Brooks & Dunn Team with Reba to Make Country Music History, Jason Aldean's Running Wide Open & More

Posted by Lisa L. Rollins Jan 24, 2009

For country fans clamoring for a copy of Cowgirls Don't Cry, the history-making hit single from Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn and Reba McEntire, the latter of who inspired track, be patient a bit longer. Feb. 10 will mark the first day it’s available to fans as a digital single for purchase.

As for its historical merit, the single’s marks the 41^st such hit for the Brooks & Dunn, a designation that pushes the duo just past Alabama for the most top-10 singles by any country group or duo. As for McEntire’s discography, Cowboys Don’t Cry has become the red-headed vocalist’s 56^th top-10 single—an achievement that scoots her beyond Dolly Parton to become the reigning female country artist with the most top-10 songs.

Jason Aldean Has One Gear: Wide Open

April 7, 2009, is the drop date for Broken Bow artist Jason Aldean’s much-anticipated third CD, Wide Open. Already the record’s first single, She’s Country, has become the fastest-rising single of Aldean’s career and made its foray onto U.S. music-video playlists.

Now touring with Toby Keith, Aldean first tried the song out for fans during his CMT on Tour ‘08: Jason Aldean show, with opening acts Lady Antebellum and Eric Durrance.

The upcoming Wide Open CD was produced by Michael Knox (who’s the son of Buddy “Party Doll” Knox, for all you trivia buffs). And to the delight of many, the Georgia-born singer-songwriter’s upcoming album will feature his touring band, not session players.

"When it came time to give this album a title, that track just summed it all up," Aldean has said of Wide Open. "It describes my personality and attitude 100 percent. Me and the guys in the band went into the studio and recorded these songs live and tried to picture ourselves playing them in an arena down the road somewhere. I think you can definitely feel that energy."

Country Singers Get Gold for Christmas

Kudos go out to Texas-born country stars Lee Ann Womack and Miranda Lambert, as well Toby Keith and Faith Hill on the recent news from the Recording Industry Association of America that each artist yielded certified music sales for the month of December 2008 that represented 500,000 copies of an album, ringtone or single.

The RIAA reported that country albums earning the gold certification include Keith’s That Don’t Make Me a Bad Guy, Hill’s Joy to the World and Womack’s Greatest Hits CD. Lambert, meanwhile, notched her gold certification in not one, but two slots, with Gunpowder & Lead in the ringtone and singles categories. The latter single was Lambert’s first top-10 single, peaking at No. 7 on the country charts. (By the way, has anyone other than me thought Lambert resembles Dolly Parton a tad, especially around the mouth and chin?)

Happy Birthday, Dolly!

Speaking of Dolly, belated birthday wishes go out to Ms. Parton, who turned 63 this year. And as a side note, 28 years ago today, Jan. 24, 1981, the Tennessee native’s theme song from the 9 to 5 movie made it to the top of Billboard’s country charts