Music News From ABC News Radio - Country

Rascal Flatts Headlining Run of Shows in Europe Next Month

Music News Group — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:00:41 +0000

Big Machine RecordsRascal Flatts won't be lounging around the pool during the two-week break from their Live & Loud North American tour next month. Instead, they're playing a run of shows in Europe, including a two-night stand in London.

The Flatts will also deliver their first performances ever in Norway, Sweden and Ireland on this trek, kicking off July 5. They'll play seven shows in all on the European run. The dates:

7/5 -- Vinstra, Norway, Country Music Festival Vinstra
7/6 -- Gothenburg, Sweden, Tradgam
7/7 -- Stockholm, Sweden, Cirkus
7/10-7/11 -- London, England, Shepherd's Bush Empire
7/13 -- Killarney, Ireland, INEC
7/14 -- Dublin, Ireland, Olympia Theatre

Country Singer Slim Whitman Dead at Age 90

Music News Group — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:47:03 +0000

Slimenet.comCountry singer Slim Whitman died at age 90 Wednesday in Jacksonville, FL. Best known for his 1952 hit, "Indian Love Call," Whitman joined the Grand Ole Opry cast in 1955. He earned a string of top 10 hits between 1952 and 1971, including his final hits, "Guess Who" and "Something Beautiful (to Remember)."

Whitman was also a star overseas with his single "Rose Marie" spending 11 weeks at #1 in England in 1954. His song, "Closer to the Waterfall," was used in the 1977 film Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and "Indian Love Call" was featured in the 1996 movie Mars Attacks!

Whitman was also widely known for selling his albums via telemarketing in the 1980s. That effort reportedly led to millions of album sales.

Tim McGraw to Perform at 19th Annual Music Festival for Mental Health

Music News Group — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:00:41 +0000

Big Machine RecordsTim McGraw has signed on to perform at the 19th Annual Music Festival for Mental Health at the Staglin Family Vineyard in Napa Valley, CA on September 8. The year event raises millions for research to find cures to brain disorders, and that cause hits close to home for Tim. He is the honorary chairperson of the Tug McGraw Foundation, an organization raising money for the fight against brain cancer, traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Tim says, "I meet returning troops every night out on the road and a lot of them are living with invisible wounds like PTSD or other traumatic brain injuries. The Tug McGraw Foundation is doing great work to help combat these disorders and the stigmas attached to them."

For more information, go to Music-Festival.org.

Why Everyone Thinks John Mayer's New Song Is About Taylor Swift

Andrea Dresdale — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:01:04 +0000

Facebook.com/JohnMayer; ABC/Lou RoccoJohn Mayer's new single "Paper Doll" was released on Tuesday, and immediately, speculation began that the song was John's response to Taylor Swift's alleged song about him, "Dear John." Why? Let's look at the evidence.

First of all, people are pointing to the line in "Paper Doll" where John sings "Here's a dress of gold and blue/sure was fun being good to you." This is significant, they say, because in "Dear John," Taylor referred to herself as "the girl in the dress."

Next, in the chorus, John sings, "You're like 22 girls in one/ And none of them know what they're running from." Not only did Taylor release a song called "22" not long ago, but in "Dear John," she sings, "I'll look back and regret how I ignored when they said run as fast as you can."

Finally, in "Paper Doll," John sings, "And if those angel wings don't fly/ Someone's gonna paint you another sky." People say this is an answer to Taylor's line in "Dear John" where she sings, "You paint me a blue sky and go back and turn it to rain."

Of course, all of this is pure guesswork. Taylor herself won't even admit that "Dear John" is about John, and called him "presumptuous" in Glamour magazine for thinking that it was. Last year, John told Rolling Stone that "Dear John" "humiliated" him.

"It made me feel terrible," he said at the time. "Because I didn't deserve it. I'm pretty good at taking accountability now, and I never did anything to deserve that. It was a really lousy thing for her to do." He added, "It's abusing your talent to rub your hands together and go, 'Wait till he gets a load of this!'"

Country Star Trivia

Music News Group — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:01:03 +0000

Comstock/ThinkstockWhat is Keith Urban's middle name? Lionel.

Nashville Notes

Music News Group — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:01:04 +0000

Burke/Triolo Productions/ThinkstockLittle Big Town performs "Your Side of the Bed" on ABC's The View Wednesday.

