Kid Rock: 'Festival bosses lied about real reason for scrapped show'

Kid Rock has slammed a British rock festival for telling fans he cancelled his scheduled headlining appearance because he was suffering from dehydration.

Details emerged stating Kid Rock was suffering from stomach cramps and dehydration and was kept in hospital overnight for observation.

But Rock, real name Rob (BOB) ert Ritchie, has denounced festival bosses' statements as lies - insisting he pulled the show after promoters failed to provide his band with adequate backstage perks.

He tells Daily Star newspaper, "They (festival bosses) treated me like (edit: crud). There was just one trailer for my whole band. We had no water, no bathroom, no rider. The final straw was when they wouldn't give my crew any food or drinks vouchers."

Blake and Miranda Take the Leap

... Not that one! GAC REPORTS: Neither Blake Shelton nor Miranda Lambert has headlined a mid-sized arena tour before, but the couple is hoping their collective track record will be enough to make a road show of that magnitude succeed this fall.

No dates have been announced yet, but the plan thus far would yield two-and-a-half hours of music. They took a test run with the concept a month ago, playing their first show together at a fair in Toledo, Ohio.

"It's exciting, and it's really scary for me at the same time — not so much for her," Blake says. "She's really somebody that came out of the box and just has been kickin' ass since day one, you know? And my career's been a slower build than that. But I'm finally gonna take the step, and she's gonna do it with me. We're gonna go out, and we're gonna play arenas this fall. And that is just creepin' me out — 4,000- and 5,000-seat arenas, and I'm not openin' for Rascal Flatts anymore or Toby [Keith]. You gotta hope that I'm enough and that she's enough. We finally feel like we're there."

Kenny Set for New CD

Kenny Chesney is set to release his next album, Lucky Old Sun, on Oct. 14.
Kenny is already enjoying his beach-fun-sounding hit single from the album, “Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven,” Kenny says -- “We’ve been on a real creative jag.”

Taylor a "Grey's Fan"

GAC Reports: Fall is just around the corner, and it means two things this year: the release of Taylor Swift’s sophomore album and the start of the new TV season. One show in particular brings the artist and the tube together.

"I am obsessed with ‘Grey's Anatomy’," Taylor confesses. "It's my life goal to get a guest spot on that show. My love of ‘Grey's Anatomy’ has never wavered. It's my longest relationship to date."

Her other shorter relationships merely lead to hit songs, and then to videos. Taylor directed her recent "I’m Only Me When I’m With You" video, which she sees as an extension of her musical efforts.

"It's one of my favorite things to do, because it's so creative," she enthuses. "It's a lot like songwriting, in that it's like a puzzle. And if you get the edits exactly right in movie-making, you can make something magical. It's just like lyrics and melody structure when you're writing. If you get it right, it can really be something."

Taylor’s next album, Fearless, comes out Nov. 11, but it can be pre-ordered at TheTaylorNation.com. Fans can choose three different options, ranging from the basic $13.88 CD to a $75 deluxe collector’s box that includes a whole range of extra goodies.

She's a Dance Machine That's For Sure!!!!

Julianne Hough pulls double duty in the near future as she heads back to "Dancing With The Stars" for a new season, which finds her partnering with the youngest competitor ever, 18-year-old Cody Linley.

Cody may not be familiar to a lot of adults, but he’s certainly known by plenty of young women as a former "Hannah Montana" actor: He played one of the boyfriends of the series’ lead character, portrayed by Miley Cyrus. Among the other "Dancing" contestants are NFL lineman Warren Sapp, Olympic volleyball star Misty May-Treanor, soap opera actor Susan Lucci, R&B singer Toni Braxton and former ‘N Sync member Lance Bass.

ABC’s "Dancing" has become a perennial hit, which makes sense to Julianne.

"Everybody loves to dance," she told Dial-Global. "I don't care who you are, how old you are, if you're a horrible dancer, if you're a great dancer... There's just hidden passions for that. So, to see celebrities who people think so highly of and think don't ever have any flaws, you know, you get to see them and their personalities come out and see them totally out of their element — mess up and get frustrated and look silly. You know, they're human. I think people like that."

Sugarland's Green Sunday

PEOPLE reports: It was a very earthy opening: On the eve of the Democratic National Convention's kick-off, Sheryl Crow, Sugarland and the Dave Matthews Band drew some 8,000 fans and environmental activists to their "Green Sunday."

"What better place to spend this incredible weekend!" said Crow amid the magnificent natural rock formations of the Red Rocks Amphitheatre outside Denver.

Opening the concert, Crow performed, among other tunes, "God Bless This Mess."

In the first of several messages, Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles told the crowd: "Reach your hand out and pat yourself on the back for being such great people and caring about this environment."

