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.

Dean Brody is one of Canada’s hottest new country stars. In fact he’s one of the biggest new stars in Country music globally. He’s launching the Australian release of Trail In Life on the main stage at CMC Rocks The Hunter on March 5. 

Brody has been included on one of Australia’s best ever country music festival line-ups, with the likes of Alan Jackson, Joe Nichols, Jack Ingram, The McClymonts, Troy Cassar-Daley, Emerson Drive, Kasey Chambers, Jasmine Rae and John Williamson also on the CMC Rocks The Hunter main stage bill. 

Trail Of Life features the Canadian country hit singles ‘Roll That Barrel Out’, ‘Wildflower’ and ‘Trail In Life’. 

Dean Brody’s current Australian single ‘Roll That Barrel Out’ is currently at media and is at #25 (up from #29) on this week’s CMC Top 30 Countdown.

Dean Brody - Trail In Life - Track Listing: 1. People Know You By Your First 2. Name 3. Roll That Barrel Out 4. Little Yellow Blanket 5. Angelina 6. Trail In Life 7. Sunday Drive 8. The Kitchen Song 8. Wildflower 9. Gypsy Girl 10. The Porch 

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

Keith Urban’s Get Closer, to be released on November 12^th, is the sixth studio recording and follows his two previous top 5 ARIA album’s Defying Gravity (#3) and Love, Pain And The Whole Crazy Thing (#5).  In the USA, Get Closer follows both these #1 Billboard country and pop albums, as well as five previous solo efforts all of which have been certified platinum or multi-platinum. 

On Get Closer, Urban dives even deeper into the explorations of love and relationships that have served to establish him as one of the world’s biggest country music stars – while also extending his rock & roll side, as his hard-charging guitar work reaches new heights.

"On Defying Gravity I started touching upon the theme of the courage to love," he says. "It’s all well and good to say, 'I can’t find anybody to love, I wish I could find someone to love.' But do I have the courage to love? Am I willing to open my heart and give the sword to my partner and go, 'All right, I trust you, absolutely and completely?'”

But the ambition for Get Closer is made explicit right on the cover. “For me the title is multi-faceted,” says Urban, “because my instincts have always been to run from the things that are good for me, to run from love.  I have always run from intimacy, and marriage has been a real awakening for me in looking at that very differently.  That’s what the title refers to.”

The general retail release of Get Closer is contained in ten songs produced with long-time collaborator Dann Huff.  It blends such chugging rockers as 'Long Hot Summer,' 'You Gonna Fly' and the CDs first single, 'Put You in a Song,' with more emotionally complex and nuanced compositions like 'Right on Back to You' and 'Georgia Woods.'  

Hit Country 2011 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 Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, Doc Walker, Miranda Lambert, Joe Nichols, Emerson Drive and Gary Allan as well as hits from the cream of the crop locally, including Australia’s king of country Lee Kernaghan, The McClymonts, Troy Cassar-Daley, Catherine Britt, Steve Forde, Adam Harvey, Sara Storer, Jasmine Rae and McAlister Kemp. Hits and music videos from Australia’s best emerging talent are also included. It even features the “Country Mix” of Train’s smash hit ‘Hey Soul Sister’! 

CD 1. Southern Voice - Tim McGraw 2. Australian Boy - Lee Kernaghan 3. Hell Yeah (Single Edit) - McAlister Kemp 4. Ain’t Back Yet - Kenny Chesney 5. Undo It - Carrie Underwood 6. If I Fall - Doc Walker 7. Calling Me Home - Sara Storer 8. Can’t Change A Thing - Catherine Britt 9. Better Than This - Adam Harvey 10. I Will Stand By You - Peter McWhirter 11. Hurricane - Steve Forde 12. Gimme That Girl - Joe Nichols 13. White Liar - Miranda Lambert  14. Today - Gary Allan 15. Hearts On Fire - The McClymonts 16. Getaway Heart - Shea Fisher 17. Can’t A Girl Change Her Mind - Jasmine Rae 18. Chasing Rodeo - Troy Cassar-Daley 19. I Love This Road - Emerson Drive 20. Hip To My Heart - The Band Perry 21. Hey Soul Sister (Country Mix) - Train 22. Thankyou For Cheating On Me - Dianna Corcoran

