Poll

A limited number of Saturday tickets have just been made available for the highly anticipated Saturday line up featuring Multi-Grammy Award Winner Taylor Swift; Tara Oram, Dean Brody, Bruce Guthro, JD Clarke, Ryan Cook & Sunny Acres, Kim Wempe, Rik Reese & the Neon Highway; and tickets still remain for tonight (Friday) and Sunday featuring Lady Antebellum, the Road Hammers, Jack Ingram, Collin Raye and more! Please let your listeners, readers, and fans Know!

A limited number of Single day festival tickets for Taylor Swift on Saturday July 10 are on sale NOW, at:
In Person:

• All Ticketpro Outlets (visit www.ticketpro.ca for locations)
• Confederation Centre Box Office 145 Richmond Street, Ch'town;
  Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm,
  1-800-565-0278 or 1-902-566-1267
• The Harbourfront Jubilee Box Office 124 Harbour Dr. Summerside,
  1-800-708-6505 or 1-902-888-2500
• Cavendish Beach Music Festival Box Office (outside main gate, top of the hill:
  Friday 3pm-9pm; Saturday & Sunday 11am-9pm.

By Phone:

• Ticketpro toll free at 1-888-311-9090

Online:

• www.cavendishbeachmusic.com & www.ticketpro.ca
  

WestJet along with our festival partners are inviting Canadians to vote for their favourite Canadian festival. Close to 100 Canadian festivals have been nominated for consideration with the potential for others to nominate themselves online. Every person who casts a vote or participates in our weekly polls will be eligible to win one of six amazing festival experiences to some great Canadian festivals such as the Calgary Stampede, Just for Laughs Montreal, Halifax International Busker festival, Global Comedy Festival in Vancouver, Niagara wine festival and Kitchener/Waterloo Oktoberfest.

Westjetfestival.com visitors will not only get to vote for their favourite festivals they will also be able to post videos, photos and comments from their own festival experiences. The WestJet Fun n’ Festival Team will also be spending the summer crisscrossing the country from Victoria Symphony of Splash in British Columbia to the St. John’s Royal Regatta in Newfoundland. You’ll be able to follow their progress and meet so many of the great people in our country that make all our festivals so special.

Start the campaign - We will be giving away two great festival packages in the first week so get in early and vote.

Saturday's festival line up includes: Multi-Grammy Award Winner Taylor Swift; Tara Oram, Dean Brody, Bruce Guthro, JD Clarke, Ryan Cook & Sunny Acres, Kim Wempe, Rik Reese & the Neon Highway and more.

A limited number of Single day festival tickets for Taylor Swift on Saturday July 10 are on sale NOW, at:

In Person:

• All Ticketpro Outlets (visit www.ticketpro.ca for locations)
• Confederation Centre Box Office 145 Richmond Street, Ch'town;
  Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm,
  1-800-565-0278 or 1-902-566-1267
• The Harbourfront Jubilee Box Office 124 Harbour Dr. Summerside,
  1-800-708-6505 or 1-902-888-2500

By Phone:

• Ticketpro toll free at 1-888-311-9090

Online:

• www.cavendishbeachmusic.com & www.ticketpro.ca

The 2010 festival lineup that begins on Wednesday, July 7th and continues through Sunday, July 11th includes highly anticipated performances by: Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Emerson Drive, Victoria Banks, the Road Hammers, Collin Raye, Greg Hanna, Jason Blaine, Gloriana, Shane Yellowbird, Gord Bamford, Jack Ingram, Dean Brody, Tara Oram, Ashley MacIsaac, Terry Kelly, Slowcoaster, Barra MacNeils, Christina Martin, Red Gold, Tom Fun Orchestra, Melanie Morgan, Joan Kennedy, Kim Wempe, Bruce Guthro, the Keats, Ryan Cook & Sunny Acres, JD Clarke, Rik Reese & Neon Highway, Madison Violet and more!

Thanks for your continued support! See you at the Beach!

