Big Kenny Tells All

                       
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'Big Kenny' of Smash Country Duo Big & Rich, Reveals the Surprising Personal Story of His 'Last Dollar' that Inspired the Writing of Country Radio's Hit Single, 'Last Dollar (Fly Away)'




'Last Dollar (Fly Away)' Recorded by Multi-Platinum Recording Artist Tim
McGraw is the True Story of Big Kenny's Faith that Sustained Him when
Nothing was Left

NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Big Kenny, of distinctive
country act Big & Rich reveals his personal rags-to-riches story behind
writing the hit country radio single "Last Dollar (Fly Away)" and the
struggle it took to climb to the top. Recorded by multi-platinum recording
artist Tim McGraw, "Last Dollar (Fly Away)" is the first radio single from
McGraw's latest release Let It Go.
The song's origins began on New Years Eve of 2002 when Big Kenny (Kenny
Alphin) set off for Las Vegas with manager and friend, Marc Oswald to open
the "Alabama Farewell Tour". With only $200.00 to his name and credit cards
maxed out at $140,000, the meager income of a struggling artist just
weren't enough to pay the bills. "I had spent all of my money to make our
records and just to live until we would 'finally be good enough' to be the
ones on the big stage," Kenny says. "That $200 had to cover my entire trip,
food and all!"
With the ever present worry of not being able to pay rent, Big Kenny
decided to hit a black jack table in hopes of making it big. After winning
nearly $1,000 dollars, Kenny put all of his chips in, only to lose
everything except $21.00. Leaving the dealer with a generous $20.00 tip,
Kenny took the last dollar that he had to his name and left the casino.
"That night as I looked down at the sole breaking off of my shoe it hit
me like a ton of bricks," Kenny says. "But with that realization came the
freedom of knowing that I also had nothing to lose."
That realization also became the driving force behind Big Kenny's
powerful songwriting and dedication to his artistry. After "She's a
Butterfly", written by Big Kenny and long time friend John Rich was cut by
country icon Martina McBride, Big & Rich landed a recording contract with
Warner Brothers Records a few months later. Big & Rich's first record,
Horse of a Different Color (2004) reached #1 on Billboard's country music
chart as well as Billboard's national chart. The hit single "Save a Horse,
Ride a Cowboy" from their debut release garnered the duo amazing radio
success, reaching #11 on country radio as well as being featured by ESPN
commercials promoting the 2005 World Series of Poker and a live performance
on National television at the closing of CMT's awards show.
In 2004, Big & Rich joined Martina McBride and Tim McGraw on a
sold-out, major market stadium tour and co-headlined the American
Revolution Tour with Gretchen Wilson and other members of "MuzikMafia", an
organization devoted to music without prejudice founded by Kenny Alphin,
John Rich, Jon Nicholson and music publisher and industry executive Cory
Gierman.
"I'll never forget the day I played him (Tim McGraw) the song, Kenny
says." "We were at Blackbird Studio and Tim was making a new album." As we
sat together in my truck, I played him a couple of the songs that I was
recording. The second song I played was "Last Dollar." He looked over at me
and said, "Are you gonna' let me record that?"
"About 6 months ago, Tim called me again to come by his home and he
played me "Last Dollar," Kenny remembers. "When I heard the kids at the end
of the song, I nearly lost it. That moment of reflection in Las Vegas all
that time ago gave me the hope to keep going and now 5 years later, that
hope is a hit song for my friend Tim McGraw. Thank you, Tim for believing!
We are all gonna' fly away from here one of these days."
For more information, visit http://www.bigandrich.com or
http://www.muzikmafia.com



SOURCE Big Kenny
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Related links:
* http://www.bigandrich.com
* http://www.muzikmafia.com
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Another Hunk Settles Down

Garth and Trisha weren't the only ones to marry in December.


Country star DIERKS BENTLEY, eloped with his high school sweetheart CASSIDY in Mexico.

Defending Keith Urban

By far the two postings that most people seem to be most passionate about is Keith Urban (the focus should be on his music, not his love life) and Garth Brooks (don't forget he betrayed his first wife).

