MAMA’S SONG – CARRIE UNDERWOOD

A personal song written by Carrie herself to her mom is our first pick for our Mother’s Day playlist. The music video features Carrie and her real life mom, as pictured to the side of this post, on her wedding day as she tells her mom that she doesn’t need to worry about her daughter, because she learned from her. “Mama’s Song” was the fourth single from Carrie’s “Play On” album, which was co-written by Carrie with Luke Laird, Kara DioGuardi, and Marti Frederikson. BONUS: The video also features Carrie’s real-life husband, Mike Fisher.

Check out the rest of our picks below: 

 THE BEST DAY – TAYLOR SWIFT

Our next pick for our Mother’s Day playlist is a very special song written by superstar Taylor Swift. She wrote “The Best Day” in secret for her mom while out on tour in 2007. She put together a music video featuring actual home videos, and gave it to her mom, Andrea Swift, as a surprise on Christmas Eve. It was included on her “Fearless” album to show her love for her mom. It’s been reported that when Andrea received the DVD of the music video at Christmas from Taylor that she started crying. Check out the music video and let us know if it makes you get emotional, too:

I HOPE YOU DANCE – LEE ANN WOMACK

Our third song in our playlist is the always touching “I Hope You Dance” by Lee Ann Womack. The crossover smash hit can be used in almost any kind of playlist, but we feel its especially powerful for a song to moms. It was originally released on March 2000, comes from her album of the same name. It was a number one hit for Lee Ann on both the country and adult contemporary charts, and won the 2001 CMA, ACM, BMI NSAI, ASCAP Song of the Year. The song was written by Tia Sillers and Mark D. Sanders. Check out Lee Ann’s “I Hope You Dance” below and let us know if you can relate it to your mom:

MOTHER LIKE MINE – THE BAND PERRY

Our fourth song for our playlist is the soothing “Mother Like Mine” from The Band Perry’s sophomore album “Pioneer.” The song was a co-write by all three siblings, and tells the story about their mom, Marie Perry. In an interview with Billboard, Kimberly Perry explains:

“That was the most honest song we wrote for Pioneer. We were relaxing, and going through some song ideas. Neil had this one line written on his phone, ‘If the world had a mother like mine.’ We are started to think about what the world would look like if our mother had raised it the way she raised us.”

 LIKE MY MOTHER DOES - LAUREN ALAINA

Our fifth song is the first single released by former American Idol runner-up Lauren Alaina. “Like My Mother Does” features powerful vocals by the young singer in an obvious tribute to her mom. The song was co-written by Nathan Chapman, Liz Rose, and Nicole Williams. The video shows actual pictures and video clips of Lauren growing up with her mother. It was actually the second time the single was released, which was originally performed and recorded by Jesse Lee, but Lauren’s version was the only one to chart back in 2011. Country fans fell in love with Lauren when she performed an emotional version of the song on American Idol. Check out the music video version below and let us know what traits you have like your mother:

COAT OF MANY COLORS – DOLLY PARTON

How couldn’t we include what country icon Dolly Parton describes her favorite song she’s ever written? “Coat of Many Colors” is just one of over 3,000 songs Dolly has written over her career, but this one is especially special as it’s about her mom and how even without money she still felt beautiful thanks to a hand made coat made by her mother. It was written back in 1971, and had hit number four on the Billboard U.S. Country charts. In 2012, the song was added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry list of songs that represent the United States for being culturally or historically important.   Shania Twain covered a version on a 2003 Dolly tribute album, but nothing is quite like the original. Listen to Dolly’s tribute to her mother below:



SOMEBODY’S HERO – JAMIE O’NEAL

The next song on our list is a single by Australian country artist Jamie O’Neal about her mom. In the song, co-written by Jamie with Shaye Smith and Ed Hill, she describes how her mother might not be the kind of hero you hear about on the news, but that to her she’s her own superhero. “Somebody’s Hero” is from her second album “Brave,” and peaked at number three on the Hot Country Charts. It was her sixth country top 40 hit. The video, directed by Trey Fanjoy, has a cameo by Jamie’s own daughter. Check out the official music video below:

IT’S YOUR SONG – GARTH BROOKS

The first male singer on our Mother’s Day playlist is the one and only Garth Brooks.  Written by Pam Wolfe and Benita Hill, was released back in 1998 as the only single from Garth’s live album. In the single, Garth shares how his career and his life have been influenced and motivated by his mother. It was pitched to Garth after Benita had heard about his mother’s struggles with throat cancer. It’s an emotional song for Garth, who can be heard choking up at the end as he thinks about his mother. Check out the live version below:

 IN MY DAUGHTER’S EYES – MARTINA MCBRIDE

With what is perhaps the most-played song for Mother’s Day in country music, Martina McBride‘s pretty single is more from a mother to a daughter, but we had to include it because of how gorgeous and heart felt it is. Released back in November 2003 on RCA Nashville, it was a crossover hit for Martina on both the country and Adult Contemporary charts. The song only had one writer – James T. Slater, but was co-produced by Martina with Paul Worley. It was the third single from her “Martina” album and is still one of her top hits today. Check out the live version below and let us know if you have it playing for Mother’s Day this year:

THE BABY – BLAKE SHELTON

We couldn’t complete our Mother’s Day playlist without the most memorable country tribute to mom. The single was written by Michael White and Harley Allen, was a huge for Blake Shelton back in 2003, becoming his second-ever number one hit. It held its place on top of the charts in the number one spot for three weeks. “The Baby” was the lead-off single from his sophomore album “The Dreamer.” While the music video remains simple – only showing Blake in a blue room with video being projected, its the lyrics that are touching. The story follows the story of a young man growing up and how he will always be his mother’s baby, even until the day she dies. Watch the music video below:

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That’s our list for Mother’s Day for 2013. Do you think we missed something? What’s the most played song on your playlist on Mother’s Day? Let us know here, on Facebook, or on Twitter!

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Watch the video below and become a part of modern Country music history. Join the “Sixty For Sixty” movement!

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This year’s gift lounge, put together by Distinctive Assets, ranged from all kinds of handmade gifts to cosmetic and skincare products, clothing, candles, and cookies and ice cream treats! We stopped at each of the booths on hand and want to inform you about all of these great products so you can enjoy them too!

Eufora International Beautifying Hair Elixirs – Eufora’s Beautifying Hair Elixirs are the latest collection of prestige products added to more than 45 of the current Eufora professional salon products. They provide the best solution for damaged, brittle, dull, dry, and frizzy hair. Your hair color will be protected from fading and will last longer than ever with the use of these products! Check out their full line at beautifyingelixirs.com

Nutrisystem – Nutrisystem is a weight loss and diet program that believes that your health and happiness matter the most! They provide food they know you love and guidelines you can live and learn by, along with the balanced nutrition that your body needs to stay healthy. Each artist who visited the gift lounge received three months of the Nutrisystem Select Success VIP Meal Delivery Program. You can learn more about their weight loss and diet programs at nutrisystem.com.

KeepAmerica.com – KeepAmerica.com is an outlet of all American made products. Think along the lines of Amazon.com, but where it differs is that everything is made right here in America! You can find all kinds of American made items on this website, from jewelry to clothing, toys, furniture, health & beauty products, and pet products! No item is too big or too small for KeepAmerica.com! Why not buy exactly what you need and support your country while you’re at it? Head on over to KeepAmerican.com and check it out for yourself!

Belldini – Belldini is a women’s clothing company that started over 30 years ago. They focus strictly on women’s knit tops. Their tops are known for being shiny, easy to put on and easy to take off! Their line has been worn by artists such as Lauren Alaina (and now all the stars that were in the gift lounge, too!) We just recently gave away a Drop Needle Tank by Belldini, which was the style worn by Lauren Alaina. Check out their clothing line for yourself at www.belldini.com! Belldini tops can also be found at your local Dillards and Nordstrom stores.