Following up on the successful inaugural festival in 2009 The 2010 Cavendish Beach Music Festival will be one of the top summer concert events in the Maritimes. Now a 5-day festival beginning on Wednesday July 7th with "ECMA at the Beach" followed by headliners Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Taylor Swift and Lady Antebellum.

“Leisure Family RV is thrilled to add the Cavendish Beach Music Festival to their growing list of sponsored summer events.” says Derek Dobson, “it is our goal to partner with high quality events like this to raise the awareness of RV’ing in the Maritimes and enhance the value we can offer to our Leisure Family customer’s.”

Leisure Family RV Centers began in 1973 with Leisure Time Sales in Saint John and now includes RV World in Fredericton and Moncton RV Center. As part of the Dobson Group of Companies, their roots date back to the 1940’s. The Dobson Group is a family owned and operated organization with interests in the Automotive, RV and Housing industries.

To complete the main stage lineup officials announced today:

• Friday, July 9, Gord Bamford;
• Saturday, July 10, Ryan Cook & Sunny Acres, JD Clarke, Bruce Guthro, Dean Brody, Tara Oram;
• Sunday, July 11, Jack Ingram;

The complete main stage lineup at this year’s Cavendish Beach Music Festival is:

Stay tuned for more news about who will be performing on “the Kitchen” stage, the Chevy Cross Canada Countdown coming to the 2010 Cavendish Beach Music Festival, and more great times at the beach!

General Admission Single day passes still remain for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday.

Artist Information:

Ashley MacIsaac – One of the most celebrated Canadian roots musicians – Wednesday, July 7
Hits include: “Sleepy Maggie,” The Devil In The Kitchen,” “Sophia’s Pipe”
www.ashleymacisaac.ca

Terry Kelly – Seven time East Coast Music Award winner - Wednesday, July 7
Hits Include: “A Pittance of Time,” “Far Cry From Leaving”
www.terry-kelly.com

Slowcoaster – One of Canada’s most popular jam rock bands - Wednesday, July 7
Hits Include: “Holdin’ Down the Fort,” “Leaves,” “Rasta Flag”
www.slowcoaster.ca

Barra MacNeils – ECMA Award Winner- Wednesday, July 7
Hits Include: “The Ballad of Lucy Jordan,” “Row Row Row,” “In the Wink of an Eye”
www.barramacneils.com

Melanie Morgan - East Coast Award winner for Country Recording of the Year - Thursday, July 8
Hits Include: “My Man,” “Goodbye Birmingham,” “Love Me Anyway”
www.melaniemorgan.me

Shane Yellowbird - CMAA award winner for “Rising Star of the Year” - Thursday, July 8
Hits Include: “Watching You Walk Away,” “Bare Feet on the Blacktop,” “I Can Help You With That”
www.shaneyellowbird.com

Gloriana - 2010 ACM Award winner, top new vocal group, 2010 CMT Music Award nominee- Thursday, July 8
Hits Include: “How Far Do You Wanna Go?,” “The Way It Goes,” “Wild At Heart”
www.gloriana.com

Keith Urban - Three-time Grammy Award winner -Thursday, July 8
Hits Include: “Sweet Thing,” “Days Go By,” “Raining on Sunday”
www.keithurban.net

Victoria Banks - “Canada’s secret weapon”- Friday, July 9
Hits Include: “The Wheel,” “Kiss Me,” “Long Gone Train”
www.victoriabanks.net

Gord Bamford – 2008 CCMA Top New Male Talent -- Friday, July 9
Hits Include: “Blame it on That Red Dress,” “I Would For You,” “All About Her”
www.gordbamford.com

Emerson Drive - Grammy Award nominee - Friday, July 9
Hits Include: “Moments,” “Fall Into Me,” “I Should Be Sleeping”
www.emersondrive.com

Little Big Town - Grammy Award nominee - Friday, July 9
Hits Include: “Boondocks,” “Bring It On Home,” “Good As Gone”
www.littlebigtown.com

Ryan Cook & Sunny Acres – award-winning Atlantic-Canadian songwriter – Saturday, July 10
Hits Include: “Little Doves,” “Darlin’ Don’t Leave Me,” Can’t Win For Trying”
www.ryancook.ca

