CMA First Round Nominations Announced

Congratulations to those nominated!  I see a lot of folks on there that I've had the opportunity to perform with or meet over the past couple years.  Hopefully... well, "hopefully."  We'll just leave it at that for now.  Here they are:

Topping the list of final nominees with five nominations each for “The 45th Annual CMA Awards” including Jason Aldean, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, and Taylor Swift. Right on their heels are The Band Perry and Zac Brown Band, who each received four nominations as a group while individual members Kimberly Perry (of The Band Perry), Coy Bowles and Zac Brown (of Zac Brown Band) each earned a solo nod as a songwriter.

Aldean received first-time nominations in five categories in 2011 including Entertainer; Male Vocalist; Album for My Kinda Party, produced by Michael Knox; and Single and Musical Event of the Year for “Don’t You Wanna Stay” with Kelly Clarkson, also produced by Knox. Aldean has two prior nominations including the Horizon Award in 2007 and in 2008 when the category changed names to CMA New Artist of the Year.

The 45th Annual CMA Awards Live on ABC November 9, 2011 8|7c

Entertainer of the Year Jason Aldean Brad Paisley Blake Shelton Taylor Swift Keith Urban

Male Vocalist of the Year Jason Aldean Kenny Chesney Brad Paisley Blake Shelton Keith Urban

Female Vocalist of the Year Sara Evans Miranda Lambert Martina McBride Carrie Underwood Taylor Swift

New Artist of the Year The Band Perry Luke Bryan Eric Church Thompson Square Chris Young

Vocal Group of the Year The Band Perry Lady Antebellum Little Big Town Rascal Flatts Zac Brown Band

Album of the Year Blake Shelton, All About Tonight Jason Aldean, My Kinda Party Taylor Swift, Speak Now Brad Paisley, This is Country Music Zac Brown Band, You Get What You Give

Single of the Year Sara Evans, “A Little Bit Stronger” Zac Brown Band, “Colder Weather” Jason Aldean ft. Kelly Clarkson, “Don’t You Wanna Stay” Blake Shelton, “Honey Bee” The Band Perry, “If I Die Young”

Song of the Year “Colder Weather,” Zac Brown, Wyatt Durrette, Levi Lowrey, and Coy Bowles “Dirt Road Anthem,” Brantley Gilbert and Colt Ford “If I Die Young,” Kimberly Perry “Mean,” Taylor Swift “You and Tequila,” Matraca Berg and Deana Carter

Musical Event of the Year “As She’s Walking Away” Zac Brown Band featuring Alan Jackson Southern Ground Artists/Atlantic Records

“Coal Miner’s Daughter” Loretta Lynn, Sheryl Crow, and Miranda Lambert Columbia Records Nashville

“Don’t You Wanna Stay” Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson Broken Bow Records

“Old Alabama” Brad Paisley featuring Alabama Arista Nashville

“You and Tequila” Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter BNA Records

Vocal Duo of the Year Civil Wars Montgomery Gentry Steel Magnolia Sugarland Thompson Square

Music Video of the Year “Honey Bee” Blake Shelton Directed by Trey Fanjoy

“If I Die Young” The Band Perry Directed by David McClister

“Mean” Taylor Swift Directed by Declan Whitebloom

“Old Alabama” Brad Paisley featuring Alabama Directed by Jim Shea

“You and Tequila” Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter Directed by Shaun Silva

Musician of the Year Sam Bush Jerry Douglas Paul Franklin Dann Huff Mac McAnally

Kenny Rogers... no way! Yes way!!

Kenny Rogers along with Chance McKinney n' CrossWire on August 26th

I'd be remiss if I didn't take the opportunity to say how thankful I am for opportunities like this that come up in this journey.  I stepped off the plane last week in Portland, OR preparing for the Willamette Country Music Festival with artists like Diamond Rio, Alan Jackson, Little Big Town and Blake Shelton only to find a text message from one of the biggest promoters in the Pacific Northwest on my phone.  It read... "You're IN for Kenny Rogers."  Period.  That's it.  No, not quite eloquent, but damn fine in spirit and "cut to the point"-ness.