Devicewear – Devicewear makes protective yet stylish cases for your iPad , iPhone, Kindle Fire, Kindle HD, Nexus, Nook, and Samsung devices. They make clear cases with fashionable inserts (you can even make an insert of your own), nice thin/slim cases, and drop protection cases with changeable colors. Why let your device go unprotected when you can decorate it in style! Check out www.devicewear.com to get your technology protected now!

The Artisan Group – The Artisan Group is made up of handmade artists from all over the country. They make items ranging from jewelry to bath & body, stationery, graphic design, and well – just about a little bit of everything! The group is 90% female and each artist has their own shop and mostly works from home. This booth was definitely a favorite of mine, as I’m a graphic designer! You can check out their website at theartisangroup.org and if you’re an artist yourself – you can even apply to be a part of their family! Don’t forget to check out their Pinterest page where a lot of their products are featured. They have all kinds of featured items that would make lovely Christmas presents, so head on over and check them out!

Atwood Hat Company – The Atwood Hat Company is based out of East Texas and makes both felt and straw cowboy hats. The felt hats are all made in East Texas on the Atwood Family Ranch by Brooks Atwood. Since they started in 1996, they have grown to become a leader in the western hat industry. The business started when Dick Atwood (Brooks’s father) found himself constantly searching for a hat that would work as hard as he did and still look well enough to wear in town once he was done working. So what did he do? He decided to make his own, of course! The company is currently working on expanding, as they have outgrown their current facilities. You can check out their hats at atwoodhats.com and browse their collection online – they would be a perfect gift for the cowboy in your life!

Great American Cookies - I can easily say that after tasting one of these cookies in the gift lounge, they are the best tasting cookies in the world! You probably have seen their store in your local mall and passed by thinking “I really want that cookie cake,” which is one of their signature products. This is me telling you that next time you pass their stand – you need to get that cookie cake! They have the most tender, moist cookies that will melt right in your mouth. Head on over to their site greatamericancookies.com to find the location nearest you or to order online!

Maggie Moo’s – Maggie Moo’s is known for inventing the ice cream cupcake and the ice cream pizza, as well as many specialty flavors! What’s special about Maggie Moo’s? They can mix whatever toppings you want into your ice cream for you, and will do it right in front of you while you wait! Kelly Clarkson even mixed some ice cream for herself while she was in the gift lounge! Check out their website at maggiemoos.com to find their location nearest you!

Unwined –  Unwined is a company that makes environmentally friendly, natural soy wax candles with reused wine bottles. They collect the wine bottles from local restaurants then cut them, sand them, & fill them with the natural soy wax. They are available in about 16 different scents and the company is based out of Baltimore, MD. The fact that they are made out of old wine bottles alone is pretty cool to me! Check them out for yourself at www.unwinedcandlecompany.com. Each candle is $20 each. One of these would be a perfect gift for the candle-lover on your Christmas list!

Brit West – Brit West runs a lovely company that creates all kinds of items out of reclaimed vintage leather. Clothing, hats, hat bands, cuffs, belts, belt buckles – anything you can think of! Her items are based in historical western leather but not reserved to it. Brit has been doing this for about 7 years now and makes everything herself! She started by collecting old saddles and bridles after years of outfitting and decided to mix them in with her creativeness and….tada! She has traveled all over to obtain items for her company and she wants to share them with you! Head on over to britwest.net to check out her hand-made items, they are all really awesome and unique! Brit West also tweeted during the CMA Awards that the Eli Young Band was wearing her cuffs on stage for their performance – how cool!

