Dolly Parton Turns Down "American Idol" Judge Gig

Last season of American Idol was desperate attempt after desperate attempt at trying to reinvent the show and mix things up... well they're at it again, by offering Dolly Parton a JOB!

Country queen Dolly Parton has turned down the chance to join the judges on American Idol - because she simply can't be mean to the contestants.

The singer will take part in a tribute to her music in the next season of the talent show, but she'll only help singers master her hits backstage.

She says, "I won't be a judge. I couldn't do that. I can't tell people they aren't doing a good job even if they ask me.

"To tell someone if they're good or bad, or if they suck isn't me." Hmm... I think she could handle it, I really do.

Uncle Kracker Pleads Guilty to Misdemeanor Charges

**Kenny Chesney thinks to himself... "Hmm, didn't I just spend a month saying he's NOT guilty... oops".

A North Carolina judge sentenced Uncle Kracker to 12 months probation and fined him $1,500, after he pled guilty to misdemeanor assault charges.

Kracker - real name Matthew Shafer - was arrested in August in an Embassy Suites hotel in Raleigh, North Carolina, after a 26-year-old female approached an off-duty police officer in a nightclub and claimed the star "had committed a sexual act against her while she was inside the establishment."

Kracker must also undergo an assessment to determine if he's addicted to alcohol.

The original felony charge of second-degree forcible sex offense was dropped in exchange for the guilty plea.

But Kid Rock's former sidekick told People magazine last month that the charges were ridiculous.

"It's regrettable that someone would make this kind of allegation, not only because it's not the kind of thing I'd do, as the father of three girls, it's the kind of thing that I wouldn't stand for.

"Anyone can say anything about anybody but it doesn't make it true or correct. This is one of those cases. I'm saddened that anyone might think I'm capable of this sort of thing."

Reba's Record Sets a... Well, a Record

With a little help from her talented friends, Reba McEntire's Duets CD gave the legendary singer her best first sales week ever.

Proving that she's got not only incredible talent, but incredible staying power, Reba McEnire set her all-time first-week sales record with more than 300,000 copies of her 31st album, her new Duets CD. It's not only her best first week ever on the Billboard country album charts, but Duets topped the all-genre Billboard 200 album chart, too—the first time she's ever achieved that milestone. A thrilled Reba said being able to share the accomplishment with so many of her fellow performers and other friends is the "icing on the cake." For more Reba, check out the cover story in the current (Oct. 8) issue of Country Weekly.

The ‘G-Man’ Brooks To Hop Back On The Stage... Not Here

In Kansas City.

Country superstar Garth Brooks will perform at Kansas City in the Sprint Center on Wednesday, NOVEMBER 14th.

Now, Ticketmaster.com is reporting that tickets will go on sale Wednesday, October 3rd. According to Ticketmaster, the tickets will be priced at $25. Brooks will release The Ultimate Hits, a package containing two CDs and one DVD, on Nov. 6.

Better start looking for them plane tickets!

Toby Keith and Steven Tyler Added To The Performance Line-up For CMT Giants: Hank Williams, Jr

TOBY KEITH: THE BIG DOG DADDY - IS A GIANT.... I KNEW IT I KNEW IT!!!


Toby Keith and Aerosmith's Steven Tyler have been added to the all-star lineup for CMT Giants: Hank Williams, Jr which honors the extraordinary life and music of the legendary Hank Williams Jr.

The two-hour special, CMT Giants: Hank Williams, Jr will be taped before a live audience on Thursday, October 25 at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Los Angeles and tickets are on sale now.

The previously announced line-up includes performances by superstars Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Kid Rock, Gretchen Wilson, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Buddy Guy, with more soon to be announced.

Jimmy Kimmel and Terry Bradshaw are slated to present.

The show premiere’s on CMT on Saturday, November 17 at 8:00 p.m.

Joe Nichols gets some ICM nods

I'll bet you didn't know award nominations had the ability to nod, didya? They can also blink and drink water!

Joe Nichols earned three major nominations from the Christian Country Music Association for the 13th Annual Inspirational Country Music Awards.

Joe's "I'll Wait For You" is nominated for Song of the Year and Video of The Year. He's also up for Mainstream Country Artist of the Year, along with fellow multiple nominees Alan Jackson, Josh Turner, Blue County and Martina McBride, who received two noms each. Blue County's "I Get To" is up for Song of the Year, while Martina's clip for "Anyway" earned her a Video of the Year nod. Alan's other honor is in the Album of the Year category for his Precious Memories CD, while Josh scored a Songwriter of the Year nod.

