Toby Keith Foundation moves forward with plans for OK Kids Korral development in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma country music star Toby Keith, along with Melissa Abernathy and her 4-year-old daughter Malorie and oncology patient Stevy Cellum, 14, cut a ribbon during a ceremony opening the newly redone pediatric oncology unit at Children's Hospital in Oklahoma City on Monday, Sept. 14, 2009. (By Paul Hellstern, The Oklahoman Archives)
The Toby Keith Foundation is moving forward with plans to build a temporary home for Oklahoma pediatric cancer patients seeking treatment and their families.
Plans and designs were approved Wednesday by the Oklahoma City Urban Renewal Authority for the planned $8.5 million OK Kids Korral at NE 8 and Laird in Oklahoma City, reports my fine colleague Steve Lackmeyer.
The planned 25,000-square-foot, two-story building – to be built on land now owned by the Oklahoma City Urban Renewal Authority – will provide a home for pediatric cancer patients and their families while they are receiving treatment at The Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center, the Peggy and Charles Stephenson Cancer Center and other nearby facilities.
Toby Keith Foundation Director Juliet Nees-Bright told Steve that construction on the 25,000-square-foot, two-story building should begin this spring and be complete in late 2013.
The country music superstar first got involved with the cause of helping Oklahoma pediatric cancer patients through Ally’s House, a Norman-based nonprofit that provides aid to Oklahoma children with cancer and their families. It is named for Allison Webb, the 2-year-old daughter of Scott Webb, one of Keith’s original bandmates, and his wife, Linda Webb. Ally died in 2003 of kidney cancer; the Webbs and Keith founded the charity.
For the first six years, proceeds from Keith’s annual two-day spring fundraising event went to Ally’s House. For the past two years, proceeds from the Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic have been earmarked for the OK Kids Korral. The 2011 event raised more than $650,000 for the project.
In a spring interview, Keith told me his foundation takes in $750,000 to $1 million a year for the project, but he plans to start a second celebrity golf tournament in Las Vegas in fall 2012 to boost the fundraising efforts.
“It’s slow gears turning, but it’s gonna be something that Oklahoma City can be really proud of when we’re done with it. It’s just a long battle,” he said.
The OK Kids Korral will operate similarly to Ronald McDonald House. It will have a look modeled on a Western lodge, Nees-Bright told Steve
“It’s central to everything, near doctors, and near the energy and vibe of downtown. Oklahoma is still a very rural community, and 80 percent of these kids are coming from outside our county. We have people traveling here for treatment every day. So this will be a very uplifting setting,” Nees-Bright said.
For more information on the Toby Keith Foundation, go to ww.tobykeithfoundation.org.
-BAM
Video: Toby Keith’s “Red Solo Cup” to be featured on “Glee” tonight
I posted this last week when it first became available, but I think it’s worth posting again: Here is the “Glee” cast rendition of Oklahoma country music star Toby Keith’s new smash “Red Solo Cup.” The song will be featured on tonight’s new episode of the cult hit TV show, which airs at 7 p.m. on Fox.
Keith performed the song, which started out as a viral video that has reached No. 25 after just seven weeks on Billboard’s country songs chart, Monday night on the second annual American Country Awards, which aired live on Fox from Las Vegas. He played the raucous drinking anthem after he accepted the show’s Artist of the Decade prize.
To read what the Norman resident and fellow country star Eric Church, who appears in the memorable “Red Solo Cup” video, had to say about the runaway success of “Red Solo Cup,” click here to read my recent interviews with them.
-BAM
2011 American Country Awards winners
Carrie Underwood (AP file)
The second annual American Country Awards aired tonight live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Fox. To read my live blog of the event, click here.
Winners with Oklahoma ties nominated include Thompson Square, Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood and Toby Keith.
Broken Arrow native Kristin Chenoweth co-hosted the show with country star Trace Adkins, who hosted the inaugural show solo. The ACAs are billed as the only country music awards show that “gives fans the opportunity to vote for their favorite artists not only in traditional categories but also in previously unrecognized areas of the business such as touring, encompassing the entire spectrum of country music and bestowing honors that no other awards show has.”
