The latest from Jimmy Carter in Nashville

Country legend Ray Price was recently hospitalized for surgery. During the last 3 months Ray was losing weight and doctors thought he was suffering from exhaustion. On Monday, June 22, 2009, Ray was admitted to the hospital for routine medical tests. The results of a colonoscopy revealed a large number of polyps in Pre cancerous stage - requiring immediate surgical removal. Surgery was completed on Tuesday, June 23rd and doctors state the operation was a complete success. Today, Ray's wife Janie who has been by his side throughout the process, reports that Ray is making a slow, steady recovery with family and friends around him. Ray is alert and wishes to thank everyone across the country who have held him and Janie up in their prayers and to let you all know he will be back on the road in a few weeks. Ray wants to thank everyone for all of the love, prayers and consideration.

Not that anyone has to tell you this BUT.....Print publications are in trouble these days...some more than others...SOME will write just about anything...They don't want to get sued so they don't go too far...BUT to lie and say someone is dating is not a suing offense..SO you see a lot of that...Talking about a dead person is a tough one to sue about too....AKA Jackson false autopsies etc....With that said.... Kellie Pickler is NOT dating Kid Rock ......publicist wanted to ignore story but felt like they had to get the facts out and good for them! So be careful who you get your news from!!!!

Nashville , TN – With more than 30 million albums sold, superstar duo Brooks and Dunn has amassed dozens of chart hits, and fans can look for their favorites with the September 8 release of the duo’s #1s … and then some . True to its title, the 30-song, double-disc collection will feature classic hits and chart-toppers and two new tracks, including the duo’s current smash, “Indian Summer.” The most comprehensive collection to date for Brooks & Dunn fans, #1s … and then some spans a whopping 23 singles to hit the top of the country airplay charts over the past 18 years, from such early classics as “Neon Moon” and “That Ain’t No Way to Go” to their anthemic “Only in America,” “Red Dirt Road,” “Play Something Country,” and much more, including their ACM and CMA Song of the Year winner, “Believe.” Among the hits, #1s … and then some will also feature two smash collaborations with Reba McEntire: the chart-topping “If You See Him/If You See Her” and the recent blockbuster, “Co...

Nashville: When Terri Clark got the news three years ago that her mother Linda was struggling against cancer, she knew it was going to change her life. What the record-breaking Canadian Country Music Association's longest-running Fans Choice Entertainer of the Year didn't realize was that her mother's battle was going to impact her music. But in typical Terri Clark fashion, watching her mother fight - and push back against the deadly disease - was a lesson that inspired her beyond personal heroism. From her mother's courage, Clark emerged knowing she couldn't follow fashion, but needed to be true to the kind of music that originally lured a fresh out of high school beauty with big dreams of Reba, the Judds and Loretta Lynn to what was then the Lower Broadway combat zone for an afternoon shift of playing requests for tips at Tootsies. “When you see someone fighting as hard as my Mom was, it strikes you the things that matter,” Clark explains. “To her, life was ...

Jack Records/Warner Bros. Records Comedian Larry the Cable Guy will release his first 4 th Of July Special, Tailgate Party , digitally on the holiday. The digital download package will be distributed exclusively by Basecamp Productions and will be available at http://live.larrythecableguy.com . The special was taped during a unique performance at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, NE on Independence Day in support of Husker Fans on the UNL Campus. Larry's appearance was in conjunction with The City Of Lincoln's 2-day event, "Uncle Sam Jam." While the football stadium and field were generally not used for non-athletic events of this kind, the Athletic Department sponsored the show as a way for Larry the Cable Guy and Athletics to thank Husker fans for their support. Prior to the taping, Larry The Cable Guy said, "I am looking forward to the Fourth of July show at the stadium. It's a dream come true for me as I spent every football season since I was a little kid i...

ASHVILLE, June 30, 2009 – Kris Kristofferson will be honored as a BMI Icon at the U.S. music rights organization’s 57th annual Country Awards, the oldest awards saluting country’s top music makers. Slated for Tuesday, November 10 at BMI’s Music Row offices in Nashville, the black-tie, invitation-only gala will also celebrate the songwriters of the past year’s most-performed country songs from the extensive BMI catalog. The Icon designation is given to BMI songwriters and artists who have had “a unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers.” Kristofferson, who will be saluted with an all-star musical tribute that evening, joins an elite list of past honorees that includes country music stalwarts Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, Whisperin’ Bill Anderson, Charlie Daniels, Loretta Lynn and last year’s honoree Hank Williams, Jr., along with multi-genre nobility like the Bee Gees, Isaac Hayes, Ray Davies, James Brown, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Steve Winwood and ...

