Big Country Notes for APR 25

RASCAL FLATTS, CARRIE UNDERWOOD ON “IDOL GIVES BACK” TONIGHT

Tonight’s “Idol Gives Back” is all about hopes and dreams. Rascal Flatts will play into that when they perform their hit “My Wish” on the two-hour special. The group and Carrie Underwood will join host Ellen DeGeneres along with a collection of celebrities including pop star Celine Dion, season one “Idol” winner Kelly Clarkson and R&B great Quincy Jones. Viewers can make donations via phone and the Internet during the performances. Money collected will be used to benefit relief programs for children and young people in extreme poverty in the U.S. and other countries. The show will air on Fox at 8 p.m. Eastern.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD DOES SPECIAL TAPING FOR “IDOL GIVES BACK”

Carrie Underwood made a special trip to South Africa to tape a video that will air on “Idol Gives Back” tonight of Fox. The singer took a break from recording her next album early in April to film the music video package that will air tonight. During her two-day tour Underwood and three members of her band visited and played for schools, orphanages, hospices and health care centers in and around Johannesburg. Carrie says, quote, “I just think it’s something that nobody really likes to think about or talk about or look at. And I’m including myself in that, because nobody wants to think about children suffering. And nobody wants to think about children going hungry and dying from AIDS and things like that.” She adds, quote, “You force yourself to look at and take in and realize how they have it and how lucky we are. I think it’ll make me appreciate my life so much more. And hopefully, we can make their lives better.” Underwood has also recorded an acoustic version of The Pretenders’ song “I’ll Stand By You,” which will serve as the music bed for this “American Idol” video package. The trip was organized by “American Idol” and Comic Relief. A portion of the money raised from donations made tonight will go to help children and young people in extreme poverty in Africa.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD HELPS DALLAS QUARTERBACK TONY ROMO CELEBRATE BIRTHDAY

There was a Marilyn Monroe-John Kennedy moment Saturday night when Carrie Underwood sang “Happy Birthday” to Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. The football star was celebrating his 27th birthday in Dallas. “People” magazine reports that the pair looked very cozy, despite the fact that both Carrie and Tony have declared they are not dating. Carrie was with Tony at Dallas’ trendy Ghostbar, where the two went into the deejay booth and led the crowd in a rocking version of Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It.” Underwood led the club guests in singing “Happy Birthday” to Roma. "People” reports, quote, "Carrie and Tony were having a great time in the deejay booth. They were laughing, singing together, holding hands and their arms were around each other all night." A spokesperson for Carrie says, quote, "They have recently been spending a little time together. But they are definitely not boyfriend/girlfriend. It's very casual at this point. It's [in the] really early stages."

BIG KENNY ALPHIN OF BIG & RICH CELEBRATES NUMBER ONE AS WRITER

Big Kenny is no longer down to his last dollar. Big Kenny of Big & Rich celebrated his first number one last night as the writer for Tim McGraw’s “Last Dollar.” Kenny says, quote, “When they asked me about having a number one party I felt uncomfortable with it, it still seems unreal to me. Then I thought we could do something positive with the party.” Kenny introduced representatives from Magdalene House, Covenant House Shelter and My Sisters Keepers. After letting them talk about their individual organizations, Kenny presented each with a check – 25-thousand each for the first two and 50-thousand for My Sisters Keepers. He also challenged the Nashville music community to help My Sisters Keepers build the 200-thousand school building they need in the African nation of Darfur. McGraw was on hand to accept a plaque from Kenny that included a dollar bill. In presenting it, Kenny told Tim, quote, “This say for emergency only and I hope neither one of us ever has to break this glass.”

Kenny wrote “My Last Dollar” back in 2002, right before he and partner John Rich got their recording deal. He says he was in Las Vegas with friends with about 200 dollars. He decided to put it on the blackjack tables, thinking he could win enough money to pay his bills for the month. His gamble didn’t pay off. Kenny says, quote, “I lost it all. I had 21 bucks left so I tipped the dealer 20 and went back to my room.” He wrote the song in his room at four in the morning, then played it for McGraw, who immediately told him he wanted to record it. Kenny says, quote, “I thought he was kidding me but a few years later he asked me about it again and I said sure.”

