Taste of Country Staff
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Miranda Lambert, Justin Moore + the Families Agree: St. Jude Is a Happy Place – Webathon Day 1 Recap
Despite a few heartbreaking stories and one or two emotional country artists, Taste of Country readers learned that the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is a happy place during Day 1 of the 2014 ToC/St. Jude webathon. That was message from no fewer than five country stars, plus the families of two former patients.
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Dierks Bentley, Brantley Gilbert + More Play First-Ever Boots in the Sand Event [Pictures]
The first-ever Taste of Country Tropical Nights concert in the Riviera Maya included four top-notch country singers, a lot of sunshine, ample amounts of food and drink and a ton of gorgeous photo opps. Dierks Bentley, Jana Kramer, Billy Currington and Brantley Gilbert each headlined one night of the Feb. 23-27 party at the new Hard Rock Hotel, and it's clear the experience is one that will have fans buying return trips to Mexico next winter.
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ToC Encore: Pushing Pause for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
For 25 years, country radio has stepped up to raise money for the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and on Thursday and Friday (March 6 and 7), Taste of Country is joining that effort. Head writer Billy Dukes explains how artists like Dierks Bentley and Sheryl Crow jumped at a chance to help with the first-annual webathon, and how you can participate.
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Album Spotlight: Dierks Bentley, ‘Riser’
The sonic differences between ‘Riser’ and Dierks Bentley’s five previous studio albums (excluding ‘Up on the Ridge’) are subtle, but important. The Arizona-raised singer drops the rumbling, rambling, Bakersfield-inspired licks that made up many of his biggest hits and adds great lyrical depth.
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Hank Williams Jr., Eric Paslay + More Added to Taste of Country Music Festival Lineup
The superstar lineup at the 2014 Taste of Country Music Festival just got bigger with the addition of Hank Williams. Jr. Eric Paslay, Leah Turner, the Cadillac Three and Jamie Lynn Spears have also been added to the June 13-15 camping and country music festival at Hunter Mountain.
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ToC Encore: Turning Personal Tragedy Into Hit Records
Turning a personal tragedy into a hit record is tricky, and not just for all the normal reasons that it's difficult to make a song into a hit. Artists who write a great personal song may be hesitant to record it for months or years. Taste of Country writer Billy Dukes considers three powerful songs and three artists who dealt with the personal tragedies that inspired them in very different ways.
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Win a Cole Swindell Prize Pack
Cole Swindell doesn't just want you to listen to his album -- the singer wants you to live it, and he's offering a prize pack to one Taste of Country reader to ensure the 'Cole Swindell' experience is complete.
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Album Spotlight: Cole Swindell, ‘Cole Swindell’
Cole Swindell set out to make a well-rounded album that tells his story, and he succeeded. The 12 tracks on ‘Cole Swindell’ tread along familiar country themes, but don’t run ruts into any one in particular. It’s surprisingly easy to find yourself halfway through the album a second time without noticing.
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Win a Signed DVD Copy of Kix Brooks’ Movie ‘Ambush at Dark Canyon’
Kix Brooks made his acting debut earlier this year, and now fans have a chance to bring him home. Enter here to win one of 10 signed copies of both the DVD and CD soundtrack to ‘Ambush at Dark Canyon.’
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JJ Lawhorn – ‘Good Ol’ Boys Like Us’ [Listen]
Fans of Justin Moore will really dig JJ Lawhorn and his new song 'Good Ol' Boys Like Us.' The two singers share a producer (Jeremy Stover discovered Lawhorn on YouTube) and -- at least on this song -- share a talent for revealing a country boy's soft side.
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Kellie Pickler, ‘Closer to Nowhere’ [Listen]
Sincere love songs fit Kellie Pickler like a tailored red carpet gown. ‘Closer to Nowhere’ is a big, stirring ballad from the ‘The Woman I Am’ album. Her romantic story talks of getting lost with a lover at the edge of town.
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Win a Guitar and Copy of ‘The Journey: (Livin’ Hits)’ Signed by Craig Morgan
As Craig Morgan's 'Wake Up Lovin' You' climbs its way up the country charts, the singer wants to reward fans for making it a hit. Enter here to win an autographed guitar and a copy of his new 'The Journey: (Livin' Hits)' album.