Country

  I was hired to DJ a wedding that was to be held outdoors.  My job was to provide sound for the ceremony then DJ the reception  in the giant tents that were set up.  That means I was there for the entire wedding. The theme for this one was obviously country.  It was VERY well done.  The seating was hay bales, all placed in perfect rows.  The backdrop to the couple was two John Deere tractors with

Three country legends provided poignant headlines this week. George Strait made a stunning announcement on Wednesday, while Reba McEntire revealed on Thursday that she too is giving up a major part of her career up for good. Meanwhile, Loretta Lynn was honored for 50 years of service at the Grand Ole Opry, and the stars came out to celebrate.

A new feud began to let stew and a song that helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for cancer research -- those are two of the most-read headlines this week in country music. Which story did you talk about most this week?

The most popular country news story on Taste of Country this week had to do with Kellie Pickler's hair -- or lack thereof -- and big heart. The singer shaved her beautiful blonde locks to support a close friend who's battling breast cancer. Was that the biggest story for you? What event from the last seven days did you find most exciting?

It was an exciting week of country news, with some stories that left you feeling sympathetic (Randy Travis, LeAnn Rimes) and more that filled the air with excitement. Taylor Swift‘s new video and Toby Keith‘s new album are just two of the many excuses one had this week for shouting joy while co-workers drummed away quietly at their keyboards.

Instead of writing new songs for his next album, Blake Shelton has taken to rewriting hits from other country music stars. Kenny Chesney‘s ‘Come Over’ and Tim McGraw‘s ‘Live Like You Were Dying’ were his two victims choices in the past 24 hours.

Summer tours have allowed the hottest country men to travel the nation — in less clothing than normal — giving every fan a chance to see one or two of the sexiest male stars of 2012. A few look their best on stage, while others wear a suit and tie like a policeman wears his uniform. It just fits.

To celebrate National Senior Citizens Day, which is August 21, we thought we’d look ahead to how country music’s top stars will look when they get closer to becoming AARP members. Many — like Blake Shelton and Jana Kramer — promise to age gracefully. Others… well, not so much. Sorry about that, Taylor Swift!

This week, Blake Shelton returns to the top of the country singles chart with his seventh-consecutive No. 1 hit, ‘Over.’ The tune is the fourth release from his current album, ‘Red River Blue,’ which has also spawned the chart-topping ‘Honey Bee,’ ‘God Gave Me You’ and ‘Drink on It.’

It’s a busy month for new country music releases in September 2012, with no less than 10 albums from major country music stars hitting the shelves. While few are using the day after Labor Day to release new music, Sept. 11 is literally packed with new music. Little Big Town, Kix Brooks and Aaron Lewis are just three of the artists with new albums out that day.