Fans Place Trace on Winning CMT Finalist List

Trace fans have voted their hearts out putting "Hillbilly Bone" in the finals for CMT's Collaborative Video of the Year.  But we can't rest, it will take another round of dedicated Trace voting to bring in the winning trophy for our guy.

The CMT Music Awards pride themselves on being the only fan-voted awards show in country music,Congratulations to Trace & Blake for their nomination for Collaborative Video of the Year for "Hillbilly Bone." Remember they need YOUR votes to win! Fans can log on to CMT.com to vote for their favorite artists now through June 8.

Trace to Release First Single From "Cowboy's Back in Town"

Listen Now at B105. Trace's first album on Show Dog-Universal, 'Cowboy's Back in Town,' hits stores on August 24. In the meantime he is gearing up to release his highly-anticipated new single, "This Ain't No Love Song" on Monday, May 17. The song is the lead single from Adkins' forthcoming album on Toby Keith's newly formed record label with Universal Music Group, Show Dog - Universal Music.

The song, penned by Tony Lane, Marcel, and David Lee tells the story of a simple country boy who doesn't get hung up on all the romantic love songs to tell his lady how he feels. Lane also wrote Trace's "Comin On Strong", "Wanna Feel Something" and "I Came Here To Live".

As the title states, it's not your typical love song from Adkins but a tune on the subject with a clever twist. Adkins' voice shines to the point where you wonder if the song was written especially for him. The platinum-selling singer pulls in equal parts of a melodious ballad mixed in with some backwoods country charm.

"We are so pumped to have Trace join our roster, and equally as excited that he has given us such a fantastic album," stated Mark Wright, President, Show Dog - Universal Music. "The first single is a great example of how Trace can take a lyric and put the listener right in the middle of the storyline. This is a perfect match of a brilliant communicator delivering an incredible piece of music."

"Toby has said this new music has a smile on it and maybe that's just a reflection of where I'm at right now," says Adkins. "I have this new sense of invigoration and making this record was a lot of fun."

Trace to Perform ACM Nominated Song With Shelton

Like all Trace fans I was excited to hear that he will be performing "Hillbilly Bone" with Blake Shelton on the 45th Annual ACM Awards on April 18th at 8:00 p.m.

To be honest I never expected Trace to participate in a nominated, ACM Vocal Event of the Year, with another man. But, we will take what we can get! Currently Trace and pal Blake Shelton are No. 1 on the charts with "Hillbilly Bone," the title track to Shelton's current release. Shelton said from the moment "Hillbilly Bone" was released, the reaction from fans has been amazing.

"I would say within about three listens to it, I knew I wanted to record it," Blake tells blog.newsok.com. "Within that same amount of time, I also knew that I would want Trace Adkins on it with me just because it sounded to me like a Trace Adkins song. So once I made the decision that I was going to record it, and I talked to my producer about it, I told him, 'Man, really we should get Trace Adkins in there to sing that bass part on the choruses.' And so we called Trace, and he said he would do it."

Great news, Trace will release a new album this summer through his new lable, Show dog entertainment. He hasn't decided what the newest single will be. "I know that it will be a fun record for the fans. Hell, it was fun for me. In fact it's a real "up" record. There's only a couple of slow songs included. As far as a single, I don't know because we can't decide ... and that's a good problem to have. There are a lot of singles, or at least I think so, on this new album."

Trace Not On Tour Bus Involved In Crash

According to the Associated Press, Trace was not on tour bus involved in yesterday's crash that injured five members of his band, the Sarepta Gentlemen's Club.

Cindy Chadwick of the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office says five of nine band members were treated for minor injuries in the Saturday morning accident. Chadwick said Trace, a native of nearby Webster Parish,  drove to the scene after hearing about the accident where he picked up the four people on the bus who were not taken to the hospital, before going to the Caddo Memorial Hospital in Vivian to check on the injured band members.

According to the Shreveport Times band members, Greg Baker and Wayne Addleman received the most injuries.

 “The one hurt the worst was my bass player, Greg Baker. He was in the jump seat up front. He went through the windshield and was hanging over the front of the bus.” Amazingly, he was not believed to have broken any bones, suffering a dislocated shoulder, rotater cuff injury and cuts and bruises. “He’s all banged up.”


Adkins said his steel-guitar player, Wayne Addleman, “was just coming up front and he hit the divider in the middle of the bus. He cut his ear pretty bad and he’s bruised on one whole side of his body.”