Matthews, whose saxophonist LeRoi Moore died last week from injuries sustained in an all-terrain vehicle accident, admitted to being a man of few words – on stage, at least.

"Nice to be in a place where a lot of people are talking with a whole lot of sense," he said.

Sugarland's Green Sunday

PEOPLE reports: It was a very earthy opening: On the eve of the Democratic National Convention's kick-off, Sheryl Crow, Sugarland and the Dave Matthews Band drew some 8,000 fans and environmental activists to their "Green Sunday."

"What better place to spend this incredible weekend!" said Crow amid the magnificent natural rock formations of the Red Rocks Amphitheatre outside Denver.

Opening the concert, Crow performed, among other tunes, "God Bless This Mess."

In the first of several messages, Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles told the crowd: "Reach your hand out and pat yourself on the back for being such great people and caring about this environment."

Matthews, whose saxophonist LeRoi Moore died last week from injuries sustained in an all-terrain vehicle accident, admitted to being a man of few words – on stage, at least.

"Nice to be in a place where a lot of people are talking with a whole lot of sense," he said.

Darius Rucker... IS Thinking About It!

Darius Rucker reached the Top 10 on the country singles chart this week for the first time, taking a hefty jump from No. 13 to No. 8 with "Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It."

The single’s success is particularly rewarding for Darius because he basically called the shots on the single. When the Hootie + The Blowfish singer signed with the country division of Capitol Records, he found himself in disagreement with the label head over "Don’t Think," and he ultimately had to take a stand over releasing it to radio.

"I said, 'Dude, this is it. This is what we want,'" Darius explained "I said, 'It's not the best song on the record, but this is the song that could get us in the door and, you know, that's what we want.' We went round and round about it, and finally, I guess for lack of any other reason, they put it out, and it worked for us. I love that song! Somebody told me the other day, 'You know, you're gonna be playin' that song for the rest of your life.' I've been playin' 'Let Her Cry' for 22 years, and I'm okay with that. So I'll be okay with [this]."

Taylor's FEARLESS

Given that her MySpace page played a huge role in building her career, it should come as no surprise that the title song from Taylor Swift’s second album is already getting buzz on the Internet — even though no one can hear the recorded version of the song yet.

The album, titled Fearless, doesn’t come out until Nov. 11, but Taylor gave a performance of the title song to fans on her tour bus last year, and a radio station put the audio online. A bunch of her fans found it, and now YouTube has close to 100 versions posted of people singing "Fearless."

It caused a bit of a problem. It is, in absolute terms, copyright infringement, though her record company figures it’s better to have fans excited about her new music than have them frustrated by legalities. So the label isn’t doing anything to stop it — other than counseling Taylor that debuting new music as she did on the bus is not such a good idea in the digital age.

"I wasn’t allowed to play new music for people after that," Taylor told USA Today.

For her part, Taylor is upbeat about the exposure for "Fearless."

"If you know that somebody's passionate enough about a song to want to sing it, that's a really good indicator that it's going to do well," she said.

Miranda The Gamer

Miranda Lambert is this month’s Artist of the Month at Xbox!

Tomorrow, August 23rd, she and a bandmate will be hopping onto Xbox Live to play some Halo 3 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm --- Look for the gamertags Miranda GWF or crazyXgirlfrnd and send off a game invite!

Miley Cyrus wants fans to help her celebrate her Sweet 16 — for a little green.

You know who your TRUE friends are... when they pay to come to your bithday party....

According to Entertainment Tonight, the teen queen — who earned $18.2 million last year — is selling a limited number of $250 tickets to her bash, set to take place at Disneyland. (She turns the big 1-6 on November 23.)

Tickets for "Miley's Sweet 16 -- Share the Celebration" go on sale August 30.

"It's gonna be an awesome party with more than 7 things I like," she tells ET. "It's gonna be totally awesome. I hope it's a great time."

She wouldn't dish more, but said, "I love roller coasters. So this is my ultimate birthday."

What's on her birthday wish list?

"A car," she has said. "I will let you know when I'm on the road so you get off the road!”

Jess VS Carrie?

Carrie says that Tony Romo still calls her sometimes... even though he's dating Jessica Simpson -- Jess says, NOT TRUE.

"I looked at his call log," she Jessica said.

Of Romo, Underwood tells September's Allure: "The phone will ring and it'll be him, and I'll maybe not answer."

"Tony and I both laughed at that," Simpson said. "We got a chuckle out of it."

She went on, "If Tony wanted to call her and be with her, he would."

She also said she wasn't dissing Underwood, a vegetarian, when she wore a shirt that read "Real Girls Eat Meat."

Toby Leaning To The Left?

Isn't there a tower that does that... the leaning tower of pizza. Mmmm, pizza... that can't be right... but sounds good.