Aluminyze – Aluminize is a company that prints photos on pieces of aluminum – how cool, right? They are durable, waterproof, shiny and will last forever! As a photographer, I find these really neat! They are their own frame! They’re also very lightweight and colors look fabulous printed on them. I will definitely be getting some of my prints done on these for myself! This would be a great Christmas present for that perfect photo of you and your best friend, grandma, or your parents! aluminyze.com.

Hick Stuff – Hick Stuff is a fashion brand that well, basically tells it how it is! There is Hick Stuff for girls and guys, and it’s a fun way to let people know where you’re from! What music genre would be best at sporting this line? Country music of course! Scotty McCreery was spotted picking out his favorite Hick Stuff items while he was in the gift lounge this past week! Head on over to hickstuff.com to check out their line!

Sephora – If you don’t already know, Sephora is known for their makeup and skincare products. The company was founded in France and has a wide range of product categories from skincare to color, fragrance, body, smilecare and haircare. Sephora has over 300 stores in North America, but no worries if there isn’t a store near you, because you can also order online! Check out Sephora.com to pick out all your favorite makeup and skincare products, or even request 3 free samples – you’ll fall in love!

iHome – You’ve all seen them or maybe even own one, but iHome is known for their docking systems for your iPad, iPhone, and iPod! Don’t have a stylish docking system for your technology items yet? They come in handy as an alarm clock dock station and as speaker stations for when you throw those awesome parties and need some loud music. They’ll even charge your items while you jam out! Check them out at ihomeaudio.com.

Maui Jim – Maui Jim sunglasses have the best polarization lens technology on the market! People wear Maui Jim because the lens technology not only sharpens the definition, but there are rare earth elements in the lenses that enhance color. They remove all glare and UV Rays, and once you remove the glare, you see things underneath. They are popular with fishermen, who wear them to see the fish underwater. They used to be best known for their sport glasses, but now they offer fashionable frames also! No need to sacrifice fashion for bad lenses! They offer protection on both sides of the lenses, as light comes from all different directions. Eric Church is a big fan of Maui Jim’s and wore a pair on stage to perform at the CMA’s last year. Also, The Band Perry and the Zac Brown Band (and their crew) and the Rascal Flatts band all wear exclusively Maui Jim and they’re big fans! To get yourself a pair of Maui Jim’s and see the world in a new light of color, go to mauijim.com. I have a pair myself and they really do bring out color – I highly recommend them! You can never have to many pairs of sunglasses, right? (Photo courtesy of Maui Jim, as I was apparently too excited trying on glasses to grab a shot myself – oops! This photo shows Kelly Clarkson trying on a pair of Maui Jim’s, and also shows a nice selection of their sunglasses in the background!)

Gibson – We all know that Gibson is one of the leading guitar companies today and guess where their headquarters is located? Right here in Nashville, TN! Gibson started out as an electric guitar company but now has a full range of products from electric to acoustic, pianos, and all kinds of gear! You check check out their full line of products at www2.gibson.com.

Bella Semplice: Bella Semplice is a skincare line that offers an amazing variety of five anti-aging facial masks. After just five minutes of using their miracle products, your skin will experience a moisture saturation level of 92%…wow! Amazing, huh? You can check out their full skincare line at bellasemplice.com. These skincare products are great gifts not only for yourself, but also for the loved ones in your life! Your skin and their skin will thank you later!

“The success our clients enjoyed last year was enhanced by the kindness of the incredible artists we gifted.  In my 14 years of creating these gift lounges, I don’t think I have ever encountered such gracious and humble giftees” said Lash Fary, Distinctive Assets founder. All the artists and presenters of this years CMA Awards fully enjoyed these lists of products and now you can to! Go check them all out and even add some to your Christmas wish list – we hope you enjoy them as much as the stars do!

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The two-hour live music spectacular offers country music fans the opportunity to vote for their favorite artists not only in traditional categories, but also in a previously unrecognized area – touring – encompassing the entire spectrum of country music.

