The show, which will feature an all-star lineup, will take place at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on April 16th, 2013. Some of the invited artists include Keith, Vince Gill, Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, Rosanne Cash, Eric Church, Brantley Gilbert, Kid Rock, Kris Kristofferson, Loretta Lynn, Tim McGraw, Montgomery Gentry, Willie Nelson, Billy Joe Shaver and Hank Williams, Jr.

This year’s theme will be “Rebels and Renegades, the Outlaws are IN”. The past three benefit concerts have raised a collective $1.5 million, which is directed toward the Museum’s operating expenses, caring for the collection, exhibitions, programs, and more.

Museum board president Vince Gill created All for the Hall, an artist-led fundraising initiative for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Funds raised from the concert also go toward preservation efforts, exhibitions and educational programs about the culture and value of country music.

“The purity in making music on your own terms – to create art in your own way – for me, is at the heart of the outlaw spirit,” said Urban.  “It’s those outlaws that we celebrate this year, who not only made it possible for a guy like me to do what I love, but who play a pivotal role in the strength of Country music’s diversity.”

Tickets will go on sale on March1st at 10AM CST. For ticket and VIP package information, visit Ticketmaster.com.

Related posts:

1. Taylor Swift Donates $4 Million to Country Music Hall of Fame
2. All For The Hall: A Night To Remember
3. Pistol Annies Added To All For The Hall Benefit

Read on to meet the sarcastic, hilarious and uber-talented, Sean Patrick McGraw.

KIC: For those readers who may be ‘meeting’ you for the first time in this blog, can you give us a little bit of a back story as to how you became a singer/songwriter?

SPM: I’m a failed athlete…not really. Well yeah, kinda. I was told I couldn’t play football anymore when I was a freshman in high school so I bought I guitar and learned “Stairway to Heaven.” The rest is history.

KIC: Montgomery Gentry recorded & released your song, “My So Called Life.” How did that come about & how did it feel?

SPM: I felt like the prettiest girl in the world…about to be rich. Moral: don’t go with yer gut. Truthfully it was nice. I’d like that to happen about a dozen more times in the next six months and then I’d know what it feels like to be Rhett Akins.

KIC: You released your last album in 2011 – do you have plans to release a new one?

SPM: I quit. Didn’t anyone tell you??? Haha. I have a new record written and mostly recorded. We’re just waiting til I can drop (or gain) 20lbs for the photo shoot, start dating a former American Idol contestant, and maybe get arrested. You know, marketing.

KIC: Like Miranda Lambert & Chris Young, you had a brief stint on “Nashville Star.” How did you end up there and would you ever give reality TV another shot on a show like “The Voice” or “X Factor”?

SPM: I ended up on reality TV when my back was against the wall.

Would I do it again? Dead serious. Not a flippin’ chance.

KIC: You’ve played at the Stagecoach Music Festival, opened for huge acts and headlined your own shows. What’s been the highlight of your career thus far?

SPM: After I got the boot from “Nashville Star” I had Emmy Lou Harris walk across a crowded room to give me a hug and tell me that SHE thought I was great. True Story.

KIC: You’ve opened for everyone from Toby Keith, Eric Church, Dierks Bentley, Jason Aldean & Miranda Lambert – Which would you say you learned the most from? And who would you still love to tour with?

SPM: It’s really more what have they learned from me. I mean, Toby had NO charisma when I started the tour with him and I’m like “DUDE, yer good, get out there and own it.”….I’d like to think it worked. Oh you were talking about Toby Keith? I thought you meant Toby MaGuire! Toby Keith, now that guy puts on a show…

I’d love to tour with Eric Church again. That dude is the SHIT.

KIC: Have you held any odd jobs while also pursuing your music career?

SPM: I was the guy who painted the numbers in a numbered parking lot and I’ve been the guy who put the sticks in popsicles. God’s honest truth. But the oddest job I’ve ever had IS pursuing a music career.

KIC: Which artist would you describe as your biggest musical influences?

SPM: Paul McCartney, maybe Bob Seger, definitely Jack Daniels…but please print that I said Hank Sr, Johnny Cash and all the usual influences that hat-guys reference.

KIC: What inspires you when you’re writing a song?

