Rascal Flatts

Rascal Flatts has announced the dates for the final leg of their “Rascal Flatts American Living Unstoppable Tour,” sponsored by JCPenney with associate sponsor Hershey’s. The tour will re-start on January 15^th and 16^th in Uncasville CT at the Mohegan Sun Arena.  They will play 23 shows through March 13th, before wrapping things up in Oklahoma City.  Darius Rucker will once again join them as their opening act.

For You….

Rascal Flatts

Rascal Flatts will make a guest appearance on the CBS series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.  In an episode entitled “Unshockable,” the guys will play themselves.  One of the guys will be the victim of a crime and the other two band members will be suspects, jeopardizing the future of the band.”  Producer Carol Mendelson tells Entertainment Weekly there will be a lot of music in the episode and possibly a new, original song from Rascal Flatts.  The guys will shoot their appearance next month for the episode that will air sometime early next year.

Louise:

Yes, I still watch that, and yes, I know all the words to theme tune, and yes, I like Zack better than Cody.

Christmas decorations went up today and I was less than impressed. We have a tree, and some tinsel wrapped around the banister, and I decided this wasn’t good enough so I dragged my sisters all the way to Asda to buy some more and I realised how much Asda sucks for stuff like that. Now I will never get a job at Asda, not that I care, Argos rules all. In the “Seasonal”  (what do they do when it is not Easter/Hallowe’en/Christmas?) Aisle there is like a 3ft tree, some baubles and £1 fairy lights. I proceeded to buy the £1 fairy lights and now my Elliot Minor wall is framed by little twinkly things that are abnormally warm for my liking and I’m really quite worried Alex will be set on fire. At least it will emphasise his extreme hottness. In my opinion, anyway.

So anyway, coursework is due in at the end of the week and I have done nothing more, though I like to think I work better under pressure and I will produce a literary piece of art and everyone in the English Department will be amazed at my sudden intellect and complete turnaround. This will never happen, but keeping options/hopes and dreams open is always a plus. I did actually fully intend on doing some today, but you know, sparkly things distracted me and I spent the afternoon tidying my bedroom and finally clearing the mountain that was my washing. Two piles of it down, one to go. I will totally be able to cope at university. But then again, I am bursting with jealousy that my sisters can make the most perfect paper chains you will ever see and I can barely hold a pair of scissors the right way up. That’s such a lie, I totally know how to do that. Still can’t make paper chains though. Nor can I write essays about books I don’t care about but I think if I was given an analytical essay question on Harry Potter, I would not be able to do it and I know that better than anything in the world, so teachers have no idea what they’re on about when they say we have to know what the book is about. It helps, but you know, we won’t enjoy it.

Also, my nanna just gave me (and only me, hahaha) a fiver and my sister, who is 12 and I do worry about sometimes as she is a bit mad, just gave me a paper Christmas card that I just watched her make. It has a snowman on it. I would like a drink, but I am just comfy and do not wish to vacate my seat because as soon as I do it will be filled and I will have to go find another cold spot on the other sofa which is just not good. Hmmmmmmmmmm. Hmmmmmm. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Hmm. Ohh Rascal Flatts what is it with you? Check them ooooooout on youtube or something because I don’t know whether they have a myspace and I can’t be bothered to look for you. Sorry, and all that.

People are hopeless. Well, some are. Others are not, they’re actually pretty full of hope? Anyway, just oh my god. Go:Audio just started playing on Spotify and I am crying. I MISS YOU GO:AUDIO. I only saw them two months ago and they had new songs and everything was dandy and full of jelly beans and pumpkin pie, and now they are all splitting up and inside my brain its like NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO why do you do this? Don’t you know how much I love you? Don’t you know much your music makes my day? DON’T YOU KNOW MY LOVE FOR JAMES MATTHEWS IS REAL? Okay well not real, Alex Davies will always come first, but James is pretty fine. He’s beautiful, actually. Lookie:

Don’t you agree that he is almost pure perfection? In my opinion, of course. There is still Ed Westwick, Ed Minton and Zacary Quinto. And, you know, people that we actually know that are sometimes more perfect than people that you see in the movies. But we’ve met Ed Minton, twice, does that count as knowing someone? I think it does, just go along with it. Narrowly avoided starting a mahoosive rant then, but just oh my god stfu, you’re boring me. Already know what will calm me down but it is currently not here, so you know, down the pan that goes. It’s always the same, always always always and really, I don’t care. I should, but I really don’t, because it’s been continuous for like over a year now and like OH MY GOD still have not forgiven you.

So yeah, nineteen days til Christmas and I am not going to take down my new fairy lights in my room, like ever, because hello they look so lovely. I just hope they don’t set fire to my posters and my little tin foil men I made because I was bored one lunchtime, but let’s not go there. OH MY GOD I LISTEN TO SHIT MUSIC. I actually do. It’s all Busted’s fault, they went their seperate ways and it broke my heart so I try to keep in the same frame of mind and listen to stuff like them, but seriously, nothing will ever replace them. Not even Elliot Minor, and I will hate EM if they even try to imitate them. Which they won’t, they’re smart lads and Busted broke up so they were obviously doing something wrong.

there’s only one thing two do three words four you, i love you.

x

Have you ever had to tell the truth to someone and what you had to tell them was not the greatest of news? Not that they have a boogey hanging from their nose, but a bad behavior that needs changing. You finally muster up the courage to tell them. You share this truth with them because you care, love and help them. Sometimes the truth might scare you out of your pants. Today Jesus is going to tell us the truth on some facts that might make you fear.

Jesus’ talks a lot about eternity. 2/3 of all parables were about heaven and hell issues. At the end of His greatest message ever preached, the Sermon on the Mount, He talked clearly about the reality of heaven and hell. We do not like to think about the reality of hell. Many believe that there is no such thing as hell. They say, “How could a loving God send anybody to hell?” Hell is more of a swear word than a real place in the minds of many. This is not a hell fire and brimstone message, but cutting to the heart of the issue like Jesus did:

1. Not everyone is going to heaven [Matthew 7:13]. You might be able to handle this first fact thinking to yourself, “Well, murders, molesters and rapists definitely deserve to go to hell. I am not like them. At least not AS bad.”

When I was in South Africa I observed gated communities. I would pass by the gate and the guard would nod or wave me in. Everyday was the same. He let everyone in. I suppose that is why homes got broken into so many times!? When it comes to heaven we want a guard gate kind of God. ”If you are sincere; if you are basically good; if you believe in a god…just drive up to Him and he’ll nod, wink and wave you on through.” God does not care only if you are a good boy or girl. He doesn’t grade on a cosmic curve. He just doesn’t let anyone in to His heaven. Heaven and hell are gated communities.

If I were ask you t call your mother you could not use just any number in the phone directory to call her. You got to call mom’s specific number. Likewise we cannot just try any way to God. There is only one way to God that is through Jesus Christ.

2. More people will go to hell than heaven [Matthew 7:14]. There is a truth to the two popular songs by AC/DC Highway to Hell and Rascal Flatts cover of Life is a Highway. Life is a highway that barrels by at a blazing speed and there is a road that leads to hell. The Bible says it is a broad road and well traveled. Like I-65 at rush hour. Many people think that they can make it to heaven on their own. However, self-reliance merges into self-deception, and self-deception dead ends into self-destruction. In another popular song Only the Good Die Young by Billy Joel, he says, “I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints.” Hell is no laughing matter. Jesus says it is eternal torment. A place of isolation and darkness, and a place of “weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Jesus is the definite article. This takes you back to English Grammar class [the=definite article]. That means He is absolutely the way, the truth and the life, nobody goes to the Father but through Him [John 14:6]. This is exclude 376 million Buddhists living in Asia, 900 million Hindus in India, 1.3 billion Muslims throughout the world, and…

3. Many who think they are Christians aren’t [Matthew 7:15-23]. God doesn’t send people to hell. We volunteer. Our sin condemns us to hell. Keeping God at a distance in this life will continue more of the same in the next. Just because you say, “I’m a Christian because you go to church, FUEL or pray.” Doesn’t mean you are a Christian any more than saying you are nut makes you a Snickers Bar.