GAC REPORTS: Toby Keith has previously said he hasn’t made up his mind about who to vote for in November, and he’s also suggested that both Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain are likely a step forward.

But he might well be in step with Obama when it comes time to pull the lever in the booth this fall. Toby is a major supporter of the U.S. military, and the candidate’s recent trip to the Middle East suggested to Toby that Obama does, in fact, understand what’s happening overseas.

"There's a big part of America that really believes that there is a war on terrorism, and that we need to finish up," Toby told the Associated Press. "So I thought it was beautiful the other day when Obama went to Afghanistan and got educated about Afghanistan and Iraq. He came back and said some really nice things."

Now Toby is saying even more nice things about Obama: "I think he's the best Democratic candidate we've had since Bill Clinton. And that's coming from a Democrat."

Jessica Simpson... and beer

**** UPDATE ***** THE AD IS OUT NOW, CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE.

Jessica Simpson and beer commercials: Why hasn't this happened sooner?

"She's the face of the brand now," said Lawrence Schwartz, Stampede's president and chief executive, who says sales have more than doubled in the past year.
Stampede's marketing is focused on its vitamin content, which it describes as "functional additives."

"As an entrepreneur, I am always looking for ways to diversify my portfolio with good ideas and good people," Ms. Simpson said in a statement. "Yes, I work out and take care of myself, but I also like a cold beer once in a while."

Jessica Simpson... The face of Vitamin enhanced beer???? Wow, this makes that whole "Is chicken of the sea chicken or tuna" thing... make sense.

Pat Green... ANYONE GOT A COLD ONE? ... AHHH!

TMZ.com Reports... Pat Green wanted a beer on stage the other night -- he got one, all right.

Green was singin' after a NASCAR race Saturday when he asked all his rowdy friends, "Anyone got a beer?" Well, someone delivered a full unopened can -- right between his eyes. Michigan state troopers say he was knocked out cold.

Juilanne Hough and Chuck Wicks... Dating!

Chuck and Julianne sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G!

With her hectic life, Hough told PEOPLE, "It's very difficult to date – I just got kind of lucky!" Indeed, she got to know Wicks this summer when the two joined Brad Paisley on tour.

"He's just a great guy! He's awesome and really, really talented," Hough says of the "Stealing Cinderella" singer. "I'm having a great time getting to know him."

Hough, 20, whose debut country album, Julianne Hough, hit No. 1 on the country charts when it was released in May, says she and Wicks, 29, have been work-out buddies on the road.

"When we play amphitheaters, we'll run up and down the stairs," she says. "And all of us – all the bands – bought bikes and we go mountain biking and we'll go to amusements parks and things like that."

Wicks broke up with his long-term girlfriend earlier this year, before the start of the Paisley tour, and Hough ended her engagement to former dancer Zach Wilson last year.

With the start of DWTS – Hough went to L.A. Tuesday to meet her new partner – she had to bid goodbye to Wicks, who will remain on tour.

But she's confident they can survive the distance. Says Hough: "That's what's cool about being with an independent person."

500,000 People At The PAISLEY PARTY!

Who brought cake? Brad Paisley will celebrate another milestone Friday night at his sold-out show in St. Paul: his 500,000th ticket for 2008.

The combination of the final leg of The Bonfires and Amplifiers Tour and The Paisley Party has made 56 stops around the country and selling over 502,000 tickets January to August 2008.

The Paisley Party includes tour mates Jewel, Chuck Wicks and Julianne Hough.

“This number means more to me this year than ever knowing how strapped people are economically these days,” says Paisley.

“The fact that fans are willing to both buy tickets and the gasoline necessary to come to a show is the ultimate compliment and I am so thankful.”

... Again. Cake?

Ahhh, Tim McGraw, and look at the back, it's a Hallmark!!! Awwww, how sweet!

Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts and a dozen or so other country artists are reaching new fans through "sound cards" designed, licensed and distributed by the Hallmark greeting card company.

Each card carries a 30-second snippet from one of the participating artist's hit records, along with a Hallmark-composed greeting that matches the song's theme. The names of the song's writers and publishers are listed on the backs of the cards.

The "Use Tim McGraw" and "Use Rascal Flatts" lines are racked in displays that hold six different cards and envelopes. A photo of the artist tops each display but does not appear on the cards.

GAC Talks With Jimmy Wayne About TIMING

"Time," the Rolling Stones once sang, "is on my side." And Jimmy Wayne seems to believe it’s also in his corner as he prepares for the release next Tuesday of his sophomore album, Do You Believe Me Now.

His debut CD arrived in 2003, meaning he’s had to wait five years to put out his second project. That certainly tested his patience, but he’s convinced that it also made for a better product in the long run.

