Glen Campbell Will Tour One Last Time

Campbell has revealed that he’s in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease and will soon begin a farewell tour.



His only concern is that there may be moments during the tour that he may not remember a lyric or two...something he and his wife are talking about and hoping fans will understand.

Judging from the reaction to the news on the net already this morning, Glen, you don't have a thing to worry about.

We're all looking forward to giving you many more standing ovations!

Scan This

A&O is betting you have a QR code reader in any Apple device you have. Scanning this takes you DIRECTLY to Today's Country Online on Blogspot in a MOBILE viewer.

If you don't have a QR reader, there's a freebie available in either the Android market, or Blackberry App Store.

Make it that easy for your listeners to get the latest music news from your website.

If you'd like to know how you could use Today's Country Online to help do that, give Michael O'Malley a call at 732-937-5757.

If WikiLeaks Got Hold Of A&O’s Internal Emails

-----Original Message-----

From: Dan Vanlandingham (A&O Daily Prep Producer)

Subject: Cher

Doing a country music album. That will be interesting to hear. :)

Jaye Albright writes: NOT.

Michael O'Malley: Oy. Who's next? I know, Donald Trump. Flee for the hills!

Jaye Albright: Why is it every artist when their career ends everywhere else fails to listen to "Gone Country?"

Dan Vanlandingham: My guess on who's next: Lindsay Lohan doing a prison album :)

Urban Plays With His "Influences" This Summer

Neil Haislop was there when Keith Urban met the country press corps in Nashville Tuesday.

Keith told reporters that he's looking forward to 3 upcoming dates with The Eagles this month in New York City, Boston and Chicago: "They were a huge influence growing up and probably one of the Eagles albums that my brother had that had things like "Life in the Fast Lane" on it. That band set a template for me, for what I do. Here's a band that could play "Take It To The Limit," "Tequila Sunrise," and "Peaceful Easy Feeling," something completely different and laid back and then could rip it up with something like "Life in The Fast Lane," so, I think the diversity of that band gave me a much broader scope for music."

He's in Music City all week for various reasons, including appearances at the CMT Awards where he's up for two big awards, Male Video of the year and Video of the Year. Plus, on Friday, Keith will continue his constant support of CMA Music Festival when he takes the big stage at LP Field.

Keith also talked about performing with John Mayer on three occasions, on CMT's Crossroads the CMT show June 18th and co-headlining with Mayer at The Gorge in George, Wa. August 28th.

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.

The Syracuse Country Radio Scene Gets Real Interesting

.. and does so real fast! Two new country radio stations hit the airwaves yesterday afternoon in Central New York.

WOLF 105.1 launched at 4 p.m. playing hits by today's stars -- Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift, to name a few. The unveiling came after months of changing formats.

Less than two hours later, Young Country 106.9 went live, replacing Power 106.9, which had an R&B format. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications.

The station's Web site was quickly replaced Friday afternoon, according to The Post-Standard reporter Douglass Dowty.

New Country WOLF 105.1 co-owner Sam Furco said his station will play country music of the past decade. WOLF, of course, is a heritage Syracuse radio brand with an illustrious history.

Billy Currington Escapes Serious Injury As Stage Collapses, Killing One, Hurting 15

He was on stage in Camrose when the storm hit and his tour manager was literally pulling him off the stage when the collapse occurred. Currington suffered a mild concussion, scrapes and bruises, the source said, and was released from a hospital Sunday morning.

His bass guitarist, Alex Stevens, was trapped under the fallen stage and his arm was crushed, said the source. Stevens underwent surgery Saturday night but could be released from the hospital as soon as today, according to the source.

Tim McGraw was due to headline today's cancelled shows.

Music Promotion's Nightmare Scenario

.. but country programmers have to be loving this week, as Brad Paisley, Sugarland, Keith Urban and Tim McGraw all come with new releases, almost certain to consume spins in the next week or two.

That's going to suck a lot of the air out of the room, with only eight of the top 25 ranking chart songs on 100% of the monitored panels.

Get ready for the big flush.

J. C. Penney Has A Rascal Flatts Bonus Track

You can get a preview of the song "American Living" here, but if you want to play it on the radio, it looks like you may need to go to Penney's and buy a copy of the LP being sold there only (and of course know that you'll be playing the new JCP jingle).

Need an idea that would dominate a summer concert? I love the "Rascal Flatts Towers" being constructed by fans, using kits provided by the group. Could you get your brand on them somehow?

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?

When Huff Po Reviews Country Positively, There Might Be Hope For Bipartisanship After All

How's this for a game of ping pong? I blog about how amazing a nice review of Jamey Johnson and John Rich is from the Huffington Post, and HuffPo blogs about how country radio isn't always known for its daring social relevance:

"...but two singles that are currently rising up the charts--John Rich's politically themed "Shutting Detroit Down" and Jamey Johnson's pharmaceutically themed "High Cost of Living"--prove that the genre that bills itself as "America's music" can still provide bracing jolts of reality.."

Given THAT, who knows what's next? Fox News endorsing President Obama's new budget? The Wall Street Journal liking the stimulus?

Yeah, right.

