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The iconic country music group Alabama will be releasing a new tribute album. It is now available for pre-order on iTunes. ALABAMA &FRIENDS features some of country music’s biggest names including Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Eli Young Band, Florida Georgia Line, Rascal Flatts and Jamey Johnson. The 11-song collection comprises covers of the band’s biggest hits from an all star cast. It also features two brand new songs from Alabama – the first new tracks they’ve written in over ten years. “All American” was written by Trey Bruce and “That’s How I Was Raised” was written by Charley Stefl, Tony Ramey, Skip Sasser and Trent Tomlinson. Alabama will perform their first-ever concert at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on Nov. 3 as part of the Back to the Bowery tour. Tickets to the Ryman concert go on sale Friday (July 26) via Ticketmaster.

Young country star, Hunter Hayes, is celebrating his third number one single from the platinum-selling album ENCORE. I want Crazy raced to the top of the country chart this week. The hit was written with Troy Verges and Lori McKenna. Hunter said: “I wanted to say that love is what you want it to be when you’ve completely lost your mind, when you’re doing things completely out of character. That’s what we wrote about and I’m really pleased with how it came out.” Hunter’s debut album “Encore” has just been certified platinum by the RIAA. It includes duets with pop singer Jason Mraz and Pistol Annies member Ashley Monroe.

The Country Music Association Awards will be hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood for the sixth consecutive year. The two made a video announcement for the CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock, which aired in the US on 12th August. “Carrie and Brad are the consummate hosts,” said Ed Hardy, President of the CMA Board of Directors. “They have the respect of our industry, artistic credibility, critical acclaim, and a quick-witted, genuine rapport that makes them popular with our audience and the viewers at home. We are delighted to have them back as hosts for the sixth year.” The 47th Annual CMA Awards will take place at the Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville. Nominations will be revealed in September and the awards will be aired on 6th November.

In the wake of sold out shows and insatiable fan demand, superstar entertainers Tim McGraw and Faith Hill have announced an encore run of their limited engagement Soul2Soul at The Venetian Las Vegas in its intimate 1,815-seat Venetian Theatre. The run will open on Oct. 25- 26 and cover 10 select weekends through April 2014. Ticket pre-sales will begin Aug. 13 and tickets for the general public will go on sale Aug 16. For a full list of dates, please visit timmcgraw.com. Tim & Faith will also have a live Q&A with fans about the upcoming engagement on their Facebook pages on Tuesday, Aug. 13 at 4PM ET: TimMcGraw and FaithHill “Tim and I love performing together, but it’s been such a scheduling challenge the last few years because we have two careers and three teenage daughters’ school and social calendars to coordinate around. The Venetian really rolled out the red carpet and made the whole experience so easy for us,” explained Hill. “It was a treat to be able to take what we’ve done on previous Soul2Soul Tours, shake it up, rework it and create something totally new for that venue. It was a really special moment in time for us and for our fans.” “We made the most out of our short time in Vegas and had a lot of fun on-stage and off-stage, but it seemed like it was over just as we were getting good and warmed up,” added McGraw. “The reaction was impossible to ignore, so it was a total no-brainer to add more shows when the Venetian asked us. It’s been an ideal way for us to be able to perform together.” Critics were unanimous praising Soul2Soul at The Venetian Las Vegas for its authenticity and McGraw and Hill for the undeniable on-stage chemistry first witnessed over a decade ago on the record breaking first run of their Soul2Soul arena tour. That collaboration has gone on to become the top grossing North American tour in country music history, as well as an unrivaled concert experience the pair have successfully reinvented to meet mile-high expectations. “…a high-energy but often intimate show that prompted multiple standing ovations.” USA TODAY “Intimate, sexy and smoldering. All the power of an arena show… squeezed into a concert theater and kept so private and personal, one actually [felt] cherished by both of them.” LAS VEGAS SUN “An electrifying night…packed with powerful moments in an intimate setting.” HUFFINGTON POST “We’re thrilled to announce the return of Soul2Soul at The Venetian,” said John Caparella, president and chief operating officer for The Venetian, The Palazzo and Sands Expo. “Tim and Faith created a really special, up-close-and-personal experience for fans, and there’s no doubt, the show will sizzle again!” Members of The Venetian’s loyalty program, Grazie, as well as the artists’ official fan communities at, TimMcGraw.com and FaithHill.com, will be able to purchase advance tickets through pre-sales starting Tuesday, Aug. 13 at 10 a.m. As the official credit card of Soul2Soul at The Venetian, Citi will offer pre-sale tickets to customers available through CitiPrivatePass.com beginning Aug. 13 at 10 a.m. A limited number of VIP Packages – including preferred seating in the front row, a complimentary pre-fixe dinner at select resort restaurants, two complimentary drinks at the show, a merchandise credit and more – will also be available. Performance dates and times are subject to change. Tickets are available for purchase at any Venetian or Palazzo Box Office, online at venetian.com or by phone at 888-TAF-SOUL. For the best value and convenience, suite packages are available that combine show tickets with a spacious suite at The Venetian or The Palazzo. For more details, visit venetian.com.

