Country Western Music Gossip

As if a Grammy wasn’t enough to keep Lady Antebellum riding high, the group has more reason to celebrate. The trio’s sophomore album, ‘Need You Now,’ has debuted in the No. 1 position on Billboard’s multi-genre Top 200 chart, with first-week sales of more than 480,000 units. It’s the biggest debut sales week for any album since Susan Boyle’s ’I Dreamed a Dream’ moved 701,000 units in its first week in November 2009, and the best first-week sales for a country disc since Taylor Swift’s ‘Fearless’ in 2008.

“We are absolutely stunned. The love and support we were feeling last week from the fans and everyone around us was so incredible,” says Lady A’s Dave Haywood. “These songs are about our lives; they’re really personal. And to be getting such awesome feedback from everyone who bought the record is so validating.”

Kenny Chesney gets into the Super Bowl spirit this week when he plays a special show in Miami, Fla., live from the Surfcomber in South Beach. Although the show is strictly a VIP invitation-only event, Kenny says he will not leave his fans hanging. The show will be broadcast live on Kenny’s ‘No Shoes Radio’.

“We’re gonna take my friends — by way of No Shoes Radio — to hang out,” Kenny explains. “There’ll be people stopping by … a party going on … and all of the post-long-day-in-the-sun vibe that is South Beach in full swing. I can’t get you in, but that doesn’t mean I can’t bring you along!”

Jimmy Wayne is just a little over a month into his cross-country ‘Meet Me Halfway’ walk, making his way from Nashville, Tenn. to Phoenix, Ariz. on foot to raise awareness for teens who age out of the foster home system. Throughout the more than 300 miles he’s hiked so far, Jimmy says he’s met many families who have come out to show their support by giving him food and shelter and even logging some miles of walk-time in with the singer.

“I’ve had families park their cars in store parking lots and walk with me,” Jimmy tells The Boot. “It’s been great.”

John Mayer is known for dating beautiful women — and clearly doesn’t discriminate on their ages. The 32-year-old rocker, who was previously involved with 40-year-old Jennifer Aniston, is now rumored to be dating Taylor Swift, 20.

“Taylor and John are absolutely more than ‘just friends,’” a source tells Hollywoodlife.com

“They aren’t ‘boyfriend and girlfriend’ or anything as provincial as that, but they have taken their friendship to the next level,” the source adds.

Carrie Underwood shared the Grammy stage with a cross-genre mix of other music superstars on Sunday, in a tribute to the late Michael Jackson. Singing with the country songbird were pop queen Celine Dion, R&B heartthrob Usher, Motown legend Smoky Robinson and R&B singer/actress Jennifer Hudson. One hip-hop star was particularly moved by the performance, and is hoping to snag Carrie for another genre-bending collaboration.

“Next person I want to work with — and I won’t work with anyone else until I get her — is Carrie Underwood,” T-Pain adamantly told The Boombox backstage at the Grammys. “Everyone else can suck it until I get to Carrie!”

Lady Antebellum have just released their sophomore album, ‘Need You Now,’ and the trio remain amazed at the response the title track is still getting.

The five-week chart-topper was definitely a topic of intense discussion between the recent Grammy Winners and executives at their record label. “The response from the get-go was so big,” Charles Kelley tells The Boot. “I remember even having some conversations with the label and people were [saying], ‘Oh no, hope they don’t get offended by the ‘I’m a little drunk and I need you now’ [line]. And I [said], ‘But that’s honest! We’re talking about country radio, right? What happened to the old Waylong Jennings songs and stuff and people said what [they felt]?’ It’s storytelling.”

Taylor Swift, who was second to Beyonce in Grammy nominations with eight nods, won three early awards, including best country album. Though the 20-year-old has won just about every award imaginable over the past year for her best-selling CD “Fearless,” she was wide-eyed when she accepted her trophy for country album.

“I just keep thinking back to when you’re in second grade and you sing in the talent show for the first time and people joke around and say, ‘Maybe we’ll see you at the Grammys some day.’ But that just seems like an impossible dream,” she said. “I just feel like I’m standing here accepting an impossible dream.”

Later, she also collaborated with a rock legend: Stevie Nicks joined her on stage as they both sang Nicks’ “Rhiannon” and Swift’s “You Belong With Me.”

Country music continues to prove it is a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment world, thanks to sold-out concerts, soaring album sales and stars such as Tim McGraw and Taylor Swift extending their talents into film and TV. And when it comes to a two-income household, country music is also well-represented among the heftiest wage-earners.

