‘LARRY THE CABLE GUY'S HULA-PALOOZA CHRISTMAS LUAU’
PREMIERES FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20 ON CMT

90-minute Special Features Performances by Billy Currington and the Zac Brown Band

NASHVILLE – October 28, 2009 – It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas when LARRY THE CABLE GUY'S HULA-PALOOZA CHRISTMAS LUAU holiday special premieres Friday, November 20 at 9:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m., ET/PT on CMT.

This 90-minute variety show features Larry along with friends, including Kenan Thompson (“Saturday Night Live”), Caroline Rhea, George Lindsey (“The Andy Griffith Show”), comedians Reno Collier and Jon Reep, Peter Oldring, Sara Erikson, the MuzikMafia’s Two Foot Fred, and returning favorites Tony Orlando and Angela Little MacKenzie (“Reno 911”). In addition to holiday-themed comedy and sketches set on the fictional island of Hula-Poola, the special will include musical performances from Billy Currington and the Zac Brown Band.

With his signature catchphrase, “Git-R-Done”, Larry the Cable Guy continues to sell out theatres and arenas across the United States. Larry’s most recent specials have included “Tailgate Party” which will air on Comedy Central in January of 2010 with a DVD release to follow, and “The Comedy Central Roast of Larry The Cable Guy” which garnered top ratings for the network. Larry has also starred in many films including “Witless Protection,” “Delta Farce,” “Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector” and he was the voice of ‘Mater’ in the Golden Globe winning animated feature film “Cars.” He is a platinum-selling recording artist and a two-time Grammy nominee. LARRY THE CABLE GUY'S HULA-PALOOZA CHRISTMAS LUAU will be available on DVD from Jack Records/Warner Bros. Records beginning Tuesday, November 24.

A Parallel Entertainment and Taillight TV production, the special is executive produced by JP Williams, CEO and founder of Parallel Entertainment, Larry the Cable Guy, and Taillight TV's Tom Forrest. Producers are Dave Higby, Jennifer Novak and Ben Tyson. Ryan Polito directs. John Hamlin and Margaret Comeaux are executive producers for CMT.

NBC KICKS OFF THE HOLIDAY SEASON WITH THE 83RD ANNUAL LIVE BROADCAST OF THE MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE® ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26TH (9:00A.M. - NOON ALL TIME ZONES)

Meredith Vieira ("Today") to Co-Host With Matt Lauer ("Today") and Al Roker (“Today”)

Taking to the sky for the first time this year will be the lovable and oh-so-ticklish Pillsbury Doughboyâ; America’s favorite clown Ronald McDonaldâ; the web-slinger Spider-Manâ, and the top mouse on deck, Sailor Mickey Mouse.

NEW YORK – November 3, 2009 – NBC officially kicks off the holiday season with the live broadcast of the 83rd annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade® from New York City, co-hosted by “Today’s” Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira, along with Al Roker. For the first time in the Parade’s 82-year history, the 2009 procession, beginning at 77th Street and Central Park West, will be taking a new route, bypassing Broadway. This year's parade celebration will air on NBC at 9:00 a.m.-noon in all time zones.

Some of today's brightest stars from the world of stage, screen and music will ride atop the Parade's moving stages down the historic Broadway route. This year's special guests include: Bello, Grandma and the cast of the Big Apple Circus, Andrea Bocelli, Boys Like Girls, Alan Cumming, Billy Currington, DJ Lance Rock and the cast of Yo Gabba Gabba!, Jimmy Fallon and The Roots, Gloria Gaynor, Emily Hughes, Kermit the Frog and Tiffany Thornton, Jane Krakowski, Ziggy Marley with Judah Marley, Katherine McPhee, Miss America 2009 Katie Stam, the cast and Muppets of Sesame Street, Mitchel Musso, Keke Palmer, The Pizzarelli Quartet, Jay Sean and Carly Simon all ringing in the start of the holiday season with NBC and Macy's.

“The 83rd Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will be the biggest and best ever,” said Doug Vaughan, Sr. VP NBC Special Programs and Alternative Development.

"There’s no better way to kick off the holiday season than with this timeless tradition. And we’re extremely proud to once again air this historic event.”

Thanksgiving morning will offer viewers plenty of musical star power with a chance to see performances from some of the hottest Broadway shows including: Billy Elliot, Bye Bye Birdie, Hair and Shrek, in addition to the world-famous ‘Radio City Rockettes’® -forever a holiday favorite.

More than 8,000 participants including America's best marching bands, celebrities, campy clowns, the Parade's signature giant character helium balloons, fantasy floats, and the one-and-only Santa Claus, will once again convene on the Upper West Side to bring the magic of the season to life for New York and the nation.

Taking flight on Thanksgiving morning will be a new cast of pop culture icons who are sure to delight millions of Parade fans. Joining the balloon team this year will be Spider-Manâ, the Pillsbury Doughboyâ, Ronald McDonaldâ, and Sailor Mickey Mouse.

The 2009 Macy’s Parade will begin at 77th Street and Central Park West, travel down to Columbus Circle where it will continue onto Central Park South. Once the Parade reaches 7th Avenue, it will turn once more and march down 7th Avenue through Times Square to 42nd Street. At the famed intersection, it will proceed east to 6th Avenue and begin its final march down the Avenue of the Americas to 34th Street where it will continue towards Macy’s famed flagship store and end at 7th Avenue, marking a 2.65-mile march.

“This is a milestone year for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” said Robin Hall, Executive Producer of Macy’s National Events. “Dramatic changes in the mid-town landscape will divert us for the first time from the fabled Broadway route we have followed since our first Parade in 1924. However, our course will remain true and the Parade will continue to entertain millions as Spider-Man returns to the sky and the first new Santa Float in almost half a century makes its debut.”

The returning float roster includes 123 Sesame Street, Big Apple, Bridge To The Future, Bountiful Harvest Cornucopia, The Care Bearsä Winter Fun-derland, Castle of Dreams, Cele-bear-ate Hugs Worldwide, Doodlebug, Jolly Polly Pirate Ship, M&M’sâ Chocolate Candies on Broadway, Marion-Carol Showboat, Musical Innovation Bigger Than Life, Pep Squad, Shine On, The Smurfsä, Snoopy’s Doghouse, Spirit of Liberty, Tom Turkey, The True Spirit of Thanksgiving, Winter Wonderland in Central Park and Woodland Family Gathering. In addition, the famed Speed Racer Mach 5 will be making a special appearance in the parade line-up this year.

Adding to the pomp and circumstance of the event are talented marching bands from across the nation including Adair County High School from Columbia, Ky.; Frank W. Ballou Senior High School from Washington, D.C.; Choctawhatchee High School from Fort Walton Beach, Fla.; Franklin Regional High School from Murrysville, Pa.; Harrison High School from Kennesaw, Ga.; Morgantown High School from Morgantown, W.Va.; Pickerington Central High School from Pickerington, Ohio; Pittsburg High School from Pittsburg, Calif.; Towson University from Towson, Md.; and Macy’s Great American Marching Band featuring students from all fifty states.

Broadcast on NBC since 1948, the parade has been transformed by television into a national tradition. Executive producers are Brad Lachman and Bill Bracken.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 15, 2009

TIM MCGRAW AND A VINCE GILL/DAUGHTRY DUET ARE AMONG THE PERFORMERS ADDED TO THE LINEUP FOR "THE 43rd ANNUAL CMA AWARDS"
Jason Aldean, Billy Currington, Vince Gill and Daughtry, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, and Zac Brown Band to Perform on "Country Music's Biggest Night"

NASHVILLE - The star-packed lineup for "The 43rd Annual CMA Awards" grows dramatically with the announcement today that Tim McGraw will perform for the first time in four years, and that Vince Gill will duet with rock band Daughtry.

Other performers announced today include Jason Aldean, Billy Currington, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, and Zac Brown Band. "The 43rd Annual CMA Awards," hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, airs live from the Sommet Center in Nashville, Wednesday, Nov. 11 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network.

Previously announced performers include Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Reba McEntire, Paisley, Darius Rucker, George Strait, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Underwood, and Keith Urban.