DVD 1. Southern Voice - Tim McGraw 2. Australian Boy - Lee Kernaghan 3. Hell Yeah - McAlister Kemp  4. Ain’t Back Yet - Kenny Chesney 5. Undo It - Carrie Underwood 6. If I Fall - Doc Walker 7. Calling Me Home - Sara Storer 8. Can’t Change A Thing - Catherine Britt 9. Better Than This - Adam Harvey 10. I Will Stand By You - Peter McWhirter 11. Hurricane - Steve Forde 12. Gimme That Girl - Joe Nichols 13. White Liar - Miranda Lambert 14. Today - Gary Allan 15. Hearts On Fire - The McClymonts 16. Getaway Heart - Shea Fisher 17. Can’t A Girl Change Her Mind - Jasmine Rae 18. Chasing Rodeo - Troy Cassar-Daley 19. I Love This Road - Emerson Drive 20. Hip To My Heart - The Band Perry 21. Giddy On Up - Laura Bell Bundy 22. Skinny Dippin’ - Whitney Duncan 23. Everywhere I Go - Phil Vassar 24. A Different Land - Markus Meier 25. Thankyou For Cheating On Me - Dianna Corcoran  26. Wrecking Ball - Amber Lawrence 27. Road To Nowhere – Jetty Road 28. Honky Tonk Stomp - Brooks & Dunn

Buy the album now at

Award-winning singer/songwriter Jamey Johnson ‘s ambitious 25-song double album entitled The Guitar Song has debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and #4 on the Billboard 200, making this the highest debut of his career. "My dream already came true,” says Johnson. “All I ever wanted was just to get to ride around and sing country music.”

The Guitar Song, is the follow-up to Johnson’s Grammy-nominated, critically acclaimed That Lonesome Song which included the 2009 CMA Awards Song of the Year 'In Colour'.  The Guitar Song is now on sale in Australia. The impressive musical evolution revealed in The Guitar Song is earning rave reviews that equal and surpass those of his previous release. The critical press is proclaiming the record one of the best albums of the year in all genres.

For instance, in its 4-1/2-star review, Rolling Stone says, “Johnson’s 2008 breakthrough, That Lonesome Song, established him as heir to ‘outlaws’ like Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard. The Guitar Song aims even higher, with 25 tracks that take the pulse of a country hitting the skids and a country singer hitting the big time.”

The Washington Post calls Johnson “one of the greatest country singers of our time,” while The Wall Street Journal describes the album as “a new country masterpiece,” noting, “It’s a country album, and one as ambitious in its intentions and successful in its execution as country music has seen in decades, able to hold its own with albums conceived as such by Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash.”

And we couldn't agree more. Jamey Johnson represents everything that is great about great country music!

Tim McGraw performed quite possibly the biggest country show ever in Sydney last night to a packed house at Acer Arena.

Like Brooks & Dunn not so long ago, McGraw has come to Australia armed with a substantial catalogue of hits spanning a recording career of over 15 years. From 'Real Good Man' and 'Last Dollar (Fly Away)' which he opened with, through to 'Live Like You Were Dying', 'The Cowboy in Me', 'Indian Outlaw', 'She's My Kind Of Rain' and his current hit single 'Southern Voice', McGraw performed all his hits to the wildest country crowd ever seen in Sydney.

The highlight for many was the euphoric moment mid show when McGraw's wife and country superstar in her own right Faith Hill joined him on stage to perform 'I Need You'. Hill was celebrating her 43rd birthday and the SYdney fans gave her the best birthday welcome imaginable.

Australian artists Steve Forde and Jonah's Road started the night in fantastic fashion, warming up the crowd for what ended up being one hell of a night!

McGraw completes his Australian tour this Saturday September 25 when he headlines CMC Rocks North Queensland in Townsville.

Photo: Robb Cox (Rusty Gate Films)

Peter McWhirter was barely out of his teens when he penned the opening track of this debut album Lucky As A Seven, and debut single ‘Humm’, which raced straight to the top of the country music video charts.  The album is released on September 10.