SPM: Getting drunk and/or getting my heart broken…getting my heart broken because of something I did when I was drunk??…truthfully: the thought of creating something that someone else would record and release and that my intellectual property might be worth something that could pay my bills as opposed to me serving drinks ever again at someplace like the Blackstone Brewery is very inspiring. Doesn’t mean that inspiration translates into something artful or soulful. My best songs come from awful places. Really. Someone you love dying, a divorce, a dream not coming true: it all goes somewhere. Sadly it ain’t the radio.

KIC: You can only pick one of your songs to define you and your career -what song do you choose?

SPM: The song “Cowboys and Angels” (NOT the Dustin Lynch song) from my “Long Way From Slowing Down” CD (released years before the Dustin Lynch song) is a piece of work I’m very proud of. The characters are scarred and tragic and heroic and the story gets told in under three minutes. The song is the best compromise I’ve made yet between art and commerce and is a waaaay better song than the Dustin Lynch version of my hook.

KIC: What’s one thing you’d like our readers to take away about you after reading this interview?

SPM: That I’m funny, of course…..not serious sometimes and serious as a goddamned heartbeat at others.

Lightning Round:
All time favorite country song?: “Good Year For The Roses”

Songwriting: Alone or with others?: With the voices in my head…does that count as alone?

Favorite junk food?: I eat very healthy and I don’t think chocolate or fried chicken count and I LOVE both but I eat fried chicken about once every decade….um, let’s see what’s the most disgusting thing you can get at a gas station at 3am? Oh wait I know. French Fries. Totally nutritionally a waste of calories. I’m Irish. I love taters. I love beer. I love fried anything.

Go-to-karaoke song: Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” if I’m trying to be funny. Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” if I’m trying to hook up.

New Year’s Resolution: Drink more, smoke more, have more fun.

How many cowboy hats do you own?: I have absolutely NO idea, At least twenty.

Last song listened to: “Love Letter” Bonnie Raitt.

Dream duet partner: I want to sing high Harmony to Neil Finn performing Crowded House’s “Woodface” record in sequence.

Taylor Swift, Country or pop? I’d like to go on record as saying I think she is stellar at both. Seriously. “We are Never Getting Back Together” is a GREAT pop song. I could sing it after hearing it ONCE. And her last single “Begin Again” tears at my heart strings. It’s a great piece of commercial country songwriting and a great vocal performance. I am in awe of her talent. To think that I was making a CD with Nathan Chapman in the basement of his house and that she was making her debut CD in that same basement on days when he and I weren’t working….kind of blows my mind. Really, I’m an admirer and defender of her genius. Go figure.

For more information on Sean, follow him on Twitter @seanpatrickmc, on Facebook and at his official site, http://seanpatrickmcgraw.com.

Related posts:

1. Exclusive Interview: Meet Will Hoge
2. EXCLUSIVE: Interview With Craig Morgan
3. VIDEO: Dustin Lynch Lyric Video – Cowboys & Angels

Fans interested in checking out the world premiere of “So Called Life” can visit the Jim Beam Facebook page right now before catching it anywhere else!

Montgomery Gentry are out on the road, with their next tour stop in Louisville, Kentucky on Friday night. Best of all? It’s a FREE show, so make sure to get your information and head out to see some great, free country music this weekend.

Related posts:

1. Montgomery Gentry Teaming Up With Professional Championship Bullriders For Tour
2. Montgomery Gentry Still Looking For A Winner
3. NRA Country Names Montgomery Gentry Artist Of The Month

Artists attending the first annual clay shoot include Luke Bryan, Tim McGraw, Craig Campbell, Troy Gentry, J.T. Hodges, Eddie Montgomery, Jon Pardi, Josh Gracin, and Brad Warren. Additional special guests are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. The event will by hosted by Storme Warren.

Each team will makes its way through an award-winning 15-station sporting clay shoot at the Nashville Gun Club. Unlike trap or skeet shoots, clay shoots don’t have repeatable targets and are often unpredictable with live-quarry shooting. This shoot will feature 15 teams made up of 4 shooters, a professional, and a celebrity.

Related posts:

1. Blake Shelton Hosting 2nd Annual NRA Country Shoot
2. Tim McGraw To Host Tour For The Troops
3. Craig Morgan’s Charity Weekend Raises $95,000 for Billy’s Place

To purchase tickets go to the Ticketfly official website tomorrow morning after 10 am local time.

