Derrick's Blog (8)

Title: "I Told You So" Singer: Carrie Underwood Writer(s): Randy Travis Album: Carnival Ride Don't be fooled - there is an art to covering a song. Especially when that song is sung by a true genre giant and happened to go to #1. These songs are judged harder and longer by a broader crowd - for what they bring, what they left behind, and, of course, how it measures to the original. So what was Carrie Underwood thinking when she decided to cover Randy Travis' #1 hit "I Told You So?" Not o… Continue

I can't believe what I'm hearing. Kristy Lee Cook, who was dropped from her label Arista Nashville a few weeks ago, is alleging wrongdoing on account of the label. She says that she was ignored in favor of Carrie Underwood. Here's the direct quote from the Grants Pass Daily Courier in Oregon: "(Arista) released me again. It's because I was on the same label as Carrie Underwood. We're kind of glad that we got released because we weren't getting the attention we need. They promoted it a little bi… Continue

And no, I'm not talking about 2008. This is 2009. Taylor has the #1 album again this week, selling over 330,000 copies, to bring her grand total thus far to 1.256 million copies. In fact, last week's number is the highest point yet for Fearless and for Taylor Swift. Don't expect the big numbers to last, though -- first week of the new year always spells big drops in album sales. But there's a reason by Swift is already 2009's biggest artist. Her album has gone double platinum, probably the fas… Continue

So I talked about a few albums I thought you needed in your collection this year. There are a ton of Christmas projects out there, but I wanted to share a few of my favorites. I checked, and I think most, if not all, are available via iTunes. Now, here's the top 10 songs you need to celebrate properly this year. 1. "Blue Christmas" - Elvis Presley w. Martina McBride: Thank God for technology! Have you heard this? Have you seen the video? You will be blown away. I mean "Blue Christmas" alone is… Continue

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year in my book. The sights, sounds, and meaning of Christmas bring warmth to my heart and a smile to my face. For me, Christmas is beautiful. And a lot of the beauty of the season comes from the songs we sing. In my opinion, the songs of the season bring to life the deep meaning of Christmas and the love we all feel for our friends and family. So I've decided to blog about my favorite tunes this holiday season. My list is basically three albums, plus… Continue

From the Tennessean: [Underwood receives a tremendous audience response to the powerful “Just a Dream,” which describes how the war brings a heartbreaking end to one couple’s dreams of happily ever after. During a recent show in Arkansas, a woman held up a poster that said, “Our Dream Ended,” and had a date and photo of a soldier. “I had a hard time finishing the song, and I actually didn’t finish the… Continue

I've been receiving a lot of emails and questions from Shania fans about whether a new album is on the way. This is what I can say: Shania has been working, for several years now, on new material. Obviously, there have been some rough patches in her personal life which have, no doubt, delayed the release of the record. However, please do not believe rumors floating the net about Shania at the moment. General rule of thumb, if the article says "friends close to Twain" then it's to be discredited… Continue

Dustin was at the Ryman Auditorium last night for the taping of CMT Giants: Alan Jackson. Here's the setlist: Brad Paisley - "It's 5:00 Somewhere" w. Alan Jackson Lee Ann Womack/Miranda Lambert - "Gone Country" Dierks Bentley - "Don't Rock The Jukebox" Martina McBride - "When Somebody Loves You" George Strait - "Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)" Taylor Swift - "Drive" Special appearance by George Jones Alan Jackson - "Remember When" Alan Jackson - "Chattahoochie" Jackson/Strait/B… Continue