Now with a string of tunes ready for release, the 20-year-old has his sights set on the world with Lucky As A Seven, and is set to take on the music scene with his own unique signature of mainstream country.

Lucky As A Seven is an eclectic mix of songs, steeped in country and blues and infused with threads of indie pop. From the uplifting current single ‘I Will Stand By You’, about never giving up, to the more bluesy ‘Ain't as Easy As It Looks’, McWhirter has firmly established his own style.

"It's mixing a whole lot of different ideas in the music spectrum from rock, folk, country, blues and bringing it all together into one," McWhirter says.

 The musical blend – recorded and produced in Nashville with Grammy nominated Australian producer Mark Moffatt (Keith Urban, Tim Finn, Nick Cave, Jasmine Rae) – comes out of McWhirter's upbringing on the outskirts of Sydney in Campbelltown where he discovered his musical abilities at age ten, when he clutched his first guitar.

McWhirter is appearing at CMC Rocks North Queensland on September 25 and is touring with Canadian superstar Corb Lund throughout September/October in support of Lucky As A Seven’s release.

PETER McWHIRTER TOUR DATES

10 September – Album Launch @ Club Lounge, Campbelltown Catholic Club, NSW
12 September – Lounge Bar, Penrith RSL Club, NSW
24 September – Atherton International Club, QLD (w/ Corb Lund)
25 September – CMC Rocks Nth Qld, Townsville (w/ Tim McGraw, Steve Forde, Corb Lund, Jasmine Rae, Busby Marou)
26 September – Pioneer Village Country Music Club, Petrie QLD (w/ Corb Lund)
28 September – Hallam Hotel, VIC (w/ Corb Lund)
29 September – Bairnsdale RSL Club, VIC (w/ Corb Lund)
2 October – Young Services Club, NSW (w/ Corb Lund)
3 October – PJ O’Reillys, Tuggeranong, ACT (w/ Corb Lund)
4 October – Yass Soldiers Club, NSW (w/ Corb Lund)
6 October – Hexham Bowling Club, NSW (w/ Corb Lund)
7 October – Davistown RSL Club, NSW (w/ Corb Lund)
8 October – Rooty Hill RSL Club, NSW (w/ Corb Lund)
9 October – Club Lounge, Campbelltown Catholic Club, NSW

Purchase Lucky As A Seven at  

Toby Kieth, Billboard's #1 Country Artist of the Decade and #1 Country Songwriter of the Decade as about to release a new album. The singer/songwriter/entertainer's 15th full-length studio album Bullets In The Gun will be available as a Deluxe Edition in October with four live tracks being added to the standard album

Recorded during his "Incognito Bandito" show at The Fillmore in Manhattan, the four songs feature Keith on lead vocals backed by an A-list band of session players assembled exclusively for the rare club performance. Johnny Paycheck's '11 Months And 29 Days,' Waylon Jennings' 'I've Been A Long Time Leaving (But I'll Be A Long Time Gone),' Roger Miller's 'Chug-A-Lug' and Gordon Lightfoot's 'Sundown' are the additions

Those recordings bring the Deluxe Edition's track list to 14. Keith produced the album, joined by Mills Logan and Kenny Greenberg for the live session. He also wrote or co-wrote all 10 new songs, six with Bobby Pinson, one with Scotty Emerick and Dean Dillon and the title track with Rivers Rutherford. Toby also wrote two songs by himself, including the lead single 'Trailerhood'.

As the new single and album attest, Toby Keith may be the longest-tenured self-contained hit machine in country music history. He wrote his first single and No. 1 smash "Should've Been A Cowboy" in 1993 and has been the central creative force behind the vast majority of his biggest hits since. His American Ride Tour, presented by Ford F-Series (his eighth-consecutive year as the "Ford Truck Man"), continues to play for standing-room-only arenas and will reach more fans this year than it did in 2009. 