"I really do believe in divine timing," he says, "and looking back, if this album had come out soon after my first album in 2003, there are so many songs that would not have been written and so many experiences would not have been had. If I had not gone through the waiting and the trials that I went through in the past few years, songs like ‘Where You’re Going’ and ‘Kerosene Kid’ would not have been written. I did a lot of reflection on my past and where I am now during the downtime, and all of that is reflected on this album."

It features guest vocal appearances by Patty Loveless and by pop singer John Oates, of the Philadelphia duo Hall & Oates. And the timing is indeed very good: The title track is currently in country music’s Top 10.

Insert Foot... In Mouth

This story probably ends with John Rich saying... "Oops".

Rosanne Cash, daughter of the late country legend Johnny Cash, has released a reply to John Rich of Big & Rich in response to a comment Rich made about her father.

During a campaign stop in Florida for John McCain, Rich said “Somebody’s got to walk the line in the country. They’ve got to walk it unapologetically. And I’m sure Johnny Cash would have been a John McCain supporter if he was still around.”

In a statement on her web site blog, Cash wrote:

“It is appalling to me that people still want to invoke my father’s name, five years after his death, to ascribe beliefs, ideals, values and loyalties to him that cannot possibly be determined, and to try to further their own agendas by doing so. I knew my father pretty well, at least better than some of those who entitle themselves to his legacy and his supposed ideals, and even I would not presume to say publicly what I ‘know’ he thought or felt. This is especially dangerous in the case of political affiliation.

“It is unfair and presumptuous to use him to bolster any platform. I would ask that my father not be co-opted in this election for either side, since he is clearly not here to defend or state his own allegiance.”

Taylor's New Music Video

Taylor Swift’s “Change” now has a music video (that sure didn't take long, did it?) --- The song is part of the soundtrack for the Olympics.

“Change” is part of Taylor’s upcoming album, Fearless, which is set to be released November 11th.

Lady A's New Video Tommorow

Lady Antebellum's New Video Available On iTunes August 19th!

The video finds the trio in vintage wardrobe performing the song live on the set of a television show that kind of looks like one of those variety programs from the 60's and 70's, while following the story of a young couple, who need help putting the spark back into their relationship... Wink Wink.

Sugarland Kicks It Old School

In the 121 years since Thomas Edison first announced the creation of a "talking machine," (ooooo, sounds futuristic) the recording industry has come a long, long way. Originally the entire record had to be made at once; there was a time when songs were recorded in converted factories or furniture stores, and bands sometimes had to start over if a nearby train made noise in the middle of the performance.

Through time, technology has allowed each voice and instrument to be recorded on a separate track, and with digital recording, a producer can even slice the length of a vocalist’s note, change the pitch of a single note or move a drumbeat within a musical bar. Recording has become quite complicated, but Sugarland went a little bit old-school in its approach on the new Love On The Inside album.

"This album was pretty much recorded live," Kristian Bush told The Tennessean, "so what you're hearing are the vocal takes while we are playing the music at the same time."

"People don't do that any more, especially people who aren't singer-songwriters," Jennifer Nettles added. "Sometimes artists, they go in and they haven't even seen the band."

"The choices that you make as a performer are affected by what you hear," Kristian noted. "This happened with us with ‘Stay,’ in the up and down of it. It has a dynamic within the song. It happens on this record on ‘Very Last Country Song.’ I'm following her on part of that song, and she's following me on another part of it. I feel the dance."

Raisin' McCain

John Rich's music video for "Raisin' McCain" will be featured during the Republican National Convention taking place Sept. 1-4 in Minneapolis. The video, now available at Rich's official Web site, centers around a concert performance with Rich and his band playing for a crowd of John McCain supporters. The end of the video shows Rich holding up a guitar bearing the word "vote."

Taylor Swift Donates $100,000 to Red Cross, Responds to VMA Nomination

Taylor Swift is donating $100,000 to the American Red Cross chapter in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, one of the hardest-hit areas from floods that ravaged the state in June. "You guys have stood by me, and I'm going to stand by you,".

Taylor Swift was traveling when she learned that the nominees in the best new artist category at the upcoming MTV Music Awards were announced Friday. She is nominated alongside her friend, Miley Cyrus, and Katy Perry, Jordin Sparks and Tokio Hotel. "I can't believe I get to go to the VMAs!" Swift said. "When I got the news about the nomination, I was on a plane -- a very small plane. And I just started screaming bloody murder, and everyone around me was a little freaked out, but it was worth it. I get to go to the VMAs!"

Wanna Look Good in Keith's Shirt?

Keith Urban’s "You Look Good In My Shirt" is one of the hottest songs of the summer, but it’s also inspired an online auction in which Keith and other country acts button down donations for charity.