McGraw last performed on the CMA Awards stage in 2005, when he joined wife Faith Hill on "Like We Never Loved At All." His last solo performance on the CMA Awards was in 2004, when he opened the show with "How Bad Do You Want It?" The superstar, who has sold more than 40 million albums and dominated the charts with 30 No. 1 singles, has won 11 CMA Awards, including Entertainer (2001); Male Vocalist (1999, 2000); and Album of the Year (1998 for Everywhere; 1999 for A Place in the Sun). McGraw last received a CMA Award in 2007 for Musical Event of the Year on "Find Out Who Your Friends Are" with Tracy Lawrence and Kenny Chesney. McGraw will release his new album, Southern Voice, on Oct. 20.

In their debut CMA Awards performance, Grammy-nominated rock band Daughtry joins Country Music Hall of Fame member Gill for a duet of "Tennessee Line," which the superstars recorded together for Daughtry's new album, Leave This Town. That album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart in July, becoming the group's second consecutive album to top the charts. Daughtry's self-titled first album, released in 2006, was the quickest-selling rock debut album in SoundScan history, selling more than five million copies worldwide.

Gill has won 18 CMA Awards, including Entertainer (1993, 1994), Male Vocalist (1991-1995), and Album of the Year (1993 for I Still Believe in You; 1994 for Common Thread: Songs of the Eagles). The singer/songwriter, who hosted the CMA Awards for 12 consecutive years (1992-2003), was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007.

Aldean, who has a career total of two CMA nominations, recently celebrated topping the Billboard Top Country Singles chart for four weeks with his hit "Big Green Tractor." The song, which is from his album Wide Open, also topped the Billboard all-genre ringtone chart, a first for a Country artist.

Currington earned two nominations this year, Single and Music Video of the Year, both for "People Are Crazy," from his album Little Bit of Everything. He co-produced the single with Carson Chamberlain, while the video was directed by The Brads. Currington has a career total of three CMA nominations, as he was previously nominated in 2005 for Musical Event of the Year for his duet with Shania Twain on "Party for Two." The writers of "People Are Crazy," Bobby Braddock and Troy Jones, are currently nominated for Song of the Year.

Reigning New Artist of the Year Lady Antebellum received two nominations in 2009. The trio is up for Vocal Group and Single of the Year for "I Run to You," produced by Victoria Shaw and Paul Worley, from their Platinum-certified self-titled debut album. Lady Antebellum recently released "Need You Now," the first single from their upcoming new album of the same name, in stores Jan. 2010.

Lambert is nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year. The fiery performer has a career total of seven CMA nominations. Her new album Revolution recently debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Country Albums Chart. This accomplishment established Lambert as the third artist in the SoundScan era to have their first three albums debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart.

Zac Brown Band received their debut three nominations in 2009 for New Artist, Vocal Group, and Single of the Year for "Chicken Fried," from their Platinum-certified album The Foundation. Lead singer Zac Brown also received a fourth nomination as co-writer of "Chicken Fried" (along with Wyatt Durrette) in the Song of the Year category.

CMT EXPLODES WITH MORE NEW MUSIC VIDEO PREMIERES THAN EVER BEFORE
WHEN “CMT BIG NEW MUSIC WEEKEND” LAUNCHES FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2

CMT, CMT PURE and CMT.com to Host Exclusive World Video Premieres by Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney (featuring Dave Matthews), Keith Urban, Sugarland, Reba, Miranda Lambert, Billy Currington and Michelle Branch

CMT’s Music Video Ratings Up 20 Percent*

NASHVILLE – September 22, 2009 – For the first time in CMT history, CMT, CMT PURE and CMT.com will debut nine new music videos from superstar artists in one exclusive, world premiere event entitled CMT BIG NEW MUSIC WEEKEND, beginning Friday, October 2. Brand new videos from Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney (featuring Dave Matthews), Keith Urban, Sugarland, Reba, Miranda Lambert, Billy Currington and Michelle Branch, will be featured throughout CMT and CMT PURE all weekend long. All of the world premiere videos will be available beginning same day, exclusively on CMT.com.

In addition, many of the new videos will be introduced by the artist’s themselves in segments created especially for CMT BIG NEW MUSIC WEEKEND. The premiere of these new videos coincides with a recent resurgence in ratings for CMT’s music hours.

"With terrific music from our biggest stars and fantastic synergies between CMT.com, CMT Radio and CMT Mobile, video ratings on CMT are up 20 percent to new, multi-year highs,” says Jay Frank, SVP Music Strategy, CMT. “Our great relationships with artists, labels and managers allow us to all work together as a team to give country fans an exciting event they can’t find anywhere else. We're very grateful that our partners think of CMT first to deliver the biggest, exclusive cross-platform debuts for their videos."

The artist video premieres included in CMT BIG NEW MUSIC WEEKEND are as follows:

· Carrie Underwood – “Cowboy Casanova”
· Tim McGraw – “Southern Voice”
· Kenny Chesney (featuring Dave Matthews) – “I’m Alive”
· Keith Urban – “Hit the Ground Runnin’”
· Sugarland – “Keep You”
· Reba – “Consider Me Gone”
· Miranda Lambert – “White Liar”
· Billy Currington – “That’s How Country Boys Roll”
· Michelle Branch – “Sooner or Later”

CMT BIG NEW MUSIC WEEKEND will leverage CMT’s multi-platform promotional capabilities with extensive on-air messaging on both CMT and CMT PURE; heavy promotion on CMT.com, including exclusive video playlists, webtools and banner ads; mentions across CMT’s social networks including Twitter and Facebook; along with shout-outs on CMT Mobile, CMT Radio Network and CMT Radio Live.

Today's Country Magazine
Music Reviews
By: Jeff Kurtis

Band: BILLY CURRINGTON
Album: That's How Country Boys Roll "Single"
Label: Mercury Records Nashville

Billy Currington has been bringing has brand of sex appeal to country music throughout his career with hit songs like “Must Be Doin’ Something Right” and “Don’t.” His most prominent story-teller type song came in the form of his recent #1 hit “People Are Crazy,” where he had people singing along with him that “God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy.” With his follow-up single “That’s How Country Boys Roll”, we see a much more rocking side to Billy Currington and he wears his southern boy roots right out on his sleeve. From the opening guitar lick your feet will automatically begin bouncing along with its choppiness that pulls you through the intro of the song. As the opening verse kicks in you instantly see Billy outlining the country boy image through his lyrics perfectly as he talks about the familiar things like drinking their coffee black, stopping by a fishin’ hole, working hard, and plenty more. Though the song talks about country boys and paints a stereotypical image of what it takes to be one, the common misconception is that country means southern and with this song you come to realize that country boys could be anywhere and everywhere making it a relatable lyric. Following up the success of “People Are Crazy” isn’t an easy task, but by putting out a fun and upbeat song that is much different may just be the trick for Billy Currington.

Currington never strays from his country roots
By Nathalie Baret For the Journal

Billy Currington has gone from back-woods Georgia boy to a bona fide country star.

Billy Currington’s simple upbringing, from small-town son of the South to radio-wooing crooner — often speckled throughout his character-building, poignant songs — is undoubtedly what has helped the Rincon, Ga., native morph into a bona fide country star.

Currington’s rich baritone and soul-tipped country style raised more than a few eyebrows in 2003 when his self-titled debut produced a couple of choice Top 10 charters with the earthy “I Got a Feelin’ ” and the autobiographical lead single, “Walk a Little Straighter.” The latter, about watching his father stumble around the house inebriated, was written by the singer/guitarist when he was just 12 years old.

“He’d get drunk and a little crazy,” recalls Currington about the turmoil he’d see on a near-daily basis. “Eventually my dad died of drinking and cancer.”

But as the expression goes, “From every bad comes a good,” it was his father, Larry, who introduced a young, music-hungry Billy to many country legends.

“He’d play Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, the Statler Brothers, Kenny Rogers, all those guys, and I really loved Alabama. I remember taking a radio in the bathroom and singing like I was Randy Owen. And when I was in the ninth or 10th grade, I started buying all the tapes on Keith Whitley and, of course, George Strait, because I wanted to be like him, too.”

