A professional pop culture junkie for more than 25 years, Jeff Giles regularly surfaces in a number of far-flung locations on the Web.
Jeff Giles
Scotty McCreery Tells the Stories Behind the Songs on ‘Clear as Day’
19 Entertainment
Scotty McCreery has just two weeks to go until he releases his debut album, 'Clear as Day,' so you can hardly blame the reigning 'American Idol' champ if he's excited to talk about it.
Taste of Country caught up with McCreery to do just that recently, and he shared the inside scoop on the stories behind the album's 12 tracks, which he promises will give listeners an honest picture
Boyz II Men Reveal How They Hooked Up with Justin Bieber for Christmas Song, ‘Falalalala’
The more we learn about Justin Bieber's upcoming Christmas album, the clearer it becomes that it won't be just another quickie cash-in holiday release. Bieber's bringing all-new original material to the table and lining up some special guests to help him share the yuletide spirit.
One example: '90s R&B mainstays Boyz II Men, who Bieber invited to join him for a track titled 'Falalalala.'
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Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, and Taylor Swift to Perform at 2011 CMAs
You already know Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood are going to return for another round as hosts when the 45th annual CMA Awards roll around this year. But with the gala ceremony looming on the calendar, we still don't know which performers will be joining them on stage.
Well, the night's full lineup is still a closely guarded secret, but the first few names have been announced and it looks like
Taylor Swift’s ‘Speak Now’ Has Now Sold 5 Million Copies
Even for one of the biggest stars in the music business, Taylor Swift is having a heck of a year, including a sold-out tour with a series of celebrity guests and a pair of new Guinness World Records.
But as Taylor discovered last weekend, in a surprise ceremony hosted by her label, she isn't finished collecting accolades in 2011.
New Van Halen Album Now Rumored for Early 2012
For fans of Van Halen's original lineup, the band's last three decades or so have been punctuated with more than a few frustrations and disappointments, including their brief reunion with David Lee Roth in 1996, bassist Michael Anthony's rudely handled dismissal, and an overall lack of new music since a pair of new tracks were appended to the double-disc 'Best of Both Worlds' compilation way back
How Did Lady Antebellum Get Through Their ‘Really Hard’ Early Years?
Lady Antebellum struck platinum with their first album and they haven't looked back, sending each of their first nine singles to the top 20 and selling more than five million albums in the U.S. since 2008. It's a success story that plenty of bands would love to duplicate, to say the least.
But no matter how quickly they found their audience, or how tightly the trio might harmonize at the mic, thin
Demi Lovato Covers Lil Wayne’s ‘How to Love’ [VIDEO]
When Lil Wayne was working on tracks for 'Tha Carter IV,' he decided to take a moment to explore his sensitive side. The result was 'How to Love,' a rare moment of introspective balladry from the hip-hop magnate that paid off with a cross-format smash.
Clearly, 'How to Love' has no shortage of fans, including at least one famous one: Demi Lovato, who made room for a cover of the song during her sh
Suzy Bogguss Explores the ‘American Folk Songbook’ on Her New Album
It's been awhile since Suzy Bogguss scored her last big hit, but she's continued recording regularly throughout the '90s and beyond, and, unlike a lot of artists who face diminishing returns on the sales front, she isn't chasing trends.
In fact, with her latest album, 'American Folk Songbook,' Bogguss chose material that's been around even longer than the charts.
Trailer Choir’s ‘Big Vinny’ Hickerson Felt Like He’d ‘Won the Lottery’ When He Got Cast on ‘The Biggest Loser’
As a member of the country duo Trailer Choir, "Big Vinny" Hickerson has done things most people only dream of, including scoring a top 20 album and a top 40 single. And as evidenced by his nickname, as well as his vocals on Trailer Choir's hit 'Rockin' the Beer Gut,' he's learned to use his ample girth as an asset.
A recent health scare made Hickerson see things differently, however -- a
Miranda Lambert Urges Young Songwriters to ‘Know Who You Are’ [VIDEO]
If you want to make a living as a songwriter, Nashville is unquestionably the best place to be -- even after a decade of dwindling record sales, it's still home to a thriving publishing industry, as well as some of the most seasoned tunesmiths in the business.
But that doesn't mean a good song is necessarily easy to find. In fact, Miranda Lambert found the experience so frustrating that she ended