Trace Adkins To Appear At Expo Center!

Another big country music concert will be held at the Eastern Kentucky Expo Center on February 23, 2007.

Trace Adkins with special guests Craig Morgan and Danielle Peck will play for us on that Friday night.

Tickets go on sale Friday December 8, 2006 at the Expo Center Box Office or at Ticketmaster locations or you may charge by phone at 606-433-1793.

The ticket price is $39.75

Big Country Notes

WYNONNA TO PERFORM AT NOBEL PEACE PRIZE CONCERT

Wynonna will perform at the Nobel Peace Prize concert on December 11th in Oslo, Norway. The singer will join other celebrities including actress Sharon Stone and singers Lionel Richie, John Legend and Rihanna. The performers will honor The Norwegian Nobel Committee’s 2006 recipients, Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank, for their efforts to create economic and social development. Today, Wynonna will be at Kiehl’s in Manhattan where she will act as YouthAIDS U.S. Ambassador for World AIDS Day. Then she flies to Fresno to perform two shows tonight before heading for Las Vegas to present an award at the Billboard Music Awards Monday night. Tuesday, Wynonna jets to Atlanta to tape a BET special with Patti LaBelle. After her trip to Oslo she plans to be in Nashville for some well-deserved rest with her family for the holidays. She tells “The Tennessean,” quote, “I’m a busy girl, but I signed up for it and I’ll probably do a Christmas tour next year. We didn’t have time to put it together this year.”

RASCAL FLATTS CLAIMS PIECE OF HISTORY WITH TWO NUMBER ONE SINGLES

Rascal Flatts is making history this week. They are one of only three country artists in the 45 years of shared adult contemporary (AC) and country radio chart history to have two different songs at number one on two diverse radio charts in the same week. The group’s “My Wish,” the band’s sixth number one country single, is at the top of the Mediabase country chart this week while “What Hurts The Most” holds onto the top slot in its third week at number one on the “Radio & Records” AC chart. The group is the first country act in more than three years to achieve this feat. Only two other country acts, Faith Hill and the Dixie Chicks, can claim the same accomplishment.

VINCE GILL GETS NOD FOR BEST COUNTRY MUSIC ALBUM FROM AMAZON.COM

The staff at Amazon.com has voted Vince Gill’s album “These Days” the Best Of Country Music for 2006. Gill released his four-CD project in October, and then kicked off a tour in New York City that ends in Las Vegas next weekend, December 7th-9th. Gill wrote all 43 songs on the four albums and invited many of his fellow artists to perform with him. Gill says, quote, “All of the songs are original and new. I understand that has never been done before. In my heart, it just felt like the right thing to do. I was completely inspired by every note that every musician played, and by all the great singers.” While Vince says there are some new voices harmonizing with him on the songs, many of the folks who sing with him are old friends for whom he has sung harmony or played on their albums over the years. The album went gold five weeks after it was released.

SUGARLAND REMEMBERS MEETING PAUL MCCARTNEY AT GRAMMYS

With nominations for the GRAMMY awards coming up next Wednesday, Sugarland’s Kristian Bush and Jennifer Nettles reminisce about last year’s awards show, when they met Sir Paul McCartney. Kristian and Jennifer, there as nominees for Best New Artist, were walking down the red carpet. Kristian says, quote, “That’s a pretty humbling experience, these two kids from Atlanta, standing next to the Black Eyed Peas and Gwen Stefani. So we’re walking backstage and someone taps me on the shoulder.” When Kristian turned around it was McCartney, who complimented them on the song he had heard them do at rehearsal. Kristian says, quote, “Then I realized I hadn’t introduced him to Jennifer so I ran up and grabbed her and came back and there was this awkward moment where you go, ‘Paul, this is Jennifer … Jennifer this is Paul.’” Bush adds, quote, “It’s pretty thrilling to walk away and go ‘wow a Beatle knows who Sugarland is.’”

MIRANDA LAMBERT SAYS HUNTING HAS REPLACED SONGWRITING TO HELP HER RELAX

Now that Miranda Lambert is fully entrenched in the music business, she says songwriting has become part of the job for her. She says she’s taken up hunting as a hobby to help her relax when she’s home in Texas. Miranda says, quote, “My dad took me hunting when I was little and then I really started hunting three years ago. I mean I started having a passion for it -- it’s not about hunting necessarily. It’s about being in the woods having a chance to just get away.” Lambert says she doesn’t have a lot of time to go on vacation, with all the hours she spends pursuing her career. She says, quote, “I go hunting with my dad or my little brother and hang out with people that really matter to me in my life or just go by myself.”

