Country Music News

GENERAL

BRAD PAISLEY TAKES HUMOR SERIOUSLY

Brad Paisley is known for using humor in his songwriting, and in a recent interview with the AP, he explained that there's a real art to writing a funny song.

Asked whether it's easier to write a funny song than a serious one, Brad replied, "I don't know if they're easier. Sometimes they're harder to perfect. I think that humor, for me, is a way of making an album well rounded. There's got to be a few of those for it to feel like one of my records. There's also got to be a few serious songs for it to feel like one of my records. I would never want to do a record of 10 funny songs."

As for the secret of a successful funny song, Brad said, "I think it's all in the timing. It's like fishing. It's baiting the hook and knowing when to set it. In 'Ticks' you bait them and go all the way down the chorus to 'I'd like to walk you through a field of wildflowers.' I could have ended it then with 'So let's take a drive' [laughs]. But that's not setting the hook. After 'I'd like to walk you through a field of wildflowers,' the ball is sitting on the tee, so you swing and give it a line like 'And I'd like to check you for ticks.'"

FRIDAY THE 13TH BAD-LUCK DAY FOR SINGER

You can't blame country singer Gene Watson if he's a little superstitious about Friday the 13th.

Watson, 63, and his Farewell Party band were on their way from Houston to perform on the Grand Ole Opry when their bus caught fire just outside of Nashville. The blaze ignited from a broken axle shaft spewing grease. A mechanic before he had his first hit with "Love in the Hot Afternoon," the Palestine, Texas, native quickly went to work trying to extinguish the fire. "We used everything we had on the bus to douse the flames, from sodas to water bottles," he said in a release from his publicist. "The firemen arriving on the scene still gave it a good shot, too."

Sarah Brosmer, the singer's publicist, said black smoke and flames engulfed the back of the bus by the engine. Watson and his band were trying to keep it from spreading under the floorboard. They fought it for about 30 minutes until firefighters arrived, she said.

No one was harmed, though Watson did singe his hair. The group had to rent another bus to continue to their Opry gig. It could take several days before Watson's regular bus is repaired.

"When we say we were smoldering hot in Nashville, we really mean it," cracked Watson, whose other hits include "Fourteen Carat Mind" and "Paper Rosie."

BOOTS RANDOLPH IN HOSPITAL

Associated Press - June 27, 2007 7:35 PM ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Saxophone player Boots Randolph was hospitalized in critical condition Wednesday in Nashville. Officials at Skyline Medical Center said Randolph's family had asked that no other information be released about him other than to ask for prayers.

The 80-year-old Randolph is best known for his 1963 hit "Yakety Sax," which became the theme song for the TV show "The Benny Hill Show" more than two decades after the tune was released. He had been a top Nashville session musician, playing with dozens of recording artists, including Elvis Presley and he performed regularly in Nashville nightclubs for 30 years until the mid-1990s.

He has just had his latest CD released, a 14-track jazz instrumental album.

TOBY TO SNUB THE CMA AWARDS

Toby Keith says he won’t attend the Nov. 7 Country Music Association Awards because he feels the organization has repeatedly snubbed him.

June 26, 2007 – "I'm done with it, but I tried to keep that quiet,” he told Nashville newspaper The Tennessean. “I don't want this to be sour grapes.” Out of 27 nominations, Toby has won only two CMA trophies. "The very same two years I swept through the [Academy of Country Music Awards] and had Entertainer of the Year twice,” he said, “I was sitting on the front of the CMAs getting zero. . . . It just makes you question the integrity of a system where the person who has the biggest year and is most nominated and has outperformed and been the No. 1 ticket seller, which I was in that time, to walk out zero for 16."

FORMER "AMERICAN IDOL" FAVOURITE TO TOUR PERSIAN GULF

June 26, 2007 — Josh Gracin, who spent four years in the U.S. Marine Corps, will tour the Persian Gulf this summer in support of our troops overseas.

Josh will leave his wife and three children at home in Nashville to play shows and spend time with the troops stationed throughout the Persian Gulf. The overseas tour is sponsored by the Armed Forces MWR (Morale, Welfare & Recreation) division and Stars for Stripes.