Re: Keith Urban, one person commented: ok.. the whole thing about keith and nicole.. dont you guys have anything better to talk about than some gossip shit? i mean, really, theres a lot more to keith than you think. he sure as hell is not boring. just go and put in one of his cd's.. this man is extremely talented, and i say that y'all should find something better to talk about than who he's currently dating, whatever. just let the gossip magazines spread their own shit around, dont encourage it. and let the Real Fans (aka ME) focus on the stuff that really matters... like the music, for example. i mean, c'mon!

Re: Keith Urban, I recently read somewhere (Entertainment Weekly maybe) that he realized what kind of a musician he wanted to be when he saw John Mellencamp in concert. I like John Mellencamp and own several of his albums, but he's no Springsteen and he's not country. So basically Urban is aiming to be a second-rate heartland rock and roller.

More Nashville Star news

Did Erika Jo get a real hit? I liked her version of I'm Not Lisa, but that's a hard song to screw up. Anyway, here's news about the latest incarnation of Nashville Star. Not so sure if Wynona & Cowboy Troy will make the best hosts (I bet they'll be very awkward with the contestants), but the host doesn't have to do much anyway...

USA NETWORK LANDS
WYNONNA JUDD AND COWBOY TROY
AS CO-HOSTS FOR NASHVILLE STAR’S SEASON FOUR

** Rotating Celebrity Judges to Join Show Veterans Anastasia Brown and Phil Vassar **

Nashville, TN — December 6, 2005 — Five-time Grammy Award Winning Superstar Wynonna Judd (Curb Records) and RAYBAW/Warner Bros. Record’s Cowboy Troy will host the fourth season of USA Network’s Nashville Star, it was announced today by Jeff Wachtel, USA’s Executive Vice President of Original Programming. The nation’s top-rated country music series and original grassroots talent search to find America’s next great country music star, Nashville Star, will debut the fourth season in an all-new star-studded fashion on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 from 10:00 – 11:00 PM (ET/PT).


“We’re thrilled to have an artist of Wynonna’s stature, talent and pure-star quality, join this season’s Nashville Star. She’s a legitimate icon in both the country world and our popular culture,” said Wachtel. “By pairing Wynonna with someone as artistically groundbreaking as the MusikMafia’s Cowboy Troy, we’re truly taking the franchise to the next level."

“Individually, both Cowboy Troy and Wynonna have incredible music careers going for them,” explains executive producer H.T. Owens. “But by combining their star-power, Nashville Star will continue to grow as the most entertaining and highest rated country music series in America.”

One of the music industry's premiere female vocalists, Wynonna has accumulated sales totals in excess of twenty-nine million units as a solo superstar and as a member of one of the most successful duos of all time, The Judds. She has collected over 60 prestigious industry awards, celebrated 20 #1 hits and is most recently a New York Times best-selling author with her memoir, Coming Home to Myself. For the last two years, she was chosen to be the United States Ambassador for YouthAIDS, a global initiative that generates funding and awareness to help fight the spread of HIV/AIDS among the world's youth, and helps to raise millions of dollars for charities each year. With 20 legendary years and millions of fans around the world, Wynonna's star shines brightly.

The Hick-Hop originator, Cowboy Troy’s release Loco Motive debuted at #2 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart and at #15 on Billboard's Hot 200 chart. He recently performed on The Tonight Show, Imus In The Morning and Good Morning America. He has been featured in the pages of Time Magazine, Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly to name a few. CBT performed on the season finale of last year’s show and was on hand to present the winner Erika Jo with a Chevy truck. He is currently touring as part of the “American Revolution Tour featuring Gretchen Wilson and Big & Rich.”

Returning from last year, famed singer/songwriter Phil Vassar and music and movie industry executive Anastasia Brown are slated to provide their feedback and commentary during each of the live episodes. They will be joined by a rotating special celebrity guest judge each week throughout the season.

“We want to bring a fresh perspective to each episode through the judging table,” said Owens.
“Expect to see big names in entertainment filling our panel this season, and more importantly, helping find and bring untapped country music talent, that otherwise wouldn’t be heard, to the American people.

