Today's Country Tidbits

Garth Brooks has teamed up with The Professional Bull Riders, Inc. to raise a million bucks in 2010 for Teammates for Kids. In the past ten years, athletes from all sorts of sports have helped raised over $75 million, with one hundred percent of the proceeds going to children's charities.

By popular demand, Jimmy Wayne's Meet Me Halfway trek across America now has its own website. Follow his frigid trek from Nashville to Arizona as he raises money to help homeless teens. As a former homeless teen himself, he's making a point to stop at local shelters along the way to show those kids how a life can turn around with the right dreams and the willingness to work for those dreams.

On the heels of having the biggest-selling cd of 2009, Taylor Swift just hit another milestone: she's the most-downloaded artist in history, with a total sales of 24.3 million digital tracks.

Gretchen Wilson will be the halftime performer at the AFC Divisional Playoff game in Indianapolis this coming Saturday. She'll also sing the National Anthem before the game, which features the Indianapolis Colts vs. the New York Jets.

Kenny Chesney is a new homeowner in Franklin, Tennessee. He plunked down $9.2 million for a 30 acre estate with five bedrooms, seven full baths and two half-baths in 11,143 square feet of house. The estate is called Bella Luce, which is Italian for "beautiful light." The driveway is nearly a mile long, there's an infinity-edge swimming pool and a six car garage, complete with it's own heating and air system. So, two puppies for the girlfriend, a new mansion...hmmmm, can an engagement ring be far behind?

No word on when it will tape, but Keith Urban and John Mayer will be featured in an episode of CMT Crossroads this season. That should be hot!

Randy Houser, Jamey Johnson and Kellie Pickler left for the middle east yesterday, to deliver postcards of support and to play for the men and women laying their lives on the line for our country.

Toby Keith wants to give you a new pickup and a private concert for you and 99 friends...in your own back yard. To enter the Ford F-150 sweepstakes, check out Toby's tour page.

Montgomery Gentry's new cd is done. No word on a name or release date yet, but the studio work on it is finished, and the tour planning is underway.

And Jo Dee Messina is set to release new music this year. The first single, "That's God" is available on her website. No, not just part of it, like most artists do...the whole song is there, and she calls it "her soul on a page."

Sara Evans - novelist? Yep, her first book is out, and she's doing a book signing in Nashville today. "The Sweet By and By" is a semi-autobiographical novel, with heroine Jade Fitzgerald finding redemption in faith following a stormy childhood. This is the first of four books that Sara's planning in the series.

The Country Crossings gambling dispute continues. Alabama Governor Barber has stated that he'll go on with the raid to remove what he considers illegal gambling machines if the judge dissolves the restraining order against the raid. The hearing is tomorrow morning in Dothan, Alabama. Meanwhile, Houston County elected officials and business leaders have sent a letter to the Governor, asking that the dispute be settled in a civil, not criminal, manner. Citing the tough economy and the potential job losses if Country Crossings is closed down, they're trying to appeal to the Governor's sense of fairness. Country Crossings is scheduled to host three days of free concerts this coming weekend as part of their grand opening celebration.

As part of Sound and Speed's Friday night concert, Chris Young found himself onstage, singing a duet with Vince Gill. He tweeted about what an amazing experience that was on Friday night, and was still going on about it Saturday afternoon.

Happy birthday to Mama Judd, Naomi, today.