You can tell a Christian by the fruit they bear. Apple trees bear apples, grapevines bear grapes, and Christians look like Christ. When people look at your life can they see clearly that you are a Christ follower because you act like it, talk like it, smell like it?

4. You will not get another opportunity after you die. Hebrews 9:27 says, “it is appointed men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Death is an appointment you are not going to be late for. You are going to die! God will look at you life and see if you received His Son. He will either say, “Well done. Welcome. Paid for by the blood of the cross” [Matthew 25:21-23] Or “I don’t know you. Where you come from?” [Luke 13:25] There is no second chance on the other side of this life, thus…

5. This could be your last chance. What you do on this side of the grace will affect where you spend eternity. If you are a procrastinator by nature this is not something you want to put off until later. Commit to Christ before it is too late. You do not know the date when you will stand before God’s gate!

Will you come to Christ today? Will you commit to live for Him? Will you prove it through your life?

Well, another week has almost come and gone.  I just don’t know where the time goes anymore…but it is definitely going.  I hope you are making the most of it…   I’m trying.  I realized today…that for the first time in my life (37 years) that I am finally coming into my own person…  I have spent so much time trying to be whatever somebody else thought I was or should be that I haven’t spent much time at all thinking about or being who I AM. 

If someone told me I wasn’t good enough…then I believed I wasn’t good enough.  If they told me I was fat and unattractive then I believed I was fat and unattractive. If they told me I was lazy, worthless, a failure…I needed to do this different, change that, WHATEVER…then that is what I thought.  And while that sounds almost pathetic I trusted these people and it really didn’t cross my mind that they might be wrong.  That they might mean harm to me. I ignored the fact that I never felt quite right about it…and it just didn’t sit well.  I thought you didn’t say that sort of thing to people unless it was the truth..unless you were trying to help them become a better person.  Because it’s hurtful.  It’s damaging…and I just didn’t think people I thought cared about me would intentionally hurt me. Didn’t cross my mind that they didn’t really care…about me.

But I’m learning that I’ve been lied to and I’ve trusted the wrong people…for a very long time. I’ve allowed the wrong people into my life – several bad choices over the course of many years.  But I am finally coming into my own…finding my true self.  I am beautiful.  I am strong.  I am smart…and funny…I am inspired and I inspire…I am successful…and I am NOT fat.  I am so much more than has ever been allowed to show through.  I am finally breaking the chains of lies, misinformation and abuse that have held me back.  And when I’m done breaking those chains…I will be FREE. 

I feel like I’m living the Rascal Flatts song – No Reins (my latest theme song): ”…she can see a little clearer now…she found the strength to break free, Like a painted wild mustang, Flyin’ out across the open range, Finally gets to live her life that way, No fear, no fences, nobody – no reins…All she’s ever felt is held back, She says, “It’s kinda nice to hear myself laugh,” She’s gonna do a lot more of that, She’s makin’ plans and makin’ tracks, She said, “Oh, oh I gotta go and find me…oh, oh she’s learnin’ how to let go…” It’s a great song. You can listen to it here if you’re interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmogRkuY5h8 

It’s an odd experience to one day realize that you haven’t been true to yourself.  That you’ve allowed yourself to get sucked in by lies and misinformation and that you’ve been lost in a fog of confusion and web of deceit and to finally recognize your TRUE self.  It is exciting, invigorating, amazing…and sad.  But the best part about being lost…is being found. It’s just the oddest feeling.  It’s like finding something you’ve been searching for…for many years and finally finding it.  You think…there you are. Finally!!  But of course, I’ve been here all along…it’s just weird. 

But a good weird.  And I am FINALLY found.  And I really like the person I’m finding.  Still learning…and still got a ways to go to get Critical Cybil packed and out of my head…but I make progress every day.  I still surprise myself sometimes with who I am becoming.  But I am becoming who I was meant to be.  And I am learning how to be true to myself…and how to prevent anyone from taking away my power…taking away me – ever again.  I’m here to stay!  So, watch out folks because this is gonna be good!  Better buckle your seat belts…

In a similar line of thought, I was asked yesterday “what happens if you don’t achieve the goals you’ve set for yourself?” Uhhhh, nothing.  I find new ones.  Will I be disappointed…yes.  Without a doubt. But the world will not come to an end.  I mean reality is that I could fall tomorrow…blow out my knee…and end my running career (God Forbid of course).  But should that happen…tomorrow, next week, next year…5 years from now…whatever…then I simply either find another way to get there or I change direction and make new goals.  My goals don’t define me.  I define ME…and that defines my goals.  But there are many people out there who set goals and consider themselves failures if they don’t achieve them because they have allowed their goals to define them.

And I know many of you following my blog are pursuing your own goals.  Please make sure that you are defining your goals…and your goals are not defining you.  You are an amazing individual with your own gifts and talents and abilities….no matter what you achieve.  Let’s face it folks…life happens.  We don’t know what tomorrow will hold – that’s half the fun.  But something could happen tomorrow that changes the course of our lives forever… We must be able to plan…but be willing to deviate. Otherwise, our goals will define us and who we are gets lost.  So, take a minute. Do a mental check.  Are you defining your goals? Or are your goals defining you? Go ahead.  I’ll wait. 

Tick, tock. Tick, tock.  Tick, tock. That was quick.  Did you take the whole minute? Well, whether you ask yourself that right now or later I do hope you ask yourself that at some point. Because I think it is important to make sure that no matter what happens, what you achieve, what your failures (because, uh, yeah…we’re going to have them)…they don’t define you.  You are YOU!  Me…I’m ME!  And that doesn’t change…regardless…of what people say, what others may think…regardless of what you do…or what you don’t do.  And if you’re not sure who you are (I still have a few gray areas myself) then make it up as you go along.  You decide who you are…it is in your total control.  Be who you want to be…be who you were meant to be.  And don’t ever let anybody take that away from you or tell you otherwise. 

That’s what I’m planning to do…BE ME with NO REINS!! And I’m still making progress on those goals.  I did take the rest day yesterday.  And glad I did.  Left calf at 100% today.  No problems at all.  And today was speed work.  UGH!  I have this love/hate relationship with speed work.  I love doing it because the end the results (going faster) are worth it…but when you’re doing it…it’s hard.  Not that I’m whining.  Nobody said running a marathon would be easy.  If it was easy more than 1/10th of 1 percent of the population would do it.  Yep, you read that right. According to a recent blog post by Jeff Galloway only “one-tenth of one percent of the population gets off the couch, and makes the difficult journey to the marathon finish line.” And that probably means it is hard work…like I didn’t know that already…lol!!

But for some reason today’s speed work was really hard.  I couldn’t quite figure out the problem…felt fine.  Hydrated. Well-rested…none of the usual suspects.  I think it was just a mental thing.  The thought of “it’s going to be hard.” Critical Cybil at her best…but she didn’t win today.  I pushed through it and finished it.  4 miles in 50 minutes…so not terribly awful (for me).  But I’ll be more aware of those thoughts in the future so my next speed work will be even better.  Might even be easy.  What ya think about that Critical Cybil?  HA…I win!! 

Sorry…little internal chatter going on there.  Sometimes I really do have to just argue with her… For those of you who are now thinking “OMG! She’s certifiable…arguing with voices in her head.” I’m okay..besides it doesn’t really matter what you think…did you read the first part of the post…LOL!!