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One lucky winner will be able to pick their size (S-XL). To enter, just follow the form below! You can tweet about the giveaway once per day to increase your chances of winning. Winner will be chosen at random and notified by email this Sunday, good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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While at the Academy she performed her latest single “Eighteen Inches” as well as her top 30 hit “Georgia Peaches” and was welcomed to the ACM as a professional member.

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Artists leading all nominees this year are Luke Bryan with seven, and Lady Antebellum tying for second with Zac Brown Band with six nominations each. Eric Church and Taylor Swift both have five nominations each. Check out the full list of nominees below and let us know who you’ll be voting for. Fans can vote at theacas.com for their favorite artists, and make sure to tune in December 10th to see who wins!

Performers and presenters will be announced shortly, so stay tuned for that announcement too!

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“I love kids, I was going to be a special needs teacher before I was a singer,” Lauren explained before going in to meet the children at the City of Refuge. “Anything I can do around my area to help out, I’m always excited to be a part of that. I have this thing where like if I see a homeless person out on the road, I’ve never passed a homeless person and not given them money. My friends are always like ‘Lauren, don’t look!’ because they know I give them anything in my wallet. Or, if all I have is my credit card, I go buy them food. I’ve always had a special heart for them.” At the age of 9, Lauren met a homeless man named Kevin that she became friends with, and she attributes her feelings towards homeless men and women to this. “You never know what the circumstances are for the person that’s on the side of the street. People are quick to judge them and think that they just don’t want to work, but that’s not always the case. So, I have a big heart for people who, you know, aren’t as fortunate as I am.”

The City of Refuge has been serving the community in Dalton, GA for over 18 years and provides transitional housing, hot meals, a food bank, a free clothing closet with a voucher system, and educational classes. They also have a free medical clinic to provide treatment for anyone in the community without insurance and a shower ministry, where they provide a towel, a fresh change of clothes, and hygienic supplies to the men and women on the streets four days a week. They also provide transportation to the families without vehicles and take them to a local beach each year for a mini-vacation. For holidays, they do special events for the families to help them have time to step away from their struggles. The Ministry survives by donations through food drives, clothing donations, financial donations and community support. They currently serve 5,500 per month.

While at the City of Refuge, Lauren spent time mingling with the kids by taking pictures, signing autographs, and singing with them. The kids all gathered as a group and Lauren joined them, as they all pointed their fingers up to represent a candle, and sang “This Little Light of Mine” and “Jesus Loves Me.”

“We have been singing her praises ever since she’s been here, she was phenomenal,” said Pamela Cudd, director of the City of Refuge. “This community has just really lifted her name on a high pedestal after she came, she was great.”

Lauren has teamed up with local charities in each city of her “Eighteen-City Tour Inch-By-Inch” shows. For her show in Dalton, GA on Friday, October 5th, Lauren has chosen the City of Refuge and Family Promise of Dalton to benefit from this show. All proceeds above the cost of the show will be given to them. You can get your ticket for the show by going to www.daltontradecenter.com.

The only request the City of Refuge had for Lauren was to interact with the kids, and she surpassed their expectations. “She came in and she made that more than what we could have expected because she genuinely interacted and cared about these kids that she spent time with. She hugged them, she loved on them, she picked them up and carried them around. She made contact with them other than just walking through a room and speaking to them. She really got down and spent some quality time with them which is exactly what we wanted. Even our homeless men and women, she treated them with respect and kindness. She put her arm around them, and took pictures with them, and made them feel very comfortable with her. She came in like nobody else has ever come in and made our family feel like they were somebody. To say we were grateful for what she did is an understatement because she was phenomenal. We couldn’t have asked her to come in and do more than she did. She did exactly what we had hoped and we would liked to have had, but she went above and beyond that. She was wonderful and our kids just loved her, just absolutely loved her!”