Loretta Lynn, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Clinton and Chicago Cubs legend Ernie Banks are among this year’s 16 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, President Barack Obama announced Thursday (Aug. 8). The award is the nation’s highest civilian honour presented to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the U.S., to world peace or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavours. The awards will be presented at the White House later this year. Lynn and Cuban-born jazz trumpeter, pianist and composer Arturo Sandoval are the only musical artists who will be honoured during a ceremony in Washington, D.C. Other recipients include women’s rights activist Gloria Steinem, former Washington Post executive editor Ben Bradlee and the late astronaut Sally Ride.

Country music legend Jack Clement lost his fight with liver cancer and died at age 82 on Thursday August 8. His death came just months after Clement learned that he would be joining the Country Music Hall of Fame for his achievements that include writing songs for best friend Johnny Cash and being the first person to record Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison. Songwriter, record producer, film maker, record label executive, song publisher and talent spotter, Cowboy Jack Clement had done it all in a career stretching back to the early 1950s. Amongst the artists he either discovered or helped in their music careers were Charley Pride, Don Williams, Jerry Lee Lewis, Allen Reynolds, Dickey Lee, Tompall & the Glaser Brothers, Mac Wiseman, the Stoneman Family and dozens more. Amongst the songs he wrote you’d have to mention as “Ballad Of A Teenage Queen” and “Guess Things Happen That Way” for Johnny Cash; “I Know One,” “Just Someone I Used To Know” and “Miller’s Cave.” A full tribute to Jack Clement will be included in the November/December issue of Maverick on sale September 27.

JJ Cale is best-known for writing classic songs including “After Midnight” and “Call Me The Breeze,” covered by Eric Clapton and Lynyrd Skynyrd, respectively. But the influence of the GRAMMY-winning musician and songwriter, who died at age 74 on July 26 at Scripps Hospital in La Jolla, California, crossed over into country as well. The Tennessean reports via the Associated Press that JJ’s manager, Mike Kappus, confirmed the legend died of a heart attack. Born John Weldon Cale in Oklahoma City, he influenced some of the most famous rock ‘n’ roll musicians in the 1970s. In addition to Clapton and Lynyrd Skynyrd, Neil Young, Mark Knopfler and Bryan Ferry count themselves among his fans. Additionally, JJ was once a former member of the Grand Ole Opry touring company. As news of JJ’s passing spread on Twitter, stars tweeted their respects. “We really lost a great artist today,” said Steve Wariner. His great recordings live on. RIP JJ Cale.” “J.J. Cale was my dad’s favorite,” said Shooter Jennings. “He studied his songs and his singing. He was the king, the smartest & the slickest of all. R.I.P.” “Our music family has lost a great one,” said Rascal Flatts’ Joe Don Rooney. “My thoughts & prayers are w JJ’s family.” “One of the American songwriting greats has passed,” said Radney Foster. “JJ Cale wrote hits for Clapton, Waylon, Poco and songs for so many others. I loved his writing so much. He will be missed.” “Just landed and read the news about JJ Cale,” said Sheryl Crow. “Sad to hear of his passing. His songs brought me lots of joy. RIP.” While JJ never reached the level of success of his some of his fellow musicians, his fingerprints were all over the genre in the 1970s. His album with Eric Clapton, The Road to Escondido, won a GRAMMY for Best Contemporary Blues Album in 2007. “I’d probably be selling shoes today if it wasn’t for Eric,” he told the AP in 2007. Eric Clapton also recorded JJ’s “Cocaine,” ”Travelin’ Light” and “I’ll Make Love To You Anytime.” Santana, The Allman Brothers and Johnny Cash are among those who have covered his songs. On his website, JJ was asked if it bothers him that though he’s listed among legends, fans don’t know his name. “No, it doesn’t bother me,” he said. “What’s really nice is when you get a check in the mail.”