But the truth is it’s not quite like that.  We all have that voice in our head…right now I don’t always agree with mine because she lies…lying, Critical Cybil…but it’s not really Cybil’s fault.  She’s like a parrot really…she just repeats what I’ve heard and believed in the past.  So, really I trained her…now I have to un-train her…and sometimes she’s difficult.  But I’m stubborn and determined…we all know who will win in the end.  Now I know you all think I’m crazy…well, whatever.  A little crazy is a good thing… Until next time, hope you’re enjoying a little crazy and being true to you!!

The Grammy nominations were announced last night during a Grammy nomination ceremony (gettin’ all classy this year, I see) and to the surprise of no one, the queen, HBIC, fierce independent woman etc Beyonce SASHA FIERCE Knowles took the lead with ten noms.

Overall, I was pretty pleased with the list.  I was a little shocked by the amount of Black Eyed Peas love, but they put out some great party jams so I have no issues.  And apparently, since Gaga couldn’t be nominated for Best New Artist the Grammys compensated and put her in EVERY CATEGORY IMAGINABLE.  Which she deserves.  But what do you guys think?  Was anyone left off?  Anyone you think absolutely has no place on this list?

Either way a big congrats to all the nominees!!

Complete list after the jump!  

SOURCE

SONG OF THE YEAR
Beyonce – “Single Ladies”
Lady Gaga – “Poker Face”
Maxwell – “Pretty Wings”
Kings of Leon – “Use Somebody”
Taylor Swift – “You Belong With Me.”

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Beyonce – “I Am … Sasha Fierce”
Black Eyed Peas’ “The E.N.D.”
Lady Gaga – “The Fame”
Taylor Swift – “Fearless”
Dave Matthews Band – “Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King.”

RECORD OF THE YEAR
Beyonce – “Halo”
Black Eyes Peas – “I Gotta Feeling”
Kings of Leon – “Use Somebody”
Lady Gaga – “Poker Face”
Taylor Swift – “You Belong With Me”

BEST COUNTRY PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCALS
Brooks & Dunn – “Cowgirls Don’t Cry”
Zac Brown Band – “Chicken Fried”
Lady Antebellum – “I Run To You”
Rascal Flatts “Here Comes Goodbye”
Sugarland – “It Happens”

BEST RAP SOLO PERFORMANCE
Drake – “Best I Ever Had”
Eminem – “Beautiful”
Jay-Z – “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)”
Kid Cudi – “Day ‘N’ Nite”
Mos Def – “Casa Bey.”

BEST ROCK ALBUM
AC/DC – “Black Ice”
Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood – “Life from Madison Square Garden”
Green Day – “21st Century Breakdown”
Dave Matthews Band – “Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King”
U2 – “No Line on the Horizon.”

BEST POP PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCALS
Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling”
Bon Jovi – “We Weren’t Born to Follow”
The Fray – “Never Say Never”
Daryl Hall and John Oates’ “Sara Smile”
MGMT – “Kids”

The nominees have been announced for the 52nd annual Grammy Awards. The award ceremony will be held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on January 31, 2010. The ceremony will air on CBS that evening from 8-11:30 p.m.

Below is a list of nominees for some of the categories.

Record of the Year
Beyonce – “Halo”
The Black Eyed Peas – “I Gotta Feeling”
Kings Of Leon – “Use Somebody”
Lady Gaga – “Poker Face”
Taylor Swift – “You Belong With Me”

Album of the Year
Beyonce – I Am…Sasha Fierce
The Black Eyed Peas – The E.N.D.
Lady Gaga – The Fame
Dave Matthews Band – Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King
Taylor Swift – Fearless

Song of the Year
Lady Gaga – “Poker Face”
Maxwell – “Pretty Wings”
Beyonce – “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”
Kings Of Leon – “Use Somebody”
Taylor Swift – “You Belong With Me”

Best New Artist
Zac Brown Band
Keri Hilson
MGMT
Silversun Pickups
The Ting Tings

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
Adele – “Hometown Glory”
Beyonce – “Halo”
Katy Perry – “Hot N Cold”
Pink – “Sober”
Taylor Swift – “You Belong With Me”

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
John Legend – “This Time”
Maxwell – “Love You”
Jason Mraz – “Make It Mine”
Seal – “If You Don’t Know Me By Now”
Stevie Wonder – “All About the Love Again”

Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals
The Black Eyed Peas – “I Gotta Feeling”
Bon Jovi – “We Weren’t Born to Follow”
The Fray – “Never Say Never”
Daryl Hall & John Oates – “Sara Smile”
MGMT – “Kids”

Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals
Rosanne Cash & Bruce Springsteen – “Sea Of Heartbreak”
Ciara & Justin Timberlake – “Love Sex Magic”
Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat – “Lucky”
Willie Nelson & Norah Jones – “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”
Taylor Swift & Colbie Caillat – “Breathe”

Best Pop Instrumental Performance
Herb Alpert – “Besame Mucho”
Bela Fleck – “Throw Down Your Heart”
Imogen Heap – “The Fire”
Maxwell – “Phoenix Rise”
Marcus Miller – “Funk Joint”

Best Pop Instrumental Album
Chris Botti – In Boston
Hiroshima – Legacy
Booker T. Jones – Potato Hole
The Rippingtons featuring Russ Freeman – Modern Art
Spyro Gyra – Down The Wire

Bets Pop Vocal Album
The Black Eyed Peas – The E.N.D.
Colbie Caillat – Breakthrough
Kelly Clarkson – All I Ever Wanted
The Fray – The Fray
Pink – Funhouse

Best Dance Recording
The Black Eyed Peas – “Boom Boom Pow”
David Guetta & Kelly Rowland – “When Love Takes Over”
Lady Gaga – “Poker Face”
Madonna – “Celebration”
Britney Spears – “Womanizer”

Best Electronic/Dance Album
The Crystal Method – Divided By Night
David Guetta – One Love
Lady Gaga – The Fame
LMFAO – Party Rock
Pet Shop Boys – Yes

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Tony Bennett – A Swingin’ Christmas
Michael Buble – Michael Buble Meets Madison Square Garden
Harry Connick, Jr. – Your Songs
Liza Minnelli – Liza’s At the Palace
Willie Nelson – American Classic

Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance
Bob Dylan – “Beyond Here Lies Nothin’”
John Fogerty – “Change in the Weather”
Prince – “Dreamer”
Bruce Springsteen – “Working on a Dream”
Neil Young – “Fork in the Road”

Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals
Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood – “Can’t Find My Way Home”
Coldplay – “Life in Technicolor II”
Green Day – “21 Guns”
Kings Of Leon – “Use Somebody”
U2 – “I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight”

Best Hard Rock Performance
AC/DC – “War Machine”
Alice In Chains – “Check My Brain”
Linkin Park – “What I’ve Done”
Metallica – “The Unforgiven III”
Nickelback – “Burn It to the Ground”

Best Metal Performance
Judas Priest – “Dissident Aggressor”
Lamb Of God – “Set To Fail”
Megadeth – “Head Crusher”
Ministry – “Senor Peligro”
Slayer – “Hate Worldwide”

Best Rock Instrumental Performance
Jeff Beck – “A Day in the Life”
Booker T. Jones – “Warped Sister”
Brad Paisley – “Playing With Fire”
Brian Setzer Orchestra – “Mr. Surfer Goes Jazzin’”
Steve Vai – “Now We Run”

Best Rock Song
Pearl Jam – “The Fixer”
U2 – “I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight”
Green Day – “21 Guns”
Kings Of Leon – “Use Somebody”
Bruce Springsteen – “Working on a Dream”

Best Rock Album
AC/DC – Black Ice
Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood – Live From Madison Square Garden
Green Day – 21st Century Breakdown
Dave Matthews Band – Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King
U2 – No Line on the Horizon

Best Alternative Music Album
David Byrne & Brian Eno – Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
Death Cab for Cutie – The Open Door
Depeche Mode – Sounds of the Universe
Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz!

