Brad Paisley is one of country music’s biggest stars. His albums have all went platinum or multi-platinum (except for a Christmas album, which went gold, and his latest, “Play,” but it has only been out since November). He has scored 13 #1 hits on the Billboard country charts and nine in a row. And now he is going to appear on American Idol.
Not too bad for West Virginia boy…
The American Idol results show for the Top 11 contestants Wednesday night will cap off the two-part Country Week installment of American Idol Season 8. Country legend Randy Travis mentored the 11 American Idol finalists this past week. He will perform on the results show as well. Joining him, and it has been rumored that that term is literal, American Idol alumnus Carrie Underwood will also perform. Still, duet or not, this has turned out to be a great week for country music fans.
Brad Paisley is set to do his new single, “Then,” from his upcoming album, “American Saturday Night,” which has a June release date.
Brad Paisley is what they call a neo-traditionalist in country music. In other words, his music is new, but it sounds like old-style country music. Randy Travis was dubbed the same when he first hit the country music scene in 1986. Carrie Underwood’s style is known as country pop. Still, no matter what you label their particular styles, it is all good country music and all good for country music fans.
This is an award-winning bunch as well. American Music Awards. People’s Choice Awards. Academy of Country Music Awards. Country Music Associations Awards. Grammys.
Five of Randy Travis’ last six albums have won Dove Awards (awarded by the Gospel Music Association) for Bluegrass and Country Christian Album of the Year. He has won several Grammys and a mantle-full of ACM and CMA Awards.
Carrie Underwood, besides being the American Idol Season 4 winner, just won a Grammy in February for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for “Last Name.” She also won three People’s Choice Awards in January. She has been the Country Music Association’s Female Vocalist of the Year for the past three years and will undoubtedly be nominated again this year. In the upcoming Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards, she is nominated for four more awards: Album, Video, Female Vocalist and Entertainer of the Year (the only female artist nominated).
Brad Paisley led the nominations for ACM Awards this year with six, competing with Carrie Underwood in the Video of the Year and Entertainer of the Year Categories. He is also up for Vocal Event of the Year for his #1 duet with Keith Urban, “Start A Band.” He has won the ACM for Top Male Vocalist, for which he is also nominated, two years in a row. He has won three Grammys and 11 Country Music Association Awards.
Yeah. Not too bad for a West Virginia boy. At least he’s keeping good company.
They and one of the Top 11 American Idol finalists will perform on Wednesday’s results show. And unless the American Idol judges use their one and only Save option, all the performers singing Wednesday will go home, leaving only the Top 10.
And if the finalist isn’t saved, we will Carrie Underwood sing one more time in the send-off: Motley Crue’s “Home Sweet Home.”
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Sources:
“American Idol,” Fox Television
Billboard.com
Wikipedia.org
RandyTravis.com
BradPaisley.musiccitynetworks.com
CarrieUnderwoodOfficial.com