"It means a lot to me to do this," Josh said. "As a former Marine it's important for me to give back to our men and women in uniform. I hope these shows can help them to escape for just a moment and bring a little piece of home to our folks serving overseas."

The former "American Idol" contestant's self-titled debut CD is certified gold by the RIAA and has sold over 680,000 copies. The first single from the project, "I Want To Live," was also his first hit, climbing to No. 4 on the country charts. Josh's second single, "Nothin' To Lose," was his first No. 1 record. His third single "Stay With Me (Brass Bed)" was also a Top 5 hit, giving him three consecutive Top 5 songs.

JACK INGRAM GETS THE ACTING BUG

Singer Jack Ingram is in the upcoming film, "The Last Confession Of Ransom Pride." Ingram plays the role of Ransom Pride in this Western set in the early 1900s. He shared screen time with actor Gary Busey, who plays a bounty hunter disguised as a priest.

SAMMY KERSHAW ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY FOR LOUISIANA LT. GOVERNOR

Speaking in his hometown of Kaplan, La, Sammy Kershaw ended weeks of speculation and officially announced he will run as a Republican candidate for Lt. Governor of Louisiana. I am proud to be a citizen of this state and I want to be a part of building its future. I'm committed to ensuring that the unique culture and proud heritage of this state is preserved and promoted, said Kershaw.

Kershaw is running to bring a fresh perspective and new ideas to help move Louisiana forward at a time when strong leadership is critical.

I am not afraid to make difficult decisions. I know that with leadership comes responsibility. For the past 20 years I have taken care of my employees and their families and have learned that leadership means personal sacrifice. It means putting the needs of others before your own. I am going to bring that same mentality to Baton Rouge. As Commissioner of the Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism, I will bring the entire experience of my career. I will lead the effort of expanding Louisiana's reach and creating economic diversification through what is uniquely ours.

As Lt. Governor, some of Kershaw's top priorities include:

* Making the entertainment industry a viable source of economic development in Louisiana.

* Creating education programs that will train a sustainable labor force for this industry.

Sammy Kershaw is known for being one of country music's most talented artists with a Cajun kick. Since his debut in 1991, he has had platinum and gold records, but no amount of success has been able to tear him away from his Louisiana roots. He and wife, Lorrie Morgan, have seven children and two grandchildren.

BRAZILIAN STAR MOVES TO NASHVILLE

Rodrigo Haddad, country music singer from Brazil, has moved to Nashville this week for a minimum of 6 months. He is a leading performer in Brazil with a couple of hit albums to his credit and wants to pursue his career in Music City and finish his upcoming album.

The CMA has constantly nominated him for the Global Award and he regularly performs in Nashville at all the events. As well as singing he is now to be heard as a DJ on CMR Nashville, direct from Music City. You can hear him on Tuesdays at 1pm. and 7pm. and also at 1am and 7am (Wednesday mornings) and
on Saturdays at 7pm all UK time. And if want to know more about his music career and also hear his new debut single "Goodbye", check it out at www.rodrigohaddad.com

FERLIN HUSKY RESTING AFTER SURGERY

Associated Press

Country singer Ferlin Husky is resting in a Springfield, Mo., hospital this evening after doctors discovered blockage in arteries in both of his legs, his spokesman said. Husky, 81, was admitted to St. John's Hospital after blockage was suspected in one leg. But doctors discovered problems in both legs and decided to schedule surgery later, said Tracy Pitcox, president of Heart of Texas Records, Husky's label.

The Flat River, Mo., native had open heart surgery in 1977. He also was hospitalized for a week in 1983 after suffering a heart attack in Seattle. Despite his health, Husky still performs about once a month, including a recent '50s festival in Wisconsin with Little Richard, Wanda Jackson and Bo Diddley.

At the height of his career, Husky was a movie and TV star and recorded hit songs like "Wings of a Dove," "Gone" and "Country Music Is Here to Stay." He made 18 movies with co-stars like Jayne Mansfield ("Las Vegas Hillbillies" in 1966) and Zsa Zsa Gabor ("Country Music Holiday" in 1958). Husky, who also recorded under the names Terry Preston and Simon Crum, sold more than 20 million records, mostly in the 1950s and early 1960s. He has homes in Missouri and Tennessee.

