Now I'm really confused. I thought ESPN had signed on Kenny Chesney to sing their College Football song this season, but today the "Leader" announced that Dave Matthews Band is the "Official Band of ESPN’s 2009 College Football Coverage". What does that mean you ask? Well....

The Grammy Award-winning Dave Matthews Band will serve as the official band of ESPN’s college football coverage from the kickoff of the season to the conclusion of the BCS National Championship Game on ABC on Jan. 7, providing 10 songs – seven from their new album Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King -- for game and studio telecasts across multiple platforms. The other three songs will come from the albums Crash and Under the Table and Dreaming.

The music will be featured in various ways during game and studio telecasts, including as the networks go to and return from commercial breaks, in highlight montages and for promotions of upcoming programs and show segments across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN360.com, ESPN Mobile TV and ESPN International.

On occasion, the song will be accompanied by a video montage of Dave Matthews Band concert performance footage and college football highlights. Every Saturday Night Football Presented by Southwest Airlines telecast on ABC will feature a 45-second montage of first-half highlights at the beginning of the second half.

Hmmm. And I thought I was confused before that blockquote. So let's try to get this straight using ESPN's actually quotes. DMB will be the "Official Band of ESPN’s 2009 College Football Coverage", while Kenny Chesney has "has written a song exclusively for ESPN’s college football game and studio telecasts". I now see how that's totallllllly different.

ESPN rarely uses country music for bumps and intros, but when it comes to College Football, they go all out. For years they used Big & Rich's "We're Coming To Your Citaaaaaay" for their CFB telecast, but now they've taken it a step forward. They actually got Kenny Chesney to pen an original song for their use on Saturdays....

Award-winning country music star Kenny Chesney, known for his high-energy stadium concerts, has written a song exclusively for ESPN’s college football game and studio telecasts during Dick’s Sporting Goods Kickoff Week (Sept. 3-7) and Championship Saturday (Dec. 5) as well as select contests throughout the season and bowl games. ESPN will have the exclusive premiere of the song during its pregame show Thursday, Sept. 3, at 7 p.m.

The song, “This is Our Moment,” captures the passion and dedication of the players to perform at the highest level each week with the understanding that every game counts. It will be used during game and studio telecasts and during promotions of upcoming programs and show elements across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN360.com, ESPN Mobile TV and ESPN International. On select occasions, the song will be accompanied by a video montage of Chesney performing at a recent concert, along with college football highlights.

If you ask me, this move is genius. Especially when you consider the amount of games ESPN broadcasts in the South. You may not enjoy Country music yourself, but there are almost three times as many Country stations in America, compared to any other genre.

Every year, NBC airs a mini concert as a part of their Kickoff coverage. In the past there have been such acts as Britney Spears, Bon Jovi, P Diddy, Kelly Clarkson and Elton John, and this year's concert will be just as mind-blowing as those. Your two acts this year will be the dynamic duo of Tim McGraw and The Black Eyed Peas! Via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette....

The Black Eyed Peas and Tim McGraw will jump-start the Steelers' season with a free concert at Point State Park on opening night, Sept. 10.

Details are being worked out about other acts and when the big names will go onstage, although the headliners will certainly be part of the live pre-game simulcast from 8 to 8:30 p.m. on NBC and NFL Network. Kickoff for the Steelers-Titans game at Heinz Field is scheduled for 8:30.

I'm sure there will be more acts announced, but you usually only get to see the main two acts on NBC anyway. This is the second concert that Pittsburgh will be hosting. In 2006, before the Steelers took on the Dolphins, Rascal Flatts and Martina McBride kicked off the game from Heinz Field, with Diddy and Cassie in Miami.

Free concert by Black Eyed Peas, McGraw to kick off Steelers' season (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Yes folks, ESPN is going country during the Giants-Browns game this Monday night and who better to sing us through the night than the multi-platinum, Kenny Chesney! Up until now, the songs and artists had only been featured on Monday Night Countdown, but for this upcoming game, EPSN promises to play it the whole game as well. Via ESPN....

Prior to Monday's MNF matchup between the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns October 13, SportsCenter Monday Kickoff (6 p.m.) and Monday Night Countdown (7 p.m.) will include Kenny Chesney's song "I'm Alive" (featuring Dave Matthews) from his upcoming album "Lucky Old Sun" (to be released October 14). Chesney's #1 hit "Living In Fast Forward," "Got A Little Crazy," and "Wild Ride" (featuring Joe Walsh) will also be heard throughout the MNF telecast, continuing "Monday Night Musicians," an initiative introduced last season where ESPN's music department works with record companies to highlight upcoming music releases of popular performing artists within Monday Night Football games. Chesney, who has sold more than 27 million albums, has 15 #1 singles to his credit and sold more concert tickets this decade than any artist from any genre of music.