SARAH BUXTON SAYS SHE’S THRILLED “STUPID BOY” DOING WELL FOR KEITH URBAN

Sarah Buxton had the song first but it’s Keith Urban who is climbing the country singles charts with “Stupid Boy.” Buxton says, quote, "It’s my favorite song on the record. It’s about a girl who is brave enough to leave a harmful situation.” She adds, quote, “There's nothing worse than losing your identity and your freedom to a lover who does nothing but put you down. Love isn't supposed to make us feel scared or ashamed." Buxton co-wrote the song with Deanna Bryant and Dave Berg. She says she is excited to see Keith’s version of the song doing so well.

SARA EVANS, JERRY SPRINGER HARMONIZE TONIGHT IN INDIANA

Sara Evans welcomes an unusual duet partner to the stage tonight when she and Jerry Springer appear in Merrillville, IN, near Chicago. Evans met Springer while she was a contestant on “Dancing with the Stars” and found out he loves country music. Sara says, quote, “He is a huge fan and even cut a country record so I invited him to sing at my show in Merrillville where he’ll do a couple of classic songs...I cannot wait!"

QUICK BITES

“The Very Best of Travis Tritt” will be available January 30th, 2007. The album will include 20 of Travis’ best-known hits including “Help Me Hold On,” “Can I Trust You With My Heart,” “T-R-O-U-B-L-E” and his two duets with Marty Stuart -- “The Whiskey Ain’t Workin’” and “This One’s Gonna Hurt You (For A Long Long Time”).

The place where Garth Brooks once worked is closing. The Tumbleweed dance and concert hall will be sold at auction on Thursday after operating for 25 years in Stillwater, OK. The Tumbleweed was a popular stop for country artists including Hank Williams Jr., Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Travis Tritt, Keith Whitley, George Jones and Chris LeDoux. Lee Ann Womack plays one of the last concerts at the venue Saturday.

Members of the group Blackhawk will make a 15-thousand dollar donation to the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center next week in memory of their former member and co-founder, Van Stephenson. The singer died in 2001 from skin cancer. The money will be used for melanoma research.

Trent Tomlinson will end a busy year of touring on New Year’s Eve at the Target Center in Minneapolis. He’ll join friends Phil Vassar and Little Big Town to help ring in the New Year.

Pat Green’s new single “Dixie Lullaby” debuted in Hot Shot Rotation yesterday on CMT’s “Top 20 Countdown.” Trent Tomlinson’s “One Wing in the Fire” also made its first appearance in the countdown.

Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler took advantage of some down time before the upcoming Broncos-Seattle Seahawks game to throw a football around with Gary Allan’s band. Cutler, the 2006 number one draft pick, makes his first start in an NFL game as the Denver Broncos quarterback on Sunday. Allan was in concert at Denver's Fillmore this past weekend, so Jay dropped by to throw some passes to Allan’s steel player, C. J. Eudeen. We understand Cutler’s passes were right on target and Eudeen caught all of them.

On the Opry this weekend: Sarah Buxton, Danielle Peck, Craig Morgan, Ray Price, Kellie Pickler and more.

Big Country Notes

MARTINA McBRIDE WOWS CHICAGO CROWD WITH CHRISTMAS SHOW

Fans at the Allstate Arena were treated to Martina McBride and almost 100 children singing Christmas carols when the singer premiered her 2006 “The Joy of Christmas” in Chicago Friday night. According to CMT.com, the two-hour show features classic holiday music, stories and Santa Claus. At one point Martina ventures into the audience in what she terms, quote, "a little Jerry Springer/Oprah moment to see what your Christmas morning is like." The backdrops for the show changed with almost every song, ranging from a Currier & Ives-type scene to the Nutcracker and a live Nativity setting. Songs covered the gamut of the season, from “Silent Night” and “What Child Is This” to the more frolicking “Jingle Bells.” She performed her new duet with the late Dean Martin, “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” by bringing Martin to life via an onstage screen. The segment even had the two bantering back and forth together. McBride is accompanied by a pianist and uses a troupe of ten actors, including her daughters – Delaney Katharine, Emma Justine and Ave Rose Kathleen. She shows movie clips from her family’s Christmas morning with her daughters shaking gifts and attempting their first ride on a new bike.