Following is the list of categories, nominees and winners of the American Country Awards, with Oklahoma nominees marked with an *:
ARTISTS
Artist of the Year
Jason Aldean – WINNER
Kenny Chesney
Lady Antebellum
Taylor Swift
Zac Brown Band
Artist of the Year: Male
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley – WINNER
*Blake Shelton
Artist of the Year: Female
Sara Evans
Alison Krauss
*Miranda Lambert
Taylor Swift
*Carrie Underwood – WINNER
Artist of the Year: Duo or Group
The Band Perry
Lady Antebellum – WINNER
*Rascal Flatts
Sugarland
Zac Brown Band
Artist of the Year: Breakthrough Artist
Eric Church
Eli Young Band
Justin Moore
Jake Owen
Chris Young – WINNER
Artist of the Year: New Artist
The Band Perry
Scotty McCreery – WINNER
Jerrod Niemann
*Pistol Annies
*Thompson Square
Album
Album of the Year
Jason Aldean, “My Kinda Party” – WINNER
Kenny Chesney, “Hemingway’s Whiskey”
Brad Paisley, “This Is Country Music”
Taylor Swift, “Speak Now”
Keith Urban, “Get Closer”
Zac Brown Band, “You Get What You Give”
SINGLES
Single of the Year
Billy Currington, “Let Me Down Easy”
Tim McGraw, “Felt Good On My Lips”
*Thompson Square, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not”
Chris Young, “Voices” – WINNER
Zac Brown Band with Alan Jackson, “As She’s Walking Away”
Single of the Year: Male
Jason Aldean, “My Kinda Party” – WINNER
Luke Bryan, “Someone Else Calling You Baby”
Billy Currington, “Let Me Down Easy”
Tim McGraw, “Felt Good On My Lips”
Chris Young, “Voices”
Single of the Year: Female
Sara Evans, “A Little Bit Stronger”
*Miranda Lambert, “Heart Like Mine”
*Reba, “Turn On The Radio”
Taylor Swift, “Mean”
*Carrie Underwood, “Mama’s Song” – WINNER
Single of the Year: Duo or Group
The Band Perry, “You Lie”
*Rascal Flatts, “Why Wait”
Sugarland, “Stuck Like Glue”
*Thompson Square, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not” – WINNER
Zac Brown Band, “Colder Weather”
Single of the Year: New Artist
The Band Perry, “You Lie”
Craig Campbell, “Family Man”
The JaneDear Girls, “Wildflower”
Jerrod Niemann, “What Do You Want”
*Thompson Square, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not” – WINNER
Single of the Year: Vocal Collaboration
Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson, “Don’t You Wanna Stay” – WINNER
Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter, “You and Tequila”
Brad Paisley with Alabama, “Old Alabama”
Zac Brown Band with Jimmy Buffet, “Knee Deep”
Zac Brown Band with Alan Jackson, “As She’s Walking Away”
TOURING
Touring Headline Act of the Year
Jason Aldean – WINNER
Kenny Chesney
*Toby Keith
Tim McGraw
Brad Paisley
*Rascal Flatts
George Strait
Taylor Swift
*Carrie Underwood
Keith Urban
VIDEOS
Music Video of the Year
Sara Evans, “A Little Bit Stronger”
Jerrod Niemann, “What Do You Want”
*Blake Shelton, “Who Are you When I’m Not Looking” – WINNER
*Thompson Square, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not”
Josh Turner, “I Wouldn’t Be A Man”
Music Video: Male
Jason Aldean, “My Kinda Party”
Jerrod Niemann, “What Do You Want”
*Blake Shelton, “Who Are You When I’m Not Looking” – WINNER
Josh Turner, “I Wouldn’t Be A Man”
Keith Urban, “Put You In A Song”
Music Video: Female
Sara Evans, “A Little Bit Stronger”
*Reba, “Turn On The Radio”
Ashton Shepherd, “Look It Up”
Taylor Swift, “Back To December”
*Carrie Underwood, “Mama’s Song” – WINNER
Music Video: Duo, Group or Collaboration
Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson, “Don’t You Wanna Stay” – WINNER
The Band Perry, “You Lie”
Lady Antebellum, “Hello World”
*Thompson Square, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not”
Zac Brown Band with Alan Jackson, “As She’s Walking Away”
Music Video: New Artist
The Band Perry, “You Lie”
Craig Campbell, “Family Man”
Brett Eldredge, “Raymond”
Jerrod Niemann, “What Do You Want”
*Thompson Square, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not” – WINNER
Contributing: The Associated Press.
-BAM
Live blog: 2011 American Country Awards
Trace Adkins and Kristin Chenoweth
7:00 p.m.: Co-host Trace Adkins, dressed in his usual all black, is performing one of his past smashes, “Honkatonk Badonkadonk” while a group of female dancers shake theirs around him. Carrie Underwood is singing along in the crowd. “Now for something completely different,” he says as the dancers shimmy offstage and he starts crooning “Just Fishin’.” Now the dancers are back, the electric guitars are rocking again, and Trace is doing “Ladies Love Country Boys.” The ladies end by surrounding him like a harem, while Trace intones “thank you ladies.” It’s an odd little medley, but if this show is anything like last year, that will be par for the course for the still-young ACAs.
7:05: Trace says he hosted the show last year and thought he did a pretty good job, but the “network people” didn’t feel like he followed the rules or the prompter too well. So they gave him a “co-host” to “keep him in line,” he says, noting that anyone trying to him in line is an opponent because those are fighting words. So 4’11″ Oklahoma native Kristin Chenoweth comes out with boxing gloves and a robe and starts dancing around him throwing punches. “Watch the below-the-belt stuff,” he says. “I have no choice but to go below the belt,” she says, showing off her slogan on her robe “Four Feet of Fury.” She is having him pull off her gloves so she can get her hands on “country’s sexiest man,” as determined by Country Weekly, and he tells her to stop it.
7:09: She’s challenging him to a singoff, winner gets to host, loser goes home to Louisiana. She’s bragging that she’s from Oklahoma and challenging him to sing “Oklahoma!” for the first round. “You’re pretty comfortable with those jazz hands you could be on Broadway.” He challenges her to sing “Honkytonk Badonkadonk,” so she throws off her robe to reveal a prodigiously padded rear and sings it in her best opera voice, with some guy dancers. “So it looks like I’m staying.” “This ain’t over yet, Chenoweth.” This is silly but it’s kind of fun too.
7:11: Josh Turner and Jordin Sparks are going to present the first award, which will honor some of country’s top ladies. But first the “American Idol” contender is asking Josh to sing one of his songs. That deep voice is pretty se
Single of the Year: Female
Sara Evans, “A Little Bit Stronger”
*Miranda Lambert, “Heart Like Mine”
*Reba, “Turn On The Radio”
Taylor Swift, “Mean”
*Carrie Underwood, “Mama’s Song”
xy and all the girls including Jordin are singing along. Of course, we’re not getting all these awards distributed very quickly.
