Headline Country

Episode GCACC-158

Up, Down and All Around Music Row!

This week's episode of "Country Music Across America" (Thursday, September 6, 8:00 PM/eastern) takes us up, down and all around Music Row with stories of celebrations, musical performances of the live and loud variety, acts of kindness, video shoots and answers the question that burns on everyone's mind each September, "Are you ready for some football?"

Artists Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, Luke Bryan and Lady Antebellum took it to the streets of Music Row during a recent pub crawl hosted by their record label. Church was more than happy to be playing at home, telling host Storme Warren, "We write here, we make our records here and many times, shoot our videos here but then we get on the bus and leave town. I love that we're able to come back (to perform)."

Carolyn Dawn Johnson and newcomer Rissi Palmer ran into the "CMAA" crew at a late night cocktail party for 'Young Nashville.' Getting in just under the age-appropriate wire , Warren takes us into the invitation-only event that benefited the Nashville Union Rescue Mission.

And at a celebration for some real young people - patients at Vanderbilt's Children Hospital - Rascal Flatts and some Disney character pals visited with children at the hospital to kick off their third annual fundraising concert for the hospital. To date, the trio has raised $1.4 million and they have lofty goals for this year's event at Nashville's Sommet Center. "This year we are trying to break a record from last year as far as the amount of money we raise," says Joe Don Rooney. "We want to kick it in the butt a little bit."

News of the CMA Awards nominees comes to us from both Nashville and New York and we get some behind-the-scenes glimpses of the new music videos by Trace Adkins, Taylor Swift, Van Zant and Trent Willmon.

Now that those pre-season what-the-heck-they-don't-really-count NFL games are behind us, it's time to get serious about football. Warren sits down with Gretchen Wilson to talk about the only night of the week that has its own anthem -- Monday night. Wilson appears with Hank Williams, Jr. in this year's "Monday Night Football" theme song and video. And speaking of the NFL, Kenny Chesney somehow found time in his busy touring schedule to put on the pads and participate in a day of training with the New Orleans Saints. Must be all that time he's been spending in NFL stadiums this summer.

"Country Music Across America:" the only entertainment news show on television solely dedicated to covering the world of country music.