ACM Makes Changes to New Artist Category; Rolling Stone Premieres New Rodney Crowell & Emmylou Harris Duet; Album Releases

• Rick Blackburn, a retired record executive for CBS Records and Atlantic, who also served as president of the CMA’s board of directors and the organization’s chairman, passed away at the age of 70.

• The Academy of Country Music announced a few changes: it will award trophies in three individual newcomer categories, New Male Vocalist, New Female Vocalist and New Vocal Duo or Group… Winners in each of the three categories will automatically become nominees for the overall New Artist of the Year award, which will also be determined by a combined fan and professional membership vote.

• Listen to “Hanging Up My Heart,” a song from Rodney Crowell and Emmylou Harris’ forthcoming record, Old Yellow Moon, which is due out February 26.

• Yesterday, Lady Antebellum announced their new charity initiative, LadyAID. At the press conference, they received the CMA International Artist Achievement Award for their contributions to “the awareness and development of Country Music outside the United States.”

• Gary Allan’s new video premiered on USAToday.com yesterday. Watch here.

• Crank up the speakers and listen to Johnny Cash’s version of “I’ve Been Everywhere” as the locations he sings about get plotted on Google Maps. Turns out the Man in Black covers over 180,000 kilometers in the three-minute song.

• This month’s Trail Mix from Blue Ridge Outdoors features songs from Chatham County Line, Jason Isbell, Rayna Gellert, and more.

• Claire Lynch and Tony Trischka were among the 54 artists awarded United States Artists Fellowships, which come with a $50,000 grant.

• Yarn answered ten questions for The Bluegrass Situation.

• Justin Townes Earle played a few songs for CMT.

• Peter Cooper’s new Tennessean column is about Dolly Parton and her new book, Dream More.

• Hazel Smith is “screaming [her] insides out” for Cowboy Jack Clement’s induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

• Paste posted a video of honeyhoney performing their song “Numb It.”

• Albums by Johnny Cash and Warren Zevon are among The A.V. Club’s list of “21 inspired creative works made by the dying.”

• Elizabeth LaPrelle, a singer who can be found on old-time collection The New Young Fogies, was interviewed for NPR’s Weekend Edition.

• Here’s the Punch Brothers’ performance on Conan last night.

• Randy Houser will release his next album, How Country Feels, on January 22. (via press release)

• In March, Carrie Underwood will headline the two-day music festival C2C: Country to Country. Tim McGraw, Vince Gill, Little Big Town, and more are also slated to perform at the event, which will be held at London’s O2 Arena.

• Watch the video of fiddler Casey Driessen’s TED Talk.

• Buddy Guy and Robert Plant (as part of Led Zeppelin) were awarded Kennedy Center Honors in DC on Sunday night. The tribute will air on CBS December 26.

• Florida Georgia Line answered ten questions in a video interview for Country Music Tattletale.

• Tickets for the 2013 Telluride Bluegrass Festival go on sale tomorrow.

• American Songwriter premiered a new song from rootsy rocker Jacob Jones with Brittany Howard (Alabama Shakes) called “Play It Loud, Ray!”

• This week’s album releases:

Rachel Brooke – A Killer’s Dream

John Hartford – Aereo-Plain/Morning Bugle: The Complete Warner Bros. Recordings

Lisa Matassa – Somebody’s Baby

Linda Ronstadt – Heart Like a Wheel (remastered vinyl)

Johnny Cash – The Complete Columbia Album Collection (box set)

The Walkaways – Romance and Medicine

Craig Campbell – Outta My Head (EP)

Blue Sky Boys – Presenting the Blue Sky Boys

No Justice – America’s Son

The Jayhawks – Music from the North Country: Anthology

Statler Brothers – Atlanta Blue / Four for the Show / All American Country (MP3)

Carolina Native Sons – Rank Ol’ Bluegrass

Florida Georgia Line – Here’s to the Good Times

Various Artists – Coal Miner’s Daughter Soundtrack (MP3)