Hunter Hayes, Kacey Musgraves and Lauren Alaina are among the artists who made the cut on Seventeen magazine's new Hottest Country Singers! list at Seventeen.com.

Thompson Square's Keifer Thompson on the Road to Full Recovery from Vocal Problems

Music News Group — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:01:03 +0000

Stoney Creek RecordsThompson Square's Keifer Thompson is recovering nicely from some vocal problems that forced the duo to cancel several shows. A hemorrhage and polyp on Keifer's vocal cords has sidelined the duo for the last few weeks, but his doctor says he's making big strides in his recovery after two weeks of total silence.

Keifer says, "I had a really bad hemorrhage, and it's completely healed, resolved, and the polyp is about 70 percent down, so they don't want to do surgery now."

His vocal problem had been mounting for the last 10 months, but Keifer ignored the pain in his throat on night after night thanks to the energy he got from the fans. Eventually, Keifer said the pain got so bad after a full concert, it felt like someone was stabbing him in the throat after a show.

"I've never had any formal training or anything like that," Keifer explains. "So, I've kinda just done it on what my heart felt like, and it wasn't always right, apparently. After doing it for so many years and so many hours and songs, it just catches up with you, you know?"

Keifer is now working on getting rid of a few bad vocal habits and learning to sing properly.

He says, "You can still sing soulfully and with power and not scream and grow polyps."

Fortunately, Keifer had a few singing friends like Keith Urban and Gary Allan who have been through similar vocal issues. Their advice and encouragement helped him through this rough patch, and he's grateful to them for reaching out.

Living with Keifer while he was silent for two weeks was quite an adventure for his wife and duo partner, Shawna Thompson. They even had a system in place in case they got separated from each other in a big place like the grocery store.

Shawna says, "He would be far away from me, and I couldn't find him 'cause he couldn't speak, and I couldn't call him. So, we had this whistle thing that we would do as we walked around the store to find each other."

Keifer says with a laugh, "It was like Marco Polo."

Ironing out disagreements was interesting in the two weeks Keifer was silent as well.

He explains, "What's fun is fighting when you can't talk. That's pretty funny. You get really animated."

Keifer expects his doctor to tell him Wednesday when he can perform again. We'll keep you posted when Keifer and Shawna return to the road.

Keith Urban Working Feverishly to Finish New Album, "Fuse," Before Launching Light the Fuse Tour

Music News Group — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:00:59 +0000

Capitol NashvilleKeith Urban is a busy, busy man these days. He's feverishly working to finish his new studio album, Fuse, before going into tour rehearsals for his Light the Fuse tour, launching July 18 in Cincinnati. Wrapping up the recording process isn't just a matter of Keith buckling down and getting it done: he has to coordinate a lot of other musicians' schedules too.

Says Keith, "The challenge has been in trying to finish an album that is complex in its collaborative, in the amount of people that I've collaborated with. I've got to land the plane."

Luckily, Keith has great people on his team to make sure the tour rehearsals go smoothly in the next few weeks.

"My musical director, Chris McHugh, is fantastic," Keith says. "Travis Shirley, who is the production designer for this tour, is excellent. We just toured Australia together, so he has a lot of components that we had in that tour that we can use in this one."

Even though Keith worked out a lot of elements for his U.S. tour while Down Under, he still leaves room to add new elements to his show, right up until he hits the stage.

Says Keith, "Historically, we put something together, and I'm like, 'That's the tour. It's perfect.' And then a week before the tour, I get some crazy idea that I want to do this, or do that and do this. So, I've learned that it's best to have a malleable production that can accommodate those things at a moment's notice."

Little Big Town and Dustin Lynch join Keith on the Light the Fuse tour this summer. The lead single from Fuse, "Little Bit of Everything," is now climbing the country chart. The album will be in stores September 10.

George Jones' Widow Moving Forward with Biopic Plans on Late Country Legend

Music News Group — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 01:00:15 +0000

Webster PRGeorge Jones' widow Nancy Jones is moving forward with plans to turn the late country star's life into a feature film. George and Nancy had been working with Dennis L. Baxter and 28 Entertainment for the past six years to get the story right.

Nancy says, "Knowing George had input in this film and that it will be told the way he wanted it told, I feel we are in good hands to collaborate with 28 Entertainment as we move forward with production."

Country Music Hall of Fame member George Jones passed away on April 26 at age 81.

