Garth Brooks Helps Billy Joel Wrap Up His "Last Play At Shea"
Billy Joel was joined by special guests Garth Brooks, Paul McCartney, Roger Daltrey, Steven Tyler, and Tony Bennett on Friday night (July 18th) at New York City's Shea Stadium, as he performed the second of his two-night stand called The Last Play At Shea, which marked the stadium's final concerts. The New York Times reports that Joel told the crowd, "They're tearing this house down. I want to thank you for letting me do the job and keep doing it - the best job in the world." Garth Brooks, who was wearing a New York Mets jersey, joined Joel onstage to perform "Shameless," which was originally featured on Joel's 1989 album Stormfront, and was later a country hit for Brooks. Steven Tyler took the stage and performed the Aerosmith classic "Walk This Way," and Roger Daltrey sang the Who's "My Generation," with Joel aping Pete Townshend by smashing a guitar at the song's conclusion. During the show, Joel was seen wearing the deputy sheriff's badge that Ringo Starr had worn during the Beatles' first performance at Shea on August 15th, 1965. McCartney performed a couple of tunes too, including "Let It Be."
FANCAM: Garth Brooks with Billy Joel "Shameless" at Shea 7/18/08

Nettles Under the Needle
Fans have noticed that Sugarland lead singer Jennifer Nettles is sporting a somewhat new tattoo. The singer had a heart with wings inked on the inside of her upper right arm. While Nettles said the idea of a heart with wings is hardly unique, it represents a special meaning for the singer. "I got it for me, personally, just at a time in my life where I was wanting to celebrate just my heart being open and freedom and liberation and really feeling like I could fly, really, where love is concerned and also within myself, so that's what it means to me." The heart with wings logo also turned out to be the perfect cover artwork for the duo's upcoming album, Love On The Inside, as Nettles explained: "Kristian had started them when we were doing our autographs and things, he had started doing a line drawing of it and we would sign under each wing and that sort of took on another meaning, and then when we named the record Love On The Inside it seemed appropriate when we started thinking about the implications and the symbolism just of the open heart and how transformative that can be and having the freedom there with the wings, it seemed an appropriate cover as well."

Karen Fairchild Guesting
Little Big Town member Karen Fairchild has lent her voice to John Mellencamp's new album, called Life, Death, Love & Freedom. Fairchild can be heard on four of the 14 tracks: "My Sweet Love," "Don't Need This Body," "For the Children," and "A Ride Back Home." "My Sweet Love" is Mellencamp's debut single, which is currently at radio. Fairchild appears in the song's video, which was shot in Savannah, Georgia. Fairchild can also be seen in the Life, Death, Love and Freedom documentary, which began airing on A&E's Biography Channel last weekend. The Life, Death, Love & Freedom album was released last week. Mellencamp and Fairchild perform "My Sweet Love" on CBS' The Early Show live from Daley Plaza in Chicago this morning.

Dierks Does Europe
Dierks Bentley is in the midst of a sold-out European mini-tour this week. The run includes stops in England, Ireland, Norway, and France. Bentley said, "We've always tried to focus on playing new places or spots you maybe wouldn't expect to see a country singer. Whether it is a gig in France or a rock festival like Lollapalooza, the goal is always the same - to bring some new fans back to Nashville with us." Bentley will return to the States in time for an August 2nd main stage slot at Lollapalooza in Chicago's Grant Park. Following his summer festival stops, Bentley will take a long-awaited break from the road to return to the studio to put the finishing touches on his fourth studio album.

Taylor's High Hopes
Taylor Swift is screaming up the charts once again with her fifth single, "Should've Said No." The teenager wrote this song all by herself, and from all indications, it's bound for the top of the country charts. Swift told us she's had pretty good luck with those self-penned tunes, seeing as the last one that was released, "Our Song," also claimed the Number One spot. "It's another one that I wrote by myself, and the first one that I wrote by myself went to Number One, so we're keeping high hopes. It's just always good to know that you can put five singles off of a record, and thanks to country radio for making the singles move so fast. These last two singles have been really fun to see go up the charts, so I'm just crossing my fingers for this next one."

Brad Paisley: "I Can Change A Diaper, But 'I'm Still A Guy!'"
You don't have to worry about fame and fortune going to Brad Paisley's head. In a new interview, the 35-year-old country singer says he'll never lose touch with his "working class, everyday people" roots. That humble approach to life extends to William 'Huck' Huckleberry, 16½-months, his son with actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley. Noting that the couple "don't have a nanny," Brad says that they instead rely on each other and their own moms to "take turns in dealing with him." He adds, "I don't care how high and mighty you are: Change a diaper, man." The life of an entertainer often means that Brad is at times forced to be away from his family, but he notes that it just as often means that he gets to stay home when other dads could not. Although touring "looks like it would be tough," Brad says, "it isn't." [Living] in Nashville, I know that one weekend I'll be in Charlotte and Raleigh, but then I'm back on Sunday. You can be home more than you are away. And in all fairness to my family and my wife, I have been off since February." Huck is the first child for the couple...
Brad Talks About "I'm Still A Guy"

More Kenny Photos from DC
We covered Kenny Chesney's trip to the White House in yesterday's news, but we've got some new pictures to show you today! Check out the slideshow for photos of Kenny singing the National Anthem to start the Little League All-Star tee ball game on the South Lawn of the White House, as well as performing with his band at a social dinner in the Rose Garden later. Oh yeah... There's a couple of shocking images at the end of the slideshow, so YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
See the slideshow here.

