Martina, Carrie and Lady A OH MY!!

So on Day 69 (before I leave) I got an email from Carrie Underwood's website stating that she would be performing at the Grand Ole Opry on June 7 along with Martina McBride, Lady Antebellum, Jerrod Nieman and others. So.. I quickly decided that this would be a great way to kick off the trip the first night I am there. My flight arrives at 2pm, so why not hit the ground running! ;) Very excited to be going back to the Opry. It was my favorite experience from the last time I was in Nashville. What a feeling to be in the same room that so many "greats" have been in! I was there before the Nashville flood, so I assume they restored it to almost it's original but it will be neat to see if there are any changes.

On another note:
The Academy of Country Music Awards are this Sunday! I will unfortunately miss the first hour or so of it, but my DVR is already set! :) The following are the nominees... I have highlighted my picks! We'll see how close I come to getting it right! ;)

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

•  Jason Aldean

• Toby Keith

•  Miranda Lambert

• Brad Paisely

•  Taylor Swift

•  Keith Urban

TOP MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

•  Jason Aldean

•  Brad Paisley

•  Blake Shelton

• George Strait

• Keith Urban

TOP FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR *Sidenote* SOO hard for me to pick one here! :)

•  Miranda Lambert

• Reba McEntire

• Taylor Swift

• Carrie Underwood

• Lee Ann Womack

TOP VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR

• the JaneDear girls

• Joey + Rory

• Montgomery Gentry

• Steel Magnolia

• Sugarland

TOP VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR (again hard for me to pick)

• Lady Antebellum

• Little Big Town

• Randy Rogers Band

• The Band Perry

• Zac Brown Band

ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company] (TIE)

• Hemingway's Whiskey - Kenny Chesney (BNA) Produced by: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney

• Need You Now - Lady Antebellum (Capitol Records Nashville) Produced by: Lady Antebellum, Paul Worley

• The Guitar Song - Jamey Johnson (Mercury) Produced by: Arlis Albritton, Dave Cobb, The Kent Hardly Playboys

• Speak Now - Taylor Swift (Big Machine Records) Produced by: Nathan Chapman, Taylor Swift

• Up On The Ridge - Dierks Bentley (Capitol Records Nashville) Produced by: Jon Randall Stewart

• You Get What You Give - Zac Brown Band (Southern Ground / Roar / Bigger Picture / Atlantic) Produced by: Zac Brown, Keith Stegall

SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company] (TIE) (again hard to pick!!)

• "A Little More Country Than That" - Easton Corbin (Mercury) Produced by: Carson Chamberlain

• "As She's Walking Away" - Zac Brown Band Featuring Alan Jackson (Southern Ground / Roar / Bigger Picture / Atlantic) Produced by: Zac Brown, Keith Stegall

• "If I Die Young" - The Band Perry (Republic Nashville) Produced by: Paul Worley

• "Love Like Crazy" - Lee Brice (Curb Records) Produced by: Lee Brice, Doug Johnson

• "The Boys Of Fall" - Kenny Chesney (BNA) Produced by: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney

• "The House That Built Me" - Miranda Lambert (Columbia Nashville) Produced by: Frank Liddell, Mike Wrucke

SONG OF THE YEAR [Award to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]

• "A Little More Country Than That" - Easton Corbin Composers: Rory Lee Feek, Don Poythress, Wynn Varble Publishers: A Sling And A Prayer Music (ASCAP), Chrysalis One Music (ASCAP), Don Poythress Songs (ASCAP), Precious Flour Music (BMI), Universal Music-MGB Songs (ASCAP), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI)

• "As She's Walking Away" - Zac Brown Band Featuring Alan Jackson Composers: Zac Brown, Wyatt Durrette Publishers: Angelika Music (BMI), Weimerhound Publishing (BMI)

• "If I Die Young" - The Band Perry Composer: Kimberly Perry Publishers: Pearlfeather Publishing (BMI), Rio Bravo Music, Inc. (BMI)

• "Love Like Crazy" - Lee Brice Composers: Tim James, Doug Johnson Publishers: Mike Curb Music (BMI), Sweet Radical Music (BMI), T-Bird's Music (BMI), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI)

