The latest from Jimmy Carter in Nashville

The first of May is on the horizon....Kentucky Derby weekend in Louisville..Nascar race weekend in Richmond...Toby Keith back home from the war.... Another shot from the DOD of TOBY at FOB in Afghanistan..( I love the abbreviations).... Biggest smiles on those young folks faces I bet in a while! The derby party people are flying in as we speak...Ms. Rimes will be on NBC Saturday singing the national anthem....Look for pictures on here over the weekend of the big show parties like Barnstable Brown.... Mexican government has pretty much cancelled the May 5th Cinco de Mayo celebrations in that country due to flu....I would imagine a few in Texas will go... Big traffic jams Friday in downtown Los Angeles midday due to May Day protest marches of all kinds....

First case of Swine Flu announced in Tennessee tonight...in the heavily country star laden Williamson County...Making people very nervous!! Tim McGraw changing managers. No one is quite sure what this is about...Dolly was on Letterman and told some great stories...worth looking up on CBS.com....... Adam is safe on American Idol....Matt is out.... 9 to 5 getting lots of Drama Desk award nominations in NYC....Kenny Chesney's new video debuts Friday on My Space. Kenny will be in Texas touring this weekend.. Carrie and Taylor flew into to Chicago this week to watch Britney Spears tour stop......

One of the purest voices in the history of Country Music has gone silent. Vern Gosdin slipped away in his sleep at midnight folllowing a stroke 3 weeks ago.. Vern Gosdin was 74. He may have been more popular among his fellow singers than he was at the record stores. His fellow singers were wowed by his performances. He was traditional in the vein of Lefty Frizzell and George Jones. A nice guy with a unique voice. Pure country 100%.. Several #1's including "I Can Tell By the Way You Dance", "I'm Still Crazy" and "Set'em up Joe"... Vern was the 6th of 9 kids...momma played the piano and he sung at church near his home of Woodland,Alabama in rural Northeast Alabama

Toby Keith is a Patriot! He is one butt headed son of a gun but that's the kind of character it takes to head over to the Afghan/Pakistan border and sing for the GI's.. The USO tour went to bases large and small. Some didn't have running water. It was not a glamorous trip to say the least.... Toby I think is now is in or on the way to Italy to wrap up the tour.... Toby Keith I salute YOU! The smiling faces on those men & women this year got him to promise a return next year. I really do admire him for his USO work!

with all the talk of SWINE FLU.....This could be a life saving blog! Antibacterial hand sanitizers are marketed to the public as an effective way to "wash one's hands" when traditional soap and water are not available. These "waterless" products are particularly popular with parents of small children. Manufacturers of hand sanitizers claim that the sanitizers kill 99.9 percent of germs. Since you naturally use hand sanitizers to cleanse your hands, the assumption is that 99.9 percent of harmful germs are killed by the sanitizers. Recent research suggests that this is not the case. How do hand sanitizers work? Hand sanitizers work by stripping away the outer layer of oil on the skin. This usually prevents bacteria present in the body from coming to the surface of the hand. However, these bacteria that are normally present in the body are generally not the kinds of bacteria that will make us sick. In a review of the research, Barbara Almanza, an associate profe...

I listen to Howard Stern alone in my car...sometimes....Ok I admit it... with that said I am hardly a prude.... I am very conflicted about Kid Rock showing up at all these country music shows..this weekend at Stagecoach for example....He ran late pushing Chesney to a very late start and that was RUDE! and worse he has songs with the F bomb in it and that has NO place at a country music show. Or if it does since when? Country Music has adult themes...BUT headliner Kenny Chesney is NOT one of them...hes a family safe act and there were a lot of families that had to leave that show because of this guy.....That's not cool....put him on the Hell raiser shows with you know the acts...NOT the ones where families feel safe..its hurts everyone...this big tent may be getting a little too big... and Yes I liked the Summertime song a lot....I sometimes like him...about like Howard Stern...a time and a place...

Stagecoach was something like 160,000 paid tickets this year...maybe the math showed 40,000 a show.....It sounds like they were successful.' Entertainment Weekly's on scene review galloped in to say they were people in cowboy hats and pickup trucks...ugg..should have sent that on back to LA. We do know Brad got a great review in the times and we are waiting on Kenny's....Poco's reunion got big talk too....Costner's band got positive word of mouth...but then see the Line dancing in the picture above....it never went away BUT I keep seeing it coming back....that would be good new for country club owners! Boot scoot your boogie!!!!!!!

