Steve Earle - Not Good Husband Material

Good luck, Allison Morrer, a.k.a. the 7th Mrs. Steve Earle.

Toby Keith looks like a cartoon character

Tim McGraw and Nelly looked classy together -- Toby looks like a joke.

Garth Brooks - Evil Genius?

All my friends in the music industry are buzzing about Garth's latest matermind move:


Garth Brooks ropes exclusive deal with Wal-Mart By
Melinda Newman
Fri Aug 19, 4:44 AM ET

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - Retired country star
Garth Brooks has signed a multi-year, exclusive pact
with Wal-Mart, making the world's biggest retailer and
its Sam's Clubs and Walmart.com outlets the only
places where his music will be commercially available.


The deal with Brooks marks the first time an artist --
and certainly a superstar -- has aligned himself and
his entire catalog with one chain. (A number of other
retailers have started labels, but they were never
exclusive to the retailer and most have shut down).

Speculation about a pact brewing between Brooks and
Wal-Mart grew after the artist performed at a
shareholders meeting June 3 in Bentonville, Ark.,
Wal-Mart's hometown. However, until now, both sides
have declined to acknowledge that they had made a
deal.

Brooks told Billboard that he's not ready to discuss
details of the Wal-Mart deal until "we get our ducks a
row," but added that the forthcoming releases, "in
everything from cost to content, will be an amazing
deal for the Garth fan."

The initial deal is believed to cover only catalog
since Brooks had vowed to remain retired from
performing and recording new material until his
youngest daughter graduates from high school in 2015,
by which stage he will be 53.

Then, he has said he'll reevaluate the marketplace and
his desire to return to the music recording industry.
Brooks' last studio album, 2001's "Scarecrow," has
sold 2.9 million copies in the United States,
according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Brooks' departure from Capitol Nashville, his label
home since 1989, paved the way for the Wal-Mart deal.
Capitol and Brooks dissolved their licensing deal in
June. Brooks owns his masters, leaving him free to
shop for a new deal. His catalog includes 15 projects.
Capitol parent EMI can sell remaining Brooks' titles
it already had in the pipeline to retailers prior to
the June deal, but it can manufacture no more units.

Although neither Brooks nor Wal-Mart would comment on
the first arrival under the pact, industry sources say
that it will be a multiple-disc box set including
previously unreleased material. The set will hit
shelves in late fall and will retail at around $25.

Such a project, because it is not available to all
retailers, would not be eligible for the Billboard 200
album chart, but would appear on the Billboard
Comprehensive Albums chart, which appears on
http://www.Billboard.com.

Reuters/Billboard

Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off

Loving the new Joe Nichols song.

Dixie Chicks are Smart Chicks

So pleased to hear on the radio that the Dixie Chicks have Rick Rubin producing their latest album. When I heard that I thought genius! He's the perfect person to allow them to continue to be a great country group while continuing to proclaim that they will do things their own way no matter what. I can't wait!!!!

Keith Urban's dirty shirt

Why is Keith Urban endlessly fascinating? His shirt he wore in the Making Memories of Us music video is up for auction. If you have a spare $1610, you can buy it.

Keith Urban, good movie date?

From GawkerStawker:
Spotted Keith Urban riding the down escalator like a lord of freakin’ Dogtown yesterday 8/9 in the deserted Loew’s theatre at 34th and 8th around 5:20. With total stalker skill I predicted Nicole Kidman would be 100 feet behind him and BANG there she was. Tall as hell, gorgeous, casual — and the 10 people in the vicinity didn’t notice her. Theatre was showing War of the Worlds. Think she waited THIS long? Zing!

Gretchen Wilson Shoots and Scores

After much viewing, FINALLY caught the new Gretchen Wilson video -- what are they doing, hiding it? You can catch Toby and Faith a million times without trying and it takes serious viewing hourship to unearth "All Jacked Up." It is a great follow up to Redneck Woman, complete with the required cameos. Credits on the video reveal the suspected John Rich's hand once again. It's almost as if John Rich does better with Gretchen than he does with Big Kenny....

Keith Urban, Mall Doll

Now that he's a GAP boy, expect to see and hear Mr. Urban every time you go into the local mall. Is there no escaping this man's global domination? P.S. Love that they dug out his Playgirl nudie spread to publish in stories about his dating Nicole Kidman. Will this man do anything to become a household name? Apparently so. Also, remember when he used to be "lower case K lower case u" like kd lang? Oh, he has many, many skeleton's in the closet...