Thanks: GAC

Rodney Atkins named adoption spokesman

The National Council for Adoption (NCFA), a leading adoption advocacy organization, has named Rodney Atkins its Celebrity Spokesperson of the Year.

Rodney will serve as keynote speaker and special musical guest at the Families for All National Parent Recruitment Summit on October 3, in Washington, D.C. Rodney, who was adopted into his family as an infant, will share his personal adoption story at the event.

"From the moment I met Rodney Atkins, it was clear to me that his heart is just as big as his talent," says NCFA President Tom Atwood. "Many people have been touched by his songs, and I know that many more will be inspired by his personal story and commitment to serving the cause of adoption."

Rodney, who has been an outspoken proponent of adoption throughout his career, is taking his new position seriously. "These children are the future of our nation and our families," he says. "It is important that we make sure they are taken care of."

"We look forward to working with Rodney to raise awareness of important adoption and foster-care issues," Atwood says. "His humble willingness to become an advocate for children is evidence of the character that is the foundation of his success."

Sugarland and Little Big Town!

The members of Little Big Town remember the night they met Sugarland, when both bands were playing the same venue and starting to gain momentum with country audiences. LBT's Jimi Westbrook says the two groups felt an instant connection, but it was the second encounter a few weeks later that made a bigger impression.

"That next show, they brought us over to their bus," Westbrook remembers, "and they had bought us wireless packs [transmitters] for our guitars because they had stood side-stage and saw that we were tied down with our cords. They wanted to give us the freedom to move around on stage. That was just a genuinely kind thing to do."

"They were like, 'Roam! Be free! You're not tied down anymore!'" says Karen Fairchild, grinning at the memory.

"That's a beautiful thing from somebody that's out touring. They wanted us to help us grow with our live show," Westbrook continues. "It's been awesome. We've been all over the stage, running everywhere!"

The next stretch of road begins Thursday in Charleston, S.C., when Sugarland headlines the new CMT on Tour with Little Big Town and Jake Owen.

Catch 'em October 13th at the Target Center in The Cities!

YAY! We got 2 whole episodes!

After two weeks of averaging 2.4 million total viewers, the Fox docusoap Nashville has been pulled from its Fridays-at-8 time slot, possibly (unless they come up with a "plan-B") to return sometime in October, Variety reports.

Until The Next Great American Band arrives on Oct. 19, Fox will fill the vacancy with repeats... uh "encore" presentations of K-Ville.

How about; "The world's greatest BOBs: The BOB Edition." Fridays @ 8 on FOX?... we'll get working on it.

Emerson Drive's Former Bassist Dies

29-year-old Patrick Bourque died suddenly Tuesday night at his home in Canada.

Country band Emerson Drive is mourning the loss of their former bassist Patrick Bourque.

29-year-old Bourque, who resigned last month, died suddenly at his home in Canada Tuesday night, according to Premiere News & Prep.

No details surrounding his death have been made available.

The Montreal native joined the band in 2002 and had been living and working in Canada since leaving Emerson Drive.

Carrie Underwood Grabs ‘Streaming Record’ At CMT.com

Carrie Underwood, on the day of the debut of her newest video, "So Small," it sets single-day streaming records for CMT.com.

The website was up 10% in daily users from their daily average and the video netted the highest number of one-day streams for a single record on CMT.COM. During the debut week of SEPT 20th-27th, "So Small," is being projected to stream an estimated 200,000 times.

This past Thursday, CMT debuted the video and aired the song back to back for six straight hours, renaming CMT "Carrie Music Television."

Looks like Carrie is trying to give Taylor Swift a competitor for the title of "queen of country music on the internet"! Hmm... would that even FIT on a business card?

And NOW at the CMAs -- THE EAGLES

Just when you thought there wasn't enough room for more artists at the CMAs... they go and add MORE MORE MORE!

The Eagles will make their first appearance on the CMA Music Awards on Nov. 7. The band is currently on the country charts with a new single, "How Long." Later this year, they will release Long Road Out of Eden, with double-CD featuring 20 new recordings. The Eagles have been recognized at the CMA Awards before, when Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles was named album of the year in 1994. As previously announced, the Eagles will perform six shows with the Dixie Chicks at the grand opening celebration of the Nokia Theatre in downtown Los Angeles next month.

Reba goes #1 with "Duets"

Reba McEntire’s just-released CD, Reba Duets, debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart, marking a new career milestone for the country superstar.