Taylor is in St Louis Saturday night...stop #3 on her Fearless tour....On the left a fan shot of the castle that magically appears during her show...light by some fantastic lights ( not seen here) and then there is the story of the guy who drove from St Louis to Jonesboro,Arkansas Friday night with his sign: Taylor,will you marry me? Dylan....well to be continued!

Here's a fast news brief: Leno out of the hospital....Swine Flu. outbreak deadly in Mexico..US health agencies on the lookout....Dierks and B&D off to Aussie land this week....Taylor now on to St Louis stop 3 on her tour....Music City marathon underway in downtown Nashville....Keith urban and Monty Norman were toasted at party for their #1 song,Sweet Thing....Randy Travis got 8th Dove Award Thursday night at the Opry House....Chesney plays The Joint tonight in Las Vegas....Brad plays for the Stagecoach festival in Indio,California where it is much cooler that earlier in the week.....80 is the top out today with 68 by the time Paisley hits the stage....wind advisory though 30 to 50 until 6pm...nice day !!

Brad Paisley's on his way to LA to play the Stagecoach festival in Indio,Calfornia but before that he is/was to lay the Tonight Show. Midday Thursday,Jay checked himself into an LA hospital. Sick enough to do that and he's a guy who never misses work and never gets sick..so he must have felt very bad! NBC playing it down but knowing the work ethic of this guy,he must have been pretty sick. Got some bad food....stomach flu...something like that...we will know more sure I am sure...Thursday is a Tonight show rerun..we shall see about Friday night soon.....

It took how long? 4 days? Wow, I knew Carrie Prejean would come to Music City but this is faster than American Idol. The almost Miss USA has been added as a presenter at tonight's nationally televised Dove Awards for gospel/Christian music. Can she sing? I we know right now is what we saw when she spoke her position on gay marriage. We hear she is dating Olympian Michael Phelps or has at least gone out with him. But hey it's just been four days! If she can sing.will she?

Amazing shoot..she is more beautiful with age....Hooray for Redbook! Faith has always done well with different looks... But the three covers of Redbook is the biggest success yet.. They all show sides of her personality...Complex ,beautiful woman....

I have known Faith for...well since she got started in Nashville.... Tim must have gone crazy when he saw how these pictures turned out....And there are more...I may have to do a blog part two.... Simply wow...you skinny models who normally grace the covers..more over for a real woman!

Thursday night in Evansville,Indiana Taylor Swift gets one of her dreams to come true...She will be a headliner act. Official multi million dollar tour get underway and the above unusual people are her traveling dancers. Yes dancers.....if you are in the Miley world of country you better have all the toys....the dancers,the sets....This is going to be a big show...so get ready for lots of opinions as we go....She is going to be nervous but this girl has grown so much since the first time I saw her and that big guitar center stage...Taylor Swift is one fast learner!

3 firefighters were injured battling a large fire at the Virginia river home of former country star and sausage magnate Jimmy Dean. The Deans were not injured and there are other buildings in the Dean compound. Jimmy Dean is 80 and met his wife while watching her sing at a Nashville club known as The Stockyard. More news on local Richmond tv stations and Richmond Times.

Well, no one got this one right! Jasper Warren Paisley...9 pounds and 10 ounces....I'm sure someone will find out where the name Jasper came from but Warren. was Brad's grandfather's name. Grandad got Brad his first guitar and influenced him to play. The public had some fun names....maybe next time:) The brothers Jasper and Huck...not sure what a short nickname is for Jasper...?? J Man.? You almost have to save the whole name...or will he go with Warren...another name you have to say the whole name...at least no juniors...my dad didn't want a junior and I was proud of my dad but glad I didn't have to deal with a life time of junior...

I think we can move Kenny now to Vegas! I just paid 123 bucks for a Cirque de Soleil ticket and there was Kenny Chesney right in my own backyard! This is how he opens the new tour...on a trapeze kind of thing...Bette Midler has used this kind of rig in her Vegas act. His opening song is She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy..the end is the beginning...and so it goes...51 minutes of fast before you hit the first ballad...this guy is too much! The FANS love the overhead singing...look in the shot..look at all the redeye cameras and flashes going off! I not sure who exactly shot this wonderful picture..but my new pals Erin & Lauren have it and some other pictures on their web site so check it out when you can....www.countrymusicislove.com is their site....They seem to be rich and travel to all the good shows... The internet is giving old CMT and GAC a run for their money!

New baby son for Brad and Kim born today in Nashville....No other details were released....... ok let;s think about this....first baby's name is HUCK so this one has to be TOM? ( tom sawyer and huck finn?) we will let you know when we know...