Keith & Nicole Out & About
Nicole Kidman was spotted out and about with husband Keith Urban for the first time since giving birth to Sunday Rose on July 7. While we're still waiting to see the baby -- whose photos they are supposedly not selling to any magazines, for whatever reason -- mom Nicole already looks fabulous! She was slender the whole way through her pregnancy so it's no big surprise there. Nicole recently emailed the NY Post about little Sunday saying, "We are in heaven. Can't stop staring at her in complete awe. Feeling incredibly blessed to have been given this precious little angel. Can't wait for you to meet her!" We can't wait to meet her either!

Julianne Hough's Emmy Nom
Julianne Hough has been nominated for an Emmy for outstanding choreography for her work on Dancing With the Stars. The nominees for the 60th annual Primetime Emmy Awards were announced Thursday (July 17) in Hollywood. Hough is nominated for choreographing "'Para Los Rumberos," a mambo she performed with her dancing partner, Adam Carolla. Hough's debut country single, "That Song in My Head," has climbed to No. 20 on the Billboard country chart. She is currently on Brad Paisley's summer tour with Jewel and Chuck Wicks. The winning choreographer will be announced Sept. 13 in Los Angeles as one of 64 awards presented during the Primetime Creative Arts Awards in Los Angeles. The other Emmys will be presented in Los Angeles on Sept. 21.

Blake & Miranda Celebrate #1
When Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert found out that Blake's single "Home" had gone to the top of the charts, they had plenty to celebrate. Lambert notes that the accomplishment means a lot to both of them, and they got the news at a great time. Miranda's also quick to point out that she's the one who introduced Blake to the song, and she put it on his iPod so he could give it multiple listens. Since Miranda sings on the tune it's her first number one, too. However, her current single "Gunpowder and Lead" has entered the top ten on the "Country Aircheck" and "Billboard" singles charts, becoming her own highest charting single to date.

Kenny Sings National Anthem At The White House Tee Ball All-Star Game
Kenny Chesney spent part of Wednesday afternoon (July 16) with President George W. Bush and Baseball Hall of Fame member Frank Robinson during the first-ever White House Tee Ball All-Star Game in Washington. The country star also sang the national anthem prior to the game that featured young athletes from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Quoth the President: "We want to thank Kenny Chesney for lending his great talent. We're proud you're here, Kenny. Thanks for coming." Chesney traveled to the White House after attending Tuesday's Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium in New York. His Poets & Pirates tour resumes Thursday (July 17) when he and LeAnn Rimes appear at the Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater in Virginia. He heads to Philadelphia for Saturday's (July 19) stadium concert at Lincoln Financial Field with Keith Urban, Gary Allan, Sammy Hagar, and Rimes. You can watch streaming video of the White House festivities at WhiteHouse.gov - just click on the "video" link on the right. Photos are here. Read about Kenny's appearance on CBS's The Early Show and the All-Star Game at cbsnews.com.
VIDEO: Behind the Scenes with Kenny & Reba

Miley's "Seven Things"
To celebrate her latest single, "Seven Things," Miley Cyrus says the 7 things she can't live without are her Bible, mom, her Yorkie, grilled cheese, her Gibson guitar, Converse sneakers, and her sidekick. As Nashville Kat points out, there is no Billy Ray on that list. Surely an oversight... More to come on this I'll bet.
It ain't country, but it's Miley's latest video, "Seven Things":

Music City Madness
Randy Travis will mentor the winner of CMT.com's third annual Music City Madness talent competition which launched Tuesday (July 15). The user-generated talent search allows unsigned singer-songwriters to showcase their talent and compete in the fan-voted contest. Warner Bros. Records has joined as the contest's official record label, while Chevrolet returns for a second year as the official online and on-air sponsor. CMT will accept video submissions for Music City Madness through Oct. 6. The top 64 finalists will be chosen by CMT and announced on Oct. 21 when they will compete in single-elimination, tournament-style fan voting over a period of eight weeks. CMT.com visitors will narrow the field during weekly voting, and the winner will be announced on Dec. 16. The grand prize winner will receive an all-expense paid trip to Nashville to tape an episode of Unplugged at Studio 330 for CMT.com. The winner will also have a private audition with executives from Warner Bros. Records A&R department and a mentoring session with Travis. The top two finalists will be revealed in a half-hour special, Music City Madness - The Road to CMT. Learn more about Music City Madness at CMT.com.