Jotting choruses and melodies down was something Currington put to practice since his teens. But moving to Nashville and making his dream come true was not something he seriously thought about until push came to shove. After a brief stint working at a paper plant in his hometown, which resulted in a row with his supervisor, he called his then-caretaker, his grandmother, to pick him up and told her, “ ‘Come get me, I’m leaving this weekend, I’m moving out of here.’ We talked about it on the way home, and I was sure I was moving to Nashville that weekend.”

He landed a lucrative job at a concrete company, working 16 hours a day, six days a week, and busked around town, playing at many clubs, as well as writing tunes on the side for a publishing company in Nashville. Eventually Currington caught the eye of singer Mark Wills, who put a hold on one of his songs. From there, a meeting with record executives followed, resulting in an offer from Universal/Mercury Nashville.

“It was just a matter of time,” he said.

Currington is touring in support of last year’s LP, “Little Bit of Everything.”

DISClaimer
by Robert K. Oermann

No cash this week, because there’s not a clunker in sight. Everybody is playing at the top of their game, especially the ridiculously talented Steve Wariner, Gene Watson and Darius Rucker. Programmers are going to hate this next sentence. All 10 of these platters deserve airplay. Polish off a DisCovery Award for Chris Heers. He is a native and resident of Las Vegas who plays clubs there. But he wisely came to Music City to record his Western Stars CD and its “Dirt Rich” single.

Billy Currington’s “People Are Crazy” is deservedly a nominee as CMA Single, Song and Video of the Year. Especially Song. So I was leery about a follow-up with a junky title like “That’s How Country Boys Roll.” But, surprise, it is groove soaked and highly listenable.

It is also the Disc of the Day.

BILLY CURRINGTON/That’s How Country Boys Roll

Writer: Billy Currington/Brad Jones/Dallas Davidson; Producer: Carson Chamberlain & Billy Currington; Publisher: Universal/Off My Rocker/EMI Blackwood/String Stretcher/Brad Jones/Words & Music, ASCAP/BMI; Mercury (CDX)

—It has a similar theme to the Randy Houser single (Dallas Davidson is a writer on both). But this has a much slinkier, rump-shaking groove. And Billy’s vocal rides atop the low thumping percussion with considerable finesse. Both performers are following up major hits (”Boots On” and “People Are Crazy,” respectively). Billy wins this round.

Billy Currington “That’s How Country Boys Roll”

Review by Matthew Fortuna

Billy Currington continues to sing all the right songs at all the right times and in all the right ways. The singer and songwriter isn’t as naturally talented as Keith Urban, nor as flashy as Kenny Chesney, and he doesn’t have the voice of Tim McGraw, but he can spin a country song out of nothing. Lately Currington has been a hitmaker with the best of country studs, and “That’s How Country Boys Roll” appears as though it will be just another notch in his belt.

The third single from Billy Currington’s 2008 album Little Bit of Everything, “That’s How Country Boys Roll” follows on the heels of the successful “Don’t” and “People Are Crazy,” and stands out as one of the album’s true rocker. Currington has offered enthusiastic love song with “Don’t,” reflective country life song with “People Are Crazy,” and now a prideful rocker about Southern life with “That’s How Country Boys Roll.”

The songwriter has reached the top 2 spots on the chart with four of his last six singles, and “That’s How Country Boys Roll” has a good chance at matching that feat. The song serves up a little more energy that Currington’s past two singles, and is guided by a forceful guitar riff throughout.

Currington’s vocals are distinct and capable, purely his own style, and the song has a line-dancing, square-dancing kind of rhythm. “Country Boys Roll” is sure to be a hit in country bars and dance parties, and the song is something to stand up and sing for country boys, and offers a little allure and sex appeal to those country women looking for country boys.

Some backing piano gives the song a little extra energy and edge, and the style and substance may remind fans of a little of the best of 1990s country honk, maybe a little vintage Billy Ray Cyrus. But Billy is no Billy Ray, and the singer continues expanding his extensive craft with every single, and fans will not be disappointed with his latest offering.

Persistence pays for musician Billy Currington

By JOHN GEROME, AP Entertainment Writer John Gerome, Ap Entertainment Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Billy Currington isn't crazy, but he is persistent.

Currington, whose No. 1 hit "People are Crazy" delivered him two Country Music Association Awards nominations this week, heard a demo tape of the song by chance, fell in love with it and started bugging a friend at Mercury Nashville about it.

"I called him up and said 'Tell me about this song,'" Currington recalled. "He said 'That song has already been recorded and 10 people are waiting in line who want to record it, so don't even worry about it.'"

But Currington did worry about it. Three or four weeks later, when it came time to go into the studio, he couldn't get the simple tune with the engaging story off his mind and decided to give it one last shot.

"I called him up again and asked for the status, and he let me know that the person who recorded it wasn't going to put it on their album. The publishing company said if I wanted to record it, go ahead."

Currington doesn't know — or isn't telling — who recorded the song first, but he says the list of singers he was told were interested included Alan Jackson, George Strait and Kenny Chesney.

Written by Bobby Braddock and Troy Jones, "People are Crazy" is about a young man who meets an older gentleman at a bar and gleans some wisdom from him about life ("God is great, beer is good and people are crazy").

Time passes, and one day the young guy sees the man's obituary in the newspaper and discovers that he was a millionaire who "left his fortune to some guy he barely knew."

The song draws to a close with Currington singing, "I drop by today just to say thanks and pray, and I left a six pack right there on his grave."

"The title alone was enough for me," says Currington. "But it was also the story itself and how lighthearted it was and how at the end it had a twist that would be hard not to make anybody smile. Who wouldn't want to meet a guy like that one night and end up with his fortune?"

The song could end up Currington's fortune. It's his fourth No. 1 hit and the fastest-rising single of his career.

On Wednesday, Currington was nominated for single of the year and video of the year for "People Are Crazy." The songwriters got a nod for song of the year.

Currington's other big hits include "Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right," "Good Directions" and "Don't."

"It's a slow process and it gets better every year," the 35-year-old Rincon, Ga., native says of his growing popularity. "I like it that way because I'm a fan of anything that goes slow. I'm as laid back as anyone you'll ever meet."

STORY BEHIND THE SONG
Two Guys Having Fun Equals a Hit

By Marianne Horner
August 31, 2009

When songwriter Troy Jones sat down to write with legendary tunesmith Bobby Braddock a few years back, an unexpected wave of emotion swept over him. “Bobby was one of my songwriting heroes,” Troy says, his voice thick with reverence. “I remember looking over at him and thinking, ‘I’m writing with Bobby Braddock!’” He gives a little laugh. “It was surreal.”

Troy, who wrote Kenny Chesney’s No. 2 hit “Shiftwork,” had a song title in mind when he sat down across from Bobby that day. “I had this germ of an idea. Riding down the road one day, I thought, ‘What are the three things you can’t argue with? Well, God is great...beer is good—and people are crazy!’ I thought, what if Bobby didn’t like the idea? I didn’t have anything else!” Troy laughs.

Bobby, whose hits range from the classic “He Stopped Loving Her Today” to Toby Keith’s “I Wanna Talk About Me,” did like it. “We started throwing lines back and forth at each other,” recalls Bobby. “We were just having fun writing it. We pretty much wrote it chronologically—we had to see how it ended!”

Troy remembers how they came up with the song’s unusual ending. “We’d written the first and second verses the first day we got together. When we got back together, Bobby said, ‘I’ve got an idea. Why don’t we make the old guy a millionaire—and instead of leaving his family the money, he leaves [the song’s main character] the money.’ I looked at him like he had three heads, and I’m thinkin’, ‘I don’t know...’ But then I just start nodding my head—‘Yeah! That sounds good to me!’”

“People Are Crazy,” recorded by Billy Currington, became Troy’s first No. 1 and Billy’s third chart topper. “I loved the title alone,” notes Billy. “When I first saw it, it made me smile.”

As for Troy, he’ll never forget a poignant moment that is forever linked with Bobby Braddock long before they wrote “People Are Crazy.” One of the first songs I ever wrote was a Joe Nichols song called “The Shade.” The morning Joe’s CD with that song on it came out, I went to my local Walmart in Alabama and bought me a copy.” Troy pauses, and once again, the voice thickens with emotion. “I came back out to my car and put the CD in, and I was looking at the credits on the cover...and Bobby Braddock had a song on it. I remember thinking, with tears in my eyes, ‘I’ve got one of my songs on a record with Bobby Braddock!’”

