#1's And Recurrents

As Kenny Chesney's monster single remains camped at the top of the charts for another week. Keith Urban and the Capitol Records/Nashville promo team will have to settle for a #2 peak.

One label exec last week pointed out that the Urban will probably end the week with somewhere around 35,000,000 audience and that would be enough for #1 on about 95% of the charts during the year, but not when you're parked behind 'a Sherman Tank of a song like "Somewhere With You".'

Luke Bryan appears to be lined up next for a two-week run at #1 and should he get it, it would be Luke's third consecutive chart topper.

Meanwhile, I just happened to be a part of a conversation between WAXX/Eau Claire MD/morning cohost Alex Edwards and CJJR/Vancouver Assistant PD and A&O associate Mark Patric on how meaningless that all is to radio, since all of those songs are already certain to live for many, many weeks more in recurrent categories.

Edwards pointed out that as his station celebrates another #1 in ARB as the Fall 2010 ratings came out - the #1 we all care about - he is considering moving Lady Antebellum, Eric Church and perhaps also Luke Bryan, in spite of the impending label run for number one, to recurrent given his local research on them.

All are extremely strong songs for the station, but he wonders aloud but what he needs be looking at in order to decide which to move at least temporarily from Power & Regular Recurrent?

• Final Call out?
• Total Pos?
• Spins?
• Weeks?

Patric and I agreed that simply looking at "weeks on" in a competitive situation can be a simplistic solution, since you might move out a stronger tune and leave a weaker one in.

Here's what we all agreed were three things that usually serve to be the best compromise in what has to be quite often a very subjective judgment call.

1. Highest spins in the category...or total library spins.
2. Lowest testing score in category (Patric says he gives each song moving to recurrent a seven week total favorite average score from it's last seven tests before it moves to recurrent)
3. Duplicate artists. If power recurrent or regular recurrent has more than two songs from one artist I'll USUALLY always move out that duplicate artist. When you have one artist with more than one song in recurrent it affects scheduling.

That's how I do it. And, even better, Alex and Mark agree.

What do you do? Would you ever move a recurrent back up to power current?

Hit "comment" below and join the discussion!

Sharing The Sizzle

It's really nice to see artists reaching out, working to stay close to their fans.

1. "Welcome to Kenny Chesney's reality. The country star says he loves to help fans escape the worries of everyday life, which is where he got the inspiration for his new tune "Reality." And PEOPLE.com has your exclusive first listen of the song off Chesney's upcoming album, Hemingway's Whiskey." (click the link to watch and listen to it)

But, it's doubly nice when the act and the label give that opportunity to radio first.

2. "Exclusive Behind the Scenes Keith Urban Footage for "Put You In A Song" Click on the YouSendIt link for exclusive footage of Keith recording it in the studio. You can download it to your website. There's no time limit on your end but it will be exclusive to Country Radio until next Tuesday (9/21) when it will also go to Keith's website. -- Capitol Records Nashville"

Parade: Chesney "Alone In The Spotlight"

In today's cover story with Kenny Chesney, the country star talks to the magazine candidly about why he decided to take a year off from the spotlight and also how high school football changed everything, helping him put the passion back into his life and career.

	Twitter ruins Kenny's dates

The 42-year-old produced a documentary about the impact of high school football, The Boys of Fall, due to air on ESPN this fall.

Neil Haislop Updates: Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban And Clay Walker

From the guy Blair Garner dubbed "The Nashville Answer Man" more than a decade ago:

* One of the reason's Kenny Chesney is the current 800-lb gorilla of country touring acts, is that he paid attention to the superstar acts that invited him to open for them back when.

Kenny says that he got his first degree in how to stage a giant tour and how to treat opening acts from one of his early supporters, Alabama.

"They were great," says Kenny who opened for the super group in the mid '90s'.
"Alabama, those guys were absolutely great to us. Randy and Teddy and Mark and Jeff and even their crew, everybody that worked for them treated us with great respect and it was a lot of fun to go out and do my show then go back and watch those guys play. I learned from those guys. I think they were the Rolling Stones of country music."