 

I literally was Tweeting (as in Twittering) and Facebooking in the car rental line "just got asked to open for Kenny Rogers.  Is hellfrickinyeah one word or three?"  Over 50 comments and 120 likes later I realized the magnitude of what was just presented to me on a platter.  Dude, you and your band are going to open for one of the greatest ALL-TIME country artists.  I mean, a guy you grew up listening to on the portable AM radio that ran on batteries out in the fishin' boat with Mom, Dad and your brother.

 

Do you think I knew, (at age 5-ish) while I was casting away tryin' to keep up with the rest of 'em at a game of "whose stringer of bass was fullest", that I'd be sharing the stage one day with THAT GUY?!  No way...  the gravity still escapes me.  It usually hits right about showtime when we (the boys from CrossWire and I) are about to step on stage.  The headliner bus, limo, van, whatever pulls up and I catch a glimpse of Dwight Yoakam, Dierks Bentley, Blake Shelton, Alan Jackson or that guy (Kenny Rogers) on their way to their hospitality trailer.  That's when it hits me.  I have 30-45 minutes to engage an audience and prepare them for a legitimate star.  No, not someone who just dresses the part or got to where they are because "daddy had some money" but literal "stars."  I mean, people who ooze talent.  And here I am, former high school teacher, CMT winner with a band full of talented musicians but still a kid from rural Montana responsible for flipping the switch.   That, is the moment.  That's the high.  That's the challenge.  And that, is why I love what I do.

 

Tonight, I'll be on stage with Paul, Ray and Brian "flippin' the switch."  Wanna know how the story ends?  It doesn't... but I'll try to keep you updated along the way through Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/chancemckinney), Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chance-McKinney/160688966444) and Website (http://www.chancemckinney.com) if you're interested in taggin' along.

 

CM

Taking the stage with ALAN JACKSON...

 

Can you say JaneDear Girls, David Nail, Diamond Rio, Chance McKinney n' CrossWire, Sunny Sweeney, Steve Azar, Phil Vassar, Alan Jackson, The Harters, Amy Clawson, Little Big Town and Blake Shelton all in the same sentence? Of course you can, if you can "read" it you can probably "say" it... stupid question on my part.

Welcome to the Willamette Country Music Festival in Brownsville, OR on August 19th - 21st. Thirteen of Country Music's hottest acts take the stage for the Premier Country Music Festival in the Pacific Northwest. VIP tickets sold out over two months ago. General Admission has exceded the original capacity. Hotel rooms are gone. Parking is spoken for. Campgrounds are max'd out. And now, it's game time!

If you think touring with Mark Chestnutt through Montana... and Dierks Bentley through Oregon and Washington was fun... wait until you get a load of this! (Although, I will say that the DB shows we're particularly off-the-hook... but I digress.)

I would just like to thank all of you who've made this possible. Since the CMT Award in December of 2009, I've had the opportunity to share the stage with...

Dwight Yoakam Jamie O'Neal Grand Funk RailRoad Blake Shelton Pat Green Luke Bryan Creedence Clearwater .38 Special Lynyrd Skynyrd John Rich Sebastian Bach Mark Chestnutt Dierks Bentley Edens Edge Sunny Sweeney David Nail Gloriana Jane Dear Girls Diamond Rio Steve Azar Phil Vassar and Mr. Alan Jackson.

It's been a special treat for me and the boys in the band. Thank you for your continued support and stay tuned for some additional news coming down the pipe after we complete the shows this month!

Sincerely,

Chance McKinney

www.ChanceMcKinney.com

HUGE weeks in August for Chance and the boys!

Let's just start with the schedule over the next couple weeks and who we're playin' with... then we'll get those ticket links out for those of you who feel the need to come catch us if we're close enough.