Reba tops this chart, which covers all genres of music, for the first time in her career. Reba Duets, featuring performances by Faith Hill, pop star Kelly Clarkson, Kenny Chesney and other stars, sold nearly 300,000 copies its first week. “I’ve been in this business 31 years,” Reba told Nashville’s daily newspaper The Tennessean. “For it to be debuting bigger than anything I thought possible is very overwhelming.” Eight of Reba’s previous albums have hit No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart.

Guess that's what happens when you take the biggest names in the biz and stick 'em on one CD!

LeAnn - Bullied in school

"Having eczema as a child was incredibly difficult. Kids at school called me 'the scaly girl'."

LeAnn Rimes wasn't always popular - she was bullied at school because of a skin disease.

The star, 25, has suffered from eczema all her life - but admits it was during her teen years that the condition became unbearable.

She says, "Having eczema as a child was incredibly difficult. Kids at school called me 'the scaly girl'.

"Not only did I have lots of ugly red patches but the itching drove me crazy".

BOB Says :-(

Trent - doing it HIS way

Trent Tomlinson says the hard work he does trying to make it as a country singer is no sweat for him after growing up on a farm.

Trent tells Tulsa World that the music business is a breeze compared to the physical labor he put in working on his family's 500-acre Kennett, Mo., cotton farm. But he admits his current job is a bit more taxing mentally, especially when it comes to dealing with interviewers asking questions about his appearance.

"I get asked about the do-rag and the earrings and stuff that I wear, and 'How does that make me country?' and stuff like that," Trent says. "It's like, I'm a rebel cotton farmer. I pick cotton. I'm as country as cornbread. I just do what I do and wear what I wear. I hate that question."

Trent also put in some time cleaning carpets before he signed with his record label. "A lot of people want a record deal so bad they'll do anything for it," Trent says. "I think in the long run, they lose because they're not being honest with themselves. I wanted to do it my way."

Thanks: GAC

Taylor Swift Reaches Another Country Milestone

Taylor Swift has reached another online milestone—on Friday she topped the 25-million mark for music streams on her Myspace page, an incredible accomplishment bolstered by the fact that she reached the 24-million mark just 16 days earlier.

Who is "cooler online" NOW, Brad Paisley?

Stars ride for the kids

Dierks Bentley will once again host his "Miles & Music for Kids" celebrity motorcycle ride and concert to benefit Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. This year's event includes a new ride route down the scenic Natchez Trace Parkway ending at the world famous Loveless Café.

Riding with Dierks will be Jason Aldean, Big Kenny Alphin, Luke Bryan, Ira Dean, Shelly Fairchild, Halfway 2 Hazard, Jennings, Buddy Jewel, Shannon Lawson, Little Big Town, Rockie Lynne, Craig Morgan, Jon Nicholson, James Otto, Ray Scott and Marty Stuart.

We're thinking about rolling our bikes out there... they are Huffys!

Trace: The Author

Trace Adkins, one of country music's top headlining performers, is now adding "author" to his professional resume. The multi-platinum country star is planning to release his first book, A Personal Stand: Observations and Opinions of a Freethinking Roughneck on Tuesday, November 13.

In A Personal Stand, Adkins delivers his maverick manifesto on politics, personal responsibility, fame, parenting, being true to yourself, hard work and the way things ought to be as he sees it. His opinions are shaped from the lessons of his boyhood in small-town Louisiana, what he's learned headlining concerts around the world, his work on oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, his near-death experiences, and perhaps the greatest challenge of all - being the father of five daughters.

A Personal Stand: Observations and Opinions from a Free Thinking Roughneck is published by Villard Books, an imprint of Ballantine Books at the Random House Publishing Group. (Kinda sounds like the title to a Jeff Foxworthy book, don't it?)

Rascal Flatts Break Fundraising Record for Children's Hospital

They're also going to break a leg (well... I hope not REALLY break any legs) at the Mall of America tommorow (Wednesday); check it out... it is a FREE Show!

Rascal Flatts donated $829,581 to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt with proceeds from their Nashville concert on Friday night. The donation is the largest solo fund-raising event ever for the Nashville hospital. Prior to the concert at the Sommet Center, the band presented a check to the hospital's CEO, Kevin Churchwell. Rascal Flatts released a new album, Still Feels Good TODAY!

Miley Cyrus is Not Pregnant!

There were rumors on the web that the 14-year-old Hannah Montana star was going to be a mom.

The rumors aren't true. 14-year-old Hannah Montana star Miley Cryus is not pregnant!