JD Clarke – ECMA two time nominee- Saturday, July 10
Hits Include: “Only Every Other Day,” “Do You Remember”
www.jdclarke.ca

Bruce Guthro - nine Time East Coast Music Award winner - Saturday, July 10
Hits Include: “Beautiful Life,” “Drive,” “Rockin Tonight”
www.bruceguthro.com

Dean Brody – New country hit music maker – Saturday, July 10
Hits include: “Brothers” “This Ain’t the Same Town” “Gravity” “Cattleman’s Gun”
www.deanbrody.com

Tara Oram – Canadian Idol, The Tara Diaries - Saturday, July 10
Hits Include: “Fly Girls,” “538 Stars”
www.taraoram.com

Taylor Swift - Multiple Grammy Award winner - Saturday, July 10
Hits Include: “You Belong with Me,” “Love Story,” “Teardrops On My Guitar”
www.taylorswift.com

Greg Hanna - Country music’s good ole boy - Sunday, July 11
Hits Include: “She Means Everything to Me,” “Our Song”
www.greghanna.com

Jason Blaine - 2009 CCMA “Male Artist of the Year” nominee -Sunday, July 11
Hits Include: “That’s What I Do,” “Heartache Like Mine,” “What I Can’t Forget”
www.jasonblaine.ca

Collin Raye - One of the true hit makers of the 1990’s - Sunday, July 11
Hits Include: “That’s My Story,” “Love Me,” “A Soldier’s Prayer”
www.collinraye.com

The Road Hammers - three CCMA awards, including two for Group or Duo of the Year - Sunday, July 11
Hits Include: “I’m A Road Hammer,” “East Bound and Down,” “Girl On The Billboard”
www.myspace.com/theroadhammers

Jack Ingram – Rising country star, CMT Award Winner – Sunday, July 11
Hits include: “Whereever You Are,” “Love You,” “Lips of An Angel”
www.jackingram.net

Lady Antebellum - 2009 CMA Vocal Group of the Year - Sunday, July 11
Hits Include: “Need You Now,” “I Run to You, “Love Don’t Live Here”
www.ladyantebellum.com

PEI’s Only International Car Show Returns July 8-11

Mark Your Calendars! The PEI International Motoring Festival is back July 8-11, 2010 and promises to provide even more diversity than the inaugural event. Last year’s participants will agree – this is no ordinary car show!

Porsches, Mustangs, genuine antiques, super bikes, motorcycles, American muscle cars, Lamborghinis, Ford, Chevy, Chrysler, Ferrari, Triumph, Lotus… You will have it all at the INTERNATIONAL MOTORING FESTIVAL.

In addition to the vehicle and vendor show, PEIIMF participants will have access to four days of incredible live music, an impressive array of food, beverages, and merchants, as well as preferred access to PEIIMF Tent Activities including classic car movies, line dancing, the IMF Radio Controlled Race Track in support of ALS, and much more.

For more information or registration:

There are two ways to register for the 2010 PEI International Motoring Festival:

• Online: www.peiimf.com
  Online registration is now available
• Telephone: 902.367.3675
  Call Angie, Monday to Friday, 8:00AM – 4:30PM, for information or have her register your vehicle for the 2010 Event.

Single day festival tickets for Taylor Swift on Saturday July 10 go on sale this Saturday, March 13, at 10AM Atlantic time. 5 Day passes on sale now, while supplies last!

In Person:

• All Ticketpro Outlets (visit www.ticketpro.ca for locations)
• Confederation Centre Box Office 145 Richmond Street, Ch'town;
  Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm,
  1-800-565-0278 or 1-902-566-1267
• The Harbourfront Jubilee Box Office 124 Harbour Dr. Summerside,
  1-800-708-6505 or 1-902-888-2500

By Phone:

• Ticketpro toll free at 1-888-311-9090
• New for 2010 Layaway Plan available by calling 1-877-790-1118

Online:

• www.cavendishbeachmusic.com & www.ticketpro.ca

Taylor Swift is the latest addition to the 2010 festival lineup that begins on Wednesday July 7th and already includes anticipated appearances by Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Emerson Drive, Victoria Banks, the Road Hammers, Collin Raye, Greg Hanna, Jason Blaine, Gloriana, Shane Yellowbird, Ashley MacIsaac, Terry Kelly, Slowcoaster, Barra MacNeils, Christina Martin and Madison Violet. More main stage performances, the party in “the Kitchen” and more 5-day fun yet to be announced!