Anyway, they’re gonna present single of the year: female to one of these fine ladies:
Carrie Underwood (AP file)
7:14: Winner: Carrie Underwood for “Mama’s Song.” “First off, I don’t even know what to do about that intro, that was awesome,” the Checotah says as she holds the commemorative guitar, which is given in lieu of a trophy at the ACAs. She’s effusively thanking the country fans for their support. I believe Carrie won 6 or so awards at the first ACAs, so we could see a lot more of her tonight. Of course, since she got her break on Fox’s “American Idol,” she maybe has a bit of a homefield advantage.
The Band Perry (AP file)
7:19: The Band Perry, who were just nominated for the Grammy for best new artist, are performing their latest hit “All Your Life” while the fans in the crowd wave glow sticks. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were able to win that Grammy, they are so hot right now. Kimberly is even rocking a dress with a tulle skirt that looks like it escaped relatively unscathed from 1989.
7:23: Kristin Chenoweth announces that they will be awarding an Artist of the Decade, based on MediaBase’s assessment of the most-played artist of the past 10 years. They’ll be counting down throughout the show the top 10 most-played artists, with the No. 1 getting the prize and performing live. No. 10 is Keith Urban, and No. 9 is Brad Paisley.
Didn’t they give an artist of the decade award on this show last year?
7:25: Comedian Bill Engvall and “Idol” runner-up Lauren Alaina are up to tell us a bit about the Telecaster guitars they’re giving away. Bill and Lauren fumble the hand-off and drop the nice guitar to the floor, but they’re still gonna name the single of the year winner. I think Thompson Square (including Miami, OK, native Keifer Thompson) has a great shot here:
Billy Currington, “Let Me Down Easy”
Tim McGraw, “Felt Good On My Lips”
*Thompson Square, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not”
Chris Young, “Voices”
Zac Brown Band with Alan Jackson, “As She’s Walking Away”
Chris Young (Photo by Nathan Poppe, The Oklahoman Archive)
7:27: Winner: Chris Young for “Voices,” and he’s treating us to a performance of his winning song, which I absolutely adore. Plus, Keifer and wife Shawna of Thompson Square have 6 more chances tonight to win a guitar.
7:29: As Chris finishes up his performance and begins thanking the usual suspects, the announcer says he’s also been named breakthrough artist of the year. Good for him.
7:35: Two unbelievable things just happened at the ACAs: Garth Brooks, who has released maybe one single this millennium, is No. 8 on that artist of the decade countdown. And Trace just came out carrying Kristin on his chest in a big baby carrying, quipping, “I knew I’d end up carrying you on this show.”
They’re quickly tossing it to rodeo legend Larry Mahan, GAC personality Storme Warren and up-and-coming singer Hunter Hayes. They’re gonna present music video of the year
Sara Evans, “A Little Bit Stronger”
Jerrod Niemann, “What Do You Want”
*Blake Shelton, “Who Are you When I’m Not Looking”
*Thompson Square, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not”
Josh Turner, “I Wouldn’t Be A Man”
Blake Shelton
7:39: Winner: Blake Shelton, who also wins music video by a male artist. Blake is saying hi to his dad back home because he’s had a rough couple of weeks, so he’s dedicating the award to his dad and telling him he loves him. Aw.
Eli Young Band
7:40: Eli Young Band is on to perform “Crazy Girl,” which has helped elevate them to a whole new level of success. It’s nice to see some Texas country represented here.
7:46: Rascal Flatts is listed as No. 7 on the artist of the decade list. And now Trace is getting some script changes from Kristin, and the wrestler Big Show shows up to make sure her co-host does just what she wants. He’s introducing the men of “Pawn Stars” per her instructions, and they show up holding that broken guitar claiming Bill Engvall tried to sell it to them for $500. They’re reading the canned lead-up to the album of the year noms with varying degrees of painfulness. Here are the noms:
Jason Aldean, “My Kinda Party”
Kenny Chesney, “Hemingway’s Whiskey”
Brad Paisley, “This Is Country Music”
Taylor Swift, “Speak Now”
Keith Urban, “Get Closer”
Zac Brown Band, “You Get What You Give”
Jason Aldean
7:49: Winner: Jason Aldean, who gets an undamaged guitar. He notes “it’s been a hell of year,” and he’s certainly been on a hot streak. But I think Paisley should have won in this category. Jason notes that he’s proudest this year that more than 1 million fans came out to his shows. He’s coming to OKC in the new year if you want to see him live.
Pistol Annies
7:50: Trace appears in a neck brace, and Kristin, in an extremely low-cut green dress, is apologizing for having the biggest athlete in the world brutally body slam him. “You’re right, this is our show, we can do whatever the hell we want,”as she yanks off the neck brace. “I like your style, Chenoweth, I’m gonna let you be my co-host.” Now that that is settled, they’re introducing the amazing duo of Pistol Annies: Tishomingo resident Miranda Lambert, Angeleena Presley and Ashley Monroe are in matching black outfits as they croon their smoking first single “Hell on Heels.” Love them so much.