Billy Currington Gets 'Crazy' Praise from David Letterman

Posted Aug 20th 2009
by Beville Darden

Billy Currington received what might just be the compliment of a lifetime from a guy who doesn't pay too many compliments -- David Letterman. "This song is absolute perfection," the late night comedian gushed of 'People Are Crazy,' Billy's No. 1 hit single that he performed on 'The Late Show With David Letterman' on Tuesday.

"This song will change your life," Letterman continued. "You're not going to do any better than this song here. If I were the people running country music, I would shut it down now."

Watch video of Billy's 'Late Show' performance (with Letterman's glowing commentary!) after the jump.

Help save lives. Get a chance to earn a trip to the Grand Ole Opry!

Country Faces Cancer (CFC) is an industry-wide effort led by Great American Country's Nan Kelley, a proud lymphoma survivor. CFC will help raise awareness and support to advance the mission of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) through its Light The Night Walk.

Country music fans in partnership with their favorite country artist will make a difference in the lives of thousands of patients and their families!

Register to walk with the growing list of country music leaders already committed to the CFC effort

» pages.lightthenight.org

David Letterman GUSHES over Billy Currington’s song

August 19th, 2009

A bikini-clad Britney Spears did the Top Ten countdown on David Letterman’s late night show last night, but it was Billy Currington who got all the host’s love and attention.

Billy performed People are Crazy at the end of the show, but David went on a two-minute long rave about the song more than 30 minutes before Billy even hit the stage.

“This song is absolute perfection,” David told the audience. “You’re not going to do any better than this song right here and if I were the people running country music, I would shut it down now. Because you’re not gonna get any better than this.”

Letterman sidekick/music director Paul Shaffer said several times that he has never heard David gush about an artist as much as he did about Currington. “This song will be played on jukeboxes in bars for the next thousand years,” he continued. “People will be singing along with the song, people will get tattoos on their body with the lyrics of this song.”

Billy Currington is David Letterman's Hero

August 20, 2009
By Alison Bonaguro

It takes David Letterman a full three minutes to introduce Billy Currington. That's how much praise he has for Currington's latest hit, "People Are Crazy." In fact, Letterman is downright gushing like some kind of uber-fan, comparing the artistry of the tune to Michelangelo's "David" and predicting that people will one day be getting tattoos of the song's lyrics on their bodies. He says the song is absolute perfection and embodies everything you think about in life. But the best part of his sermon is when he says, "If I were the people running country music, I would shut it down right now. You're not gonna do any better." After Currington's fantastic performance, which was enhanced with a small gospel choir in the backing band, Letterman comes back out to say, "Oh my God. That's all you need to know. God is great. Beer is good. People are crazy. My hero, Billy Currington."

Billy Currington: Single and ‘Crazy’

By Katie Kauss
August 18, 2009

Country star Billy Currington has had a whirlwind summer. His single "People Are Crazy," spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard country chart and he's been rocking the stages all across the nation.

"We started playing that song live way before it was a single and we could tell then that people were loving that type of a song, they seem to like story songs. Since it has been [a single], it's just been crazy, Currington, tells PEOPLE.

When he's not on the road performing, the singer, who will appear on the Late Show with David Letterman Tuesday, hits the beach with his chocolate lab, Paco. "I'm a big ocean guy. I like kayaking, canoeing and surfing and hiking," he says.

Plus, Paco helps Currington, who is single, attracts some of the right kind of attention. He likes girls, he's crazy when girls come around," says Currington.

So what does the 35-year-old country star look for in a woman? "Sweetness, the simplest qualities."

‘People Are Crazy’ Makes Lucky #13 and #1 for Braddock and Jones

NASHVILLE, August 12, 2009 – Music Row revelers gathered to celebrate BMI legend Bobby Braddock and beloved BMI songwriter Troy Jones’ chart-topping collaboration “People Are Crazy,” Tuesday, August 11 at BMI’s Nashville offices. Recorded by platinum-selling Mercury Nashville recording artist Billy Currington and produced by award-winning BMI songwriter Carson Chamberlain, the droll tune marks Currington’s fourth #1 and is the most-played song on country radio so far this year. “People Are Crazy” is also Braddock’s 13^th climb to #1, while for paper-mill-worker-turned-hit-country-troubadour Jones, the song is his very first trip to the top.

(People Are Crazy #1 Trade Shot.JPG)

Pictured are (l-r): BMI’s David Preston, UMG Nashville’s Damon Moberly, Crozier Music’s Keith Crozier, producer Carson Chamberlain, co-writer Troy Jones, Billy Currington, co-writer Bobby Braddock, Sony ATV Music Publishing’s Troy Tomlinson, UMG Nashville’s Royce Risser, Carnival Music’s Travis Hill, BMI’s Jody Williams, Carnival Music’s Frank Liddell.

Photo by Drew Maynard

Broadcast Music, Inc.® (BMI) is an American performing right organization that represents more than 375,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers in all genres of music and more than 6.5 million works. BMI reported $901 million for its 2008 fiscal year in performing right collections. BMI has represented the most popular and beloved music from around the world for 70 years. The U.S. corporation collects license fees from businesses that use music, which it then distributes as royalties to the musical creators and copyright owners it represents.

Currington was taken to the hospital and suffered a minor concussion but is expected to make a full recovery. He has been released from the hospital and has returned to his home in Nashville. Currington’s bass player Alex Stevens was pinned under the wreckage of the stage for half an hour while rescue personnel removed debris to free him. Stevens underwent immediate surgery to repair a severed artery and nerves in his left arm and is currently receiving treatment in Nashville. Currington sent a message to his fans today via Twitter, "The boys and I are very grateful to be home and for life itself. We thank you for your prayers and concern and will see you on the road again soon." Currington also comments from his home in Nashville, "My heart goes out to the family of Donna Moore who was killed and all of the other fans who were hurt on Saturday."

Congratulations Billy Currington!

For three weeks in a row, Billy’s video “People Are Crazy” has been on GAC’s top 20 as the #1 video.

CLICK HERE to watch “People Are Crazy”

CMT PRESENTS “LARRY THE CABLE GUY'S HULA-PALOOZA CHRISTMAS LUAU”

Comedian’s Christmas Spectacular to Tape This Week in Nashville

90-minute Special Featuring Performances by Billy Currington and the Zac Brown Band Premieres November 20 on CMT

NASHVILLE – July 29, 2009 – It’s Christmas in July when LARRY THE CABLE GUY'S HULA-PALOOZA CHRISTMAS LUAU tapes this week in Nashville; the holiday special will premiere Friday, November 20 at 9:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m., ET/PT on CMT. Jack Records/Warner Bros. Records will release LARRY THE CABLE GUY'S HULA-PALOOZA CHRISTMAS LUAU on DVD after the CMT premiere, beginning Tuesday, November 24.

Returning this year to CMT, Larry’s 90-minute special includes such guest stars as Kenan Thompson (“Saturday Night Live”), Caroline Rhea, George Lindsey (“The Andy Griffith Show”), comedians Reno Collier and Jon Reep, Peter Oldring, Sara Erikson, the MuzikMafia’s Two Foot Fred, mentalist Marc Salem and returning favorites Tony Orlando and Angela Little MacKenzie (“Reno 911”). In addition to comedy and sketches, the special will include musical performances from artists including Billy Currington and the Zac Brown Band.

With his signature catchphrase, “Git-R-Done”, Larry the Cable Guy continues to sell out theatres and arenas across the United States. Larry’s most recent specials have included “Tailgate Party” which will air on Comedy Central in January of 2010 with a DVD release to follow, and “The Comedy Central Roast of Larry The Cable Guy” which garnered top ratings for the network. Larry has also starred in many films including “Witless Protection,” “Delta Farce,” “Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector” and he was the voice of ‘Mater’ in the Golden Globe winning animated feature film “Cars.” He is a platinum-selling recording artist and a two-time Grammy nominee.

A Parallel Entertainment and Taillight TV production, the special will be executive produced by JP Williams, CEO and founder of Parallel Entertainment, Larry the Cable Guy, and Taillight TV's Tom Forrest. Producers are Dave Higby, Jennifer Novak and Ben Tyson. Ryan Polito will direct. John Hamlin and Margaret Comeaux are executive producers for CMT.