In fact, 2010 has been a milestone year already. Toby performed on the prestigious Boston Pops 4th of July Spectacular, which drew more than a half-million Americans in person and millions more to the CBS telecast. He's featured in this year's edition of the Forbes Celebrity 100 annual ranking of the most powerful celebrities in entertainment, sports and publishing. And he's currently featured on the cover of People Country

Complete track Listing: 1. Bullets In The Gun 2. Somewhere Else 3. Trailerhood 4. In A Couple Of Days 5. Think About You All Of The Time 6. Kissin' In The Rain. 7. Drive It On Home 8. Ain't Breakin' Nothin' 9. Is That All You Got 10. Get Out Of My Car

Deluxe Edition Tracks: 11. Months And 29 Days 12. I've Been A Long Time Leaving (But I'll Be A Long Time Gone) 13. Chug-A-Lug 14. Sundown

By Bob Doerschuk © 2010 CMA Close Up® News Service / Country Music Association®, Inc.

Concept albums are rare in Country Music, so from the get-go Achin’ and Shakin’, Laura Bell Bundy's major label debut release, is — as she writes and sings in “Homecoming Queen” — “a little left of the middle.”

But that’s to be expected from Bundy, who wrote that song with Jeff Cohen and 11 of the album's 12 tracks. But that’s not all: Where the usual pattern for Country Music hopefuls is to come straight to Nashville to try their luck, Bundy made the move only after gaining extensive performing experience in New York City.

She earned a Tony Award nomination for originating the role of Elle Woods in “Legally Blonde: The Musical.” She was already a veteran at that point, having appeared at 9 in Radio City Music Hall’s “Christmas Spectacular.” At 11, she won an outer critics award for her starring role in "Ruthless! The Musical.” She also starred in the Broadway musicals “Hairspray" and “Wicked.”

But Bundy’s ambition was to sing Country Music. Between theater shows, the Kentucky-born artist and her roommate Amber Rhodes gigged as a down-home duo in Manhattan. Eventually, trading Broadway for Lower Broad in Music City, Bundy signed with Mercury Nashville and worked with three producers on Achin’ and Shakin,’ released in April.

Why three producers? The first half of the album, produced by Nathan Chapman, offers heartbreak songs and wistful ballads. The second, with Kyle Kelso and Mike Shimshack at the helm, dishes up half a dozen up-tempo tunes, beginning with the first single, 'Giddy On Up'. Written by Bundy, Cohen and Shimshack, it captures her playful side as well as her broad musical background. Stax-style horns punch through a banjo-driven hoedown and foot-stomp, dance-floor beat while Bundy radiates confident vocal chops and infectious humor. A seasoned musical actress with a strong Country spirit — now, that’s a concept.

IN HER OWN WORDS Q&A

Who is your musical hero? “I have a few...Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin.”

What CD is in your stereo?  “Lee Ann Womack’s Call Me Crazy.”

What book is on your nightstand?  “My headboard is actually a bookshelf so there are tons of books; I read about five at a time.  Currently, I’m reading, The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck and The Help by Kathryn Stocket.”

What song do you wish you had written? “Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believin'’ played at every bar in America at some point every night.”

What word or phrase do you find yourself saying over and over again?  “’No, Norma Jean, you don’t poo poo there.’ Norma Jean is my new puppy.”

What mode of transportation do you prefer?  “A convertible.”

That moment in your life would you relive if you could? “Taking walks with my dad in the fall when I was 5 yrs old and picking sour apples of the trees.”

Do you have a lucky charm? “Yes, my Horseshoe necklace and ring.”

If you wrote an autobiography, what would the title be?  “Born To Entertain — The Life and Times of Laura Bell Bundy.” 

When they look back on your life in 50 years, what do you hope people say about you?  “They’ll probably say, ‘That girl was CRAZY!’  I hope they say, ‘She was true to herself.’”

If you weren’t a musical artist, what would you be?  “An Allergist or Nutritionist and I would help people that have food allergies like I do.”

What is your favorite food while on the road?  “Lays Classic Potato Chips”

What can you tell us about yourself that we’d never guess about you? “I won the Purdue University physics award as a junior in high school. Also I love 'Battlestar Gallactica.'”

Photo: Micheal Ellins