The You Look Good In My Old T-Shirt Auction, which launched yesterday, runs for two weeks with proceeds set aside for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

"St. Jude is a charity that is very near and dear to my heart," Keith says. "Our fans have always graciously offered their support in past fund-raisers we have done for St. Jude, so I think this auction will be a great success."

MMMMMM.... Pre-worn Keith Clothes. Comfy.

Alan Celebrates with Bologna

How does a country superstar celebrate hitting the 50 million mark in album sales? For Alan Jackson, it was with grits and bologna sandwiches.

Jackson's wife, bestselling author Denise, his three daughters and about 400 friends, including Trace Adkins, gathered in Nashville to honor the 49-year-old singer Wednesday night. They were treated to upscale twists on down-home grub as a nod to the man who has a song called "I Still Like Bologna" on his latest album, Good Time.

"This is really rarefied air," Sony BMG Nashville head Joe Galante told the crowd of Jackson's 50 million achievement.

Jackson – whose first album, Here in the Real World, came out in 1990 – tells PEOPLE that his ambitions weren't so grand in the early days.

"Back then I was just glad to have a record deal," says Jackson. "I figured if you could last five years you were lucky, so that was the only goal I could see. This would have been unbelievable."

Adds Denise: "We never even dreamed this big."

Blake Shelton on Fashion

Blake Shelton worked long and hard to build his career as a recording artist, and he’s happy to have it. But like every job, it comes with duties he doesn’t particularly enjoy, and that includes shooting videos. "I'd have my girlfriend dress me like most guys do, but Miranda (Lambert) hates that stuff almost more than I do!".

"I absolutely hate wardrobe discussions when it comes to photo shoots or videos," he says. "It's always just an absolute nightmare, because I wanna look a certain way and everybody else has their ideas, and so really the only part that's enjoyable to me is when I'm actually getting to perform the song. I don't even like the b-roll stuff, although with 'The More I Drink' video, the b-roll stuff there was pretty fun. Normally, just getting to sing may [only] be 30 minutes out of a 20-hour day. It's very little performing and a lot of setting up and tearing down."

Kenny's Bus in Accident

... He's OK!!!! A bus transporting three people involved with Kenny Chesney’s Poets & Pirates Tour was involved in an accident Wednesday that sent a woman to a hospital in Jackson, Miss.

Kenny was not on the bus when the wreck occurred near the juncture of Interstate 220 and Interstate 55 near Ridgeland, according to The Thibodaux Daily Comet. Neither the driver nor the two concert technicians aboard the bus were injured. The bus was on its way to New Orleans, where Kenny is slated to perform Thursday with opening act LeAnn Rimes.

The incident came just two days after Kenny had worked out with New Orleans’ NFL team, the Saints, in Jackson. Kenny caught some passes and practiced as a punt returner, taking the field alongside quarterback Drew Brees, tight end Jeremy Shockey and running back Reggie Bush. It was the equivalent of a fantasy camp for Kenny, who played football when he attended high school.

"When you grow up in East Tennessee, like a lot of places, sports is everything," he says. "I quit growing too young to ever think about getting to have a shot at playing even in college, so this is about the most fun I can have."

Kid Rock To Perform 'All Summer Long' At MTV Video Music Awards

... And after last year's scuffle with Pam's other ex, Rock returns with his certified hit. And you can't help but wonder, who will he punch this year?

Rock joins a roster of live performers on the September 7 show that already includes the Jonas Brothers and maybe... maybe... maybe BRITNEY SPEARS!

Lee Ann Womack Releases “Last Call”

The music video for the first single off Lee Ann Womack’s upcoming album “Call Me Crazy” has been released!

The video is airing on GAC and “Call Me Crazy” is due to drop October 21st.

Carrie: TONY ROMO STILL CALLS ME!

For a 25-year-old singer in the spotlight, Carrie Underwood has had her share of guy drama.

The American Idol winner opens up in Allure's September issue about dating Dallas Cowboys player Tony Romo, Gossip Girl star Chace Crawford and a boyfriend who cheated on her in college.

"We were both small-town people doing very big things, and we relied on each other, dealing with fame," she says of Romo. "I don't know. The phone will ring and it'll be him, and I'll maybe not answer."

On her recent split with Crawford, she explains: "We didn't have a fight. No one cheated. It plain didn't work."

One of her relationships from her days at Oklahoma's Northeastern State University could have inspired her hit "Before He Cheats."

"I don't want to name names, even though he probably deserves it, but he fooled around," she says. "Oh, yeah – And lied."

Underwood says it's difficult to find friends she can trust – and guys who like her for the right reasons.

