Reuters — NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Reuters) - The Country Music Association Awards kicked off on Wednesday with a pair of early wins for The Band Perry and an affectionate skit about outspoken singer Hank Williams Jr. more info

L.A. Times - Pop & Hiss — Wait long enough and -- voilà -- a mid-tempo rocker is suddenly a country song. The latest edition of the Country Music Awards opened with Blake Shelton tackling his remake of Kenny Loggins' "Footloose." Yet this wasn't purely promotional, as... more info

ContactMusic — ESPNs Monday Night Football may be without a Hank Williams Jr theme song but Williams has created a theme for like-minded conservatives that has quickly been downloaded by 200000 of them This country sure as hell has gone down the drain We know what ... more info

USA Today Music — The singer says he wasn't fired by ESPN, he quit. more info

BBC 6 Music — Country legend's son talks about his enduring influence on the music world more info

CNN Showbiz — Hank Williams, Jr.'s defiant new single, "Keep the Change" logged 150,000 free downloads in 24 hours. more info

411 Mania — Should Lady Gaga be the new lead singer for Queen? Was ESPN firing Hank Williams Jr. the right thing for ESPN to do? Is Madonna a good choice for the Super Bowl's halftime show? 411's Jeremy Wilson and C.A. Bell debate these topics and more in this w... more info

Topix — Hank Williams Jr. told the ladies of 'The View' that he's got no need for ESPN -- and that come May, 2012 he and his music are 'free agents.' Hank Williams Jr. more info

L.A. Times - Entertainment — Hank Williams Jr. is gone from ESPN and "Monday Night Football." But he is not going quietly. more info

ContactMusic — Hank Williams Jr has recorded a scathing attack on President Barack Obama and the current state of the United States of America New track Keep the Change being offered as a free download on the singers website comes just days after Williams theme son... more info