ON SALE NOW is the most affordable way to enjoy all 5 days of the 2010 Cavendish Beach Music Festival, for only $235.25 + tax + service fees, while supplies last!

DON’T HAVE THE CASH RIGHT NOW, but don’t want to miss out? LAYAWAY is available only when purchasing your tickets by phone at: 1-877-790-1118.

The 2nd annual Cavendish Beach Music Festival will combines the world’s greatest musicians and talent performing live over 5 days in breath taking Cavendish Beach, thereby linking the viewers to their favorite artists in a landmark location that typically would be visited only in their “dreams.” The timelessness and beauty of the Maritimes, incredible concerts, impressive array of food, beverages, vendors and the stars above (as well as on our stages), will once again create memories destined to last a lifetime! Get in on the tradition! Come for the music, enjoy your family and friends, and don’t miss the Beach!

Artist Information:

Taylor Swift (www.taylorswift.com)
Taylor Swift is the top-selling digital artist in music history, has had singles top both the Country and Pop radio charts, and had the #1 best-selling album in any genre of music in both 2009 and 2008. This year, at the age of 20, she became the youngest artist in history, and the first female solo country artist ever, to win the music industry’s highest honor, the GRAMMY Award for Album of the Year. Also at the 2010 GRAMMYs, she took home the awards for Country Album of the Year, Best Country Song, and Best Country Female Vocal Performance. She is currently nominated for five 2010 Academy of Country Music Awards, including Entertainer of the Year. In 2009, she was named Artist of the Year at the American Music Awards and also became the youngest artist in the 43-year history of the Country Music Association, and the seventh female act ever, to be awarded country music’s top prize when she took home the CMA Award for Entertainer of the Year.

Taylor’s sophomore release, Fearless, reached double-platinum in just four weeks and was voted 2009’s Album of the Year by both the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music. Fearless also won the 2009 American Music Award for Favorite Country Album, and was 2008’s biggest debut for any female artist, and the fourth highest debut of the year, over all. Now quintuple-platinum, Fearless has spent more weeks in the #1 position atop Billboard’s Top 200 all-genre CD sales chart than any other album this century. Taylor, whose career record sales now top 13 million, currently holds the Billboard all-genre records for most first-week downloads by a female artist, for the longest charting album of this century and for most Top 20 debuts in a calendar year, as well as the Billboard record for the largest overall airplay audience for a country-based act. Taylor headlined her first arena tour last year, the TAYLOR SWIFT FEARLESS 2009 TOUR. Every show on the tour sold out within minutes, including Madison Square Garden in one minute, and Los Angeles’ STAPLES center in just two minutes. The FEARLESS Tour returns for 42 shows in 2010.

At the age of 17, Taylor became the youngest person ever to single-handedly write and sing a number-one country single entirely on her own, and Taylor is the first female solo artist in country music history to write or co-write every song on a platinum-selling debut CD. When Taylor was just 14, she signed a publishing deal with Sony/ATV Music, and in 2006 released her self-titled debut CD on Big Machine Records. Taylor Swift has surpassed quadrupleplatinum status and spent more than 20 weeks in the #1 position atop Billboard's Country CD Sales Chart. Taylor is consistently ranked Country's #1 artist on MySpace, and was named Country Music's Hottest Female Artist by AOL Music and Best New Artist by the editors of iTunes. Taylor has more than 2 million followers of her Twitter account and has had more than 260 million music plays on her MySpace page.

