Chris Young had a sold out performance on New Year’s Eve at Billy Bob’s in Ft. Worth, Texas. With close to 6,000 tickets sold, this was Young’s biggest headlining show to date!

“Chris Young’s high energy performance in front of a sold out crowd was among the best New Year’s Eve shows in Billy Bob’s Texas History. It was perfect to close 2011 with the talent and optimism of a star that has such an unlimited future ahead of him. We are already looking forward to his return to Billy Bob’s.” -Venue President, Concho Minick

Young’s massive success in the region has sparked other big dates as he is set for headlining shows at the San Antonio rodeo with more dates to be announced in the coming weeks! Young is also the special guest on Miranda Lambert’s “On Fire” tour, beginning January 12th in Rockford, IL.

“You” is Young’s current single from his album NEON. The hit is in the Top 10 and rising!

Here they are, the top 10 songs I encourage you to listen to while sweating your life away! They are all happy, festive songs that are sure to put a smile on your face or at least a drink in your hand! Enjoy!

1. “Chattahoochee” – Alan Jackson
2. “Redneck Yacht Club” – Craig Morgan
3. “The Seashores Of Old Mexico” – George Strait
4. “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems” – Kenny Chesney
5. “Long Hot Summer Days” – Turnpike Troubadours
6. “Toes” – Zac Brown Band
7. “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” – Jake Owen
8. “Stays In Mexico” – Toby Keith
9. “Barefoot And Crazy” – Jack Ingram
10. “Two Pina Coladas” – Garth Brooks

Country music has always been a passion for me, so it’s no surprise that I now run several sites that cover many aspects of the country music industry. But where do I go to when I need to get the dirt? Well let me tell you that all depends on what I’m in the mood for! Here are my favorite country music news sources (in no particular order)!

The 9513 - These folks are honest, upfront, and make no apologies to the bubblegum pop country stars and fans. They have unique opinions and they’re not afraid to voice them. When I want to know who the next big thing is, or whether the buzz surrounding a new artist is worth all the hype, I trust The 9513 staff to lay it out straight.

http://www.the9513.com/

Country Music Is Love – I have never once gone on this site and seen all the negative nancies and powerful criticism that other sites carry. For a quick look at the positive impact country music is making on people’s lives, look no further than CMIL.

http://countrymusicislove.com/

Country Music Tattletale – These gals post everything from celeb sightings to breaking news items. They seem to be in the thick of it all too because their content is updated daily which is no easy task when you’re running an independent, self-funded site, but they seem to make it work! The CMTT girls are sassy and resourceful, calling on fans to help bring the gossip to them.

http://www.countrymusictattletale.com/

Galleywinter – Talk about knowing how to promote your local music scene! These guys have been the voice of Texas music for as long as I’ve been writing on the web! I have never run across a more thorough and supportive team of impassioned independent music fans, and I hope someday to meet the creators of this site in person and shake their hands for all their hard work!

http://www.galleywinter.com/

Country Standard Time – Simple layout, simple navigation, plentiful headlines. These guys don’t fuss around with a lot of words. Instead they get to the point and let you get on with your day. They’re great for when I’m looking for small tidbits about artists I’d like to feature.

http://www.countrystandardtime.com

Country Stars Online – Now these guys may not update daily, but somehow when I’m diggin deep for facts about a particular star, I always end up on their doorstep, and that’s gotta say something good about them.

http://www.countrystarsonline.com/

Nashville Gab -Now the country music news over here is pretty much the same news other folks are sharing, but what’s different about the gab is the focus on fans. They’ve got special places to show off fan art, and even fan tattoos! I’m always supportive of sites that point out that the fans make the stars.

http://www.nashvillegab.com/

Now I know I left out GACTV and CMT, as well as Country Weekly, but let’s face it… you already knew about them And besides, I prefer my country music news to be delivered completely unbiased and from the heart, and that seems to be where all the sites on my list are coming from. I tip my hat to y’all and appreciate what you do!

Cheers!

~WC~Country Music Photo Gallery

The 9513 blog has published their list of the Top 10 Country Music Albums of 2008, taking a personal survey of each of their writer’s top picks of the year. I love 9513 simply for the fact that they rate their favorites based on talent, not just top sales from kids with expendable cash.

CMT has offered up an assortment of 2008 recaps such as 2008: The Year in Review and Hot Dish: The best and worst of 2008. As expected, these are both filled with Taylor, Kenny, Keith, Carrie and Kelli, but are we really surprised?Country Music Photo Gallery

I’ve been making a list (and checking it twice) of some of the Greatest Hits albums in country music this year. Now you can see why Santa never forgets about Nashville. Slide this article beside the milk and cookies and hope for the best.

Trace Adkins, American Man: Greatest Hits, Volume II (Capitol Nashville)
Rather than finish a new album right now, Adkins opted to raise a ton of money for charity by appearing on TV’s Celebrity Apprentice. Five years of hits and three new songs are included here.

