George Strait, The Band Perry Debut Singles; Nell Robinson Returns to Studio; New Music Videos

• California roots artist Nell Robinson is back in the studio recording a highly personal album dedicated to her family and military: “I am so honored, next week, Gaynell Rogers, my manager, and Jim and I drive to Pasadena to work with musician and producer Joe Henry to record an album of Soldier Stories. This project is an intimate journey through 250 years of my family’s experiences in war and service through new and traditional music, letters, stories and poetry. Joe has a gift for bringing stories and songs to life – and I am thrilled beyond words to be able to work with him.” (via press release)

• Did you know Taylor Swift had an album release this past week? She will perform “Begin Again” at the CMA Awards on Thursday.  She is up for several awards that night. Also, if you care, here’s the latest news about her relationship with Conor Kennedy. And if that’s not enough Swift, she’ll be headed out on a 58 city tour soon.

• This week’s Quotable Country is up over at Country California.

• Cindy Watts wrote a strong piece for the Tennessean about the challenge female country artists are having in a male-dominated industry.

• George Strait releases his brand new single “Give It All We Got Tonight” off of his yet-to-be-named upcoming album today.

• The New York Times weighed in on the recent Billboard chart changes.

• The Wall Street Journal looked at the posthumous memoir from dobro player Burkett “Uncle Josh” Graves.

• Heather Rankin of The Rankin Family is grateful for her new role in the play Bingo! as she grieves over the loss of her sister Raylene.

• The Band Perry will debut the act’s brand-new single, “Better Dig Two,” today via a 2 p.m. (CT) Rolling Stone live stream.

• Collin Raye has started The Haley Bell Blessed Chair Foundation. The foundation, named after his granddaughter, raises money to purchase expensive motorized wheelchairs for those cannot afford them.

• Vince Gill will play in Los Angeles on 12/4 alongside the likes of Quincy Jones, John Legend, Carole King and Katy Perry to help raise funds and awareness for Paul Newman’s charity, The Painted Turtle Camp.

• Earl Dibbles, Jr. (aka Granger Smith) is running for President. Here are his “commercials.”
• Charlie Daniels released a new song called “Take Back the U.S.A.”

• Tom Skinner, longtime friend and early bandmate of Garth Brooks, is releasing a self-titled album 11/13 on 598 Recordings. an indie Oklahoma label run by Mike McClure. A quote by Brooks from the press release: “I know Tom Skinner well enough to say that making a record of his original recordings was not something he was easily talked into doing and hats off to McClure for getting it done. Tom is very private with his music because the stuff that he writes is extremely personal. This is a very, VERY special gift from Tom to all of his fans…of which I am one.”

• Kelleigh Bannen will star on an upcoming episode of Hart of Dixie.

• Sugarland isn’t breaking up anytime soon.

• Meet Hoist the Colors, a seven-piece Irish/Americana-influenced folk-punk group out of Los Angeles.

• Ani and Ari are corset makers to the country stars.

• Music videos fresh out of the oven:

Bobby and Billy Ray Cyrus – “Milkman’s Eyes”

John Benjamin – “All Alone”

Deric Ruttan – “My Kind of Freedom”

Kenley Shea – “Seek the Joy”

Blackjack Billy – “Born to Ride”

Kailey Swanson – “Hooked”

Zach DuBois – “Beer for Breakfast”

Lee Kernaghan – “Beautiful Noise”

Kate Miller-Heidke – “Sarah”

Brian Burke – “Chemistry”

Jesse and Noah Bellamy – “Traveler’s Prayer”

Corb Lund – “Dig Gravedigger Dig”

Junior Gordon Band – “Big”

King’s Bullet – “One Brick Shy”

Hayden Panettiere – “Telescope”

The Time Jumpers – “On the Outskirts of Town”

Taylor Swift – “Begin Again”

Pam Tillis – “The Monster and the Banjo”

Trace Adkins – “Tough People Do”

Steve Luscombe – “I’m a Natural”