Today's Country Tidbits

It's official: Cash Rich is here, son of John and Joan Rich. Cash was born Sunday morning in Nashville. Mom and son are doing fine, and Daddy is as proud as a peacock.

Reba will be the host of the 45th ACM Awards on April 18th in Las Vegas. This is her 12th time hosting the show, which always has good ratings. The following night, in the same venue, CBS will tape a special, "Brooks & Dunn - The Last Rodeo." Since most of the stars will be in town for the ACM Awards, it was easy to get guests for that special. Already committed: Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban and Reba. Tickets for both events go on sale Friday.

Speaking of Brooks & Dunn, their website has undergone a complete transformation. Check out their new, last rodeo look.

Phil Vassar will spend a week in the UK at the end of this month, promoting his latest cd, "Traveling Circus" and playing a handful of intimate shows. The venue in Glasgow, Scotland takes the cake for the best bar name ever: King Tut's Wah Wah Hut!

Taylor Swift is back in the studio, working on the follow-up to "Fearless." She's got the same musicians who played on that project, so we know that what comes out of these sessions will be good.

And it looks like two of the three Dixie Chicks are working on an album. Natalie Maines isn't part of the project, which could come out later this year. Sisters Martie Maguire and Emily Robison have been recording demos, and there's no word yet on what they'll call their duo.

Rascal Flatts tour kicks off Friday night. The "Unstoppable" tour re-starts in Connecticut and rolls across America, landing in Texas in mid-March.

Jason Aldean is gearing up for the continuation of his "Wide Open" tour, and promises a few new twists onstage.

This year marks a decade of wedded bliss for Vince Gill and Amy Grant - or does it? They're the cover couple on Good Housekeeping magazine, and they are pretty honest about how hard it's been to blend their families and balance each other's bad parts. Vince admits to a temper and Amy admits to a stubborn streak. The February issue is on newsstands today.

Jimmy Wayne's last tweet last night: "I began this walk with no intentions of asking 4 help 4 myself; just support 4 MMH. I'm in awe of how many people have offered both." We are a land of good people.

Birthday wishes for Keith Anderson, Ricky Van Shelton and Ray Price today.

Roseanne Cash will be on The Late Show with Conan O'Brien on Tuesday, talking about "The List" and performing "Sea of Heartbreak."

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.

Today's Country Tidbits

NASCAR and country music go together like biscuits and gravy, so it's not a surprise to hear that Blake Shelton, Gloriana, Jessica Harp, James Otto, Whitney Duncan and Jason Jones will all be part of the BAM Racing VIP Fan Experience this year. That means special artist paint jobs on the cars, pre-race concerts and really up-close-and-personal access to the racing team and to the stars for the fans.

Joining Kenny Chesney at BamaJam this year will be Miranda Lambert, Jake Owen, Hank Williams Jr. and the LoCash Cowboys. Lots more artists will be announced between now and the show weekend, which is June 3 through 5 in Enterprise, Alabama.

Taylor Swift is the new global ambassador for Sony, showing up at the Consumer Electronics Association Las Vegas trade show yesterday to help Sony unveil some new 3-D technology for home use. She'll use Sony 3-D technology to shoot parts of her "Fearless 2010" tour, no doubt becoming a 3-D movie event like Kenny Chesney is about to have.

Faith Hill has a new management team and is working on a new album for 2010.

A Gretchen Wilson greatest hits package is coming out on the 19th of this month. It has all of her hits, plus a live version of "Barracuda" as only Gretchen can do it.

How cold is Jimmy Wayne on his walk? The water valve on his Camel Back froze, so he couldn't drink from his water carrier. He's still following I-70 in Tennessee.

Told you yesterday about the Kellie Pickler, Randy Houser and Jamey Johnson USO tour - today, another detail about what they'll be delivering to the service men and women. While touring together, Randy and Jamey have been collecting postcards for the military from their audiences, and they'll deliver those. Some of the notes are funny, some uplifting, but Jamey says they'll all help lift the spirits of those in harm's way.

How do stars calm their stage-fright nerves? Randy Travis doesn't think about what he's about to do until he just goes out and does it. Reba thinks about it, takes a deep breath and goes out and has fun. Jason Aldean and Darius Rucker both have a little drink, just enough to take the edge off, and the members of Gloriana have a pre-show ritual which involves fist-bumping and a secret word. Then they go out, have fun and don't take themselves too seriously.

Today is Elvis Presley's birthday...Graceland is filled to capacity for the weekend. And happy birthday to Crystal Gayle tomorrow.

Today's Country Tidbits

Bet you'll never guess which artist sold more albums last year than any other? Yup - you guessed it, Taylor Swift. Fearless was purchased 3.2 million times, beating Susan Boyle' surprise showing late in the year.