* With Canada Day and U.S. Independence Day now upon us, and we recently asked Australian-born, Keith Urban, about his citizen status in America and he explained why he loves living here.

"I'm a U.S. resident and have been for a long, long time. And, Nick (Nicole Kidman), was born in Hawaii and Sunday is definitely a resident born right here in Nashville Tennessee, so we're here to stay."

Keith also says he was impressed when he recently visited Ellis Island in New York Harbor, "To see these buildings that have been there since the beginning, and to see the statue of Liberty in the background it just brought everything full circle for me...because I'm here because of the American Dream. For me that has never died and it's what brought me half way around the world, it's what still excites me when I drive down the freeway and see a sign that says "Memphis" or "Knoxville" ...these names that I grew up hearing in songs and reading about in books and on the backs of albums, so I'm still as fascinated and excited about this country as I ever was."

* Clay Walker's 4th of July Party SPECIAL features patriotic and holiday-themed stories and songs by Clay Walker, Rodney Atkins, Toby Keith, Blake Shelton, Hank Jr, Rascal Flatts, Lee Brice, LeAnn Rimes, Lee Greenwood and more, including exclusive holiday audio from Clay Walker and his star studded cast of friends. Stars joining it include Tim McGraw singing "Southern Voice," "It's America" by Rodney Atins, and others.

A New (Third!) Dimension For Kenny Chesney

The New York Times' movie reviewer claims that perhaps too much touring caused "little spontaneity," but Entertainment Weekly and People are more a bit more supportive in their previews and reviews of Kenny's 3-D replay of last summer's stadium coast (Boston) to coast (Seattle) tour.

I was in the sandbox last July at Qwest field and expected the flick to be less of a thrill than the live Miranda Lambert, Sugarland, Brooks & Dunn + Chesney show was in person, but the sense of how it feels close up to perform in front of 60,000+ loyal fans won me over to the point that I was singing along and almost applauded after several of the performances.

Kenny & Mike & Mike

Most people know that Kenny Chesney played sports as a young man and has been a sports fan ever since. And, as a frequent guest on ESPN Radio and ESPN-2's morning sports talk temple “Mike and Mike in the Morning” talking football, baseball and life on the road and everything in between with former sports journalist Mike Greenberg and former Notre Dame and NFL lineman Mike Golic, it's not surprising the may turn to Kenny to write the preface for their book, "Mike And Mike's Rules for Sports and Life (out April 7th).

“They're a little bit crazy and irreverent,” says the former Gibbs High wide receiver and the 4-consecutive Academy of Country Music and 4-time Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year, “but they know their sports - and from completely unique perspectives - and aren't afraid to hash it out. To me, it's a lot like what goes on on my bus when we're out on the road, except, they're on ESPN-2 and ESPN radio.

“So when they asked if I would write something for their book, I was right there. I'd never done anything like that before, but it was honored to be asked.”

“He did an awesome job,” said Mike Greenberg of Chesney's writing. “He completely got us…”

“It's not hard to do,” Chesney responds. “They have a lot of heart - and a lot of fun. If you're gonna go at sports or life or whatever, Mike and Mike know how to do with with humor, with passion and that comes through when you listen, when you watch and certainly when you read their book.” -- Neil Haislop

Some "rules," from the new book:

• The Fourth of July should be eliminated and replaced with an Independence Day that falls on the first Thursday of the month, creating a four-day weekend like Thanksgiving, which, by the way, could do without the Detroit Lions.
• “The Human Element” in sports officiating and weather forecasting sucks.
• The top pick in the NBA draft lottery should go to the team that came closest to making the playoffs—not to the team that rips off fans by mailing it in after the All-Star break.
• When someone says, “I’m being completely honest,” they might as well be claiming that they go to Hooters just for the wings.
• Kids do not get to eat french fries for breakfast. Ever. And who cares what the kids at the next table are ordering.
• No more designated hitter!