Justin R. Maxey, 21, of Fouke, Ark., and Jeffrey R. Ferguson Jr., 36, of Texarkana, driver and passenger of a Ford F-250 truck,were killed when their vehicle crossed the center line and hit the bus head-on as it traveled south. The cause of the accident was not immediately known.  Chadwick says a witness had seen the pickup truck weaving in traffic. The truck crossed the center line of U.S. Highway 71 and ran into the bus around 9:30 a.m.

Chadwick said five band members were treated for minor injuries in the Saturday morning accident. The bus was en route to Bossier City for a show at the CenturyTel Center. Adkins had already arrived at the venue when he heard the news, according to his Web site.

"This is a real tragedy," Adkins said in a statement. "Two people have been killed and I don't even know their names. So out of respect for their families, I prefer not to comment too much at this time."
Adkins said he would perform a scaled-down acoustic set at Saturday's show, which also featured singer Martina McBride. He will sit out a show in Pensacola, Florida, on Sunday.

Ebay Benefit Sale Your Chance To Get Rare Trace Memorabilia

Trace's Mom, A Board member at the Arc of North Webster, donated one of Trace's jackets (currenlty going for $152), some college text books with his name signed Tracy Adkins, a record and tapes of Trace's New Commitment along with several other items that belonged to Trace to be auctioned for charity.

The Arc of North Webster, located in Sarepta, LA Trace's hometown, helps mentally and physically challenged adults be able to have jobs and be self supported.

The New Commitment Quartet Record was made in the late 1970's when Trace was in the quartet.
The songs on the Record include:

Side A
Sail Away Home
Learning to Lean
Lord, I'm Heaven Bound
He Loves Me
Shout and Shine

Side B
Old Camp Meeting Time
Amazing Grace
Roll Away Trouble River
Thank you Lord, For your Blessing
Rainbow of Love

Trace Signs With Toby Keith's Show Dog Nashville

In a move that has jaws dropping on Nashville's Music Row today, Trace Adkins has announced he's leaving his longtime label home, Capitol Nashville, to be the first new artist signed to the newly-formed Show Dog Universal. Trace's new label is the result of a merger last month between Toby Keith's Show Dog Nashville and Universal South Records.
The idea for Trace's big move sparked on last summer's America's Toughest Tour, featuring Trace and Toby. "Getting Trace out on tour last year ... he saw what we do, we saw what he does, and everything was obvious," Toby, who acts as Principal of Show Dog Universal, tells The Boot. "When the opportunity came, he called me and said 'I want to do this.'
"I want to start by saying I've had 15 wonderful years at Capitol Records, and I respect and appreciate those folks there," Trace said in at a Nashville press conference announcing his move on Wednesday. "I am very excited and invigorated by this merger and the energy I felt since I've been talking to these guys.
"When I toured with Toby this past year I saw something out there that I longed for," Trace continued. "I'd stand on the side of the stage at night, and I saw Toby Keith with this grin from ear to ear -- he'd come bounding offstage and he'd be so fired up, like a 12-year-old kid at Christmas. That joy I'd see from him was real, and I want me some of that!"
Trace saw the opportunity to work with Toby when the Show Dog and Universal South merger was announced. He says when he heard about it, he called his touring buddy. "I told him my producer, Michael Knox, and I have been in the studio and I've got eight songs done. I'll fly out to Oklahoma City to play it for you. Toby told me he didn't need to hear it. I think that's the trust he has in me ... He knows I'm not gonna cut s---. I'm thrilled and happy to be here, and ready to get to work and knock it out of the park."
When asked if either of the men thought their relationship would be awkward now that Toby is more or less Trace's boss, Toby was quick to say things wouldn't change on his part. "He's glad that I'm in a situation where we can't get screwed. We've both been in the business long enough to know that there are people out there who might do that," Toby insists. "I don't need to hear his music, I don't have to tell him or any artist what to play. When I signed Trailer Choir, I signed them for (the songs) 'Rockin' the Beer Gut' and 'Off the Hillbilly Hook.' I didn't have to tell them, because they knew what they were selling out at frat houses and clubs with.

"Trace is gonna do what I do -- he's gonna bring music in and we're gonna put it out there, and if the first one works we'll put out one right behind it. If it doesn't work, we'll still put out one right behind it."

Trace signed the record deal with Show Dog Universal Wednesday at the press conference at BMI, where he was also presented with a cake to help celebrate his 48th birthday. A release date for the first single and album has not yet been set.