Farm Aid 2008
Farm Aid 2008 concert will be held Sept. 20 at the Comcast Center in Mansfield, Mass., Farm Aid co-founder John Mellencamp announced Tuesday (July 15) at the Copley Square Farmers Market in Boston. Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino also spoke during the press conference. The concert in the Boston suburb marks the first time a Farm Aid concert has been staged in New England. The show will feature Farm Aid board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Dave Matthews, and Mellencamp. Additional performers will be announced later. "New England was built on the strength of independent family farmers," Mellencamp said. "We can honor that independent spirit by joining Farm Aid to grow the movement that is changing the way all of America eats." Tickets go on sale July 28 via Ticketmaster.

Country Thunder Webcast
Portions of this week's Country Thunder USA festival in Twin Lakes, Wis., will be featured in a webcast on the iClips Network and the event's official website, www.countrythunder.com. Taking place Wednesday through Saturday (July 16-19), the event features more than 40 acts, including Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Jessica Simpson, Dierks Bentley, Sara Evans, and Sugarland. Watch selected acts from the show, including Dierks Bentley, at the iClips Network website here.

Toby & Willie And The B4MH Crew: Beer For My Horses Soundtrack Ready!
Toby Keith and Willie Nelson kick off the soundtrack of Beer for my Horses with the title cut, which boasts an interesting collection of tunes. Keith joins Mica Roberts on "Let's Get Trashed," while Ted Nugent, who also appears in the movie, offers "Cat Scratch Fever" and "Stranglehold." David Allan Coe, who has a cameo in the film, adds "If That Ain't Country (Part 2)," and Mel Tillis performs "Burning Memories." Mac Davis, who's also in the movie, provides "No Mas Cervesas," while Rodney Carrington, the film's co-star and co-writer with Toby, offers "Show Them To Me." Meanwhile, Trailer Choir has already released a video for their contribution to the soundtrack, "Off the Hillbilly Hook." The movie "Beer For My Horses" will hit theaters on August 8th. The soundtrack album is due in stores three days earlier.
Trailer Choir "Off the Hillbilly Hook"

Taylor Swift Photoshoot
Taylor Swift is the new face of the L.e.i. Back-to-School 2008 print, mobile and online advertising campaign. "This is L.e.i. Country" will feature Swift surrounded by an assortment of L.e.i. denim jeans and tops. Taylor says she loves to wear dresses and cowboy boots on stage, but, "when I'm offstage, hangin' with my friends, my comfort zone is a great pair of jeans." She adds that she loves the fact that L.e.i. stands for "Life, energy and intelligence." L.e.i. will be available exclusively at Wal-Mart stores nationwide beginning in July.
Taylor Swift for L.e.i. Jeans

Keith & Nicole Not Selling
Keith Urban and wife Nicole Kidman will reportedly not follow a recent celebrity trend. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the native Australians do not plan to sell photos of their newborn daughter Sunday Rose. The paper reports that the singer and the actress don't think it's appropriate to make such a deal. Bidding on photos of actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's newborn twins, daughter Vivienne Marcheline and son Knox Leon, has reportedly reached up to 15-million-dollars. In 2006, People paid more than four-million-dollars for the North American rights to the first photos of the couple's daughter Shiloh. Jolie and Pitt donated all the profits to charity.

Miranda Likes Reality TV
Count Miranda Lambert as one who backs the role of reality shows in helping to create country stars. "I don't think anyone can argue that shows like American Idol and Nashville Star (aren't) great launching pads. I always say Nashville Star saved me from three more years of playing the honky tonk circuit! I think a lot of great talent has come from those shows, but it's unlikely that everyone will be a Kelly Clarkson (or a Carrie Underwood) in terms of success. In regards to me - I just do what I do and so far fans and critics have responded well." Meanwhile, Miranda's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend album, as well as the opportunity to win a guitar that's been autographed by the singer-songwriter-guitarist, is being featured prominently at a series of digital jukeboxes across the United States.

5 Left on Nashville Star
The field of hopefuls continues to shrink on Nashville Star, as the duo Laura and Sophie is the latest to be sent home. It was the third time the girls had landed in the bottom two. Judge Jeffrey Steele, who was their mentor on the show, urged them to remain friends and continue to work on their dream. Five contestants are now left on the NBC talent show, and most of the remarks from Steele and fellow judges John Rich and Jewel were positive. Rich commented he thought last night they turned in some of the best performances of the series so far. A new challenge is ahead for the contenders. Remaining finalists Ashlee Hewitt, Melissa Lawson, Coffey, Shawn Mayer, and Gabe Garcia will demonstrate their songwriting talents when they perform original material on the next installment of Nashville Star, airing Monday on NBC.