PHIL VASSAR AND WIFE JULIE HOST DINNER PARTY FOR JAMIE REDFORD

It was a dinner party that won’t be soon forgotten. Phil Vassar and wife Julie Wood-Vassar hosted a 40-person dinner at their home Monday night to welcome Jamie Redford, son of actor Robert Redford, to Nashville for the first time. Among the guests were Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, songwriter Rivers Rutherford, and producer Tony Brown and his wife and “Nashville Star” judge Anastasia Brown. Julie told “The Tennessean,” quote, "I just wanted something casual, but elegant, and just where people would feel comfortable getting together. It was a nice Nashville welcome.” Redford was in town to talk about his upcoming March fundraiser for the James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness. Most of the artists who were at the dinner party will participate in the benefit. Jamie, who also visited the Country Music Hall of Fame and Gruhn’s guitars, said, quote, "I am an avid amateur guitarist and it's like a pilgrimage coming here [Nashville]." With all the talent at the party, there had to be music. Vassar led the evening’s entertainment with a special performance at the piano.

TOBY KEITH’S “BROKEN BRIDGES” DEBUTS ON CMT IN DECEMBER

Toby Keith moves from the big screen to television on December 15th when “Broken Bridges” debuts on CMT at 8 p.m. The movie, which opened to theatres nationwide on September 8th, features Keith along with Willie Nelson, Kelly Preston, Tess Harper, Lindsey Haun and Burt Reynolds. Keith and Preston play high school sweethearts who return home for the funeral of their younger brothers. At this time, Keith meets his daughter, played by Haun, for the first time. Toby and Lindsey also contribute original music to the film via the original movie soundtrack available on Keith’s record label, Show Dog Nashville. The DVD of the movie will be available on January 6th.
To support the release of the movie to television and on DVD, CMT will air a series of programs featuring Toby. Included in the programming will be “CMT Insider Special Edition: Toby Keith,” “Homecoming: Toby Keith” and a special concert feature, “Toby Keith: Live, Uncut & Unleashed.” They will also repeat a showing of “Behind The Scenes: Broken Bridges” about the making of the movie.
The DVD includes additional features, among them four featurettes including a “Meet the Actors” with Keith, Preston, Reynolds, Anna Maria Horsford, Harper and Katie Finneran.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD’S “BEFORE HE CHEATS” ON TOP OF CHARTS FOR FIVE WEEKS

Carrie Underwood is starting to like cheating songs. Her single “Before He Cheats” has been at the top of the “Radio & Records” country chart for five weeks. That brings her total weeks at number one this year to eleven, which means she’s spent more weeks at the top of the country chart than any other artist in 2006. “Before He Cheats” is also in the Top 20 on “Billboard’s” all-format Hot 100 chart and has become the highest ranking song on that chart by any solo artist this year.
Kenny Chesney is in second place as the artist with the most number of weeks at number one on the “Radio & Records” chart – his songs have topped the charts for eight weeks.

JOSH TURNER ADMITS HE’S PICKY ABOUT THE SONGS HE RECORDS

When Josh Turner goes in to record he looks for the very best songs he can find, but he also looks for a particular kind of song – one that he can identify with that portrays his own personal lifestyle. The singer says he tries to pick songs that he can deliver to an audience and make them believe that he lived them. Josh says, quote, “Johnny Cash was the best as far as that’s concerned -- singing about so many different kinds of things. Whether he’d lived them or not, he could make you believe it.” Turner related the story Cash always told about folks coming up to him and saying ‘My father was in prison with you.” Turner says, quote, “Cash never was in prison. But he made the listener believe he had been there.” Josh says if a singer has the ability to make the listener believe that he or she has lived what the song says, then they are accomplishing something. The singer adds, quote, “I intentionally sing songs that I have lived or songs that I can relate to because I know if I can relate to them then my fans can too.” <>

MARTY STUART BRINGS JOHNNY CASH SONG TO PORTER WAGONER

Country Music Hall of Famer Porter Wagoner is finally getting around to recording a song Johnny Cash sent to him in 1981. The reason he’s so late in putting it on an album is that Marty Stuart forgot to give it to him! Marty says, quote, “I was touring with John [Cash] in Europe and we were listening to a Porter Wagoner album. John said, ‘I have a song for Porter.’” Cash put the song in an envelope and gave it to Marty to give to Wagoner, but Marty forgot. Fast forward to 2006, and Marty is producing Porter’s new album. He remembered the song and looked around until he found the envelope with the tape of “Committed to Parkview” in it. Of the new album, Marty told “The Tennessean,” quote, “We are doing an unapologetic, hard-core country record. We are bringing Porter’s sound into the 21st century.” The new album will be released in the spring of 2007 to commemorate Porter’s 50 years in music.