In 2009 Taylor won AMA Awards for Artist of the Year, Favorite Female Artist (Country), Favorite Female Artist (Pop/Rock), Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist, and Favorite Album (Country). She also took home CMA Awards for Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, Video of the Year and International Artist Achievement. The same year, Taylor was awarded the Academy of Country Music’s Crystal Milestone Award, given for Outstanding Achievement in Country Music. Taylor was the 2nd artist in history to receive this prestigious award -- Garth Brooks received the award in 2007. She is also the first Country artist to win an MTV VMA Award, taking home the 2009 Moonman for Best Female Video. In 2009 Taylor won CMT Music Awards for Video of the Year and Female Video of the Year, awards she was also honored with in 2008. In addition, she won 2009 Teen Choice Awards for Choice Female Artist and Choice Music Album – Female Artist. Taylor was named 2008’s Favorite Female Country Artist at the American Music Awards, and Top New Female Vocalist by the Academy of Country Music. She was named Choice Breakout Artist at the 2008 Teen Choice Awards, and was honored as the 2008 Superstar of Tomorrow at the 10th Annual Young Hollywood Awards, making her the first musician to ever receive this prestigious award. She was named Songwriter / Artist of the Year by the Nashville Songwriters Association International in both 2009 and 2007, and she won the 2007 CMA Horizon Award, as well as receiving a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.

In 2009, NBC dedicated an entire hour to the primetime special “Dateline: On Tour With Taylor Swift.” Taylor’s other television appearances include a guest-starring role on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and in 2009 she became only the twelfth person in 35 years to both host and perform on Saturday Night Live. Taylor’s numerous television guest appearances include The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Ellen Degeneres Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Jay Leno Show, the Late Show with David Letterman, the Today Show, Good Morning America, The CBS Early Show, The View, and Live with Regis & Kelly. Taylor made her feature film acting debut in 2010, as part of the ensemble cast of the Garry Marshall film Valentine’s Day. Taylor has been featured on the covers of Rolling Stone (twice), Billboard (twice), Elle, Glamour, People, InStyle, New York Times T magazine, Allure, People StyleWatch, Blender, USA Weekend, Seventeen (twice), Redbook, Self, Us Weekly, CosmoGirl, Girl’s Life, Teen Vogue, Women’s Health, First, Your Prom, and Southwest Airlines Spirit magazine. She was featured in a Vanity Fair spotlight, was named one of People magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People of 2008 and 2009, was Cosmopolitan magazine’s Fun Fearless Female, was Allure’s Face of December, was named a Style Star of 2008 and 2009 by the editors of Seventeen, and was featured on Maxim’s 2008 & 2009 Hot 100 list.

In a new partnership with the East Coast Music Association and Campbell Webster Entertainment, the Cavendish Beach Music Festival will showcase some of the maritime region's finest ECMA acts on Wednesday, July 7th, 2010!

"ECMA at the Beach" is now kicking off the 2010 Cavendish Beach Music Festival with a day long star-studded lineup featuring six of the maritime region’s finest ECMA acts including: Ashley MacIsaac, Terry Kelly, Slowcoaster, Barra MacNeils and Madison Violet.

“ECMA at the Beach” is dedicated to celebrating some of Atlantic Canada's finest musical acts, and means the 2010 Cavendish Beach Music Festival is now five (5) days of incredible concerts, great food, beverages, friends, fun, the stars above, and the most beautiful oceanfront settings in Atlantic Canada! (if you already purchased your 4 day pass, the 5th day admission is on us! That’s right; your four-day pass is good for all five days!)

"Over the last twenty five years, hundreds of thousands of Atlantic Canadians have celebrated their music at the winter music festival that is the ECMA. Now some of the ECMA's finest artists will convene in the summer – at the Beach!” said ECMA Executive Director Su Hutchison.

“ECMA at the Beach is a natural fit for our Festival,” said Cavendish Beach Music Festival producer Jeff Squires. “We are the number one Atlantic Canadian music event at one of the most beautiful oceanfront settings in Atlantic Canada. Great music, great settings, and a great time are what we are all about. Partnering all of that with the ECMA adds tradition and regional culture to this international music festival.”