False Economies And Smart Moves

Keith Bilbrey will no longer be on the air at WSM-AM and will no longer serve as a Grand Ole Opry announcer.

Banks started cutting tellers and replacing them with ATMs at least 15 years ago so I get the concept of improving customer/listener service and reallocating budgets to things that matter to users, but it seems to me that people are radio's non-duplicatable branded assets which bring the brand story to life in human form in ways no other radio station can copy or take away.

A strong personality is a poster child for your brand, adding value. Bilbrey is now a poster child for Gaylord Entertainment in what seems to me to be all the wrong ways for the people of my age who listen to AM radio.

Meanwhile, Gaylord's Grand Ole Opry pairs with American Idol next week in yet another effort to contemporize the Opry's image. Can Carrie and Brad's personas wallpaper over the crack left by Keith?

CRS Parties Astound And Abound As Irby Mandrell Passes

NEIL HAISLOP’S NASHVILLE IQ ©:
SONY MUSIC NASHVILLE BOAT SHOW, MONSTER!
So much cool stuff happened on the CRS Sony Music boat show that it's hard to include it all in this report.

KENNY CHESNEY appeared wiht singer-song writer, Brett James to unveil Kenny's new single , "Out Last Night." The song was so fresh Kenny couldn't pass up debuting it in front of a high-powered group of industry and radio guests.

ALSO, while hey had him on stage Kenny's label presented him with a huge plaque commemorating the highest digital sales of any male country artist, 15 million sold.

Other performances came from Martina McBride on "Shine." Gretchen Wilson retuned to that stage, along with Kellie Pickler, Chuck Wicks, and Montgomery Gentry, Craig Morgan, Jason Michael Carroll, and Carrie Underwood. Carrie also was presented with a plaque commemorating her total album sales not past 10 Million copies and counting.

Special guest John Kay from Steppenwolf, came on stage and tore it up it up with a medley of "Magic Carpet Ride," and "Born To Be Wild." That was pretty cool but it got even batter during Brad Paisley's set when Peter Frampton came on stage enlisting Martina McBride and Carrie Underwood to render "Baby I Love Your Way." Then Brad Paisley joined Frampton on an incrdedible battle of the the guitars on 'Do You Feel Like We Do." It was a huge finale that went down in the minds of many long time attendees of the boat show as the best they'd ever seen on that stage.

After the show, Carrie Underwood announced that she'd taken over a bowling invited any show attendees that wanted to join her there for a bowling party.

TIM McGRAW BOWLS FOR BRAINS
The Tug McGraw Foundation (TMF), founded in honor of legendary pitcher Tug McGraw to fund quality of life research on behalf of brain tumor patients, today announced its return to the Country Music Marathon & ∏ Marathon on Saturday, April 25. Team McGraw, an endurance sports training program that raises money and increases awareness for the Foundation, will host a warm-up party to celebrate its marathon runners Friday, April 24 from 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm at Tusculum Lanes in Nashville, The bowling party is open to all Country Music Marathon and ∏ marathon runners. Tickets can be purchased online at www.tugmcgraw.org for $10 to $25.

"We are grateful to the Competitor Group and all the athletes who have joined Team McGraw and devoted their efforts to quality of life awareness and research for brain tumor patients," said country superstar Tim McGraw, honorary chairman of the Tug McGraw Foundation. "Kicking off our 2009 season here in Nashville with the Country Music Marathon and ∏ Marathon is a thrill, and we are excited to see so many dedicated new runners joining our running alumni to take on Music City.

KEITH URBAN PREVIEWS NEW ALBUM THIS WEEK
Keith Urban has been letting the press listen to his new album and then will sit down with them today to talk about the new album and more.

BILLY RAY CYRUS AND MILEY CYRUS MAKE CHART HISTORY
This week, Miley Cyrus debuts with "The Climb" (Walt Disney/Hollywood/Lyric Street) at No. 48 and father Billy Ray bows with "Back to Tennessee" (Walt Disney/Lyric Street) at No. 59 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart. Both songs will appear on the Walt Disney Records soundtrack, due March 24 and in the Walt Disney Pictures film, "Hannah Montana The Movie," which opens nationwide in theaters April 10. Back To Tennessee is also the title track of Cyrus's upcoming CD, which will be released on April 7. This marks the first time in nearly twenty years that a father and daughter have appeared on the chart with separate solo singles. (Johnny and Rosanne Cash had separate singles on October 5, 1990.)

"The Climb" (Walt Disney/Hollywood/Lyric Street) has been added to over 140 stations in 4 formats of radio in just 3 weeks, making it one of the most quickly added records of the year. It has hit the Top 30 on the Top 40 radio charts and is climbing rapidly at country and Hot AC formats.

After a string of hit songs at country radio and the recent top five smash "Ready, Set, Don't Go," Billy Ray Cyrus's latest effort "Back To Tennessee" is climbing the country radio charts. Produced by Mark Bright (Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood), the album features 12 new tracks. Billy Ray co-wrote two of the tracks on the new project. In addition, country powerhouse writers Jeffrey Steele, Neil Thrasher, Craig Wiseman, Rivers Rutherford, Blair Daly, Troy Verges and Casey Beathard all contribute tunes to the new record.

