Paisley plans to bring Nashville to prime time

Country superstar Brad Paisley is branching out into prime-time TV as the co-writer and co-executive producer of Nashville, a potential weekly dramatic series under consideration by the CW Network. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the show would focus on two ambitious up-and-comers in Music City: A young female singer on the fast-track to success, and a young male songwriter whose career has yet to take off. Paisley is working on the project with One Tree Hill creator Mark Schwahn, and reportedly plans to contribute a few songs to the series’ soundtrack. There’s also talk that other Country stars might drop by for occasional guest appearances. We hope that works out better for Nashville than it did for Nashville 99.

Paisley leads the pack

Country superstar Brad Paisley -- who'll be performing March 12 at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo -- leads all finalists for the Academy of Country Music Awards, with no fewer than six nominations (including a nod for Entertainer of the Year). Heidi Newfield also scored impressively, picking up nominations in five categories. Other multiple nominees include Kenny Chesney, Jamey Johnson -- and, of course, George Strait. Winners will be announced April 5 during an ACM awards presentation airing on CBS.

Chesney's 11

Superstar Kenny Chesney picked up an impressive 11 nods -- including one for Entertainer of the Year -- during this morning's announcement of nominations for the 43rd annual Academy of Country Music awards. Multiple ACM nominations also went to four acts performing at the 2008 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo: Sugarland (four nominations), March 10; Brad Paisley (four nominations), March 15; Miranda Lambert (three nominations), March 17; and Big & Rich (four nominations), March 18. Winners will receive their prizes May 18 during a star-studded Las Vegas extravaganza broadcast on CBS.