NASHVILLE STAR is created by Reveille and executive produced by Ben Silverman ("The Biggest Loser," "The Office") and H.T. Owens ("The Restaurant," "30 Days"). Jeff Boggs will executive produce in association with Reveille again for the second year. The show is produced by Jon Small ("Garth Brooks Live From Central Park," "Billy Joel Live at Yankee Stadium") and his production company, Picture Vision, alongside co-executive producer Mark Koops ("The Restaurant," "Blow Out").

REVEILLE develops produces and distributes new and non-traditional programming formats for television and motion pictures across a variety of genres, including comedy, drama, game, and reality for American and international markets. In addition to selling television formats for independent producers such as NBC Universal Television Studios (USA Network, Sci Fi Channel), BBC Worldwide, Renegade and Princess Productions, Reveille sells its own produced program formats such as "The Restaurant" (NBC), "Blow Out" (Bravo) and "30 Days" (FX). Reveille also distributed the internationally renowned, award-winning "911" documentary and is a world leader in creating integrated marketing opportunities for leading advertisers, developing alternative financing paradigms and selling and distributing television formats in markets worldwide. Reveille has produced projects such as, "Coupling," "The Restaurant", "The Biggest Loser" and "The Office: An American Workplace" for NBC. Cable projects include "Blow Out" for Bravo, "The Club" on Spike, USA Network's "Nashville Star,” the Morgan Spurlock project "30 Days" for FX Networks and MTV’s “Date My Mom.”

USA NETWORK is cable television’s leading provider of original series and feature movies, sports events, off-net television shows, and blockbuster theatrical films. USA Network is seen in over 89 million U.S. homes. The USA Network Web site is located at www.usanetwork.com. USA Network is a program service of NBC Universal Cable a division of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience.

Country star news from the Charlotte Observer

Trace Adkins announced plans for his 2006 Honky Tonk Badonkadonk Tour, and they include a Feb. 23 stop at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium in Asheville with Craig Morgan. ... Bessemer City native Jimmy Wayne will be featured at a March 25 benefit for The Cleveland Rutherford Kidney Association and The Cleveland County Salvation Army. The event will be at Gardner Webb University in Boiling Springs. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door and $20 for floor seats. Details: (704) 481-9535 or (704)482-0375. ... Bonnie Raitt performs March 8 at Ovens Auditorium, featuring special guest Randall Bramblett. Tickets are $41.50 to $59, on sale online at www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at (704) 522.6500, or at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. ... Big & Rich will aid in halftime festivities at the Jan. 4 Rose Bowl football game in Pasadena, Calif. ... Blake Shelton portrays himself and performs his song "Nobody but Me" in "The Christmas Blessing," a made-for-TV movie airing next Sunday on CBS. It stars Rob Lowe and Neil Patrick Harris. ... GAC reports that Keith Urban, who performs Feb. 16 in Charlotte, and Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman are officially engaged. ... The Hollywood Reporter announced that the Seventh Annual Family Television Awards have named Reba McEntire the Best Actress in a Comedy for her role in The WB sitcom, "Reba." ... The Web site for Marshville native Randy Travis says his voice is featured along with Amy Grant and Vince Gill in a children's video called "The Prodigal Pig." It's part of a farm video series that uses biblical stories to teach reading. Travis plays the main character, "Porkchop." ...Lee Ann Womack's album, "There's More Where That Came From," has been certified gold for shipments of 500,000 copies. Womack won the CMA Award for album of the year in November. ... Pinmonkey found a new label and expects to release a CD, "Big Shiny Cars," in March on Back Porch Records. However, lead Michael Reynolds and bassist Michael Jeffers are the only remaining members of the original band. The group will go on tour in 2006.
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Garth & Tricia -- married in time to promote his Walmart box set

Well, he is a very good marketer! He & Miss Yearwood tied the knot over the weekend. Here's the story:

ountry stars Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood married in Oklahoma on Saturday, Brooks's publicist has told Access Hollywood.

"It's the perfect Christmas gift to each other, and to anyone who had money on us getting married before New Year's. We could not be happier," Brooks said in a statement.

