Billy Dukes

Two days after 'Set You Free' was released in January, Gary Allan began thinking about his next album. He tells Taste of Country that he was at an event with songwriter Hillary Lindsey -- whose credits include 'Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain)' and 'Two Black Cadillacs' -- during release week, and he tried to corner her to write. She laughed and reminded him that his last project was just days old. "That means we have one year to get this done," he remembers telling her, semi-seriously.

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A pacemaker won't slow Charlie Daniels down. The Charlie Daniels Band frontman says his fiddling or movements on stage won't be compromised with the device implanted in his chest. He underwent the procedure last month after being hospitalized with pneumonia. He returns to the stage Friday night (April 12) in Verona, N.Y.

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What inspired 'Pioneer'? What's in store for their future? Talk about touring with Rascal Flatts ... These are all professional questions to ask a band like the Band Perry, a family trio that just found out their new album is atop the country album charts, with almost 130,000 copies sold it its debut week. Fans want the scoop though, and Neil, Kimberly and Reid were kind enough to dish it in an interview feature we call 60 Seconds With the Band Perry. 

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The big stars are out for awards season. New songs on the radio for April 2013 made their debut at the ACM Awards on April 7. Hunter Hayes and Luke Bryan were two singers to introduce new music, while Blake Shelton played his new one for the first time at the Las Vegas awards show. 

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Country heartthrobs like Luke Bryan and Jake Owen may not be the best looking members of their own family. Beauty finds beauty it seems, and this list of country music's hottest wives is confirmation. You already know what superstar spouses like Faith Hill and Miranda Lambert look like. These ladies are the lesser-known better halves of country music's top singers.

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Granger Smith releases his ninth studio album next week (April 16) -- one he calls his most ambitious project to date. 'Dirt Road Driveway' features singles 'We Do It in a Field' and 'The Country Boy Song' in addition to 10 other tracks from the pen of the the Red Dirt singer-songwriter. Listen to the entire album early via this exclusive stream on Taste of Country.

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Luke Bryan's new song 'Crash My Party' would fit well on his last album 'Tailgates and Tanlines.' The ballad is a continuation of themes introduced with 'I Don't Want This Night to End' and 'Drunk on You,' two No. 1 hits for the ACM Entertainer of the Year. At first listen, it's difficult to become excited about a song that's so familiar. 

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In his new song 'I Want Crazy.' Hunter Hayes doesn't soar like Ronnie Dunn or croon like Chris Young. His vocal performance is an exercise in diction -- and memory. Simply put, he packs a ton of words into a tight space without straining or slurring one idea into another. It's not easy. 

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Despite the accuracy (or lack of accuracy) of these predictions for the 2013 ACM Awards, one thing is certain: one group of country fans will be ecstatic come Monday morning, while another will be furious that their favorite wasn't recognized for his or her talent and achievements. Only one out of every group of five can take the trophy for Entertainer, Male Vocalist, Female Vocalist and the other top prizes. This means four more will be left politely applauding for someone the industry says had a little better year. Fans tend to not be as graceful in defeat. 

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Wynonna Judd's next great challenge has ended prematurely. The country legend and her professional dance partner Tony Dovolani were eliminated from 'Dancing With the Stars' on Tuesday night (April 2) after their Samba received the night's lowest scores on Monday. The dancer with the lowest total of fan votes and judges scores is sent home each week.

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Women continue to rule the Taste of Country Top 10 Video Countdown. For a third straight week, a video for a song sung by a female topped the weekly countdown. It was Carrie Underwood's 'Two Black Cadillacs' last week, and prior to that, 'American Beautiful' by the Henningsens. Can new clips by Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton or Eric Church best the country superstar? It's up to fans to decide the weekly Top 10.

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Newcomer Weston Burt's debut single 'Lucky Sometimes' aims right down the middle and hits the mark. The upbeat, head-over-heels love song is easy to find yourself singing along with before the first spin is complete. Listen again to hear him flex a little vocal muscle in the most subtle ways.

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