KELLIE PICKLER SAYS SHE COULDN’T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT HER FANS

Kellie Pickler, who's gone from being on "American Idol" to a summer tour with her fellow finalists, says her fans are the best. The tour was barely over before Pickler returned to Nashville to complete her debut album, followed by numerous television appearances and other interviews. Now that she’s had time to actually perform for her fans, she says she realized how great and loyal they can be. Pickler says, quote, “They support us and come up and talk when we’re on tour. I just love it when they say ‘I love your song.’” She adds, “2006 has been the best year ever.”

HEARTLAND LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING WHAT THEY DO BEST

Heartland just celebrated a number one single, “I Loved Her First,” and the follow-up to the bands debut effort, “Built to Last,” has been released. Band member Jason Albert admits that they’ve discussed the stress of releasing a second single after such a successful debut but, quote, “We’re just going out there and being who we are -- playing good music for our fans. We’re gonna do what we do best and just be Heartland.” He adds, quote, “We’re looking forward to getting out there and playing our music for as many people as we can. We’ve got dates booked now pretty solid through August of 2007.” Albert says the band would like to hook up with a major artist as an opening act but nothing has been finalized at this point.

QUICK BITES

Martina McBride will help light the tree tonight on NBC’s ninth annual “Christmas in Rockefeller Center.” She will also sing “Oh Come All Ye Faithful” and “Let It Snow.” She joins other performers including pop stars Christina Aguilera, Lionel Richie and Sting, rocker Bette Midler and “American Idol” winner Taylor Hicks on the special.

Keith Urban, the Dixie Chicks, Alison Krauss, Sheryl Crow and others will pay tribute to James Taylor on tonight’s “Great Performances: A Tribute To James Taylor” on WNET New York at 8 p.m.

Danielle Peck will help turn on the Christmas lights at the public square by the courthouse in Nashville tomorrow at 5 p.m. She’ll be singing Christmas carols as well as helping turn on Nashville’s official tree.

Charlie Daniels has been awarded the "Seven Seals Award" from the National Committee of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). The presentation took place at the Charlie Daniels Museum in Nashville. The award is presented to corporations and individuals who have demonstrated and provided long and continuous support of the National Guard and the Reserve Forces.

A 1991 recording by The Carter Family, consisting of sisters Helen, Anita and June, is being released after being found on a shelf in a Nashville studio. “The Carter Family: Together Again” can be purchased at www.CarterFamilyCD.com or at amazon.com.

Who Is Jason Michael Carroll?

We have received several phone calls about the song "Alyssa Lies" by Jason Michael Carroll. Here is a bio on Jason thanks to the folds at CMT:


Jason Michael Carroll grew up in North Carolina, the son of a preacher who did not allow secular music in the household. But when Carroll took a job at a motor shop, he got his musical education, with country speaking the loudest to him. He won a karaoke contest sponsored by a pop radio station and was promptly hired by a country band losing its singer.

When Carroll was offered a performance slot at the popular country music venue Longbranch Saloon in Raleigh, N.C., and the rest of the band couldn't make it, Carroll parted ways with the band. He later won the Raleigh/Durham market for a televised talent contest, Gimme the Mic, which led to a trip to New York City. His music attracted the ear of Rusty Harmon, who had managed Hootie & the Blowfish. Harmon paired him with producer Don Gehman, who had produced the Hootie & the Blowfish album, Cracked Rear View, and many of John Mellencamp's classic rock albums. Together they recorded demos and shopped for a contract in Nashville.

Carroll signed a record deal with Arista Nashville and released his first single, "Alyssa Lies," in late 2006. His debut album is expected in 2007.

