Country Music News

TODAY IN COUNTRY MUSIC HISTORY

(May 13)

Lari White born in Dunedin, Florida in 1965

The Everly Brothers debuted on the charts with "Bye Bye Love" in 1957

Merle Haggard debuted on the Grand Ole Opry in 1967

Bob Wills, 70, died in 1975

MUSIC & MORE

SINGLETARY ALBUM RELEASED

Daryle Singletary has a new album of his country music favorites under the title "Why I Sing This Way."

Singletary has chosen songs made popular by Dwight Yoakam, George Jones, John Wesley Ryles, Merle Haggard, Johnny Paycheck and many others.

The guest artist is Rhonda Vincent, who shared a label with Singletary on Giant records. She and brother Darrin harmonize on many of the cuts and vocally plays off against Singletary on "After the fire is Gone," made popular in 1971 by Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty.

The title of the album and its first single, comes from the Max D. Barnes composition, which goes:

"My mama used to whup me

With a George Jones album

That's why I sing this way."

CHICKS STAYING WITH SONY?

The Dixie Chicks and their manager, Simon Renshaw, reportedly have been in New York talking a new deal with Sony Music Entertainment. Renshaw tells Bilboard magazine that the trio is open to all options. Sony and the Chicks traded lawsuits last year and there had been reports they were releasing their next album on Capitol Records.

FLAMEWORTHY PICKS ANNOUNCED TUESDAY

Chely Wright and Chris Cagle will announce final nominees for Country Music Television's Flameworthy Video Music Awards on Tuesday. the announcement will come during an 8:30 a.m. news conference at the Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 Club in Nashville. First-round voting ended Sunday at midnight. Final-round voting in 12 categories begins Tuesday following the news conference and will continue through June 9. Winners will be announced June 12 during the CMT television special "Flameworthy Video Music Awards."

BLACKHAWK HONORS DEPARTED MEMBER

BlackHawk will pay tribute to band founding member Van Stephenson next month with an acoustic set at Vanderbilt University's Blair School of Music in Nashville. The June 13 performance will raise money for the Van Stephenson Memorial Cancer Research Fund set up by surviving members Henry Paul and Dave Robbins. Van Stephenson died in April 2001.