Rascal Flatts – Everything At The Top. The band started in a place called, the Fiddle and Steel Guitar Bar in Nashville. Gary LeVox, his second-cousin Jay DeMarcus, and Joe Don Rooney had no name for the band so they called it Rascal Flatts at the suggestion of someone who had a garage band of the same name when he was young. Since then, this American country band has released seven albums which have all been certified platinum or higher by the Recording Industry Association of America and one (released in April 2012) which has already been certified Gold, reaching No. 1 in the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.

The trio of LeVox, at lead vocals, DeMarcus who handles bass guitar, piano, keyboard and vocals, and Rooney for vocals and lead guitar has mesmerized a youthful audience in the 18-25 age range, and is the 6^th most popular act for children aged 10 to 12. In a little over a decade, Rascal Flatts has won, almost every year, an award from either the Academy of Country Music, Country Music Association or the Country Music Television network.

The group has also received a Radio Music Award, Billboard Touring Award, several American Music Awards, People's Choice Awards, a Broadcast Music, Inc. Song of the Year award, and a Grammy Award for Best Country Song. In 2010, Rascal Flatts was named Decade Artist by the American Country Awards. The Next year, the group became a member of Grand Ole Opry and received the Tony Martell Lifetime Entertainment Achievement Award.

The latter was awarded by the T.J. Martell Foundation, the music industry's program that funds medical research in the top ten US hospitals. It recognizes the contribution of Rascal Flatts to charitable causes such as the American Red Cross where they serve as members of the Celebrity Cabinet Board and as spokespersons for the Jason Foundation, a national organization dedicated to suicide prevention. The trio has also raised or donated over $3 million for the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital. In 2012, Rascal Flatts was honored with the CRS Artist Humanitarian Award for its many charitable activities.

Famous for shows with laser lights, fireworks, videos and other special effects, the band is just as popular on tour as it is in record stores. After starting on the tour circuit in 2002, Rascal Flatts had become one of the top 25 tours of the year by 2005, with sales of almost 800,000 tickets grossing over $26 million. The Next year, their tour drew an audience of more than a million fans to 79 shows and grossed more than $46 million. In 2007, the group sold almost 600,000 tickets with gross revenues of $34 million.

With their most recent album, Changed, continuing to climb up the charts, Rascal Flatts is looking at many more years of life at the top.

I grew up in NSW rural towns like Dubbo, Forbes & Bowral, and for as long as I can remember, I've been performing. As a young boy, I wanted nothing more than to sing and play guitar like my heroes, Garth Brooks, Robert Plant, John Foggerty and Travis Tritt - to name a few. Learning to play didn't come easy though. I had to teach myself to play right handed cause I could not find a left handed guitar.

Recently with the completion of my debut album KEEP ON DRIVIN', I've been amazed looking back to see how far I've come. Playing open mics, pubs & clubs, weddings, corporate gigs, festivals, songwriter sessions and the occassional backyard barbie, have helped define my music and my passion. Carving up my own style of Country, Rock & Blues on the Australian stage is where and when I feel most at home.

Benn has been picking up numerous awards and nominations for Best New Talent in the 2011 Australian Independent Country Music Awards, Best New OZ Artist in the CMC Music Awards 2012 and Winner of "Best New Artist" in the National Category of the Victorian Country Music Awards.

01. Who I Am

02. Laughter And Beers

03. Every Minute I Wait

04. If It Hadn't Been For Love

05. Mobile Phones

06. Golden Mile

07. Rawsonville Road

08. My Last Stop (feat. Bec Willis)

09. I Like Girls That Drink Beer

10. Been Around Too Long

11. You're My Vice

12. Keep On Drivin'

Male ducks don't quack. What they have is a broad spectrum of calls like whistles, cooing, yodels and grunts. The duck's calls may be loud, attention-getting sounds or quiet, intimate contact calls. That may be as good a reason as any why Bryen Willems is called The Swamp Duck. He leads a band called the Bayou Boogie Boys that runs the gamut of country sounds plus rock that thrill and excite fans whenever and wherever they perform. Their shows are full of shoe shufflin', swinging hips, toe tapping and classic country that bring to mind the sounds of Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Hank Williams and the whole tribe.

