It's been announced that the Eagles will make their first awards show appearance later this year. The legendary group will perform on the 41st annual Country Music Association Awards, which will be held on November 7 in Nashville. The Eagles currently have a hit on the Country chart with "How Long," the first single from their upcoming CD, Long Road Out of Eden. The album will be sold exclusively at Walmart stores beginning October 30.
This week (week ending October 6), Country star Reba McEntire makes her first Number One entry on the Billboard 200 with Reba Duets.The album sold more than 300,000 copies its first week in stores. In other news, Reba will receive Billboard's first Woman of the Year Award during a ceremony in New York on October 5. The honor was established to "recognize extraordinary women who have made significant contributions to the music business and who, through their hard work and continued success, inspire generations of women to take on increasing responsibilities within the field."
On October 4, the 2007 VH1 Hip-Hop Honors will be handed out at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom. The 4th annual event honors hip-hop pioneers "that have made significant contributions to music and pop culture." This year's honorees are A Tribe Called Quest, Snoop Dogg, Missy Elliott, Whodini, the film Wild Style, and Teddy Riley and Andre Harrell for creating the blend of rhythm-and-blues and hip-hop music called New Jack Swing in the 1980s.On October 2, Arista Records will release Annie Lennox's first album in four years. Her producer, Glen Ballard, describes Songs of Mass Destruction as a collection that's "very personal to her." Highlights include a song called "Sing," which features Faith Hill, Madonna, Sarah McLachlin, Celine Dion, Shakira, Pink, and many other female stars. The charity track will raise money for South Africa's Treatment Action Campaign, which works to bring awareness to the AIDS crisis and fund treatment programs for people with HIV/AIDS.
Country legend Merle Haggard's first bluegrass album will be released on October 2. The Bluegrass Sessions features bluegrass versions of some of the 70-year-old singer's classics, a duet with Alison Krauss on "Mama's Hungry Eyes," a medley of Jimmie Rodgers songs, a cover of the Delmore Brothers' "Blues Stay Away From Me," plus several new tracks.
NEW ALBUM RELEASES
New albums scheduled for release on October 2 include: "Cowboy Town" by Brooks & Dunn, "Born Into This" by The Cult, "The Hits" by Faith Hill, "Back of My 'Lac" by J. Holiday, "Exile On Mainstream" by Matchbox Twenty, "Magic" by Bruce Springsteen, "souljaboytellem.com" by Soulja Boy, "Revival" by John Fogerty, "Missing You" by Peabo Bryson, "The Ike and Tina Turner Story: 1960-1975" (3-CD box set) by Ike and Tina Turner, and "Romancing the 60's" by Frankie Valli.
MUSICAL EVENTS/FESTIVALS/BENEFITS
The "World of Bluegrass 2007" will take place in Nashville October 1-7. Among the special events planned is a Bill Monroe Bluegrass Celebration, which will be held October 2 at Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium. Many of today's biggest bluegrass stars will be on hand to honor the "Father of Bluegrass." They include The Del McCoury Band, The Grascals, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Rhonda Vincent & The Rage and bluegrass legend Jesse McReynolds.
Michael Martin Murphey, Suzy Bogguss, Don Edwards and Red Steagall are a few of the artists taking part in the "Piney Woods Cowboy Gathering," which begins on October 4 in Linden, Texas. The four-day event will include campfire serenades, western swing dancing, a dusty trail ride, cowboy workshops, and much more.
AWARDS PRESENTATIONS/WINNERS
On October 4, the 18th annual International Bluegrass Music Association Awards will take place at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry. Rhonda Vincent and members of her band The Rage earned a total of 11 nominations, including Entertainer of the Year and Album of the Year for All American Bluegrass Girl. Other leading contenders include Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, and Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder.
TOUR DATES AND INFORMATION
On September 28, Bruce Springsteen kicked off a North American tour in support of his new album Magic. He launched the 23-date outing in East Rutherford, New Jersey. After wrapping up concerts in Boston, Massachusetts on November 19, the band will head to Europe where 13 concerts are scheduled in Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, the U.K. and France. Magic hits record stores on October 2.
On October 4, Train's lead singer Pat Monahan will kick off his first solo tour in support of his new album Last of Seven. Shows begin in Tempe, Arizona and wrap up on November 18 in Dallas, Texas. Following the tour, Monahan plans to head back to the studio to begin work on Train's fifth album.