Released this Friday October 21... Hit Country 2012 is the year’s ultimate Hit Country compilation release on CD and DVD. It features 22 of the year’s biggest country music hits from Australia and the world, plus a massive 28 music videos from your favourite country stars!

Included are recent chart topping hits from international superstars Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, Dierks Bentley, Ronnie Dunn, Brad Paisley, Doc Walker, Miranda Lambert, Joe Nichols and Emerson Drive as well as hits from the cream of the crop locally, including Kasey Chambers, The McClymonts, Jasmine Rae, Catherine Britt, Steve Forde, Shane Nicholson and McAlister Kemp. Hits and music videos from Australia’s best emerging talent are also included.

CD - 1. Honey Bee – Blake Shelton 2. Bleed Red – Ronnie Dunn 3. Little Bird – Kasey Chambers 4. Hunky Country Boys – Jasmine Rae 5. Am I The Only One – Dierks Bentley 6. Old Alabama – Brad Paisley 7. Hard Work – McAlister Kemp 8. Sweet Emmylou – Catherine Britt 9. From A Table Away – Sunny Sweeny 10. Songs Like This – Carrie Underwood 11. The Shape I’m In – Joe Nichols 12. Bad Machines – Shane Nicholson 13. Coming Home – Doc Walker 14. Let Your Love Speak – Emerson Drive 15. Tomorrow – Chris Young 16. A Woman Is A Flame – The McClymonts 17. This – Darius Rucker 18. Trail In Life – Dean Brody 19. What He Did To Me – Shea Fisher 20. How Long – Steve Forde 21. Girls In The Summertime – Peter McWhirter 22. West Australian Woman – Corey Colum

DVD - 1. Honey Bee – Blake Shelton 2. Bleed Red – Ronnie Dunn 3. Little Bird – Kasey Chambers 4. Hunky Country Boys – Jasmine Rae 5. Am I The Only One – Dierks Bentley 6. Old Alabama – Brad Paisley 7. Hard Work – McAlister Kemp 8. Sweet Emmylou – Catherine Britt 9. From A Table Away – Sunny Sweeny 10. The Shape I’m In – Joe Nichols 11. Bad Machines – Shane Nicholson 12. Coming Home – Doc Walker 13. Let Your Love Speak – Emerson Drive 14. Tomorrow – Chris Young 15. A Woman Is A Flame – The McClymonts 16. Trail In Life – Dean Brody 17. How Long – Steve Forde 18. Is That So Wrong – Julianne Hough 19. Playing The Part – Jamey Johnson 20. If I Die Young – The Band Perry 21. In Spite Of Ourselves – Kirsty Akers w/ Bob Evans 22. A Perfect Night – Markus Meier 23. I Wasn’t Gonna Cry – Katrina Burgoyne 24. Jetty Road – Serves You Right 25. Walked In Leaving – Victoria Baillie 26. This - Darius Rucker 27. Girls In The Summertime – Peter McWhirter 28. West Australian Woman – Corey Colum

Jasmine Rae, Kasey Chambers, Keith Urban, Shane Nicholson and Troy Cassar-Daley have been nominated for 2011 ARIA Awards With just over six weeks until the 25th Anniversary ARIA Awards, the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) today announced the Nominees of the 2011 ARIA Awards to be held on Sunday, 27 November, 2011.

Australian country music was well represented in the list of nominees, with Kasey Chambers nominated for Best Female Artist for her album Little Bird and Keith Urban nominated for Highest Selling Australian Album and Most Popular Australian Artist for Get Closer.

Both country artists were also nominated for Best Country Album, alongside Jasmine Rae for Listen Here, Shane Nicholson for Bad Machines and Troy Cassar-Daley for Live.

Source: www.ariaawards.com.au

Jasmine Rae has been perofrming shows with Joe Nichols over the past week as part of "The Shape I'm In Tour" across Australia. The tour continues tonight in Albury and tomorrow night in Melbourne and also features up and coming artist Peter McWhirter.

Check out a bunch of behind the scenes videos from each show so far...