DIERKS BENTLEY IN TEXAS TO TAPE “AUSTIN CITY LIMITS”

Dierks Bentley is in Austin, Texas tonight taping a segment of “Austin City Limits,” and the singer says he’s honored to be following in the footsteps of people he admires. He says, quote, “It’s amazing to see the list of singer/songwriters who have been on this show --- Rodney Crowell, John Prine, Emmylou Harris. I’m thrilled to follow in their footsteps.” Bentley’s segment will air as part of the PBS shows’ 33rd season this fall. After the taping, Bentley heads back out on his “Live & Loud” tour with Miranda Lambert, Jason Aldean and Eric Church. The tour stays in Texas for a date in San Angelo tomorrow night, then goes to Fayetteville, Arkansas on Friday and Topeka, Kansas on Saturday. Dierks takes a break during May before he performs in Nashville the first of June for the CMA Music Fest and at the Bluebird Café.

KENNY ROGERS OPENS LEGAL POKER SITE ON INTERNET

The man known as The Gambler is opening THEGAMBLERPOKERCLUB.COM. Kenny Rogers is launching the site and offering legal gambling and much more to fans. Rogers says, quote, "It's amazing how many people are out there that love to play poker, but there are so few legal and safe places to play. That's what makes us so special.” The free and legal poker club offers players the chance to win a free eight-day, seven-night cruise each night for the next two weeks. All members are also offered the chance to win a seat at this years World Series of Poker, a prize worth ten thousand dollars. Additionally, The Gambler Mobile will give everyone who registers during the month of April a three-day, two-night stay at one of 35 vacation destinations, including Las Vegas, Reno, Disney World or the Bahamas.

KELLIE PICKLER FINDS SPECIAL RECEPTION AT THE GRAND OLE OPRY

Kellie Pickler received her first standing ovation at the Grand Ole Opry last weekend. The singer performed her hit single “I Wonder” while sitting on the edge of the stage at the Opry house. She told the crowd, quote, “This song is very special to me, it’s one that I wrote to my mother.” When she finished the song the crowd rose to its feet. Kellie says, quote, “I never thought in a million years this was even a possibility.” The song is about Kellie’s experiences of living without her mother in her life and asks questions of the woman who was never there for her. Kellie also performed Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” and her hit single “Red High Heels.” Tomorrow Kellie joins Brad Paisley on his “Bonfires & Amplifiers” tour,which opens in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

KENNY CHESNEY SURPRISES FAN WITH GUITAR

Kenny Chesney made it a special night for a special fan. Becca Mattson is a huge Chesney fan who’s gone through a bad three months after being injured in an auto accident that required metal rods in her legs. Nevertheless Becca attended Kenny’s concert in Fargo, North Dakota two weekends ago. According to “In Forum News,” Kenny paid special attention to the 17-year old throughout the show. She was hoping to get the singer’s autograph but she got even more – Chesney signed an acoustic guitar and during his encore acoustic jam, he walked over and gave it to her. Becca told “In Forum,” quote, “It didn’t even feel real. I just kept saying ‘oh my god’ over and over … then the tears came.” Friends say it was a big boost to the teen’s spirits, because she still has a long way to go to recover from the accident.

QUICK BITES

Josh Turner celebrated his double Platinum success for his album “Your Man” last night in Nashville.

Tim McGraw’s new single is a duet with wife Faith Hill, “I Need You.” The two performed it together for the first time on his NBC special last year. It’s the second single from his album “Let it Go.”

Keith Urban also has a new single -- "I Told You So" is from his “love, pain and the whole crazy thing” disc.

Clint Black is back in the studio working on an album scheduled for a fall release. This is the project where the singer plans for the first time to record a song that he did’nt write. He says he’s excited at the prospect of finding the song and has been going through hundreds of possibilities to find just the right one.

John Rich is producing Jewel’s new album. The two have been seen performing around Nashville, the most recent occasion at The Cannery for a fundraiser.