To bad we can't have a "designated air personality" to come in for those breaks when you just don't feel inspired today..

What To Do When A Label Promotes Radio On NOT Playing A Song?

Music discovery still drives a lot of radio usage, so smart programmers aggressively play defense anytime another station or medium grabs a hot, new buzz track. Of course, you want your listeners to feel that they hear everything they might possibly love from your station, so they never need to worry that they might be missing anything during the time they spend with you.

Playing everything, obviously, isn't the way to do that. Judgment is part of a smart programmer's daily toolkit and choices must be made.

As record labels lose the highly-profitable CD album as their revenue source, they are trying alternative marketing techniques, many flying below the radar so as to avoid fan confusion on which of multiple current releases is "the hit."

Joe Nichols' label has been asking radio to play one song, an upbeat novelty, while Joe has been on TV talk shows, the video channels, online and in his concerts performing a very moving personal narrative which his fans have been calling radio, requesting.

Kenny Chesney cut a hot, fun tune for ESPN last fall that was released as a single to iTunes and other music download sites in December, just as his label is imploring radio to wait until Monday, February 8, for the release to radio of "Ain't Back Yet", which is from his 3D movie retrospective of last summer's arena tour. What listener wouldn't expect to hear both of them on their favorite country station?

Not to be outdone, with her benefit telethon performance last night, Taylor Swift added a critically-acclaimed possible third new song for radio to be playing today "Breathless," originally recorded by Better Than Ezra (and of course every song on the Haiti fund raiser is also available on iTunes too).

Add that to her new album's title cut, which is being promoted to radio and also her song from a new movie which she's doing on TV trailers and appearances, and just debuted at #1 on iTunes only last week.

Whew!

When does "music discovery defense" end and total confusion begin?

With radio playing 20 to 30 currents these days (except for the first hour of the four hour countdown shows), certainly we can't expose half of them by just three or four superstars (or can we? You'd probably lose your reporting status if you did try that, a fate - some seem to feel - that is the same thing as becoming completely invisible).

Programming has always been about figuring out what listeners care most about right now and prioritizing/reflecting those values in the most entertaining ways. There's too much going on every day to expose and talk about, let alone play, everything.

Great radio makes life simpler for listeners by filtering what they want and need to know about.

Winning radio makes the right choices.

Seemingly, never more so than right now.

Kenny Closes His Sun City Carnival; 45,178 Cheer All-Star Final

It all ended with an audible in Indianapolis… After Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles came out for “When The Sun Goes Down…” After Miranda Lambert came out and camped on “She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy…” After Zach Brown and his band blazed through Alabama's “Dixieland Delight” and Steve Miller's “Space Cowboy,…” After Wailer Drummie Zeb romped through “Three Litrle Birds…” and No Shoes Radio Mark Tamburino ignited “Girl Gone Wild…”

It came down to Kenny Chesney, his acoustic guitar and the tugging “Better As A Memory,” with its confussion “Every good-byes like a roulette wheel, never know where it's gonna land.” The Star called it “his most personal moment…” and deemed it “an emotional challenge he almost didn't get through,” and yet the fans stood, cheered and waved good bye to the man who's come to represent summer, what it means to be young and someone who's just like they are to over a million people each of the past eight years.

“It's hard to believe we're putting this thing up on blocks,” an emotional Chesney said after the sold-out show at Lucas Oil Stadium. “The response from the fans, out in the crowd and the internet, it makes feel like people understand… and that they know we're not gone for good, it's just a breather…

“And I hope people understand, I've never been an all or nothing kind of guy. This doesn't mean there will be no shows or no music. It means I'm not going to be staging a major tour - I'm not going to take two weeks off and be meeting with people to build a stage, to start thinking about how we can do the lights different an what the video's gonna be.