News first began circulating about their impending nuptials when they filed for a marriage license in Oklahoma's Rogers County in Claremore on Friday morning.

In May, PEOPLE reported, Brooks popped the question before a crowd of 7,000 screaming fans at the unveiling of a bronze statue of himself at Buck Owens's Crystal Palace, a country-music complex run by the former Hee Haw star in Bakersfield, Calif.

Brooks, 43, who has largely stayed out of the spotlight since announcing his retirement in 2000, strolled onstage with Yearwood's hand in his. After yanking off a gold cloth to reveal the 8'-tall statue, Brooks pointed out a curious detail on the sculpture's left hand: a wedding band he had asked artist Bill Rains to include. Realizing what was happening, Yearwood, 41, pouted playfully and said, "You're not going (to do this) in front of these people?"

He did. Brooks whipped off his hat, got down on his right knee and asked, "Will you marry me?" Yearwood instantly said yes and dabbed away a tear.

Despite living with Brooks in recent years, the bride-to-be was completely taken by surprise, according to people who watched her backstage afterward. "Her knees were like Jell-O," said Jerry Hufford, talent coordinator for the Palace. "She was totally stunned."

At a May 18 Las Vegas press conference for the Academy of Country Music Awards, Brooks, clearly having the marriage proposal in mind, hinted at an upcoming event that he said would rank emotionally with the births of his daughters with ex-wife Sandy Brooks, 40: Taylor, now 12, August, 11, and Allie, 8. Garth and Sandy were married in 1986 and divorced in 2001.

Brooks and Yearwood first met in the late 1980s when Yearwood was an opening act on Brooks' tour, and this will be the second marriage for him and the third for her.

Her previous husbands were musicians Chris Latham (to whom she was married from 1987-91) and Robert Reynolds (1994-2000). Both unions ended in divorce. She has no children.

Congrats to Keith Urban...

Mr. Urban won a bunch of awards at the CMAs and he genuinely seems like a nice guy who is surprised when he wins. Here's a concert review about his shows post winning the Ent. of the Year award: CONCERT REVIEW: Keith Urban
Country boy shows a lot of rock in his soul, notable crowd skills
BY MELISSA RUGGIERI
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Saturday, November 19, 2005


Keith Urban will be in concert Friday night at the Richmond Coliseum. 
 
MUSIC REVIEW
KEITH URBAN
WHERE:
Richmond Coliseum WHEN:
Last night

At least one woman got to lie on the stage floor next to Keith Urban last night, and, despite persistent rumors of a sighting, it wasn't his "friend," Nicole Kidman.

Instead, a middle-aged fan from Roanoke received the type of loving attention (a cuddle and a song) most stars of Urban's stature don't bother with - perhaps one reason why this country hunk has escalated to Tim McGraw-level popularity.
RELATED
Nov. 16, 2005:
Urban development: Singer on the rise to superstardom
Urban's talent is monstrous - his electrifying guitar skills are even better than his singing - but his stubbled handsomeness and willingness to envelop his audience might also have something to do with his well-deserved success.

Then there's his modesty: "A couple of cool things happened this week, and I saved a bunch of money on my car insurance," he said with a flash of that Colgate smile, his humble manner of acknowledging being crowned Entertainer of the Year at the Country Music Awards.

No doubt he's a country boy, but there's a lot of rock'n' roll in Urban's soul and he embraces it readily. The twangy banjo that introduced "Where the Blacktop Ends" signaled his allegiance to country, but by song's end, that banjo was replaced by a stinging electric guitar solo from Urban that indicated affection for Aerosmith's Joe Perry.

But it wasn't only Urban's wailing, scratching, blazing fretwork in "Ready to Fall" and "Raining On Sunday" that screamed rock star - it was his entire presence.

Casually sexy in a tight gray T-shirt and jeans, the 38-year-old New Zealander spent nearly two hours making all the right moves. He ripped out a solo under a white spotlight, his expertly highlighted hair blasted by a wind machine. He flew over the audience mid-set to play to the back of the house, offering an acoustic "Homespun Love" from his days with The Ranch.