7:58: Brooks & Dunn is No. 7 on the artist of the decade countdown, and Tulsa comic Rodney Carrington, who has been playing Vegas and will be playing his annual post-Christmas shows at Firelake Grand in Shawnee soon, is with The JaneDear Girls. They’re going to present the new artist of the year prize. Here are the options:
The Band Perry
Scotty McCreery
Jerrod Niemann
*Pistol Annies
*Thompson Square
Scotty McCreery
8:00: Winner: “American Idol” winner Scotty McCreery, whose debut album has already gone gold, is the performing his new single “The Trouble with Girls” to mark his second big win on Fox. Carrie is nodding along as he croons. It’s amazing that a guy that young sounds so grown up; no matter how many times I hear him sing, I’m still kind of startled by it. “Thank y’all so much. It’s my first award, and it’s a dad-gum Telecaster.” He’s thanking the usual suspects, putting his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ first, and giving a birthday shout-out to his mom. If he were any sweeter, the kid would be Tim Tebow.
8:08: The duo Love and Theft are revealing No. 5 on the artist of the decade countdown, Alan Jackson, and Kristin Chenoweth is chatting with her fellow Oklahoma girl Carrie Underwood, noting that she’s perfect “just like my girls from Oklahoma.” “Sometimes awards show put people together that go together; this is not o
The Band Perry, “You Lie”
*Rascal Flatts, “Why Wait”
Sugarland, “Stuck Like Glue”
*Thompson Square, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not”
Zac Brown Band, “Colder Weather”
ne of those times.” The Big Show is back, with NASCAR pit reporter Jamie Little, and their chatting about their jobs while the wrestler points out her “Olympic conditioning” in her sleek purple gown.
They’re going to present single of the year by a group. Here are the noms:
Thompson Square
8:12: Winner: Thompson Square, who are performing their winning, breakthrough, Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling ballad. It’s been a ginormous year for this husband-and-wife team. The couple also won best single by a new artist and best video by a new artist. “Thank y’all very much. This is the first we’ve ever won anything, so be patient with us,” Keifer said. He’s thanking God for making it such a blessed year for them.
Blake Shelton (AP file)
8:20: Artist of the decade countdown continues with George Strait at No. 4, and with Kristin Chenoweth pretending to be the dummy to Trace’s fake ventriloquist. “How do you like the show so far?” Trace asks. “I’d like it better if I was sitting on Blake Shelton’s lap,” she said in a voice that’s more like a robot. But she can’t because Blake – who got huge cheers earlier when he won his music video honors – is going to croon his latest hit, “God Gave Me You.” Love this Okie, and I’m glad to see he’s finally achieving the level of success he deserves. And Miranda is singing along to the song, which he recorded for her and earned a Grammy nomination for the songwriter, Dave Barnes, to boot. It’s a gorgeous performance, and I love it when we get to see romantic Blake and not just crazy-funny Blake.
8:29: Artist of the decade countdown continues with Kenny Chesney at No. 3. Since I bet my boots that Toby Keith is No. 1, this list is awfully male-dominated. NASCAR star Kyle Busch, who’s giving a shoutout to his smoking hot wife, is going to present the female artist of the year:
Sara Evans
Alison Krauss
*Miranda Lambert
Taylor Swift
*Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood (AP file)
8:31: Winner: Carrie Underwood, who also wins music video of the year by a female for “Mama’s Song.” She is thanking her fans, specifically her fan club, and promising an amazing 2012. She also says she loves and misses her hubby Mike, then apologizing because his teammates are gonna make fun of him for that later.
Kristin Chenoweth (AP file)
8:32: Trace says he’s been pretending that he doesn’t want to listen to his co-host but that’s just an act, and he’s introducing her singing her sassy country single “I Didn’t.” She’s letting her Okie accent and full-blown feisty out as she dedicates the song to her ex-boyfriend. No question her voice is amazing, but I think the Broken Arrow native is trying a little too hard with her performance, particularly with the “yee haw.” Of course, the last time I saw her perform “I Didn’t Live,” it was in front of 2,000 people – about a fourth of them relatives or friends and all of them fellow Okies and fans – at her Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame induction in Muskogee. So that could just be my perception based on a show in which she was definitely at home and ease.
Alabama (AP file)
8:39: The artist of the decade countdown is almost over with Tim McGraw getting the No. 2 spot. They’re going to give the Hits Award, which last year went to Alan Jackson, and since ACA male artist Brad Paisley is doing the intro via video, it’s safe to say the winner is going to be Alabama. The legendary band is getting a standing O as they take the stage to play a medley of their hits including “Tennessee River,” “If You’re Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)” and “Mountain Music” that has everyone in the crowd singing along. It is so amazing to see this band playing their hits, and the crowd is just adoring every minute. Like most of the people there, I grew up with this band’s music. What great players, every one!
8:45: Trace is presenting the Greatest Hits Award to Alabama, saying the first concert he ever attended featured the band, who was “the greatest then and they’re still the greatest now.” He literally takes his hat off to the band, who then figuratively tips their hats to the fans and to the military members who keep Americans free to play and listen to the music of their choice. I notice that one of the band members is wearing a big slogan “We’re Back” on the back of his shirt. Awesome.
8:49: I’m betting that Okie Toby Keith is No. 1 on the artist of the decade countdown, though I may well be wrong. If that’s the case, the list will not have included a single female. If that’s the case, it’s just shameful.