` “This isn't just a show,” explains the man who's the 4-consecutive Academy of Country Music and 4-time and current Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year. “This is a major production… and it's not just decide what to play, rehearse for a couple weeks and get out there. I need a break from that, so I can get back inside from a fresh place - and I'm really looking forward to that, because I don't anyone who keeps their foot on the gas like this for 8 years, “

Look for Chesney to be part of the Hard Rock Café's international Ambassadors of Rock next year, as well as continuing to record a new record for late spring release. With “I'm Alive,” Chesney's cross-genre duet with Dave Matthews, climbing the charts, it is certainly a musical time for the singer/songwriter from Luttrell, Tennessee who found himself the first face of Cornoa Extra when his t.v. commercials hit the air earlier this year and his “This Is Our Moment” is currently the break-out song for ESPN's college football games this season.

“There are all kinds of things to explore within the music,” Chesney enthuses. “I can't wait to take the time to see where some of this will take me, and where I might turn up, Because, you know, I now have the time to maybe get into some interesting places… We'll just have to figure it out.”

Thanks to Holly Gleason, who does PR for Chesney for the report. Reach her at 615-269-3238.

You Could Look At The World This Way...

.. As Tom Taylor did today:

"The topsy-turvy Summer of 2009. The NAB’s without a CEO, RAB is in flux, Arbitron’s under attack (but may eye television) – The world is unsettled. Just take a 30,000-foot peek out of the cockpit window for a second – can you recall a time of more uncertainty in the radio business than right now?"

Or, you can look at it THIS way...

CHFX, Halifax, morning host Denyse Sibley was located at Kenny Chesney's Boston show Saturday by two of her fans.

Maritime Broadcasting Programming Chief Scott Clements emailed in response to Denyse's cell phone photo, saying

"We have as strong a visual presence as Country 102.5/Boston, CatC ountry/Providence and a station from NH combined. Too bad its not our cma/metro."

Yes, that is "visual presence" all right!

Filter THIS!

Lady Antebellum has partnered with Brita and the FilterForGood campaign to encourage fans to use fewer disposable water bottles as a small step to better the environment.

The group is spreading the "go green" message online on the road as they open for Kenny Chesney's 2009 "Sun City Carnival Tour."

Fans will also be able catch them tailgating with their reusable FilterForGood Nalgene bottles.

Oprah Is Big, But Not As Big As Country Music

But, when it's Oprah AND country too, now THAT IS BIG.

Is country music the soundtrack of your life? The Oprah Winfrey is featuring the country music line up of the year ! Sugarland, Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, and Darius Rucker. If you are a HUGE country music fan and you'd like to be a part of the audience for this taping we want to hear from you! We want to know who your favorite artist is and why!

Is there any country station anywhere that doesn't want to put this link on their website now?

News: Chesney/McAnally #1, Urban At Daytona, AJ's New Story Song, TK In Country Weekly

From Neil Haislop:

KENNY CHESNEY SAILS HIS LATEST “DOWN THE ROAD” INTO #1 WITH MAC McANALLY as co-captain taking Kenny more calmly down the superstar highway his more rocking tunes have launched him on. The more simple song style, simply makes Chesney more happy…

“I am really happy about having a #1 with my very good friend, and frankly, one of my songwriting heroes,” Chesney says of the achievement. “The idea that you can go in the studio with a couple guitars and a great lyric, that people want to hear that… that it's still okay to make records like this… that says a lot about what people really want and respond to.

“Down The Road” received an Academy of Country Music Vocal Event nomination earlier this week. The song marks a string of stellar collaborations on Chesney's records that include Randy Travis, Uncle Kracker, Willie Nelson, George Strait and Dave Matthews.

“Having an ACM nomination with Mac is icing on the cake,” says the 4-consecutive and current Academy of Country Music and 4-time and reigning Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year. “If they gave awards for heart and soul, for being gifted, for singing the way he does, nobody could touch him… To be able to be part of a nomination with Mac McAnally is about as good as it gets.”

