Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe TODAY IN COUNTRY MUSIC HISTORY (Wednesday, Nov. 20) Advertisement Eddy Arnold's No. 1 single, "A Heart Full of Love (for a Handful of Kisses)," charted, 1948. Gene Autry makes Grand Ole Opry debut, 1954. Lonestar celebrates third No. 1 single, "What About Now," from "Lonely Grill" album, 2000. The Dixie Chicks' first primetime TV special, 2000. MUSIC AND MORE ALAN, TOBY, CHICKS LEAD AMERICAN MUSIC AWARD NODS Alan Jackson, Toby Keith and the Dixie Chicks each received two American Music Award nominations in country music categories. Jackson is up against Keith and Tim McGraw for the Favorite Male Artist award, the AMA Web site says. Jackson, who just won five CMA awards, also got the nod for best album ("Drive"), as did Kenny Chesney ("No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems"), the Dixie Chicks ("Home") and Keith ("Unleashed"). For Favorite Female Artist, Martina McBride, Jo Dee Messina and Lee Ann Womack received nominations while Brooks & Dunn, the Dixie Chicks and Lonestar are up for Favorite Band, Duo or Group. Advertisement Kellie Coffey, Carolyn Dawn Johnson and Tommy Shane Steiner are nominated for Favorite New Artist. The awards will be handed out Jan. 13, 2003, in ceremonies hosted by Ozzy Osbourne and his family. MCGRAW'S OWN BAND ON NEW ALBUM Country artists usually record their albums with session musicians -- Nashville is home to some of the best anywhere -- and use a touring band for concerts. Tim McGraw, however, used his own band in "Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors," due in stores Nov. 26, putting the energy of his stage show onto an album, he tells Billboard. "They take the records we've made over the years and put a lot of creativity into what they come up with live (and) really enhance that," McGraw says. The album's first single, "Red Ragtop," is No. 10 on the Billboard Country Singles and Tracks chart. McGraw says the next single will probably be "She's My Kind of Rain," which he believes is the best song he and the band have ever recorded. SHANIA TO PERFORM GREY CUP HALFTIME SHOW Shania Twain is set to provide halftime entertainment during the Canadian Football League's Grey Cup game this Sunday. Advertisement She'll perform three songs, including the hit single "I'm Gonna Getcha Good" from her newly released album "Up!" It's the first live Canadian performance in three years for Twain, who was born in Canada and raised in Timmins, Ontario.
