Lots going on as usual…
The legendary Charlie Daniels will appear on popular talk show Crook & Chase (RFD-TV) Wednesday (7/30).
The one-hour program will feature a performance by Charlie, as well as an interview conducted by the dynamic broadcast duo.
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Mark Chesnutt was rear-ended Sunday morning by an intoxicated driver.
The bus was departing Saturday night after Mark’s performance at Billy Bob’s in Ft. Worth, TX; the band was heading back to Nashville. At approx. 3:30AM Sunday morning, the bus was rear-ended by a vehicle traveling 100 miles an hour.
The majority of Mark’s band was aboard the bus (Kenny Thurman, Delaney Jackson, Cary Stone Lee Kelley, Steve Ledford, Bob Gulley, Don Bradley and driver Dave Simon). Fortunately no one was injured in the crash. The young driver’s car, however, was totaled.
Two police cars arrived at the scene (with one of the squad cars being delayed by a flat tire). Kenny Thurman (Mark’s road manager) changed the tire for the officer while reports were taken. The young male driver reportedly had been drinking and was driving without a license.
“I’m really, really glad all the boys are alright. Thank God.” Mark said. “…in as much as I was in the air, I’d still rather drive than fly! I love the bus!” Chesnutt was in route traveling to his home in Beaumont.
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There’s a certain pop singer trying to become a country singer whose initials are JS…I will not be mentioning her name in here.
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While most of her peers donned caps and gowns to receive their high school diplomas, Country star Taylor Swift was strumming a guitar and performing for thousands of fans, and got 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 told The AP Friday.
Swift attended public school for 9th and 10th grade. But when her career began heating up, she needed more flexibility and switched to Aaron Academy, a private Christian school that offers 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.” Swift, who is on tour with Rascal Flatts, is expected to release a new album this fall.
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The merger of Sirius and XM Radio was approved on Friday…it’ll be interesting to see if another company will try to launch a satellite radio service to compete with the newly merged company. I thought monopolies were illegal…
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Hal Ketchum recorded his new album, FATHER TIME, without a net. He amassed more than a dozen new original songs plus a dream team of musicians and entered the studio to record the album live to two-track. There were no overdubs and only a few second takes. “When I went into this project, my mentality was that this is either going to work or not,” Ketchum says. But at the end of the first day, with nine songs finished, he knew the experiment was a success. The resultant album, which contains 13 Ketchum-penned songs plus a cover of Tom Waits’ “Jersey Girl,” will hit stores on September 9, 2008. It is the album that Ketchum’s talents have promised since he burst onto the Country music scene in 1991 claiming the #1 spot with his very first single, “Small Town Saturday Night.” Since his first Curb release, 1991’s Past the Point of Rescue, he has distinguished himself as a bona fide hitmaker, with 15 Top 10 singles to his credit and five million albums sold.
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Rustie Blue’s fourth album, S TRONGER THAN STEEL, has been set for release on August 26, 2008. This is the follow-up album to her critically acclaimed CHIP CHIP. Early positive feedback from Larry Holden, Country Weekly Senior Editor, Stuart Cameron, Radio Borders, Up Country magazine, Mark Trail, Mark Trail Music and many more indicate this is another really good one.
Four years after the release of her last album comes STRONGER THE STEEL, and true to its title, the album showcases some of Rustie’s best work to date. She recorded all twelve songs in Nashville backed by some of Music City’s top studio musicians including Lonnie Wilson (percussion) and Larry Franklin (fiddle).
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Song Spotlights
Alan Jackson “Good Time” (this is the club/linedancing mix, I guess–I like it.)
Randy Travis “Dig Two Graves” (an AWESOME song–I hope radio plays it!)
The Road Hammers “Girl On The Billboard” (this is a remake of Del Reeves’ hit–and their version is pretty good!)
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Keep it country…and bluegrass!
Eliza