Congrats to Carrie, Keith and Taylor, who all won People's Choice awards last night. As far as the show - yuk. Not very nice to country music, in spite of the awards. Can we lose the cliches and just enjoy the music, Hollywood?

On the red carpet at the People's Choice awards last night, People.com asked Carrie about her wedding plans. She doesn't have a date set yet, doesn't know who's designing her dress, but does want a groom, good food and an open bar. Plus, she says she's a southern girl, so will be flaunting some big hair and eyeliner that day.

Have you ever seen the pharmaceutical sales reps who visit doctors to talk about the latest and greatest drugs? If so, then you know why Carrie Underwood is the perfect choice to play one on tv - she's gorgeous! Carrie will be part of CBS-TV's "How I Met Your Mother" in March.

The Rascal Flatts CSI episode is in the can, and Jay DeMarcus proclaims it "awesome." It will air March 4th.

Congrats to Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift Sugarland, Zac Brown Band and Lady Antebellum - they're all included on the 2010 Grammy Nominee cd. It'll hit the streets on January 19th, and a portion of the proceeds go to the MusiCares Foundation.

2010 is the year that Eric Church gets to headline his own tour. The Jagermeister Country Tour featuring Eric Church hits the road on February 9th in Baltimore and plows across the country with 28 shows before wrapping up in Colorado on March 27th.

Don't know when they're going, but do know that Kellie Picker, Jamie Johnson and Randy Houser are headed to the middle east on a USO tour. Exact details aren't announced on these trips to help keep the artists safer. We do know that Kellie needs to be stateside by March 4th, when her opening-act-for-Taylor-Swift job restarts in Tampa, Florida.

Darius Rucker is still on cloud 9 after winning the CMA award for best new artist. He says some people might think that's goofy, but it was one of the greatest moments of his life.

Joe Nichols will have to wait a bit longer for his Broadway stage debut. Tapped to play the leading man in the stage adaptation of "Pure Country" on Broadway, Joe's been chomping at the bit to start rehearsals, but they've been pushed back to the fall, due to the sluggish economy. His enthusiasm for the project isn't dimmed, though, and when The Boot asked him how he'd feel if George Strait showed up to watch him take on the role he played in the movie, Joe laughed and said, "I probably couldn't go on. It would scare the crap out of me."

Jimmy Wayne is still following highway 70 and is still in Tennessee as he walks across America to spotlight teen homelessness. He's finding amazing things alongside the road: a hammer, pumpkin, bra, coins, electrical tape, plastic duck, a wallet and an American flag, all yesterday.

Happy birthday to John Rich today. Today's also the due date for John and Joan's son, Cash. I'll let you know if they get their Cash on time.

Today's Country Tidbits

Don't miss the People's Choice awards tonight on CBS. Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift will all be part of the show, and country music is represented well in the nominations.

Is it legal or isn't it? Country Crossing, the country music and lifestyle venue near Dothan, Alabama, also includes gambling machines, which developers, owners and the county officials say are legal. The Governor of Alabama sent in his anti-gambling task force in the wee hours of this morning to put a stop to what they believe is illegal gambling. A judge quickly ordered the task force to stand down, and it's unclear exactly what will happen next. The venue is the location for a three-day country music festival scheduled for January 15, 16 and 17th, so they need to get this all ironed out pretty quickly.

Jimmy Wayne's walk across America to bring attention to homeless teens is going well. He crossed the Tennessee River yesterday, and says he's blown away by small-town America. All along the way, people are bringing him coffee, donuts, bottles of water and when he stops for a meal, people buy it for him.

Meanwhile, Justin Moore didn't have a great day yesterday. His wife was driving their car in Nashville, and an officer pulled her over because she was driving on expired tags. Justin was not amused, and made his feelings perfectly clear via Twitter. He said he's convinced that "99% of cops in Nashville got beat up in high school." He went on to use an expletive related to their parentage, saying they "don't look big & bad by pickin on a girl 8 mts preg." Today he's back-pedaling a little bit, saying that there are a lot of great officers out there and he appreciates what they do, but knows of at least one that needs to chill. The baby girl is due later this month, while Justin will be on the road with Brad Paisley.

John Rich and his wife Joan are ready, and it's a good thing. Their son, Cash, has a due date of tomorrow. We'll keep you posted.

Sound and Speed motors through Nashville this weekend, with two shows Friday night at the Ryman. Jason Michael Carroll is the featured performer on the 7pm show, and Hank Williams Jr. and his daughter Holly are sharing the stage at 9:30. Chris Young, Danny Gokey and Kyle Petty are part of both shows.