More main stage performances, the party in “the Kitchen” and more fun yet to be announced! Multiple day passes and single day tickets are on sale now!

Artist Information:

Ashley MacIsaac (ashleymacisaac.net)
One of the most celebrated Canadian roots musicians of all time, having sold in excess of 500,000 albums, Ashley has garnered international acclaim by playing the fiddle in that hard-nosed, traditional Cape-Breton style, while adding his own spin, mixing genres and updating Celtic music to appeal to a broader spectrum of fans. Considered something of a local legend and prodigy by the time of his impressive 1992 debut Close To The Floor, Ashley broke through to the mainstream with the double-platinum genre-bending Hi, How Are You Today? in 1995. International radio play for the single, Sleepy Maggie, and a regular slot on MuchMusic made Ashley an instant Canadian icon. Ashley has toured with the likes of Philip Glass and The Chieftains, and performed on the Conan O’Brian show, The Today Show, at Carnegie Hall and the Acropolis in Greece. He continues to record and release records, with his 11th album, Crossover, slated for release later this year.

Terry Kelly (www.terry-kelly.com)
Terry Kelly’s enthusiasm for life and sheer determination have gained him recognition as an accomplished athlete; an award-winning singer, songwriter, and entertainer; a professional speaker; and a lover of life. Terry was a double silver medallist at the 1979 Canadian Track Championships; a member of the Canadian Track Team that competed in the 1980 Paralympics; has distinguished himself as the third blind person in the world to run the mile in under five minutes; and was honoured by carrying the Olympic Torch as part of the Cross-Canada Torch Relay for the 1988 Winter Olympics. This Newfoundland native has been making music since his childhood years; has recorded six full-length recordings; has performed his original music in places as far away as Australia and Spain; has performed with Symphony Nova Scotia and the Edmonton Symphony; was nominated for four Canadian Country Music Awards and a JUNO; and has received seven East Coast Music Awards.

Slowcoaster (www.slowcoaster.ca)
On the strength of their refreshing and versatile sound and intoxicatingly energetic live show, Cape Breton's Slowcoaster have become one of the most popular independent bands in Canada. The members' superior musicianship enables the trio to hammer out their own brand of high energy, guitar based rock that incorporates touches of hip-hop, jazz, reggae and Afro-Cuban grooves. Guitarist / vocalist Steven MacDougall's stellar song writing skills and evocative vocals add a defining soulful texture absent in much of today's rock music. Longtime followers will be quick to recommend this band to their music loving friends who will finally realize what the fuss has been all about.

Barra MacNeils (www.barramacneils.com)
The Barra MacNeils live concert experience brings so much more to the stage than most live acts ever can. Multiple lead vocalists, beautiful sibling harmonies, top drawer instrumental prowess on a wide variety of acoustic, stringed, percussion and wind instruments blended with dancing, storytelling, Gaelic songs and a journey through an ancient culture; it is family entertainment at its highest level. Steeped in Cape Breton tradition with strong Celtic roots and musical artistry, this diverse and talented family group continues to wow audiences around the world with their captivating vocals, harmonies and extraordinary musicianship. ECMA awards include Group of the Year, Roots /Traditional Group of the Year, Album of the Year, and Pop Recording of the Year. Canada's Celtic ambassadors, the Barra MacNeils continue to perform to sold out audiences throughout Canada, the United States, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and Europe.

Madison Violet (www.madisonviolet.com)
A nominee for 2010 Group Recording of the Year, they have received 2 ECMA awards nominations in the 'Folk album of the Year' and 'Best Group Recording' categories as well as a Canadian Folk Award nomination as 'Vocal Group of the year'. Lush with harmonies, banjo, fiddle, mandolin and upright bass, their songs are infused with heartache and loss but the listener will always find an uplifting twang in their sound, one that may invoke the essence of Lucinda Williams or Steve Earle. The touring duo have been dubbed road dogs, as they spend 9 months a year on the road, supporting artists such as Ron Sexsmith, Chantal Kreviazuk, Indigo Girls and The Temptations in Australia, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland, Italy and of course, Canada. From the Montreux Jazz Festival to Massey Hall, audiences have swooned over their storytelling and songs.

