Briefs: News from Little Big Town, Jason Aldean, Taylor Swift And More

• Little Big Town (left) recently wrote and recorded the theme song for new ABC show “Good Afternoon America” which debuted yesterday. They will perform that song, along with current single “Pontoon,” on the show Aug. 2.

“Good Afternoon America” anchored by Josh Elliott and Lara Spencer, airs in the afternoon and is shot in the “Good Morning America” studio in New York’s Times Square.

“Sometimes you get unexpected opportunities as an artist,” says the Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild in a press release. “We loved getting the chance to write and record a song for such a cool show.”

• Country stars and their teams have been campaigning hard for votes ever since the preliminary ballots went out last month for this fall’s CMA Awards, but Jason Aldean has pulled out all the stops. The singer is offering all CMA voting members a pair of free tickets to see any Aldean show in any city in 2012.

• Taylor Swift, Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert and Brad Paisley will be among the performers for the second iHeartRadio Music Festival, taking place September 21 and 22, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Tickets for the multi-genre music event go on sale July 14, and sold out in 10 minutes for last year’s event. Ryan Seacrest will be back as the host, and the rest of the lineup includes Green Day, Lil Wayne, No Doubt, Rihanna, Shakira, Swedish House Mafia, Usher, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Calvin Harris, Deadmau5, Enrique Iglesias, Linkin Park, Mary J. Blige, P!nk, and Pitbull.

• Bucky Covington and Shooter Jennings (pictured at right) recently shot a music video for their duet, “Drinking Side Of Country.” In the video, which will premiere in the coming weeks, the two singers have a run in with the law, and end up in a high-speed chase through the tiny town of Greensburg, KY. The clip also features cameos by country star Kellie Pickler, five-time WWE champion and current TNA Impact Knockout wrestler Mickie James, and professional freestyle motocrosser Cowboy Kenny Bartram.

“Drinking Side Of Country,” written by Covington and twin brother Rocky, along with Ducky Medlock, will be the former “American Idol” finalist’s next single, and can be found on his sophomore album, “Good Guys,” set for release on September 11.

• The second annual Johnny Cash Music Festival at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro has been set for Oct. 5. Performers will include Willie Nelson, Dierks Bentley, the Civil Wars and Cash’s daughter, Rosanne Cash.

Like last year’s sold out concert, proceeds from this year’s event will fund the restoration of the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home in Dyess, Arkansas, as well as support a scholarship fund established in his name. The goal is to establish the Johnny Cash Boyhood Home as a museum to honor the music legend’s legacy.

• Farm Aid will return to Pennsylvania on Sept. 22 at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey. The lineup will again include event board members Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Dave Matthews, along with Tim Reynolds, Jack Johnson, ALO, Pegi Young & The Survivors, and Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real.

“We’ve built a strong family farm movement to grow our economy, ensure our health and protect our environment,” says Farm Aid president Willie Nelson in a prepared statement. “Farm Aid brings these Main Street values to transform the Wall Street-controlled farm and food system. The Farm Aid concert is our chance to shine a spotlight on the independent family farmers who are essential to the well-being of our country.”