The actress/singer, whose father is country music superstar Billy Ray Cyrus, allegedly told J-14 teen magazine, "I'm going to take good care of my baby. I've already gained 7 pounds. I was in real shock when it happened accidentally. I went a little too far. I'm sorry to all of my fans."

However, Miley's rep tells People magazine not to believe the hype.

"It's 100 percent false. Someone doctored a J-14 article and posted this online.

"It's ridiculous and completely untrue. Miley is not pregnant. She just wrapped season two of Hannah Montana and will go on tour beginning Oct. 18."

The following statement was posted on j-14.hollywood.com:

"Despite Internet rumors, J-14 NEVER reported that Miley Cryus was pregnant. Someone doctored the 'This Just In' article that appeared on page 16 of J-14's July 2007 issue, where a few of Miley's Hannah Montana co-stars talked about her gross habits. Miley is an intelligent, respectable role model for young girls, and the editors of J-14 pride themselves on presenting our readers with credible stories and information."

... Also, Hannah Montanta is a pretty sweet show, not gonna lie to you.

Taylor Swift getting a hair cut!?!?!

17 year old Taylor Swift, well known for her long blonde hair, is said to be considering cutting it much shorter.

In other news, she had toast for breakfast; now you know.

No more big hair for Reba

After living mostly in Los Angeles for the past six years while shooting her sitcom "Reba," Reba McEntire recently returned to her home in Sumner County, Tenn., with a new perspective. Reba, who's most likely to be seen in blue jeans these days, says her former flashy big-haired image was actually a stylist's idea of what she should look like. "I went for it because I had no taste," she tells The Tennessean. "I grew up with hand-me-downs all my life. I had no idea what I was wanting to wear."

Despite her reputation for being assertive and no-nonsense, Reba says she used to be a people pleaser "I would never take a drink of beer onstage," she says. "I would never sing a song that had beer or whiskey in it. I would never say anything off-color in an interview. Every decision I made, I ran through people that I was trying to make sure I would please. Now I go on my own gut feeling that that's the right thing to do if I want to do it. Because it is honest; it is me."

Nowadays Reba has discovered that she enjoys playing games, vacationing and spending time with friends. "I love being 52," she says. "I get to be me now, and I don't have to please anybody. I please myself first, and I love myself first. Because if I can love me, I am more open to everybody accepting me the way I am, and I don't have to pretend."

No more big hair, huh? Now we have to redo the entire shrine we had built for her... anyone got a hair clippers?

CMA Lineup gets bigger and bigger

Carrie Underwood, Brooks & Dunn and more stars have been added to the performing lineup for The 41st Annual CMA Awards show, Nov. 7, on ABC-TV at 7 p.m.

Brad Paisley, tied for the most nominations (five) with George Strait, Sugarland and Josh Turner are also set to perform on the telecast. And although Brooks & Dunn are performing, they will not be hosting this year’s show, as they’ve done for the past three years. “It was never our intention to be the ongoing hosts of the CMA Awards,” the duo announced in a joint statement. “Each of the three years we hosted were special.” The host format has not yet been determined. Already confirmed to perform on the big night are Kenny Chesney, George Strait and Martina McBride. Still no calls for any of us from BOB to come... but we're waiting.

Tim McChaaa-Chiiing!

Tim McGraw landed at No. 7 on Forbes magazine's annual list of top-earning musicians for the past year, the only country musician represented on the chart.

Thanks in large part to his Soul2Soul tour with his wife, Faith Hill, which raked in $87 million, Tim earned $37 million last year. He also sold more than 2 million albums last year, with his March release, Let It Go, topping the Billboard charts. At No. 1 on the list of top-earners were the Rolling Stones, who netted $88 million.

Tim also ranked No. 37 on the magazine's Celebrity 100, a list of the most powerful celebrities, where he appeared alongside names like Oprah Winfrey, Tiger Woods and Steven Spielberg. That list draws from a variety of criteria, including pay, web and press rank, TV/radio rank and top attributes. Tim's top attributes were listed as "talented, handsome." And awesome.

Brad's takes comedy seriously

Side by side on Brad Paisley's bookshelf, you'll find the family Bible and The Friar's Club Encyclopedia of Jokes, the Palm Beach Post reports.

"That's not a rule in our house for it to be there like that," Brad says, "but it's funny. I think that's a really good example, in a picturesque way, of who I am. And it's very telling: I try to find the humor in things if at all possible."