Whisperin' Bill Anderson was having a wonderful vacation before he received a phone call from Terry Wakefield at Sony/ATV Tree, and then everything turned to OH-MY-GOSH- GREAT ! That's when the songwriting guru found out Sugarland's "Joey" had hit the national country charts at #50 on Monday and on Tuesday Brad Paisley was releasing a new album containing the cut "No". Both songs were co-written by Anderson. "Some of my biggest hits in the past have been songs with only one-word titles," the legendary writer notes, "so if I'm lucky, maybe I can add a couple more to that list in the near future."

You will have to wait until the air gets cooler in the Fall but Tim McGraw's new cd is called Southern Voice....new single out now is, It's a Business Doing Pleasure With You..... Tim's got a few big concerts out there in the next few weeks...One at Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose Alberta... His new fragrance is coming out before the holidays and a new movie too....We hear Tim and Faith are moving as well to another Nashville home...

For just $38 million dollars you can live in Alan Jackson's North Williamson County home. Rick French Jr is the agent...Sweetbrair is the name of the property. 19,000 Square feet..6 bedrooms..7 full and 2 half bathrooms. More pictures to come...

Nashville , TN – Excitement over RCA Nashville star Chris Young is as sizzling as the summer temps as the man Country Weekly readers voted “Country’s Hottest Bachelor” has been heating up the radio airwaves everywhere with the irresistible groove of his smash single, “Gettin’ You Home (The Black Dress Song).” And while fans can pick up the digital single now, they can also look forward to more great music, with September 1 announced as the release date for Chris’ sophomore album, The Man I Want to Be . Helmed by veteran producer James Stroud, The Man I Want to Be delivers a powerhouse showcase for Young’s inviting baritone, whether singing a duet with Willie Nelson on the Waylon Jennings classic “Rose in Paradise,” capturing the essence of brotherly love in “The Dashboard,” or giving voice to the title track, a beautiful Brett James/Tim Nichols-penned plea for a chance at a fresh beginning. Other highlights include Chris’ soulful, first-take reading on the timeless Brook Benton ...

Only because these are very good....The power that be are releasing pictures of the last dress rehearsals..Look like he's doing good which is what director Kenny Ortega said..so what is the truth?????? News folks seem to be backing off on coverage today....but look for it to ramp up on funeral day...night time TV will still be very Michael until interest drops..

NASHVILLE , Tenn. (June 29, 2009) As the nation is gearing up to celebrate America’s biggest Saturday night of the year on July 4 – Brad Paisley will be taking his American Saturday Night to ABC’s Good Morning America’s Summer Concert Series in Central Park and Live! With Regis and Kelly this Friday, July 3. The Good Morning America page of ABC’s website ( http://abcnews.go.com/gma ) will feature post-performance coverage of Paisley ’s appearance, including an exclusive performance not included on the televised portion. Paisley is currently featured in People magazine answering fans’ questions, cover story in Country Weekly , LA Times entertainment calendar cover feature (6/28), Tennessean feature (6/30), Reader’s Digest August issue cover feature (7/7), and featured on MSN Music (7/1). American Saturday Night marks the eighth album from the reigning three-time ACM and two-time CMA Male Vocalist winner. In all, Paisley ’s albums have launched 14 #1 singles – and the last...

We don't know much but what we do know is good....Doug Stone had some type of heart surgery recently and is doing better......as soon as we know more it will be passed along... Here are his scheduled dates: Tour Dates: Date Venue City 7-17-09 Klewenalp Festival 7-17,7-18,7-19 Switzerland 7-29-09 Public Acoustic Show Trim, Ireland 7-30-09 Public Acoustic Show Castleblaney, Ireland 8-01-09 Country Fest @ Kings Hall Belfast, N. Ireland 8-02-09 Country Fest @ Kings Hall Belfast, N. Ireland 8-08-09 Fuddfest Gleason, WI 9-12-09 Plaza Theatre - Public Acoustic Show Garland, TX 10-9 & 10-10 The Quarters Ruidoso, NM 10-17-09 Bear Creek Steakhouse Montpelier,

This is CRAZY...Another celebrity has died...two actually...Fred Travalena and Gale Storm ( Ms. Storm was a sitcom actress in early days of tv. She has 3 stars on the Hollywood walk of fame) Fred Travelena was a frequent guest on the Carson show and we had him at TNN on various shows in the 90's... The "Man of a Thousand Faces"; a comic impressionist who appeared numerous times on the Johnny Carson show in the 70's and early 80's, has died at his home in Encino, CA from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He was 66. Travalena's death comes the day after famed TV pitchman, Billy Mays , died at the age of 50. Preceding Mays, pop star icons, Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett died last Thursday. Tonight Show sidekick, Ed McMahon , succumbed to multiple health conditions early last week. Travalena was a fixture on the late-night TV shows in the 70's and 80's. Later in life, he was also a regular guest on David Letterman's CBS show. His television credits ...