Keith Urban’s (shown with Tom Cruise at the race) Daytona 500 pre-race performance Sunday was heard by a quarter million fans live at the track, and nearly 40 million viewers on the national TV hookup.Nearly 30,000 of the more than 250,000 fans that lined the legendary Daytona International Speedway infield received a special treat when Urban opened his set, with his #1 smash “Days Go By,” on a satellite stage placed in the middle of the crowd. After the song Urban returned to a massiveNASCAR-created stage, to play his current hit “Sweet Thing” from his Marcm31st CD release Defying Gravity as well as “Better Life”.

The Alan Jackson tune, “Sissy’s Song,” is personal, one that he wrote and recorded as a tribute to a family friend.

Alan explains, “It’s a lady that worked here at our house and household and they’d been with us for a few years and she was like family, just a real sweet young woman…just part of your life more that some of my relatives back in Georgia. and she died suddenly in an accident this last spring…and I had a hard time dealing with it, I just didn’t feel right and it was tough on all of us. And, I set down one day and wrote this song…and after that I felt alright…it might help anybody that’s lost somebody…especially someone that’s young, untimely, it might help them a little bit.”

In the current, on stands issue of Country Weekly, they’ve compiled 30 facts you might not know about Toby Keith, such as…

“He got his first look at future wife Tricia at a dance hall in 1981 where it was love at first sight—at least for him! A life-long Democrat, he re-registered as an Independent last year after being angered by liberal criticism of Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. Commenting on his politics, Toby says, “I don’t see right and left. I see right and wrong.”

Neil Haislop's Nashville IQ©

THE PAISLEY PARTY TOUR SELLS OUT, FIRST WEEK CRITICAL PRAISE

The Paisley Party was partying hard again this week as Brad launched the final leg of his tour that began to raves last year. The shows in Memphis, Little Rock, Pensacola and near capacity in New Orleans raved to with more rave reviews. Dierks Bentley and Darius Rucker are guests on the tour.

“Wit, showmanship, emotion, crazy great guitar pyrotechnics – if there was something Brad Paisley’s show lacked at Alltel Arena on Friday night it was hard to figure out.” Werner Trieschmann – Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

“And the tight band should be stressed, but most impressive among them was Paisley himself, a blistering guitarist who could stand toe to toe with just about any rock guitar god you can name.” Julio Diaz – Pensacola News Journal

2009 The Paisley Party tour dates:

1-22 Austin, TX Frank Irwin Center
1-23 Bossier City, LA CenturyTel Center
1-24 Tulsa, OK BOK Center
1-25 Lubbock, TX United Spirit Arena
1-29 Dayton, OH Nutter Center
1-30 Moline, IL iWireless Center
1-31 Omaha, NE Qwest Center
2-12 London, ONT John Labatt Centre
2-13 Hamilton, ONT Copps Coliseum
2-14 Ottawa, ONT Scotiabank Place
2-17 Winnipeg, MAN MTS Centre
2-18 Regina, SK Brandt Centre
2-19 Saskatoon, SK Credit Union Centre
2-20 Edmonton, ALB Rexall Place
2-21 Calgary, ONT Penngrowth Saddledome
2-24 Vancouver, BC General Motors Place
2-26 Spokane, WA Spokane Arena
2-27 Portland, OR Rose Garden
2-28 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome
3-1 Yakima, WA Yakima Valley Sundome
3-14 Nashville, TN Sommet Center

KENNY CHESNEY BOOKS STADIUMS A DOZEN AT A TIME

Kenny Chesney's Corona Extra sponsored Sun City Carnival - which features Miranda Lambert and Lady Antebellum on all shows - expands to include Sugarland and Montgomery Gentry for the all day shows, which will happen in 12 cities overall. With initial cities being announced, the stadium dates will be in Dallas, Texas, Columbus, Ohio, Louisville, Kentucky, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Chicago, Illinois, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, San Francisco, California, Seattle, Washington, Salt Lake City, Utah, Foxboro, Massachusetts, Detroit, Michigan and Indianapolis, Indiana.