I don't mind Kenny Chesney, but I can't stand when ESPN has him on their network. The guy has been on just about every avenue that they have, and you can only hear about his love for Peyton Manning so much before you feel like you want to punch him the face. Oh well, they've been going light on the music so far this year, let's hope they continue the trend this Monday as well.

In an interview yesterday with Sports Business Daily, your rowdy friend and mine, Hank Williams Jr. was asked a couple of questions about the differences between MNF on ABC and ESPN. The man who's been singing the opening MNF theme for twenty years didn't pull any punches when comparing the two and had this to say....

Q: How much do you feel like your career is identified with Monday Night
Football?

Williams: I'll put it this way. I checked into a hotel in Detroit and
everybody is saying, "Who is that?" And then one of the doormen says, "Man,
what's wrong with you? That¹s the rowdy friend." That was hilarious. He
couldn't come up with my name. He just called me the rowdy friend. I went to
a game in Yankee Stadium last year, and, let me tell you, they were all over
me.

Q: Just because of Monday Night Football?

Williams: Oh, of course. I mean, come on. Twenty years of millions of
viewers, seven Super Bowls -- yeah, that had a little bit of an impact. A
one-year deal that's turned into an American signature of sports.

Q: How have things changed on the broadcast?

Williams: In the words of AL MICHAELS, he said, "Man, you¹re the only one
left." We kind of all know each other. And we¹ve been through the Mickey
Mouse thing, you know.

Q: What do you mean?

Williams: ABC moving to ESPN. Now they're all over there at that other
place.

Q: Have you noticed a change in going from ABC to ESPN?

Williams: I think everybody has, sure. You've got different people, you've
got a learning curve with new people, you've got other people that come back
into the fold. And all of a sudden, it's a little bit different. We're not
back there with (HOWARD) COSELL and (DON) MEREDITH and all that. But it¹s
still special.

"Special" is right my friend. If you ever want a shock to your system, sit through both the Sunday and Monday nighter this week. From top to bottom, NBC is a far superior product. And while ESPN is certainly trying to improve, they seem to be stuck in the mud at the moment. Well in every facet but ratings that is.

Oh and Hank, be careful my friend. That "Mouse" is very powerful and those twenty, one-year contracts you've enjoyed can quickly come to an end. Don't bit the hand that's been feeding you all these years.

(Via SBD)

I know I started a frenzy amongst Country Music fans when I broke the news that Keith Urban was the headliner at this years NFL Kickoff concert, and made fun of him in the process, but he's not the only act involved. Add to him, Usher and the beautiful Natasha Bedingfield and you have a show of people I didn't know that they had released an album in the last five years that's sure to please!

"It's my dream to sing in New York," Bedingfield said. "I've never been able to stop traffic like this - I stop traffic in other ways." Bedingfield says she's tackling the job of learning the basics about American football. "It's a new sport for me," she said. "I'm used to rugby."

Usher also is stoked for his appearance at the first NFL Kickoff held in New York in six years. "I'll be looking for body-painted fans," he said. "It's going to be an eclectic performance. It'll be great."

Stars from NBC TV shows also are expected to appear at the event, which runs from 3 to 6:45 p.m. Before the music begins, the NFL will show a video on the Super Bowl champion Giants. The event will be shown live on the NFL Network.

The concert will be a warm-up for the opening game of the NFL season tonight at Giants Stadium, where Big Blue squares off against the Washington Redskins.

Cops are planning on a crowd of 30,000 to 60,000 people at the concert, sources said. Spectators are being allotted the entire length of Central Park South, all the way from Columbus Circle to Grand Army Plaza.

Wait, did the NY Post really use the word "stoked" in an article? Guess so. In all seriousness, all three are great musicians and Keith Urban's following is huge. Plus we get NBC TV Stars as well! With the likes of Chuck, Noah Wiley (ER is still on right?), K.I.T. from Knight Rider, anyone from the eight Law & Orders and Minka Kelly and Hayden Pantierre (you can scratch the previous four)....anything is possible!

Oh and...Yay! Football's back.

Traffic Jammin' Session (NY Post)

REMINDER: Live-Blog tonight!

More music news folks. If you're like me, you've certainly enjoyed the past NFL Kickoff parties and you may have even attended one (I got to see Britney [above] live!). This year's Kickoff artist joins the list of such amazing acts as Ms. Spears, Bon Jovi, Enrique Iglesias, Aerosmith, Destiny's Child, Elton John, Green Day, Ozzy Osbourne, Good Charlotte and Kelly Clarkson to name a few....

According to a few rumors and the latest issue of Sports Business Journal, the main artist at your NFL Kickoff Party is......


No silly, not Nicole Kidman. It's her husband.....yeah....that guy. His name is Keith Urban, and this isn't first time that the Kickoff Show has featured a Country singer. Just the first time that he/she has been the main performer during the show. The show will be sponsored by EA Sports and other acts will be named soon.