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
Beyonce – “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”
Melanie Fiona – “It Kills Me”
Lalah Hathaway – “That Was Then”
Ledisi – “Goin’ Thru Changes”
Jazmine Sullivan – “Lions, Tigers & Bears”

Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
Anthony Hamilton – “The Point of it All”
Maxwell – “Pretty Wings”
Musiq Soulchild – “Sobeautiful”
Pleasure P – “Under”
Charlie Wilson – “There Goes My Baby”

Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals
Jamie Foxx & T-Pain – “Blame It”
India.Arie & Musiq Soulchild – “Chocolate High”
Musiq Soulchild & Mary J. Blige – “Ifuleave”
Robert Randolph & The Clark Sisters – “Higher Ground”
Calvin Richardson & Ann Nesby – “Love Has Finally Come at Last”

Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance
Beyonce – “At Last”
Anthony Hamilton – “Soul Music”
Boney James & Quinn – “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight”
Ann Nesby – “Sow Love”
Calvin Richardson – “Woman Gotta Have It”

Best Urban/Alternative Performance
The Foreign Exchange – “Daykeeper”
Robert Glasper & Bilal – “All Matter”
India.Arie & Dobet Gnahore – “Pearls”
Eric Roberson, Ben O’Neill & Michelle Thompson – “A Tale of Two”

Best R&B Song
Jamie Foxx & T-Pain – “Blame It”
Jazmine Sullivan – “Lions, Tigers & Bears”
Maxwell – “Pretty Wings”
Beyonce – “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”
Pleasure P – “Under”

Best R&B Album
Anthony Hamilton – The Point of it All
India.Arie – Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics
Ledisi – Turn Me Loose
Maxwell – Blacksummers’ Night
Charlie Wilson – Uncle Charlie

Best Contemporary R&B Album
Beyonce – I Am…Sasha Fierce
Jamie Foxx – Intuition
Pleasure P – The Introduction of Marcus Cooper
Trey Songz – Ready
T-Pain – Thr33 Ringz

Best Rap Solo Performance
Drake – “Best I Ever Had”
Eminem – “Beautiful”
Jay-Z – “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)”
Kid Cudi – “Day ‘N’ Nite”
Mos Def – “Casa Bey”

Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group
Beastie Boys & Nas – “Too Many Rappers”
Eminem, Dr. Dre & 50 Cent – “Crack A Bottle”
Fabolous & Jay-Z – “Money Goes, Honey Stay”
Kid Cudi, Kanye West & Common – “Make Her Say”
Kanye West & Young Jeezy – “Amazing”

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
Beyonce & Kanye West – “Ego”
Keri Hilson, Kanye West & Ne-Yo – “Knock You Down”
Jay-Z, Rihanna & Kanye West – “Run This Town”
The Lonely Island & T-Pain – “I’m On a Boat”
T.I. & Justin Timberlake – “Dead And Gone”

Best Rap Song
Drake – “Best I Ever Had”
Kid Cudi – “Day ‘N’ Nite”
T.I. & Justin Timberlake – “Dead And Gone”
Jay-Z – “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)”
Jay-Z, Rihanna & Kanye West – “Run This Town”

Best Rap Album
Common – Universal Mind Control
Eminem – Relapse
Flo Rida – R.O.O.T.S.
Mos Def – The Ecstatic
Q-Tip – The Renaissance

Best Female Country Vocal Performance
Miranda Lambert – “Dead Flowers”
Martina McBride – “I Just Call You Mine”
Taylor Swift – “White Horse”
Carrie Underwood – “Just A Dream”
Lee Ann Womack – “Solitary Thinkin’”

Best Male Country Vocal Performance
Trace Adkins – “All I Ask For Anymore”
Billy Currington – “People Are Crazy”
Jamey Johnson – “High Cost of Living”
George Strait – “Living For the Night”
Keith Urban – “Sweet Thing”

Best Country Performance By a Duo or Group With Vocals
Brooks & Dunn – “Cowgirls Don’t Cry”
Zac Brown Band – “Chicken Fried”
Lady Antebellum – “I Run to You”
Rascal Flatts – “Here Comes Goodbye”
Sugarland – “It Happens”

Best Country Collaboration With Vocals
Dierks Bentley & Patty Griffin – “Beautiful World”
Kenny Chesney & Mac McAnally – “Down The Road”
Brad Paisley & Keith Urban – “Start A Band”
Carrie Underwood & Randy Travis – “I Told You So”
Lee Ann Womack & George Strait – “Everything But Quits”

Best Country Instrumental Performance
Alison Brown – “Under the (Five) Wire”
The Greencards – “The Crystal Merchant”
Sarah Jarosz – “Mansinneedof”
Steve Wariner – “Producer’s Medley”

Best Country Song
Trace Adkins – “All I Ask For Anymore”
Jamey Johnson – “High Cost of Living”
Lady Antebellum – “I Run to You”
Billy Currington – “People Are Crazy”
Taylor Swift – “White Horse”

Best Country Album
Zac Brown Band – The Foundation
George Strait – Twang
Taylor Swift – Fearless
Keith Urban – Defying Gravity
Lee Ann Womack – Call Me Crazy

1. What was the last concert you’ve been to?
Rascal Flatts, for which I stood in line for four hours. I’m not sure a 30-minute showcase of music (including three rounds of “My Wish” because the camera didn’t get the correct angles) can really be considered a concert. In fact, it was actually just a publicity stunt for Jamie Oliver’s TV show he was recording for the past however long in my town. Yes, let’s please remind everyone that Huntington was once named the fattest city in the US. … Rascal Flatts. That was my last concert, yes.

2. Is it easy to make you cry?
Ask Evan this question and he will scoff. I .. cry .. over .. anything (and everything). Although I absolutely hate this about myself, I can’t help it. I wish I was less emotional … but then I wouldn’t be me.

3. Do you ever feel like people underestimate you?
I often feel looked down upon because I’m short (5′3″). Well, clearly most people do look down to me because most people are much taller than I am. However, I feel very inferior because of my height. Apart from that, yes, I think people underestimate me because of poor choices I have made. And there’s the occasional family member or nice person from my past who overestimates me, to which I am horrified they will find out I’m not such a fantastic person, after all.

4. Name 7 completely random things that you like.

1. Running hot water on my feet before I get out of the shower.
2. Daysie when she hasn’t seen me for a while – she gets sooo excited that Mommy is home. Then again, I like Daysie anytime (except maybe when she takes a dump in front of the door).
3. Miley Cyrus. And I’m not afraid to say it.
4. Super organized / neat things (like, a full page of my handwriting, or my DVD stand after I color coordinate the cases. Oh, and always my closet.)
5. Clear Kool-Aid. I’m really not even sure what the flavor is. I think it’s called ‘Da Bomb.’
6. Baltimore Zoo. But only when made by an Applebees bartender.
7. High heels. Red. Black. Patent leather. Rhinestones. As long as it has a pointed toe, I’m in love.

5. What’s your favorite reality TV show and why?
If it isn’t obvious enough from my last post, The Office. Hilarious. I love Michael Scott. I love the office romances. And, of course, I have a little crush on Jim. I can’t watch the show without laughing so hard I snort. Thirty minutes at a time just isn’t enough for my Scranton friends, though.