“Some cities - like Boston, where we've been four times - really want us to come back in that big way… and you know, I like changing things up, so some markets we're gonna play smaller venues and come back big… and a couple markets we're gonna throw the all-day party for the first time. But it's gonna be a really intense day of music, especially with the acts we've got this year! You take Miranda, who did some dates with us last year and really rocked out crowd, and Lady Antebellum and you add in Sugarland and Montgomery Gentry - and you've got a full day of some great songs, people who know how to engage a crowd and really have the kind of fun doing it I want to know our fans have when they come out to see us.”

JO DEE MESSINA BECOMES A MOTHER

Monday Jo Dee Messina and husband, Chris Deffenbaugh, welcomed their first child, Noah Roger Deffenbaugh. Their baby boy weighed in at six lbs, 15 oz. The couple married in October, 2007.

Meanwhile, Jo Dee is readying her sixth studio album entitled Unmistakable for Curb Records and will begin a solo tour in April. Deffenbaugh owns and operates Deffenblaster Enterprises, which builds custom road cases. Also a wood worker, he built a stunning crib and changing table for baby Noah.

JIMMY WAYNE COMES TO AID OF RESORT STAFF IN CHICAGO (ST. CHARLES)

Country star Jimmy Wayne sprung into action Saturday morning after below-zero temperatures in St. Charles, IL, caused overhead pipes to suddenly burst, flooding the lobby of Pheasant Run Resort where Wayne was scheduled to perform later that night at Mega Winterfest.

Multitudes of guests and concertgoers were checking into the resort before the show when the overhead pipes in the lobby suddenly burst, spewing black-tinged water across the room and flooding the lobby ankle-deep. Wayne, who was chatting at the front desk, helped the resort staff remove tables, couches, chairs and rugs from the contaminated area and into an adjacent room as fans gathered, taking photos with their cell phones. Wayne continued to help, evacuating guests from the lobby, as firefighters arrived. Fans posed for pictures with Jimmy and the firefighters after the ordeal was over.

Kenny Chesney Makes His First Grammy Appearance

Neil Haislop notes that it sure seems unlikely that Kenny Chesney has never appeared on the Grammy Awards show, but he will finally make his debut on the show when the 51st edition of the Recording Academy's awards show airs on CBS from Los Angeles on February 8th.

“It's funny… I've been part of some amazing tv things that have brought all kinds of performers together - 'Willie Nelson's 70th Birthday Party,' 'Genius: A Night for Ray Charles' - but there's just something about the Grammy Awards,” Chesney says of his upcoming performance. “You know when you walk out on that stage you're with the very best of every kind of music there is, and it's a place where you feel like when you get the call, it really means something.”

Kenny will be performing with a variety of stars on the first list of performers including, Coldplay, Jonas Brothers, Lil Wayne, and Katy Perry.

Chesney, who is nominated for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for “Shiftwork,” his duet with George Strait from the double platinum approaching, Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates, will be performing something from the album which also yielded the three multiple week #1s: “Don't Blink,” “Never Wanted Nothing More” and “Better As A Memory.”

Chesney tour '09 news: in addition to rising stars, Miranda Lambert and Lady Antebellum, Kenny adds heavy hitters, Montgomery Gentry and Sugarland to an explosive musical mix of cool talent that will make his '09 tour the one to beat again this year.

“I’ve been on the road with both Sugarland and Montgomery Gentry,” says the 4-consecutive and current Academy of Country Music and 4-time and reigning Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year. “Jennifer and Kristian and Eddie and Troy are all people who get the road, get the fans, get having fun and are all about getting out there and having the best time they can on that stage… and when Sugarland or Montgomery Gentry comes off, you know those people were rocked.”