Big Country Notes

TROY GENTRY PLEADS GUILTY TO MISDEMEANOR CHARGE IN BEAR HUNT

The “Pioneer Press” says Troy Gentry of Montgomery Gentry pled guilty in court yesterday to a misdemeanor charge of falsely claiming the bear he shot on a Minnesota Farm in 2004 was wild. Troy says, quote, "I did participate in improperly tagging the animal I shot, without realizing the seriousness of what I was doing. For that, I am truly sorry.” Gentry says he relied on the experts around him for guidance and says he regrets that because, quote, “… it appears that I don't have respect for the law. This has been a humbling experience for me." Gentry, who appeared in a U.S. District Court in Duluth, MN, struck a plea bargain with federal prosecutors last week. In return for his plea bargain, the felony charge of violating the Lacey Act, which prohibits possessing or transporting illegally obtained wildlife, was dropped. Subject to court approval, the singer may have to pay a 15-thousand dollar fine and cannot hunt in Minnesota for five years. He may also have to return the bow and the mounted bear to authorities, which in turn would put the confiscated items up for auction. Gentry and Lee Marvin Greenly, the owner of Minnesota Wildlife Connection where the bear was shot, were charged last August with conspiracy and falsely tagging the bear after shooting it with a bow and arrow. Gentry and Greenly must appear for sentencing when a date is set.



RASCAL FLATTS NOMINATED FOR MORE CATEGORIES IN PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS

Rascal Flatts are nominated in two more categories in the People’s Choice Awards. The group has a nod in the Favorite Song from a Movie category for “Life Is A Highway,” which was in the animated movie “Cars.” Other contenders are “Crazy” by Alanis Morissette from “The Devil Wears Prada” and “Real Gone” by Sheryl Crow from “Cars.” The same song is up for Favorite Song Remake against Morissette’s “Crazy” and “Save The Last Dance For me” by Michael Buble. In other country nominations for People’s Choice honors, Carrie Underwood is up for Female Singer and Country Song for “Before He Cheats.” Joining Underwood in the Female Singer category are Faith Hill and Shakira. “What Hurts the Most” by Rascal Flatts and “When the Stars Go Blue” by Tim McGraw are also nominated for Country Song. Trace Adkins, Kenny Chesney and Toby Keith received Male Singer nods. The 33rd annual People's Choice Awards will be broadcast on CBS Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on January 9th, 2007.



COUNTRY SINGERS CONTRIBUTE TO SOUNDTRACK OF “AMAZING GRACE”

Martina McBride and Marty Stuart both offer recordings for the ‘inspired by’ soundtrack for the film “Amazing Grace.” Martina sings “How Great Thou Art” and Marty Stuart duets with gospel singer David Crowder on “Rock of Ages.” The album will be released January 13th, a month prior to the movie. Songs for the project were chosen because they are favorites of William Wilberforce, the man the movie is about. Wilberforce championed the abolition of slavery in the British Empire. Elected to Parliament at age 21, Wilberforce led a diverse coalition of believers in a decades-long struggle to end the lucrative but dehumanizing slave trade. Others on the album include Gospel Music’s 2006 female vocalist Natalie Grant, award winning Christian singer and songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman and Christian group Avalon.



BRAD PAISLEY DUETS WITH HIMSELF ON CHRISTMAS SONG

Martina McBride duets with the late Dean Martin on the winter favorite “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” but Brad Paisley takes the concept one step further by recording with himself when he was 13 years old. No, he didn’t go back in a time machine to achieve the feat -- but he did find someone who had a tape recording of him singing “Born on Christmas Day” when he was 13. Paisley sang the song on a live radio show back in West Virginia and a fan of the young man was listening in and just happened to record it. When Brad went in to record the song for his “Brad Paisley Christmas” project he thought it would be cool to start it off with a few lines of the 13-year-old Paisley singing. He says, quote, “It’s bigger than just having folks see how I sounded then and now … it’s more about this kid who did what he wanted to do and became a singer.” <>



SARA EVANS WANTED TO WRITE SONG ABOUT UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

Sara Evans says when she co-wrote “You’ll Always Be My Baby” she just wanted to write a song about unconditional love. The singer says, quote, “I just think it’s so important for us as human beings to know and feel that we are loved.” She adds, quote, “We need to know … that no matter what kind of mistakes we may make in life, there’s always somebody who will love us.” Evans wrote the song with Tony Martin and Tom Shapiro and says she hopes people catch the idea of the song. “You’ll Always Be My Baby” has been turned into a book. The gift book is about family and friends and unconditional love being passed from generation to generation. <>



GRETCHEN WILSON IN SHOPPING DILEMMA

Last year Gretchen Wilson slept on one-thousand-count sheets and fell in love. Wilson slept on the sheets somewhere on her travels last year and quickly decided she had to upgrade her bed linens when she went home. In fact, she says sleeping on such luxurious sheets was, quote, “amazing.” The result of her new love affair with higher quality linens was that she went out and bought family and friends similar sheets for Christmas. Her dilemma this year is how to top that gift. Wilson says, quote, “I don’t know what I’m going to do – it’s hard to top a gift that gives a good night’s sleep.” <>



