culture news site, PopEater.com, receiving more than 1 million plays in less than week.
His first single, “The Time of My Life” recently went platinum, with more than 1 million tracks sold. “The Time of My Life” is not only the biggest single debut but the highest-selling coronation single in the show’s history. Cook is the 34th “American Idol” contestant to appear on a Billboard chart.
Cook started the year with a United Service Organization tour, visiting and performing for the troops at seven different military bases.
“I’m more than excited to hop on the road and support this record. This tour represents both a new beginning and a return to form for me,” Cook said on his site. ”It’s our first full tour, and we’re all ready to pour whatever blood, sweat, and tears that we can muster into making this show, and every show from here on out, an experience. Part of that experience is bringing back this college tour idea. There’s something inherently nostalgic about playing college shows. So many amazing acts used to do it, so it’s nice to be able to bring that ideal back, in some small way. And besides, touring on a bus beats what we used to do, which was cram five guys into a 7 passenger van for one show, 13 hours away… ”
Most of the tour stops are indeed colleges, with the final show set for April 25 at the University of Tulsa.
On Feb. 12, the day before the tour starts, Cook will help launch the Walt Disney World Resort’s world premiere of the new blockbuster attraction, “The American Idol Experience” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Cook will perform live from the attraction on ABC’s “Good Morning America” and will headline a special guest performance during the night’s event.
Here is the list of Cook’s 2009 winter/spring tour dates:
Friday, February 13th – Tallahassee, Fl – Florida State University
Saturday, February 14th – Biloxi, MS – Beau Rivage
Sunday, February 15th – Oxford, MS – Ole Miss
Wednesday, February 18th – Eau Claire, WI – University of Wisconsin
Thursday February 19th – Cedar Falls, IA – University of Northern Iowa
Friday, February 20th – Green Bay, WI – University of Wisconsin – Green Bay
Saturday, February 21st – Valparaiso, IN – Valparaiso University
Monday, February 23rd – Waverly, IA – Warlburg
Tuesday, February 24th – Fullton, MO – Westminster
Wednesday, February 25th – Conway, AR – Central Arkansas University
Friday, February 27th- Portsmouth, OH – Shawnee State University
Sunday, March 1st – Newburgh, NY – Mount St. Mary
Tuesday, March 3rd – Carlisie, PA – Dickenson
Friday, March 6th – Morgantown, WV – W Virginia University
Sunday, March 8th – Willimantic, CT – Eastern Connecticut State University
Tuesday, March 10th – Poughkeepsie, NY – Marist College
Friday, March 13th – Niagara Falls, NY – Seneca Niagara Casino
Saturday, March 14th – Elkins, WV – Davis and Elkins
Monday, March 16th – Bloomington, PA – Bloomington University
Thursday, March 19th – Mansfield, PA – Mansfield University
Friday, March 20th – Atlantic City, NJ – Borgata
Saturday, March 21st – Atlantic City, NJ – Borgata
Monday, March 23rd – Selinsgrove, PA – Susquehanna University
Tuesday, March 24th- York, PA – Penn State York
Thursday, March 26th – Blues Creek, NC – Campbell, University
Friday, March 27th – Pemberton, NJ – Burlington Community College
Monday, March 30th – New London, NH – Colby Sawyer College
Tuesday, March 31st – New Haven, CT – So. CT State
Thursday, April 2nd – Wilmington, NC – Azalea Fest at Wilmington University
Friday, April 3rd – Towson, MD – Towson University
Sunday, April 5th – Radford, VA – Radford University
Wednesday, April 8th – Macon, GA – Mercer University
Tuesday, April 14th – Malcomb, IL – Western Illinois University
Tuesday, April 21st – Searcy, AR – Harding University
Wednesday, April 22nd – Kansas City, MO – Ameristar Casino
Saturday, April 25th – Tulsa, OK – University of Tulsa
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Blake Shelton tops the charts with “She Wouldn’t Be Gone”
Oklahoma country music star Blake Shelton has reached the top of the charts, R&R Singles and MediaBase Singles, with his heart-wrenching single “She Wouldn’t Be Gone,” written by Cory Batten and Jennifer Adan.
The song marks Shelton’s second consecutive No. 1 - following his hit “Home” – and his fifth career No. 1, along with “Austin,” “The Baby” and ”Some Beach.” Collectively, his chart-toppers have held the No. 1 spot for 15 weeks.
“She Wouldn’t Be Gone” is the first single from Shelton’s most recent release, “Startin’ Fires,” and was also No. 1 on the MusicRow Singles chart the last two weeks of 2008.
Last week, Shelton made an appearance on E! Networks “Chelsea Lately,” performed on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” and superstar George Strait announced Shelton would be on his summer tour.
