Brooks & Dunn are DONE

The first song Brooks & Dunn ever sang together has become their last.

The country music duo closed out a 20-year career at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Thursday night with their 1991 debut single, “Brand New Man,” during the encore.

The sold-out show was the final stop on their Last Rodeo Tour and doubled as a fundraiser for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

Kix Brooks said early in the night, “This isn’t a funeral. We did show up to party.”

They ran through many of their 23 No. 1 hits, including “Neon Moon,” “My Maria,” “Red Dirt Road” and “Boot Scootin’ Boogie.” Reba McEntire made the only guest appearance, singing a few lines during “Cowgirls Don’t Cry.”

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Carrie Underwood Wins Big At 2010 CMT Music Awards

The night belonged to first-time winners and fan-favorite Carrie Underwood, who took home two wins at this year’s CMT MUSIC AWARDS. Underwood took top honors for VIDEO OF THE YEAR (“Cowboy Casanova”) and CMT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR (“Temporary Home” from INVITATION ONLY: CARRIE UNDERWOOD); while Keith Urban took home the buckle in a first-time category win for MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR (“‘Til Summer Comes Around,” and Miranda Lambert scored her first CMT Music Award for FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR (“White Liar”).

Also for the first time, the multi-platinum Lady Antebellum won GROUP VIDEO OF THE YEAR (“Need You Now”); Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins won COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR (“Hillbilly Bone”), and Luke Bryan claimed the USA WEEKEND BREAKTHROUGH VIDEO OF THE YEAR (“Do I”). Legendary duo Brooks & Dunn re-emerged as a fan favorite capturing DUO VIDEO OF THE YEAR (“Indian Summer”), which marks their first DUO win since 2002. Director Shaun Silva won his first VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR for his entire body of work over the last year.

The evening’s winners are as follows: Read more

Carrie Underwood Helps Create Fund To Aid Flood Relief

Reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year Carrie Underwood and ACM Lifting Lives have committed seed funding to create the new ACM Lifting Lives Temporary Home Fund to support relief efforts for families devastated by the recent floods in Middle Tennessee. The Fund takes its name from Underwood’s co-penned hit song “Temporary Home,” in acknowledgement of the immediate needs surrounding those impacted by the floods.

Donations can be made NOW by texting ACM to 501501 through August 2010. Text donations are confirmed by replying with YES, and can be made up to three times. Donations can also be made online at www.ACMliftinglives.org and at www.CBS.com/give. For information on the funding application process, visit www.cfmt.org. Read more

Carrie Underwood & Brad Paisley To Perform @ CMA Awards

A power-packed lineup of country stars including Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley and Keith Urban will perform at the 43rd Annual CMA Awards show, the Country Music Association tells People.com.

The list of stars – which also includes Brooks & Dunn (the vocal duo, winners of 14 CMAs, have announced they will be parting ways after a farewell tour next year), Reba McEntire, George Strait, Sugarland and first-time nominee Darius Rucker – is the first round of performers announced for the show.