8:51: Miranda Lambert, who is the first country artist to have her first four albums go No. 1, is looking quite sexy in a black dress covered in rectangular golden beads, and she’s going to present the artist of the year award. I’m disappointed that her honey isn’t in the running here, but here are the candidates:
Jason Aldean
Kenny Chesney
Lady Antebellum
Taylor Swift
Zac Brown Band
Jason Aldean
8:53: Winner: Jason Aldean, who comments, “This is getting ridiculous.” Yep, it sure is because that’s not all he’s won. He also gets:
Album and single of the year by a male artist for “My Kinda Party.”
Single and music video of the year by group/duo/collaboration for “Don’t You Wanna Stay” with Kelly Clarkson.
That brings his total ACA wins to 6. Wow. What a year.
Toby Keith
8:56: Trace and Kristin (who looks stunning her long golden and black dress) are presenting the artist of the decade honor to … Toby Keith, who comes out to his tune “I Wanna Talk About Me.” “Hell, anybody can have a good decade, right?” TK quips before going on to thank the fans. Before he performs his new smash “Red Solo Cup” for the first time, Stephen Colbert pays tribute to TK as the “pop of Nashville” in a taped message. Love that TK won, and my disappointment that there were ZERO women on the countdown is being drowned in the catchiness of “Red Solo Cup.” Everyone out in the crowd – from the fans to the stars – are holding the plasticware in question, and Toby Keith is so into this song, he just goofed on the lyrics. He is totally selling this ridiculous song! “You’re my friend!”
9:00: all the presenters along with Trace and Kristin join TK on stage to toast and drink from their red Solo cups, with Trace contributing to the lyrics and Kristin pretending to coach one of the guitar players.
It’s a fun way to end the show, and a handy way for Fox to promote that “Red Solo Cup” will be performed on Tuesday’s new episode of its cult favorite show “Glee.”
Thanks for following my live blog tonight. As usual, I’ll have more coverage to come soon. And if you’re drinking from a red Solo cup, please be safe and smart about it!
-BAM
2011 American Country Award nominees
Blake Shelton (AP file)
The second annual American Country Awards are airing from 7 to 9 tonight on Fox, with Broken Arrow native Kristin Chenoweth and Trace Adkins co-hosting. I’ll be live blogging the awards in mere moments.
Artists with Oklahoma ties nominated for the 2011 ACAs include Thompson Square, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Reba McEntire, Rascal Flatts and Toby Keith.
The ACAs are billed as the only country music awards show that “gives fans the opportunity to vote for their favorite artists not only in traditional categories but also in previously unrecognized areas of the business such as touring, encompassing the entire spectrum of country music and bestowing honors that no other awards show has.”
Following is the list of categories and nominees for the American Country Awards, with Oklahoma nominees marked with an *:
ARTISTS
Artist of the Year
Jason Aldean
Kenny Chesney
Lady Antebellum
Taylor Swift
Zac Brown Band
Artist of the Year: Male
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
*Blake Shelton
Artist of the Year: Female
Sara Evans
Alison Krauss
*Miranda Lambert
Taylor Swift
*Carrie Underwood
Artist of the Year: Duo or Group
The Band Perry
Lady Antebellum
*Rascal Flatts
Sugarland
Zac Brown Band
Artist of the Year: Breakthrough Artist
Eric Church
Eli Young Band
Justin Moore
Jake Owen
Chris Young
Artist of the Year: New Artist
The Band Perry
Scotty McCreery
Jerrod Niemann
*Pistol Annies
*Thompson Square
Album
Album of the Year
Jason Aldean, “My Kinda Party”
Kenny Chesney, “Hemingway’s Whiskey”
Brad Paisley, “This Is Country Music”
Taylor Swift, “Speak Now”
Keith Urban, “Get Closer”
Zac Brown Band, “You Get What You Give”
SINGLES
Single of the Year
Billy Currington, “Let Me Down Easy”
Tim McGraw, “Felt Good On My Lips”
*Thompson Square, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not”
Chris Young, “Voices”
Zac Brown Band with Alan Jackson, “As She’s Walking Away”
Single of the Year: Male
Jason Aldean, “My Kinda Party”
Luke Bryan, “Someone Else Calling You Baby”
Billy Currington, “Let Me Down Easy”
Tim McGraw, “Felt Good On My Lips”
Chris Young, “Voices”
Single of the Year: Female
Sara Evans, “A Little Bit Stronger”
*Miranda Lambert, “Heart Like Mine”
*Reba, “Turn On The Radio”
Taylor Swift, “Mean”
*Carrie Underwood, “Mama’s Song”
Single of the Year: Duo or Group
The Band Perry, “You Lie”
*Rascal Flatts, “Why Wait”
Sugarland, “Stuck Like Glue”
*Thompson Square, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not”
Zac Brown Band, “Colder Weather”
Single of the Year: New Artist
The Band Perry, “You Lie”
Craig Campbell, “Family Man”
The JaneDear Girls, “Wildflower”
Jerrod Niemann, “What Do You Want”
*Thompson Square, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not”
Single of the Year: Vocal Collaboration
Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson, “Don’t You Wanna Stay”
Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter, “You and Tequila”
Brad Paisley with Alabama, “Old Alabama”
Zac Brown Band with Jimmy Buffet, “Knee Deep”
Zac Brown Band with Alan Jackson, “As She’s Walking Away”
TOURING
Touring Headline Act of the Year
Jason Aldean
Kenny Chesney
*Toby Keith
Tim McGraw
Brad Paisley
*Rascal Flatts
George Strait
Taylor Swift
*Carrie Underwood
Keith Urban
VIDEOS
Music Video of the Year
Sara Evans, “A Little Bit Stronger”
Jerrod Niemann, “What Do You Want”
*Blake Shelton, “Who Are you When I’m Not Looking”
*Thompson Square, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not”
Josh Turner, “I Wouldn’t Be A Man”
Music Video: Male
Jason Aldean, “My Kinda Party”
Jerrod Niemann, “What Do You Want”
*Blake Shelton, “Who Are You When I’m Not Looking”
Josh Turner, “I Wouldn’t Be A Man”
Keith Urban, “Put You In A Song”
Music Video: Female
Sara Evans, “A Little Bit Stronger”
*Reba, “Turn On The Radio”
Ashton Shepherd, “Look It Up”
Taylor Swift, “Back To December”
*Carrie Underwood, “Mama’s Song”
Music Video: Duo, Group or Collaboration
Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson, “Don’t You Wanna Stay”
The Band Perry, “You Lie”
Lady Antebellum, “Hello World”
*Thompson Square, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not”
Zac Brown Band with Alan Jackson, “As She’s Walking Away”
Music Video: New Artist
The Band Perry, “You Lie”
Craig Campbell, “Family Man”
Brett Eldredge, “Raymond”
Jerrod Niemann, “What Do You Want”
*Thompson Square, “Are You Gonna Kiss
Thompson Square, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert and more nominated for American Country Awards
From Monday’s Life section of The Oklahoman. To read my new feature with Kristin Chenoweth, click here.