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The Band Perry Had to Earn Their Spot in the Family Group

Music News Group — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 01:00:12 +0000

Republic NashvilleYou might assume that the three members of The Band Perry automatically got into the group because they're siblings, but that isn't the case. It turns out their parents put them through an audition process while forming the family band.

The Perry siblings tell the U.K. website Female First, "Our parents, who are the 4th and 5th invisible members of The Band Perry, told us when we were younger that we would never be a part of the band because our last name is Perry. We had to earn our spot on stage and grow into our various roles."

The Band Perry is now celebrating their 14th year on the road. They'll take the stage in Cullman, AL on Friday night.

Zac Brown Band Members Playing Separate Solo and Group Sets at Southern Ground Festival

Music News Group — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:00:00 +0000

Southern GroundThe Zac Brown Band prides themselves on featuring up-and-coming acts at their Southern Ground Music & Food Festival in Nashville, and some of those acts will look very familiar to the band's fans. Group member Clay Cook will turn in a solo set at the event, and his band mate John Driskell Hopkins will perform with the Mosier Brothers Band. ZBB's Coy Bowles will also play a set with his band, The Fellowship.

Willie Nelson, Eli Young Band and Kacey Musgraves are among the other acts performing at the Southern Ground Music & Food Festival September 27 and 28 in Nashville. Tickets are available at SouthernGroundFestival.com.

Florida Georgia Line Helps Raise $100,000 for Middle Tennessee Food Bank

Music News Group — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:00:00 +0000

Republic NashvilleFlorida Georgia Line and Nelly's appearance at this year's Stars for Second Harvest benefit concert helped raise a record-breaking $100,000 for Middle Tennessee's Second Harvest Food Bank. The event took place June 4 at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium. Ronnie Dunn was also on the bill.

In the last nine years, the Stars for Second Harvest concert has raised more than $611,000 to feed hungry people in Tennessee. That figure translates into more than 2.4 million meals served.

Kid Rock to Host CMT's "20 Greatest Redneck Videos Countdown" June 29

Music News Group — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:58:42 +0000

Atlantic RecordsCMT is counting down the 20 Greatest Redneck Videos with a little help from Kid Rock on Saturday, June 29. He hosts the hour-long special on board his fourth annual Chillin' the Most cruise. Kid will also give a sneak preview during the show of his new "Redneck Paradise Remix" featuring Hank Williams, Jr.

Clips from Blake Shelton, Toby Keith, Jason Aldean and Kenny Chesney are included in the Redneck countdown. Randy Houser, Brantley Gilbert and Trace Adkins are among the stars offering commentary throughout the show.

Brantley Gilbert Shares Secrets for Getting Brass Knuckles and Chains Through Airport Security

Music News Group — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Valory Music CompanyBrantley Gilbert never leaves the house without his brass knuckles and wallet chain, but those potential weapons are a no-go when going through airport security. That's why Brantley packs all that hardware in his checked bags when flying to a show. He's even found a way to disguise his brass knuckles in the baggage thanks to the handy knob on one end.

Brantley tells ABC News Radio, "You can use it for a belt buckle, and I hook it to a belt, and that's how I get my brass knuckles everywhere."

Like a lot of travelers, Brantley dresses for comfort while flying.

He says, "I wear sweat pants and a t-shirt to the airport."

Hopefully, Brantley will get to fly somewhere fun for his honeymoon with fiancée Jana Kramer. They've set a wedding date, but they're keeping that date private.

Country Star Trivia

Music News Group — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Comstock/ThinkstockCarrie Underwood plays a church youth pastor in which Hawaiian-set movie? ANSWER: Soul Surfer.

Nashville Notes

Music News Group — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:00:42 +0000

Burke/Triolo Productions/ThinkstockKip Moore will perform on Fox News' Fox & Friends Friday morning.

Hunter Hayes will sing "I Want Crazy" with finalist Danielle Bradbery and Florida Georgia Line and Nelly will perform the "Cruise" remix on the season finale of NBC's The Voice Tuesday night at 9 p.m. ET.

Carrie Underwood and husband Mike Fisher have put their home in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on the market for a cool $2.2 million. A video of the property has been posted on YouTube.

Justin Moore, Dustin Lynch and Cassadee Pope Performing at Brickfest Music Festival July 27 and 28

Music News Group — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:00:41 +0000

Valory Music CompanyJustin Moore, Dustin Lynch and Cassadee Pope are among the stars performing at the Brickfest Music Festival at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway July 27 and 28. Justin is set to perform after the Indiana 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the Pagoda Plaza Stage on July 27.

