Jeff Giles

Miranda Lambert‘s latest single ‘Baggage Claim’ may not be finished climbing the country charts yet, but she isn’t waiting to give fans another taste of her upcoming album ‘Four the Record.’ Through a unique partnership with the makers of the popular iPhone app Hipstamatic, Lambert has debuted the full-length final version of ‘Mama’s Broken Heart’ — the album track that, as she told concert audien

Scotty McCreery is poised to claim the Number One spot when his first full-length effort ‘Clear as Day’ makes its debut on the charts next week. But will he actually pull it off? It’s been nearly a decade since ‘American Idol‘ was able to turn all its ratings mojo into a Number One album debut for one of its contestants. The last one was Ruben Studdard, whose ‘Thankful’ bowed at the top of the cha

Half a century of anything is usually a milestone people take pride in — unless you’re Trace Adkins and you’re about to reach your 50th birthday, in which case it’s an occasion worth snarling at. Yes, the ‘Just Fishin” singer will become eligible for full membership in the AARP on January 13. And while he isn’t normally much of a birthday person, he knows he can’t completely ignore the upcoming bi

It may not do anything to save his long-running gig as the musical kickoff for ‘Monday Night Football,’ but Hank Williams, Jr. has issued a personal statement in response to the brouhaha that erupted after his recent appearance on ‘Fox and Friends.’ Williams, who compared a golf match between President Obama and Republican House Speaker John Boehner to “Hitler playing golf with Netanyahu,” attemp

The New Yorker doesn’t usually devote much space to young artists or current trends, but they made an exception for Taylor Swift in their most recent issue, giving a full profile of the artist that, as they point out, has sold more albums in the last five years than any other musician. Swift was characteristically frank in the article, offering her thoughts on life and love as a 21-year-old supers

The leading names of the Bluegrass genre gathered on Thursday for the 22nd annual International Bluegrass Music Association Awards, handing out honors to legends (including Del McCoury, who entered the Bluegrass Hall of Fame) and “newer” artists like Steve Martin, who took home the Entertainer of the Year award for his second full-length album of bluegrass instrumentals.

Former Trick Pony member Heidi Newfield has been hard at work on the follow-up to her 2008 debut album, ‘What Am I Waiting For,’ for more than a year, but she isn’t letting the delay get her down. In fact, she’s grabbing her band and hitting the road for a run of live dates — and taking some of her girlfriends with her. Sponsored by Pendleton Whisky and dubbed the She’s Country Tour, Newfield’s fa

Toby Keith has released some of the most proudly patriotic songs in modern country music, making him an easy target for those who prefer to think of country artists (and perhaps country fans) as belligerent or intolerant. The reality, of course, is more nuanced. The fact is that Keith is simply not shy about speaking his mind, as readers discovered when Keith was asked to share his thoughts on gay

Her recording career spans 15 years and eight albums, but Terri Clark might just now be hitting her stride. Clark’s latest album ‘Roots and Wings’ finds her tapping into her own experiences for a largely self-written batch of original tunes — and earning some of the best reviews of her career along the way. According to Clark, who enjoyed a string of platinum success in the 90s, recent turmoil in

When Glen Campbell announced his Alzheimer’s diagnosis earlier this year, it served for many as a poignant reminder of the fragility of the human condition and the fleeting nature of our time on Earth. His honesty regarding his condition, and his decision to bid farewell to his fans with a final album and tour, have been an inspiration to countless fans. Campbell stopped by the Sirius XM studios r

It’s arriving a year too late to commemorate the true anniversary of the occasion, but a new double-disc collection has brought together some of country and rock’s biggest names to honor Mark Twain 100 years after his death. The set, titled ‘Mark Twain: Words & Music,’ features contributions from Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Brad Paisley, Sheryl Crow, Ricky Skaggs, Joe Diffie, Clint Eastwood, a

Country music has often served as a refuge for artists looking to jump-start their flagging commercial fortunes in other genres, and over the last few years, it’s become an even more popular ploy with Jessica Simpson, Jewel and others seeking to find favor with country audiences. So Kristin Chenoweth knows that her background in musical theater might give some listeners pause, but she says she’s r