In Forbes magazine’s latest list, detailing the top money-making couples in Hollywood, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill came in at a respectable No. 12. Taking in a combined income of $28 million, both husband and wife contributed to their bankable status in 2009. Tim’s album, ‘Let it Go,’ reached double-platinum sales, and he also proved his worth as an actor, starring in the blockbuster film, ‘The Blind Side,’ opposite Sandra Bullock. Meanwhile, Faith sang the Sunday night football theme song for NBC, earning her a hefty sum each week for the duration of the NFL season.

Just a few slots behind them, at No. 15: Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman, who raked in $17 million last year, with each spouse earning roughly the same amount. Nicole, one of Hollywood’s highest-paid actresses, starred in the movie ‘Australia’ with Hugh Jackman, while Keith’s album, ‘Defying Gravity,’ debuted at the top of the charts. Keith also had his successful Escape Together World Tour, which included stops in Canada and Australia.

Coming in at No.1 on the list: Jay-Z and Beyonce, who continue to reign in the hip-hop world, raking in $122 million last year. They are followed by Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart, with $69 million, Brad Pitt and Angelia Jolie at $55 million, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith at $48 million and David and Victoria Beckham closing in at $46 million.

Other power couples on the list include Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, Tony Parker and Eva Longoria Parker, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia DeRossi and Katherine Heigl and Josh Kelley, poised to be another country-music-fueled duo (in part), since Josh is currently working on his first country album.

Toby Keith says he will help his friend Wyclef Jean, if he’s called on by the fellow musician to participate in a benefit concert or other effort to aid the people of Haiti. The country was hit by an earthquake Tuesday, described as one of the worst-ever natural disasters in the western hemisphere.

“I haven’t talked to him, but I saw him on TV Tuesday night when it happened,” Toby tells The Boot of the Haitian-born Wyclef, who is working tirelessly to help his homeland. “I’m sure he’ll be contacting me soon … we’re pretty tight.”

“I cannot stress enough what a human disaster this is, and idle hands will only make this tragedy worse,” Wyclef says in a prepared statement. “The over two million people in Port-au-Prince tonight face catastrophe alone. We must act now.”

The two entertainers recently performed at the Nobel Peace Prize concert in Oslo, Norway, along with Will Smith and Natasha Bedingfield.

Wyclef has set up two ways for people to help in the relief effort. You can text yele to 501501 on your cell phone, and a $5.00 donation will be charged to your cell phone bill, or visit www.yele.org to make a donation.

Other entertainers who have pledged support for Wyclef Jean and the people of Haiti include Brad Pitt and Angelia Jolie.

With the new season of ‘American Idol’ just underway, several past contestants have proven their staying power at radio — in multiple formats. Two such artists, Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, continue to lead the pack.

Kelly, who made her mark in pop music but earned a huge country following from her hit duet withReba, ‘Because of You,’ had the most radio plays of any ‘Al’ finalist, with over 3.5 million spins since her win in 2002, according to Mediabase. Chris Daughtry, a finalist in 2006, came in second, with just over 2 million air plays, thanks to his huge crossover song, ‘Home,’ a hit at pop, country and Christian radio. Carrie came in right behind Chris, at just over 1.5 million plays. Like Chris, Carrie’s first hit, ‘Jesus, Take the Wheel,’ was a No. 1 hit on pop, country and Christian radio. It also earned the singer two Grammy awards.

Mediabase also tallied the most popular songs at radio since 2002, and once again Kelly dominates the list, taking four of the top five slots. She had the most-played song with ‘Breakaway,’ with Carrie coming in a close second with ‘Before He Cheats.’ Kelly takes the rest of the slots in the top five with ‘Since U Been Gone,’ ‘Because of You,’ and ‘Behind These Hazel Eyes.’ Kelly also landed at both the ninth and tenth slots, with, respectively, ‘Walk Away’ and ‘Miss Independent.’

Kelly may be leading the way at radio, but Carrie, who came on to the music scene three years after Kelly’s Idol win, is certainly hot on her trail. Nominated for two Grammys on Jan. 31, she’s following up her No. 1 hit, ‘Cowboy Casanova,’ with her latest single, ‘Temporary Home,’ currently in the Top 20.

Both Kelly and Carrie were recently named by ‘Idol’ judge Randy Jackson as his favorite winners.