"You never really know why somebody wants to be around you, or if they do genuinely like you," she says. "I wish everyone had a label on their forehead so you could automatically tell their intentions. Sometimes you just wish that no one wanted anything from you."

Are you ready for some... KEEENNNNNYYYY!!!!????

Kenny Chesney is no stranger to stadiums – his Poets and Pirates tour has been packing sports arenas all summer long. But on his way to his New Orleans concert this Thursday, he hit the football field for real.

For the second year in a row, the country superstar lived out his gridiron fantasies by practicing with the New Orleans Saints in Jackson, Miss., according to the Associated Press.

Donning a white Saints game jersey with his name sewn on the back, Chesney, who is pals with the team's coach, Sean Payton, ran plays with the team and caught a long pass from quarterback Drew Brees.

Jimmy Wayne Named People's Hot Guy Of The Month

COUNTRY Special Issue On Stands Thru September 8th
Jimmy Wayne is featured as the Hot Guy of the Month in the current issue of People magazine’s Country Special.

Wayne is the first artist to be given this accolade in the series of special issues by People magazine.

In the feature, Wayne recounts some of his craziest female fan encounters which include moms playing matchmaker for their daughters at his concerts. He also discusses his ideal day off and the special qualities he looks for in a woman.

Jimmy was quite humbled upon learning of People magazine’s accolade. "It's a bit embarrassing,” he blushed. “However I'm very fortunate to have an amazing bunch of female fans and I'm very thankful for them."

Sugarland Lawyer Knocks Ex-Member Lawsuit

Gary Gilbert, lawyer for Sugarland, has issued a statement saying the lawsuit filed late last week by ex-member Kristen Hall is “totally baseless and without merit.”

Hall claims she is contractually due $1.5 million that she hasn’t been paid since her departure from the group in 2006. Gilbert said that Hall left of her own accord and that he’s confident the issue will be resolved in Jennifer and Kristian’s favor.

Jessica: "What Boos"?

When Jessica Simpson gave her first full concert performance as a country artist in July, she got slapped by a review from a writer for The Kenosha News who said her appearance received "a mixture of boos and cheers."

It became — as does just about anything Jessica does — part of a huge viral uproar in which numerous media picked up the story in a way that often made it appear the show was a dud. If the response was negative in any sector of the crowd that day, it was not apparent to Jessica.

"I never heard a boo," she told The San Jose Mercury News, "and if there were people that booed me, then they just won't be buying the record, and that is what it is. But I was happy to be up there and make people smile with the music."

Maybe it remains to be true that the only place Jessica Simpson would be boo'ed... is a spelling bee :-)

Sugarland Suuuuuued.

Founding Sugarland member Kristen Hall is suing the remaining band members Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush for $1.5 million.

The lawsuit was filed in late July and claims that Hall was supposed to continue to get an equal cut of the duo’s profits but that she’s been excluded from the profits since she left. Hey.... that sounds like a pretty good gig -- get paid for not working!

Hall left the group three years ago in 2005 to pursue a solo/songwriting career but apparently still wants to cash in on the Sugarland bank roll.

Sober... Horses?

Not The Best Showing For Toby's Beer For My Horses --- Debuts In 10-Cities Over The Weekend.

Toby Keith's second feature film, Beer For My Horses was only released in ten cities this past weekend: St Louis, Nashville, Oklahoma City, Buffalo, Indianapolis, Little Rock, Louisville, Miolwaukee, Pittsburgh and Tulsa.

And despite Toby's best promotional efforts, grossed a dissappointing $226,000--which is about $2,483 per theater.

The film has a nice mix of well-known stars, including Rodney Carrington, Ted Nugent, Gina Gershon, Willie Nelson and Tom Skerritt. Critics didn't pan the movie, but did't get overly exciting recommending it, either.

The next step for the movie's distributor, Roadside Attractions, is whether to move forward with a wider release, or go directly to DVD. The film is rated PG-13.

Jewel Hitched!

After ten years together Jewel Kilcher and rodeo star beau Ty Murray have finally tied the knot!

The couple eloped and were married in a private ceremony in the Bahamas this past week.

Jewel had mentioned on her website that she and Murray and two friends were heading to the islands for six days but didn’t say what for.

Jewel rose to the top of the pop charts in the mid-90’s and recently crossed over to country with the release of her latest album, Perfectly Clear earlier this year.

Congrats, Jewel and Ty!

American Idol's KRISTY LEE COOK!!!

She's a country girl and her first single is "15 Minutes of Shame"!, take a listen and let us know what you think!

Taylor's OLYMPIC "Change"

New Taylor Swift Song Part Of Beijing Olympics Soundtrack -- Change Available Friday!

A brand spanking new song from Taylor Swift will premiere as part of NBC’s broadcast of the 2008 Olympic Games.