Shania Twain will soon be back at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Her award-winning show Shania: Still The One returns to the stage this October. In celebration, she has released an exclusive behind-the-scenes video giving fans an inside look of her journey from backstage to the spotlight. After a four-month hiatus, Shania will begin her next run of 22 performances on October 15 with shows scheduled through December 14. Shania: Still The One takes guests on a journey through the various stages of Shania’s life and career in an evening filled with music, multi-sensory experiences, fashion and a few unexpected surprises. Tickets for the show can be purchased here.

Lady Antebellum have announced the first leg of a headlining tour in support of their current smash album, ‘Golden.’ The trio revealed the cities and dates for 17 shows of a 40-date-plus tour that kicks off Nov. 8 in Southaven, Miss. Special guests Kip Moore and Kacey Musgraves will join Lady Antebellum for the Take Me Downtown 2013 Tour. The ‘Downtown’ hitmakers’ last tour performed to more than a million fans in 11 countries, earning them the Billboard Touring Breakthrough Award and the CMA’s International Artists Achievement Award. They plan to top that show this time around. “We spent almost every day last year backstage writing for our album ‘Golden,’ so we were really focused on writing songs that would connect with the fans in these arenas,” Charles Kelley says in a press release. “We definitely learned a lot about ourselves as live performers and the type of catalog we wanted to have so that we could go out and try to give the fans the best show they’ve ever experienced.” He adds, “All of that was the jumping off point for this tour, and now it’s time to take it to the next level.” Tickets and special VIP experiences go on sale beginning on Sept. 13. Visit the group’s website for updated on-sale information, and click here for more information about VIP opportunities. More dates will be announced soon. Lady Antebellum Take Me Downtown 2013 Tour Dates: 11/8 – Southaven, Miss. – Landers Center 11/9 – St. Louis, Mo. – Chaifetz Arena 11/10 – Evansville, Ind. – Ford Center 11/12 – Grand Rapids, Mich. – Van Andel Arena 11/15 – Chicago, Ill. – Allstate Arena 11/16 – Toledo, Ohio – Huntington Center 11/17 – Cleveland, Ohio – Quicken Loans Arena 11/19 – Fargo, N.D. – Fargodome 11/21 – Rapid City, S.D. – Rusmore Plaza Civic Center 11/22 – Denver, Colo. – Pepsi Center 11/23 – Salt Lake City, Utah – EnergySolutions Arena 12/3 – Springfield, Mo. – JQH Arena 12/5 – Minneapolis, Minn. – Target Center 12/6 – Kansas City, Mo. – Sprint Center 12/7 – Omaha, Neb. – CenturyLink Center 12/12 – Cincinnati, Ohio – US Bank Arena 12/14 – Peoria, Ill. – Peoria Civic Center

Little Big Town has reason to celebrate today. The award-winning foursome’s latest album ‘Tornado’ has achieved certified Platinum status after selling more than one million units. Back in September 2012, when LBT released ‘Tornado,’ the album debuted at No. 1 on the country charts and spent five weeks in the top slot. In addition to the album’s success, several singles from ‘Tornado’ have been getting tons of airplay. The album’s first single, ‘Pontoon,’ spent two weeks at the top of the country radio chart, and scored a CMA award for Single of the Year. The song went double Platinum, which helped the band to earn a Grammy award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance. The record’s title-track also peaked at No. 1 and has since sold more than 800,000 units. Now, the third single, ‘Your Side of the Bed,’ is taking its turn in the limelight. The emotional song is much different than fun anthems like ‘Tornado’ and ‘Pontoon,’ but that hasn’t stopped it from getting great reviews. ‘Your Side of the Bed’ is a subtle, yet emotional, song that details how it feels when a relationship starts to unravel. We’re sure that LBT would like to stop and pop a bottle of champagne to celebrate their most recent success, but it’s not likely that the foursome will have much time to hoot and holler. Currently, the group is on tour with Keith Urban, and they’ll be burning up the road for the rest of the summer.