Related posts:

1. Montgomery Gentry Teaming Up With Professional Championship Bullriders For Tour
2. Montgomery Gentry Helps Set Attendance Records
3. Alabama Plans Tuscaloosa Concert for Tornado Relief

Storme’s selection puts him in company with Craig Morgan, Justin Moore, Lee Brice, Montgomery Gentry, Sunny Sweeney and Trace Adkins who have teamed up with NRA Country to celebrate their support of our brave men and women in uniform, appreciation for the great outdoors, and love of family.

Warren recently served as the emcee of the 2nd Annual NRA Country/ACM Celebrity Shoot in Las Vegas.  His participation in that event and his love of the great outdoors make him a natural fit with NRA Country Artist of the Month promotion.

“There is nothing better than soaking up the great outdoors.  I spend most of my free time either by a river with my fly rod or hiking the trails with my kids and mutts,” says Warren.

As part of the April promotion, fans can register to win an autographed Headline Country shirt.  Visit the NRA Country website from now through the end of April to register to win.

Storme Warren is a co-executive producer and host of the television network Great American Country”s entertainment news show Headline Country, host of The Music Row Happy Hour on Sirius XM’s The Highway and a regular personality on GAC.

Related posts:

1. Sunny Sweeney Is NRA Country’s Artist Of The Month
2. Jerrod Niemann Named ACM New Artist Of The Year Semi-Finalist
3. January’s NRA Country Artist of The Month is Trace Adkins

Next category up for our ACM Awards‘ polls is Vocal Duo Of The Year…

Who gets your vote: Love & Theft, Montgomery Gentry, Steel Magnolia, Sugarland, or Thompson Square?

Yesterday, we posted the New Artist poll! Did you vote?

And stay tuned, more polls will be rolling out soon!

Related posts:

1. POLL: ACM Awards – New Artist Of The Year
2. Poll: CMA Entertainer of the Year
3. Poll: CMA Vocal Duo of the Year

Tracklisting:

1. Justin Moore “This is NRA Country”

2. Hank Williams Jr. “A Country Boy Can Survive”

3. Montgomery Gentry “My Town”

4. Rodney Atkins “Cleaning This Gun”

5. Trace Adkins “More Of Us”

6. Craig Morgan “I’m Country”

7. Charlie Daniels “In America”

8. Josh Thompson “Way Out Here”

9. John Rich “Shutting Detroit Down”

10. Lee Brice “She Ain’t Right”

11. Rhett Akins & Dallas Davidson “Opening Day”

Related posts:

1. Trace Adkins Headlining NRA Country Jam
2. January’s NRA Country Artist of The Month is Trace Adkins
3. NRA Country Names Montgomery Gentry Artist Of The Month

We’ve put together our top eleven list of the eleven best albums released this year. Some of our picks may surprise you, so make sure to take a look and let us know on Twitter, Facebook, or right here in the comments about what you think, how you feel, and if you think we missed someone we shouldn’t have.

Keepin’ it Country’s Top 11 Albums of 2011: 

11. Lauren Alaina – Wildflower

The debut album from the runner-up from this year’s American Idol season was a surprisingly strong record. The hardest thing to do coming from a reality show is to prove to fans that you’re not just a one-hit wonder; that you’re here to stay and that you mean business. Lauren did just that with “Wildflower” spawning hits “Like My Mother Does” and current rising single “Georgia Peaches.” Her record was originally released on October 24th, 2011 and debuted at number five on the Billboard 200. It’s a strong first effort from the young singer, who’s vocals are surprisingly mature and controlled. There’s a reason why Martina McBride chose her to come on-stage to sing with at CMA Fest earlier this year.

10. Montgomery Gentry – Rebels On The Run

The seventh studio album from the all-male duo was one of the more anticipated releases this year. “Rebels On The Run” was the first work they’ve done at their new home on Average Joe’s Entertainment, after splitting from their former home at Columbia Nashville over creative differences. Eddie and Troy put out one of their best records in years, and the split was definitely for the best for the duo, even if the first single “Where I Come From” wasn’t a trailblazing hit. Released on October 18th, the album produced by Michael Knox of Jason Aldean fame, is a throwback to what Montgomery Gentry did best several albums ago – and will be sure to bring them back into the spotlight in the new year with the next single. For a genre that is surprisingly lacking strong male duos, Montgomery Gentry is on a mission to change that once again. Fans can, and should, expect great things from the pair in 2012.