The cute girlfriend of Chuck Wick's and dynamite dancer on DWTS may be getting a movie job or two. The woman on the left is playing in a movie about burlesque dancing.. Julianne's people may be in discussion for her to dance alongside...Probably is a R rated film so that might be an issue. The dude is Chace Crawford...Carrie Underwood's ex..He is the star of Footloose and Ms Hough may be getting a role in that...How good would that be for all involved? She requires no training for the dance stuff...I hope she can deliver dialogu but I bet she can.....I'm not sure about her country music career but I am sure she is a STAR!

Dancing with the stars can be hazardous to your health@! Ty Murray is the latest injury getting whacking in the eye by a flying wireless microphone box. There was blood and icepacks but the rodeo guy has had much worse.....His wife Jewel is still on crutches in an injury that took her out of the competition.......Chuck Wicks is in Nashville today practicing for the next show...

He doesn't look it in this picture but Quinton Aaron is 6'7" and around 450! The Yelllow Jacket strength and conditioning people are working him out so he can play a football player in, The Blind Side. Tim plays the husband of a do-gooder church woman played by Sandra Bullock. Movie to be shot in Atlanta...Same folks who did The Rookie....He doesn't look that big...buttttt..I bet this is going to be a good movie! out maybe in 2010 from Warner Bros.

Just saw John sing on Hannity's live remote in Atlanta on national FOX NEWS.... John is singing, Shuttin Detroit Down. He's sort of a new world Hank Jr. Protest signer...politcal song singer... Speaking of Hank jr..his new song is Rad,White and Pink Slipping Blues... Tax protesters and millionaire singers join together..

If you ever go to Hollyood you have to go to the Capitol Records Tower...You can's miss it..one of the great landmarks of the city....Today,George Harrison got the 2,382nd star on the famed Walk...Right there in from Of Capitol where many of the labels stars have spots...Garth is easy to find and The Beatles center stage....in that picture Tom Petty,Jeff Lynne,Paul,George's widow Olivia and far right is George's son Dhani..

This little baby is growing up fast! And getting some frequent flyer miles! Sunday Urban and mom Nicole here at a photo grab in Australia....Nicole is smart enough to feed the sharks once a day or so and they back off... Check that bow on her little head...ahhhh....Baby girls are my soft spot ( I have 3 daughters---2 grand daughters)

The man who created the wall of sound recordings of the Righteous Brothers, The Ronettes and even the Beatles, has been convicted of 2nd degree murder...His retrial took forever but came to an end today..this is his new mug shot taken a few minutes after the verdict.

I knew he had some issues but didn't think his marriage was one of them...Mel Gibson and his wife of 28 years,Robyn, are done....California law says she gets half and that half is huge....Maybe that's why he started working again recently.... They have 7 kids one is a minor..tom age 10....He is very Catholic but his issues have been publicy noted...Played Maverick with a ton of country folks and even shot a video for the movie here in Music City..... I have interviewed his a lot of times...he was bright but I knew he was moody...but arent we all.... He made 900 million they say in 2006...she gets half...but that still leaves a lot.... wow...

Here's the latest we have on the death of George Strait's brother Buddy. The medical examiner of Bexar County,Texas still waiting on test results before cause of death can exactly be determined. "Buddy" Strait died Friday...stay tuned..all the details available soon...

She recently had a #1 song in England and the folks on the big island are still trying to figure her out....She is very clean cut compared to almost anyone. The article inside this Dolly Magazine talks how they think she is sort of the girl next door and say shes the anti dote for the bad girls of Hollywood.

George Strait's 58 year old brother John " Buddy" Strait,Jr. has died...His body was found at a San Antonio hotel this morning, Bexar County Texas investigators say the death appears to be natural.Autopsy has been ordered. Prayers go out to the Strait family.

Keith,Nicole at Sunday at LAX off to Sydney for Easter...that baby is growing up! Looks like keith to me! see eyes/nose

This twister was a few miles South of Nashville while others were North..we were surrounded...It was a nerve wracking day for parents tryint to contact there kids only to find the cell phones not working at times.... This one killed 2 and injured 2 dozen...hundreds of homes damaged,thousand without power,millions in danged..I was THERE moments after it it....VERY sobering...powerful thing that Nature! F-3 Twister 4/10/09 Murfreesboro,Tenn

That's Jared Ashley from Nashville Star season 4.......John Rich filed a lawsuit this week against him. Rich claims in the legal papers ,he was defamed by Ashley...Rich says,The Star contestant claimed on the radio that Rich hit him at a Rich owned private nightclub. John Rich says it didnt happen. Unspecified damages are sought. No comment from Ashley....