On July 28, Dustin, Cassadee and newcomers The Cadillac Three will perform for fans before the Crown Royal Presents the “Your Hero’s Name Here” 400 at the Brickyard race gets underway. Justin Moore will perform a mini-concert prior to the race, and Cassadee will sing the national anthem.

The concerts are free with admission to the track for each day. For tickets, go to IMS.com/Tickets.

Hunter Hayes Gets a Musical Do-Over on "Hunter Hayes (Encore)," Now in Stores

Music News Group — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:00:40 +0000

Warner Music NashvilleA lot of artists would love to go back and change things about their debut albums after they've had a few years out on the road. Hunter Hayes is one of the rare artists who actually gets to do that tweaking on the expanded edition of his debut album, Hunter Hayes (Encore), now in stores. The project features re-recorded versions of three songs from that album, and Hunter didn't have to think hard about which tracks he wanted to rework.

He tells ABC News Radio, "I was like, 'OK, well, these are the songs that I absolutely don't want to listen this way anymore. (Laughs) And these are the songs I have to change or else I'm going to go crazy.'"

Since Hunter played every part on his debut album, he wanted to work with other musicians and singers for the new and re-recorded tracks. The new version of "What You Gonna Do" features duet partner Ashley Monroe.

"She was absolutely perfect for it," Hunter says of Ashley's vocal contribution. "It needed a new thing, a new light, a new look, a new feel. And she absolutely provided the inspiration for a totally new re-record."

Hunter also welcomed Jason Mraz for the new version of "Everybody's Got Somebody but Me." The two met at the Grammy Awards earlier this year, and Jason agreed to record with Hunter because of the country star's musicality.

Jason explains, "What I find in this genre is an intense musicality, especially from the songwriters who can dig into their instruments and dig into melody and dig into story and dig into spirit. I dig on that."

As for the new songs on (Encore), Hunter thinks his fans will notice a maturity in the lyrics he's been writing since the debut project came out in October 2011.

Hunter says of the new material, "It takes on more depth, and I think lyrically a couple of these songs did that 'cause they were written after the record. And so, musically, I felt like we needed to sort of search for that as well."

Hunter Hayes (Encore) features his latest hit, "I Want Crazy." Hunter is celebrating the new release with a show at New York City's Webster Hall Tuesday night. The concert will be streamed live at MTV.com.

Brad Paisley to Be Featured on E! News's "Inside Track Summer Concert Series"

Music News Group — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 01:00:54 +0000

CMABrad Paisley is giving E! News a behind-the-scenes look at his Beat This Summer tour for their new E!'s Inside Track Summer Concert Series. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the feature will begin Friday at 7 p.m. ET with footage from Pitbull and Ke$ha's recent concert in Detroit. Matchbox Twenty, New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys are among the other acts taking part in the series.

Concert and backstage footage from Brad's June 22 show in Tampa, FL will be shown on the Summer Concert Series soon.

Little Big Town Reacts to Daytime Emmy Win, Announces Wednesday Performance on "The View"

Music News Group — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:00:40 +0000

Sandbox EntertainmentLittle Big Town can't believe they now have an Emmy Award to display next to their Grammy, CMA and ACM trophies. The group won the Outstanding Original Song category at Sunday night's Daytime Emmy Awards for "Good Afternoon America," the theme song to ABC's Good Afternoon America.

Little Big Town's Karen Fairchild says, "We are freaking out right now. Winning a Daytime Emmy award is something that we could have never imagined and we are incredibly excited and honored!"

Little Big Town returns to daytime TV Wednesday on ABC's The View, where they'll perform their latest single, "Your Side of the Bed." The group's Kimberly Schlapman will also show off food she's created herself in The View's "Ladies Who Lunch" segment that day. Kimberly hosts her own cooking show, Kimberly's Simply Southern, on GAC.

Kenny Chesney Doesn't Let the Rain Dampen Spirits at His Kansas City Show

Music News Group — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:00:40 +0000

Sony/Blue Chair RecordsKenny Chesney didn't let a little bad weather keep him from partying with more than 50,000 fans Saturday night in Kansas City, MO. Despite a torrential downpour that delayed the show's start time by 30 minutes, Kenny went on with the concert at Arrowhead Stadium.