Visit CMT's press-only web site www.cmtpress.com for more information.

CMT, a unit of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B), is the leading television and digital authority on country music and entertainment, reaching more than 88 million homes in the U.S. CMT and its website, CMT.com, offer an unparalleled mix of music, news, live concerts and series and is the top resource for country music on demand. The network’s digital platforms include the 24-hour music channel, CMT Pure Country, CMT Mobile and CMT VOD.

MTV Networks, a division of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world’s leading creators of entertainment content, with brands that engage and connect diverse audiences across television, online, mobile, games, virtual worlds and consumer products. The company’s portfolio spans more than 150 television channels and 350 digital media properties worldwide, and includes MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Harmonix, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Noggin, The N, AddictingGames, Neopets, COMEDY CENTRAL, Spike TV, TV Land, Atom, GameTrailers and Xfire.

BILLY CURRINGTON TAPPED FOR “LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN” PERFORMANCE

“PEOPLE ARE CRAZY” GOES #1 & MARKS FOURTH CHART TOPPER FOR CURRINGTON

NASHVILLE, TN – Multi platinum-selling Mercury Nashville recording artist Billy Currington will perform on CBS’ the “Late Show with David Letterman” Tuesday, August 18. Currington’s single “People Are Crazy” tops the charts this week, marking his fourth #1 and fastest-rising single of his career.

“Crazy” is the second #1 from Currington’s album Little Bit Of Everything, which is at #10 on Billboard’s Current Country Albums Chart and in the Top 40 on the Top 200. Album sales have been on the rise for 11 of the last 13 weeks and “Crazy” skyrocketed to the top taking only 19 weeks to best the list.

Currington made his country debut with his ‘03 self-titled album that spawned the powerful Top 10 hit “Walk A Little Straighter” and the Top 5 smash “I Got A Feelin’.” Then superstar Shania Twain heard the Georgia native’s soulful voice and chose him for the hit duet “Party for Two.” On his second and platinum-certified album Doin’ Somethin’ Right, Currington delivered an even more mature Southern sound of blues-tinged country songs including “Why, Why, Why,” which he co-wrote, and #1 hits “Good Directions” and “Must Be Doin’ Somethin’ Right,” the latter for which he won “Hottest Video of the Year” at the ’06 CMT Music Awards. October 14 ’08 his third album titled Little Bit Of Everything was released, and first single “Don’t” produced a #1 hit, as well as the second “People Are Crazy”. He’s co-written 19 of the 33 tracks off his three albums, has been nominated for a Country Music Association award, two Academy of Country Music awards and performed on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”, “Good Morning America” and “MARTHA”. He’s sold nearly 1.6 million albums, toured with Brad Paisley, Sara Evans and Trace Adkins and been chosen as People magazine’s “Sexiest Man”. He is currently on tour with Sugarland.

Billy Currington’s recent album, Little Bit of Everything, has been in the Top 10 on the Country Albums Chart the last two weeks, selling over 11,000 units each week. His current hit single from the album, “People Are Crazy”, is powering up for number one and testing extremely well. The end of the song features Currington whistling along with the music. Although Billy was just playing around, everyone agreed it fit the tune and should be left on. CLICK HERE to hear about it from Billy himself!

Currington brings hot country sound to fair
BY KATIE ANDERSON
7/11/09

Journal-Courier / David C.L. Bauer

Concert musician Billy Currington played for a capacity crowd of about 4,500 people Saturday at the Morgan County Fairgrounds.

Country heartthrob Billy Currington took to the stage Saturday night, capping off a week of events at the Morgan County Fair.

More than 4,200 people watched the performance and fair organizers reveled in the success.

The fair board started working last October to get Currington for the Saturday night spot.

“We know who’s going to be hot by the summertime,” said Chris Hesse of Variety Attractions, the company who aided the board in choosing a headliner.

As predicted, Currington’s song “People Are Crazy,” hit number four on the Billboard Hot Country chart this week. His album “Little Bit Of Everything” climbed into the top 10, up from the 12 spot the week before and it has been on the Billboard list for 38 weeks.

The crowd was filled with cowboy boot and blue jean skirt wearing fans. Hesse said the guitar-playing country singer brought devotees to Jacksonville from as far away as Wisconsin, Ohio and Minnesota.

Beth McIntire and her husband Jeff traveled from Bluffs to see the concert. Mrs. McIntire confessed Currington brought her back to the concert scene after 20 years away.

Both Mr. and Mrs. McIntire waited eagerly for Currington to play their favorite hits, “People Are Crazy” and “Walk A Little Straighter.”

Six-year-old Paige Hadden of Jacksonville was seated in the VIP section for the concert with her aunt Kristen Hadden of Chicago. She was happy to be at the fair hearing the man she “listens to on mom’s player.”

A few Jacksonville folks even got a chance to interact personally with the star.

Sue Becker and Mary Bates cooked lunch and supper for Currington and his band members before the show Saturday. The ladies prepared tacos, chicken and shrimp kebobs and side dishes.

“They were digging at it and kept going back for more,” said Bates.

Currington did a special favor for another fan.

He autographed a CD for Joyce Alexander, of Tuscola, so she could give it to her friend who is battling cancer.

NASHVILLE SKYLINE: CD Sales Down for Country, but Digital Downloads Up

New Releases Coming From George Strait, Carrie Underwood and Tim McGraw

July 9, 2009; Written by Chet Flippo

Nashville Skyline

(NASHVILLE SKYLINE is a column by CMT/CMT.com Editorial Director Chet Flippo.)

Not surprisingly, CD sales continued to decline in the first half of 2009. Alarmingly for the music industry, growth of sales of digital albums also declined. Billboard and Nielsen SoundScan report that combined sales thus far in 2009 of CD albums and digital albums are down 23 million units from the same period a year ago. (Digital albums include TEA -- track-equivalent albums, wherein 10 digital track sales equal one album.)

Country CD sales continue to slide, but download sales are up, with country leading all music genres in rate of increase in growth. Country album downloads increased to 2.35 million -- still a relatively low number, but the rise amounted to about 55 percent.

As expected, Taylor Swift's Fearless is the biggest-selling album of the year in any music genre, with 1.3 million CD copies sold in 2009. Fearless is currently selling about 5,000 digital downloads a week. Interestingly, Brad Paisley's American Saturday Night sold approximately 129,000 CDs in its debut last week and also notched 26,000 in digital sales.

This has been a comparatively lean year thus far for new country albums, especially by major artists. Albums are expected later this year from George Strait (Twang), Tim McGraw (Southern Voice) and an as-yet untitled album from Carrie Underwood. I'm particularly looking forward to Patty Loveless' Mountain Soul II, Rosanne Cash's The List (both in October) and Radney Foster's new studio album, Revival, coming in September.

Here is some music I've especially enjoyed thus far this year and that I find I keep going back to.

Brad Paisley, American Saturday Night: Of the major male country singer-songwriters, Paisley has proven to be the most adept at exploring the possibilities of modern country music. This is a solid work from beginning to end.

Billy Currington, "People Are Crazy": From out of the blue came one of the better songs of this year. And no wonder why: The song was co-written by Bobby Braddock, who has penned such works as "He Stopped Loving Her Today," "D-I-V-O-R-C-E," "Golden Ring" and "I Wanna Talk About Me." His co-writer is Wayne Jones, who includes Kenny Chesney's "Shiftwork" in his portfolio.

Buddy and Julie Miller, Written in Chalk: Two soulful songwriters and singers like no others. Add to that Buddy's musical virtuosity and you've got something special. More than once, I've heard a record producer say that the track he just finished recording on singer X will sound fine "once I rub some dirt on it." Buddy's music doesn't need dirt rubbed on it. It comes naturally from the soil.

Scott H. Biram, Something's Wrong/Lost Forever: This is, thankfully, unclassifiable. This is organic music that comes from dirt that's still crawling with worms. It's fascinating, dark music, unlike anything else you'll hear today. "Still Drunk, Still Crazy, Still Blue," the most accessible song on the album, would be a radio hit if there were any justice in the universe.