Thompson Square competing for 7 American Country Awards
Other artists with Oklahoma ties nominated for the second annual ACAs include Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Reba McEntire, Rascal Flatts and Toby Keith.
Hot new duo Thompson Square are set to light up the second annual American Country Awards.
The husband-and-wife pair, which includes Miami, OK, native Keifer Thompson, will view for seven commemorative guitars, which are given in lieu of trophies at the ACAs. Other artists with Oklahoma ties nominated include Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Reba McEntire, Rascal Flatts and Toby Keith.
The fan-voted awards show will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday on Fox. Broken Arrow native Kristin Chenoweth will co-host the show with country star Trace Adkins, who hosted the inaugural show solo. The ACAs are billed as the only country music awards show that “gives fans the opportunity to vote for their favorite artists not only in traditional categories but also in previously unrecognized areas of the business such as touring, encompassing the entire spectrum of country music.”
Thompson Square is nominated for Artist of the Year: New Artist and will compete for overall Single of the Year, Single of the Year: Duo or Group, Single of the Year: New Artist, overall Music Video of the Year, Music Video: Duo, Group or Collaboration and Music Video: New Artist on the strength of their smash “Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not.”
Tishomingo resident Miranda Lambert’s new all-girl trio Pistol Annies also will contend for the Artist of the Year: New Artist award. As a solo artist, Lambert is nominated for Artist of the Year: Female and Single of the Year: Female for “Heart Like Mine,”
Lambert’s husband and fellow Tishomingo resident Blake Shelton is nominated for Artist of the Year: Male along with overall Music Video of the Year and Music Video: Male for “Who Are You When I’m Not Looking.”
Checotah native Carrie Underwood is nominated for Artist of the Year: Female; Touring Headline Act of the Year; and Single of the Year: Female and Music Video: Female for “Mama’s Song.”
Reba McEntire, who hails from Chockie, also is nominated for Single of the Year: Female and Music Video: Female for “Turn on the Radio.”
Rascal Flatts, which includes Picher-bred guitarist Joe Don Rooney, will vie for Artist of the Year: Duo or Group; Single of the Year: Duo or Group for “Why Wait”; and Touring Headline Act of the Year.
Norman resident Toby Keith also is nominated for Touring Headline Act of the Year.
Performers for the second ACAs will include Keith, Shelton, Pistol Annies, Thompson Square, Chenoweth, Adkins, Alabama, Scotty McCreery, Eli Young Band and The Band Perry.4
The show also will include appearances by Lambert, Tulsa comedian Rodney Carrington, Lauren Alaina, Josh Turner, Jordin Sparks, The Big Show, The JaneDear Girls, Bill Engvall, Larry Mahan and the men of the reality TV show “Pawn Stars.”
Jason Aldean and Zac Brown Band each earned a leading eight nominations for this year’s ACAs.
-BAM
Video: “Glee” cast version of “Red Solo Cup”
Check out the “Glee” cast version of Oklahoma country music superstar Toby Keith’s “Red Solo Cup,” which will be featured on the new episode of the cult hit series airing at 7 p.m. Tuesday on Fox.
Keith will give his first televised performance of the smash party anthem, which started out a viral video sensation, on the American Country Awards, which will be broadcast live from Las Vegas at 7 p.m. Monday on Fox.
To read what the Norman resident and fellow country star Eric Church, who appears in the memorable “Red Solo Cup” video, had to say about the runaway success of “Red Solo Cup,” click here to read my recent interviews with them.
Also, look for my continuing coverage of the ACAs, including an interview with co-host and Broken Arrow native Kristin Chenoweth and my live blog of the show, Monday here on BAM’s Blog!
-BAM
Toby Keith to give 1st TV performance of “Red Solo Cup” at Monday’s American Country Awards
Oklahoma music superstar Toby Keith will give his broadcast performance debut of “Red Solo Cup” at the second American Country Awards, airing live from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Fox.
Already a radio and video sensation, Keith’s “Red Solo Cup” appears on his latest album, “Clancy’s Tavern.” The song also will be featured on the next new episode of the cult hit show “Glee,” airing at 7 p.m. Tuesday on Fox.