He says, "Obviously, we never want anyone to be in danger, but we know lots of people plan trips to come together for one of these shows -- and you hate for them to lose their travel, their hotels."

Kenny admits he didn't want to miss out on playing for the Kansas City crowd, either. "The fans at Arrowhead Stadium are some of the loudest we play to every year!" Kenny explains.

Kenny's No Shoes Nation tour heads to Pittsburgh's Heinz Field this coming weekend.

Dierks Bentley Hosting Live Chat Monday from "Bourbon in Kentucky" Video Shoot

Music News Group — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:00:18 +0000

Greenroom PRDierks Bentley will host a live chat with his fans Monday from the set of his new video, "Bourbon in Kentucky." The shoot is taking place in Nashville, and you can take part in the chat starting at 7 p.m. ET at Dierks.com/Stream.

"Bourbon in Kentucky" is the lead single from Dierks' new album, Riser, due out this fall. The song features Kacey Musgraves on background vocals.

Taylor Swift Says Her Perfumes Have Moved from "Fantasy" to "Reality"

Music News Group — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:00:33 +0000

Photo Credit: Sarah BarlowTaylor Swift has created three perfumes for women: Wonderstruck, Wonderstruck Enchanted, and her brand-new scent, Taylor by Taylor Swift. Why hasn't she done one for guys? Maybe it's because how men smell isn't something she's really focused on.

Asked by People magazine whether she prefers guys who wear cologne, or guys who just go au naturel, Taylor replied, "I’d just prefer them to be good people. I’ll start with that.”

As for her new perfume, Taylor says it represents a break from the "day-dreamy, romantic kind-of departure, in a kind of a dream land" feel of Wonderstruck and Wonderstruck Enchanted. Instead, she says, Taylor by Taylor Swift is a bracing dose of the real world.

"There’s been sort of a progression between fantasy and reality," explains Taylor, "I think this perfume just really follows that progression. It would take place in my day-to-day life if that makes sense...it’s sort of who I am and embodies my personality and my style."

Taylor feels the same way about her current RED tour -- she recently explained that she rejected the fairytale themes of her last tour for more edgy, modern costumes and sets that feel like they're actually happening in a city, in the present day, rather than in some kind of enchanted castle.

The Band Perry Proudly Continues Country Music's Big Hair Tradition

Music News Group — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:00:55 +0000

Facebook.com/TheBandPerryThe Band Perry's Kimberly, Reid and Neil Perry are all blessed with very full heads of hair, and it takes some effort to put every strand in place before hitting the stage.

While Kimberly admits she travels with more hair products than her brothers, she still gets her hair fixed in a timely manner. As for who's the slowest, Kimberly tells The Boston Globe, "Neil does take the longest to get ready."

When it comes to who has the best hair in the band, Kimberly gives that honor to her brother Reid. "Everybody tells us that," she says. "I've come to terms with it."

The Band Perry will be rocking their big hair at a show in Cullman, AL this Friday.

Country Star Trivia

Music News Group — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:00:49 +0000

Comstock/ThinkstockKellie Pickler is married to one of Nashville's top songwriters. What is his name? ANSWER: Kyle Jacobs.

Trisha Yearwood, Little Big Town Win Daytime Emmy Awards

ABC News Radio — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:01:17 +0000

Vector ManagementCongratulations to Trisha Yearwood and Little Big Town on their Daytime Emmy wins Sunday night. Trisha's Food Network show, Trisha's Southern Kitchen, tied for the Outstanding Culinary Program trophy with another show on that network, The Best Thing I Ever Made.

Little Big Town took the Outstanding Original Song category for their song, "Good Afternoon," the theme from ABC's Good Afternoon America.

Nashville Notes

Music News Group — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:01:07 +0000

Burke/Triolo Productions/ThinkstockKellie Pickler will co-host ABC's The View on Tuesday, June 18. Look for Kellie to perform her new single, "Someone Somewhere Tonight," during her visit too.

Tickets for Hunter Hayes' October 18 and 19 shows at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium sold out in less than an hour when they went on sale Friday morning.

Luke Bryan Confirms Rumors of a Possible T-Pain Collaboration

Music News Group — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:01:04 +0000

Capitol NashvilleFlorida Georgia Line has Nelly on the "Cruise" remix, and Jason Aldean teamed up with Ludacris a few years ago on a remix of "Dirt Road Anthem." Now, Luke Bryan may be releasing his own hip-hop/country hybrid track with T-Pain.

