Taylor Swift's Sophomore CD, Fearless, To Arrive In Stores On November 11th
Nashville, TN –– Taylor Swift’s highly-anticipated sophomore CD will arrive in stores on November 11th, 2008, just over a month before her 19th birthday. Entitled FEARLESS, the album will be released by Big Machine Records and contains 13 tracks, all written or co-written by Taylor. Taylor co-produced the project with Nathan Chapman, and a first single from the new record will arrive at radio in early September.
In addition to the title track, the disc includes “Change” one of a few songs used as the soundtrack for daily video highlights shown during this summer’s Olympic broadcast. The song was selected by Team USA and NBC for its lyrical content about overcoming challenges and achieving victory, and is available on iTunes starting today, with all proceeds benefiting Team USA. Also on the CD is “Breathe,” a collaboration with Colbie Caillat, and “Fifteen” a poignant, coming-of-age ballad that Taylor premiered last fall at the Country Music Hall of Fame’s All For The Hall event in New York City.
Starting on August 22nd, FEARLESS will be available for special pre-sale on the soon-to-be-launched site www.TheTaylorNation.com, and a very unique opportunity will exist for Taylor’s biggest fans to have their own picture included in the album artwork and on the package’s CD ROM. There will be a special deluxe box set edition of FEARLESS available that includes the CD, a FEARLESS leather bracelet, a FEARLESS t-shirt, a FEARLESS picture book and a The Taylor Nation decal -- all packaged in a special carrying case. The first 10,000 fans who purchase the limited box set and upload their photos will have their pictures included in a mosaic image in the album artwork and on the CD.
Taylor’s self-titled debut CD was released in October of 2006, and has since been RIAA certified Triple Platinum (more than 3 million sold), and spent 24 weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Country CD Sales Chart. Earlier this summer, Taylor became the only female solo artist in the 44-year history of the Billboard Country Chart to score five Top 10 singles from a debut album. Taylor first secured her place in the country music history books when at the age of 17, she became the youngest person ever to single-handedly write and sing a number-one country single entirely on her own ("Our Song" spent 6 consecutive weeks at #1 atop Billboard's Country Singles Chart), and she is also the first female solo artist in country music history to write or co-write every song on a platinum-selling debut CD.
Since the release of her debut CD, Taylor has:
Ø Surpassed the 54 MILLION mark for music streams on MySpace, where she is consistently ranked Country’s #1 artist.
Ø Won the CMA’s 2007 Horizon Award, the 2008 ACM Award for Top New Female Vocalist, and was named the Nashville Songwriters Association International's Songwriter / Artist of the Year in 2007.
Ø Won 2008 CMT Music Awards for Video of the Year and Female Video of the Year, and won the 2007 CMT Music Award for Breakthrough Video of the Year.
Ø Won the 2008 Teen Choice Award for Choice Breakthrough Artist.
Ø Won the 2008 Young Hollywood Award for Superstar of Tomorrow, making her the first musician to ever receive this prestigious award.
Ø Scored a 2008 GRAMMY nomination in the all-genre Best New Artist category.
Ø Been awarded two RIAA Digital Platinum certifications (1 million downloads), two Digital Gold certifications (500,000 downloads), and Gold Mastertone certification for more than 500,000 ringtones.
Ø Been named Country Music's Hottest Female Artist of 2007 by AOL Music and Best New Artist of 2007 by the editors of iTunes.
Ø Appeared on the covers of Rolling Stone, Billboard, Seventeen, Blender, USA Weekend, Southwest Airlines’ Spirit, and Justine magazines. Taylor was named one of People magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People of 2008, and was featured on Maxim’s 2008 Hot 100 list.
Ø Appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, MTV’s Total Request Live, New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Live with Regis & Kelly, The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS Early Show, Dance War, America’s Got Talent, the Academy of Country Music Awards, the CMA Awards, Christmas at Rockefeller Center, Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, Extra, CNN, E!, Fox & Friends, CMT Music Awards, Grand Ole Opry Live and the ground-breaking series GAC Short Cuts.