Holly Williams, Here With Me: One of the smartest singer-songwriters working today, she crafts believable story songs with life and depth to them. It's never been proven that the gift of songwriting is hereditary, but, then, her grandfather is Hank Williams.

The Parks, Born Into It: Real sawdust-on-the-floor Texas honky-tonk from a Texas father and son with some real heft to the music. You can't pretend with this stuff, and they're not fooling around.

Steve Earle, Townes: The student salutes the teacher with a tender reading of Townes Van Zandt's work. It's been said that Townes' music is an acquired taste for some. I say it's an acquired taste only if the listener has never developed an appreciation of good songwriting.

Loudon Wainwright III, High Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project (due Aug. 18): Charlie Poole has come to be regarded as country music's first outlaw. He did not write, but he was country's first great song interpreter. Besides being the early popularizer of the banjo, Poole explored the very dark side of country and mountain songs. The equally rakish singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III got over having his huge radio hit in 1973 with "Dead Skunk" and went on to a career of quirky, individualistic and often dark songs. Now, Wainwright has immersed himself in Poole's life and work, writing nine new songs about Poole and his life and times and music in this two-CD package. And the result of Wainwright's own interpretations of Poole's songs, as well as his story, is pretty impressive. The album title comes from one of Poole's expressions. He often said that he would like to go out "high, wide and handsome." He died at age 39 in 1931, as a result of a dissolute life.

Billy Currington’s current single, “People Are Crazy” is sitting at number 4 on the charts and climbing. The hit song is researching great and Little Bit of Everything jumped into the top 10 on the Country Albums Chart this week, selling 11,500 units. Billy is grateful he got to cut the song because it almost didn’t happen. LISTEN IN as Billy talks about finding “People Are Crazy”.

BILLY CURRINGTON SURPRISES ROANOKE FANS WITH “PEOPLE GET CRAZY” POST-CONCERT PARTY

NASHVILLE, TN – Mercury Nashville’s Billy Currington made a surprise visit to Corned Beef and Co. to play an additional set for Roanoke, Virginia fans following his opening gig on Sugarland’s “Love On The Inside” tour stop Friday, June 26 at the local Civic Center. Star Country 94.9/WSLC helped promote the post-concert party that drew out a crowd that lined up for blocks and maxed out the venue where Currington entertained for over an hour.

BILLY CURRINGTON VISITS GAC’S TOP 20

“PEOPLE ARE CRAZY” NEARS TOP OF RADIO & VIDEO CHARTS

NASHVILLE, TN – Mercury Nashville’s Billy Currington made a surprise visit to Corned Beef and Co. to play an additional set for Roanoke, Virginia fans following his opening gig on Sugarland’s “Love On The Inside” tour stop Friday, June 26 at the local Civic Center. Star Country 94.9/WSLC helped promote the post-concert party that drew out a crowd that lined up for blocks and maxed out the venue where Currington entertained for over an hour.

Catch Currington on GAC’s Top 20 Countdown Friday, July 10 at 7 and 11pmCT as he helps host Nan Kelley countdown the fans’ favorite videos. The fans have spoken and the “People Are Crazy” video nears the #1 spot this week, and holds strong at #4 on the radio charts.

Photo Credit: GAC

Billy Currington’s “People Are Crazy” is the #2 fan-voted video this week!

Be sure to catch Billy Currington’s interview on GAC’s Top 20 this Friday. The show airs July 10^th at 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. central standard time. The program will re-air thru July 13^th.

CMA SONGWRITERS SERIES RETURNS TO JOE'S PUB ON JULY 30

Billy Currington, Keith Follese and Jason Sellers Join Host Bob DiPiero for Signature Series

NASHVILLE - Now in its fifth year, the wildly popular CMA Songwriters Series will once again revisit New York City. Joe's Pub will host another night spotlighting several of Nashville's finest songwriters on Thursday, July 30 (6:30 and 9:30 PM/ET).

Hosted by Bob DiPiero ("Take Me As I Am" recorded by Faith Hill, "You Can't Take the Honky Tonk Out of the Girl" recorded by Brooks & Dunn, "Blue Clear Sky" recorded by George Strait, and "Gone" recorded by Montgomery Gentry), other participating songwriters include platinum-selling Mercury Nashville recording artist Billy Currington ("I Got a Feeling," "Why, Why, Why," and "Walk A Little Straighter," all recorded by Currington), Keith Follese ("Something Like That" recorded by Tim McGraw, "The Way You Love Me" recorded by Faith Hill, "Before You Kill Us All" recorded by Randy Travis, and "I Love You" recorded by Martina McBride), and Jason Sellers ("Strange" recorded by Reba McEntire, "Some People Change" recorded by Montgomery Gentry, and "I Still Miss You" recorded by Keith Anderson).

"We are proud to once again showcase a stellar roster of songwriters," said CMA Chief Executive Officer Tammy Genovese. "New York music fans know that the CMA Songwriters series is not to be missed, which is why each event continues to sell out quickly."

Tickets for the July 30 CMA Songwriters Series at Joe's Pub are $25 each. For information about Joe's Pub or to order tickets, visit www.joespub.com or call (212) 967-7555 between the hours of 10:00 AM and 9:00 PM/ET. Joe's Pub is located at 425 Lafayette St. in New York City. Official sponsors for the CMA Songwriters Series include American Airlines, ASCAP, BMI and Great American Country (GAC). American Airlines is the official airline of the CMA Songwriters Series.

GREAT AMERICAN COUNTRY TO PRESENT THE BEST OF “SOUNDSTAGE”

KENNY CHESNEY, SUGARLAND, MARTINA McBRIDE AMONG FEATURED ARTISTS

NASHVILLE, TENN (July 5, 2009) – Great American Country (GAC) is pleased to present the best of the legendary music television series, Soundstage, and will air 9 episodes – beginning with Sugarland July 12, 8:00 pm/eastern – that will feature many of country music’s top stars. The groundbreaking series aired from 1974 – 1985 before returning in 2003 and continues to feature outstanding high definition concert performances.

Shot at Grainger Studio in Chicago, Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush turn in an honest and emotional performance, treating viewers to hits including “Baby Girl,” “Stay” and their latest, “Joey,” as well as a few surprise covers.

“GAC is thrilled to be able to offer Soundstage to our viewers,” says Sarah Trahern, senior VP of marketing for GAC. “It remains a groundbreaking television concert series and will give fans a chance to see some of country music’s top stars perform in an intimate setting.”

Future Soundstage episodes include:

Alison Krauss + Union Station July 19

Trace Adkins July 26

Lee Ann Womack/Billy Currington August 2

Trisha Yearwood August 9

Travis Tritt/Nickel Creek August 16

Martina McBride August 23

Kenny Chesney August 30

George Jones Tribute (2 hours) September 20

CURRINGTON MAKES MUSICAL GRADE
By Julie Rosenbaum-Engelhardt

IF YOU GO

Who: Billy Currington
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Evansville's Riverfront
Tickets: A wristband is all that is needed to attend the headline concerts of the Freedom Festival. But upgrade to reserve preferred seating is $20 per night and $35 for both Friday and Saturday. (The Bacon Brothers and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy will perform Saturday).

Lucky for country music lovers that Billy Currington's aspirations to go to college and play football were thwarted by slipping grades in high school.

It might have been the best thing that ever happened to Currington, who will play a Freedom Festival concert on Evansville's Riverfront at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. The Bacon Brothers and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy will perform on Saturday.

"I was good and that's what I decided I was going to do," Currington said about football. "But when it didn't happen, I went into a pawn shop and bought a guitar."

He had no musical background to fall back on except singing in church.

"Mom and Dad listened to Willie Nelson and such," said Currington, a native of the Savannah, Ga., area. "I was listening to Def Leppard and that kind of music. However, I loved the blues and could listen to Patti LaBelle over and over. I fell in love with my guitar and music and headed up to Nashville."

Currington is regarded as having one of the most soulful voices in country music. His songs include a duet with Shania Twain, "Party for Two."

"She is one of the nicest, sweetest persons that I have ever met," he said.

Currington thoroughly enjoyed co-writing and singing "She's Got a Way With Me," with Michael McDonald, who gained international acclaim with the Doobie Brothers.