Faith Hill, blonder by the moment

Judging from this photo from a recent Today show appearance, she's ditching the brunette 'do. It was just a matter of time.... Expect full blonde glory any moment now...

Tim McGraw, good husband material

Came across this photo of Tim McGraw watching Faith Hill perform on the Today show. Even if you knew nothing about the man, just seeing this photo would be proof enough that he's A+ husband material, right?

Alan Jackson without the mustache

Last night I caught the old black and white Alan Jackson for "Last Night I Climbed the Walls" -- where he has no mustache. Whereas I used to think he looked odd without it, now I think he might look great without 'stache and without hat.

Paisley is the new Urban

Just like the equally boring Keith Urban, Brad Paisley is demanding too much attention lately, but how can you ignore an animated Brad?

Alcohol Good or Bad?

So everytime you turn around you're either listening to Brad Paisley's new single "Alcohol" or watching the video. Like so much of his work, it's catchy and clever the first time, but you eagerly tune it out after repeated exposure. Why is it that Brad's music doesn't wear well?

Great IDs of country acts

Love this listing from a Minnesota newspaper:
Who are the best country performers on tour this summer?
Jon Bream
July 31, 2005
 
As August begins, we enter the peak of the country-music touring season in Minnesota. The We Fest in Detroit Lakes starts its 23rd year Thursday with Toby Keith, followed by Alan Jackson and Tim McGraw. This year's Minnesota State Fair will present Rascal Flatts, Sawyer Brown and Martina McBride. With all these big Nashville names headed this way, we rank the best of the country stars on the road now:

1. Kenny Chesney: With his energy, attitude and athleticism, he throws a party like no other current country star, even if his songs don't measure up to country's finest.

2. Big & Rich. Genre-blending originality, commanding stage presence and a sense of fun (and humor) have meant that Big Kenny Alphin and John Rich's motto should be "Save a Genre (Take Some Chances)." Thursday at We Fest.

3. Toby Keith. Part Hulk Hogan and part Hank Williams Jr., this blustery, hard-partying patriot is country's over-the-top success. Thursday at We Fest.

4. Brooks & Dunn. This long-lasting duo has a convincing balance of sentimental songs, sanitized redneck rowdiness and calculated showmanship.

5. Rascal Flatts. Country's boy band pulls it off with youthful energy, harmony-happy romantic songs and cool hairdos, especially frontman Gary LeVox's (above). Sept. 1 at State Fair.

6. Sawyer Brown. This veteran group doesn't try to impress with a fancy production. Instead, it lets the uptempo tunes and frontman Mark Miller's dazzling dancing carry the show. Friday at We Fest and Aug. 27 at State Fair.

7. Alison Krauss & Union Station. No one can argue with her beautiful voice and the group's awesome instrumental prowess, but it's Krauss' off-the-wall humor that makes the performances delightfully unpredictable.

8. Keith Urban. This fast-rising Aussie heartthrob injects spirituality, romanticism and guitar heroics into his hook-filled country-rock. Sept. 24 at Xcel Center.

9. Gretchen Wilson. This raw, rough-around-the-edges newcomer's honesty, passion and humor shine through on her forward-thinking but traditional mix of heartache and honky-tonk. Saturday at We Fest.

10. Trick Pony. A spunky, fun-loving and fun-generating trio that understands how to create a (contrived) good time. Saturday at We Fest.

11. Terri Clark. She rocks! She can be a sensitive balladeer or a sweaty rocker. And she always champions girl power. Sept. 4 at Kick'n Up Kountry Music Festival in Hallock, Minn.

12. Dwight Yoakam. Long a Nashville outsider, this Hollywood cowboy is a scrumptious sonic throwback with a deep melting pot of superior tunes and a sly, witty stage style that drives women wild.

13. Tim McGraw. He drives women wild, too, not with his statue-like moves but with his hunky body, winning songs and big-budget production. Saturday at We Fest.

14. Wynonna Judd. Long one of the strongest female voices in Nashville, she has finally found her comfort zone on stage with a spirited, liberating, humorous journey through her life via her favorite rock and R&B covers along with her own hits. Aug. 26 at Grand Casino Hinckley.

15. Montgomery Gentry. Coming on like WWE tag-team champions, this duo is rambunctious and rockin' with a couple of ballads to balance the bluster. Aug. 26 at Jackpot Junction Casino in Morton, Minn.