6. What is your favorite hair care product?
I’ll agree with Chelsea, my flatiron (although it’s not really a product, and mine isn’t a Chi, but a cheap $15 diddy from Target – I’m poor, people). Without my litton iron friend, I’d be a frizzball from hell with a dallop of cowlicks. It occasionally doubles as my clothing iron, as well. You do what you gotta do.

7. What’s your favorite song at the moment?
Anything Christmas, but preferably Christmas sung by Josh Groban. O Holy Night? Yes, please.

8. What’s the number one thing on your Christmas wishlist?
A car. Followed by an apartment. Followed by a super cute pair of leopard flats.

9. Have you ever lost your cell phone?
In my unorganized mess of a life (aka room, car), yes. I’ve never misplaced it, thank the Lord. I’d die.

10. Did you attack the hordes of shoppers for Black Friday?
Oh, no no no. I was, in fact, attacked by the psycho shoppers. … I’ll retract that statement. They weren’t too bad this year. I worked from 12pm-10:30pm, so it was a long shift, but I didn’t hate anyone. (Well, no shoppers, anyway.) Okay, I will retract that last statement, as well. Although it wasn’t crazy busy, it was still everyday-but-a-little-bit-more busy… and when you try on 6,236,753 pairs of jeans and 48 shirts and leave them in the dressing room … that does not make me happy. So, if you did that, you suck.

Don’t forget to check out Chelsea’s Ten on Tuesday at Roots and Rings.

Also, do your own Ten on Tuesday and add your site to Mr. Linky (below) … and check out some of the other blogettes while you’re at it!

Diumenge passat es varen celebrar els AMA (American Music Awards) on alguns dels nostres artistes favorits estaven nominats. El criteri és una mica estrany perquè em sembla que té més pes la quantitat de discos que ven l’artista o la popularitat que té que la seva qualitat, però bé, no estic per queixar-me. Aquests premis, votats pels fans, són l’ocasió perfecta de veure sota el mateix sostre a Kanye West, Perez Hilton (ew!) i Reba McEntire, jutgeu vosaltres si això és bo o val la pena… jo ja no m’arrisco.

La veritat és que no he vist CAP actuació de la gala, tan sols m’he informat dels guanyadors però fent recerca per internet, per vlogs i tal, he vist que la gala va estar regular. Res espectacular, “the Rihanna come back” força fluix, JLo per aquí i Shakira per allà, res que no haguem vist abans… peeeeerò pel què ens ocupa estic molt contenta i per això m’he decidit a fer un top 5 que resumeixi, així pim pam, els premis.

1. Gloriana com a Breakthrough Artist of the Year! Van la sorpresa de la nit perquè tothom s’esperava que guanyés Lady Gaga i com que es veu que són força desconeguts fora de l’ambient country doncs hi hagut gent que s’ha emprenyat un mica, però jo no, jo m’alegro molt. Això demostra que els fans de Gloriana són bons i fidels i es registren a la web per votar-los, en canvi si un espera que Lady Gaga guanyi però no la vota… permet que Gloriana li passi la mà per la cara. Jo també em vaig sorprendre però en realitat no tenia raons; pensem-ho bé, Gloriana és un grup que atreu a molta gent i a gent que es compra el seu CD, en canvi a Lady Gaga tothom la coneix i coneix la seva música (a no ser que un s’hagi reclòs a casa amb la ràdio apagada tot l’estiu) però, en el fons, a tothom li repugna. Però el cas és que em vaig posar tan contenta per ells, es nota que s’ho han treballat durant l’any i me’ls crec quan donen les gràcies als fans… serà tot gràcies al vídeo de promoció?
2. Zac Brown Band no va guanyar res però és igual. Es varen presentar, van donar unes quantes lliçons de com viure la vida a tope sense que el fetge pateixi les conseqüències a tots aquells que van de durs, i se’n van anar. ZBB ha estat el meu descobriment particular d’aquest any i declaro The Foundation l’àlbum oficial del 2009. Ja està, són genials i m’encanten.
3. Rascal Flatts com a millor Grup/Banda/Duo! Cap rancor perquè li arravatessin el premi a ZBB, ells també m’agraden però penso que és un pèl injust que ZBB no hagi guanyat res… segurament amb un disc no n’hi a prou. Referent a Rascal Flatts en si, molt bé, m’alegro molt per ells i no em sorprèn gens perquè potser és el grup amb més sortida fora del country i no fan mal a ningú. Són com un cotonet de sucre, tots flonjos amb les seves lletres ensucrades…
4. Keith Urban com a millor solista masculí! Em sembla que ja vaig comentar que m’estranyava que l’haguessin nominat perquè els crítics se l’han menjat amb patates amb frases com “no aporta res de nou”, “és una mera repetició del seu anterior àlbum”, etc. Però la meva opinió és molt senzilla, es basa en una fórmula encara més senzilla: m’agrada=bo. I Defying Gravity potser no és tan bo com Love, Pain & The Whole Crazy Thing però rotundament no és dolent. Per mi és com una segona part, d’aquelles que si te les perds no passa res, pots entendre l’argument de la primera, però si la veus escoltes doncs millor perquè aporta coses que potser havies passat per alt i al cap i ala fi, si fa servir els mateixos ingredients que a Love, Pain & The Whole Crazy Thing un altre cop i li funciona, per què no? Tampoc cal estar innovant a cada àlbum… o això crec jo.

I fins aquí tot, sento que no hi hagi cinquena posició però els premis no han estat gaire més a l’altura.

Adela*

PS: Taylor Swift ha guanyat 5 guardons inlclosos artista de l’any i adult contemporary (¿?).

PS2: si voleu recordar el post en què parlava d’alguns dels nominats als AMA cliqueu aquí.

PS3: pretenia pujar unes imatge sobre els artistes country que es varen deixar caure pel Nokia Theatre però per alguna raó desconeguda no puc, les postejaré tan aviat com el servidor em deixi.

If you’re planning to get up early to go shopping on Black Friday, you could get a wake-up call from Rascal Flatts as part of their partnership with JC Penney.  They are one of a handful of celebrities you can choose to receive a wake-up call from by logging onto jcp.com/wakeup.

At the recent 37th American Music Awards, there were certainly many moments that I felt is worth mentioning. Awesome start - Janet Jackson opened the show by dancing her way through an eight-minute medley of hits such as “Miss You Much,” “Together Again,” “If” and her new single, “Make Me.” Janet also showed off some of the creative moves that her family is known for. Overdoing it - Lady Gaga continued her quest to be the year’s most shocking performer, appearing in a body stocking and mask before smashing a window and climbing into a box with a piano that soon was on fire. She ended her performance by smashing liquor bottles on the keyboard. Shocker - This year’s “Idol” runner-up, Adam Lambert, sought to one-up Lady Gaga with his performance of “For Your Entertainment.” Moving among a freak show of dancers in sexy outfits, Lambert dragged one woman across the stage by her leg, walked a male dancer on a leash, participated in a simulated sex act and kissed the guy playing keyboards. America must be so relieved that he wasn’t voted as this year’s American Idol.

Taking a tumble – Jennifer Lopez  landed wrongly after jumping off the back of one of her dancers and falling on her butt. Do you think it was it an intentional dance move, or did she just slip? So what did JLO herself have to say about her little stumble? The singer who talked to Ryan Seacrest on his morning radio show said, “Yeah, I meant to do that…That was part of the choreography. Later she tries to get deep by saying: “the measure of things is, it’s not what happens when you fall, it’s how you handle it when you fall.” Check out the clip and judge for yourself?  Btw Adam Lambert also took a slip too during his performance later in the show.