Friday, July 9 - Little Big Town, Emerson Drive, Victoria Banks;
Sunday, July 11 - Lady Antebellum, the Road Hammers, Collin Raye, Jason Blaine and Greg Hanna.

These 8 artists will join already announced Keith Urban, Glorianna and Shane Yellowbird on this summer’s hottest festival lineup! More main stage performances, the party in “the Kitchen” and lots of fun yet to be announced! Multiple day passes and single day tickets are on sale now! (See Tickets)

Artist Information:

Lady Antebellum (http://www.ladyantebellum.com)
The hottest band in the land! 2010’s “Need You Now” scored a Grammy Award nomination for Best Country Song and a Best Country Performance win for the single “I Run to you.” As the Country Music Association’s Vocal Group of the Year, Lady Antebellum blends contemporary country with soulful '60s R&B into an infectious modern brew that relies on the trio's rich harmonies and impeccable instrumental skills. The group signed with Capitol Nashville in 2007 and released its first single, "Love Don't Live Here," which peaked at number three on the country charts. Their 2008 self-titled debut went on to be certified platinum in the U.S. and earned the group a Top New Duo award from the Academy of Country Music, as well as New Artist of The Year by the Country Music Association.

Emerson Drive (www.emersondrive.com).
Emerson Drive’s 2002 self-titled album featured the Top 5 hits "I Should Be Sleeping" and "Fall Into Me," as well as followup hit "Only God (Could Stop Me Loving You)." Their second album, What If, gave them four Top 15 Canadian hits and one Top 20 in the U.S. The group has garnered numerous nominations and awards from The Academy of Country Music, The Country Music Association, The Canadian Country Music Association, The Christian Country Music Association, and The Junos.

Little Big Town (www.littlebigtown.com)
Little Big Town is not your parents’ country band. Their uniqueness made them a hard sell at first in the ever-cautious country music field, but Little Big Town pushed forward with characteristic determination. Their patience paid off with The Road to Here, which has sold over a million copies and produced four Top 20 hits including the Top10 smash "Boondocks," the Top 5 "Bring It On Home," "Good As Gone" and "A Little More You," and earned them nominations at the Grammy Awards, the Country Music Association Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards and CMT Music Awards. The band is also known for their cover of “Life in a Northern Town,” which managed to break the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart due to fans’ unsolicited requests for airplay.

The Road Hammers (www.jasonmccoy.com)
After four studio albums and one Greatest Hits Collection, Canadian country-music mainstay Jason McCoy created The Road Hammers, a concept band who embraced songs of the open road, and renegade culture. The band spawned two hit CMT documentaries, one Gold Album, CCMA Group of the Year two years in a row (05/06), and a Juno for Country Recording of the Year 2006. The band also garnered Jason the coveted CCMA Producer of the Year award 2006, solidifying his solid musical presence.

Collin Raye (www.collinraye.com) Five times nominated as country music’s Male Vocalist of the Year, Collin Raye’s musical resume is nothing to scoff at. Raye has charted an impressive 30 singles between 1991 and 2007, including the number one Billboard country tracks “Love, Me”, “In This Life,” “My Kind of Girl,” and “I Can Still Feel You.” Raye’s latest release is 2009’s Never Going Back which includes singles “Mid-Life Chrysler” and “She’s With Me.”

Victoria Banks (www.victoriabanks.net)
Described by Nashville's Music Row Magazine as one of "the best songwriters in the business," Victoria Banks made Billboard chart history by co-writing the highest new artist debut song ever released, Jessica Simpson's "Come on Over." She also scored the #1 most downloaded song on iTunes with Jessica Simpson's "Remember That," penned the ASCAP and SOCAN award-winning Sara Evans hit "Saints & Angels," and co-wrote Johnny Reid's smash hit "Dance With Me." She has collaborated with artists from Gretchen Wilson to Julie Roberts, and shared the stage with superstars from Randy Bachman to Alabama.