To read what Keith and fellow country star Eric Church, who appears in the memorable “Red Solo Cup” video, had to say about the viral sensation, click here to read my recent interviews with them.
The second annual American Country Awards, hosted by Trace Adkins and Broken Arrow native Kristin Chenoweth, is billed as “the only country music awards show that gives fans the opportunity to vote for their favorite artists not only in traditional categories but also in previously unrecognized areas of the business such as touring, encompassing the entire spectrum of country music and bestowing honors that no other awards show has.”
Adkins and Chenoweth, along with Tishomingo resident Blake Shelton, Pistol Annies (featuring Tishomingo resident Miranda Lambert), Thompson Square (featuring Miami, OK, native Keifer Thompson), Alabama, Scotty McCreery, Eli Young Band and The Band Perry are set to perform.
The special will also include appearances by Lambert, Tulsa comedian Rodney Carrington, Lauren Alaina, Josh Turner, Jordin Sparks, The Big Show, The JaneDear Girls, Bill Engvall, Larry Mahan and the men of the reality TV show “Pawn Stars” (Richard Harrison, Rick Harrison, Corey Harrison and Austin Russell).
Fans can still vote once each day for their favorite nominees in the Artist of the Year category, at www.theacas.com. But today is the final day to vote.
From his first single and No. 1 smash, “Should’ve Been A Cowboy,” to his latest album and Billboard Country Album chart-topper, “Clancy’s Tavern,” Keith has been one of the most consistent hit-makers of his era. He’s now in his 18th consecutive year having had a No. 1 single every year since his first release. This latest collection’s lead single, “Made In America,” hit the top of the charts as one of the fastest-rising songs in a long line of chart-burners from Keith’s pen. And his new single, “Red Solo Cup,” has become the most remarkable and commercially successful new country single in recent memory, with a viral video that has drawn millions of views, while topping iTunes’ country music download chart.
Keith has been the principle creative force behind songs that have competed and won at the highest levels of commercial music for nearly two decades – to the tune of more than 70 million spins on commercial radio stations nationwide. He has been honored by the Nashville Songwriters Association International with its Songwriter/Artist of the Decade distinction, and is a three-time BMI Country Songwriter/Artist of the Year. On its own, Keith’s songwriting is a career beyond imagining, but it is also the foundation of a much larger entertainment presence.
His albums have sold more than 33 million copies, ranking him among the top-selling all-genre artists on Billboard’s Top 200 Artists of the Decade. Keith is also Billboard’s No. 1 Artist of the Decade and No. 1 Country Songwriter of the Decade. His tours, long sponsored by Ford Trucks, have drawn more than 1 million fans each year for the last decade, including this year’s “Locked & Loaded Tour.”
Also, his roster of I Love This Bar And Grill restaurants continues to grow, and his recently launched signature spirit Wild Shot has become the No. 1 premium mezcal in the U.S. These, among other endeavors, have earned Keith annual recognition from Forbes as one of the very top-earning entertainer/musicians in the world.
But Keith’s most rewarding experiences, as exhibited in his continual devotion to them, come from giving back. Whether it’s helping sick children and their families in his native Oklahoma through the Toby Keith Foundation or visiting American soldiers at forward operating bases in international war zones, Keith has never lost touch with the most important things in life.
Look for my new feature on ACA co-host Kristin Chenoweth as well as my rundown of the Oklahoma nominees on Monday, as well as my live-blog coverage of the awards show that night!
-BAM
Interview: Toby Keith, Eric Church talk “Red Solo Cup,” to be featured Tuesday on “Glee”
To read more of my new interview with Eric Church, click here. To read more of my fall interview with Toby Keith, click here.
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
Toby Keith’s “Red Solo Cup” to be featured on “Glee” Tuesday
Up-and-coming country star Eric Church proud of the smoking cameo he made in Keith’s smash viral video.
“Red Solo Cup” is more than just a boozy ode to cheap plastic beverage receptacles or the latest hit from Oklahoma country music megastar Toby Keith.
Cementing its status as a pop-culture phenomenon, the raucous track from Keith’s new album “Clancy’s Tavern” will be the latest song to get the show-choir treatment on the new episode of the cult hit TV show “Glee,” airing at 7 p.m. Tuesday on Fox.
Eric Church
But the William McKinley High School singers will be hard-pressed to pay a more memorable tribute to the song and the cups that inspired it than up-and-coming country standout Eric Church puffed up in Keith’s smash viral video.
When Keith’s team invited Church, who played this year on the Norman resident’s “Locked & Loaded” tour, to make a cameo in the video doing an activity of his choice with a red Solo cup, well, you can imagine what the “Smoke a Little Smoke” singer had in mind.
“We were out on the road and bored like band members and artists get, and I came to my band and crew and I said, ‘Hey, we got about an hour, I need somebody to make me a smoking apparatus out of a red Solo cup. Is it possible?’” Church said with a laugh during a recent phone interview.
“Like 22 minutes later, a couple of my band guys and a crew guy — they were so proud of it, it took three people to carry it — they come up like it was on like a velvet pillow or something and they bring it up on the bus and they say, ‘Here it is.’ And it was full functional, a fully functional bong.”
