Carrie Un derwood will be the new Sunday Night Football opener succeeding Faith Hill who had been singing the opening theme song for six seasons.

“I think it’s a perfect fit,” she said. “I am a s a sports fan, a football fan, and we love Sunday nights around my household, so for me to be a part of it is something really special."

The theme song “Waiting All Day For Sunday Night” is sung to the song “I Hate Myself For Loving You” by Joan Jett.

Taylor Swift has announced that she will be taking “The Red Tour” to Australia and New Zealand for five concert dates between Novemeber 29 and December 14.

Pre-sale Tickets will be available on Tuesday, May 14 and Wednesday May 15 through via frontiertouring.com/taylorswift. General admission tickets will be available Tuesday, May 21.

For more information, visit www.taylorswift.com.

Tim McGraw’s latest video “Highway Don’t Care” featuring Tim and guests Keith Urban and Taylor Swift debuted yesterday (May 6). Many were surprised at the video and the message it sends about the dangers of driving while texting or talking on the cell phone.

“The first impetus of this idea came from my daughter, who is 16-years-old and got her driver’s license today,” said McGraw. “We didn’t start out to turn it into a public service announcement, but as it developed and I started realizing that I have two teenage daughters, I didn’t mind being preachy.”

The video was broadcast worldwide live from Nashville’s Belcourt Theater. It was the first music video to debut via a Google+ hangout session. Those in attendance at the premiere included fans and students from Cookeville High School who were celebrated for their efforts in teaching the importance of driving without distractions. The Vanderbilt’s LifeFlight team, who are part of the video, were also in the audience.

Watch the video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isNtEh6nQo.

Tim McGraw has partnered with Pennzoil for his Four Wheels To Freedom custom car giveaway. Those who enter the contest will have the opportunity to win Challenger SRT designed by McGraw.

Deadline for entries is July 31. The car will be traveling with McGraw on his Two Lanes of Freedom Tour. 

See details here http://www.pennzoil.com/tim-mcgraw/

Keith Urban showed up for a surprise performance last Friday night (5/3) with the Rolling Stones at their sold out concert at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

"If I had have been offered either a trip to the moon or sitting in with The Stones”, said Urban “I would still have been strapping on my Tele saying ‘screw the moon!’"

Keith played “Respectable” off the Stones’ 1978 album “Some Girls.” Check it out here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7YMUi7V_oA

Rich Footwear Group and Miranda Lambert are going to release a new line of women’s footwear. Lambert will design the shoes and styles will include casual, dress, sandals and boots. The line will debut early next year.

Carrie Und erwood is featured in People Magazine that hits newsstands today (4/5). She explains the one thing that could make her quit the music business.

"If Mike (Mike Fisher, Underwood’s husband) ever told me he needed me to quit, I'd quit," she says. "When you make that promise to somebody, and you stand before God and your family and friends, you've got to do everything that you possibly can to make that work."

Read more here.

The Academy of Country Music has announced more acts that will be performing at the ACM Awards Fan Jam at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

Brad Paisley, will perform at the event, with his special guests Dierks Bentley and Hunter Hayes. ACM New Artist of the Year nominees Brantley Gilbert, Jana Kramer and Florida Georgia Line have also been added to the line-up. LL Cool J, will make a special appearance during the event and GAC’s Headline Country Host Storme Warren will emcee for the first time.

Darius Rucker will host the ACM Lifting Lives Celebrity Golf Classic at TPC Las Vegas on Saturday, April 6. This is the second time Rucker has hosted the tournament to raise money and awareness of the ACM Lifting Lives’ Diane Holcumb Emergency Relief Fund for those in need in the music industry.

The event will coincide with the ACM Awards that will air Sunday, April 7 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS TV. For more information go to www.acmliftinglives.org

Brad Paisley is releasing an iBook entitled “Building A Wheelhouse.” The book is due out April 9.

The book will include interviews, videos, photos and information about the making of Paisley’s upcoming album “Wheelhouse.” The album is due out the same day as the release of the album. For more information go to BradPaisley.com.

More performers are scheduled to appear at George Jones’ final Nashville concert on Friday, November 22 at the Bridgestone Arena.

 The latest artists who will help George celebrate include Alan Jackson, Travis Tritt, Pam Tillis, Tracy Lawrence, Kathy Mattea, Patty Loveless, Joe Diffie, Mark Chesnutt and T. Graham Brown. Ticketmaster is handling the sales. For more information go to www.georgejones.com.

For the fifth year country music will come together on the beaches of Key West, Fl October 5-8 to benefit the music industry’s largest foundation that funds leukemia, cancer and AIDS research—the T.J. Martell Foundation.

Lee Brice, Randy Houser and Jerrod Niemann will triple headline the final night of Country On the Beach at Reach Resort. Montgomery Gentry will host the event and GAC’s Headline Country’s Storme Warren will emcee.