Wanna see Taylor Swift doing a karaoke version of Miranda Lambert's "Gunpowder and Lead?" She really sells it, so there's some kick to go with all of her sugar and spice.

Today's Country Tidbits

More industry props for the Zac Brown Band - they've been invited to perform on the Grammy Awards show on January 31st on CBS.

On the Jimmy Wayne trail, he woke up yesterday morning with ice on his sleeping bag, and ice on the inside and outside of his tent. In order to give them time to dry out, he spent last night in a motel, and tweeted, "I'm more thankful tonight than I have been in a long time! Gosh this cheap motel feels like a 5 star presidential suite ." A Nashville news team did an interview with Jimmy Wayne, spreading his story even further. Donations are coming in from all over, including other artists. Dierks Bentley donated to HomeBase in support of MMH. If you'd like to help, here's the page to do it on.

A lot of people are inspired by country artists, but who do they find inspiration from? Martina McBride finds in in Meryl Streep. "I hesitate to use the word "idol" and have never really used it, but Meryl Streep is my idol. She rocks. Period. I find her so inspiring."

Clay Walker's "Band Against MS" website has been totally re-vamped, and Clay's really excited about it, saying “The new BAMS site creates a friendlier atmosphere, one that is less clinical for visitors in need of information on dealing with multiple sclerosis.”

How's this for a hunt camp trio - Eddie Montgomery, Blake Shelton and Craig Morgan. They're hunting together in Mississippi this week.

Justin Moore spills the beans on how "Backwoods" came to life as a song. He grew up in the country in Arkansas, but his guitar player grew up in a place called Greasy Creek, Kentucky. They played a couple of shows there, and Justin told his producer, "Dude, I grew up out in the woods, but you wouldn't believe how backwoods this place is!" The song wrote itself in about 20 minutes, and he was pleased with how it turned out, but when they all went into the studio to cut it, he was blown away by how it sounded with a full band. He knew that day it would be on the album, and hoped it would be a single. It was, and is his fastest-rising song so far in his short career.

Randy Houser is nearly finished with his new cd...been working overtime in the studio before hitting the road again. Expect the still-untitled cd to be out in April.

Josh Gracin is in the studio, recording like a madman. He says there'll be new stuff for us to hear soon.

Country Crossing, near Dothon, Alabama, is getting ready for their grand opening, and they've decided to do a three-day music festival. Before you roll your eyes and say, "who can afford that?" hear this: you can. It's all free. Three days of country concerts, featuring Tracy Lawrence, Joe Nichols, John Anderson, and many many more, are all free and open to the public. The shows are on January 15th, 16th and 17th and run from about 3:30 to past midnight each day.

Today's Country Tidbits

On Friday, while most of America was watching the Rose Bowl game, Shania Twain was having the time of her life. She was the final person to carry the Olympic torch that day, so got to not just carry the torch for a leg of it's run, but also light the flame-keeper in her hometown of Timmons, Ontario, Canada. As you can see, she truly enjoyed that moment in the spotlight.

And Lady Antebellum knocked it out of the park when they sang the National Anthem just before the Sugar Bowl kicked off.

Jimmy Wayne's on day 4 of his walk from Nashville to Phoenix to spotlight teen homelessness. He's re-living his own days of living on the street when he was a teen with no home and no one who cared about him. On Friday he met a young man who told him, "Thanks for what you're doing. I'm gonna get out of here, straighten up and make my Mom proud." And on Saturday he wrote, "Been walking all day; suns goin down; its strange 2 C people look away; then again a familiar thing from long ago!"

Carrie Underwood and Dierks Bentley will be in concert at the Ryman on Jan. 16.

Dierks Bentley rings in the new year by backwards-slow-marching into Percy Priest Lake, just outside of Nashville. Check out the video to see just how cold those gladiators were.

Jack Ingram's new years resolution is to write once song per week. He plans to watch less tv and do more reading in order to accomplish his goal.

Charles Kelley of Lady A resolves to spend more time with his new wife.

Tim McGraw is wishing for happiness for himself and his family.

Check out Sugarland's video for their new song, "Sex on Fire."

Brad Paisley's "American Saturday Night" tour kicks back up again tomorrow night in San Antonio.

Zac Brown Band is off the road for a while, and headed into the studio to make the next album.

Kellie Pickler is packing for her next USO tour, and says she'll leave her red high heels at home - it's easier to jump out of helicopters in flats!

Kenny Chesney sold $71.1 million dollars in concert tickets last year, so he can afford to sit this year out if he wants to.

Rascal Flatts will celebrate 10 years as a trio this year, and plan a summer tour with a new cd in the fall.