Taylor Swift's Limited Edition CD Beautiful Eyes Exclusively At Wal-Mart Today
Taylor Swift's limited edition album, Beautiful Eyes, will be released today (Tuesday, July 15th) exclusively at Wal-Mart. The CD/DVD collection contains some never-before-released material, including the album's title track and a song called "I Heart ?," as well as alternate versions of "Should've Said No" and an acoustic version of "Teardrops On My Guitar." The DVD contains all of Swift's videos, her Academy of Country Music Awards performance of "Should've Said No," and a video created for "Beautiful Eyes" with footage from the singer's 18th birthday party. Swift's sophomore album will be released sometime this fall.

Taylor Swift "Beautiful Eyes" featuring footage from her 18th birthday!

Trace Likes Tears, Panties
Trace Adkins has pulled off something that few singers can successfully do - find success with touching ballads like his latest chart-topper, "You're Gonna Miss This," as well as novelty hits like "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk." The singer told us that striking that balance is no easy task. "It's a fine line that you have to try to walk and keep that balance, and sometimes it's hard to do. You just have to keep the 'Arlington's' and the 'Badonkadonks' away from each other in your set. You know what I'm saying? You don't want to do those back to back." Adkins added that he likes the response he gets from both kinds of songs from the ladies in particular. "Mothers are in the audience and they're crying, and I appreciate that and I enjoy that - seeing that something that we've created moves people like that - but I also like it when they throw their panties! And how I strike that balance between those two things is really difficult to do, and I need to be patted on the back." Adkins continues to tour throughout the summer playing various fairs and festivals.

Shania Writing Up A Storm
Shania Twain is reportedly pouring her heartache into her music. Since splitting with husband and producer Robert "Mutt" Lange two months ago, Twain is coping with the breakup by spending time with the couple's six-year-old son, Eja, and her guitar. A source told People magazine, "The songs are pouring out of her." Twain has also been spotted shopping and traveling, most recently buying lingerie at a store in Canada and vacationing at her villa in the Caribbean. Twain and Lange were married for 14 years.

Chesney's Atlanta Downpour
Despite a nasty driving rain, Kenny Chesney's Poets & Pirates stadium tour stop in Atlanta on Sunday (July 13th) drew a crowd of nearly 43,000 fans. The show also included performances by Gary Allan, LeAnn Rimes, Sammy Hagar, and Brooks & Dunn. Chesney said, "It was awful weather, but when you hear all those screams... you see the people out there who're just soaked, it makes you really appreciate your fans. Atlanta has always been a crazy town for us. . . " This weekend Chesney and crew head to Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field.

Gretchen Wins ESPN Battle
Thanks to all of YOUR votes, Gretchen Wilson's video for "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" is the winner in ESPN's Baseball Tonight Battle of the Bands. The announcement was made on the sports show sunday night. Wilson tells ESPN.com that the video was a collaborative effort between her and her manager, who she notes are both huge baseball fans. Gretchen says, "We both have kids that are involved in sports. We thought it would be cool to involve them in it." As evidenced by her t-shirt in the video, Wilson is a St. Louis Cardinals fan. She says she played baseball when she was a youngster despite her mom trying to get her to do the "girly stuff" first, like ballet and dance classes. But Gretchen adds that she hasn't played ball in a long time.

Carrie Underwood Bikini Photos Stir Up A Media Storm
Carrie Underwood is undoubtedly one of the hottest musicians on the music scene right now, but her wholesome, innocent image is slowly slipping away from her - and revealing a hotter, sexier side to the bubbly blonde. New photos of Underwood in a barely-there bikini have sparked media interest and have everyone wanting to see more of the country songstress. The media is making up a "bitter battle between Carrie Underwood and Jessica Simpson over Tony Romo." Regardless of the reason for her sudden revelation, we have to admit that Carrie looks great with her healthier figure and boost in confidence. Since she was crowned the fourth winner of American Idol, Underwood has been working hard to maintain a svelte figure - and it seems to be working. There's no denying that the 25-year-old beauty is hot, the only question left is who's hotter: Carrie Underwood or Jessica Simpson?
• SLIDESHOW: Carrie at the Beach
VIDEO: Remember this? Carrie sings "Desperado"

Sara Sings Libbys
Sara Evans is partnering with the Libby's food company in a new campaign to encourage families to get back to the dinner table. Sara was in Nashville, July 9, to record her own stylistic version of the famous Libby's jingle ("If it says Libby's, Libby's, Libby's on the label, label, label . . . "). The campaign, "Get Back to the Table, Table, Table Month," begins in September and celebrates the benefits of eating meals together as a family. "I have always been a big believer in family dinner time," Sara told Country Weekly. "So, when they asked me to join up with them for this campaign, I jumped at it. I grew up on a farm and we never ate out," Sara added. "Mom cooked three meals a day, every single day of our lives." Sara will help kick off the campaign in September with a national contest that will give one lucky family the chance to have dinner with Sara backstage at one of her concerts.