• "The House That Built Me" - Miranda Lambert Composers: Tom Douglas, Allen Shamblin Publishers: Built On Rock (ASCAP), Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (BMI), Tomdouglasmusic (BMI)

VIDEO OF THE YEAR [Award to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)] *(Off Camera Award)

• "Hillbilly Bone" - Blake Shelton Featuring Trace Adkins Producer: Randy Brewer Director: Roman White

• "Only Prettier" - Miranda Lambert Producer: Trent Hardville Director: Trey Fanjoy

• "Stuck Like Glue" - Sugarland Producer: Tony McGarry Director: Declan Whitebloom

• "The Boys Of Fall" - Kenny Chesney Producer: Don Lepore Director: Shaun Silva

• "The House That Built Me" - Miranda Lambert Producer: Trent Hardville Director: Trey Fanjoy

VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company] (Off Camera Award)

• "As She's Walking Away" - Zac Brown Band Featuring Alan Jackson (Southern Ground / Roar / Bigger Picture / Atlantic) Produced by: Zac Brown, Keith Stegall

• "Blue Sky" - Emily West Featuring Keith Urban (Capitol Records Nashville) Produced by: Mark Bright

• "Coal Miner's Daughter" - Loretta Lynn, Sheryl Crow and Miranda Lambert (Columbia Nashville) Produced by: John Carter Cash, Patsy Lynn Russell

• "Cold Beer" - Colt Ford Featuring Jamey Johnson (Average Joes) Produced by: Shannon Houchins, Jared Scuillo, Justin Spillner

• "Good To Be Me" - Uncle Kracker Featuring Kid Rock (Top Dog/ Atlantic / Bigger Picture) Produced by: Kid Rock

Well, that's quite a group!! So excited to see the outcome! :) Let's face it... I'm obsessed!

Getting Ready, Gearing Up & Counting Down!

Welcome!
As cheesy as it sounds I'm starting a blog about my trip to Nashville, TN in June to the 2011 CMA Music Festival, and a week in Music City. This will be my first "big girl" trip or rather one of the longest trips without my parents tagging along! I went to Nashville for the first time in the summer of 2008. When I was there I realized that I was living in the wrong southern city. I was already obsessed with country music and it's talented artists, but actually seeing and being in the place it was born is incredible! So I'm so excited and greatful for the opportunity to go back! While I'm there I am going to try to update the blog daily. Mainly because my memory may fail me, and I'd like to have written documentation of what I visited, saw, experianced etc.

Gearing Up:
In way of preparation I have taken off my week of work! It felt great to put down 8 days of PTO for my "grown up" vacation! :) I have bought my plane ticket! I've actually had it since Jaunuary before the gas prices soared and the tickets got expensive! Glad I made that decision early! I'm flying Southwest out of Greenville/Spartanburg and I'm excited to how the operation goes since the hub is new to SC! So far I'm a fan... I have a direct flight to and from with 2 free checked bags for a decent rate! :) So thankful I do not have to worry about connecting and lost luggage etc. it'll be like getting on a shuttle. Perfect!
I have started to buy/get together clothes to take! Of course that would be something important on my list to get taken care of 3 months early! ;) I'm excited that I've lost (and continue to lose) enough weight to buy shorts! Goal accomplished! I've also got a few cute sundresses that match my cowgirl boots perfect to wear! Very excited! :D

Counting Down:
Obviously, I'm still 70 days away putting my feet on the ground in Nashville. But I thought I'd use the blog to post other ways I'm getting ready, and my other random ramblings about my obsession with country music! I constantly have a song in my head and hear a new song just about everyday that catches my attention so I thought I'd post lyrics, artist, songs etc. that I am currently interested in. I've tried (and failed) several times to keep a blog, so I am attempting to learn the ins and outs of keeping one before I try to keep one on my trip. Any tips or help with creativity is welcome, so please let me know if you are a blog guru so I can learn from you! So, follow if you like for some "Notes" from Nashville. :) Who knows maybe one day (hopefully sooner than later) I'll live there, not just visit, and the "Notes" will actually come from Nashville, instead of good 'ole SC! ;)