April 29 - Toowoomba http://youtu.be/y_qgIZ0UYys

May 2 - Rockhampton http://youtu.be/NrPe4eD5v-w

May 4 - Sydney http://youtu.be/dgarkkBTgac

Check out the new live music video for Jasmine and Joe's duet 'I'll Try Anything' from Jasmine Rae's new album Listen Here... 

On the heels of his performance at the inaugural CMC Rocks the Hunter festival, US country hitmaker Joe Nichols will return to Australia in April/May for his The Shape I’m In Australian Tour.

The tour will mark Nichols’ third visit to Oz shores – his first trip was for the Size Matters tour and CMC Rocks the Snowys festival in 2009.

“I was so blown away by the Aussie crowds and the way they responded at our shows in 2009, I couldn’t wait to come back”, says Joe. “This time I won’t have to wait as long to play for you guys and gals again. See y’all in April!”

Joining the platinum-selling US star on the tour will be special guests, Jasmine Rae and Peter McWhirter.

The Shape I’m In Australian Tour will kick off at the Empire Theatre in Toowoomba on April 29 and visit Caboolture, Rockhampton, Sydney and Albury before wrapping up in Adelaide on May 8.

Jasmine Rae has had one of the fastest rising careers of any local artist in recent years. Her ARIA nominated debut album Look It Up yielded two #1 singles and scored a top 5 ARIA Country Sales Chart position. She has already earned the endorsement of some of the world's biggest country acts, having toured with the likes of Brooks & Dunn, Joe Nichols, Tim McGraw, Dierks Bentley, Adam Harvey and most recently Lee Kernaghan throughout 2010.

The most notable point to make straight away about the thirteen track Listen Here is Jasmine Rae’s obvious development as an incredibly talented songwriter. Her unique and refreshing creative touch is stamped all over her collaborations with credentialed songwriters from both the US and Australia. Then there’s her incredible vocal range, soulful vocal quality, emotive and relatable songs and engaging musicality which resonates from start to finish.

Listen Here was recorded in Nashville and is produced by Grammy nominated Australian Mark Moffatt.

In support of Listen Here’s release, Jasmine Rae begins her national tour with US superstar Alan Jackson tonight at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. She will then appear on the main stage at CMC Rocks The Hunter on March 6 before sold out shows with Jackson at Acer Arena in Sydney on March 7 and the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on March 10, 11 & 12.

Following the late withdrawal of Miranda Lambert due to illness, Jasmine, initially announced as the opening act, has been bumped up into Miranda’s spot for all of the Alan Jackson shows.  

Listen Here’s first single ‘Hunky Country Boys’ topped the National Country Airplay chart and is also #1 on the CMC Top 30 Countdown this week.

The album’s second single ‘I’ll Try Anything’ featuring another US country superstar, Joe Nichols is at radio now.

Listen Here - Album Track Listing: 1. Hunky Country Boys  3.29 2. I Hate That  3.37 3. Fixer Upper  2.44 4. I’ll Try Anything (featuring Joe Nichols)  4.01 5. Too Much  3.49 6. I Faked It  3.05 7. When I Say No  3.22 8. If Your Love Was A Rock  2.50 9. Sure Thing  3.58 10. Want Me  3.23 11. I Don’t Wanna Talk About It  3.06 12. Miss Hyde  3.32 13. Let It Be Me  3.40

Check out this great video featuring Jasmine Rae and special guests including producer Mark Moffatt and special guest Joe Nichols talking about how the songs on the album evolved.

Due to severe upper respiratory infection, Miranda Lambert is unable to join country superstar, Alan Jackson, on his Australian Tour, beginning this week. Lambert performed this weekend in the States, but her condition worsened and by Sunday, her physician ordered complete rest. 

“I was very much looking forward to Australia with Alan Jackson and performing for all the music lovers down under”, said Lambert. 

For Alan Jackson’s five Arena shows (in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane), Jasmine Rae will now perform the second spot on each night, with country music’s hottest duo, McAlister Kemp, added as the opening artists. 