The late Michael Jackson was nominated for five awards, just one shy of nominee leader Taylor Swift. He was named favorite male artist in the pop/rock and soul/R&B categories. His 2003 greatest-hits album, “Number Ones,” also won favorite album in both categories. The only other award he was vying for was the evening’s top prize, artist of the year, along with Lady Gaga, the Kings of Leon and Eminem and Taylor Swift. Swift overshadowed the late Michael Jackson by winning five prizes including the evening’s top prize, artist of the year. She accepted her AMA Awards live via satellite from her concert stage in an empty Wembley Arena in London, where she was rehearsing for a sold-out show on Monday. This is one way for organizers to keep Kanye West  from snatching her mic and interrupting her during her acceptance speech. LOL.. Taylor and her band stayed up most of the night to watch the show live from the US, and she accepted her last award at almost 4 a.m. London time. “Music has never been ultimately about competition,” Swift said, after winning the artist of the year prize. She said it was an “unimaginable honor” to be cited in the same category as Jackson, and thanked the Jackson family and Janet for reaching out to her the way that she had. Jackson was named favorite male artist in the pop/rock and soul/R&B categories, while his 2003 hits collection “Number Ones” was named favorite album in both those categories. The album is the No. 2 seller this year in the United States. Michael’s trophies were accepted by his brother Jermaine, who paid tribute to his late brother by wearing a glittery white glove

The list of the winners are shown below:

Artist of the Year

Taylor Swift

Pop-Rock

Male artist: Michael Jackson

Female artist: Taylor Swift

Band, duo or group: Black Eyed Peas

Album: Michael Jackson, “Number Ones”

Soul-R&B

Male artist: Michael Jackson

Female artist: Beyonce

Band, duo or group: Black Eyed Peas

Album: Michael Jackson, “Number Ones”

Rap-Hip-Hop

Artist: Jay-Z

Album: Jay-Z, “Blueprint 3″

Country

Male artist: Keith Urban

Female artist: Taylor Swift

Band, duo or group: Rascal Flatts

Album: Taylor Swift, “Fearless”

Other Genres

Adult Contemporary: Taylor Swift

Alternative Rock: Green Day

Latin: Aventura

Contemporary Inspirational: Mary Mary

Soundtrack Album: ”Twilight Soundtrack”

T-Mobile Breakthrough Artist Award: Gloriana

International Award of Excellence: Whitney Houston

Here are the winners of the 2009 American Music Awards.

Artist of the Year: Taylor Swift
Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist: Michael Jackson
Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist Taylor Swift
Favorite Pop/Rock Band, Due or Group: The Black Eyed Peas
Favorite Pop/Rock Album: Number Ones, Michael Jackson
Favorite Country Male Artist: Keith Urban
Favorite Female Country Artist: Taylor Swift
Favorite Country Band, Duo or Group: Rascal Flatts
Favorite Country Album: Fearless, Taylor Swift
Favorite Soul/Rhythm & Blues Male Artist: Michael Jackson
Favorite Soul/Rhythm & Blues Female Artist: Beyonce
Favrotie Soul/Rhythm & Blues Band, Duo or Group: The Black Eyed Peas
Favorite Soul/Rhythm & Blues Album: Number Ones, Michael Jackson
Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Male Artist: Jay-Z
Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album: Blueprint 3, Jay-Z
Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist: Taylor Swift
Favorite Latin Artist: Aventura
Favorite Alternative Rock Music Artist: Green Day
Favorite Contemporary Inspirational Artist: Mary Mary
Favorite Soundtrack Album: Twilight soundtrack
T-Mobile Breakthrough Artist: Gloriana

Taylor Swift and her band

Taylor Swift was the big winner at last night’s American Music Awards, taking home five trophies, including overall Artist of the Year, which she won over Michael Jackson.  Taylor also won Favorite Female Country Artist, Favorite Country Album for Fearless, Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist and Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist, although she had to accept all of her awards via satellite because

Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman

she is currently over in London.  Other winners included Rascal Flatts for Favorite Country Band, Duo or Group, Gloriana who won overall Breakthrough Artist of the Year, and Keith Urban who picked up his first ever AMA for Favorite Country Male Artist.  Keith performed “Kiss A Girl” on the show and Carrie Underwood showed up with slightly shorter and blonder hair to sing “Cowboy Casanova.”

Last night’s AMA’s brought in a dominating force of country music winners. Of Course, Taylor Swift came in like a winning tornado and ripped up the competition beating out the Late Micheal Jackson for Artist of the Year. Keith Urban picked up Male Country Artist of the Year and Gloriana won breakthrough artist of the year.

Gloriana didn’t really think they would pull off the win:

“[Rachel Reinert] Oh hands down we thought Lady Gaga was going to win. Colby was announcing all of the nominees and she’s going ‘Lady Gaga’ and everyone in the audience was going ‘Ah… Lady Gaga!’ And then she announced Gloriana and we just absolutely freaked out. It was the last thing we expected and we feel so thankful. We’re thankful to our fans and to Taylor Swift and to country radio. This just absolutely made our year. I think everyone just looked at us as the underdog country act and I think tonight was Country music’s night.”

Keith Urban was excited to have his wife Nicole Kidman Urban at the awards for his “first” win..well sorta first:

“It’s great. I’ve never won anything before with Nic sitting in the audience. I won Entertainer in ’05 and she wasn’t able to be there so I had to call her. So it was beautiful to have her there down in front. She’s such a huge inspiration for what I do.”

Here is the list of Country Winners:

COUNTRY – Favorite Male Artist
Keith Urban

COUNTRY – Favorite Female Artist
Taylor Swift

COUNTRY – Favorite Band, Duo or Group
Rascal Flatts

COUNTRY – Favorite Album
Fearless – Taylor Swift

ADULT CONTEMPORARY – Favorite Artist
Taylor Swift

POP/ROCK – Favorite Album
Fearless – Taylor Swift

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Taylor Swift

BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST
Gloriana

Last night’s AMA’s brought in a dominating force of country music winners.  Of Course, Taylor Swift came in like a winning tornado and ripped up the competition beating out the Late Micheal Jackson for Artist of the Year.  Keith Urban picked up Male Country Artist of the Year and Gloriana won breakthrough artist of the year.

Gloriana didn’t really think they would pull off the win:

“[Rachel Reinert] Oh hands down we thought Lady Gaga was going to win. Colby was announcing all of the nominees and she’s going ‘Lady Gaga’ and everyone in the audience was going ‘Ah… Lady Gaga!’ And then she announced Gloriana and we just absolutely freaked out. It was the last thing we expected and we feel so thankful. We’re thankful to our fans and to Taylor Swift and to country radio. This just absolutely made our year. I think everyone just looked at us as the underdog country act and I think tonight was Country music’s night.”

Keith Urban was excited to have his wife Nicole Kidman Urban at the awards for his “first” win..well sorta first:

“It’s great. I’ve never won anything before with Nic sitting in the audience. I won Entertainer in ’05 and she wasn’t able to be there so I had to call her. So it was beautiful to have her there down in front. She’s such a huge inspiration for what I do.”

