Thursday News Brief

News From Around The Country
There’s no question that Lady Antebellum has reigned supreme on the Billboard Country Albums chart in 2010. This week, Lady Antebellum has the number one album on the country chart and the number ten album on Billboard’s Top 200 chart. To date, Lady Antebellum has sold nearly two-point-four million copies of Need You Now. That success translates to the trio headlining their first tour in the fall. They’ve been playing stadiums and arenas as the opening act for the past couple of years, but Dave Haywood says they aren’t ready to venture into that type of tour yet. Instead, Lady Antebellum wants their first tour to be intimate with the fans who have given them so much success. Look for the trio to appear in theatres around the country.

Kenny Chesney will join Will Farrell, Samuel L. Jackson, and Brooklyn Decker as a presenter on the 18th Annual ESPY Awards on ESPN July 14th. In the meantime, Kenny is currently in the final stages of co-producing his ninety-minute documentary on the importance of high school football, which features many of the biggest names in NFL. ……In June, Darryl Worley held his annual Hitmakers & Harley’s concert series, and the numbers are in. The concerts raised over $120,000 to support The Darryl Worley Foundation this year. …… Pat Green received the Texas Music Chart’s Decade Award Sunday night during Houston’s Freedom Festival. The honor recognized Pat for receiving more airplay than any other artist in the ten year history of the Texas music chart.

Hear the Harley Roar on K-Great 104

The big announcement has broken! The Country Station will be giving away a new Harley Davidson Dyna Super Glide. How do you win? First, you have to qualify. Then all of the Qualifiers will meet on June 19th for the chance to win the Harley. How do you qualify? Well, there are three ways to play. The first involves listening to The Country Station. We realize that that's a sacrifice, but we think you can handle it. You will be given the opportunity to call in and visit the K-Great 104 Harley Garage. You choose a number, we open the door, and if you hear the Harley roar you will win a K-Great 104 Qualifiers T-shirt, a pair of Allen Theatre movie passes, and a chance to win the Harley. Secondly, you enter to qualify by coming out to visit us a one of the many coming Harley Stops. A qualifier will be drawn at each stop, just from among the people who entered at that particular stop. Plan accordingly, because you will have to be present to win. Lastly, we will be drawing qualifiers periodically from among those who mail us entries or submit an entry through the website. The bottom line goal is to become a Qualifier by any means, because then you'll not only have a really cool shirt, but that's the only way that you'll get closer to winning the Harley. Good Luck. All the rules are on the main website.

News From Around The Country
Darryl Worley is about to kick-off his We've Not Forgotten tour, starting April 29th and running through May 3rd. The Stars for Stripes military tour will include full-band concerts, as well as acoustic shows fro various bases in Iraq. When Darryl returns back to the states, he will begin working on his new album. ..... Brad Paisley will perform for the second time at the 2010 National Memorial Day Concert on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol. He will be joined by classical artist Katherine Jenkins, gospel singer Yolanda Adams, and the National Symphony orchestra. Actors Gary Sinise and Joe Mantegna will share duties co-hosting the event. ..... And Finally, look for Miranda Lambert and her mother to be featured on the Mother's Day issue of Country Weekly. Miranda will also celebrate the holiday in a special Mother's Day episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition as a volunteer, and will also perform "The House That Built Me," this Sunday on ABC.

Tuesday Newsday

You can meet Jimmy halfway in Amarillo. On Saturday, a rally for Jimmy Wayne will be held in Amarillo to celebrate the halfway point of his Meet Me Halfway Walk from Nashville to Phoenix. How’s he doing so far? Jimmy says, “I’ve felt my knees and my back get soar out here on the road, but the key for me has been stretching, wearing the right shoes, and drinking a lot of water.”

Clay Walker received the Robert M. Barg Memorial Achievement Award at the Fearless Caregiver Conference in Nashville. Clay was there to give a speech on his standpoint of a caregiver, but afterwards, he was surprised to be honored with the plaque. This is only the fourth time an individual has received this honor.

The American Red Cross has announced eight new members to its 2010 National Celebrity Cabinet- a group of celebrity supporters who promote Red Cross. Wynonna Judd and Reba McEntire will represent country music alongside Gossip Girl’s Penn Badgley, on-air personality Giselle Blondet, Transformers Josh Duhmel. LL Cool J, Alyssa Milano, and David Spade.

Darryl Worley is heading back overseas for the eighth time to perform for U.S. Troops as part of the Stars for Stripes Tour. Darryl has dubbed his part the We've Not Forgotten Tour, and he’ll be doing full band shows as well as special acoustic sets for troops on outlying bases in Iraq.