Johnny Cash Remixed
Snoop Dogg is among those participating in Johnny Cash Remixed, a new album featuring bold remixes of recordings licensed from Sun Records, Cash's first label. Snoop Dogg is featured on "I Walk the Line," a remix by QDT, a new production team he has formed with Teddy Riley and DJ Quik. Other remixes include "Get Rhythm" by Philip Steir (the only remixer allowed to work with Frank Sinatra's recordings for Reprise Records) and "Leave That Junk Alone" by Alabama 3 (creators of theme to The Sopranos). A vinyl version of the Compadre Records/Music World Music project will be available in select independent record stores on Sept. 23. It will be available at other stores and online beginning Oct. 14. "My father made his stead by defying the expected and accepted way of things," said John Carter Cash, who serves as an executive producer of Remixed. "He set the standard at the same time. He would have loved this remix record. While it stays true to the original recordings, this CD touches on undiscovered ground. This is what my father was about: staying true to tradition while creating groundbreaking new music."

Randy Travis on TV
Randy Travis will celebrate the release of his new album, Around the Bend, with numerous TV appearances in New York City. On Tuesday (July 15), the album's release date, Travis will sing on The Late Show With David Letterman. Other appearances include Good Morning America on Wednesday (July 16) and Regis & Kelly on Thursday (July 17). In addition, he will perform his new single, "Dig Two Graves," as well as "Forever and Ever, Amen," on Today on July 18.

Clint & Lisa Acting?
Nashville Kat talked to Clint Black recently and learned that he and Lisa have been talking with some producers about an acting project they could do together. He hinted it would probably be TV, not the big screen. They also talked marriage. He said "the commitment is not just about staying together, it’s about becoming closer. You couldn’t live with anyone the rest of your life without doing things to annoy or embarrass them. You tell your spouse how what they did made you feel and then hopefully they care enough that they won’t do it again."

EXCLUSIVE: Be The First To See Jessica Simpson's Country Video!
Columbia Nashville’s Jessica Simpson is premiering her latest music video for the Top 25 smash "Come On Over" on her website – www.jessicasimpson.com. Simpson’s video can be seen online only until Monday when it makes its national broadcast premiere (7/14) on EXTRA. Check local listings for airtimes. Shot at Little Creek Ranch in southern California under the skillful direction of Liz Friedlander, Simpson turns up the heat and effortlessly conveys the sexy, confident attitude of the song. For those make-up mavens out there, watch for a glimpse of the elegant bottle of Simpson’s soon-to-be unveiled fragrance, "Fancy," available in select stores this August. "Come On Over" is from Simpson’s highly anticipated country debut, Do You Know?, due out September 9th. Go take a look right now!

Nicole and Keith: "We Feel Immensely Blessed"
from PEOPLE.com
She may be little, but four-day-old Sunday Rose Kidman Urban has her parents gushing in a big way. "We feel immensely blessed and grateful to be given this beautiful baby girl," Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban said in an exclusive statement to People in this week's cover story. "She's an absolute delight." Kidman, 41, gave birth to Sunday at a Nashville hospital on July 7, with Urban, 40, by her side for the smooth delivery. Also in town to welcome the couple's first child: Kidman's mom Janelle and sister Antonia, who told People the new baby is a beautiful addition to the family. On Tuesday Kidman's father Antony revealed that Sunday's name was inspired by Australian arts patron Sunday Reed. Her middle name is a nod to Urban's grandmother Rose. "Nicole is euphoric," says a friend. "She's wanted this for so long." For the complete story, including good wishes from country stars Kenny Chesney, LeAnn Rimes, Tim McGraw, and others - and the Urbans' domestic routine in their Nashville neighborhood, pick up this week's People, on newsstands today.

Chesney Headed to NYC
Maybe Kenny Chesney will sing "Take Me out to the Ballgame" when he attends Major League Baseball's All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday. Chesney sang the song at a recent Chicago Cubs game. While in the Big Apple Chesney will make several stops. He's slated to be a guest on NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien on Monday. But it's the All-Star game that has him most excited. Kenny says getting to go to the big game and watch it, "up close the way I'm going to get to be," just wasn't something he ever even dreamed he'd ever be able to do. Before hitting New York, Chesney will take his "Poets & Pirates 2008" tour to Atlanta's Turner Field on Sunday. LeAnn Rimes, Gary Allan, Brooks & Dunn, and Sammy Hagar are set to join him for the show.

Taylor Makes History Again
This week Taylor Swift became the only solo female act in the 44-year history of the Billboard Country Chart to score Five Top 10 singles from a debut album. Should've Said No, the fifth single from Taylor's self-titled debut CD, entered the Top 10 on Billboard's Country Singles chart this week, only eight weeks after its release to radio. Taylor first secured her place in the country music history books when at the age of 17, she became the youngest person to single-handedly write and sing a number-one country single entirely on her own ("Our Song" spent 6 consecutive weeks at #1 atop Billboard's Country Singles Chart), and she is also the first female solo artist in country music history to write or co-write every song on a platinum-selling debut CD. This is Taylor's 23rd week in the #1 position atop Billboard's Country CD Sales chart, exhibiting extraordinary momentum for an album released 89 weeks ago.