Change, which will appear on Taylor’s sophomore CD (scheduled for release this fall, will be one of a few songs used as the soundtrack for daily video highlights shown during the Olympic broadcast.

The song was selected by Team USA and NBC for its lyrical content about overcoming challenges and achieving victory, and will be available on iTunes starting Friday (8/8) with all proceeds benefiting Team USA. WOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Clay Walker's Wife Goes Into Labor--He Cancels Show

Clay Walker was about to go on stage at the Umatilla County Fair in Hermiston, OR last night (8/5) when he got word that his wife had gone into labor.

The show was cancelled and he was rushed to the Tri Cities, WA Airport (just across the Columbia River from Hermiston, for a flight back home.

The remaining band members stayed on-stage and played for the crowd, who cheered Clay as the news of his impending father-hood was announced.

Congratulations DADDY... uh, I mean CLAY!

Toby Keith Feels Branded

One of Merle Haggard’s very first hits was a song called "Branded Man" about a former convict who continued to pay for his crime even after leaving prison. It makes sense that Merle and Toby Keith are friends, because Toby now feels as if he’s been branded by the colors of the American flag.

It’s been six years since he had a hit with "Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (The Angry American)" — almost seven years since the terrorist attack on American soil that inspired the song. Despite the passage of time, and his continued ability to launch new material onto the radio, Toby is astounded to find that that song is still the one by which much of the media judges him.

"It's amazing that I can sell 35 million albums and have 50 million spins as a writer, and one three-minute song carries more weight than all of that combined," he told The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "You realize that?

Brooks and Dunn Get Their Star!!!!

Brooks & Dunn have finally gotten their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame! The ceremony took place yesterday and their friends Phil and Robin McGraw were guest speakers.

Brooks & Dunn are currently on the charts with “Put A Girl In It” from their “Cowboy Town” album.

The duo’s star is the 2,367th on the Walk.

When They Were Just... Looking For a Good Time

Get it!?!?!?!? Cuz that's the name of the song!!! Hahahaha... hah... hah... nevermind.

The first time Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott met bandmate Charles Kelley, it was in a Nashville bar, which set the stage for what could have been a major misunderstanding.

Hillary had heard some of his music online, so when they ended up in the same place, she just had to introduce herself.

"I just recognized him, and I kind of walked up to him and said, 'What's your name? You look so familiar,'" she said.. "And he said, 'Charles Kelley.' And I said, 'Well, I really like what you do. I'm a fan, and I'm a singer-songwriter from here in Nashville.' So he goes, 'Well, you're a writer, huh? Well, let me get your number. We can get together and write songs.'"

Charles admits that while he made the songwriting offer, he really hoped to get a date with her. Some fans have since formed the belief that the two are a couple, but it’s absolutely not true.

"We still to this day haven't been on that date yet," Hillary laughed.

Jessica + Sports = TV!

Jessica Simpson is limbered up and ready to join her boyfriend Tony Romo on the football field - she has signed to star alongside him in a new sports show.

Jess was criticised for supporting the Dallas Cowboys quarterback from the stands last year, when her attendance coincided with a losing streak, but the negative press hasn't put her off agreeing to appear in an episode of the TV show Hard Knocks - a series that shows fans the inner-workings of football camps.

HBO network boss Ross Greenburg insists the focus of the programme will remain the same, despite its celebrity line-up. He says, "I'm telling you, we are going to attack this Hard Knocks the same way we have attacked all of the other Hard Knocks. We're not going to make this an E! half-hour entertainment show on Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson." --- (GOOD LUCK!)

Simpson's episode is set to air August 6th on HBO.

Melissa Lawson Wins Nashville Star

Do we have the next Miranda Lambert on our hands? During the commercial break just before the winner of the sixth season of Nashville Star was announced Monday night, crew members pushed a big red Toyota Tundra pick-up truck onto the stage where the two remaining contestants stood, hoping to hear their name called by host Billy Ray Cyrus.

Would it go to electrician-turned-musician Gabe Garcia or Melissa Lawson, a wife and mother of five boys? As it turns out, Lawson, 32, got the keys to the truck and the ticket to a recording contract with Warner Bros. Nashville. Garcia was disappointed about the pick-up, telling PEOPLE after the show, “I really wanted that truck. I was already thinking about how I was going to jack it up and trick it out.”

Still, Garcia was relatively satisfied with his second place finish and thrilled by the experience of competing on Nashville Star. “It’s been a great ride, from beginning to end,” he said after the show, still picking strips of silver confetti out of his hair. “But I’m looking forward to getting back to my own life for a few days. I haven’t made my own bed or driven myself in two months.”


Lawson leaves Saturday for Beijing, China to perform at the Olympics!