ALABAMA INCLUDES “SILENT NIGHT” ON GOSPEL ALBUM

Alabama has recorded three Christmas albums but it took a compilation of gospel standards for them to cut the Christmas song “Silent Night.” The holiday carol is on the group’s new release “Songs of Inspiration” and the group’s Randy Owen says he didn’t even think about it being a Christmas tune when they cut it. Owen says, quote, “I was looking at it because of the words – it’s a total classic.” Fans don’t seem to mind that there’s a Christmas song in the midst of such Christian standards as “In the Garden,” “Jesus Loves Me” and “His Eye is on the Sparrow.” <>



STEVE AZAR TO OPEN ADDITIONAL DATES FOR BOB SEGER

One month apparently just wasn’t enough, so now Steve Azar will open four additional shows for rocker Bob Seger. Azar toured with Seger and the rocker’s Silver Bullet Band in November and has now been booked to open four sold-out shows near Seger’s hometown of Detroit. The shows, December 20th, 22nd, 28th and 30th, will be at the Palace of Auburn Hills, MI. Azar received rave reviews for his previous opening performances, with the “Milwaukee Journal” saying, quote, “Opening act Steve Azar is a country cat who might seem like an unlikely warm-up for Seger on several levels…On stage, however, he proved to be a whole lot closer to Bruce Springsteen than George Jones, winning over the Bradley Center crowd with high energy rockers like ‘The Underdog’ and ‘Goin' to Beat the Devil.’"

Seger, who recorded his new album “Face the Promise” in Nashville, has other connections to the city. He recorded a duet with Kid Rock on the Vince Gill song, “Real Mean Bottle,” for the disc. Word is he may release the track as a country single next summer. Seger brought in one of his favorite singers, Patty Loveless, for vocals on “The Answer is in the Question,” which is also on the new project. Plus Eric Church is opening dates for the rocker through mid-December with shows in Minneapolis; Kansas City, MO; Nashville; Louisville, KY and Cleveland. Church says, quote, “When I think about Bob Seger, I think ‘rock star.’ For me, he’s in that category – the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Bob Seger.”

QUICK BITES

Alan Jackson has a fan who’s not worried about the long arm of the law when it comes to taking home a souvenir. Someone took four highway signs near Newnan, GA, from the stretch of the interstate named for native son Jackson. Two signs on Interstate 85 were reported missing Tuesday and two more were reported missing on Thursday. A spokesman for the Georgia Department of Transportation said the missing signs are considered an act of vandalism and will be replaced as soon as possible

John Anderson will make his debut tomorrow night with the famous MuzikMafia at Nashville's Mercy Lounge. Joining Anderson on stage will be Gretchen Wilson and Big & Rich, the ‘grandfathers’ of the MuzikMafia organization. John Rich of Big & Rich produced Anderson's upcoming album, “Easy Money.” Rich says they are gearing up for a jam session for the ages because quote, "We want to welcome John into the MuzikMafia family with a big bang!"

Vince Gill is supporting the Country Music Hall of Fame by auctioning off tickets and an exclusive meet-and-greet to his show in Las Vegas in December. To bid, http://stores.ebay.com/Universal-Music-Store. Proceeds from the auction benefit the Hall of Fame’s “All for the Hall” campaign.

Justin Timberlake is the man behind the plan for the new Johnny Cash video "God's Gonna Cut You Down." Producer Rick Rubin says, quote, "We [he and Timberlake] were in the studio and we took a break to listen to the new Johnny Cash album [‘American V: A Hundred Highways’] which had not been released at that point. When we got to that song, Justin said, 'Stop!'" Rubin tells MTV that Timberlake then laid out a plan for the video featuring an array of musicians dressed in Cash's signature black.

Gigtours is offering fans the adventure of getting to go on tour with their favorite entertainer in a luxury entertainer coach complete with road manager, tour itinerary, and driver. Winners can travel with artists including Travis Tritt, Montgomery Gentry, Hank Williams Jr, Loretta Lynn, or Gretchen Wilson. A recent winner chose to spend time on the road with Tritt and got to meet the singer in Nashville when he performed on the Grand Ole Opry. Overall, the prize is valued at over 46-thousand-dollars.