"We call the growing gang of fans who attend our annual tropical reunions ‘the world's largest dysfunctional family,'” Warren said lightheartedly. “Now that we're adding Lee, Randy and Jerrod in to the mix, that family just got a whole lot more dysfunctional. The hits will be flying from the stage. I can't wait!”

Tickets and more informatiion is available by visiting www.countryonthebeach.com and proceeds from the weekend’s auctions and special excursions will benefit the foundation. For more information on the T.J. Martell Foundation, visit http://www.tjmartellfoundation.org/.

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Dari us Rucker will kick off his “The True Believers Tour” on May 9 in Estero, FL. Those joining him include Rodney Atkins, Justin Moore and Jana Kramer. Two pairs of tickets will be given away for each show through his website.

Proceeds will benefit CMA’s Keep the Music Playing and ACM’s Lifting Lives. Check it out here .

Country superstar George Strait will be honored with the 2013 Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. Career Achievement Award at the Country Radio Hall of Fame Induction on Tuesday, Feb. 26 at 6 p.m.

The CRB Achievement Award is presented to an individual artist or act that, through their creativity, vision, performance or leadership has made a significant contribution to the development and promotion of country music and country radio.

“George Strait has done a superb job promoting country music and country radio over the years. His dedication to the format and on-going contribution to the industry as a whole make him the perfect recipient for this award,” said Mike Culotta, CRS President.

With a career spanning more than 30 years, George Strait has the most number one singles of any artist in history including Elvis Presley. He has sold nearly 69 million records and with 33 different platinum or multi-platinum albums, has the most RIAA platinum certifications in country music and the third in all genres behind The Beatles and Elvis Presley. Strait was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2006. Strait is the only artist to have 85 out of 90 radio singles make it to Top 10 and 24 albums at the number one position on Billboard’s Country Music Album Chart, and has recently released “Give It All We Got Tonight” from his forthcoming 2013 album.

The evening will also feature Gaylan Christie being inducted into the Country Radio Hall of Fame and Dr. Don Carpenter, Crook & Chase, Eddie Edwards and Bill “Dex” Poindexter will be inducted in the Air Personality category. Bob Romeo will receive the 2013 Presidents’ Award.

For more information on George Strait, visit www.georgestrait.com. For more information on Country Radio Seminar, visit www.CountryRadioSeminar.com

Toby Keit h will be taking his 2013 Hammer Down Tour on the road beginning Satruday, June 8 in Ozark, AR. The 20-date tour will feature Kip Moore. For more information go here tobykeith.com.

Lady A’s Hillary Scott will be a mentor on The Voice for Adam Levine’s team.

In an interview with Access Hollywood Scott said, "I’m sure [we’ll have] way more fun than Blake’s team!” The new season starts March 25 on NBC TV.

Georg e Jones has announced that he will be making his final concert appearance in Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Friday, November 22. Artists who will be joining Jones include Charlie Daniels, Lorrie Morgan, Randy Travis, Jamey Johnson and Gene Watson.

Tickets are available at Ticketmaster. For more information go here .

Kenny Chesney will be releasing his new 10-song album “Life On A Rock” on Tuesday, April 30.

When asked about the title of title of the album Chesney says, “"It all depends on what kind of rock you’re looking at. Just living here on this planet, we’re all living life on a rock; but for me, and for this record, it’s about the way life is when you live on an island. Everywhere you go, there’s everyone you know; you know everything about them, and they know everything about you… and well, that’s just a whole other way to be."

Chesney recorded this project in many locations including LA, Hawaii, Jamaica, Nashville, London and Key West. His “No Shoes Nation Tour” will kick off Saturday March 16 in Tampa. For more info on Kenny visit www.KennyChesney.com

Carrie Underwo od is working with Tickets-For-Charity.com to offer her fans some of the best seats at her Blown Away Tour while also benefiting the Academy of Country Music’s ACM Lifting Lives and the C.A.T.S. Foundation at www.ticketsforcharity.com/ACMLiftingLives.

 This program gives fans access to great seats in sold-out sections for concerts nationwide. Concert goers pay the same or a better price than they would elsewhere. The difference is that their purchase supports causes important to artists and fans, rather than ticket resellers.

"The C.A.T.S. Foundation (Checotah Animal, Town and School Foundation) is dedicated to helping a number of causes in Carrie’s hometown of Checotah, Oklahoma. Carrie’s personal commitment to charity is truly inspiring,” said ACM Lifting Lives Chairman, Mark Hartley. “We’re honored to have her tour join the ACM Lifting Lives® Tickets-for-Charity® program this year to help us reach more fans and improve more lives through the power of music.”

Other artists who are part of this program include Zac Brown Band, Brad Paisley and Toby Keith.

Fans can now get exclusive tickets, including seats in the first 10 rows for Carrie Underwood’s "Blown Away Tour" and “Eat & Greet” VIP Packages for Zac Brown Band, while helping great causes at www.TicketsforCharity.com/ACMLiftingLives.