Kid Rock, McCain and Miss Tropic?

John McCain doesn't want to be like Britney or Paris, but is still hanging out with Kid Rock right next to Miss Tropicana! (Well, Kinda).

J to the McCain will be at the Sturgis Rally in South Dakota today. After the Senator pays tribute to Vets at the event -- Kid Rock will rock the main stage. After that, perhaps both will stop by the Miss Hawaiian Tropic contest nearby.

Unreleased Hank Williams... Being Released!

A large collection of previously-unreleased Hank Williams recordings will begin reaching the listening public this fall. Time Life will release the first set of recordings from Williams' 1951 Mother's Best radio show over the next three years. In totality, the collection encompasses 143 never-before-released songs, including between-song patter with Williams, his band members and his wife Audrey. The radio broadcasts were recorded on acetates, which were thrown away and retrieved from a dumpster and ultimately ended up with the Williams estate, which partnered with Time Life for these historic albums. Once all the discs are issued, Williams' song catalog will effectively be doubled.

The initial CD release this fall is set to include some 15 songs.

Garth and Trisha -- The Duet Album?

Trisha may be sporting a new MOO-stash for the "Got Milk" people... but somehow the talk always goes back to her and her hubby. Back when Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood introduced their Grammy-winning collaboration on "In Another’s Eyes," they talked very seriously about making a duets album. Eleven years later, the project has yet to be completed, and it appears it’ll be at least another six years before they get around to it.

The couple won’t record a full album until they can promote it with a tour, and Garth has said he won’t hit the road until his daughters are in college. Given that the youngest is 12, it’ll be a good six years — at least — before Garth and Trisha could seriously consider it.

"When the youngest graduates, if there's still a demand, maybe he and I will go out," she told The Everett Daily Herald, of Washington State. " That would be the time to put out a duet album."

But who knows? For a retired guy... Garth seems to work a lot :-)

Full House... Minus everyone but Stephanie

Former Full House star Jodie Sweetin (AKA - "STEPHANIE"), who gave birth to a baby girl earlier this year, says she's been "thinking about" taking a crack at country music!!!!! AND has another production in the works: a reality-TV show.

“We’re going to start shooting in a couple months,” Sweetin, 26, told PEOPLE Thursday at the Maxim Extreme Sports Party in Los Angeles. “We are in talks with a couple of networks right now. We have one picked out, but nothing is signed yet.”

What made her and husband Cody Herpin decide to make the jump into the world of reality TV? “We actually got approached about doing it by multiple people,” she says. “It was one of those things where we were like, ‘Wow. Let’s totally do it.’ I think it’s sort of a fun way to show the other side of celebrity and a sort of semi-normal life.”

John Rich Casts His Vote

AND there isn't any hanging chads!

John Rich performed at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium a month ago when Republican presidential candidate John McCain made a campaign stop at the historic venue.

Now the country singer has taken his support one step further by writing an official theme song for the Arizona senator, "Raising McCain," which Rich plans to debut today at a fundraiser in Panama City, Fla.

"I wanted to offer him something that he didn't have: a rally song, one that really captures that maverick spirit," John Rich told the Associated Press.

Not that McCain hasn’t tried different titles. Among the songs that he’s trotted out at various times are Chuck Berry’s "Johnny B. Goode," ABBA’s "Take A Chance On Me" and John Mellencamp’s "Pink Houses" and "Our Country." Mellencamp was not amused and asked McCain to stop using his songs.

John Rich considers it an honor to be connected to McCain, though the affiliation is not surprising. The singer performed previously at some fundraisers for former Republican candidate Fred Thompson. In addition, Big & Rich earned a meaty hit with "8th Of November," a song that honors the soldiers that fought in a specific battle during the Vietnam War. John McCain was held as a prisoner of war during that era, and it’s one of the things that John Rich finds inspiring about the candidate.

"This guy is a hero," the singer said. "He was physically tortured for years, and yet he gets out of bed every day and serves our country for decades."

The song might be made available to fans for free on the Internet.

Miley Cyrus Tour Bus Trouble...

Miley Cyrus has had a harsh wake up call when it comes to life on the road - especially when she's touring with her whole family - as her brother uses her toothbrush to comb his hair.

Miley insists she's got a tour bus routine that helps her live as normally as possible when travelling from gig to gig - but it's far from ideal.

She explains, "My brothers, sisters and I share one bathroom. My brother has a ridiculous haircut, and he'd use my brush but leave his hair in it. And he used my toothbrush to comb his eyebrows once".

But Cyrus always makes sure she gets a little pamper time to herself when she arrives at venues: "I ask for soap and two towels in my dressing room because I shower at the venue, I hate showering on the bus because my brothers use all the hot water".