Hangin' With Andy Griffith
Brad Paisley says one of his greatest achievements to date was meeting Andy Griffith. Paisley has long been known for his award-winning music videos, recently added Andy Griffith to his list of famous co-stars. Working with Griffith was truly a dream come true. "It's one of the things I've had on my wish list of things to do," Paisley remarked. "He has influenced my life more than most people that I grew up with - more than most people that I actually knew my whole life. I wrote Andy a letter telling him what he has meant to me over the years and asked him to be in the video." And the rest is history. Brad & his wife Kim flew over to the island near North Carolina where Andy lives & they sat around hearing stories from The Andy Griffith Show. He still has the Martin guitar he played on the show & Andy let Brad play it while he sang.

Martina Waking Up Outdoors
from GACTV
After taking her Waking Up Laughing Tour to a series of arenas in the winter and spring, Martina McBride returns to the road this weekend to begin a 30-show run that concentrates on outdoor venues. The itinerary starts with today's performance at the DTE Energy Music Theatre in the Detroit area and extends to an Oct. 18 date at the Treasure Island Resort in Red Wing, Minn. "This is the first time I have headlined an amphitheater tour," Martina says. The summer leg of the Waking Up Laughing Tour stretches from sea to shining sea. She appears July 25 at the Jones Beach Theater on Long Island, N.Y., and she also plays Aug. 16 in Irvine, Calif., a venue no more than 10 miles from the Pacific shoreline. And of course, on August 28, she'll be here in Birmingham (concert details) In two locations - Bakersfield, Calif., and Red Wing, Minn. - Martina will be the only act on the bill. Most of the remaining shows will feature Jack Ingram, and the bulk of them will include an additional opening act. Chris Young will fill that slot in July and August, with Jason Michael Carroll taking over in September and October. Martina released her first live CD/DVD earlier this year. If the set list from that disc is a precursor, the concerts are likely to include covers of "Over The Rainbow" and "Hit Me With Your Best Shot," in addition to such bellwethers as "Independence Day," "A Broken Wing," and "Wild Angels."

For Sunday Rose's Scrapbook: Daddy's Mullet (Keith Urban Then & Now)
All kids ought to get the chance to see their parents the way they were when they were younger, but for the children of celebrities this can sometimes include the good, the bad, and the ugly to a much greater extent than most of us. Fortunately for Sunday Rose Kidman Urban, daddy's younger years weren't nearly as bad as some - but then there was that mullet... Keith Urban was interviewed on NBC's Dateline by Katie Couric awhile back. Here's an except from the interview talking about his mullet:
"His perseverance was paying off in spades. By 21, Keith had everything an 80s act needed: a record deal, a music video and a mullet!"
Couric: "We have some videotape of you from Australia-"
Urban: "Oh God."
Couric: "-from some years back that we thought we'd show you. Nice mullet.
Urban: "Oh, fantastic, look at that. Yeah. This was about-"
Couric: "Do you remember those pictures?"
Urban: "This was last year."
Couric: "Yeah. Oh a little peroxide there."
Urban: "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy would be having a field day right now. "
The hairstyle notwithstanding, Keith quickly became a chart-topper on Australian country radio, and of course has taken the rest of the world as well since then. Have a look at Keith (and his mullet) in his first video below, 1991's "Only You."
Keith Urban "Only You" 1991

McGraw Family Outing
Tim McGraw and Faith Hill take their daughters, Gracie, 11, Maggie, 9, and Audrey, 6 (and 2 other inidentified children) for lunch at Cafe Med up on Sunset Plaza in Nash Vegas last week. Faith Hill will be releasing her first Christmas album of her 15-year career, "Joy to the World," due September 16 on Warner Bros.

Miranda Lambert Is "Normal"
Miranda Lambert is right where she's wanted to be for years: in the public spotlight. As a result, she's become more conscious about her appearance, so she's gotten professional help to maintain her figure during her tours. "I have a trainer on the road that really helps me," she told OK magazine. "As far as eating habits go, I'm from the South, so I used to eat everything fried, everything with cheese on it. Now I eat more salad and healthier stuff." In addition, Miranda tries to walk 45 minutes daily, and she has a routine with free weights that she usually runs through outside of her bus. Despite the pressure to be as thin as possible, Miranda tries to keep her figure in mind without letting the topic control her. "To me, it comes with the business," she says of the body focus. "It's not that important. I don't obsess about it. As long as I feel good about myself, I'm a normal-sized girl, and I want to represent for normal-sized girls everywhere in the world that it's okay to have curves as long as you feel healthy and feel beautiful inside."