Half Off Wednesday and A Lot Coming To TV

This year’s pairs for Dancing With The Stars have been revealed…

Melissa Joan Hart and reigning champ Mark Ballas.
Pop singer Aaron Carter and Karina Smirnoff.
Olympic champion swimmer Natalie Coughlin and Season 1 champ Alec Mazo.
Mark Dacasos, Iron Chef star and Lacey Schwimmer .
Former House Majority leader Tom Delay and two-time champion Cheryl Burke.
Pop singer Macy Gray and Marie Osmond’s former partner Jonathan Roberts.
Actor Ashley Hamilton and longest-dancing pro Edyta Sliwinska.
Model Kathy Ireland and Sara Evans’ former partner Tony Dovolani.
NFL Hall-of-Famer Michael Irvin and viewer-voted pro Anna Demidova.
Model Joanna Krupa and Season 7 champ Derek Hough.
Chuck Lidell, Ultimate Fighting Champion, and Anna Trebunskaya.
Actress Debi Mazar and Maks’ 6-pack, er…. Maksim Chmerkovsky.
Singer Mya and Dmitry Chaplin.
Kelly Osbourne and Louis Van Amstel.
Donny Osmond and 7-season dancer Kym Johnson.
Louie Vito, professional snowboarder, and last year’s bullrider-tamer Chelsie Hightower

More TV Notes
They did such a good job last year, albeit last minute, Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley are being asked to host the CMA Awards again this year. The 2009 Awards will air live from Nashville on Wednesday, November 11th on ABC. … Kenny Chesney’s Austin City Limits will air October 17th. …. Darryl Worley will appear on Hannity tonight and Fox & Friends this Friday. … Alison Krauss will join other performers including Carole King and Gavin DeGraw in performing a free concert in New York's Central Park on Wednesday, September 23rd, at 7 PM. The event will also include footage from upcoming PBS documentary, The National Parks: America's Best Idea. The free event is part of National Parks Week in New York City.

Thursday Briefing

News From Around The Country
Jessica Simpson has been dropped by her Sony Nashville label. The Oprah show dedicated to country music will reportedly air April 14th. Sugarland, Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker and Kenny Chesney will appear and sing on the show. Darryl Worley shot a video this week for “Sounds Like Life To Me,” co-starring Jamey Johnson and Tennessee Titans quarterback Kerry Collins. Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 made it’s Broadway debut last night. And finally, a good deed to bring a smile. Charley Pride learned of a Canadian fan who had paid $933 to a scalper for a pair of tickets to one of his concerts in her hometown. While in town for the gig, Charley surprised the fan when he showed up at the local drug store with a check to pay her back for the tickets. Charley said that he thinks online ticket scalping is unacceptable, adding, "That's why I came. I don't think it's right. I wouldn't like paying that much money to see myself." To top it off, Charley gave the fan two floor seat tickets, too. Fan Jacqueline Sharp cried when she said, "I felt like (I was) 20. He's one of the better performers I think I've ever seen."


And your Harley Photo of the Day: Ira Dean, formerly of Trick Pony

A Bounty of Blonds

It’s a Feel Good Friday at The Country Station and the news is flying at us in more of a random pattern than a loopy pilot on final approach.

We’ll make a swift start because a day without Taylor Swift is like an ocean without water. Today it’s being reported that country music’s favorite 18-year-old blond has been named a “Goddess of Summer” by the makers of a national brand of women’s razors. "This has been an amazing year for me -- and my new 'Goddess of Summer' role is a fun way for me to connect with my fans," Taylor said. Be watching for Taylor and her goddess-worthy legs in ad campaigns beginning August 15th.

Blond #2. Garth Brooks’ pretty wife, Miss Yearwood is sporting a ‘stache that you can’t shave. Trisha Yearwood is the latest celebrity to be featured in the “Got Milk” ad campaign.

Cute-as-a-cowgirl Jessica Simpson will be on the September cover of Elle magazine with an accompanying article about her love life and musical inspirations. That’s 3.

Blond #4 comes with a little more testosterone, but it’s attractive to learn that there’s some intellect under the curls. Dierks Bentley recently finished reading a biography of Henry the 8th. It was 900 pages long and he says he felt smart pulling it out to read on planes. He finished it while in Europe on tour.

And as long as we’re shopping in the good-lookin’ blond men’s department, how about a fifth tow head for a Feel Good Friday? Word is circulating that Bucky Covington is shopping for material for a sophomore album. New songs are being auditioned to receptive audiences on the concert trail this summer, with studio time tentatively booked for the fall. Stay tuned for a release date. Meanwhile, the third single from Bucky Covington, “I’ll Walk” continues to climb the charts (#13 MR / #29 MB) and burn up the video sharing services. You can see one of the most popular creations here.

