Posts Tagged ‘Gary LeVox’

Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, Sugarland Do CMA Music Festival

June 13th, 2008

I jet down to Nashville for the CMA Music Festival, and am treated to four days of nonstop country royalty.

Taylor Swift, Kellie Pickler and Julianne Hough are announced as hosts of the ABC music special, which will air in September. The country cuties have become so close Julianne dubs them the “three musketeers.”

What are the worst pick-up lines they’ve heard?

“Did you fall from heaven because you must be an angel?” Taylor recounts. “She gets ‘will you teach me how to dance, Julianne?’ Ballroom dance.”

Julianne adds, “Mine’s always ‘did you drop something?’ and it’s their number.”

Kellie pouts, “I don’t ever get hit on. People just throw stuff at me. Nobody likes me.”

How has fatherhood changed life for Rascal Flatts singer-guitarist Joe Doe Rooney? His son Jagger is a brand-new arrival.

“The baby was born four days ago, so I’m getting no sleep,” he tells me. “It’s amazing. It’s definitely life-changing. Luckily I’ve got these two guys baby-sitting for me. Gary [LeVox] had a lot of experience raising his two kids, and me.”

How will Jessica Simpson – who is on hand to promote her upcoming country album – fare in the genre? (This question turns Southern hospitality into Southern-fried tsks from reporters in the room for the rest of the fest — um, rude? I’m just doing my job, y’all. Apparently, this is a hot-button, grudge-worthy issue. So weird! The drama even makes The Tennessean. )

“I always think it’s wonderful when people push the margins a little bit and see what they can do,” Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles tells me. “I think she might find it’s a lot harder than you’d think.”

 

Less controversial is Jewel, who looks forward to judging Nashville Star, which airs Mondays on NBC.

“I try to be the type of judge I would want if I was a contestant,” she says. “It would make me upset if people gave me general advice like ‘yo, you didn’t bring it.’ You know? I feel like they should be a little more specific. I don’t know what to do with that when I go home tonight. I’ll bring it next week. How? I’m competitive, and I don’t want to do anything unless I’m going to try and be the best at it — even if I can’t win.”

For more coverage of the CMA Music Festival, pick up the OK! on newsstands now. “Shiloh: I want my baby sisters!” is the cover line.

Miley Delights Backstage at the CMT Awards

April 24th, 2008

After shivering down the purple carpet before the CMT Awards, stars do their thing onstage and then stop by the press room stationed at Nashville’s Belmont University. We dine on turkey wraps, potato chips and chocolate chip cookies inbetween flashes of greatness.

I bump into Miley Cyrus in the hallway, who has a gaggle of hangers-on trailing her every move, and she gives me a shout-out. Dad Billy Ray Cyrus seems thrilled to be living in her shadow. Really! He couldn’t be more gleeful.

Taylor Swift says it’s the best night she can remember. “There’s nothing that’s more important to me than my fans and making them happy,” she says of winning the fan-voted video of the year and female video of the year awards. “I never want to let them down. I’m absolutely so flattered and humbled.”

Three-time winner Kellie Pickler phones in from Scottsdale, Arizona. Get this!

“I am wearing pajamas now, but when I was on the satellite, I was wearing a Dolce and Gabbana top and no pants because it was only top up. It was only me. But I did have some great shoes on!”

Snoop Dogg gives me a knowing wink and calls me “baby” … Alan Jackson and I share a laugh after he pats himself with a tissue to wipe the sweat off his brow … Bobby Brown thinks his life is made for country music … Luke Bryan is pleased with the “party mode” on campus … LeAnn Rimes pretends to answer a ringing cell phone … Jewel and Tom Arnold riff on the presidential candidates, and urge Al Gore to run again. “He would win,” Tom says.

Little Big Town’s Kimberly Roads says gift bags make her feel guilty, but groupmate Karen Fairchild doesn’t agree. “Our families love the gift bags. Moms and dads usually try to get their hands on the gift bags.”