Writing a funny song is more difficult than writing a ballad, Brad says, because it's so difficult to get it right. "You have a gauge to some degree," he says. "The best barometer for me is who it offends. Let's not offend anybody, at least not horribly, if we can help it, and at the same time, what are we talking about and is my audience going to be on board with it? Humor has an element of truth, so I guess you have to pick who you offend. But it should always have a harmless quality to it."

Despite his sometimes edgy humor, Brad always manages to come off as a nice guy. "Maybe it's just that I'm not in the tabloids," he says. "I haven't been to rehab, haven't shot anybody and I don't have run-ins with the law, so maybe I just stay out of the headlines and for lack of anything else, that's all they can say. But I'm not a Mr. Rogers act." Even if only a few people appreciate it, Brad says he'll continue to push the humor envelope. "You got to swing away every now and then and see if you can knock one out of the park," he says.

Sounds like our kind of guy...

**Keep that knob on BOB to win your tickets to the Brad show in Grand Forks!

Kenny dominates country chart

As expected, Kenny Chesney has ended Taylor Swift's eight-week reign on Billboard's country album chart. His Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates tumbles her self-titled CD to No. 3 this week. As previously reported (again and again and again... and now), Chesney's album sold 387,000 copies in its first week of release to debut in third place on the all-genre Billboard 200 -- just behind new CDs from Kanye West and 50 Cent.

After slipping from No. 1 to No. 8 last week, Garth Brooks' "More Than a Memory" gains enough traction to scramble back up to No. 7. Chesney, who's obviously all over the chartscape, sees his "Don't Blink" escalating from No. 10 to No. 6.

Bowing for the first time on the songs chart are Sugarland's "Stay" (No. 41), Craig Morgan's "International Harvester" (No. 48), Chesney and Joe Walsh's "Wild Ride" (No. 56) and Dolly Parton's "Better Get to Livin'" (No. 57). "Wild Ride," written by Dwight Yoakam, is a track from Chesney's new album.

It won't be long now until Christmas titles start popping up. I can hardly wait, can you?

What Trace is up to...

Trace Adkins is scheduled to release a new CD on Dec. 4, although it's not yet finished, according to USA Today. He is working with producer Frank Rogers, who produced eight songs on Adkins' most recent album, Dangerous Man. The first single from the upcoming album is "I Got My Game On." In addition, Adkins will release a DVD, Greatest Video Hits, on Oct. 2. As previously reported, Adkins's first book, A Personal Stand: Opinions and Observations of a Free-Thinking Roughneck, will be in stores on Nov. 13.

So, to sum up, he has a lot of time on his hands these days... ?

Sara Evans Video Goes #1

Ice cream and cake will be served; on the couch while we watch TV...

Sara Evans has the No. 1 country video at iTunes for her Top 20 single, "As If," this week.

"As If" is the first single from her upcoming Greatest Hits album and was co-written by Sara, Hillary Lindsey and John Shanks. The disc, which celebrates Sara's 10-year career, will be released on October 9.

The album features four new songs, "As If," "Love You with All My Heart," "Pray for You" and "Some Things Never Change," all co-penned by Sara. Also featured on the album are hits from her career, which has spawned three Top 5 singles and four No. 1 songs, including "No Place That Far," "Born to Fly," "Suds in the Bucket," "A Real Fine Place to Start" and "I Could Not Ask for More."

Thanks: GAC

Taylor Swift's Music Featured on FOX's Nashville Tonight

CMA Horizon Nominee Taylor Swift’s song, “A Place in This World,” will be featured on the FOX TV reality show Nashville TONIGHT (Friday), September 21st. The show airs at 8 p.m. The song appears on Taylor’s self-titled, Platinum-plus debut album, which recently spent #1 on the Billboard Country Albums Chart for 8 consecutive weeks.

“I wrote this song when I was thirteen and had just moved to Nashville,” said Taylor. “It was tough trying to find out how I was going to get where I wanted to go. I knew where I wanted to be, but I just didn't know how to get there.”

The song was co-written with Robert Orrall and Angelo. FOX’s new docu-drama, Nashville, chronicles the day-to-day lives of young talents as they travel the road to Country stardom.

Keith & Nicole staying in Nashville

After putting their Nashville mansion on the market for $2.5 million, the couple has purchased a Nashville farm.

A spokesperson says, "They've found land within Nashville, and they're very excited about moving into their new place."

It makes sense, you can't have chickens running around a mansion; making farmland the more reasonable option.