At CMC Rocks the Hunter this weekend, John Williamson is now confirmed to step in for Miranda Lambert and is excited about being added to the Festival line-up.

US country superstar Joe Nichols will appear on Jasmine Rae’s new album Listen Here which is released on March 4. The pair have recorded the duet ‘I’ll Try Anything’.  Rae and Nichols first toured together in Australia back in 2009.

Joe Nichols current single ‘The Shape I’m In’  is this week’s CMC Country Pick and he releases his Greatest Hits album through Universal Music on February 18. He’ll also be in Australia shortly to appear at CMC Rocks The Hunter.

He has recorded seven studio albums and has three #1 Billboard country singles to his name.

"I'll Try Anything is a beautiful song about heartache and the things it can make you feel and do. This is my first duet and the most challenging song I’ve ever recorded”, says Jasmine Rae.  

“Thanks Joe Nichols for coming into the studio and pouring your stunning, smooth, caramel vocals all over this track.” 

Listen Here is an oustanding second album for Jasmine Rae.

Kicking off with the album’s current single and #1 Australian Country hit, ‘Hunky Country Boys’, the most notable point to make straight away about the thirteen track Listen Here is Jasmine Rae’s obvious development as a incredibly talented songwriter. Her unique and refreshing creative touch is stamped all over her collaborations with credentialed songwriters from both the US and Australia. Then there’s her incredible vocal range, soulful vocal quality, emotive and relatable songs and engaging musicality which resonates from start to finish. 

Listen Here was recorded in Nashville and is produced by Grammy nominated Australian Mark Moffatt.

To support the release of Listen Here on March 4 through ABC Music/Universal Music Australia, Jasmine is the opening act on Alan Jackson & Miranda Lambert’s first ever Australian Arena Tour.

Jasmine Rae - Listen Here - Track Listing: 1. Hunky Country Boys 2. I Hate That 3. Fixer Upper 4. I’ll Try Anything (featuring Joe Nichols) 5. Too Much 6. I Faked It 7. When I Say No 8. If Your Love Was A Rock 9. Sure Thing 10. Want Me 11. I Don’t Wanna Talk About It 12. Miss Hyde 13. Let It Be Me

One of the big Australian Country releases for 2011 will be Jasmine Rae's second album, Listen Here.

It's released next March when Rae goes on tour with Alan Jackson and Miranda Lambert.

The album's first single 'Hunky Country Boys' premiered yesterday on Landline. Check out the music video below...

'Hunky Country Boys' is released as a digital single on iTunes on November 29, 2010.  

Jasmine Rae’s new single ‘Hunky Country Boys’ ‘Hunky Country Boys’ will premiere this Sunday on Landline, which airs at midday nationally on ABC1. 

'Hunky Country Boys' is the the first single from Jasmine Rae's highly anticipated second album, Listen Here – the follow up to the ARIA nominated and critically acclaimed Look It Up. The new album was produced in Nashville by Grammy nominated Australian producer Mark Moffatt, will be released on March 4, 2011 through ABC Music/Universal Music Australia.

The album is released on the day of her first sold-out Arena show with Alan Jackson and Miranda Lambert at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena.

The line-up for the 2011 CMC Rocks The Hunter festival, being held at Hope Estate in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales over the weekend of Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th March, has been announced. 

An unprecedented roster of international and local country music stars is headlined by the legendary Alan Jackson, who already has five sold out arena shows locked in for March next year in Australia. 

Alan will be joined by Miranda Lambert, Joe Nichols, Jack Ingram, Troy Cassar-Daley, Emerson Drive , The McClymonts, Buxton Hughes, Jasmine Rae, Russell Morris, O’Shea, Dean Brody, Jonah’s Road and many more.

Also appearing at the festival will be local artists McAlister Kemp, Peter McWhirter, Dianna Corcoran, Mike Carr & Springfield, Victoria Baillie, Busby Marou, The Wilson Pickers, Mark Wells, Harmony James, Liam Brew, Markus Meier, Jayne Denham and Stephanie Brownlee.

Storme Warren and Steve Forde will be the event hosts.