Larry the Cable Guy Special
Larry the Cable Guy will star in a holiday special for CMT. Larry the Cable Guy's Star Studded Christmas Extravaganza, a one-hour special, will be taped July 30 at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center in Nashville. Larry the Cable Guy hosted a similar holiday show for VH1 in 2007. "We had so much fun last year trying to recreate one of those old Christmas specials from the '70s, we thought we'd try doing it every year," he said. The new special is scheduled to include appearances by Toby Keith, Montgomery Gentry, Tony Orlando, comedian Lewis Black, comic actor Fred Willard, ventriloquist Terry Fator, and comedienne Victoria Jackson. A DVD of the special will be released by Jack Records/Warner Bros. Records following the show's premiere in November.

"Watching Airplanes" Honored
Much of Music Row flocked to ASCAP's Nashville headquarters Tuesday afternoon (July 8) to honor Gary Allan and songwriters Jonathan Singleton and Jim Beavers, the co-writers of Allan's most recent hit, "Watching Airplanes." Singleton is an ASCAP-affiliated writer. Beavers is with BMI, a competing performance rights society. Among the celebrants spotted in the crowd were Capitol Records' artist Eric Church and ASCAP's reigning songwriter of the year, Craig Wiseman. Allan took the microphone only long enough to thank the writers for creating the song. Said the emotionally overwhelmed Singleton, "People ask me how it feels to have a [song this successful], and I say I don't know. When I do, I'll post a blog." View photos from the party at CMT.com.

Reba Recruits Reba Stars And Talented Friends For New Video
Reba McEntire used some of her contacts for her latest video, "Every Other Weekend." Kenny Chesney provides guest vocals on the song. Reba says she has a lot of respect for Kenny, and she considers him a good friend. McEntire also invited friends Joanna Garcia and Steve Howey, who portrayed her daughter and son-in-law on her sitcom Reba, to be in the clip. In the video they portray divorced parents who are still in love with one another. The storyline follows the lyrics of the song, which was written by Skip Ewing and Connie Harrington. Reba takes the role of an observer who relates the story of the couple, who hand the kids back and forth every other weekend following their divorce.

Sunday Rose's Origin
Nicole Kidman is rumored to be back at her Nashville home with daughter Sunday Rose Urban Kidman just a day after her birth. While the world's media puzzled over Kidman and her country husband Keith Urban's unusual choice of name for their baby Sunday Rose Kidman Urban, Antony Kidman, Nicole's father, revealed he and his wife had suggested it. "There was a lady named Sunday Reed who was a prominent patron of the arts in Victoria," Dr Kidman said from his practice in Austrailia. "I have read a bit about Sunday Reed and her husband John - she was a key mover and shaker in the arts around the beginning of the century. The name Sunday struck me as being a nice name for a woman, so my wife and I mentioned it." Urban's brother Shane could not contain his excitement as he spoke to a Sunshine Coast radio station, revealing the baby's second name was a tribute to their late grandmother Rose. "It's a wonderful wonderful thing, I'm so, so proud," he said. Kidman's mother Janelle and sister Antonia are in Nashville by the Oscar winner's side. Nashville's Baptist Hospital is still refusing to confirm speculation that Kidman gave birth at the hospital Monday. It is rumored Kidman and Urban were at the hospital and have now left, possibly on Monday night.

Strait's Christmas CD
George Strait will brighten this year's holiday season with his album, Classic Christmas, releasing October 7. The album's ten traditional holiday songs are Strait's personal favorites and they were recorded with the Texas Troubadour's own country flare. Songs on the CD include the Christmas anthem "We Three Kings," the playful "Up on the Housetop," and enduring classics such as "Hark, The Herald Angels Sing," "Deck the Halls," "O Come, All Ye Faithful," and "We Wish You A Merry Christmas." "I wanted to put together a collection of my favorite traditional Christmas songs that I grew up listening to," says Strait. "It was hard to narrow it down to ten of them, but I think I've done it. I hope these songs bring back good memories for my fans like they have for me."

MG Give 10 Scholarships
Montgomery Gentry may have a No. 1 hit with the song 'Back When I Knew It All,' but both will readily admit that they still don't know it all and they're pretty sure no one else does either. To help remedy that situation, the duo is working with the University of Phoenix to give away college scholarships to ten fortunate recipients. Troy Gentry says the plan is to give away the scholarships to people who at one time thought they knew it all, quit college and now regret that decision. Eddie Montgomery adds that he himself didn't finish high school, and that's the one thing he most regrets. "Used to your high school diploma was all you needed, but today I think you're gonna have to have a college diploma to get by," he says. Mongtomery adds that the University of Phoenix scholarships will hopefully hopefully help some people who couldn't have afforded to continue their education to get their diploma. The first scholarship went to Gretchen Wilson, who will return the favor by helping others through her Gretchen Wilson Foundation. The other nine scholarships will be given away later this year. Those interested are asked to write an essay on why they want the scholarship. Eddie, Troy and faculty from the University of Phoenix will choose the recipients based on those essays.