Kenny Chesney: "Back From A Rough Place"

He opens up to Country Weekly about heartbreak, love, life and music. Kenny reveals that his new album, Lucky Old Sun, comes from a different place than many of his previous records.

“Lucky Old Sun is a map of my soul, and the way the water helped me find my way back from a pretty rough place. When my marriage [to actress Renee Zellweger] broke apart, I can’t begin to explain how that felt. Until you’ve been there, you can’t know.”

Kenny also talks about working with Willie Nelson and making new friends like rocker Dave Matthews and reggae band the Wailers.

In the same issue, out on Monday, Jason Michael Carroll takes you inside his home away from home, the touring bus that he helped design.

“This is such a big improvement over what we had before. Especially for being pretty much a brand-new artist, just a year or two into touring.”

Jason Michael will be touring through the fall and early winter with stars like Martina McBride, Trace Adkins and Craig Morgan as he gears up for his next single, “Where I’m From.”

PR Contact: Kirt Webster (615-777-6995)

New LP's For Faith, George and Chesney; New Tour Dates For Carrie

Faith Hill's new "Joy To The World" LP releases on Warner Bros. next Tuesday and George Strait's "Classic Christmas" on MCA arrives at retail on October 7 and they are hoping to be the first two ornaments of your Holiday season.

Kenny Chesney is giving fans a chance to buy songs from his next album, which hits stores on October 4 right now.

New dates have just been announced as Carrie Underwood continues her "Carnival Ride" tour. Underwood will have performed 137 live shows in 2008, in addition to her many Opry and TV performances. The fall leg of the tour, sponsored by vitaminwater®, will begin tomorrow in Cleveland, Ohio and will feature special guest Little Big Town.

Kenny Chesney Tour Bus Collides with Car

Neil Haislop reports Nashville IQ:

One of the thoughts that haunts country singers who have a big road show crossing the country, is that some accident might occur to some vehicle transporting members of their entourage. Kenny Chesney's always been proud of his gang of folks inhabiting his huge caravan of buses and trucks. So, it wasn't good news to him that yesterday morning on their way to tonight's Poets & Pirates Show in New Orleans Arena, that a car broadsided the Sponsor bus just outside of Jackson, Mississippi. (click to see TV chopper photos)

A passenger vehicle had hit the back quarter bay of the Corona bus, which was carrying two sponsorship reps - not members of Chesney's staging team as has been previously reported. Slowing down, the driver saw the car bounce off a wall, back into the bus and begin to spin. Bringing the bus to as quick a stop as a 45 foot tour bus can manage with sleeping passengers, they came to rest 150 yards away.

“We were all kinda surprised,” says Brett Palmer of AbiJack Management, who is the Corona Extra rep for the tour. “You could feel something, but you couldn't tell what.”

“These are the things you hate hearing,” said Chesney, who was in Nashville working on a video for his “Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven.” the first single from his fall release Lucky Ole Sun. “We all spend so much time on the highways… and you know things happen. It's not reckless, or anyone's fault - except maybe misgauging how big those buses really are. I'm just so glad that everybody's okay… In a situation like this, the fact that nobody's hurt is the best news of all.”

Police arriving on the scene surveyed the damage.The driver of the car was sent to the hospital, but the AbiJack folks were re-assured that no serious injuries had been sustained. They answered a few questions and were released to continue their trip (where he was the 81st man on the field for the New Orleans Saints) in around 15 minutes.

KEITH URBAN STAYS CONNECTED TO AUSTRALIA
Keith and his wife Nicole Kidman maintain homes in Nashville and Australia. Keith says there are two reasons he does that. One he loves his homeland and wants to maintaing contact with it. But, he also never wanted his countrymen to think he'd forsaken his place of birth.

