Photo:  Nigel Parry

Tim McGraw will represent country music this 4^th of July during NBC’s coverage of the 2013 Macy’s 4^th of July Fireworks Spectacular.  Tim and Mariah Carey will co-headline the event – which promises more than 40,000 fireworks over New York's Hudson River. 

Photo:  Capitol Records Nashville

Darius Rucker has been celebrating the fact that his song “Wagon Wheel” is the #1 song in country music for the second consecutive week.  He also got the news this week that his album True Believers has become his third consecutive country record to debut at #1.  

Photo:  Curtis Hilbun / AFF-USA

Congrats to Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild and Jimi Westbrook.  They celebrate their seventh wedding anniversary this weekend.

Photo:  Warner Music Nashville

Hunter Hayes received three nominations for the upcoming 2013 CMT Music Awards, including the big award of the night – Video of the Year for his song “Wanted”.   The 2013 CMT Music Awards airs Wednesday at 8 PM.

Photo:  Rick Diamond                                                    Photo:  Getty Images

Brantley Gilbert and Eric Church did some song writing together last year.  One of those songs might end up on either Brantley’s or Eric’s future albums – later…rather than sooner.  Brantley says it won't make it on his upcoming album.  But he hopes Eric will put it on his. 

Photo:  FOX

American Idol runner-up Kree Harrison is set to perform at the CMT Music Awards next week.  It's the first award show she's ever attended.  It's cool that she gets to perform at her first awards show!  The 2013 CMT Music Awards airs Wednesday night at 8 on CMT.

Photo:  Getty Images

It takes a lot to impress Eric Church – but if there’s one guy who has his complete respect…it’s Kenny Chesney.  Eric says Kenny's commitment and passion are second to none. 

Photo:  Big Machine Label Group

It’s a Rascal Flatts text in to win weekend!  Listen for text words all weekend long to win your way in to the Flatts show Thursday night at Aaron’s Amphitheatre!

Photo:  Elizabeth Arden

Taylor Swift is set to release her third fragrance, Taylor – by Taylor Swift.  The scent is…in Taylor’s words…”sweet and sophisticated” and the packaging includes a ring of pearls as a nod to her favorite jewelry.    Taylor’s fragrances have been wildly successful, but she admits that creating a fragrance is a challenging process.  Taylor by Taylor Swift will be available in Ulta stores later next month.

Photos:  Jana Kramer

Jana Kramer is praying that it doesn’t rain on her wedding day.  She and Brantley Gilbert are expected to exchange vows before the end of the year.  Just in case showers start to fall, though…she’s prepared!   Brantley and Jana got engaged after he rented out the famed Ryman Auditorium and popped the question with a whopping five-carat diamond ring earlier this year.

Photo:  Playboy

Inside the new issue of Playboy magazine, Eric Church explains what he has in common with former basketball pro, Michael Jordan…and it’s actually quite a lot.  He also says what major tour he was kicked off early in his career and why.  If you don’t mind a few “bombs” and Eric’s let it all hang out style – this just may be the article for you!

Photo:  Ed Rode

The members of Little Big Town are counting down the days until they hit the road with Keith Urban on his Light the Fuse tour.  It’s been a few years since they shared the bill with him…and there’s one thing in particular they’re looking forward to - the catering!   In other Little Big Town news, the group will host this summer’s ABC prime time special, CMA Music Festival:  Country’s Night to Rock airing in August.  The special will be filmed next week during CMA Music Festival in Nashville.

Photo:  usherworld

Blake Shelton and the rest of the coaches on The Voice recently sat down with Oprah Winfrey for an interview to air this weekend.  Oprah’s Next Chapter with the coaches of The Voice airs Sunday at 9 PM on OWN.

Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, Darius Rucker and Rascal Flatts are all slated to perform tonight – among many others – at Blake Shelton’s Healing In The Heartland:  Relief Benefit Concert.  The concert will raise funds for the United Way of Central Oklahoma May Tornadoes Relief Fund.  Being from Oklahoma…Blake is all too familiar with tornadoes.  In fact he had a close call with one just a few years ago.   Watch Healing In The Heartland tonight on NBC or CMT.  Or listen to it in its entirety right here on The Bull.

Kenny Chesney is hotter than ever these days and People Country has taken notice.  Kenny graces the cover of People’s latest “Country’s Hottest Guys” issue.  Other hotties include Keith Urban, Tim McGraw, Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton and Gary Allan – just to name a few.  Pick it up on newsstands Friday.

Photo:  MCA Records Nashville

Billy Currington was scheduled to appear in a Chatham County court yesterday morning for his arraignment hearing.  The court appearance follows charges back in mid April of terroristic threats and acts of abuse of an elder person.  The hearing yesterday was postponed for 60 days, after both sides asked for a continuance.

 Photo:  Capitol Records Nashville

Keith Urban will release his first album in three years on September 10^th and he’s calling it Fuse.  It’s not surprising that Keith wanted to experiment musically on this new album.  He’s always looking to try new things.  Will Keith return as a jude on American Idol next season?  He says he’s pretty much in the same boat as everybody else with the rumors floating around … he has NO idea!