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New releases
Bruce Springsteen and wife/bandmate Patti Scialfa. (Associated Press photo)
As I reported earlier here on the blog, Bruce Springsteen released today his latest album, “Working on a Dream.” The release came on the same day that the BOK Center announced that The Boss and The E Street Band will play the Tulsa arena in April. That’s another big show that should be a night of terrific entertainment that’s set for the BOK Center. (Take a deep breath, Oklahoma City music fans, and keep in mind that the Ford Center is closing for a good chunk of this year for an overhaul. You can’t book a concert in a close arena, so just ease that heart rate down.)
In the DVDs, there’s quite a variety of new offerings, from Woody Allen’s “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” to Nickelodeon’s “Spongbob Squarepants: Spongicus.” Disney has released a bonus feature-packed two-disc 45th anniversary edition of “Mary Poppins,” which is one of my favorite of the Mouse House’s movies. Also, I’m looking forward to seeing “RocknRolla”; I’m a fan of Guy Ritchie’s movie and also enjoy watching Gerard Butler do pretty much whatever.
You can also find a wide range of new books, from John Grisham’s latest novel to comedian Steve Harvey’s relationship book
Here is a list of this week’s new CDs, DVDs and book from Amazon.com and VideoEta.com:
CDs
Bruce Springsteen, “Working on a Dream.”
Franz Ferdinand, “Tonight: Franz Ferdinand.”
Paul McCartney, “Amoeba’s Secret.”
Pat Green, “What I’m For.”
Leona Lewis, “Best Kept Secret.”
Dean Martin, “Amore.”
Hoobastank, “FOR(N)EVER.”
Steve Martin, “The Crow New Songs for the 5-String Banjo” (Amazon exclusive).
DVDs
Blossom: Seasons 1 & 2
Cannery Row
Closing the Ring
College
Fireproof
The Girls Next Door: Season 4
Hulk Vs.
Lakeview Terrace
The Lucky Ones
Make It Happen
Mary Poppins: 45th Anniversary Edition
Open Season 2
Peanuts: You’re A Good Sport, Charlie Brown
Pride and Glory
The Rocker
RocknRolla
The Secret of the Magic Gourd
Spongebob Squarepants: Spongicus
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
The Yellow Rolls-Royce
Books
The Associate by John Grisham.
Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, and Commitment
by Steve Harvey.
The Next 100 Years: A Forecast for the 21st Century by George Friedman.
The Big Rich: The Rise and Fall of the Greatest Texas Oil Fortunes by Bryan Burrough.
The Survivors Club: The Secrets and Science that Could Save Your Life by Ben Sherwood.
What Would Google Do? by Jeff Jarvis.
What I Did for Love: A Novel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.
A Slobbering Love Affair: The True (And Pathetic) Story of the Torrid Romance Between Barack Obama and the Mainstream Media by Bernard Goldberg.
(Kitty and the Dead Man’s Hand (Kitty Norville, Book 5) by Carrie Vaughn.
Dark of Night (Troubleshooters, Book 14) by Suzanne Brockmann.
-BAM
Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band to rock Tulsa’s BOK Center
Bruce Springsteen
Today, as The Boss released his new album, the BOK Center announced that Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band will be playing the Tulsa arena on their 2009 tour.
The band will play the BOK Center April 7, with tickets going on sale at 10 a.m. Feb. 7, the venue announced today.
Springsteen’s new album “Working on a Dream” was released today. “Working on a Dream” was recorded with the E Street Band and features 12 new Springsteen compositions plus one bonus track. It is the fourth collaboration between Springsteen and Brendan O’Brien, who produced and mixed the album.
“Towards the end of recording ‘Magic,’ excited by the return to pop production sounds, I continued writing. When my friend producer Brendan O’Brien heard the new songs, he said, ‘Let’s keep going.’ Over the course of the next year, that’s just what we did, recording with the E Street Band during the breaks on last year’s tour. I hope ‘Working on a Dream’ has caught the energy of the band fresh off the road from some of the most exciting shows we’ve ever done. All the songs were written quickly, we usually used one of our first few takes, and we all had a blast making this one from beginning to end,” Springsteen said in the news release.
“Working on a Dream” is Springsteen’s 24th album and was recorded and mixed at Southern Tracks in Atlanta, Ga., with additional recording in New York City, Los Angeles, and New Jersey.
Springsteen recently picked up a Golden Globe for Best Original Song – Motion Picture for “The Wrestler,” from the drama of the same name. The song is included on “Working On A Dream” as a bonus track.
Accolades are not new for Springsteen; over the years he has picked up 18 Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes and an Academy Award. He was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriter’s Hall of Fame in 1999. He continues to be a touring force, selling out all over the world, and he opened the 56th Presidential Inaugural Opening Ceremony with a performance on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
Next up for Springsteen and The E Street Band: this Sunday’s Super Bowl XLIII Halftime Show. With an extensive list of hit songs, the only question that remains is which songs Springsteen will choose to play for his 12-minute set. Springsteen will join the likes of the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson, Prince, Tom Petty and U2 as past Super Bowl halftime performers.
Springsteen and the E Street Band’s “Working on a Dream” Tour begins April 1 in San Jose, Calif., and continues throughout the spring.
