Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton Tampa bound, along with many more top country acts

Miranda Lambert with husband Blake Shelton at the 2012 Country Music Assn. Awards ceremony. Photo by Wade Payne / Associated Press.

Country's coolest couple, Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton, are headed to Tampa. Alas, not on the same date but both artists will be performing this year at the newly renamed Live Nation Amphitheatre at the Florida State Fairgrounds, formerly 1-800-ASK-GARY (yep, glad that clunker has been retired).

Lambert and Shelton are part of Live Nation Amphitheatre's Country Megaticket, an expanded eight-show “package” featuring many of the top country acts. The series starts May 11 with a performance by Tim McGraw.

Here's the complete lineup:

May 5:  Tim McGraw
w/ Brantley Gilbert, Love and Theft

June 7:  Rascal Flatts
w/ the Band Perry (read my interview)

June 22: Brad Paisley
w/ Jake Owen and Chris Young (he plays Joyland in Bradenton Feb. 8)

Aug. 30: Blake Shelton w/ Easton Corbin (read my interview) and Jana Kramer (she plays Joyland Feb. 15)

Sept. 6:  Jason Aldeanw/ Thomas Rhett

Sept. 20: Miranda Lambert
w/ Dierks Bentley

Oct. 4: Keith Urban w/ Little Big Town and Dustin Lynch

Oct. 25: Luke Bryan w/ Thompson Square & Florida Georgia Line (read my interview)

Orders for this eight-show country package, priced at $199-$998, will be accepted from the general public beginning 10 a.m.  Feb. 9, before individual show tickets are available.

Information: 800-745-3000 or megaticket.com

'Time to Get a Gun' singer-songwriter Fred Eaglesmith returns to Aces Live in Bradenton

Criminally under-appreciated Canadian singer-songwriter Fred Eaglesmith has recorded a slew of great, self-penned songs since he started releasing albums and touring relentlessly in the 1980s.

My favorites Eaglesmith numbers include the wonderfully warped love letter "Wilder Than Her," the deftly silly "White Trash," the poignant migrant-workers lament "Carmelita," the stirring cautionary tale "Alcohol & Pills" and new stuff like the sepia-toned memory pain of "Cigarette Machine."

But Eaglesmith's most famous song, another one of my favorites, is "Time to Get a Gun." "Fred-Heads" were loving it for more than a decade before country superstar Miranda Lambert introduced the song to the masses when she recorded it for her platinum-selling, Grammy-nominated 2009 album "Revolution."

Read more.

—Photo by Kori Heppner/Shock Ink.

McKechnie Field: Live music venue in Bradenton

Bradenton, McKechnie Field and baseball have been a winning combination for nearly 90 years.

In the near future, the Friendly City's most famous destination could also be attracting fans of Kid Rock, Miranda Lambert (watch her perform in Estero below) or Elton John.

Just to name a few of the pop world possibilities.

The $7.5 million in upgrades for McKechnie Field, unanimously approved by city council last week, will surely enhance the baseball-watching experience when the Pittsburgh Pirates start spring training in February.

The improvements should also help put the ballpark on the live music map.

Read more of my Sunday column.



—Photo provided of an artist's rendering of the improvements approved for McKechnie Field.

Miranda Lambert leads 'revolution' at CMAs

Lambert pictured right.

She sings with ample attitude.

Writes her own sassy songs — or records ones by alt-country luminaries like Fred Eaglesmith or John Prine.

And is the best female artist to come out of Nashville in recent memory.

Props to the Country Music Association for making Miranda Lambert and her excellent album "Revolution" the big winner at tonight's awards show.

Read "Miranda Lambert's 'Revolution' just that at CMAs."

Miranda Lambert performing "White Liar," off her album "Revolution."