All Nashville Stew Country Music News

Nashville Stew for Thursday, May 26th

By Kellie Michaels CREATED May. 26, 2011

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Scotty McCreery walked away the big winner on the American Idol finale Wednesday night.  Ryan Seacrest said that America voted 122 million times, an American Idol record.  After his name was announced, Scotty said ""I've gotta thank the Lord first. He got me here." Scotty sat down on the floor while the applause and adoration poured over him. About his 16-year-old co-contestant, Lauren Alaina, Scotty wanted America to know that his win would not mean the end of their friendship."Man, it's been a year since me and Lauren Alaina tried out now," McCreery said. "Me and her have been together since day one, and we're gonna stay together."

Lauren Alaina sang the song "Like My Mother Does."  You may not realize that another American Idol contestant also sang that song several years ago.  Remember Kristi Lee Cook?  She included the song on her 2008 album "Why Wait." Here are the two performances by the two girls to compare:


Blake Shelton stared down the tornado that went through his homestate of Oklahoma in April.  "I was at my house and you could tell it was kind of getting dark outside," Blake says. "I turned on the TV and saw that there was a storm moving in. I'm kind of a nerd when it comes to this, but the local volunteer fire department gave me one of their radios so I could hear what they're doing. I turned on the radio and the more I listened about this storm, the more I realized that there was a tornado in it. It was coming, literally, directly to my house. Being the smart guy that I am, I walked outside and stood in the driveway so I could see it." Blake and Reba McEntire are doing a pair of sold-out tornado benefit shows this week in Durant, Okla.

Growing up the song of a country music legend, you would think Lukas Nelson would have plenty of money and an advantage in the music business.  But the son of Willie Nelson says both his mom and dad made sure he didn't get any star treatment in his upbringing and they cut him off financially so he would have to make it on his own.  "I was never spoiled when I was a kid," Lukas says. He also admits that it was his parents cutting him off financially when he quit college that helped give him the push he needed to pursue his music full-time. But Willie never tried to persuade Lukas to follow the family business or any other -- he just wanted his son to be happy.  Lukas is now on tour with his famous dad.

The Doobie Brothers and Luke Bryan are going to team for a new installment of CMT Crossroads. CMT Crossroads: The Doobie Brothers and Luke Bryan premieres Friday, June 24th. Taped before an invitation-only audience in Nashville, Luke Bryan will perform The Doobie Brothers’ “Black Water,” Long Train Runnin,” and “China Grove,” and The Doobie Brothers perform “Rain is a Good Thing,” “Do I” “and “Country Girl (Shake It For Me).” “We are so pleased, and fortunate to be able to share the stage with Luke Bryan on Crossroads,” says Pat Simmons of The Doobie Brothers. “He’s one of the most exciting artists on the country music scene these days. The energy, innovation, and soulfulness of the music he writes and performs, is right up our alley.”