Neil Haislop's Nashville IQ: Top Sellers, DR, AJ, Sugarland; Very Sad Freddy Fender Health News

Haislop headlines:

RASCAL FLATTS RETURN TO #1 as Me and My Gang sells 43,700 moving the CD back up from #2 to the Top spot this week…while THE DIXIE CHICKS’ Taking the Long Way follows suite by moving back up to #2 this week with 37,336 units sold…and JOHNNY CASH’S American V: A Hundred Highways, retraces its steps moving back up one from 4 to #3 this week, while RODNEY ATKINS’ #1 debut last week, If You’re Going Through Hell, slips to 4th spot with…CARRIE UNDERWOOD’S Some Hearts holds fast at #5 with sales of 26,800 units.

DIAMOND RIO AND ARISTA-NASHVILLE PART
Sony/BMG has announced that after 15 years, Diamond Rio and Arista Nashville are parting ways, amicably. Diamond Rio had a dream start back in 1991 when their debut single “Meet in the Middle” met up with the #1 spot on the Billboard Chart and remained there two weeks. It was the first a 7 consecutive Top 10 hits that put them on the map to stay. At one point they were embraced by country’s greatest band, Alabama, and for a long time the seemed to be the heirs apparent country’s first super group. So far they’ve racked up 19 Top Tens, including 5 #1 songs. Their most recent hit came in early 2002, when “I Believe,” spent two weeks at #1.

ALAN JACKSON PERFORMS BENEFIT FOR TORNADO VICTIM
Alan Jackson performed a private concert last night for volunteers and donors at the Grand Ole Opry. The concert will help raise money for the family of Hendersonville, TN, firefighter Jerrod Hawkins and his wife Amy and their two sons. Amy was paralyzed by a massive F-3 tornado in April while trying to protect her sons. Two songs from Jackson’s concert, “Remember When” and “Livin’ on Love”, will air as part of ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition in the Fall.

DETAILS - In early April 2006, a massive F-3 tornado tore through the Hawkins’ hometown of Hendersonville, Tennessee. While Jerrod was on duty and could only watch the storm from his fire station, the tornado hit the Hawkins’ home directly, ripping the house from its foundation. Amy heroically saved her sons Jair and Cole’s lives by lying on top of them in the basement. Unfortunately the bricks, debris, and concrete that hit Amy caused permanent injuries: her vertebrae and ribs were crushed, her lungs were punctured, and she sustained serious head trauma. Amy was left paralyzed by the destructive force of nature . On July 28, firefighter Jerrod Hawkins and his family heard the good news that they will receive a new and renovated home in a remarkable seven days courtesy of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” and the proceeds from Jackson’s concert.

MEANWHILE, Jackson is set to release his first new mainstream country album in two years, LIKE RED ON A ROSE, September 26th, produced by Grammy winning songwriter/performer Alison Krauss.

SUGARLAND’S HIGHEST DEBUT
With “Want To,” Sugarland posts the duo’s highest debut to date at No. 36, tying for this year's 5th highest single debut. Previously, “Down in Mississippi (Up to No Good)” was Sugarland’s highest debut at No. 43 in March. The new song also claims this week’s Greatest Gainer trophy (up 3.6 million impressions) and the Most Airplay Adds (24 monitored stations), according to their label. The single is the first from Sugarland’s upcoming sophomore album, due in stores Nov. 7.

SHeDAISY SINGLE INCREASES DIGITAL SALES
Digital sales of "In Terms Of Love," the latest hit single from SHeDAISY, have increased an average of 38% over the last three weeks. The song, co-written by Kristyn Osborn and Don Schlitz, is climbing the country radio charts and is currently at #32 in R&R.

WOMACK RECORDS WITH WILLIAMS’ SYNDROME KIDS
Lee Ann Womack will be featured in the August 14 edition of Country Weekly along with some amazing kids from Vanderbilt University’s Williams Syndrome Music Camp. Lee Ann visited with the kids at the camp where they were able to record a song with her, along with Jedd Hughes and Rascal Flatts' Jay DeMarcus. Lee Ann's new single "Finding My Way Back

FREDDY FENDER HAS INCURABLE LUNG CANCER
Word came yesterday that singing icon, Freddy Fender, has been diagnosed with incurable lung cancer. Fender has resumed chemotherapy, and stated, told the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, "I feel very comfortable in my life, I'm one year away from 70 and I've had a good run. I really believe I'm OK. In my mind and in my heart, I feel OK. I cannot complain that I haven't lived long enough, but I'd like to live longer."

Fender was recently diagnosed with multiple malignant tumors in his lungs. In 2002, Fender’s life was saved by a transplanted kidney donated by his daughter. Fender exploded onto the American music scene in 1975 with his crossover country-pop #1 smash, “Before the Next Teardrop Falls,” (named CMA Single of the Year).

Contact Nashville's Answerman: 323 857-0760