Gary Allan, Greatest Hits (MCA Nashville)
It took 10 years to build a catalog of hits, starting with “Her Man” in 1996. Highlights include “Smoke Rings in the Dark” and “Best I Ever Had,” plus two new songs.

Garth Brooks, The Ultimate Hits (Pearl)
This latest repackaging includes his instant No. 1 hit, “More Than a Memory,” all the fan favorites (“Friends in Low Places,” “The Dance“) and a DVD full of music videos.

Sara Evans, Greatest Hits (RCA)
If you only know her from Dancing With the Stars, this collection is a real fine place to start, spanning from 1998’s “No Place That Far,” to her current single, “As If.”

Crystal Gayle, Greatest Hits (EMI)
This collection dips into several label vaults for No. 1 hits like “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue,” “Talking in Your Sleep,” and her duet with Eddie Rabbitt, “You and I.”

Faith Hill, The Hits (Warner Bros.)
The mega-hit “Breathe” is the powerful centerpiece, but other choice cuts from her early career include “Wild One,” “It Matters to Me,” “This Kiss” and “Let Me Let Go.”

Tracy Lawrence, The Very Best of Tracy Lawrence (Rhino)
If you listened to country in the 1990s, you’ll recognize “Sticks and Stones,” “Time Marches On” and many more. Find out why his friends at radio supported his comeback.

George Strait, 22 More Hits (MCA Nashville)
A companion to 50 Number Ones, this disc picks up several classics that didn’t quite top the chart, including “Amarillo by Morning,” “The Cowboy Rides Away” and “Desperately.” It also features his latest single, “How ‘Bout Them Cowgirls.”

Travis Tritt, The Very Best of Travis Tritt (Rhino)
Often tagged as rowdy, Travis Tritt can write tender songs, too, from “Help Me Hold On” to “Best of Intentions.” When he sang “I’m Gonna Be Somebody,” the fans sure agreed.

Keith Urban, Greatest Hits: 18 Kids (Capitol Nashville)
In 2000, he finally broke through — and hasn’t looked back. “But for the Grace of God,” “Somebody Like You” and “Days Go By” (all No. 1 singles) are still fun to sing along with.

Trisha Yearwood, Greatest Hits (MCA Nashville)
From “She’s in Love With the Boy” to “I Would Have Loved You Anyway,” she has a knack for hearing a hit when she selects songs. For the first time, they’re all in one place — with two new songs.

In addition, with the Sony/BMG merger, a number of artists are now represented in the 16 Biggest Hits series. These budget-priced discs are an ideal way to discover an artist’s catalog. In 2007, new volumes featured Alabama, Bobby Bare, Diamond Rio, Alan Jackson, Patty Loveless, Ronnie Milsap, Willie Nelson (Vol. 2) and Dolly Parton. Meanwhile, the Essential series (also on the Sony/BMG imprint) revisited the careers of Chet Atkins, Waylon Jennings and Ray Price.Country Music Photo Gallery

1. Let’s start by professin’ our love for animals and sing about our pups. The Pirates of the Mississippi crooned on about feedin’ their boy Jake if they died, while Blake Shelton tricked an old red bloodhound to get addicted to the dirty in order to get em outta jail.
2. Where would a country star be without their guitar? Ol’ Bocephus was definitely a guitar man, and now the kids are doin’ it to… Miranda Lambert sings about her new strings on her first album, Kerosene.
3. Ah… but the love of a good woman.. Why Alan Jackson goes on and on about a woman’s love, while Brad Paisley tells us “she’s everything”.
4. And then, for every woman in love, there’s got to be a woman scorned! Dwight’s got himself an intentional heartache, and who can forget the Dixie Chick’s revenge on Earl?
5. Now to get yourself away from that feminine rage, you’ve got to have yourself a good truck. In Hillbilly Deluxe, Brooks and Dunn go on about their pickup truck, and there’s somethin women like about a pickup man according to Joe Diffie
6. In times of panic (like when runnin away from said scorned female) it’s a good time to go back to your roots… the place you once called home. Rodney Atkins brags “these are my people”and Bucky Covington reminisces about a different world.
7. Eventually you remember why you left in the first place and start dreamin of leavin that place for bigger and better things. The rise to stardom comes complete with a soundtrack. The Wreckers take pride in being one more girl on the stage (even though I counted two) and Toby Kieth’s got a whole album now of turnin into white trash with money.
8. And speakin of white trash… how about that dirty girl, Terri Clark? Or our favorite redneck woman, Gretchen Wilson? Gotta love it when you’re proud of who ya are!
9. After a long hard day’s work, everyone deserves a little party with their friends. Rascall Flatts kicks back with me and my gang, while Sugarland’s down in mississippi and up to no good.
10. And I’ll leave this one up to you… the fans… what country song stereotype do you think needs to be listed?

Country Music Photo Gallery