Saturday, August 6th - Opening for Mark Chestnutt in Anaconda, MT Tuesday, August 9th - Benefit Concert for Montana Education in Missoula, MT Wednesday, August 10th - Opening for Dierks Bentley in Bend, OR Friday, August 12th - Opening for Dierks Bentley in Manson, WA Saturday, August 13th - Headlining at the Mt. Si Festival in North Bend, WA Sunday, August 14th - Chance McKinney n' CrossWire, Eden's Edge, Sunny Sweeney, David Nail and Gloriana at The Festival of the River in Arlington, WA Saturday, August 20th - Chance McKinney n' CrossWire, Sunny Sweeney, Steve Azar, Phil Vassar and Alan Jackson at The Willamette Country Music Festival in Brownsville, OR

That's a whole lotta muscle for CMT Music City Madness Winner Chance McKinney n' CrossWire to be tourin' around the Pacific Northwest with.  Good luck fellas and do us proud!

For event details and ticketing information go to:

www.ChanceMcKinney.com

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Chance-McKinney/160688966444

www.Twitter.com/ChanceMcKinney

P.S.  We're givin' away FREE tickets to the Dierks Bentley show on August 12th in Chelan, WA as well as the August 19-21 Willamette Country Music Festival (Alan Jackson, Blake Shelton, Little Big Town, etc) on our Facebook Fan Page... get over there quick!

Kenny Chesney back in Washington

Chance McKinney and CrossWire have been goin', goin', goin' and this week is no exception.  Coming off a week of shows in Oregon, the CMCW boys head back to Washington for a run at some good weather and great shows.  Yes, we're fully aware that Kenny Chesney will be in town on Friday Night at the Tacoma Dome and yes, we know we have a show scheduled for that night as well.  Hmmm, Kenny Chesney or Chance McKinney n' CrossWire... Kenny Chesney or Chance McKinney n' CrossWire?  As you ponder which you'd choose why not make it easy and just do both?! Thursday Night (7/21):  Let us get you geared up just a little Northeast of the Tacoma Dome in Kent, WA at the "Thursdays at the Lake" Concert Series in Meridian Park.

July 21 - Chance McKinney & Crosswire CMT Award Winner, Chance McKinney was recently dubbed CMT’s #1 “unsigned” Country Artist in the Nation. He has opened for acts such as Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, George Strait, Taylor Swift, Martina McBride, and Brooks n’ Dunn. This up and coming band’s “Industrialized Country” is a blend of country, rock, metal and soul. Thursdays at the Lake, 7:00 - 8:30pm, Lake Meridian Park, 14800 SE 272nd Street artist's website           video

http://www.ci.kent.wa.us/content.aspx?id=2972

Friday Night (7/22):  Kenny Chesney Night!  However, in case you don't have tickets OR Tacoma is just too far to drive we'll be at the beautiful Tulalip Casino Resort with south Puget Sound's own Robbie Walden opening at 8pm.  We'll be your Kenny Chesney Alternate... or, possibly your Kenny Chesney Chaser!  Come on by the Casino on your way back from the Kenny Chesney concert and let us finish off the night for you.  If you look at it that way, Kenny Chesney, Billy Currington and Uncle Kracker are opening up the night and Chance McKinney n' CrossWire are closin' it out!

The biggest benefit to the CMCW show at the Tulalip... is that the Tulalip is pickin' up the bill.  No cover charge.  This claim cannot also be made about the Kenny Chesney concert.  Last we saw, tickets we're goin' for $375 each in the front floor section on stubhub.  So, if you're lookin' for a good "after party" for Kenny or you're runnin' low on scratch... we've got you covered.

http://www.tulalipcasino.com/events.aspx

Saturday Night (7/23):  IF, somehow, you haven't manage your "country fix" after Thursday AND Friday then the HARD ROCK CAFE in downtown Seattle, WA welcomes Chance McKinney n' CrossWire back to the stage.  It ain't easy breakin' country into new venues... especially when the title of the place is "hard rock", but we're doin' our best.  Bring a group downtown and leave a little redneck mark on Seattle's premier "live" music venue!  The better the boys do, the more likely the HRC will have 'em back to the most centralized meeting spot for all the Puget Sound country fans.

Hard Rock Cafe Seattle

Chance McKinney 'n CrossWire

Saturday, Jul 23, 2011 10:00 PM PDT (9:00 PM Doors) Hard Rock Cafe - Seattle, Seattle, WA 21 years and over

Venue Directions