Rascal Flatts Cruise the Country

Rascal Flatts newest CD release, Still Feels Good, hits stores on Tuesday, September 25th. The band will take a week off from their hugely successful Still Feels Good tour to promote the launch of their latest CD project. Following their September 25th Good Morning America (ABC) and The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS) appearances, Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney will jet from New York City to visit with radio for a series of in studio appearances and acoustic performances.

Over six days, Rascal Flatts will make stops in Philadelphia, Minneapolis (**FREE SHOW AT THE MALL OF AMERICA 9/26!**), Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington D.C. and Cleveland.

"I think lyrically this is the strongest album we've ever done," says Gary. "It's genuinely taken us to the next level. I think that in working with [producer] Dann Huff, the four of us have really got something special when it comes to capturing on CD what we do live. It perfectly captures the way we've grown as songwriters, as musicians and as people, and it's the proudest we've ever been of a project."

ROOOOOOAAAADDDD TRIP!

Craig Morgan Performs On ABC-TV 'Frosted Pink'

Craig Morgan will perform his hit single “Tough,” the moving ode to the strength of women, on the upcoming ABC television special event Frosted Pink. Morgan will join Sharon Osbourne, Olivia Newton-John, Joss Stone, Anastacia, Babyface, Rascal Flatts, Heart and several world-class figure skaters for the TV event to raise awareness of women's cancers and inspire action. The show airs October 14 on ABC.

The event has a simple message: Do something.

Many of the show’s performers and presenters have battled cancer in some way, and the show will benefit the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation, National Breast Cancer Coalition, National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship and Ovarian Cancer National Alliance.

Morgan’s song “Tough,” the second single from his Little Bit of Life CD, also has a simple message: “There was a time, back before she was mine, when I thought I was tough.” The song chronicles women’s strength when faced with the challenges of everyday life, and even when facing, and beating, the ultimate obstacle—breast cancer.

Thanks: AllAboutCountry

Garth's Energy Rubs off on Trisha

Hey, they guy knows what works, right?

Known mostly for her ballads, Trisha Yearwood kicked it up a notch with her latest single, "Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love," and she credits her husband, Garth Brooks, for her willingness to let her hair down a bit.

"Garth is such a larger-than-life performer and I'm very low key," she tells Dial-Global. "So when I toured with him in '98 — it was the first time we actually did stuff together onstage — I would go walk up on that huge, monster stage and here would be this beast — 'cause he just turns into a different guy out there. And I felt like, 'Okay, I just gotta hold my own here.'"

Trisha says it was hard for her to get up to Garth's energy level, but she learned to adapt. "Maybe that's why many people have commented, 'This sounds different. This sounds like it's got a lot of energy.' I think that if he has an influence on me, that that might be it. He's always encouraged me to just get in there and let it rip, and I think we did that."

Thanks: GAC

Keith and Nicole's Nashville Home Up for Sale

You can buy their four bedroom mansion for $2.5 million.

You can imagine yourself being rich and buying it for $0... free.

Keith and Nicole have put their four bedroom mansion up for sale, one of their buddies says, "It was Keith's house - they probably just want to find a home that is theirs."

The 7,000-square-foot home has a gym, pool and spa.

Ingram educates... Ingramcation?

Jack Ingram will have 30 sets of young eyes watching during the sound check before his concert in Lubbock, Tex., next Monday.

As part of a Grammy in the Schools event, a group of high school students will get to watch Jack prepare for his show and then participate in a Q&A, meet-and-greet and autograph session with him before attending his concert later that evening.

Jack says he's proud to be part of the program. "Since so much music education has been taken out of public schools lately, it's nice to have an opportunity to expose kids to an entire industry that they probably only know through television." he says. "When I was growing up, I was lucky enough to have parents who took me to live shows a lot, and for some of these kids, this may be one of the first chances they have to see live music."

Maybe if we disguise ourselves as children we can go to?

Kenny Chesney's Debut Week Just Short Of 387,000 Copies

Beat that, Xerox.

Kenny Chesney's latest CD, Just Who I Am: Poets & Priates first week SoundScan sales was 386,992, making this the top-selling COUNTRY CD last week.

These exceptional numbers paled in comparison to Pop's Kanye West at just under a million units scanned and Hip Hop's 50-Cent who scanned over 700,000 units.

As the season for COUNTRY Releases opens, the SoundScan Reports will be humming with the star-studded Reba Duets which hit the stores yesterday. Next Tuesday (9/25), the much-anticipated Rascal Flatts "Still Feels Good" releases following a summer of intense touring and two weeks of heavy appearances for Gary, Jay and Joe Don.