Here is the list of Country Winners:

COUNTRY – Favorite Male Artist
Keith Urban

COUNTRY – Favorite Female Artist
Taylor Swift

COUNTRY – Favorite Band, Duo or Group
Rascal Flatts

COUNTRY – Favorite Album
Fearless – Taylor Swift

ADULT CONTEMPORARY – Favorite Artist
Taylor Swift

POP/ROCK – Favorite Album
Fearless – Taylor Swift

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Taylor Swift

BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST
Gloriana

Ecco a voi l’elenco dei vincitori dell’edizione 2009 degli AMERICAN MUSIC AWARD:

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Taylor Swift

POP/ROCK
Favorite Male Artist: Michael Jackson
Favorite Female Artist: Taylor Swift
Favorite Band, Duo or Group: The Black Eyed Peas
Favorite Album: Number Ones, Michael Jackson

COUNTRY
Favorite Male Artist: Keith Urban
Favorite Female Artist: Taylor Swift
Favorite Band, Duo or Group: Rascal Flatts
Favorite Album: Fearless, Taylor Swift

SOUL/RHYTHM & BLUES
Favorite Male Artist: Michael Jackson
Favorite Female Artist: Beyoncé
Favorite Band, Duo or Group: The Black Eyed Peas
Favorite Album: Number Ones, Michael Jackson

RAP/HIP-HOP
Favorite Male Artist: Jay-Z
Favorite Album: Blueprint 3, Jay-Z

ADULT CONTEMPORARY
Favorite Artist: Taylor Swift

LATIN MUSIC
Favorite Artist: Aventura

ALTERNATIVE ROCK MUSIC
Favorite Artist: Green Day

CONTEMPORARY INSPIRATIONAL
Favorite Artist: Mary Mary

SOUNDTRACKS
Favorite Album: Twilight Soundtrack

T-Mobile BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST (ALL GENRES)
Gloriana

Website: http://abc.go.com/shows/american-music-awards

I’m starting to watch this an hour late. Partly because I wasn’t going to watch it at all because of Desperate Housewives and partly because Desperate Housewives isn’t on because the American Music Awards is on, so I’m going to watch and liveblog it now.

Selena Gomez and the guitarist from Michael Jackson’s tour presented Best Male Soul/R&B. The winner is Michael Jackson. I don’t know if I’m okay with him being nominated/winning solely because he died this year. Without his death, he would not be as successful as he has been this year. I respect his music and talent, but he would not have been one of the big names of the year if he were alive.

Commercial break. I’m going to update you on what I missed as far as winners go.

Favorite Pop/Rock Group: Black Eyed Peas
Favorite Country Group: Rascal Flatts
Favorite Pop/Rock Female: Taylor Swift
Favorite Alternative Group: Green Day

And we’re back. Just in time.

Zac Brown Band is here to present Favorite Country Male Artist. It was cute that they would have Zac Brown say something and then his entire band join in on the next sentence. Keith Urban wins.

Demi Lovato and Kris Allen are here to present Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist. I wonder why Demi and Selena didn’t present together. Insert rumor here. Beyonc� wins. No surprise. Anna is happy. Rihanna performed. How is someone so untalented so famous? Her voice is just, as Anna puts it, “unpleasant.” I agree. She’s famous because we sing along to her songs, and then we wonder why we aren’t famous, because we are just as good, if not better, than she is.

Rascal Flatts are here to present. There’s something funny with the audio, so they were echoing. Gary LeVox made a joke about it. Carrie Underwood is now performing “Cowboy Casanova.”

Lady Gaga is now performing. She’s starting with Bad Romance. She and her dancers are wearing nude colored leotards so they look naked. Then they have this silver-y something on their heads and chests. Bizarre, but awesome. She’s really good live. I think Lady Gaga is one of the truly talented artists out there. Rihanna should take notes. We can see her face now. I wonder what Lady Gaga looks like in real life. Next song is on piano. Not just piano, though. Piano on fire. The song is “Speechless” by the way. Maybe this will be her next single.

Colbie Caillat is presenting the award for Breakthrough Artist and Gloriana wins.

Jennifer Lopez is still fierce.

Samuel L. Jackson is here to present the International Artist of the Year to Whitney Houston, only the seventh person to receive the award. It’s amazing how far music has not come. I mean, you don’t hear voices like Whitney’s anymore. They’re a dime a dozen.

Carrie Ann Inaba and Leona Lewis are here to present the award for Favorite Country Female Artist. Go Taylor! The winner is Taylor Swift! She’s accepting live from London. Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist goes to Michael Jackson. My roommate thinks that T.I. should have gotten it. Alicia Keys performed.

Eminem is performing, now. Next performer is Timbaland.

Charlie from Lost (Dominic Monaghan) and some woman are presenting Green Day’s performance of 21 Guns.

Best Rap/Hip Hop Male goes to Jay Z.

Ryan Seacrest is presenting Artist of the Year. Kings of Leon, Taylor Swift, Michael Jackson, Eminem, and Lady Gaga. TAYLOR WON! AHHHHH! This is the year of Taylor. I swear.

Okay. It took me two seconds to move on from my excitement. This never happens. Why did my attention move? Adam Lambert’s performance. He simulated a blowjob on national television. The editors did not seem prepared for this, as it was on television for approximately one second. Male Lady Gaga? You bet. There is so much pseudo-sex in this performance. Holy cow.

See you next year.

Again, this isn’t a Christmas CD, but it has three Christmas bonus tracks. I really like these too. Rascal Flatts harmonize so well and they sound incredible. You should certainly buy this CD, not just because all of their hits are amazing, but because their Christmas songs are awesome as well.

Check out their video for “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” below:

De volta aqui pra falar um pouco mais sobre a premiação mais importante do mundo da música. Nessa 2ª parte vou falar um pouco dos diversos fields, dando mais destaque para os artistas do que para as categorias em si. O Grammy tem muitas categorias e fica meio impossível falar de cada uma sem ser chato e monótono, so here we go!

Começando com o field mais importante, pelo menos pra mim: Pop! Esse ano mais diversificado que nunca, pois ultimamente todo mundo submete seus trabalhos aqui, de Miley Cyrus à Kanye West. E nem tudo que é submetido é o que eu realmente acho que é pop, como por exemplo Amy Winehouse que ganhou 2 Grammys em 2007 nesse field. Come on! Ela é R&B! Esse ano parece estar sendo dominado pelas mulheres, eu vejo duas delas fazendo a dobradinha de Melhor Performance Vocal Pop Feminina e Melhor Álbum Vocal Pop, são elas Kelly Clarkson e Diane Birch com as faixas “Already Gone” e “Nothing But A Miracle” e os álbuns All I Ever Wanted e Bible Belt, respectivamente. Taylor Swift deve marcar presença aqui, visto que a moça submeteu o hit “You Belong With Me” aqui, fechando a categoria das performances eu vejo Miley Cyrus com “The Climb” e Beyoncé com “Halo”. E nos álbuns P!nk, Lily Allen e The Black Eyed Peas devem fechar a categoria. A categoria de Melhor Performance Pop de Grupo ou Duo deve ser a mais diversificada de todas, com a presença pra lá de confirmada dos Peas com o hit do ano “I Gotta Feeling”, um Dance/R&B e aí temos The All-American Rejects com “Gives You Hell”, The Fray com “Never Say Never” e 3OH!3 com “Don’t Trust Me”, os dois primeiros tem uma pegada mais rock e o último é uma mistura de Hip Hop com música eletrônica, e completando a categoria as The Pussycat Dolls com “I Hate This Part”.

Eu gosto de rock, mas não entendo nada e nem conheço tantos representantes do meio. Minhas previsões nesse field são na maioria chutes, mas tem umas indicações que são meio óbvias. Kings Of Leon vem forte com o “Use Somebody” e eu torço por uma vitória consecutiva deles na categoria de Mehor Performance Rock de Grupo ou Duo. Mas dominando as indicados do field eu vejo três nomes: U2, Green Day e Bruce Springsteen. Os três são indicados “obrigatórios” e sempre que fazem algo novo, marcam presença aqui. Marcando presença devem estar também Bob Dylan, Nickleback, The Killers e AC/DC.

