Taylor Swift doesn't quite top this list, but she's doing really well to come in second. Forbes' list of the Top Earning Women in Music is out, and Taylor's at #2, just behind Lady GaGa. Carrie Underwood is also on the list, at #7. Taylor earned $45 million in the last 12 months, and Carrie earned $20 million.
Oh, dear...country music has a new scandal. Rodney Atkins was arrested and booked on domestic assault charges on November 21st, though the story just broke late yesterday morning. His wife, Tammy Jo Atkins, says that he tried to smother her with a pillow, and then threw her down the hallway, all in front of their son. He says she's lying, and he's filed for divorce. A hearing for the divorce case is scheduled for December 20th, and there's no word on when or if Rodney will have to stand trial for the events of November 21st. They were married in April of 1998 and have a 10-year old son, Elijah.
Also in November, Shania Twain's stalker pleaded guilty. The 51-year-old former doctor agreed to stay away from her. But yesterday, Joe Palumbo appealed his own guilty plea in the hopes of being acquitted in a new trial. Currently, he has to stay half a kilometer from Shania. His medical license was suspended in May of this year after he broke an agreement to stay away from her.
Jason Aldean has given Taylor Swift a big gift this holiday season - the gift of recognition for what she's doing for country music. In an interview with USA Today, Jason said, “Taylor has gone out and brought a whole new fanbase to our world. All these teenage girls that might not have listened to country before, she has brought them all into our genre. Nobody else is really doing that.” With two daughters, Jason's probably very familiar with the appeal of Taylor to the young, female crowd.
Brad Paisley is getting set to kick off his Camobunga tour in January, and is planning a bunch of "oh-wow" effects for fans. He says his camo inspiration was Porter Wagoner, who a young Brad saw leave the Opry building not in his famous sparkly Nudie suit, but in camo. “He comes out and he’s wearing a camo hat, and a Bass Pro Shops camo shirt, and camo pants, and that’s what he wore outta here. I remember thinking, ‘Well, that is just perfect!’ There’s something about it that’s very country.”
Montgomery Gentry and the Professional Championship Bull Riders are teaming up for a 2012 arena tour. Each stop includes a concert, followed by bullriding competitions.
On a tiny NASCAR note, congratulations to David Ragan and his new fiance, Jacquelyn Butler. They were engaged yesterday. Wedding details are to be announced.
Vince Gill is on Jimmy Kimmel Live tonight and Craig Campbell is on Fox & Friends Weekend tomorrow.
The tweet of the day is from Blake Shelton: "Just found out the hard way that its not legal to relieve yourself in your yard in LA... Even though I was gonna pick it up!!!"