"Having the opportunity to share whatever it was — the studio in his house where we recorded the demo, the small room we wrote in, the conversations on the phone, the invitations to hang out together — all of those are among my favorite experiences," Currington said.

He considers himself a small-town guy and loves it back home, but said, "I love the city. New York makes me feel really alive."

His most recent CD, "Little Bit of Everything" is exactly that. "Heal Me" shows his blues talents. "People are Crazy," his March 2009 hit, is a real piece of country, a story song with a humorous twist. "Every Reason Not to Go" is a soft rock song in the vein of the Eagles.

"I never thought of a genre," Currington said. "I write the music and hope it appeals to everybody."

Currington is single and said he can see how a long-term relationship might be difficult when he's on the road 300 days a year. His favorite venue is the nearest House of Blues.

"You feel close to the people, and it has a wonderful feel to perform there," Currington said.

He has performed in Evansville before but couldn't pinpoint the date.

"I am looking forward to coming there and meeting those people," he said.

People Are Crazy; Braddock Is Good

Poet/Scribe Writes On

by David M. Ross

Bobby Braddock? His pen etches comedic lines like "Well, I bass quit sea horsing around or you folks will go into a state of shark!" and co-writes a serious

country classic such as "He Stopped Loving Her Today." Quirky might be a good place to start, followed by talented, innovative and compelling. Braddock's

induction into the prestigious Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame is proof that Music City's songwriter community also embraces those adjectives to describe

this writer's work. Over a career spanning 40+ years he has achieved 13 No. 1 singles. Last week I heard the lines, What brings you to Ohio? He said Damned if I know" followed by the chorus God is great, Beer is good and People are crazy. I wondered if Lakeland, Florida's songwriting legend had struck again. Turns out I was right —"People Are Crazy" sung by Billy Currington was co-written by Bobby Braddock and Troy Jones.

"A lot of times when people cowrite, one will often write more than the other," says Braddock. "But this was very cowritten, right down the middle with each of us pulling our weight. I had never met Troy, but we hit it off real well cause we both are originally from small Florida towns. He was nice enough to

invite me to write this. I want to be clear—'People Are Crazy' was his idea. I could have gone a million years and never thought of 'God is Great, Beer is Good, and People are Crazy.' Troy is a very clever fellow, he also wrote Kenny Chesney's 'Shiftwork.' 'People…' is so quirky that two or three people said, 'That's Braddock all over it,' but I said 'No, my co-writer is pretty quirky too and we have sort of the same sense of humor.' I was glad to get in on it."

Like most songs, "People Are Crazy" didn't go immediately from the demo session to the radio airwaves. "Yeah, it's been around a little while," Braddockadmits. "Chesney had cut it, but I think they felt it wasn't like any of the other songs on the project so it didn't get used. It sat around another year or so, but I just love this new record on it. Currington is the perfect artist for it." The song is about an old man (the Sage) and a younger man who meet in a bar and swap advice and stories about life and its travails. Surprisingly, the old man passes away and leaves his fortune to the man he met in the bar and hasn't seen since. Perhaps the magic in the song—in addition to the chorus—is the matter-of-fact conversational tone between the two men.

Braddock's career has flourished since the mid ’60s, but like all songwriters he has also had a few leaner years. "My first No. 1— D-I-V-O-R-C-E—was 1968," says

Braddock, who was one of country music's most prolific hitmakers during the ’70s. "When you're hot some people return your calls a lot quicker. But then I went from the early ’80s to 1991 without having a big hit and a lot of people thought I had just quit writing songs. Then I had several hits in the ’90s with Tracy Lawrence and Mark Chesnutt. I never sit around worrying about dry spells or asking 'When am I going to write another song?' because whenever I diligently pursue songs they usually come. For me the only thing I worry about is other people's perceptions."

CLICK HERE to read the rest of the interview with Bobby Braddock.

Billy Currington "Crazy" Over New Single

May 29, 2009 — Billy Currington edged his way into the Top 15 this week on the USA Today country singles chart with "People Are Crazy," a song that’s turned plenty of heads among his fans and in the business.

And Billy pretty much predicted that would happen. The hook — "God is great, beer is good and people are crazy" — has a simple, unique twist. And it even stands out in a list of songs.

"I loved the title alone," Billy told The Norfolk Daily News. "It's so true because we are all crazy in our own ways. When I first saw the title of the song, it made me smile. I just couldn't wait to hear it."

In the end, of course, one of the characters in the song dies, leaving a bundle of cash to someone he spoke to only once in a bar. It’s darkly humorous, but it’s also insightful about the human condition.

"You never know who you're talking to and how you affect them with whatever you said or did in that short time — and what's going to become of it after that," Billy noted. "In this case, the guy ends up with quite a few million dollars."

The "People Are Crazy" video currently ranks at No. 5 on GAC’s Top 20 Country Countdown. Billy will the song when he opens for Sugarland Friday in Kansas City and when he headlines Saturday at Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth.

Billy Currington finds messages in 'People Are Crazy'

By CARRIE PITZER
News Staff Writer

Billy Currington knew he had something special before he even listened to it. On a five-song sampler CD, "People Are Crazy" was nothing more than an intriguing song title.

Still, Currington had a special feeling. Now, he has a song in the top 20 and soaring.

"I loved the title alone. It's so true because we are all crazy in our own ways," Currington told the Daily News in a recent interview. "When I first saw the title of the song, it made me smile. I just couldn't wait to hear it."

The same goes for his fans. They'll hear that hit and plenty more Thursday when he performs at Qwest Center Omaha with labelmate Sugarland.

But it's what fans are hearing in the song that's intriguing Currington now. Although a simple song - "God is great, beer is good, people are crazy" - it offers a variety of subtle messages, Currington said.

In the song, a young man starts a conversation with an elderly man at a bar, talking "an hour or two about every girl we knew/What all we put them through/Like two old boys will do." They go their separate ways at closing and never see each other again, but the old man leaves his millions to "some guy he barely knew."

"There's a message of you never know who you're talking to and how you affect them with whatever you said or did in that short time - and what's going to become of it after that," he said. "In this case, the guy ends up with quite a few million dollars."

Currington said he's always tried to be conscious of treating people the same and not judging a book by its cover.


Although he's not sure who exactly first instilled that in him, Currington said he's always felt bad when someone is treated poorly.

"I remember seeing people who got picked on in school and how that used to tear me up," he said. "I've always tried to treat people as equals, and that's important. What you put out there in the world is what you will always get back. And that's a fact."

To compliment the simple song written by Bobby Braddock ("He Stopped Loving Her Today" and "D-I-V-O-R-C-E") and Troy Jones ("Shiftwork"), Currington wanted a laid-back video, showcasing the island life. Originally planned for Maui, the video shoot was moved to Treasure Key Island in the Bahamas - which offered a larger tiki hut bar along the ocean.

Directed by Blake McClure and Potsy - known simply as The Brads - who are part of TackleBox Films, the premiere music video company headed by award-winning director Shaun Silva, Currington said this video is his favorite.

"It felt so natural and in my own element. I grew up on an island but had never been to that part of Bahamas," he said. "It was so beautiful out there - colors, scenery and people I was with. It all came across on film."

Although the video shoot on the beach wasn't quite long enough for him, Currington laughed and said he's happy to be back on the road, which will take up about eight months of the year.

"The tour with Sugarland is so great. I've had more fun out here with this tour than on any tour I've been on. These people are so nice and run such a tight ship," he said. "They're very respectful and always concerned if they can do anything to help. It's a pretty big organization with those guys and a lot to be learned, so I've taken a lot of notes. I'm not taking this for granted. I'm very blessed to be out here."

Billy Currington at Cowboys in Kennesaw, GA

Billy Currington recently stopped by Cowboys Country Music Club in Kennesaw, GA to perform for a sold-out crowd, and Music News Nashville was there to capture it in photos.

http://www.musicnewsnashville.com/archives/photos/2009/bc/

Billy Currington - Still Doin' Something Right

by Jenny Delamotte

I was recently attacked by a sidewalk. I say attacked, but I really mean I was a klutz, fell down, and messed up my ankle so badly that I couldn’t go to Billy Currington’s concert at Cowboys in Kennesaw, Georgia. I was most aggravated at the thought at not getting to get to meet him for our scheduled interview when, suddenly, the phone rang.