Copley and Wrangler are Tough Enough to Wear Pink
NASHVILLE, TN –– Copley and Wrangler® partner up with Tough Enough to Wear Pink (TETWP) to create the “Tough Enough to Wear Pink” guitar. The Pink guitars will be sold to benefit TETWP, an organization which supports the fight against breast cancer.
"Are You Tough Enough to Wear Pink?" became the $1 million question proudly answered by the western community during the 2004 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. With the leading support of the Wrangler brand, cowboys, cowgirls, rodeos, retailers and manufacturers have continued to be motivated by raising awareness and money for breast cancer research. Copley has now joined the cause and has become an active part of the fight with the creation of the Wrangler TETWP guitar.
"Just about everyone has been impacted in one way or another by this terrible disease. We are so proud to be joining forces with Wrangler and TETWP to help fight back and try to find a cure," stated Babs Simmons, owner of Copley Instruments.
Copley and Wrangler have long been synonymous with the strength and power of America’s western community. These iconic brands are thrilled to do their part and help TETWP raise the awareness and funds necessary to battle breast cancer.
The Wrangler TETWP Copley Guitars which are painted pink and laser engraved are available for promotions, trophies, fundraising, or individual efforts to raise awareness, for breast cancer. Each guitar will retail for $109.00 and $25.00 will automatically be donated to TETWP. Custom engraved TETWP guitars are also available for an additional $10.00.
Each pink guitar purchased will help shed light on the mission of TETWP and help courageous men and women battling breast cancer. Copley is thrilled to partner with Wrangler and TETWP, to support an important cause.
Josh Gracin Releases New Single "Unbelievable" Dedicated To Wife Ann Marie
NASHVILLE, TN — While still riding the high of his recent Top 10 hit “We Weren’t Crazy,” country crooner Josh Gracin is readying to release his newest single, “Unbelievable.”
Written by Gracin for his wife of seven years, “Unbelievable (Ann Marie)” is a beautiful love song that shares Josh’s innermost thoughts and feelings. “Ann is an amazing woman and mother to our kids,” said Gracin. “I just had to write this song to tell her how incredible she is. This is my favorite song on the record because it’s 100% me.”
“Unbelievable” is from Josh Gracin’s recently released sophomore CD, We Weren’t Crazy. His self-titled debut album is certified gold by the RIAA and has sold over 700,000 copies. He’s one of only three new male country singers to be introduced in the last four years to earn a gold album. Josh is also the only male solo country artist in recent years to release a debut album with three consecutive Top 5 country hits, including his first #1, “Nothin’ To Lose.”
Lyric Street Records is a part of the Disney Music Group. The Disney Music Group is the recorded music and music publishing arm of the Walt Disney Studios.
Country Weekly Fast Facts 8.25.08
Issue: August 25 - on sale August 11.
CREDIT: COUNTRY WEEKLY
COVER STORY: THE POWER OF LOVE
Country’s top couples, including Alan and Denise Jackson and Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, offer up some timely tips on how to make marriage fun and full of life. Alan and Denise take regular vacations with their daughters, but also make time to be alone with one another. Married man Trace Adkins advises that pitching in keeps relationships happy. “After you’ve been married for several years,” says Trace, “sometimes just washing the dishes without being told to is really romantic!” Also featured in this special section are Josh and Jennifer Turner and Brad and Kimberly Williams-Paisley.
CARRIE UNDERWOOD’S “DREAM” VIDEO
Carrie Underwood takes fans behind the scenes of her new video, “Just a Dream,” which she declares is her most powerful yet. “This shoot was a lot different for me, as it was based on more intense subject matter than ever before,” Carrie notes. “I really enjoyed the challenge.” Carrie stars as both a bride and a widow at her soldier husband’s funeral, with the viewer being left to decide which scenario is real and which is a dream.
PLUS!
Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood’s new California getaway . . . Jason Aldean, Lee Ann Womack and more stars recall their worst gigs . . . Jessica Simpson goes country . . . Sara Evans, Dierks Bentley and more rock Country Thunder USA . . . and Clay Walker gets ready for new fatherhood.
