KCYN Country Report For: Friday, January 9, 2009

>>Kenny Chesney Picks Tour Openers

Lady Antebellum will be one of the opening acts on Kenny Chesney's upcoming Sun City Carnival Tour. The trio is thrilled to get the spot on the trek, noting that Chesney is a great performer. Lady A's Hillary Scott explains that his shows are more than a concert, they're an event. {ChesneyTourLadyA1} Q...so into it. :19.5 Chesney says he's pleased to have Lady Antebellum with him on the trek, saying the trio is, quote, "fresh and fun and are perfect to start this show." Also on board for the Sun City Carnival is Miranda Lambert. So far, only one date for the trek has been announced. They'll be performing at Foxboro, Massachusetts' Gillette Stadium on August 15th. The rest of the stops will be announced in the near future.

>>Taylor Heads To "Saturday Night Live" Stage

Taylor Swift is poised to make her "Saturday Night Live" debut. The teen singer-songwriter will be the musical guest on this weekend's show. She recently noted on her MySpace blog that she was thrilled to be performing on the NBC show, especially because it's happening on her mom's birthday. She wrote, quote, "I don't think either of us would've believed you if you would've told us a few years ago that we'd get to spend her birthday in New York City -- at 'Saturday Night Live!'" Hosting "SNL" tomorrow will be "How I Met Your Mother" star Neil Patrick Harris.

>>Clint Black On Board For "Celebrity Apprentice"

Clint Black is following in Trace Adkins' footsteps. According to E! Online, Black is among the stars slated for the next season of NBC's "The Celebrity Apprentice." On the show the famous contestants work on various projects in an effort to raise money for charity. Black is supporting the International Rett Syndrome Foundation. Initially the celebrities be in two teams, divided up by gender. Black's team mates will include comedians Andrew Dice Clay and Tom Green, former football star Herschel Walker, former basketball star Dennis Rodman, R&B singer Brian McKnight, figure skater Scott Hamilton, and "Monster Garage" star Jesse James. The women's team will feature comedienne Joan Rivers and her daughter, producer Melissa Rivers; former TLC singer Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins; reality TV star Khloe Kardashian; actress Brande Roderick; poker champ Annie Duke; golfer Natalie Gulbis; and "Deal or No Deal" model Claudia Jordan. The second round of "The Celebrity Apprentice" is slated to begin on NBC on March 1st. Adkins was on the first "Celebrity Apprentice" last year. He came in second place, behind "America's Got Talent" judge Piers Morgan, and raised more than 100-thousand-dollars for his charity, the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network.

>>Josh Turner Heads Into The Kitchen With Martha Stewart

Josh Turner is slated to return to Martha Stewart's show. He notes that for this appearance he joined the domestic diva in making macaroni and cheese. Allergies keep the singer on what he calls an "exciting gluten-free, dairy-free diet," and admits this dish isn't typically on his menu, but he notes it was still really good. This is Turner's third appearance on "Martha," and he says a fourth turn on the show could be in the future. He explains, quote, "She said she'd like for me to show her how to cook venison." Turner's mac and cheese appearance on the syndicated "Martha" show will air on Monday.

>>Country Stars Set For Sound & Speed Fest

Dierks Bentley and Keith Urban are the latest country stars to sign on for upcoming car racing events. Bentley, along with Opry stars Charlie Louvin and Connie Smith, will be part of the fun this weekend at the Sprint Sound & Speed Festival in Nashville. The two-day event gets started Friday night with Montgomery Gentry headlining a concert at the Sommet Center. The show will also feature Rodney Atkins and Julianne Hough. Bentley, Louvin, and Smith are expected to appear at the Saturday Fan Fest, taking place at the Municipal Auditorium in downtown Nashville. Other artists scheduled for the event include Josh Turner, Jason Michael Carroll, Richie McDonald, members of Diamond Rio, Randy Houser, Danielle Peck, and country newcomer Rick Huckaby. They'll join NASCAR stars for Q-and-A sessions and to sign autographs for fans. Urban, meanwhile, will be performing next month at the Daytona 500. He's slated to entertain at the event's pre-race show at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, Florida on February 15th.

>>Eric Church To Perform At North Carolina Governor's Ball Tonight

Eric Church will be taking part in ushering in his home state's new leader. The singer is slated to perform his new song "Carolina" at tonight's North Carolina's 2009 Governor's Inaugural Ball. The song, the title track to his next album, is about a performer who is longing to come back home. Church admits that North Carolina serves as the inspiration for a lot of the material he writes, but notes that given the reaction "Carolina" has received, quote, "you realize it's about everyone's home, wherever they are from." He adds that while the song is very personal to him, quote, "everyone seems to relate to it," and "everyone has that 'place' that they can go back to and draw from their own feelings and experiences, too." North Carolina's 2009 Governor's Inaugural Ball will take place at the Raleigh Convention Center in honor of new Governor Beverly Perdue, the first woman to hold the office. Church's CD "Carolina" will be released on March 24th.

>>Kellie Pickler Recalls Her Cold New Year's Eve

Kellie Pickler says she had fun as a reporter for the ABC special "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve." But she notes it was so cold in Times Square, she actually suffered frostbite on her feet, which she admits was pretty frightening. Pickler also claims the show's co-host, Ryan Seacrest, quote, "cheated," because he had a heater by him to keep warm. But she apparently learned from the experience, adding that if she's ever asked to take part in the annual show again, she's going to request a heater for herself on her rider.