He spent more time than expected reading hand-held signs, most of them begging for some type of physical collision with him ("This monkey's wish is your scruffy kiss," read one). He also made sure to acknowledge some of the younger fans in the crowd of more than 8,000, thus proving his male sensitivity.

Urban's mid-range voice is appealing enough, and his songs are perfectly acceptable country-crossover fodder.

But, much like Garth Brooks, his effortless ability to engage an audience - honed from stints opening for McGraw and mentor Kenny Chesney - is what separates his live set from some of the more manicured trappings of country shows.

He's surrounded himself with a taut five-piece band, including ace session guitarist Chris Rodriguez, that was capable of blasting an impassioned version of Aerosmith's "What It Takes" (with Urban on drums) as easily as capturing the quiet, wounded spirit of "You'll Think of Me."

Urban proved last night that he's an extraordinary performer and deserving of that Entertainer of the Year nod.

Let's hope his escalating celebrity doesn't muddle his musical future.

P.S. This posting was inspired by a fan who emailed saying:

You bet I'll email you! You and all that have anything to do with the news media. What? y'all can't get the news you want out of Keith Urban, so don't give him the pubicity that he deserves winning THREE awards for country music.It can't be that y'all are racist because he's from another country? No ,I think not. It's because you can't get the gossip you want on his personal life and what is really going on between him and Red. Y'all get a life of your own, he's trying to. And I'm really PO'D at all the media for not writing anything on this wonderful, talented artist other than trash! I go into any news site and there it is, ONE sentence on him winning one of the biggest awards in his life. And yes, if you go watch one of his performances, you'd know why he's a household name. Yes he has skeletons in his closet, but he didn't hide them. As a matter of fact, I'm sure they came out of his mouth. And what, he's the only one that has battled demons in this wonderful world we live in. You are not the only one that will be getting this letter, newspapers,aol,yahoo and any other idiot that feels the need to not write about the wonders of this man, other than the fact of some actress. It won't hurt his fame or the statis of his fans. WE ARE LOYAL to the one that give us faith again in God, family, love, life, and the power of his music. The media is a sorry batch!

Up for more Nashville Stars?

Here's a press release for those of us who care about Nashville Star:
TURN-OUT FOR NASHVILLE STAR AUDITIONS DOUBLED
FROM LAST YEAR AS THOUSANDS OF COUNTRY MUSIC
HOPEFULS SHOW UP TO SEE IF THEY HAVE WHAT IT TAKES
Nashville Star Producers Enlisted Esteemed Music Critics
To Help Find the Next Nashville Star

NASHVILLE, TN (November 9, 2005) — So far, twice the number of contestants are showing up in every audition market for NASHVILLE STAR, USA Network’s original grassroots talent search to find America’s next great country music star. With several major markets still to come, the nation’s top-rated country music program which gives one artist their big break, has already exceeded expectations to find the most talented and deserving cast when the show returns in March for its fourth season.

"So far this year, we have doubled the turn out in each market from previous years and the talent we are seeing is amazing," says Executive Producer Jeff Boggs. "With HUGE stops in Nashville , Washington D.C. , and Houston still to come, this will be the largest casting turnout in the history of our show by far! We look forward to seeing what the rest of the markets bring."

For the first time, this year Nashville Star Executive Producers enlisted some of the top music critics in the country to help in the judging process. From the Daily Oklahoman in Oklahoma City to the St. Petersburg Times in Tampa , music critics have been raving about the talents of their hometown areas.

Stacy Petersonof the Fayetteville Observerhad this to say: "It really was a lot of fun and it gave me a new insight and respect to how well Nashville Star goes after talent just as much as image."

"I was absolutely blown away by the talent," says St. Petersburg Times Pop Music Critic Sean Daly. "By Sunday, many people had been weeded down, so I saw the very cream of the crop. Some of these kids were still in high school--but the original songs they performed could be hits today."

Sandi Davis, music critic for the Daily Oklahoman, helped judge day two of Oklahoma City and noted: “The caliber of talent who made it to the second round was amazing. I can’t imagine having to weed out from the first round. We even had a guy show up from Germany ! I truly believe the show found their next Nashville Star right here. I can’t wait to tune in and see the finals.”