Now for those that prefer your fellas a little on the darker side, Johnny Cash fans will want to set your DVR’s to see The Man in Black on August 5th. A 40-year old documentary will air on PBS. The documentary aired originally on public TV shortly after it was made in the late '60's, was released briefly in theaters, was shown in the United Kingdom, and aired last year on a cable channel. Cash is shown in a variety of footage onstage and off. Asked why PBS would air such dated footage, Executive Director Simon Kilmurry said, "Johnny Cash has become an almost mythic figure, and Bob Elfstrom's film captures him as a three-dimensional, complex person at a pivotal point in his life and career." Look for Johnny Cash: The Man, His World, His Music on TV Tuesday as part of the 21st season of PBS' Emmy-winning P.O.V. series.

And lastly, sad news related to the Spotlight Artist of the Week. Darryl Worley’s Uncle Ed Howard has died at 95 this week in Savannah, Tennessee. He made regular appearances in his nephew’s videos, including the featured spotlight video “Tennessee River Run." Uncle Ed was also a fixture at Darryl’s annual Tennessee River Run to raise money for charitable causes. Condolences to the Worley Family. Share some memories with one of Uncle Ed’s appearances in this built-for-Friday video “A Good Day To Run.”
And one more Friday Feature for our Spotlight Artist. Check out Darryl Worley performing “Awful Beautiful Life” for the troops on a USO Tour. That should be enough to keep you occupied all weekend.
Awful Beautiful Life USO TOUR

Outlaws, Horses, and Teen Queens

Top o’ the Monday to you. It’s Monday Music Madness today, so tune in for your chance to win a copy of Mark Chesnutt’s latest CD Rollin’ With the Flow. You’ll also notice a couple new features in the left sidebar. Sheila’s Spotlight Artist gives you a chance to get to know a topical artist a little better. First you’ll meet Darryl Worley. He’s got a hot, err, make that cool new single on the air this week, “Tequila On Ice.” Listen for it. You’ll also see the Hanson Happy Hour Humor. It’s Dana, y’all. Expect off the cuff quips and anecdotes, but you may also get an interesting thought to ponder every once in a while. Check back often. Now, country music around the web.

Bocephus did it. Lisa Marie Presley did it. Now Shooter’s done it. He joins the class of second generation artists who have recorded with deceased parents. For Shooter Jennings, it was a project that began in 1995. "I was 16 years old and way into Nine Inch Nails and Guns N' Roses, but [Dad] was really excited to do something together. So I came up with all these ideas for new arrangements of his songs and a few covers." At the time, Shooter’s dad, Waylon Jennings, recorded the vocal tracks for the album he intended to record with his son. The project was put on hold, and then Waylon passed on in 2002 with the project unfinished and unreleased -- until now. Shooter completed the project with his band, The .357s, and says that he was inspired to do a slowed-down version of his dad's classic, 'Don't You Think This Outlaw Bit's Done Got Out of Hand' after hearing Johnny Cash's plaintive take on Nine Inch Nails 'Hurt.' But for the younger Jennings, who memorably portrayed his dad in the Oscar-winning film Walk the Line, the most important aspect of the process now seems to be relishing the time he had with his father. "I may not have appreciated it as much as I should have then," he says, "but I couldn't be happier to be doing a record with him now. It's like I'm finishing the job we started together." Waylon Forever is a nine-song collection of Waylon originals and unique covers that reflect Shooter's edgier musical taste in the Nineties. The CD should be out later in the summer.

With the movie Beer For My Horses just two weeks away, if you don’t see Toby Keith on TV, you’re surfing channels too fast. The media mania begins for Toby tonight, when he makes his third appearance on Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report. He’s got a full day of radio interviews on Tuesday. Tomorrow night, he’ll be on CNN Headline News with Glenn Beck. Wednesday includes a stop at Fox and Friends, Nick News, and Thursday, Toby will perform on ABC’s mid-morning talk-fest The View. Next week, Toby’s appearances include The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson. The movie finally makes it to the theatre for everyone to see on August 8th.

Lastly, Miss Taylor. While most local high school seniors received their coveted pieces of paper in May, Taylor Swift just received her diploma – in the mail. "Education has always been at the forefront of my priorities, so I'm really glad to have my diploma," the 18-year-old singer-songwriter said Friday. Taylor attended public school for 9th and 10th grade, but when her career took off, she needed more flexibility and switched to Aaron Academy, a private Christian school that offered home schooling. "I never expected that my senior year would go the way it has," she said. "There's something really exciting about getting to live your dream and continue your education at the same time." That book education is over for the time being. While her peers prepare to move into dorms across the country, Taylor is out on tour with Rascal Flatts, and has a sophomore album coming out in the fall.