Big Country Notes

"HAPPY FEET" STILL DANCING ATOP BOX OFFICE

Happy days are here again for "Happy Feet." The hit animated feature maintained its top standing at the weekend box office for a second straight week, bringing in an estimated 37-point-nine-million-dollars to bring its total to date to just over 100-million-dollars. The latest James Bond adventure "Casino Royale" also held on to its runner-up standing, collecting another 31-million-dollars in box office receipts. The new Denzel Washington thriller "Deja Vu" checked in at number three with 20-point-eight million. It was followed by the new Danny DeVito -Matthew Broderick holiday comedy "Deck The Halls" at number four with 12-million. Rounding out the top five at number five is the Sacha Baron Cohen mockumentary "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan." The hit comedy took in another ten-point-four-million this weekend, bringing its total box office gross to date to more than 109-million dollars. Among the new releases, "Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny," starring Jack Black and musical partner Kyle Gass, opened at number eleven with three-point-three-million dollars over the weekend.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. (final figures will be released today):
1. "Happy Feet," $37.9 million.
2. "Casino Royale," $31 million.
3. "Deja Vu," $20.8 million.
4. "Deck the Halls," $12 million.
5. "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan," $10.4 million.
6. "The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause," $10 million.
7. "Stranger Than Fiction," $6 million.
8. "Flushed Away," $5.8 million.
9. "Bobby," $4.9 million.
10. "The Fountain," $3.7 million.

NICOLE KIDMAN SAYS SHE FEELS AT HOME IN NASHVILLE

Nicole Kidman is feeling right at home in Nashville. The Oscar-winning actress chose to move to Nashville when she married singer Keith Urban. In the December issue of “Vogue” she says, quote, “This is my home now. This is the most time I've spent anywhere in years.” Kidman says she has cut back on the number of projects she will do so that she is working only around three months a year. She says, quote, "I think Keith and I are at a time in our lives where our priorities are pretty aligned with what we want and where we want to end up. We want to keep a very quiet, simple life down here in Tennessee.” Kidman acknowledges that she and Urban have commitments to their careers but, quote, “We go and do our thing, which is, thank God, in different fields, and come back together. We spend an enormous amount of time together, and we're determined to do that." “Vogue” did the interview prior to Urban’s October check-in to a rehabilitation facility for help with his addiction to alcohol.

RASCAL FLATTS RECORDS DUET WITH BRIAN MCNIGHT

Rascal Flatts recorded a duet with R&B singer Brian McKnight on his new album “Ten.” The song, “Red, White & Blue,” is a tribute to the soldiers fighting in the war in Iraq. McKnight told Starpulse,com, quote, “My best friend and co-writer Brandon Barnes called me up on the Fourth of July and told me to watch this special about soldiers calling home – five minutes later had had written he song together over the phone.” He adds, quote, “It’s a down-home story that Americans can identify with.” The collaboration with Rascal Flatts came about because McKnight became friends with the guys after singing at group member Joe Don Rooney’s wedding. Rascal Flatts describes it as a patriotic song and says Brian asked them to sing with him on it. The group itself will have a new album in 2007. They will begin recording soon and plans now call for its release in October of next year.

JOSH TURNER SAYS RALPH STANLEY AN EARLY MUSICAL MEMORY

Not every artist gets to sing with his musical hero, but on his new single, “Me and God,” Josh Turner duets with Bluegrass great Ralph Stanley, who Turner says is one of his first musical memories. Josh says Ralph has been a buddy of his for awhile now and quote, “I’ve gone up and done his festival in Virginia … he’s just a great man all the way round. He’s been there and done that.” Turner adds, quote, “He’s paved the way for so many different artists, not only bluegrass but country artists like myself. It makes me feel great that he’s gonna be on the radio for the majority of stations across the country.” Turner says he spent some time with Stanley recently while they were both on the Grand Ole Opry and Ralph was telling about being on Alabama’s new gospel album. Josh says, quote, “He’s still out there making an impact and contributing … I’m flattered he’s on my record.” <>

HEARTLAND SAYS THEY DIDN’T PUSH THEIR OWN TUNES ON ALBUM

When an artist is a songwriter too, he or she always wants their songs to make the new album. Craig Anderson of Heartland explains that all of the guys in the group are songwriters but, quote, “We didn’t just want to have our songs on the album just for the sake of the vanity of having our songs on there.” He adds, quote, “That wasn’t gonna do us any good and it’s not gonna do the people who buy the CD any good.” Anderson explains that that they wanted the best songs they could find for their debut disc. He says that producer Walt Aldridge brought in about 100 songs for them to listen to and they put their songs in the mix. When it came to choosing the final songs, however, group members admitted there were better songs to cut than what they had written. Anderson says, quote, “But we are writing now and when the next CD comes along we’ll pitch some more songs we wrote. And if they are as good as the songs we’re pitched, we’ll cut them. If not we’ll keep on writing, just like we did after this CD is out.”