I mentioned yesterday that I was curious as to what music NBC was going to be featuring for the Olympics. Thanks to reader DW....I've got the answer. Much like its over-the-top coverage that they have planned for the television side of things, NBC will feature sixteen different artists that will rotate throughout the seven networks covering the Games....

What do Nelly, Sheryl Crow, Kate Voegele, Colbie Caillat and 3 Doors Down have in common? They're among the top artists recording exclusive tracks for AT&T Team USA™ Soundtrack to inspire and support U.S. Olympic Team athletes as they pursue their dream of competing in the Olympic Games.

The music — debuting during the NBC and Telemundo broadcast of the 2008 Olympic Games — will be available during the Olympic Games right here at AT&T Team USA™ Soundtrack, and downloads will benefit Team USA. Other participating artists will be announced later, so come back August 8, 2008, to download exclusive tunes and support Team USA!

Outside of those mentioned above, you can add: Army of Me, Chris Brown, The Clique Girls, Flipsyde, Josh Kelley, Lady Antebellum, Luis Fonsi, Mere, Queen Latifah and Taylor Swift. Interesting list, but it seems like overkill to me. Most of the songs are pretty good, and seemingly inspirational, but Nelly's "Warrior" just made me laugh. Anytime you try to recreate "WAR-E-ORS!!!" call from "The Warriors", I'm going to chuckle.

AT&T Team USA Soundtrack (AT&T Bluerom)

When I was younger I couldn't stand the Monday Night Football theme, but it's grown on me over the years. Even last year's addition of random artists like Brian Setzer would still get me excited that the game was coming on. Well according to AP, ESPN is bringing back Williams Jr. for another year of tunes....

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Hank Williams Jr., who has sung the opening theme for "Monday Night Football" since 1989, will continue the tradition this season.

ESPN spokesman Bill Hofheimer says Williams will again base the theme song on his hit "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight."

Williams is recording the tracks this week in Nashville, Tennessee, and will shoot the video next month in Los Angeles.

I'd also expect some guest artists here and there, but keeping the song true to its roots is definitely a good move. The song isn't amazing, but at least it's not that horrendous rendition that NBC uses for their telecasts. Still no word on whether Faith Hill will be singing that intro for the upcoming season.

Update: Okay so she is doing the song again this year. I guess it's better than Pink.

Williams Jr. to continue 'Monday Night Football' (AP)

I already told you about Jon Bon Jovi's free concert in Central Park the week of the All Star Game but MLB has announced the other musical acts performing next week. Baseball is in accordance with the law that all ASG or Super Bowl acts must have started making music in the 80s or 90s, and just like the Counting Crows last year....it will rock!

The three musical artists who will perform during Major League Baseball's All-Star Game and State Farm Home Run Derby next week at Yankee Stadium have been announced, and they make up quite an All-Star team among themselves.

Nine-time Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter Sheryl Crow will perform the U.S. National Anthem prior to the start of the 79th All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 15 at Yankee Stadium, and pop superstar Josh Groban will perform "God Bless America" during the seventh-inning stretch. The game will be shown live on FOX beginning at 8:00 p.m. (EDT).

The day before the Midsummer Classic, multi-platinum rock band 3 Doors Down will perform a two-song set prior to the start of the State Farm® Home Run Derby, which will be televised live on July 14th on ESPN at 8:00 p.m. (EDT).

I don't expect them to pick the Jonas Brothers or Miley Cirus but someone currently relevant would be a welcome change. Actually I take that back....they tried that with Puddle of Mudd a few years ago and look where they are now.

Also, I think I speak for everyone when I say, "ENOUGH F'ING THREE DOORS DOWN!!!" I don't care if you love the band or not, they are just in overkill mode right now.

All-Star Game ups its star power (MLB.com)

So the Jimmy Dykes duet with Vince Gill went down as planned last night, and I have to say I was pretty impressed. I'm not the hugest Country fan in the World but JD seems to know his way around the mic....

That boy can sang! Anytime you can sing about whiskey, rolling pins, and beating people up....I'm down. Look out American Idol!

Jimmy Dykes To Sing A Duet With Vince Gill? (Awful Announcing)

I looked around for information on this, and I couldn't find anything, but when it get mentions during both ESPN College Basketball games...it has to be true (natch). Apparently Jimmy Dykes is going to sing a duet with Vince Gill either tonight before his call of Tenn-Vandy or Saturday for his call of UNC-BC (both with Brad Nessler).

“I hear Vince Gill and Jimmy Dykes have a little duet going on.”- Jay Bilas (During Marquette-Villanova)

So umm....yeah. I don't know what to say really. I guess if you like Vince Gill and random analysts singing Country music then this is the event of the year for you! If not then I guess watch it for the trainwreck potential.

(P.S.- Vince Gill looks like an angel in that photo. I guess that's what I get when I look to Christian websites for my pics. Just beautiful a beautiful Country Angel in a marsh.)