It may also be because Willems hails from Louisiana in the USA. The Mississippi Delta in Louisiana is where almost 15 million waterfowl head for the winter – almost 30% of the entire waterfowl population of Alaska, Canada and the Lower 48 states of the USA. The swamp duck, is one of the most colorful birds in North America and makes its home in swamps, marshes and ponds. Next to the mallard, it is the second most hunted duck in North America.

Another reason may be that Willems has swamp rock in his repertoire of country, blues and southern rock. Swamp Rock evolved from Roots Rock which, in turn, traces its origins to folk, blues and country. In the late 60s, Roots Rock gave birth to Country Rock and Southern Rock to counter the growing influence of punk rock, new wave and heavy metal. Country icons like Bob Dylan led movements to revive interest in roots music to be followed by Gram Parsons and The Byrds, the Flying Burrito Brothers, the Everly Brothers, Rick Nelson, Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt.

The migration pipeline saw Willems move from his native Louisiana to Australia many years back bringing with him his bayou heritage and topping it off with a distinct Australian sound. Based in Sydney, he worked as an announcer in country radio stations and released his debut album in 2007. Through the years, Willems has worked with Liza and Rae of The Harmonators, two-time Western Australian vocalist of the year awardee Ronnie Rae Rivers, and 2011 Mo awardee for Best Country Performer Nicki Gillis. Willems has also performed with fellow Louisiana-born Gayla Lajeune and alt country artist Floramay Holliday.

Willems is a familiar face at country music festivals. He has appeared at every Tamworth Country Music Festival since 2002 and hosts the Tamworth Honky-Tonk Nights at the Family Hotel during the festival. He's performed at the Gympie Muster, Red Hill Country Music Festival, Riverland Country Music Festival, Central Coast Country Music Festival, and Bluewater Country Music Festival.

Willems and his band are scheduled to perform at the Country Music Guild of Australasia on August 3, in Brunswick East on August 4, in Sydney on August 16, at the Gympie Muster on August 23, in Picton, Berrie, Marrickville and Wyong in September.

There'll be a lot of sounds from The Swamp Duck in the weeks to come.

For someone who's not quite 30 years old, Carrie Underwood has garnered so many trophies and awards that Billboard named her Country Music's reigning queen in 2012. Carrie Marie Underwood was born on March 10, 1983 in Muskogee and grew up in Checotah, both in the US state of Oklahoma. She started singing as a young girl in talent shows, at her church and in local events. A dedicated student, Underwood was a cheerleader, played basketball and softball, became a member of the Honor Society and graduated from high school as salutatorian.

Underwood then decided against a singing career and went to Northeastern State University where she graduated magna cum laude. She managed this while waiting on tables, working at a zoo and a veterinary clinic, serving as a page for a state representative, competing in beauty pageants and performing at the university's Downtown Country Show.

Fortunately for music fans everywhere, Underwood found her way back to singing by auditioning for and winning the fourth season of American Idol. With it came a $1 million recording contract and the start of one of the most spectacular careers for a country singer and songwriter. Her array of awards includes chart-topping albums that have been certified platinum over and over, female vocalist trophies from the Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music, several Grammy Awards, American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards and a nomination for a Golden Globe Award.

Oklahoma Today named Underwood Oklahoman of the Year in 2005. In 2008, Underwood became a member of the Grand Ole Opry and was, in the Next year, inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. To add spice to this string of awards, Underwood was named the Sexiest Female Musician in 2007 by Victoria's Secret and the World's Sexiest Vegetarian by PETA. In 2009, she ranked No. 60 on Maxims Hot 100 list.

Underwood's interests range far afield of music and singing. A staunch animal lover, she is a supporter of the Humane Society of the United States, giving her time to public service announcements and even saving an injured dog on the highway in a much-publicized rescue attempt. She has performed in support of cancer research, joining other female artists in a fund raiser that resulted in a $73.6 million award for cancer research. In 2009, Underwood formed the Checotah Animal Town and School Foundation (C.A.T.S.) to help her hometown.

Another of Underwood's interests is sports, which she sometimes combines with her charity work. She has participated in the City of Hope Celebrity Softball tournament which benefits research for life-threatening diseases. She has sung the Star-Spangled Banner at championship games of the NBA, the NFC, NASCAR, MLB, the World Series and Superbowl XLIV.

A practicing Christian, Underwood supports same-sex marriage. She sums up her point of view by saying, “We're all different. That's what makes us special. We have to love each and get on with each other”. Definitely words fit for an American Idol and a queen.