Luke has recorded a song written by his pal, songwriter Dallas Davidson, who's also a friend and collaborator of T-Pain's. The hip-hop star has recorded a demo version of that same song. Now Luke and T-Pain are working to combine their two versions of the song into a potential hit.

"I've had talks with T-Pain," Luke explains. "We're just trying to figure out what to do."

Luke is a big fan of what T-Pain did with the song saying, "His part that he does on the demo is just crazy good."

The collaboration could appear on Luke's upcoming, as-yet-untitled album, due out August 13. For now, Luke is climbing the country charts fast with "Crash My Party," the lead single from the new album.

Brett Eldredge Gives a Nod to His Fans with Debut Album Title, "Bring You Back"

Music News Group — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:00:51 +0000

Warner Music NashvilleBrett Eldredge has scored his biggest hit to date with "Don't Ya." It's the lead single from his debut album, Bring You Back, due out August 6. While Brett's name is brand new to most country fans, he's actually been working toward releasing this project for several years now. His first single, "Raymond," was released in 2010.

Now that he has a release date set for the album, Brett says, "It feels like a relief! I've been waiting for so long, but it's the coolest feeling."

Brett thanks his fans for hanging in there and being patient while he worked to get everything right for the debut album. The album title, Bring You Back, is a tribute to those fans who have stuck around and supported Brett in the past few years.

"We're bringing it back around," Brett says of his current career momentum, "and it just feels good to get out there."

Brett Eldredge is on the road all summer long. He has a show at Buck Owens' Crystal Palace in Bakersfield, CA on June 26.

Country Stars Pay Tribute to Dear Old Dad This Father's Day

Music News Group — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 10:00:25 +0000

Facebook.com/JakeOwenThis Father's Day, we're checking in on some of country music's biggest stars to talk about dear old dad. Some stars pay tribute to their own fathers while others open up about what it's like to be a father themselves. Here's a rundown of what we found:

-- Jake Owen is celebrating his first Father's Day since the arrival of his daughter, Pearl, last Thanksgiving. Back when his career took off with "Barefoot Blue Jean Night," Jake never would have believed he'd be married with a kid at this point in his life.

He says, "Things happen quickly in life, and here we are, two years later, and my wife and I have a little girl, and it’s pretty awesome. There’s nothing more fulfilling than bein’ a dad. That’s for sure."

Now that Pearl is here, Jake has turned into that dad who can't stop showing pictures of his kid to friends and fans.

"People say, 'Do you have any photos of her?' And I’ll spend the next, you know, 15, 20 minutes just thumb-scrolling through my iPhone to show them pictures of my little girl," Jake admits. "It’s pretty bad, actually, but I’m proud of her. I like showin’ her off."

-- Lady Antebellum's Hillary Scott will welcome her first child next month, and she credits her dad, Lang, for giving her the skills to be a good parent herself. When she was growing up, Hillary's dad made it a point to teach her the art of communicating well.

She says, "My dad always, always talked to me, even when I didn’t want to talk to him. He would force me to communicate and talk through things, and not always the easy stuff, which is such a rare quality in a man, truthfully."

That open communication with her dad has served Hillary well as she's embarked on her marriage with husband, Chris Tyrell.

"I think it helped me find the right husband for me," Hillary explains, "and I also know that it will help me be that much of a better communicator to my children."

-- Justin Moore's new album, Off the Beaten Path, is due out September 17, and fans will hear the influence of Justin's two young daughters in the new music.

Justin admits, "I’ve definitely been inspired by my little girls in writing. I’ve always said throughout my career that anything that you do in your personal life affects, or anything you go through, affects the artist and the songwriter that you are."

Justin still sings about having a good time on tracks like his latest single, "Point at You," but becoming a dad has mellowed him out just a bit.

"I think it’s been a good thing," he says.

-- The Band Perry's Neil, Reid and Kimberly Perry all get certain traits from their parents, but they all agree Neil is the most like their father, Steve.

Says Reid, "Their mannerisms are just alike. Not only the way that they’ll talk and walk and sit, but even their hobbies. Both of them are gadget guys as far as they have the iPad and the iPad Mini and the iPhone."

Kimberly adds, "Even their mannerisms…the details of certain posture things and smiles, laughs…it’s like scarily similar."

Neil chimes in that he also got his good looks from his dad. He says with a laugh, "It's pretty…unbelievable. Just kidding."