Billy Dukes

Officials say pyrotechnics set off by the band Gurizada Fandangueira started a fire that killed 233 people in southern Brazil early Sunday morning (Jan. 27). Many more are being treated for injuries as crews dig through the debris at the Kiss nightclub in Santa Maria.

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Greg Bates flashes a mischievous sense of humor in his new single 'Fill in the Blank.' The 'Did It for the Girl' hitmaker is proving to be from the George Strait school of music, but he must have taken a Master Class on Tracy Byrd somewhere along the way.

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The Taste of Country Top 10 Video Countdown is decided completely by fan vote, and readers have put one superstar's video ahead of all others for a second straight week. There was plenty of change within the other nine spots, though, with Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley making big moves. 

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Gary Allan delivers the emotionally rich album his fans expect while stretching his sound in multiple new directions on 'Set You Free,' the singer's ninth studio album and first in three years. The songwriting is strong from the first track to the last, with Allan mixing moments of joy and hope within his familiar anguish.

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Chely Wright is pregnant! The country singer announced that she and wife Lauren Blitzer-Wright will welcome twins this summer.

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Lady Antebellum have never been funkier than on their new single 'Downtown' -- the first from the trio's upcoming fourth studio album. A guitar lick postmarked 1962 steers the song and pushes the band in an exciting new direction.

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Brantley Gilbert celebrated his 28th birthday on Sunday (Jan. 20) by proposing marriage to his girlfriend, 'Whiskey' singer Jana Kramer. Kramer gave an enthusiastic "Yes!" meaning the two are now engaged.

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Taylor Swift fans ran away with the No. 1 spot on last week's Taste of Country video countdown, but over two dozen other artists will be aiming for that top spot this week. Will anyone galvanize their fanbase to knock 'Begin Again' out of the  Top 10? Help your favorite artist win by voting in this week's poll. 

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A new version of the John Anderson classic 'Swingin'' appears in the upcoming movie 'Super Zeroes.' The legendary country singer re-cut the song with Colt Ford and created a song that truly blends the two singer's unique styles. During an interview shared exclusively with Taste of Country, Ford and Anderson explain the history of the song and the new recording.

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David Wilson's death -- a suicide -- comes after what friends describe as a jubilant time in his and girlfriend Mindy McCready's life. Apparently, the singer had just won a lengthy custody battle over her oldest son, Zander, before Christmas.

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Jake Owen found his niche with songs from the 'Barefoot Blue Jean Night' album, but the unidirectional theme is wearing thin with the arrival of his new single 'Anywhere With You.' There's a thread of spontaneity and nostalgia throughout all of Owen's most recent hits. He is the essence of carefree, which is refreshing... but no longer surprising. 

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The image of a newly-shaved Kellie Pickler sitting alongside good friend Summer Miller as Miller prepared to begin her fight against breast cancer proved to be the most memorable of 2012. Pickler's photo was voted the Picture of the Year by fans in the 2012 Taste of Country Awards, which concluded on January 15.

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