9. Martina McBride – Eleven

Martina McBride’s eleventh studio album is once again one of country music’s best of the year which isn’t much of a surprise – Martina has one of the best voices in all genres, period. The album, released on October 11th, which also has eleven tracks, is a brand new step for the singer who found a new home and a new producer. While some fans were worried that she might take a pop direction on the album, it’s still very much country with story tracks like “I’m Gonna Love You Through It,” and the funny take on raising kids with “Teenage Daughters.” Martina is one of the brightest stars in country music, and “Eleven” once again reminded fans why she’s one of the top talents in the industry: even if she has been somewhat forgotten the last few years with the many talented women coming out of Nashville. You can always rely on Martina to deliver, and she does so yet again.

8. Lady Antebellum – Own The Night

Lady Antebellum are the biggest group in country music right now. With their new cross-over success, many fans were worried that the group would try to cater too much to their pop fans and forget about their country roots. With “Own The Night,” the superstar trio made sure that both sides of their fans would be happy without taking away too much from either genre’s expectations of them. The group have recorded some of the catchiest, and biggest, hits in country music the last few years and this album is full of more potential crossover singles. They’ve built upon their success and they’ve proven that they won’t be going away for a while, that they’re here to stay. Lady Antebellum have found a way to connect with the average listener and that gift is what makes this album as huge as it will continue to be in 2012.

7. Luke Bryan – Tailgates & Tanlines

When you’re hot, you’re hot. Luke Bryan has had the most breakout success this year of all country acts, and his new record “Tailgates & Tanlines” might just be the one to finally keep him in the spotlight he’s earned. His country-dance single “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)” was a surprising hit for the Georgia native, who somehow found a way to mix pop-star style dancers in his CMA award show performance earlier this year without losing credibility. Luke discovered a new confidence in the record, and his career is about to explode. It will be interesting to see how he follows up this effort, but for now, “Tailgates & Tanlines” is one of the best of 2011.

6. Miranda Lambert – Four The Record

Miranda Lambert’s fourth studio record was the most anticipated release of 2011. Fans were wondering if she would be able to handle releasing two albums, (one with the Pistol Annies), so close together in the second half of the year. Another big question was would she be able to handle the pressure of following up the huge “Revolution.” The Texas native did just that, with an album that could comfortably be considered the sister album to her third disc. She learned to still push the boundaries with an autotuned track “Fine Tune,” and be extremely personal on her co-write with husband Blake Shelton on “Over You.” Miranda is still a force to be reckoned with, even if “Four The Record” displays a softer side to the singer-songwriter than “Revolution” did.

5. Jake Owen – Barefoot Blue Jean Night

Jake Owen has had one of the more interesting careers to follow in country music today. He has the talent to be a star, but he’s never had the right songs or image to get him to where he should have been. He took a chance on letting some of Nashville’s strongest songwriters help him out this time around, putting aside his own work, on “Barefoot Blue Jean Night.”  It was a risk that turned out for the singer, whose effort this time around feels a lot more sincere and not forced. The album contains the infectious title track, which became the most successful single for Jake yet.  Radio has learned to accept him, and even if the record isn’t filled to the brim with potential singles: it’s still quality and his third album is his best yet. It’s a sing-along-in-your-car kind of album.

4. The Civil Wars – Barton Hollow

The Civil Wars have been one of the most surprising success stories of 2011. The folk duo, who is mostly unknown to the mainstream country music fans, have found themselves nominated all year long for their effort. With a sound reminiscent of Alison Krauss, John Paul White and Joy Williams have one of the stand-out albums of the year. Not bad for a first full-length album. The duo show off their unique harmony through each track, and have their own identity: there’s nothing run-of-the-mill Nashville about “Barton Hollow” which makes it one of the year’s top five. They are one of the artists to follow over the next few years to see how big they could, and should, become. Their resistance to follow the rules of country mainstream makes them one of the best acts this year.

