2012 – Page 20 – Country Universe

2012 ACM Awards: Staff Picks & Predictions

March 30, 2012 Tara Seetharam 17

Throw on your bedazzled boots – the 47th annual Academy of Country Music Awards air live from Las Vegas this Sunday at 8 p.m. EST. The show promises to be a melting pot of performances, with oddball duets like Rascal Flatts and Steve Martin – and no, that’s not an April Fools joke. The CU staff picked and predicted the awards below. Tell us your thoughts, and check back for our live blog on Sunday night!

Entertainer of the Year

Should Win:

Jason Aldean
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
Blake Shelton
Taylor Swift – Jonathan, Dan, Tara, Leeann, Kevin, Ben, Sam

Retro Single Review: George Strait, "Ocean Front Property"

March 27, 2012 Ben Foster 10

1986 | #1

Subtly clever, yet deceptively simple, with a strong undercurrent of heartache. In other words… classic Strait.

Single Review: Martina McBride featuring Pat Monahan, “Marry Me”

March 23, 2012 Ben Foster 9

Honestly, I was never a huge fan of this particular Train hit. The lyric has a few interesting lines, but I couldn’t help but find it a bit schmaltzy and heavy-handed. Plus it’s like he just met this girl in a cafe, and he’s already getting ready to propose marriage? I would probably have liked the song better without “If I ever get the nerve to say hello in this cafe.”

So it figures that Martina McBride reworks it into a duet with Train frontman Pat Monohan (after having joined Train for an episode of CMT Crossroads), and I can’t get over how cool they make it sound.

Single Review: Toby Keith, “Beers Ago”

March 21, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 4

You know what I like about Toby Keith?

He always sings. No auto-tune, no “let the backup singers do the heavy lifting.” Just real, pure singing.

100 Greatest Men: #59. John Anderson

March 18, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 16

100 Greatest Men: The Complete List

As one of the finest new traditionalists of the eighties and nineties, John Anderson pushed the boundaries of country music without sacrificing its distinctive heritage.

Retro Single Review: Shania Twain, “You’ve Got a Way”

March 16, 2012 Ben Foster 1

1999 | #13

“You’ve Got a Way” is a beautiful showcase of the unique set of gifts Shania Twain brought to the table as a vocalist.

Retro Single Review: Shania Twain, “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!”

March 16, 2012 Ben Foster 2

1999 | #4

Of all the crossover mega-hits from Shania Twain’s wildly successful Come On Over album, “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” is arguably the most iconic.

Retro Single Review: George Strait, “It Ain’t Cool to be Crazy About You”

March 15, 2012 Leeann Ward 5

1986 | Peak: #1

It’s rare that the melody of a song’s verses is just about as memorable and catchy as its chorus, but such is the case with George Strait’s “It Ain’t Cool to be Crazy About You.” Just hearing the first strains of the simple piano intro makes it almost impossible to get the tune out of your head once it’s there. What’s more, words like “suave” and “debonair” make it nearly irresistible to sing along with.

Single Review: Easton Corbin, “Lovin’ You Is Fun”

March 13, 2012 Ben Foster 8

Is it lightweight radio fluff? Yes.

Is it good at being lightweight radio fluff? Again, yes.

100 Greatest Men: #60. Don Gibson

March 12, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 5

100 Greatest Men: The Complete List

The writer of several timeless country standards, Don Gibson put down his pen often enough to maintain a remarkable, decades-long career as a singer and performer.