(CMT Offstage keeps a 24/7 watch on everything that’s happening with country music artists behind the scenes and out of the spotlight.)Either Chris Brown has started seeing a therapist, or Miranda Lambert has really had an impact on the R&B artist. After all his negative post-Grammy tweets, Brown suddenly became a lot more positive. Starting with a tweet on Feb. 18 that said, “Go buy @miranda_lambert album! So motivational and ‘PERFECT’!” Now, that might sound like a big ol’ helping of sarcasm, but Brown then continued on with tweets as if he was some kind of motivational speaker: “The love you withhold is the pain you carry!!!!” and “Awareness of your consciousness is EVOLUTION!” and “Peace and blessings.” (This, after a week of bizarre, ranting tweets like, “I think you amongst others are definitely delusional but u r entitled to your opinion!” and “Let them be mad!!!! We make music. Don’t like it, don’t listen! Turn up the music remix is coming soon too! Guess who’s on it?” and “Just bought a Versace ashtray.”) So why the change of heart and Twitter-tone? Well, at a Lambert concert last week, she held up a fan-made sign saying “Take Notes Chris Brown.” And at that same show, Lambert explained why she feels so strongly about what Brown did three years ago when he assaulted his then-girlfriend Rihanna. “I just have to speak my mind. Because where I come from, beating up on a woman is never OK,” Lambert explained. “So that’s why my daddy taught me early on in life how to use a shotgun.” Makes you wonder where Rihanna stands on all this.

Original Article: http://www.cmt.com/news/cmt-offstage/1679571/offstage-did-chris-brown-take-notes-from-miranda-lambert.jhtml

By: Brittany Joy Cooper  |  7 hours ago

NBC’s hit musical drama ‘Smash’ tells the story of what it takes to make it in a Broadway show, and while country music is in a different genre altogether, the show and its stars have been giving some pretty big nods to the sound. Last Monday (Feb. 13), we saw actress Megan Hilty’s character Ivy offer up a slowed-down cover of Carrie Underwood‘s ‘Crazy Dreams.’ Tonight, according to mjsbigblog, we can expect to see another star performing a karaoke version of Gretchen Wilson‘s ‘Redneck Woman.’

This time the character going country is Katharine McPhee‘s Karen, who heads back home to Iowa for a baby shower. While there, she tests her pipes at a karaoke bar, putting her spin on the hit country song and showcasing her killer vocal abilities.

Wearing a plum dress and some kind of a baby shower necklace, McPhee’s character takes the mic in the clip below and never looks back. Though she seems laid back and almost hesitant at the beginning, like she doesn’t quite know all the words, but her rowdy friends are making her try. But with the natural choreography that quickly ensues and the pure charisma of Karen’s performance, it seems she does know the words after all.

Kicking off her shoes while singing the like “I’ll stand barefooted in my own front yard / With a baby on my hip,” Karen brings the house down and delivers a fun-loving performance.

For an L.A.-born pop singer, McPhee is pretty impressive in her country twang and her uninhibited ability to belt out the lyrics to a song called ‘Redneck Woman.’ Catch this clip on tonight’s episode (Feb. 20) of ‘Smash,’ which airs at 10 PM ET.