The talent shows are going on all over the US for the Colgate Country talent contest. I judged the one in Jackson,Tn this weekend with singer Jeff Bates. The winner there with the big smile and blondish hair,Kimberlie Helton...She goes on now to the next round soon in South Tennessee...

Up to a million mourners from around the world are expected to flock to Los Angeles for Jackson’s funeral. The memorial service could prove even bigger than that of Elvis Presley or Princess Diana. The Jackson family was said to be considering a private burial followed by a public remembrance ceremony to be televised live to a global audience later this week. One senior Los Angeles Police chief said: ‘We are preparing for an event of historic proportions. We will be cooperating closely with the family once they have decided where to hold the funeral.’

A major country music festival has just been confirmed for Memorial Day Weekend 2010, May 29 & 30, at famed LSU Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, organizers of the event announced today. Festival Productions, AEG Live and The Messina Group will bring together some of the biggest names in country music to perform at the inaugural event in Louisiana's capital city. Tentatively dubbed the Bayou Country Superfest, the mega-event will feature two jammed-packed days of music and much more on the campus of Louisiana State University. The Festival's talent lineup, ticket structure, hotel information and many other details will be released in the fall. Quint Davis, CEO of FPI-NO, which produces the world-famous New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell, that annually draws hundreds of thousands of music fans, said, "Great, successful festivals combine a unique setting, high-quality entertainment and superior production values. The country superfest in Baton Rouge ...

A country music festival with beer,every kind of cheese thing,more beer...the A list of Country stars and camping for days...Country USA,Oshkosh,Wisconsin.......a few pictures...from the campground...some folks have been going since Wednesday....one more night! Taylor Swift broke opening night records...40 something thousand...and there REALLY were that many people there...traffic jams...etc...The campgrounds are where the actions is!

As the cooool Wisconsin night winds blew in, Brad Paisley turned up the heat in Oshkosh at Country USA for the late night crowd. Somewhere North of 35,000..maybe 40,000 they say...Lots of people in that Wisconsin pasture I know that.... Brad's redone his show with a some new songs and some new video to go along with things from the last few years. Plenty of new stuff to keep even the most veteran fan engaged...I laughed out loud at one video he did with a Paisley animated figure flying through the air saving Country Stars in peril. When he saved Kenny Chensey I did laugh....great show as always....Brad plays GMA this week and his tour is just getting underway...look for his new CD Tuesday at the stores or online...American Saturday Night....

She's a great gal and if you haven't got Heidi Newfield on your radar you should! She's not your wimpy girl singer...this girl can wail on the harmonica and on any song you choose.. The former lead of Trick Pony is onthe bus somewhere between Oshkosh,Wisconsin and Colorado today...a travel day...She opened last night for Brad Paisley. My voice was about out Friday and feeling bad for me took me to the bus for a voice medicine...she is TOOOOO sweet! I've been a cheerleader for her for a long time...I still am....There are just NOT enough Heidi's in the world...

Ok...I'm on the bus with Brad in Oshkosh...He wants to be a good twitter person so I motivate him to TWEET....He warms up the phone...says he is about to go on stage...really going to be Saturday night since the show starts at 11pm! Then he is ready to hit the send.....THENNNNNN ATT Edge network hits and Tweet failed...AHHHHH the moment in lost.....BUT life goes on....ATT is far from a national service with 3g!!!!) ANYWAY...for Bra he wakes up in Cadott,WI for a late show Sat night....heres a note from his peeeeeepppssss Brad Paisley’s American Saturday Night Arrives on Tuesday! Album Features Paisley ’s Three-Week #1 Smash, “Then,” and Gives Fans Their First Taste of Brad’s New Single, “Welcome to the Future” Bradpaisley.com Celebrates the Release with Re-Launched Site Nashville , TN – Saturday night arrives early next week with Tuesday’s release of American Saturday Night , the new album from superstar and three-time GRAMMY winner Brad Paisley. The album has alrea...