VINCE GILL GOES GOLD WITH “THESE DAYS”

These days it seems Vince Gill is on top of the world. His four-CD set, “These Days,” has just been certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. This means the disc has sold more than half a million units since it was released in October. Gill says, quote, “The album allowed me to encompass all the things I like and all the things I know and have learned. It gave me the opportunity to share the gifts I’ve been given with a lot of equally gifted people. I’m very proud of the project because it became so many different things.” The singer is on tour with a 20-piece band, performing songs from and working in support of the disc. He winds down his 2006 tour in Las Vegas December 7th – 9th.

TAYLOR SWIFT, TIM McGRAW DISCUSS HER SINGLE

Taylor Swift now has the definitive answer when someone asks her “So what does Tim McGraw the singer think of ‘Tim McGraw’ the song?” Up until last week, Taylor had not heard from Tim what he thought. She happened to be on hand for the taping of a radio show when McGraw said of the tune, quote, "It was awesome. I didn't know if I should take it as a compliment, or if I should feel old." Swift was quick to assure him that it was meant as a compliment. The teenager is one of the youngest country singers to have written or co-written everything on her debut album – she was signed to a publishing deal two years ago, when she was only 14. She’s also one of the youngest people to sign on to open for George Strait. Taylor will be the warm-up act for the first leg of Strait’s 2007 tour, which opens in Lafayette, LA on January 11th.

QUICK BITES

Sara Evans’ song, “You’ll Always Be My Baby,” is morphing into a book. Co-written by Evans, the inspirational gift book will be available next week. Sara says, quote, “I just wanted to write a song about unconditional love because I think it¹s so important for us as human beings to know and feel that we¹re loved.”

The “Tennessean” reports that Wynonna and Dolly Parton are among the six nominees for the final ballot of Tennessean of the Year 2006.

Brad Paisley will be on ABC's "Good Morning America" tomorrow. He’ll sing his current hit, "She's Everything,” plus songs from his new “Christmas” album.

Taylor Swift, Jimmy Wayne and Danielle Peck will be performing in Santa Ynez, CA at the Chumash Casino to benefit the Toys For Tots charity on December 8th.

Jack Ingram has been awarded a BDS Spin Award for his Top Ten hit “Love You.” The track has exceeded 50-thousand spins since its release in June

According to the “Tennessean,” Michelle Branch, half of The Wreckers, is selling her West Coast home in order to move to Nashville. The Los Angeles home is 53-hundred square feet and lists for a little over three million dollars.

Danielle Peck is scheduled to appear on the Grand Ole Opry on December 1st while Jimmy Wayne will visit the Opry on December 16th. Both performances take place at the Ryman.

Marty Stuart, Dallas Frazier, Ferlin Husky, Leona Williams and Freddy Weller will perform at a December 5th fundraiser at the Nashville Palace for Danita Marsh, a Nashville police officer shot in the line of duty last month. Vince Gill, Kenny Chesney and Alabama have donated autographed guitars for the silent auction. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted at the door.

Buddy Jewell broke his wrist in several places when he fell from a ladder while hanging Christmas lights. The injury required surgery and Jewel has been ordered to rest, resulting in the cancellation of several dates. On his website, his wife Tene says, quote, “He is home and resting and watching me put up the Christmas lights (LOL).”

Lorrie Morgan will be the Grand Marshall of Nashville’s Christmas parade on Friday. It is the 54th annual parade for the city.

Boe Tucker, father of Tanya Tucker, passed away last Thursday of lung cancer. Mr. Tucker, who was 79, was instrumental in his daughter becoming a star in country music when she was only 13. Tanya says he instilled his "Tucker Tough" demeanor in her. She says, quote, “He always said, 'If you feel bad, don't tell them. Do your job and go on.' So I just put a wall up. There are times when I feel fearful and afraid, but you've just got to plow on through it."