Tickets for the April 7 BOK Center show will go on sale at at 10 a.m. Feb. 7 at www.LiveNation.com, the Arby’s Box Office, all Tickets.com outlets, or by phone at (866) 7BOKCTR.
For more information on the show, go to www.bokcenter.com.
For more on The Boss, go to www.brucespringsteen.net.
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What to do in Oklahoma on Jan. 27
Today’s featured event:
See “The Color Purple,” the touching musical based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker and the Oscar-nominated film by Steven Spielberg. Presented by Oprah Winfrey, the play is coming to Oklahoma City through Celebrity Attractions.
“The Color Purple” opens at 7:30 tonight at the Civic Center, 201 N Walker. Performances continue through Sunday.
For more information, go to www.celebrityattractions.com.
For more events, go to www.wimgo.com.
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Dakota Fanning hopes to play Jane in “New Moon”
Dakota Fanning in “The Secret Life of Bees.” Will “New Moon” be her next film project?
Actress Dakota Fanning, who turns 15 next month, has confirmed that she is interested in playing innocent-looking vampire baddie Jane in “New Moon,” the film version of the second book in Stephenie Meyer’s popular series.
“It’s definitely possible. I really hope it works out,” MTV.com quotes Fanning as saying. ”It would be a really fantastic experience, I’m sure.”
Summit Entertainment hasn’t made an official announcement about the casting of the role, but it’s hard to imagine the studio turning down such a big-name actress for the small but pivotal role.
“We are considering all actors that have the unique requirements for the look of Jane, Dakota being one of them,” said rep for Summit Entertainment, MTV.com reported.
In Meyer’s book, Jane is one of the guards in the powerful Italian coven of vampires known as the Volturi. Although tiny and young-looking, Jane is widely feared because she has a gift for making humans and vampires alike feel excruciating pain.
“It would be really cool to a part of that. I’m a big fan,” said Fanning, who praised the actors already attached to the film.
In a “New Moon” casting notice that went out earlier this month, Jane is described as a “petite blonde with a … Botticelli angel-like face … [and] crimson irises,” MTV.com reported, citing a report from E!
As of September, Fanning had yet to read any of the “Twilight” books, despite showing an interest in the series, MTV.com reported.
“I haven’t read them, but I have a lot of friends that read them all the time,” she told MTV News at the time. “They’re so excited about the movie. When I went to Comic-Con, ‘Twilight’ was there. I have to read these books now, ’cause everybody’s reading them, and I’m sure they’re fantastic.”
Based on my own experience, if Fanning set out to read the books, she may well have raced through Meyer’s four-book saga in just a few days and become a big fan.
Fanning isn’t quite what I had in mind for Jane, but based on her past acting experience, there’s no reason to think she couldn’t pull off the role.
-BAM
Monday Catchy Quote
A catchy quote from a movie, TV show or other source to brighten the beginning of your week. Feel free to share your guess in the comments below.
Pete: I’ve always wondered, what’s the devil look like?
Everett: Well, there are all manner of lesser imps and demons, Pete, but the great Satan hisself is red and scaly with a bifurcated tail, and he carries a hay fork.
Tommy: Oh, no. No, sir. He’s white, as white as you folks, with empty eyes and a big hollow voice. He likes to travel around with a mean old hound. That’s right.
-Click here to learn the source.
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Tickets for Elmo’s Oklahoma City shows on sale now
Tickets went on sale today for Sesame Street Live’s “Elmo’s Green Thumb,” with seven performances set for March 6-8 at the Cox Convention Center.
In the live show, Elmo has raised his sunflower, Sunny, from a seed, but his floral friend has outgrown the flower pot. Elmo and friends find Big Bird’s garden the ideal place for Sunny to flourish and grow, but they are too excited to wait. Rather than let Sunny follow nature’s course, Abby Cadabby, Sesame Street’s fairy-in-training, casts a spell to make Sunny grow. The spell does just the opposite and, instead of growing, Elmo and all of his friends shrink! While Abby searches for just the right words to reverse the spell, Elmo, Zoe, Telly and friends explore Big Bird’s garden from a smaller perspective and learn some big lessons about patience, overcoming their fears and appreciating the role that each creature plays in our ecosystem – from dancing ladybugs and beautiful butterflies to grouchy beetles that scavenge the garden floor.
Here is the information on the event:
What: Sesame Street Live “Elmo’s Green Thumb”
When: 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. March 6 (*Opening Night Discount); 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. March 7; and 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. March 8
Where: Cox Convention Center, 1 Myriad Gardens
Ticket prices: $13, $16 & $20. A limited number of $26 Gold Circle seats are also available. *Opening Night, all seats (excluding Gold Circle) are $11. A facility fee of $1 will be added to all ticket prices. Additional fees and discounts may apply.
To buy tickets: Call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com or www.coxconventioncenter.com and in person at the U.S. Army Box Office at Ford Center.
Information: www.sesamestreetlive.com
-BAM