"I think Australia used to be not so good at dealing with success. If people from Australia went overseas and achieved success, back home they had a real love to want to chop you down really quickly and bring you back to earth. They wanted you to stay humble to the point of humility you know, and thinking almost poorly of yourself. I see that’s changing quite a lot now. There are so many more people leaving Australia to go overseas and achieving success, but these artists, like myself, are not turning their backs on Australia. I’m still proud to be Australian and I make regular trips back there. And I think Australia is beginning to accept, 'OK, we should be more proud parents of our kids going out and achieving things instead of feeling miserable that we didn’t get to do it,' which I think used to be the attitude."

GEORGE STRAIT SAYS THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THAT FIRST 1 Strait now has more #1 hits than any country artist in history. He says every one of them is exciting...but there was no feeling like scoring that first one when “FOOL HEARTED MEMORY” hit the top of the Billboard chart in 1982.

"It was pretty incredible!...Because I just felt fortunate to get a record contract! I’d been trying to do that for quite a few years and I went to Nashville and cut "Unwound and "Unwound" hit 6 on the charts and so they let me do an album. So, I felt real fortunate just to do that and to have one go number one was an incredible feeling!"

RANDY TRAVIS' LETTERMAN APPEARANCE ENCORES TONIGHT His recent appearance on The Late Show With David Letterman, airs again TONIGHT on CBS.

HEIDI NEWFIELDS FIRST SOLO ALBUM DEBUTS AT #2
Her solo career is off to a good start as her debut solo CD, What Am I Waiting For, debuts at #2 on Top Country albums chart and makes the top 10 of the all-genre Top 200 chart.

From the road in upstate New York, Newfield states,

“I am so thrilled with the reaction from everyone regarding my new album! The record was such a labor of love and I couldn’t be more proud with the result. This is just the beginning of good music to come.”

Chesney Thanks Fans, But Wishes The "Entertainer" Hadn't Become A Popularity Contest

Over half a million fans voted resulting in Kenny Chesney winning his 4th Entertainer of the Year award tying Garth Brooks' record in that category.

Backstage Kenny thanked the fans for voting for him. But, then he expressed a strong opinion that he wished the ACM hadn't changed the criteria of that award.

"I think fans should be involved in voting for ACM awards, but not for the Entertainer of the Year." Kenny would have preferred tying Garth's record under the same criteria he had won the award. Kenny feels strongly that the award is something that should go to an artist who's worked hard all their career."

Note: Alabama holds the overall consecutive wins honors winning entertainer 5 times.

Reba McEntire rendered another brilliant and often funny hosting job as she led the TV and arena audience through the three hour show where fans were able to vote for Entertainer of the Year for the first time in history.

- A&O's buddy Neil Haislop Backstage At The ACM's (where it was a sizzling 104 degrees outside!)

Courageous Chesney

Not that he has ANYTHING to prove in the "Entertainer Of The Year" category, but Kenny is the front page story in Sunday's edition of the Columbia State newspaper and for very good reason. It was supposed to be a spectacular entrance — Kenny Chesney rising from underneath the stage.

Lots of links to click on via the newspaper's site:

UPDATE: Chesney treated for injury

Chasin' Chesney - Sunday: Wrapping it up

PHOTOS:
Chesney concert
Inside: Fans abuzz
Pirate Island, KennyGate
Spotted: Fan photos

VIDEO: Pre-show fun, festivities

Garth Sells 85,677 In 59 Minutes, Kenny Sells Out Gillette Stadium In 15

The stories:

* Garth Brooks Los Angeles charity concerts sell out in an hour

“It’s a beautiful thing when everyone pulls together. “California just raised a ton of money for their own. I’m so proud to be part of this.” -- Garth

* Kenny Chesney sells out first stadium show of '08 in 15 minutes

" It's amazing how people everywhere like to get together, have a party, forget about what's bothering them. I try to make these shows be the kinda thing people can build a summer around - all the memories, the friends, the good times. Boston, when you guys buy all these tickets so fast, you make me feel like we're connecting just the way we hope we can.” -- Kenny

.. Promising signs for a great '08 for country on tour!