Joe & Sara go PLATINUM

No country stars were hurt in the process.

Albums by Joe Nichols and Sara Evans have achieved platinum status for shipments of 1 million copies each. Nichols' Man With a Memory, released in 2002, is his first recording to reach the platinum level. Evans' 2005 release, Real Fine Place, is her third platinum album. In other certifications, Big & Rich's Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace and Bon Jovi's Lost Highway are now certified gold for shipments of 500,000 copies.

Garth to Receive Spirit Award

We've got spirit, yes we do, if Garth can't do it... we'll cry, and you don't want THAT do you? GOOOOOO TEAM!

Garth Brooks is adding another honor to his roster of achievements, as he will receive the Spirit Award during the Will Rogers Gala, “Good Ride, Cowboy,” in Tulsa, Okla., Nov. 4.

In recent years, the event has raised money for Garth’s Teammates for Kids Foundation and the Rotary Club of Will Rogers Scholarship Program. Garth’s foundation has teamed with professional athletes to donate to needy children, with the focus on health and education. He has often noted that his humanitarian efforts give him the greatest personal satisfaction. “Our industry seems to focus on the numbers and awards,” says Garth. “I’ve always been told if you take care of the music, those things will take care of themselves.”

GOOOOOOO TEAM!

Jason Michael Carroll's Butterflies

*Story has nothing to do with nets or the wilderness... um, or well, actual butterflies.

"People have been surprised to see me backstage right before a show, pacing back and forth, rubbing my hands together, even biting the inside of my lip," he writes. "Eventually they ask, 'Are you nervous?' If it's 20 people or 20,000, I still get butterflies right before a show."

Jason says that every night, he feels as if everything he's worked toward has come down to the show he's about to put on. "If I don't give everything I have night after night, I really feel that could be the show that was the deciding factor concerning if we move forward or go home," he says.

In spite of the pressure, Jason says he loves his chosen profession. "Every night after night, it's the same and yet every night, every crowd, is so different!" he says. "To say that we as a band have fun doing what we do would be an understatement. We love what we do!"

Taylor swift; making it cooler (safer) online

"Hi, I'm Chris Hanson, and this is To Catch A Predator"... uh wait, wrong hero, and wait a second... don't we know a guy named Chris Hanson? I think he hangs out with some dude named John and a woman named Jane... hmmm... doesn't ring a bell.

Taylor Swift has been named a spokesperson for the “Delete Online Predators” campaign in Tennessee, aimed at fighting Internet crimes against children.

Country Weekly reports; The teen star, whose self-titled debut CD tops the Billboard Country Albums chart, joins Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen and the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police in launching the campaign. Taylor says of her involvement, “Chatting with friends and surfing the Internet is cool, but it’s important to stay safe. Be smart about keeping your identity private online.” The campaign will encourage schools, parents, community agencies and youth groups to raise awareness about potential risks on the Internet, and communicate tips for staying safe.

BOB Fact: Searching for 'Taylor Swift' (who is 17) on Google Images generates over 50,000 unique images.

Montgomery Gentry On NBC's 'Las Vegas' September 25th

Montgomery Gentry will appear on NBC's smash hit television series Las Vegas. The two hour season premiere will air September 28th at 8pm on NBC starring Josh Duhamel, Molly Sims, James Lesure, Vanessa Marcil and Tom Selleck.

Eddie and Troy will perform "Hell Yeah" for the episode. Then play slots.

Reba dueting all over town

She stopped by and was all like, "Hey, wanna duet with me"?, and I was all like, "I can't sing very well"... and she was all like, "Ok, nevermind then, see ya later".

The store shelves will be brimming with Reba's first studio release in...well, a very long time, as Reba Duets releases today.

The album features eleven tracks with twelve stars, including Reba, of course, who's on each one of them. The track listing alone is enough to make you want to own it, so here are the songs:

"When You Love Someone Like That" w/LeAnn Rimes

"Does The Wind Still Blow In Oklahome?" w/Ronnie Dunn

"Because Of You" w/Kelly Clarkson

"Faith In Love" w/Rascal Flatts

"She Can't Save Him" w/Trisha Yearwood

"Everyday People" w/Carole King

"Every Other Weekend" w/Kenny Chesney

"These Broken Hearts" w/Vince Gill

"Sleeping With The Telephone" w/Faith Hill

"The Only Promise That Remains" w/Justin Timberlake

"Break Each Other's Hearts Again" w/Don Henley

Garth Brooks is charitable

Garth Brooks will perform at the Dream Concert in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. at Radio City Music Hall in New York City tonight (Sept. 18). The concert supports the completion of Dr. King's Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Other musicians on the lineup include Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Carlos Santana, Queen Latifah, Joss Stone, Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds, Robin Thicke, John Legend, Ryan Shaw and Miri Ben-Ari. In addition, Viacom has pledged $1 million in cash and more than $500,000 in media value, bringing the Memorial Foundation's total to $82 million of the $100 million needed.

