Spurs of the Moment

posted in: CountryFeatures

OSBlog02_SpursMoment_Week1_Jan10“Spurs of the Moment” is your up-to-date source for all happenings in the country music community. Make sure to check in bi-weekly to see just what’s happening with your favorite country singers and stars!

The last week of December not only marked the end of the year but also put an end to many men’s dreams of marrying the lovely Miss Carrie Underwood.

Future Mr. and Mrs. Underwood

Future Mr. and Mrs. Underwood

Well, that is except for one lucky Canadian. Mike Fisher, a professional hockey player for the Ottowa Senators, proposed to Underwood on December 20th, and their engagement was confirmed the very next day. A couple who has me questioning which one is prettier, this match seems made in blonde-haired heaven. Fisher is undoubtedly a very fortunate man, claiming the most beautiful woman in country music, but after seeing the rock he put on Underwood’s finger at Wednesday’s People’s Choice Awards, its pretty clear the table is evenly set for this couple in both the luck and love departments.

Another country artist ending 2009 on a high note was Taylor Swift.

A Record-setting record

A Record-setting record

In fact, 2009 might as well be called “the year of the Swift,” because in addition to nabbing countless awards for her simple and undeniably relatable tunes, her second album Fearless was the highest selling album overall for the last year of this decade. She narrowly surpassed phenom Susan Boyle’s debut album I Dreamed A Dream by a mere 100,000 albums, though Fearless was released almost a full year prior. Nevertheless, Taylor swiftly nabbed this honor and the CD players of approximately 3,217,000 album buyers this year, and in doing so has changed the tide of the music industry.

Along with Swift’s record making waves for country music,

Right before the big win!

Right before the big win!

Wednesday’s telecast of the People’s Choice Awards proved that country music is not just a fleeting moment for one artist, and  is here to stay. In the Male and Female “Favorite Artist” categories, open to all genres, country singers Keith Urban and, big surprise, our girl Taylor claimed the awards. Keith was a more than pleasant surprise, and is more representative of country’s renewed strength in music overall. However, it makes you wonder whether Taylor won her award based on her country roots, or the pop versions released to appease a larger audience. Either way, both Keith and Taylor are phenomenal artists, and represented country music proudly. But let’s not forget about our girl Carrie. Adding on to the excitement of being newly engaged, Carrie Underwood also ran off with the People’s “Favorite Country Artist” award, proving she really can have it all. The fans have spoken, and from the looks of the People’s Choice Awards, it is becoming increasingly clear that country music is the music of the people.

December ended one of the biggest years for country music in decades, and helped January open with opportunities Nashville has never seen before. With country music been at the forefront of music conversations, and with a year like 2009 in our wake, we have the momentum to truly change entertainment in 2010! Stay tuned for more news and events that are inevitably going to be grabbing headlines, courtesy of our favorite country superstars!