At Country USA waiting for Brad Paisley....it's Friday afternoon.....so much has happened this week. The deaths of Ed, Farrah and Michael. Three people I have talked interviewed and spent time with. I was surprised by all their deaths but unprepared for Michaels. There's much to say.....Ed was a veteran and great broadcaster. Farrah was a Texas beauty that the women wanted to copy and the men wanted to be with. Two treasures.... Both very smart and charismatic. Then there's Michael! As I speak,Deepak Chopra is talking about doctors in LA being drug dealers not doctors. This is going to be a HUGE story with a LOT of politics...Drug abuse KILLED Michael Jackson. Wolf Blitzer just blew over some huge charges made by Deepak..Who will come down on the showbiz kwacks??? Big deal..Drug addiction killed MJ says Deepak and Liza and his friends...Demerol injection stopped his heart...Stay tuned..this will be the HEADLINES to come.... on a nicer note: The Jackson 5 visited ...

Wow..who needs music when you have perfume...The fragrance business is huge...Tim & Faith know it...Tim's on fragrance #2 and faith has just jumped in.... Women's Wear Daily has a long story about how she created the smell....but it;s the big money..wow... In the fall Faith Hill the parfum will be availble in 20,000 retail outlets and big money is expected: industry sources estimated that the scent could do $40 million at retail in its first year on counter and that about $5 million would be spent on advertising and promotion in the launch season, running from September to January 2010. Hill hopes this scent will be the first in a string of fragrances bearing her name. “This one felt like the best way to begin, but I definitely want to do more scents,” she said, adding that she got several ideas for future projects while in the lab with this one and is currently developing one of them. “First, though, I’m anxious and excited to see what people think of this one.” Hill had ...

Tonight in Nashville the second night of shooting for a new Monday Night Football opening... 21st year for Hank Jr...21 years is forever in TV land... here's a good history lesson from USA today Are you ready for some Hank? from USA Today Some critics turned thumbs down after Hank Williams Jr. began opening Monday Night Football telecasts in 1989 with his rowdy musical question: "Are you ready for some football?" A St. Petersburg Times article asked, "What's with this Hank Williams Jr. opening each and every show with a bunch of apparently semi-soused yahoos yelping in the background?" That year the Los Angeles Times ranked the "Bottom Ten" lowlights from two decades of Monday Night Football. The "grating theme song ... howled by Hank Williams Jr." was No. 10 — in its rookie year. Well Hank Jr., who once had a hit called A Country Boy Can Survive, is back for his 14th season with ABC. Monday Night analysts come and go, but Williams ke...

The bluegrass world is all abuzz about a serious accident involving the band of Ralph Stanley..... James Alan Shelton , guitarist and road manager with Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys, A speeding drunk driver is blamed for a hit and run accident involving Leslie Brown, Dewey Brown and Nathan Stanley. Dewey and Nathan are members of bluegrass music legend Ralph Stanley’s band, The Clinch Mountain Boys. Here is the story as I know it, from phone conversations I have had with Dewey Brown. Dewey, Nathan and Dewey’s wife Leslie were all traveling in a Nissan Murano. They were on the way to Dewey’s home in Snow Camp, North Carolina when the accident occurred at about 12:30 am Monday morning June 22. Ralph Stanley and The Clinch Mountain Boys had just gotten in Sunday morning from the festival at Bean Blossom, IN and Nathan was riding home with Dewey to work on songs for a duet album that they were planning to record. They had stopped for dinner in Abingdon, VA at the home of Les...

From WFAA Dallas...... DALLAS — Chancellor Jay Hutcheson, the Plano teen who was wanted in connection with the brutal attack of another young man in the parking lot of a Dallas concert venue, turned himself in to Dallas police on Monday. Police issued an aggravated assault warrant aginst Hutcheson last week after investigating the June 14 incident outside Superpages.com Center that left 20-year-old Jeffrey "Jake" Fleming in critical condition. Police said Hutcheson, 18, posted bond after surrendering at the Lew Sterrett Justice Center and was released at 1:30 p.m. Monday. Fleming, who attends UCLA and is a member of the school's tennis squad, remained hospitalized on Monday. Police said the Newport Beach, Calif. resident had been punched in the face with a closed fist and struck his head on the pavement as he fell.

The latest just gets worse from Grand Rapids...From the Grand Rapids newspaper: IONIA -- More than 1,000 cars stranded at Ionia Fairgrounds will not be going home Wednesday as previously announced . Ionia city officials announced Monday afternoon the Grand River is not receding as quickly as hoped. City manager Jason Eppler said the situation will be reassessed with a new projected retrieval date announced Wednesday afternoon. The cars were among about 8,000 that were parked at the fairgrounds Saturday for the 17th annual Birthday Bash, a free country music concert sponsored by WBCT-FM (B-93). The river was within its banks when the parking lot opened at 8 a.m. but rose quickly because of a Friday night rainstorm and by 11:30 a.m. access to the lot was impassable. People whose cars are trapped in the lot are asked to go to the radio station's Web site to enter information to simplify retrieval of the cars.