Brooks and Dunn’s Ronnie Dunn got last-minute help from Billy Ray in getting tickets to the show after a neighbor bugged him to snag seats through an Indiana radio station. “They said ‘you’re one of the biggest celebrities,’ and I said ‘I don’t have a chance.’ I tried to call for an hour but the lines were tied up.” He ditched the neighbor, and brought his 13-year-old daughter.

Rascal Flatts’ Gary LeVox thinks their award looks like Snoop’s microphone, and would like to get one custom-made for their tour. Joe Don Rooney lights up when we speak. Ohhh! So cute.

Reality doesn’t bite for Dancing With The Stars castoff Julianne Hough, who is thrilled she met Faith Hill. “I was like ‘oh my gosh, I’m meeting my idol.’ I told her ‘you are so inspiring and you’ve inspired me so much.’”

Celebrity Apprentice finalist Trace Adkins is trying a hand at acting, but says “I’m never going to stray faraway from what puts groceries on the table. There’s a saying in country music that ‘you’ve gotta dance with the one that brought you.’”

Naomi Judd makes me chuckle when she reveals her age as “sexy plus two.” Whew!

 

Maureen "Marcia Brady" McCormick and Diana DeGarmo give a little wave. We had a great time together at the Lady Antebellum CMT Welcome Party the night before. ?

 

Check out the OK! on stands this week for more coverage of the CMT Awards. “Katie Fights Back: Don’t Mess With My Family” is the cover line.

 

Tony Romo Insults Jessica Simpson

February 28th, 2008 / Author: cwillett

Doesn’t Tony Romo know you should never compare your girlfriend to your exes?

Though his lady love Jessica Simpson has enjoyed her share of musical success, Tony believes she’s not quite up to par with ex-girlfriend Carrie Underwood — and told her to her face!

"He really hurt Jess’ feelings," the pal tells OK!. "She tried to laugh it off in Hawaii [where Tony played in the Pro Bowl], but she pouted whenever she heard Carrie’s songs playing."

Adding insult to injury, the 27-year-old quarterback isn’t exactly lending his support to Jessica’s new country album either.

"Tony said he thought Jess would have trouble winning over audiences with her upcoming country CD," the pal adds.

Unfortunately for 27-year-old Jess, he’s not the only one who feels that way. Rascal Flatts’ frontman Gary LeVox, who has collaborated with Grammy winner Carrie, has his reservations about Jess’ forthcoming genre segue as well.

"It is tough to be a pop artist and then make country records," he tells OK!. "Country fans get it. They go, ‘You’re not country — you’re a pop artist.’ The fans make you or break you."

On The Tour Bus With Rascal Flatts

January 18th, 2008

Rascal Flatts roll in to play NYC’s Madison Square Garden tonight.

“When we leave the city around one or two in the morning – musicians like us are night owls, so it takes awhile for us to wind down after we get off the stage and leave the city – we write songs,” guitarist/vocalist and dad-to-be Joe Don Rooney tells me.

What’s life like on the bus for the trio, which also includes singer Gary LeVox and bassist/vocalist Jay DeMarcus?

“We all three still ride together,” Joe Don tells me. “A lot of bands at this point get separate buses. I understand sometimes why, especially if you want to bring out family. But we decided to pimp this thing out. We all threw money together and got this bus. From front to back, it’s got everything you need. Sliding doors, a little bunk space – four different bunks because all three of us ride together and sometimes a manager might come out. We might bring a friend out.”

He continues, “When you walk toward the back, it’s got a huge walk-in shower with a steam room. We’ve got three separate closet areas, three separate vanity mirrors so we all three can get ready before the show. It slides out the back and slides out the front, so this thing is like a house on wheels. When it’s parked, this thing looks huge inside. Of course, at night when they tuck the sides back in, it gets pretty small again. We’ve got a flat-screen TV, we’ve got refrigerators you pull out, we’ve got it all. We’re lucky boys. This is a cool bus. It feels really good to be on this bus. It feels like home.”

Thanks for the tour – looking forward to the show.

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