3. Blake Shelton – Red River Blue

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, the whole country music world is aware of who Blake Shelton is. Thanks to “The Voice,” he’s probably the hottest country singer in America right now and his career is at an all-time high. After releasing two six-pack albums in 2010, all eyes were on Blake to see what he could come up with for a full-length album. He responded perfectly to the pressure and put together what is his best effort yet. “Red River Blue” is full of potential singles, showcasing both the serious and funny sides of the Oklahoma singer. He resisted the urge to go pop and try to make an album to appeal to the new fans he’s made while starring in NBC’s reality show, but his album is sure to please the new pop audience he’s gained. It’s catchy, but smart, and will keep Blake at the top of the charts as long as Warner Music can run with the album. Even though his album had to be rushed with his success from the show, it isn’t obvious and it’s a solid product put together by Blake and some of Nashville’s best. It’s why Blake should see more nominations in 2012, including additional “Entertainer Of The Year” nods.

2. Eric Church – Chief

Eric Church will never make any apologies for what he does, says, or releases. With “Chief” there’s no reason for him to: his pushing the boundaries of country music makes it the top album by a male artist this year in the genre. The rebel singer-songwriter is a standout at radio, and he’s one of the few artists who can actually pull off an attitude and sell it. While his third record is more radio friendly than his previous, he still tests the water and puts together songs that no one else might have had the guts to put on country radio today. He’s an innovator, and he finally found a way to capture the energy from his live shows and put it in the studio. No two songs on the record sound alike, and he’s sure to please just about every country music fan with the different sounds that he’s put together. Eric will never be forced into the Nashville mold, and we’re thankful for that: he’s good at what he does. He’s one of the true country-sounding artists left in the pop-country phenomenon taking over Nashville. He’s established himself as an artist not to be taken lightly.

1. Pistol Annies – Hell On Heels

For a group that no one was expecting much from, the Pistol Annies have become the story of 2011. When three friends (Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley) decided to form an all-girls trio it surprised the Miranda fans. Would she be able to put together two quality albums in a year? Would Miranda forget about her solo career and instead focus on this new venture? The three girls proved everyone wrong. “Hell On Heels” is the strongest album of 2011, which started out as a digital-only release and debuted at number one. With only one single released, the title track, the girls still sold out their three House Of Blues headlining shows this month. With a sound that is a tribute to the days of Loretta Lynn and Emmylou Harris, the trio is the most country thing to come out of Nashville in recent years. Not only is their album good enough to be our pick for the best of 2011, it’s probably the best of the last two years. In a world of Taylor Swift and the pop-crossover craze, the Annies are a sweet return to what makes country music what it is. The album is full of songs written only by the trio, (with Blake Shelton becoming a Pistol Andy for his co-write on “Family Feud”), and should find the girls nominated for plenty of awards in 2012. They’re that good, and might even find themselves to one day replace the hole left by the Dixie Chicks on country radio.

Related posts:

1. Billboard releases 2011 Country Charts
2. 2011 ACA Show Pictures
3. Country Artists Nominated For People’s Choice Awards!

“We’re pairing some of the toughest superstars in all of professional bull riding and the rowdiest duo in all of country music,” said a Professional Championship Bullriders spokesman. ”This tour will be an affordable night of entertainment for the entire family including plenty of non-stop action that will keep you on the edge of your seat.”

The first two dates will go on sale are the first two dates of the tour on January 13th and 14th, 2012 at Battle Creek, Michigan’s Kellogg Arena and the February 3rd date at Chicago’s Sears Center Arena. Ten dates have been confirmed so far, with additional dates to be announced in the New Year.

“We’ve done bull riding and rodeo shows our entire careers,” said Montgomery Gentry’s Troy Gentry. “Our audiences definitely cross over, and to be on a full-blown tour with these guys really takes it to a new level.”

“Yeah, people say we’re crazy for what we do, but it’s nothin’ like these bull riders,” added MG’s microphone-spinning Eddie Montgomery. “You’ll probably see us in the crowd every night watchin’ these guys try to ride a 2000-pound pissed off bull. Now that’s some entertainment!”

Tickets for the January 13 & 14 dates range from $35.00 to $55.00, and children ages 12 and under are $15.00. All tickets are plus applicable taxes and fees. Tickets for the February 3rd date range from $17.00 to $52.00, children 12 and under are $10 – all plus applicable taxes and fees.

Related posts:

1. Montgomery Gentry Still Looking For A Winner
2. NRA Country Names Montgomery Gentry Artist Of The Month
3. Montgomery Gentry Launches New Website By Fan Demand