A Little Twangy Song About A Pub, or Country Music Outside of America

     First of all, there was another country awards show this past week. My brother asked me to specifically describe the ACCA Awards and explain how they are different from the early April ACM awards and the November CMA (Country Music Association) awards. I didn't dare mention the CMT (Country Music Television) awards. Let's break it down here. The ACCA stands for The American Country Countdown. It's a weekly radio show created by the late great Casey Kasem and presided over by 1/2 of Brooks and Dunn, Mr. Kix Brooks. This is different from the Luke Bryan & Dierks Bentley hosted The Academy of Country Music Awards, which is awards given from the country music industry. The ACCM winners are a strict, most spins, highest-charting each week, fan-voted type of award show. It's basically the country radio equivalent of the long-lost TRL Awards, which were different than the MTV Movie Awards and the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs).

Photo Courtesy of Taste of Country

     One can unarguably say that Taylor Swift has changed the face of country music. She took it to the country, and around the world like the first great worldwide country star, Garth Brooks. But let's be real, even artists like ACCA Artist of the Year Luke Bryan do not have a large international following because country music has not take over markets in Europe. People don't drive out into the woods and dance on truck beds like they do here in 'Merica. During last month's promotion for the ACM awards, the English-born Late Late Show host James Corden jammed with Bryan and Bentley (dressed up as a King, a Queen's guard, and Sherlock Holmes). The trio sang a song about going to the corner pub in "Jolly Good Pub," or as country crooners call it, a honky-tonk. It's one small step toward country music taking over other continents, and possibly, a future ECCM award show.

A Note About Winter Movies

I hate snow. I cannot stand winter. So here are 5 movies that I plan to watch with the upcoming (and impending) snow days to follow:

5. The Tourist
Because:I received an advance copy. I feel bad not watching it.

4. Jane Austen Book Club
Because:I also got this recently. I love Jane Austen AND book clubs. Enough said.

3. Definitely, Maybe
Because: Ryan Reynolds is in it. God Bless Canada.

2. Anything with John Cusack
Because: I got "Grosse Point Blank" and "High Fidelity" on DVD. And because there's nothing more I love than a guy with boombox over his head, I might also watch "Say Anything."

1. Ten Things I Hate About You
Because: I just got the 10th anniversary DVD. And it's 90's teen Shakespeare. Prepare to be "Whelmed." They're all getting whelmed in Europe, according to Gabrielle Union's character.