Today's Country Tidbits

Last night on the GAC telethon, deep pockets spilled cash. Brad Paisley, who himself lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in gear, gave $100,000. Delta Airlines kicked in a hundred grand, and the Academy of Country Music pledged $250,000.The "Music City Keep On Playin'" benefit concert for flood relief raised nearly 2 million dollars in the three hours it was on tv last night, and the phones stayed open for several more hours, allowing fans who couldn't get through during the show to call and donate, or just chat with the artists who were still manning the phone banks. You can easily give to make that number go higher. Just text GAC to 501501 to donate $10.

The Nashville Tenneseean newspaper has an excellent article about last night's telethon posted online, accompanied by a gallery of great photos taken by staff photographer Jae S. Lee.

Meanwhile, the Tim McGraw/Faith Hill-led flood relief concert nearly sold out as soon as the tickets went on sale Friday. All seats priced from $22.50 to $247.50 are gone. The VIP seats, priced at $1,000, are nearly sold out, but if you have deep pockets, there are still a few of those left. Check Ticketmaster to get them.

Miranda Lambert didn't see it coming at all when Blake proposed to her. “I was very surprised, very surprised. You know, bein’ a girl, you’re always like, ‘When are we gonna get married? When are we gonna get married? When am I gonna get a ring? I don’t care if we get married…just give me the ring,’ you know? (laughs) And I was shocked. I just…I didn’t know when or where or how, and I’m glad, ’cause I love surprises. Usually I can figure those things out, but I had no clue.”

Lady Antebellum is touring with Tim McGraw right now, but one of their fondest memories is opening for Martina McBride. Why? The food. Hillary explains, “It was this catering company out of Knoxville, they’re called Dega. They traveled with us. It felt like you were in a four-star restaurant. Organic, they had an industrial juicer. That was one thing that Martina felt so strongly about – making sure that everybody stays healthy and happy. Whenever you’re well-fed, you’re healthy and you’re happy.” As they're thinking of how to manage their own headlining tour, which they hope to roll out this fall, they're planning to take a page out of Martina's playbook where the food is concerned.

Jimmy Wayne is still walking across America to raise awareness of the kids in foster care who turn 18 with nowhere to go but the streets. He's in New Mexico, and Friday was caught in a rain storm in the desert.

On Friday in Nashville, James Otto felt his baby kick for the first time inside wife Amy's belly. Then on Saturday in Detriot, he got to meet the man he has looked up to since he was a kid, and the man who made him want to be a singer for a living...Bob Seger.

Jewel will be singing the National Anthem before the Indy 500, and catch Zac Brown Band on the David Letterman show tonight.