IN THE NEWS:
After a few months away from the U.S. tour trail, country star Alan Jackson will return to the road in late July.
Miranda Lambert helped to unveil the list of nominees for this year's Academy of Country Music Awards this morning during an event telecast on CBS-TV's "The Early Show," and it turned out that her own name appeared more than any other.
Country troubadour Alan Jackson's tour plans for early 2010 include dates across Canada and Australia, with just a single U.S. date confirmed so far.
The inaugural American Country Awards -- which were rolled out last night (12/6) by the same folks who produce the American Music Awards -- turned into a love-fest for one-time "American Idol" Carrie Underwood, who won six awards.
There's no shortage of buzz about country music as fans anticipate this week's CMA Awards extravaganza. One of the genre's biggest stars, Alan Jackson is among the nominees.
The first round of artists confirmed to perform during 44th Annual CMA Awards includes Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton, as well as a pairing of the Zac Brown Band and Alan Jackson.
Alan Jackson will spend part of the fall pounding the pavement in support of his latest studio set, "Freight Train," as well as his forthcoming greatest hits collection, "34 Number Ones."
Alan Jackson turned his tour stop Saturday night (5/22) in Charleston, WV, into a benefit for and tribute to those affected by the April 5 explosion at the nearby Upper Big Branch mine. 