Now, in this photo, doesn't Garth look like Aunt Maybell just walked through the door and is going to start pinching his cheeks?

CMA Performer Round-Up

Get yer lasso ready, ya'll, we gots here for yas whose gon'be 'forming at them there award showser-thingy.

*cough* Sorry, about that, I just had a "Southwestern Spicey Hot Pocket" and something just came over me.

Kenny Chesney, Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts, George Strait and Keith Urban are the first round of performers to be announced for this year's CMA Awards. The ceremony will be held at the Sommet Center in downtown Nashville on Nov. 7 and will air on ABC. Strait is nominated for five CMA awards, including entertainer of the year; Chesney, Rascal Flatts and Urban are also nominated in that category. McBride is nominated for four awards, including single, song and video for "Anyway."

LeAnn Rimes Wants to Have Children

Because dogs bark too much?

Singer LeAnn Rimes is reconsidering her plans to adopt a child, opting to start a family naturally instead.

The country star and her husband Dean Sheremet initially planned to adopt children, but Rimes tells Redbook magazine that she has had a change of heart.

She says, "I do want children, definitely. That's part of my life I don't want to miss out on, and I have a lot of love to give that way. I can't wait."

Let 'Em Eat Cake...Birthday Cake

Danielle Peck celebrated her birthday Friday evening at the Grand Ole Opry. Following her performance, Danielle’s mom brought homemade cake and cupcakes for all the backstage guests. Grand Ole Opry GM Pete Fisher (pictured) was on-hand to celebrate with the rising star.

In other news, here at BOB, we have tons of left over cake because SOMEONE didn't show up for her party...

Thanks: All About Country

Reba Duets CD

Reba McEntire’s new star-studded CD, Reba Duets, hits retail stores Tuesday, Sept. 18.

Reba joins forces with some of the biggest names in music—including Faith Hill, Kenny Chesney, LeAnn Rimes and Vince Gill— for this album. The first single from the CD, “Because of You” with Kelly Clarkson, is already a smash hit at radio. “I’ve had a blast working on this album with some of my closest friends, who also happen to be some of the best singers in the world,” Reba declares. Faith, who joins Reba on “Sleeping With the Telephone,” notes that she was honored to be selected for the album. “I have been a huge fan of hers for so many years and we have become great friends,” she says.

Wow, Billboards top woman AND a new CD... she's a real somebody.

Thanks: CMT

Reba McEntire to Receive Billboard Honor

Reba McEntire will receive Billboard magazine's first-ever Woman of the Year Award during ceremonies in New York City on Oct. 5. The award recognizes women who have made significant contributions to the music business and who inspire other women to assume greater responsibilities within the industry. The awards breakfast will honor 20 top female executives in the music industry who will be featured in Billboard's upcoming Women in Music issue.

Next year, I'm voting Jane.

Thanks: CMT

Blake Shelton's Uncle Killed in Accident

Blake Shelton's uncle, 72-year-old Dempsey D. Byrd, died Wednesday afternoon (Sept. 12) after being struck by a van while walking down a street in the singer's hometown of Ada, Okla.

The vehicle was driven by a 34-year-old Ada resident, but the cause of the accident is still under investigation.

As a result, Shelton canceled his Saturday night concert in Arrington, Va. The show at the Oak Ridge Estate will feature Joe Nichols, who was already scheduled to appear with Shelton.

Thanks: CMT

Mindy McJail

A judge just sentenced Mindy McCready to one year in County Jail for violating her probation. She does it all the time!

McCready was arrested in Florida in July after cops responded to a domestic dispute between the country singer and her mother. Mindy was convicted in 2004 on a prescription drug fraud charge, and was ordered to serve three years probation. She only had a few more months left on that probation when she was arrested.

McCready has now been convicted on a felony charge. In addition to the jail time, the judge gave her two more years of probation and 200 additional hours of community service. In the courtroom, the judge was clear: if Mindy doesn't perform her community service, he'll put her back in jail again.

Mindy, in court today wearing an orange jumpsuit, was taken directly to jail. Do not pass go!

Thanks: Thirty Mile Zone