The unedited version of the video features cameos from late-night TV host Craig Ferguson, comics Carrot Top and Jeff Dunham, rockers Sammy Hagar and Ted Nugent and basketball legend Larry Bird. But even fellow country singer Joe Nichols toasting in a bubble bath couldn’t top Church’s smoking appearance. Church’s cameo was cut from the edited version that has dominated the charts at Country Music Television, but plenty of people have seen it, since the unedited video has garnered more than 4.5 million views on YouTube.
“The funny part of the story is Toby and his camp said, ‘Aw, man, we’re not gonna show this to anybody. This is just kind of a viral thing. It’ll be on the Internet, but we’re not gonna release this song, it’s just gonna be one of these small viral things. And I said, ‘All right, cool.’ So I did my part of it, the smoking part, and now it’s everywhere,” Church said.
“I was laughing and was like, ‘Appreciate you guys not showing that to anybody.’ … It’s huge, it’s crazy, it’s like the biggest thing. And maybe I should have known that anyway with something like that that’s viral. It wasn’t like I shied away from it, I laughed at it, but I just thought it was funny, they were like ‘Oh it’ll never be a single, we’ll never send it to CMT.’”
Keith’s publicist announced this week that “Red Solo Cup” has officially become the second single from “Clancy’s Tavern.” The rowdy homage to the cheap cups and cheaper beer often poured into them already has cracked the top 30 on Billboard’s country songs after just six weeks.
Keith didn’t need a chart to tell him that the song was making an impression on his fans.
Toby Keith
During his recent tour dates, his crew started dressing up in giant red Solo cup costumes and doling out mini versions of the cups to frenzied crowds, who often insisted the star perform the song twice.
The catchy ditty was written by Brett and Brad Warren and Brett and Jim Beavers, and Keith said it wasn’t pitched to him to record but just sent to him as an MP3.
“It was ‘listen to what I heard last night,’ one of them deals. I played it, I laughed out loud, and my first comment was, ‘That is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard in my life. That is stupid; somebody wrote a song about red plastic cups,’” Keith said. “And next morning, I wake up from just hearing it and I’m going, ‘Holy cow, I know that song inside and out. I cannot get it out of my head.”
“There’s nothing else there like it, and it’s just one of those crazy things that happens sometimes in music,” Keith added. “It’s just one of the craziest things we’ve ever done. And I’m having so much fun with it.”
Although he recently became a father for the first time, Church is having fun with his part in the “Red Solo Cup” craze, even if some view it as controversial.
“Oh, I think that was good American ingenuity,” he said, laughing about his team’s cup creation. “It really was MacGyver-ed.”
-BAM
Video: Toby Keith officially makes “Red Solo Cup” a single
It’s no surprise considering the number of fans eager to toast it, but Oklahoma country music superstar Toby Keith has officially made the boozy party anthem “Red Solo Cup” his latest single.
According to a news release, Keith’s Show Dog-Universal has made “Red Solo Cup” the most remarkable and commercially successful new country single in recent memory. An album cut from Keith’s recently released No. 1 album “Clancy’s Tavern,” the song became a viral video sensation even before the album’s debut. Radio stations pulled audio straight from YouTube and began playing “Red Solo Cup,” and now it’s officially the second single from “Clancy’s Tavern.”
While the album’s first single “Made In America” shot to No. 1, it’s successor has an unparalleled head start. Already the No. 1 downloaded country song, the video has surpassed 4 million online views and is the No. 1 requested video on CMT. As it becomes an official single, “Red Solo Cup” is already receiving airplay on three-fourths of reporting country stations, according to the release.
The “Cup” is sweeping through popular culture in other ways, too. The hit Fox television show “Glee” will feature the song in its Dec. 6 episode. “Red Solo Cup” has been used as a music bed in spots for the new Tim Allen sitcom” Last Man Standing”. Major media hailing the tune have included the Boston Herald, Village Voice, Entertainment Weekly, Slate, AOL and NPR.
The song is so popular, crowds have continued singing it long after Keith finishes his performance of the song during is “Locked & Loaded” tour stops. In fact, the Norman has even played the song twice at shows in an attempt to satiate his fans’ thirst for the tune.
In a recent phone interview, Keith told me that during the standing-room-only dates on his “Locked & Loaded Tour,” the crew started dressing up in giant red Solo cup costumes and doling out the mini versions of the cups to the frenzied crowd. Keith is taking his tour to Europe starting Sunday with a date in Edinburgh, Scotland.
During our chat, the Norman resident jokingly called “Red Solo Cup” “the most profound, intelligent thing I’ve ever done.”
The catchy ditty was written by Brett and Brad Warren and Brett and Jim Beavers, and Keith said it wasn’t pitched to him to record but just sent to him as an MP3.
“It was ‘listen to what I heard last night,’ one of them deals. I played it, I laughed out loud, and my first comment was, ‘That is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard in my life. That is stupid; somebody wrote a song about red plastic cups,’” Keith said.
“And next morning, I wake up from just hearing it and I’m going, ‘Holy cow, I know that song inside and out. I cannot get it out of my head,’” he added. “It just gets stuck in your head like an infection.”
The unedited version of the video features cameos from late-night TV host Craig Ferguson, comics Carrot Top and Jeff Dunham, rockers Sammy Hagar and Ted Nugent, basketball legend Larry Bird and fellow country singers Joe Nichols and Eric Church. Look for my interview with Church, including what he had to say about his memorable appearance in Keith’s video, on Friday. Church, who toured with Keith on his “Locked & Loaded” tour, will play Saturday at Thackverille’s WinStar World Casino.
-BAM
