Tswift #1

 

         Billboard.com has just released their top country albums of 2011, based on album sales, with Taylor Swift's Speak Now reaching number 1. As of December, 2011 Speak Now  has sold almost 4 million copies in the United States and has reached triple platinum. Back in August, 2011 the album had reached 5.5 million world wide,and has increased since then. All fourteen songs on the album reached the Billboard Hot 100. In North America alone, the tour was supposed to end in November with a total of 80 shows, but Swift released that she was going to extend her tour to Oceania in 2012. A live album of the tour was released at the end of November, 2011. The top album was followed by Jason Aldean's My Kind of Party at number 2, and Rascal Flatt's Nothing Like This. The other top ten includes Lady Antebellum, Zac Brown Band, The Band Perry, Sugarland, Kenny Chesney, and Brad Paisley.

Eric Church

        Eric Church has only been around for five years, and only released three albums, but the country singer is rising pretty quickly. His first album was released in 2006 when he signed with Capitol Records. This album, Sinners Like Me reached 7th in the country charts, and had four top 20 singles off that album. Which, I might say, isn't to bad for a new artist. His second album, Carolina was released in 2009, and reached 4th in the country charts. His singles, "Hell on the Heart" and "I Love your Love the Most" reached number ten in the country charts and "Smoke a Little Smoke" reached 16. This is the first of his albums that reached the Gold status by having two of the singles reach Gold.
        As the country star is still rising, his latest album Chief reached number one in not only the country charts but in the U.S charts in general, also reaching the Gold status. Singles like "Homeboy," which reached 13th, and "Drink in My Hand," which is currently at 10th and becoming more and more well known. Eric Church has an upcoming tour, "Blood Sweat & Beers" in 2012, accompanied by Brantley Gilbert. The tours coming to Portland in march, which is exciting and I hope to get tickets!

Toby Keith Foundation

          Country singer Toby Keith is designing and making plans to open a facility to house and  provide amenities for familys of children who are going through cancer treatment. The foundation is getting closer to opening this 8.5 million dollor facility. This place will have 12 overnight suites for families to stay in while their children are recieving cancer treatments at a nearby hospital or center. This allows families to be able to focus on and support their children recieving treatment. It is also a comfortable environment for the patients to be able to handle their treatments, just a place to simply relax during thier harsh times, and be able to do more than just sit in a hospital. The plan is to open in late 2013.

Important people

          Country Music has had many great artists that have impacted country as a whole genre. George Strait is one of those people. He's been referred to as the "King of Country." Strait has had, as of 2011, 58 number one hit singles. His first single was in 1981, which was "Unwound." He's one numerous awards from the Academy of Country Music, the Country Music Awards, Grammy's,  and has been elected into the Country Music Hall of Fame. And he even holds the record with the most number one hits on the Billboard Hot Country songs with 44 songs.
          Strait was born in May of 1952, and grew up in Texas. When he was a child he did not even listen to country music, he was usually listening to the new and the farmer's report, because his father owned a ranch. He began his music interest in high school, and the interest changed to country being influenced by George Jones, Hank Williams, Hank Thompson, and more. He then enlisted in the army and was stationed in Hawaii. He was even performing in a army sponsored band. Strait was honorably discharged in 1975. After the army, he joined a band in college and gained a regional following and had been an opening act for national bands.
        In the 1981, his first single was released for MCA records, and was from his debut album Strait Country. This album was called by critics as a "traditional breakthrough that broke the trend of pop-influenced country" at the time. In 1982, his second album was released, Strait from the Heart, which featured his first number one, "Fool Hearted Memory." Today, George Strait has had 58 number ones, like the most recent "Here for a Good Time," off of the track titled album.

country beginnings

Country music became known in the 1920's, but didn't gain popularity until the 1940's. Country started out in the southern United States, as you would figure, and has its roots from Western Cowboy and Folk music. Today, people tend to think of country music still as just a bunch of banjoes and hillbillys strumming away, but its much more than that. First, theres a full band, just like most genres of music. And second, they sing about what's important and familiar to them, just like any other type of music. Yes, they sing about trucks and girls and living in the country, but it's how they put it together that makes the music appealing to me. And yeah, sometimes they have banjoes in their band, but today they mostly use accoustic and electric guitars, and maybe throw in some banjo for that country twang. Some important and well known people in country music are Hank Williams and Hank Williams Jr., Johnny Cash, and George Strait. Today, there's Brad Paisley, Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesny, Blake Shelton, Taylor Swift, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, and so many more influential artists.

(Eric Church)

country love

            I started listening to country music when I got into high school. I was influenced by my friends who were always listening to it. It wasn't even my choice, but after listening to it every day because I had to, now it's pretty much all I listen to. Taylor Swift is who really got me started too. After listening to her all the time, I wanted to explore more country music. Now, I really like Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Luke Bryan, Chris Young, Maranda Lambert, Blake Shelton and so many more. Most of my friends share this interest, there's only a few of them who don't like country. My parents always make fun of me for listening to it, they always call me a redneck and think that this kind of music is stupid. I don't really care though, I still love country. Does anyone else like country? What are your favorite kinds of music?

                                    

about me

I'm Rachel, a senior in high school from Maine, and I enjoy country music. I like listening to country because it a lot more relatable than rap or hip hop and a lot of the other music out there. It's also just something that relaxes me and helps me feel better.