he returns from his next stint in the National Guard.  He’s a singer songwriter who is preparing for his fourth

tour of duty in Iraq.  You may

recognize him from the movies, though. 

Following in the footsteps of Kid Rock and Three Doors Down, Darby is

only the third artist chosen by the National Guard to have one of his songs

chosen for a national movie theater ad campaign.

Josh Turner has one of the

most unusual, coolest voices in country music.  He released his new disc ‘Haywire’ earlier this month, and

sales are taking off.  He’s got two

versions of this disc…one standard and one deluxe, with a few unreleased

tracks, live clips, and video files. 

We sat down with Josh to hear all about the new album.  That is one awesome CD, and you will

love the live version of ‘Long Black Train!

Nashville and Country Music News that includes: Vince Gill Love Songs, Tim and Faith Courage Award at the Unforgettable Evening, Kraft Single Best Town with Love & Theft, MTV Games, Country Rock Band, We go Inside the Song Emma Jacob as she talks about her song Julianna

Rocketown…a popular establishment downtown.  While most of the music coming out of Nashville is country,

these awards show off another side of Nashville that many people don’t

expect.  Here’s Cheryl Jackson at

the BMI Trailblazer Gospel Awards.

Steve Azar has been in the

music business for about fifteen years now, and he is still making hits that

connect with his audience.  ‘Moo La

Moo’ was a catchy tune that listeners loved to sing along with.  Now the second release off his ‘Slide

On Over Here’ disc ‘Sunshine’…is quite a bit different.  Steve has already gotten some

tremendous feedback on ‘Sunshine,’ which we hope does well for him.  You can always sign up for email

updates to keep up with Steve from his official www.SteveAzarLive.com

site.  

We’ve brought you a few

stories about the Dothan and Enterprise areas in lower Alabama.  Last summer we visited the site of a

new country entertainment extravaganza, called Country Crossing.  We recently had the privilege of

attending the grand opening of this new endeavor, along with plenty of artists

and fans.  Take a look. Construction

is already underway on Phase Two of the Country Crossing Development. To be

added in this phase are two hotels, the Randy Owen family entertainment center,

and much more.  Check out Country

Crossing Alabama dot com for the most up-to-date info and grand openings.  

Nashville and Country Music News that includes: Gretchen Wilson New Record, Shania Twain Kids Can, Aaron Tippin Commemorative Air Force Celebrity Spokesman, 45th ACM Awards Sugarland Dr Pepper VIP Prize Pack, BamaJam Music and Arts Festival we go inside the song with Angela Kaset as she wrote a very special song recorded by Wynonna Judd "Peace in this House."

Country Weekly started out in

the mid-90’s with humble roots, and has quickly emerged as the place to go for written

country entertainment news.  After

all the regular issues written up since then, plus a few special editions, it

was time for a party to recognize their fifteen years in the business.  

anymore.  For someone to drive our

nation’s highways and byways every day, it takes ‘drive’ and dedication.  Sometimes, though, these drivers are up

for a new challenge…driving celebrities. 

It’s not a job for everyone, but there is a new academy gearing up in

Franklin, Tennessee for those that want to see if they have what it takes to be

a celebrity bus driver; the first class starts March third in

Franklin.  Applications and student

criteria can be found at www.Huffman-Rice.com.  

The annual Sprint ‘Sound

and Speed’ event presented by SunTrust brings together the hottest country

stars with the best NASCAR drivers. 

With two very similar audiences, this seems to be a match made in

heaven, even with a few weather-related challenges here in Nashville.