Upcoming NASHVILLE STAR casting markets include Portland , D.C. , Pittsburgh , Atlanta , Nashville , Indianapolis , Houston and Las Vegas . Casting markets completed include Los Angeles , Chicago , Morgantown , Phoenix , Oklahoma City, Dallas , Lincoln , Raleigh and Tampa . Updated information on auditions including cities, locations and times, song lists and applications can be found on www.usanetwork.com/nashvillestar

The auditions are open to women and men, ages 18 and over (as of January 1, 2006), who think they have what it takes to become the next NASHVILLE STAR. Those auditioning will have one minute to perform a song off an approved song list. For the those invited back for the second day, they will be asked to sing two (2) songs from an approved song list or one (1) approved and one (1) original song. The top contestants then proceed to one of two regional competitions to again audition for a chance to appear on the show.
As in the past, the winner of this season’s NASHVILLE STARwill receive a major music recording contract with a top-level record label. The first three seasons of the series have launched the careers of promising artists including Jewell, Lambert and 2005’s Erika Jo.

NASHVILLE STAR is created by Reveille and executive produced by Ben Silverman ("The Biggest Loser," "The Office") and H.T. Owens ("The Restaurant," "30 Days"). Jeff Boggs will executive produce in association with Reveille. The show is produced by Jon Small ("Garth Brooks Live From Central Park," "Billy Joel Live at Yankee Stadium") and his production company, Picture Vision, alongside co-executive producer Mark Koops ("The Restaurant," "Blow Out").

REVEILLEdevelops produces and distributes new and non-traditional programming formats for television and motion pictures across a variety of genres, including comedy, drama, game, and reality for American and international markets. In addition to selling television formats for independent producers such as NBC Universal Television Studios (USA Network, Sci Fi Channel), BBC Worldwide, Renegade and Princess Productions, Reveille sells its own produced program formats such as "The Restaurant" (NBC), "Blow Out" (Bravo) and "30 Days" (FX). Reveille also distributed the internationally renowned, award-winning "911" documentary and is a world leader in creating integrated marketing opportunities for leading advertisers, developing alternative financing paradigms and selling and distributing television formats in markets worldwide.

Reveille has produced projects such as, "Coupling," "The Restaurant", "The Biggest Loser" and "The Office: An American Workplace" for NBC. Cable projects include "Blow Out" for Bravo, "The Club" on Spike , USA Network's "Nashville Star,” the Morgan Spurlock project "30 Days" for FX Networks and MTV’s “Date My Mom.”

USA NETWORKis cable television’s leading provider of original series and feature movies, sports events, off-net television shows, and blockbuster theatrical films. USA Network is seen in over 89 million U.S. homes. The USA Network Web site is located at www.usanetwork.com. USA Network is a program service of NBC Universal Cable a division of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience.

Toby Keith movie star?

Billboard reports:
November 04, 2005, 3:55 PM ET




Shooting has begun in Atlanta on Toby Keith's first feature film, "Angel From Montgomery," which is being produced by Paramount and MTV Networks' new CMT Films division. Noted country music video director Steven Goldmann is directing the film, which also stars Burt Reynolds, Kelly Preston and Willie Nelson.

Keith plays a once-famous country-music singer who reunites with his true love and meets his 16-year-old daughter for the first time, according to CMT. "Angel" is the first in Keith's multi-film deal with Paramount, first reported by Billboard in September.


-- Phyllis Stark, Nashville

Overall, it reminds me of the John Mellencamp movie -- which wasn't half bad. Of course, Johnny Cougar directed his own movie...

Tim & Faith's new video is fab!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE everything about Tim & Faith's new video Like We Never Loved At All. Love that he goes hatless. Love the setting, love the story, love her makeup and hair. It's all too, too fab!

On a side note, not so wowed by the new Big & Rich video for Coming to Your Town or Joe Nichol's Tequilla Makes Her Clothes Fall Off (despite loving that song!)