“Hello Jenny?”

“Yes”

“This is Billy Currington, how are you?”

It was a location moment, one of those "you just had to be there" kind of things. We both had a laugh as I described myself tooling around the house in a wheelchair. There was some discussion about sending the tour bus for me, but instead I settled in for a long chat.

The soft spoken Currington put me at ease instantly. I began by asking him how it felt to be coming home.

“Well, home is about four hours from here. I was born in Savannah and grew up in Rincon, but you know how it is... there is just something about Georgia. It's all home to me.”

As much as he loves Georgia, though, traveling suits him just as well. He wistfully described the beauty he sees in the places he goes.

“I couldn't even begin to pick a favorite," he muses. "Oregon is just amazing. But then there is Washington. Oh, and of course, the west coast and the ocean. It’s all so beautiful.”

Strong words from a man who, himself, recently garnered a spot on Country Music Magazine’s list of the 10 Hottest Bachelors in Country Music. I asked him had that status changed, or were there any plans for the near future.

“No, I’m still single. Who knows what will happen? I’m just waiting for the right girl to come along.”

Billy grew up in a large family with four sisters and two brothers, but he explains they were all step-siblings. A quick Wikipedia search alludes to a not so great childhood for Currington. Family doesn’t seem to be a very comfortable subject for him, although as open and down to earth as he is I think he would have answered openly had I questioned him.

With that in mind I asked him about his decision to cancel his 2007 tour dates for ‘laryngitis’. Another article stated that he had used this time to get some help in dealing with his childhood demons.

“I was just so tired. We had played 200 dates a year for four years straight. I was exhausted.”

He didn’t work, sing, or write. He fished. He hung out at home. He rested. And if his latest release, ‘Little Bit of Everything’, is any indication, the well-deserved rest did wonders for him. (I am halfway through the first track, ‘Swimming In Sunshine’, at this writing and love it already!)

“We are now down to 130 shows a year, so it’s a lot better,” he said.

Our conversation eventually meandered back into familiar territory, and Currington’s demeanor brightened considerably when we start talking about music. I asked one of my favorite questions: what is the most played song on his iPod.

“That’s a good one”, he laughs. I hear him shuffling around, he is looking for his laptop to pull up his music.

“Here it is, a song called ‘What A Fool Believes’ by a gentleman named Michael McDonald.”

I had to laugh, knowing that Billy was only five years old when that song was released. Currington had the opportunity to work with McDonald on ‘She’s Got A Way With Me’ off of his 2005 release.

“He is a great man to record with. He’s just so experienced.”

Currington, himself, has significant experience in the industry. Along with being a gifted artist, he is also an accomplished songwriter. Some of his songs have been recorded by the likes of George Straight, Tracy Byrd, and Tracy Lawrence. Currington takes it all in stride, though, with an endearing ‘aw shucks’ attitude that is clearly genuine.

“Oh it‘s an amazing feeling," he says. "I am just very thankful. What a blessing!”

“When you headline a tour, who would be your dream opening act?” I asked.

“If I were headlining….” he trails off. “That’s another good question. Right now, in this moment, it would be a man named Dave Barnes. He has a song called ‘Grace’s Amazing Hands’ that the whole world should hear.”

(Being the thorough writer that I am, I took the advice and listened to the song. I concur with Billy’s assessment, and hope that one day I will get to meet Dave Barnes as well.)

By now, I had taken up more of Billy’s time than I had intended. However, I still had a couple of questions left for him.

“Who is Irwin Elephant?” I asked.

Those of you who follow Billy on Twitter will understand the question. (http://twitter.com/billycurrington)

(On May 22, Currington posted: "tickets under the name 'Irwin Elephant' tonight in Johnson City. First one here gets 'em. Peace. 5:48 PM May 22nd from Tweetie)

Billy laughs as he explains.

“My road manager does advance research on all the cities we play before we get there. Supposedly in Johnson City a long time ago an elephant got loose in the town and killed a couple of people. So they hunted down the elephant and brought him back to the center of town and hung it.”

The name of the town was Erwin, and the story is true.

“What would you be doing if you weren’t a country star?” I inquired.

“That’s easy, selling coconuts on a beach somewhere.” he replied.

I don’t think that will happen any time soon for him. After hearing all of ‘Little Bit of Everything,” it’s a pretty sure bet that Billy Currington will be busy on the radio and on the stage for a long time to come. I probably should have taken him up on the tour bus offer, wishing I could have been at the show to experience live what I've heard on the album.

For more about Billy Currington, visit: http://billycurrington.com/

Billy Currington’s latest album, released in October 2008, is a rollicking romp through and through. It is a solid follow up to 2005’s ‘Doin’ Something Right’. The album has already made it’s mark, charting at number 2 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs with ‘Don’t’.

Currington co-wrote five of the album’s tracks, including one titled ‘Every Reason Not To Go’ that has a great hook and a lot of melody. He channels Kenny Chesney’s laid back beach attitude in a couple of the tracks, like the first cut ‘Swimmin’ in Sunshine’. It is just a fun song, drum heavy with some nice harmonies in it.

He waxes philosophical on ‘People Are Crazy’, another song that has hit the Hot Country Song Chart at number 17. “God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy” is just one of those classic song lines that seems to sum it all up. Billy does some recitation in the song, and though I don’t think anyone can top Bill Anderson at that, Currington makes it work.

'Heal Me' is a slow and sultry song, and it feels like it might be a little personal to the artist. For that to come through in a song is pretty powerful.

With this effort, Currington proves he is here to stay. He is unflinchingly country, yet does the genre proud by proving there is life and music outside of honky tonk, although he does go there on 'That's How Country Boys Roll.' His vocals are flawless, he goes from romantic and slow to bad boy growl with ease.

This is one album that I can’t make a call on a ‘must listen’ song, because any of them would make for great airplay. Currington gets it all right, vocals, lyrics, melodies, and harmonies. This is one you will play again and again.

For more on Billy or to buy this CD, visit http://www.billycurrington.com

A live review of the country-pop act's concert on Daniel Island

by Greg Hambrick

Thurs. May 22 Family Circle Cup Tennis Center

We're sure that the well-lit umbrellas pulled from a travel trunk during the opening moments of Sugarland's set are consistent stage props for this year's tour — an umbrella was painted on the drum kit as well. But it was much more symbolic on Daniel Island on Thursday due to the silent prayers from the crowd that seemed to part the stormy skies just minutes before the popular country act took the stage.

Opening act Billy Currington was also lucky enough to get through his set during a break in the clouds. The deep-voiced, sexy-lookin' crooner largely stuck to the singles off of his three albums, including "People Are Crazy" and "Must Be Doing Something Right." He gave a slow, soulful rendition of Tracy Chapman's "Give Me One Reason" that got even those unfamiliar with his music singing along. But his fans were rewarded for the detour with "Good Directions," a much more high-energy performance than you'll find on the album that sent most of the crowd to their feet.

After a brief break to switch gear — and to offer the rain a little time to pour down — Sugarland opened their solid set with a triple-shot of "It's Love," "Settlin'," and "(Shhh) It Happens." Led by singer Jennifer Nettles and guitarist Kristian Bush, the band largely stuck to their high-energy material, with one necessary exception — the Grammy-winning "Stay."

The heart of the show came from the often super-animated and playful performances from Nettles and Bush. At one point, Nettles' dancing got a little too hot and heavy, and she joked, "That kind of dancing I don't get paid for, but I'm very good at it."

The stand-out performances were those you won't find on any album. A disco-dipped version of "Everyday America," came with a side of samples from Madonna's "Holiday," Flight of the Conchords' "Sugalumps," and the Emotions' "Best of My Love." The number was only narrowly outdone by a big-haired rendition of "Love Shack" that closed out the night. The rendition of the B-52's hit was the second number by Nettles' fellow Georgians, following an earlier rendition of "Nightswimming" by R.E.M.

But Nettles wasn't the only one proud of her stomping grounds. With the crowd already excitedly singing along to "Who Says You Can't Go Home," the screen at the back of the stage took a quick tour around the Lowcountry, with scenes from Shem Creek, downtown, and on the Cooper River bridge, sending the screams from the crowd up a few more decibels. —Greg Hambrick