Billy Dukes

Darius Rucker stumbled during his first chance on the Showdown, but his new song 'True Believers' is now a two-night champion. Yesterday and last night on Taste of Country Nights radio, the love ballad beat 'Can't Shake You' by Gloriana. Today, he'll face off against a more seasoned country artists. 

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Martina McBride's hit song 'I'm Gonna Love You Through It' joins 'Independence Day' and 'Concrete Angel' as songs from her catalog that carry great social importance on the breath of her soaring melody. McBride -- who's teaming up with General Mills to raise money and awareness for breast cancer this fall -- embraces the added responsibility, but says she only picks songs that meet her high expectations. 

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Yesterday's Showdown was shaping up to be one of the closest ever, but Darius Rucker's fans came on like a hurricane and pushed his new song 'True Believers' to round two in overwhelming fashion. That means Taylor Swift's new song 'Begin Again' goes back to the bin, and the new hit from Gloriana steps up to take on Rucker's ballad today and tonight on Taste of Country Nights radio. 

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It's a battle of country music superstars today and tonight on Taste of Country Nights radio. Brantley Gilbert's fans took care of business on Tuesday, pushing his new song 'Kick It in the Sticks' past challenger Kristy Lee Cook's 'Airborne Ranger Infantry' (barely) and into the Showdown Hall of Fame. That means two new songs will compete for reader votes today. 

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Taylor Swift has released 'Begin Again,' a new song from her upcoming 'Red' album. It's a huggable, inspiring, acoustic country ballad that is everything country fans wished her first single 'We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together' was when it was released in August.

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At a show this summer, Zac Brown Band's John Driskell Hopkins watched as one young and possibly inebriated shirtless male fan raced to the front row and quickly retreated. The music played on, the crowd continued to move around like a giant sea anemone, and the fan did it again. Then again, again, and again...

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Kix Brooks is a man of many interests, and a man with an interesting background. Prior to joining Ronnie Dunn to form one of country music's all-time greatest duos, the singer fronted a rowdy group of country rock n' rollers and released a solo album. It turns out, the rowdy, brawling sound one hears on 'New to This Town' is closer to Brooks' true character -- especially his youthful character -- as we learned by playing 60 Seconds With Kix Brooks. 

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Brad Paisley's new single 'Southern Comfort Zone' is another socially important song, joining previous hits like 'Welcome to the Future' and 'This Is Country Music.' The singer's voice carries more weight in 2012 than it did in 2008 or 2004, and one senses that he's aware of his influence. This song recorded by someone like Hank Williams Jr. or Toby Keith would be labeled as pretentious or preachy, but Paisley's understated delivery (combined with a lovable personality) allows him to pack the punch he's been working toward.

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Rack up another Showdown win for Brantley Gilbert. The singer's new song 'Kick It in the Sticks' is a longtime favorite of fans, and they're not shy about voting for the country-rocker. Yesterday, the single topped lablemate Justin Moore's new song ''Til My Last Day,' meaning it goes against a new challenger today and tonight on Taste of Country Nights radio. 

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Wednesday's Showdown was the most hotly contested song battle yet, with a record number of voters deciding Brantley Gilbert's 'Kick It in the Sticks' should move on to face a new challenger on Thursday and Thursday night on Taste of Country Nights radio. The rowdy party song topped multi-day champion Gary Allan and his new song 'Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain).'

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