Chegamos ao field mais dispustado do ano: o R&B. É muita gente boa com chance de indicação e acredito que essas serão uma surpresa. Quem vai dominar o field? Não é novidade para ninguém, a rainha dos palcos Beyoncé! Ela não vem pra brincadeira não, a moça se submeteu em todas as categorias possíveis e imagináveis. O máximo de indicações que ela pode conseguir aqui são 5 e eu aposto nas 5 indicações, são elas: Melhor Performance Vocal R&B Feminina por “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)”, Melhor Performance Tradicional por “At Last”, Melhor Performance Urban/Alternativa por “Scared Of Lonely”, Melhor Canção R&B por “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)” e Melhor Álbum de R&B Contemporâneo pelo I Am… Sasha Fierce. Quem deve fazer a festa aqui é a rainha Whitney Houston e o seu comeback, que deve lhe garantir 3 indicações. O comeback do Maxwell deve conseguí-lo o mesmo número de indicações que Whitney. Completando o field: Chrisette Michele, Keyshia Cole, India.Arie, Musiq Soulchild, Solange (sim, a irmã da Beyoncé), Jamie Foxx, Raphael Saadiq e muitos outros.

No field Country o nome a ser batido é Taylor Swift. Mesmo não tendo submetido seu hit, a moça vem com uma de suas melhores música: “White Horse”, podendo concorrer à Melhor Canção Country e Melhor Performance Vocal Country Feminina e o álbum mais vendido do ano nos EUA, Fearless. Quem vem forte na categoria é a queridinha do Grammy (pelo menos nas categorias Country) Carrie Underwood, a moça deve faturar mais um Grammy pela colaboração com Randy Travis em “I Told You So”, além de conseguir mais duas indicações com “Just A Dream”, uma de suas melhores músicas. Quem vem forte, ainda mais depois do CMA, é o Lady Antebellum com um dos melhores singles do ano “I Run To You”. Brad Paisley e Keith Urban vêm forte entre os homens, principalmente por causa do dueto “Start A Band” dos dois, que vai bater de frente com o dueto de Carrie e Randy. Entre os indicados também teremos: Martina McBride (torcendo por “I Just Call You Mine”), Reba McIntire, Miranda Lambert, Zac Brown Band, Kenny Chesney e Rascal Flatts.

Por hoje é só, no próximo, e último, post sobre os Grammys eu pretendo falar sobre o que eu gostarie que tivesse indicado, descartando as listas de submissões. Até lá!

See you guys!

I can take the rain on the roof of this empty house
That don’t bother me
I can take a few tears now and then and just let them out
I’m not afraid to cry every once in a while
Even though going on with you gone still upsets me
There are days every now and again I pretend I’m ok
But that’s not what gets me

What hurts the most
Was being so close
And having so much to say
And watching you walk away
And never knowing
What could have been
And not seeing that loving you
Is what I was tryin’ to do

It’s hard to deal with the pain of losing you everywhere I go
But I’m doin’ It
It’s hard to force that smile when I see our old friends and I’m alone
Still Harder
Getting up, getting dressed, livin’ with this regret
But I know if I could do it over
I would trade give away all the words that I saved in my heart
That I left unspoken

Not seeing that loving you
That’s what I was trying to do
Ooohhh….

Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban will be among the performers on this Sunday night’s American Music Awards on ABC. There are several country nominees:

COUNTRY – Favorite Male Artist

Jason Aldean

Darius Rucker

Keith Urban

COUNTRY – Favorite Female Artist

Reba McEntire

Taylor Swift

Carrie Underwood

COUNTRY – Favorite Band, Duo or Group

Rascal Flatts

Sugarland

Zac Brown Band

COUNTRY – Favorite Album

Unstoppable- Rascal Flatts

Fearless – Taylor Swift

Foundation- Zac Brown Band

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Kings of Leon

Taylor Swift

Lady Gaga

Eminem

Michael Jackson

POP/ROCK – Favorite Female Artist

Beyonce

Lady Gaga

Taylor Swift

Waylon Payne is hitting Nashville early on a hot July morning. He’s driving a new used gold Mercedes Benz and he needs a shave and a shower and a couple cups of coffee. He’s been up late seeing old friends, which by his own admission is not a wise decision. He looks a little strung out and a lot like James Dean in Giant, in the scene just before Dean strikes oil. But this isn’t the movies, where even the messes are beautifully framed and everything seems to work out in the end. This is Payne’s life and he’s trying. “Lord, I’m trying,” he sighs.

It isn’t easy, though. Payne’s got bad habits, and he’s dragging around a family legacy straight out of a Tennessee Williams play, by way of Hee Haw. He’s had more lucky breaks than most, but he’s been kicked a lot harder too. The son of country singer Sammi Smith, of “Help Me Make It Through the Night” fame, Payne was raised by his conservative Christian aunt and uncle who disowned him when he was kicked out of seminary for having an affair with a monk, leaving him homeless and on the streets while still a teenager. He pulls down his shirt to reveal the man’s name tattooed over his heart. “I know who I am,” he says, defiantly. “I wear it proudly.”

Payne is sitting at a table outside a packed café when the member of a very successful country act—it would be hard to call them a band—walks past and glances at him. “Is that…?” Payne mutters. And then curses under his breath.

And what else could he do? Waylon Payne can write a better song walking back and forth to his weed dealer’s apartment than half the writers on Music Row could in a hundred years. In fact he has—listen to his 2004 debut The Drifter, a throwback to Guitar Town-era Steve Earle, forged during Payne’s days in L.A.’s honky tonk scene. On songs like “Her” and “Jesus on a Greyhound,” Payne writes with an incredible eye for detail and sings with all his might, sounding like a cross between the Replacements’ Tommy Stinson and Wayne “The Train” Hancock. You probably won’t be able to find it though. According to Payne, the label only printed 7500 copies and then sent him a bill for $150,000, which forced him into bankruptcy. Today, he disowns the record as “not real.”

Real is everything to him, and he comes out with it in rapid bursts, almost with a vengeance against the cold world of Southern euphemisms he knew growing up. When he speaks, half the time it sounds like a sermon and the other half it sounds like a confession. He veers between traditional country grandiosity–“Put me in the Opry, dammit! What else do they need? I got a hit record and I’m in the movies!” and “I’d like to have my own show on CMT, like a variety show, with an orchestra”—to things someone who wants to be in the Grand Ol’ Opry should never, ever say into a tape recorder. In the stereo of the Mercedes is a burned CD of four songs from his new album, Needles, that he is writing slowly down in Austin. There are stories behind those songs that Payne will tell you in full detail. But he shouldn’t.

He’s got new management that believes in him and a publishing deal. He’s also got a sleeper hit creeping up the charts with Lee Ann Womack’s “Solitary Thinkin’,” written by Payne in less than an hour in a Los Angeles bar. “A prostitute bar,” he laughs. “But I didn’t know it was a prostitute bar. I was just wondering why the drinks were free all night.” He’s heard rumors of a Grammy nomination for it. It’s sure good enough. “See, I initially started out as just a singer, because I didn’t think I had anything to say. I was wrong. If you have something to say, baby, sing it loud and sing it true. It will never hurt you. You can get away with a lot singin’ it in a song.”

Gay, high and possibly brilliant, Payne makes you wonder how much more he is going to get away with. With a voice that makes you believe every word he sings and an eloquence for heartbreak that harkens back to the classic country ballads he fell in love with as a kid, he’s the kind of guy you want to shake out of his own way. What’s he doing in a town like this, in a business that makes the hack who just walked past a millionaire and makes Waylon Payne plead to cut the record he hears in his heart and writes on slow lonesome walks wherever he finds himself?

Payne waves off questions like that. He truly does not care. Like he says, he knows who he is and he wears it proudly. “And I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that I can walk onto any stage in any room, alone, with just a guitar and I’m great. I’m great.” The trick now is letting everyone else know. So he shows up for the meeting with his new manager, and later he swings by his publisher’s to play some of the new songs. He may not care, but he does have something to prove—and a head full of songs to prove it with. The question is will he slow down long enough to write them, or will he die trying.

–Ari Surdoval