CHRIS TALBOTT

AP Entertainment Writer
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Kenny Chesney leads ACM Awards nominations with 9

Kenny Chesney's steamy duet, "You and Tequila" with Grace Potter, continues to radiate heat.

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Shelton returns to co-host ACM Awards with Reba

Get ready for another dose of Blake Shelton as country's hottest leading man joins Reba McEntire again this year as co-host of The Academy of Country Music Awards.

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Bonnie Raitt preps 1st album in 7 years for April

Bonnie Raitt is releasing a new album in 2012, her first in seven years.

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Jason Aldean parties hard with 6 wins at ACAs

The American Country Awards were Jason Aldean's kinda party.

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CMT honors 5 top country stars; Hank Jr. pulls out

Brad Paisley fully endorses the format of the CMT Artists of the Year celebration.

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The song's the thing for Swift, Perry at CMAs

Though still largely the domain of men, triumphs by Taylor Swift and The Band Perry at the Country Music Association Awards show that the young women of country music are finding their voices and shoving the boys out of the way.

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Kenny Loggins, Blake Shelton team up at CMA Awards

Blake Shelton and Kenny Loggins missed their calling. The two new friends are opening the Country Music Association Awards on Wednesday with a version of Loggins' hit film theme song "Footloose," but they really should hit the road as a comedy team.

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New PBS series plums the depths of bluegrass

In decades of ceaseless touring, bluegrass icon Ralph Stanley thought he'd played in every venue imaginable.

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Brad Paisley connects dots for fans in 'Diary'

A book really wasn't on Brad Paisley's bucket list. Too many songs to write and licks to play.

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Pete Seeger enters 9th decade as an activist

Tao Rodriguez-Seeger was halfway through Friday night's march down Broadway to support the Occupy Wall Street movement, a guitar strapped over his shoulder and his grandfather Pete Seeger at his side. Suddenly a New York City police officer stepped from the crowd and grabbed his elbow.

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Rodgers leads Vanderbilt to 44-21 win over Army

It may be time to start thinking of Jordan Rodgers as something other than Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers' little brother.

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Brooks, Jackson join Nashville Songwriters hall

Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson have won more honors than they can count. The one they took home Sunday night was near the top of the list.

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Richardson leads No. 2 Alabama by Ole Miss 52-7

Alabama's Trent Richardson now has his signature Heisman highlight.

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Miller takes artist of year at Americana Awards

The members of the Americana Music Association love Buddy Miller, and they reaffirmed that again Thursday night, naming him artist of the year in something of an upset over collaborator Robert Plant.

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Hank Jr. writes song about 'Fox & Friends,' ESPN

Hank Williams Jr. is about to have his say.

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Singer Trisha Yearwood's mother dies at age 73

Gwen Yearwood, the mother of country music performer Trisha Yearwood and the co-author of two recently published cooking books with her daughter, has died at age 73.

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Steve Martin takes top honor at Bluegrass Awards

Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers turned the International Bluegrass Music Association Awards into funny business Thursday night.

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Steel Magnolia's Joshua Scott Jones enters rehab

Joshua Scott Jones, the male half of country duo Steel Magnolia, has entered treatment for alcohol and substance abuse.

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Surprise! Rascal Flatts invited to join Opry

Country music super group Rascal Flatts is the latest member of the Grand Ole Opry.

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Country music pioneer Johnny Wright dies at 97

Johnny Wright, a country music pioneer who had hits as a singer in the duo Johnnie and Jack and guided the career of his wife, Kitty Wells, died early Tuesday. He was 97.

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Randy Travis OK after passing out at Texas show

Country singer Randy Travis was resting at home Monday after passing out on stage during a benefit concert in front of a roomful of doctors.

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Rainey shines in W. Kentucky's 40-14 loss to Navy

Western Kentucky coach Willie Taggart had a simple assessment when asked what was working for Navy and its triple-option attack Saturday night: "Everything."

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Tearful end in Navy's 40-14 win over W. Kentucky

Navy had plenty to be excited about after a fairly easy — and eye-catching — 40-14 win over Western Kentucky on Saturday night.

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Zac Brown takes it to new level with 3-day fest

Zac Brown Band's first thought has always been the fan when it comes to live music, but this time they say they're taking it to another level with a "huge shindig."

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Tenn. native killed in Taliban helicopter attack

Elite Navy SEALs member Aaron Carson Vaughn had asked the military to return him to combat and shipped out just six weeks before he was killed when a U.S. military helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan, killing 38, including 22 SEALs.

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