blog post The week in country music: Aug. 3, 2012

Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Dierks Bentley and more make this week’s country music news

Boots and Hearts music festival offers Capital Hoedown ticket holders a deal

The Capital Hoedown music festival is officially cancelled but a festival in Bowmanville, Ont. is offering a deal to those who have tickets to the Hoedown. The Boots and Hearts music festival is honouring general admission tickets that were purchased for the Ottawa concert. Ticket holders have until 5 p.m. on Aug. 3 to exchange their passes. A small service fee will apply. The Boots and Hearts festival runs from Aug. 10 to 12. Artists include Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, Lionel Richie, Paul Brandt and Big & Rich, among others.

Brad Paisley in talks to judge American Idol

The TV show American Idol has launched successful country music careers for Carrie Underwood, Scotty McCreery and Kellie Pickler. It’s no wonder the program is now looking to land a country music star to be its next judge. U.S.A. Today is reporting that Brad Paisley’s management is meeting with the show’s producers in Los Angeles. Toby Keith has reportedly turned down a similar offer.

Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley return to CMA Awards

Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley will return, for the fifth time, as hosts of the CMA Awards. The event takes place in Nashville on Nov. 1. Paisley has won 14 CMA Awards and is ranked fifth on the list of top CMA Award winners of all time. Underwood has won five CMA Awards, including three for female vocalist. This year’s nominees and performers will be announced soon.

Dierks Bentley hosts ACM honours ceremony

Dierks Bentley will be the host of the Academy of Country Music’s ACM honours ceremony. The event recognizes special honourees and winners who did not receive their awards during the televised ACM Awards in May. Emmylou Harris, Ricky Skaggs, Dwight Yoakam, Kenny Chesney, Vince Gill, Alan Jackson and the late Roger Miller are set to receive awards. The ceremony will happen at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on Sept. 24 and tickets are available to the public.

Darius Rucker to split time between country and Hootie & the Blowfish

Today Darius Rucker is best known as a country music artist, but back in the ’90s Rucker was the frontman for the highly successful band, Hootie and the Blowfish. Now Rucker has told Billboard that his old group will return, although he doesn’t know when. “There’s one more Hootie record and tour that we’re going to do,” he said in the article. “I don’t know when, because country music is my day job – it’s what I want to do.”

Jamey Johnson to honour Hank Cochran with new album

He sang at Hank Cochran’s beside in the hours before Cochran died of cancer in July 2010 at 74. Now Jamey Johnson is set to honour Cochran again. Johnson’s next album will pay tribute to Cochran’s music and will feature a star-studded lineup. Duets with Willie Nelson, George Strait, Alison Krauss and Elvis Costello will be included on the 16-track disc set for release on Sept. 25 as vinyl and Oct. 16 on CD. The album will be called Livin’ for a Song: A Tribute to Hank Cochran.