Lauren certainly left everyone at the City of Refuge with a smile on their faces that day – both young and old and Director Pam couldn’t say enough nice things about her. “I know she’s on the road a lot and being home with her family is invaluable because she doesn’t get to do that very much, so for her to take the hours that she did to come down to a homeless shelter to spend some time with individuals that she may or may not ever see again was priceless to us. We can’t thank her enough and we wanted her to know how grateful we are that she did give up some of her personal time to come spend time with our family.”

Just as she was about to leave, Lauren jumped out of her car and ran back up to ask if she could come back around Christmas time to help hand out presents…how sweet!

If you are interested in helping the City of Refuge, you can head on over to http://www.cityofrefugedalton.org.

Don’t forget to grab your tickets for the Dalton show this Friday to see Lauren and to help out the City of Refuge! Check out some photos below of Lauren visiting the City of Refuge, courtesy of Amy Braz.

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Well, Lauren’s all grown up now! She will be teaming up with local charities and the Special Olympics to embark on this journey, and will donate a portion of each of her sales from her limited edition 18-City Inch-By-Inch Tour t-shirts. Lauren is trying to make a difference city-by-city, inch-by-inch.

Fans who cannot make it to one of these shows can still do their part and purchase the limited edition t-shirt from Lauren’s website www.laurenalainaofficial.com.

“Eighteen Inches,” co-written by Carrie Underwood, Kelley Lovelace and Ashley Gorley, has hit the Top 40 on the country singles chart and is steadily rising.

Twitter hashtag: #18cities

The “Eighteen Inches” Tour dates are as follows:

Sept. 21:  Bloomsburg, PA – Bloomsburg Fair • Charity: Special Olympics (local chapter)
Sept. 22:  Long Island, NY  - Pennysaver Amphitheater  • Charity: Long Island Military Veterans
Sept. 29:  Salem, VA – Salem Farmer’s Market • Charity: Salem Rotary Club
Oct. 4: Atlanta, GA – Wild Bills • Charity: Special Olympics (local chapter)
Oct. 5: Dalton, GA – Northwest GA Convention Ctr. • Charity: City of Refuge and Family Promise of Dalton
Oct. 9: Akron, OH – Sultan’s Cabaret “Chicks with Picks” • Charity: Akron General Medical Ctr. Muffins for Mammograms Breast Cancer benefit
Oct. 11: Baton Rouge, LA - Livingston Parrish Fair • Charity: Special Olympics (local chapter)
Oct. 13: Maryville, TN – Foothills Fall Festival • Charity: Special Olympics (local chapter)
Oct. 15: Visalia, CA – KJUG Courtyard • Charity: Special Olympics (local chapter)
Oct. 20: Ashburn, VA – Farmwell Station Middle School • Charity: The Nature Nuts Program
Oct. 21: Miami, FL – Hard Rock Live • Charity: Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital
Oct. 23: Orlando, FL – Cowboys • Charity: Special Olympics (local chapter)
Oct. 25: Mobile, AL – TBD • Charity: St. Jude
Oct. 27: Raleigh, NC – City Limits Saloon • Charity: SPCA of Wake County and Johnston County Animal Rescue League
Nov. 2: Ladson, SC – Coastal Carolina Fair  • Charity: Special Olympics (local chapter)
Nov. 8: LAUREN ALAINA’S 18TH BIRTHDAY
Nov. 9: Jacksonville, FL – Greater Jacksonville Fair • Charity: Special Olympics (local chapter)
Nov. 11: Baltimore, MD – Hippodrome at France-Merrick Perf. Arts Ctr. • Charity: Susan G. Komen for the Cure Maryland
Nov. 12: Pittsburgh, PA – TBD • Charity: Special Olympics (local chapter)

For more information about Lauren Alaina and her tour dates, you can head on over to LaurenAlainaOfficial.com.

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Lauren’s beautiful voice was sure to make Kitty Wells proud, along with her sassy stage presence. Before closing her set with Georgia Peaches, she announced “Kitty Wells was a sassy little thing and I love it! So am I.”

Check out the audio below of Lauren’s Kitty Wells medley:

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