Jewel's Paisley Party
Brad Paisley announced his 2008 tour, Hershey’s Presents The Paisley Party with special guests Jewel, Chuck Wicks, and Julianne Hough last night during his performance at the Music City JAM in Nashville. Kick-off date for the current 42-date tour is scheduled for June 11 in Albuquerque, NM. Check www.bradpaisley.com for tour dates. With a name like "the Paisley Party Tour" one would expect some pretty rowdy behavior. According to Jewel, those kinds of expectations would be wrong. "Most tours I have been on, everyone eats pizza after the show, drinks, and sleeps ‘til afternoon," she says. "But on this tour, they eat veggies and fruit after the show, rarely drink, and most of them get up and work out. My assistant Amy and I like to run in the mornings, so sometimes we all go together - [it’s] a big Jewel family-group run complete with our finest pre-run stretching. We are all pretty silly - which is important when everyone is working so hard, and living so close together." The Paisley Party, sponsored in part by GAC, also features Chuck Wicks and Julianne Hough. This weekend’s itinerary includes Cincinnati on Friday; Bristow, Va., on Saturday; and Saratoga Springs, N.Y., on Sunday.

Vote For Gretchen Wilson's "Take Me Out To The Ballgame"
Gretchen Wilson's rendition of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" is among the finalists in the ESPN Baseball Tonight Battle of the Bands competition. She joins Ozomatli and Punch Brothers as the top three vote getters in the promotion commemorating the 100th birthday of the tune, beating out such artists as REO Speedwagon, Candlebox, and Branford Marsalis to remain in the running. A fresh round of voting is now underway. Fans can view the videos online at ESPN.com. Watch Baseball Tonight on Sunday, July 13 to see your top ''Take Me Out To The Ballgame'' performance!
Watch Gretchen's video below, then go here to vote!

What Put Nicole Into Labor?
Brooks & Dunn's Ronnie Dunn is taking partial credit for Nicole Kidman's special delivery. He explains that Keith Urban brought his pregnant wife to his home for the Fourth of July to watch his very impressive fireworks display. Ronnie says, "Nicole told me Friday night that she was hoping that my fireworks would do it. I'm overjoyed for them." Ronnie's singing partner, Kix Brooks, offers his congratulations as well, saying, "They've been so excited - I'm so happy for them." He adds his prediction that Sunday Rose Kidman Urban will be, "one beautiful baby girl," since her parents are, "a red-headed movie star and a guitar slinger." Keith and Nicole celebrated the birth of their daughter, who arrived in Nashville yesterday morning.

Garth & Trisha's New Digs
Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood have a new house on the beach. The Los Angeles Times reports Brooks and Yearwood bought a one-story house with 3,700 square feet in Malibu, California. The house had been listed at 5.45 million dollars and then dropped to 4.95 million, but the purchase price was not disclosed. The house is behind gates and sits on half an acre with beach access. The one-story house has about 3,700 square feet and, according to the listing, includes three bedrooms and 3 1/2 bathrooms. The master bedroom has hardwood floors; flooring elsewhere is stone and carpet. There is an outdoor patio with a fireplace and ample space for entertaining. The wooded property is secluded, but those paps are a tenacious lot. Altercations between the photographers who follow celebrities and local residents erupted twice in recent weeks, making international headlines.

Home #1 For Shelton
Blake Shelton says he loved his single "Home" the first time he heard it, but the song means even more to him now. Shelton is at the top of the Billboard and Country Aircheck country singles chart with the Michael Buble song. Blake notes the tune tells a story of longing to be home with loved ones. Buble co-wrote the song with Amy Foster-Gillies and Alan Chang, and recorded the song originally. Shelton's girlfriend, Miranda Lambert, found the tune. She played the song for Blake then put it on his iPod. Shelton says that after listening to it again, he realized the song could touch the hearts of country listeners as well as Buble's fans. Blake adds, "I've had the honor of performing 'Home' with Michael Buble on a couple of occasions and can honestly say he is a really great guy and I think as a writer he's probably pretty excited that it's reached number one, too."

McGraw Wraps Up Tour
Tim McGraw's "Live Your Voice Tour 08" is now history. Over the course of the trek the singer played before 500-thousand fans in 34 stops, and raked in nearly 20-million-dollars. This was Tim's first solo run following tours with wife Faith Hill in 2006 and 2007. In addition to amphitheaters and arena shows, McGraw's trek visited several major festivals including the Stagecoach in California, the New Orleans Jazz Fest in Louisiana, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin's Summerfest. McGraw's team was proud to be able to keep the average ticket price under 50-dollars. Joining McGraw on the tour were Jason Aldean and Halfway to Hazard. Fans attending concerts also got the chance to register to vote, listen to Lance Miller and Catherine Raney on the StyleSonic Stage, and download free music at the venues. They also heard three new songs - "Southern Voice," "You Had to Be There," and "Still" - which will be on McGraw's next album.