A musical highpoint in "Hannah Montana The Movie," Billy Ray (as his character Robby Ray Stewart) performs "Back To Tennessee." Written by Cyrus, Tamara Dunn and Matthew Wilder, it is inspired by Billy Ray's longing to return to his roots and breathe the sweet southern air of his home state.

Back To Tennessee will also contain a special extended version (4:44) of the father/daughter duet "Butterfly, Fly Away," which was produced by Glen Ballard. A 3:11 version of the duet appears in the film and on the soundtrack.

CRS 41 TO BE HOSTED BY TAYLOR SWIFT
Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc.® and the Academy of Country Music® have announced Taylor Swift as the host and headliner of next year's CRS-41 Music City Jam at the Nashville Convention Center.

"I can't think of a bigger star to host the Music City Jam at CRS-41 than Taylor Swift," said CRB Executive Director Ed Salamon. "We're thrilled to have her headline next year's event and continue the tradition of superstar talent that has performed in years past."

Each year, Country Radio Seminar's Music City Jam has showcased some of the biggest stars in country music, including performances by Brad Paisley at CRS-39 in 2008, Toby Keith in 2007 and Keith Urban in 2006. Tim McGraw hosted this year's show at CRS-40.

"Taylor is an amazing talent, and we are thrilled to have her at the Music City Jam in 2010," said Bob Romeo, Executive Director of the Academy of Country Music. "I can't wait to see what she surprises everyone with. She always has a trick up her performance sleeve."

The Academy of Country Music will once again sponsor the Music City Jam next year. The show is preparing to enter its sixth year in 2010.

Angie Gore (615 321-3211) reports: Irby Mandrell passed away at 2 p.m. on March 5, 2009 in a Nashville hospital.

"Our family and some friends were standing around my daddy's bed at Baptist Hospital when he passed peacefully on to his heavenly home. I'm speaking for all of my family, especially my sisters Louise and Irlene, when I say he was our hero and we will miss him always."--Barbara Mandrell.

Visitation will be held at Forest Lawn Funeral Home in Goodlettsville, Tennessee
3/7--Saturday visitation: 4 p.m.-6 p.m.
3/8--Sunday visitation: 2 p.m.-3 p.m.

Hmmm.. Just How Old Is Faith Hill?

AARP presents Faith Hill in concert at Vegas@50+ on Saturday, October 24 at the Sands Expo Center:

"Join us for an evening with one of country music's most popular and dynamic performers. Seats start at the low price of $25.."

No, you do NOT have to be 50+ to PERFORM for an AARP crowd.

Hint #1: last December's Shape Magazine.

Hint #2: 21 September 1967

At this rate, you can look for Taylor Swift to be headlining AARP's 2030 national convention... (I'll bet that both she and Faith will still be going strong by then.)

Big Format, Big Problems?

A&O's 2009 White Paper (click for pdf) addresses our pride in the good things about the Country Radio format and also our concerns today.

We'd love to get your take on our viewpoint!

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.”

Country's "Class Of '89" Was Two Decades Ago

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the famed “Class of ’89,” which consisted of then newcomers Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks, Clint Black, Travis Tritt, Lorrie Morgan and Mary Chapin Carpenter.

Country Weekly's cover story catches up with the members of that historic class as they reflect on life 20 years later.

“I’d never have thought that I’d be still out here touring and having hit records and still getting on the radio. I guess sometimes the music might be a little timeless––that helps you hang on.” -- Alan Jackson

Clint is pleased to be among that breakout group of artists and says, “I’m proud of my contribution and I feel like I gave it my best.”

If you were 25 years old when the 1989-1995 boom peaked in the mid-90's, you're 39 today.

Also in this week's issue of the magazine, Taylor Swift, Dierks Bentley, Jack Ingram and more stars reveal how they like to spend Valentine’s Day with that special someone. Taylor says that if she could create the perfect day, “It would be full of surprises. I don’t think I’ve ever dated a guy that was really incredibly romantic as far as surprises and things like that.” And for John Michael Montgomery, the ideal romantic date with his wife involves “lots of sushi and going to the movies.”

Country Weekly's PR Contact: Webster & Associates Public Relations (615-777-6995), Bonnie Brozik or Kirt Webster

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.

Garth Shows He Knows How To Wow 'Em By The Million

Washington Times (click to read it) reviewer Scott Galupo: the stealer of the show turned out not to be Barack Obama or Joseph R. Biden Jr., but retired country singer Garth Brooks.

Departing from a carefully carpentered script that featured granite-like recitations of quotes from dead white guys and musical selections with some relevance to the day's theme -- unity, or love, or something -- the Large-Hatted One played to the lowest common denominator of wedding-reception rock with abridged covers of Don McLean's "American Pie" and the Isley Brothers' "Shout!"

The tens of thousands gathered around the frozen Reflecting Pool ate it up -- finally, if briefly, coming alive amid two hours of portentous speech-making that petrified (as in, turned to stone) even the comedians Jack Black, Steve Carrell and "Harold and Kumar" star Kal Penn.

Is this a great country or what?