Panama City Beach police report Douglas Jackson Brooks,AKA DougStone, was arrested 3:30am today 4/9/09 and charged with domestic battery. The police report saidthe 52 year old country singer had his son in a headlock when condo security arrived. Stone's 22 year old son Dustin Brooks. More details Friday morning on my report

I told you I would start doing some Nashville star house shots...This one is under construction..John Rich does it Big & Rich in a lot of ways.... This controversial sized structure had to jump through a few hurdle just to get past zoning but it did and it's been under construction for a good while...It's going to have a view of Nashville that will be like no other...Right now it looks like a prison or some doctor's office building but trust be it's the dream home of John Rich...Designed when he was single I think. Let's wait until it is finished before we decide 100% about it....may be more designed for looking out than looking on.

Adam Gregory is going to have to go from very fast to STOP. Doctors have put him on vocal rest. He is canceling things until his throat gets better. This young man has been on a crazy travel tear promoting his music....He will be back when he gets well...simple as that.....Adam is one of my personal favorites since he was a very young Canadian artist. He hates stopping but this is for the best.You can get well burning that candle at both ends....see his MY SPACE site for more...

He died in 1998. Cancer got him..What a cool guy this Irish New Jersey dude. 17 #1 songs from 1976 to 1989. Those songs are coming back thatns to a new Rhino reocrds complication,out May 12.....I Love a Rainy Night,Driving my Life Away..so many others....Amateur astronomer,his wife had mastered the art of Belly Dancing. So much...reall good guy and star. I hope a new generation discovers his music.

Two of the hottest pickers in popdom faced off this week at the music stores with new projects. It was a good fight but his Purpleness was too much for Mr. urban. With sales scores of 185,000 approx to 177,000, Prince has the #1 pop cd in America. Good sales figures for these anemic times. keith of course #1 country charts edging out Martina.... Next week can Mr Urban out sell Rascal Flatts....I would think a BIG no on that... Flatts/urban/Mcbride all having a swell Spring sales season. The Miley movie soundtrack has been selling despite the fact the film isn't out until the weekend...

Here's a taste....Sold for a few million recently...in South Nashville..not far from Ronnie Dunn,Clint and Alan...

I never bought it...never thought it would work....never drank the kool-aid on this one....They tried but these boots were not made for walking in Country Music....Jessica andSony BMG are officially over. Labels don't out out press releases when things don't work..BUT she was very obviously missing ACM week and CRS week....so it ends....

TMZ and Harvey Levin's paparazzi love to get Kenny with his hat off....and good for Kenny that he is taking it off these days....Yes,some of the fans think his head as a hat on it permanently,but this is a good sign that he can relax....The guy is a multi-millionaire who has NOTHING to prove..The blonde's are a MUCH more dangerous accessory for this country boy from East Tennessee....KC from JC: do NOT underestimate how much this can cost you! As long as you know you worked too hard to give your wealth up to a golddigger. The Playboy Club is fun to go to..lease don't buy! Let your Mom find you a good East Tennessee girl! Better work with David Copperfield and he will show you how to make your money disappear!!! Be very careful...and don't be scared to take that hat off...

The wins,the dress,the shout out to the boyfriend Mike...Carrie had the game figured out just like she did on American Idol. She is the fan favorite of those she competed against...BUT should the Entertainer of the Year be decided by computer voters ? Kenny last year said NO...I say NO..Change the name of the award to Fan Favorite then fine.......The dress..pure show biz and Porter Waggoner would have been proud....

We don't know all about it yet....But Tim McGraw is OUT of ACM's tonight....Publicist is supposedly quoted ( which this quote or admitting to such is a bit abnormal...but you cant lie) Tim had a "Major Disagreement" with show producer...( dick clark's so Rac is show producer).. Tim is expected to still perform at George Strait salute with Faith....soooooo Blake Shelton is taking his place we here...and Brad hasnt been seen but Kim is VERY pregnant so I fugured he would be a very last minute guy an be back in Nashville by 1am....still dont know much about the David Copperfield stunt with Taylor but rememebr last year it was the waterfall...