Jason Blaine (www.jasonblaine.ca)
After achieving national success from 2003-2006 with singles That's What I Do, Heartache Like Mine, While We Were Waiting and What I Can't Forget (Top 10 CMT and Top 20 at radio nationally), Jason Blaine decided to follow his dreams and made the move south to Nashville, Tennessee. Produced by veteran producers Phil O'Donnell and Noah Gordon, MAKE MY MOVE kicked Jason's Canadian career into high-gear turning out five Top 10 radio singles and back-to-back #1 videos on CMT Canada. As a result, Jason has also earned several CCMA nominations including "rising star" (2007 & 2008) and "male artist of the year" (2009).

Greg Hanna (www.greghanna.com)
Greg Hanna debuted on the American Country Radio Charts in the summer of 2008 with his debut single; "She Means Everything to Me" which ran it's way into the "Top 10" list of many stations in both America and Canada. 2009 has kept Hanna running. A brand new single (currently charting in the USA, an article in Country Music Weekly, a guest appearance on CMT/GAC special; "Our Song", (with long-time buddy Brad Mates of Emerson Drive), a new Record Deal with MegaForce/Sony Red and a tour with Jeff Foxworthy. Hanna is no stranger in his Homeland of Canada either. He has notched himself three Top10 Radio Hits; "Song in My Head", "Love You For Life", and the summer Anthem "Singin' To The Radio.”

Keith Urban (www.keithurban.net)
In 2001, the Country Music Association honored Keith Urban with its Horizon Award, designating him a talented artist with a bright future. Nine years later, Urban is a two-time Grammy Award winner, and he still remains the only CMA Horizon Award winner in history to go on to win the CMA’s Entertainer of The Year and Male Vocalist of the Year, a title he’s captured three times. He’s sold more than 10 million CDs, had 12 #1 singles, another 20 Top 5 hits as well as three consecutive #1 albums. He’s won five Country Music Association Awards and five Academy of Country Music Awards.

Gloriana (www.gloriana.com)
Amid the soaring four-part harmonies and electric stage presence, it's clear that Gloriana represents an exciting new force in country music. The group’s 2009 debut single “Wild at Heart” broke the top 15 U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The song’s success paved the way for Gloriana to take home the American Music Awards Breakthrough Artist of the Year award, and the band is currently nominated for Top New Group for this year’s Academy of Country Music Awards. Shane Yellowbird (http://www.shaneyellowbird.com) Shane Yellowbird burst onto the country music scene in 2006 with the release of his debut album Life Is Calling My Name. Garnering four Top-10 radio singles and videos, the CD led Yellowbird to countless awards and accolades, including the coveted CCMA award for "Rising Star of the Year," the "Best Country Recording" award at the Native American Music Awards (for North America), and the "Aboriginal Entertainer of the Year" award at the Aboriginal People's Choice Awards (for North America).

Christina Martin (www.christinamartin.net)
The 2009 ECMA winner for ‘Pop Recording of the Year’, she has supported alt rock band Wilco in the US and Canada’s Matt Mays and El Torpedo. Martin’s music reveals a depth of artistry that ranges from a Mazzy Star-like ethereal quality to majestic folk rock reminiscent of Emmy Lou Harris and Lucinda Williams.

In New Brunswick, our Trius Tours deluxe coach will depart Fredericton and pick uppassengers in Saint John and Moncton. In Nova Scotia, you can meet the coach beginning in Wolfville with pick ups in Bedford, Truro and Amherst. A great way to enjoy the festival and PEI hospitality while leaving your car at home.

Visit www.targettours.ca for details.

The 36th Annual People’s Choice Award turned out to be an extremely special occasion for the singer as he managed to win the award in the category of ‘Favorite Male Artist’, at the much anticipated award ceremony which was held at the Nokia Theatre at Los Angeles on Wednesday night.

The much acclaimed country musician attended the award ceremony with his actress wife Nicole Kidman. Although Keith Urban also received nomination in the category of ‘Favorite Country Artist’, the 42 year old singer lost to Carrie Underwood, who took home the award which recognizes country musicians. (Source)