YALLWIRE.COM Releases Top 8 Country, Bluegrass and Christian Videos in '08
Austin, TX — The Internet’s leading country music video website, Yallwire.com, uses its new and innovative Multivariate Audience Meter to chart the top eight videos thus far in 2008. The tool measures seven key components of audience engagement through statistical analysis, including the number of times a video is made a "favorite," forwarded to friends, embedded on social networks, tagged, commented on, rated and viewed.
With fraudulent practices running rampant on Internet video sites to inflate number of views, the Multivariate Audience Meter provides a more accurate means to chart videos by taking into account user actions.
The following videos in the country, bluegrass and Christian genres have had the most activity so far this year on Yallwire.com:
COUNTRY
1. Heartland, “I Loved Her First”
2. Taylor Swift, “Our Song”
3. Sugarland, “Stay”
4. Trace Adkins, “You’re Gonna Miss This”
5. Terri Clark, “The World Needs A Drink”
6. Sugarland, “All I Want To Do”
7. Jewel, “Stronger Woman”
8. The Eagles, “Busy Being Fabulous”
Y’ALLTURNATIVE
1. Kendel Carson, “I Like Trucks”
2. The Mavericks, “O What A Thrill”
3. The Road Hammers, “East Bound And Down”
4. Colt Ford, “No Trash In My Trailer”
5. Craig Morgan, “International Harvester”
6. Trailer Choir, “Off The Hillbilly Hook”
7. Jonalee White, “Wake Me”
8. Gary Allan, “Life Ain’t Always Beautiful”
BLUEGRASS
1. Rhonda Vincent, “Heartbreaker’s Alibi”
2. Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, “Sadie’s Got Her New Dress On”
3. The Grascals, “Me and John and Paul”
4. The Gibson Brothers, “I Got A Woman”
5. Sam Bush, “The Rivers Gonna Run”
6. Lori Willcuts, “Black Eyed Susans”
7. Ryan Shupe and The Rubberband, “Banjo Boy”
8. Yonder Mountain String Band, “Classic Situation”
CHRISTIAN
1. Chris Tomlin, “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)”
2. Casting Crowns, “Does Anybody Hear Her”
3. Chris Tomlin, “Take My Life (And Let It Be)”
4. Ami Rushes, “I Can Go To God In Prayer”
5. Mark Harris, “Find Your Wings”
6. Point of Grace, “How You Live”
7. MercyMe, “I Can Only Imagine”
8. T. Jae Christian, “This Is Where Jesus Would Go”
ABOUT BLASTRO NETWORKS
Blastro Networks (www.blastronetworks.com) owns and operates the Internet's most popular destinations for discovering, watching and sharing music videos by today's hottest unsigned, indie and major-label artists. Catering to niche audiences, Blastro Networks runs three all-inclusive and genre-specific music entertainment sites. Blastro (www.blastro.com), voted "Best of the Web 2007" by Business Week, is an urban-centric site for Hip-Hop, R&B, Pop, Latin and Dance music enthusiasts. Roxwel (www.roxwel.com) is an alternative fusion of Rock, Metal and Indie entertainment, and Yallwire (www.yallwire.com) features Country, Bluegrass and Christian artists.
Streaming over 10 million videos each month, Blastro Networks has a catalog of over 10,000 licensed music videos and 100 hours of culture- and genre-relevant original shows, which include music, gossip, automotive, movie and gaming channels. Content from all three sites has wide distribution across social networks and blogs, as well as Verizon FiOS TV and Windows Media Guide.
AUGUST 8-9, 2008 (click on link below for full release)
Taylor Swift's Sophomore CD, Fearless, To Arrive In Stores On November 11th
Copley and Wrangler are Tough Enough to Wear Pink
Josh Gracin Releases New Single "Unbelievable" Dedicated To Wife Ann Marie
Country Weekly Fast Facts 8.25.08
YALLWIRE.COM Releases Top 8 Country, Bluegrass and Christian Videos in '08