Tim has practiced with Tim and Tim and practiced with Faith....One for the ACM's and another for a George Strait salute taping Monday. ACM's are tonight....The Trace segment...the Taylor Swift magic act thingy will be highlights.. Carrie Underwood maybe winning the Entertainer of the Year will be huge and still slightly unexpected. Reba sings...a good number of newcomers will get the prime time spotlight. Three hours is a LONG time to do anything. This show might have Attention Deficit Disorder and that will make you even more tired...Vegas is ready... There were cheers at something for Bucky Covington. SO with that said, away we go...CBS at 8E after Dolly on 60 Minutes...Tennessean reports screams for Bucky...ok...

The word is that Taylor Swift is working with David Copperfield for some top secret thing...The placed was closed to almost everyone today while the gig was being practiced...or so the spies say...

Reba is at the helm...getting ready for the big show in less than 24... Kenny got a VIP card to the Playboy Club in a special presentation Friday night in Vegas....Ms. Rimes went to see Ms. Midler in concert...Alan Jackson played a paid gig at a casino..... Tim and Tim & Faith got ready for their performances at the ACM's.....Trace is going to have a big moment with the West Point Glee club.... on a Hollywood note: Farrah Fawcett may be in bad shape at an LA hospital.. radar online is reporting her family is with her...Cancer....She's been treated for it last few years...

ACM's Sunday night in Las Vegas...Of course people want to see the heavy hitters...keith,carrie,brad,trace with the west point glee club...BUT here comes the big BUT... It's a three hour show and that is a lot of time to fill....Will the non country music fans in Boston and NYC and Philadelphia care about the Level B and C acts who could barely sell hard tickets to a bar show. Three hours may be WAY too long for the Nielsen families. The power hitters might could fill a great hour. The desire not to have some of the genre's older ratings grabbers will be a sad time when those overnights hit the street Monday. I hope I am wrong. The answer before the Monday morning quarterbacking was to increase the Kenny Rogers,Willie,Merle,Toby factor to get some older audience. Have them play with the new kids. Get that bulk audience that radio can't program for...TV can.... Then sprinkle the newbie acts in between and non tune in times and heavily tease the big guys...That is what t...

Here's a very unusual concert that would be one of those once in a lifetime kind of nights...April 22nd at Nashville's spectacular symphony hall,Nashville4Africa ..www.nashvillesymphony.org is where you get the tickets....Likely a major,major star night like we have on occasion. If you can't go it might be a stereotype buster for your non Country Music friends...The Christian and Country music community has been drilling wells for fresh water and a lot more,long before the Hollywood crowd found the place. On this ACM weekend...another view of this multi-sided genre called Country Music...

66 degrees and windy in Las Vegas today....a little bit less than was expected but still good weather....Always shiny in those casinos! Ok..the gang is there for smoozing and sound checks and show run throughs. 2 shows..the Strait show and the ACM's... Above a reminder for a planned show highlight that I hope turns into one... Trace with the West Point Glee Club and a special song for a special cause,the Wounded Warrior Project. Good for Trace for doing it and the ACM's for making it special... Check out Carrie's web site..full blown push to get her the Entertainer of the Year award. I say she has a very good chance...remember those phone fingered fans got her this far voting and buying cds and buying concert tickets. PASSION for those folks..Might just be able to do what Reba and Barbara used to do a lot. ACM concert's with new folks in the street downtown Vegas tonight.

What a messy afternoon....two 18 wheelers flipped over...some wind and rain...a few thousand without power...city pretty much escaped...one little area of town...very small no injuries..a few nerves on edge though...so you know the songwriter will be writing storm,rain songs today...

The story begins with a rumor that Kenny Chesney loved to do some practical jokery with the people on his tour...Pat Green confirmed that Kenny opened the tour bus once and was naked !!... Even supposedly according to Pat, jumped naked on Uncle Kracker's back... SOOOOO Kenny was asked if all that was true..the answer above! I love Chesney's laugh!!!

Bill Murray was at An Atlanta Hawks NBA game the other night...He was in Georgia shooting a film with Robert Duvall among others. Bob Duvall is one of the nicest guys in Hollywood. He is the kind of guys you would have a beer with. Just finished reading the full Playboy Magazine interview with Kenny Chesney. That was so by far Kenny's best interview. The 60 Minute one was good and we saw an interesting side, but this one was Kenny unedited. He does drink and play hard. Great at what he does best,perform in from of a live audience. Kenny I think really did simply freak out after he married. He doesn't handle fame that comfortably. It's unnatural. He freaked at the spotlight and pressure and change marriage brings. It is a huge change! Married to a movie star compounded the situation. He could no longer just hang out with the boys. It was different and he didn't like it. Kenny will figure all that out in time. In the meantime,keith urban is so sugar these days about his m...