GOSPEL BAND’S VAN INVOLVED IN CRASH THAT KILLS 1, INJURES 8

By CHRIS SMITH
Gannett Tennessee

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — A wreck early Friday morning on Interstate 24 killed a woman and injured eight people, leaving one in critical condition. Most of those injured were in a passenger van belonging to Harvest Wind Band, a bluegrass gospel group from Statesville, N.C. The band was scheduled to perform later that day in the Bluegrass Pickin’ Time festival in Dixon, Mo. The woman who died in the 3:15 a.m. accident was ejected from the van as it crashed.

Names of the victims and details of how the wreck happened have not been released, and Tennessee Highway Patrol spokesmen said official information may not be released until Tuesday.

The festival’s organizer, Scott Reeder, said a band member called him Friday to cancel the appearance, saying they’d been in a tragic wreck. Several attempts to reach the band Sunday were unsuccessful. Harvest Wind Band was nominated for two 2007 Dove Awards, one of them Bluegrass Album of the Year for “Ancient of Days,” according to the band’s Web site at www.harvestwindband.com. Reeder said a moment of prayer was held at the festival for those hurt in the wreck. “They’re a terrific band,” he said. “We were really looking forward to them coming.”

Vanderbilt University Medical Center spokesman Jerry Jones said Sunday that of the three victims airlifted from the wreck, one went to Vanderbilt, one went to Saint Thomas and one went to Baptist, all Nashville hospitals. The patient who went to Vanderbilt was the one who died, Jones said. Three other victims were taken by ambulance to Gateway Medical Center in Clarksville. The remaining three who were injured did not require hospital attention.

Revonda Roberts, lead singer of Harvest Wind, told the Statesville Record & Landmark on Saturday that as the van flipped, all she could do was pray. “All I kept saying over and over was, ‘God, I want to live,’ ” Roberts said. Roberts, her husband, Lonnie, and son Justin Bowles, as well as two other band members, Brad Wood and Robert McIntosh, were in the van. “We were hit from behind by a car and thrown into the path of a tractor-trailer,” Roberts told the Record & Landmark.

Roberts said she believes that she and her band were witnesses to a miracle in Clarksville and that a mystery man had a hand in their survival. “Eyewitness accounts state there was another man at the scene of the accident, but no one could find him,” Roberts told the North Carolina newspaper. “No one knows who he was or where he came from, but he came up to Brad’s little girl, gave her an angel and said that this angel was going to watch over her.”

Roberts sustained a shattered tibia and received staples in her head from a laceration, but was released from the emergency room the same day, she told the paper. Her husband suffered spinal injuries and is still in the hospital. Bowles, McIntosh and Wood had minor injuries and were also released. “Everyone is doing much better,” Roberts said. “God had his hand in this and blessed us to be alive.”

TENNESSEAN.COM

IFCO TO PRESENT PORTER WAGONER WITH THE IFCO TEX RITTER AWARD

NASHVILLE - IFCO (the International Fan Club Organization) announced today that they will present the IFCO Tex Ritter Award to Porter Wagoner at the 40th Annual IFCO FunFest Show on Monday, June 4 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

The legendary Tex Ritter was a friend, supporter and long-time member of IFCO. Following his death on January 2, 1974, IFCO collaborated with his wife, Dorothy, to establish the IFCO Tex Ritter Award. The honor was created to recognize an artist, individual or group for their contribution to country music, the music community, and fans everywhere. Nominations are accepted from IFCO-affiliates and industry professionals. Previous winners have included Mother Maybelle Carter, Ernest Tubb, Ralph Emery, Roy Clark, the Oak Ridge Boys, Louise Scruggs, Robert K. Oermann, Bill Anderson and Jim Halsey, to name a few.

Porter Wagoner is among the most recognized names in all of country music. His grand showmanship, rhinestone suits, and loyalty to the Grand Ole Opry have culminated in numerous awards (including four Grammy awards), and a role in the Clint Eastwood movie, Honkytonk Man. IFCO congratulates Porter not only for being this year¹s IFCO Tex Ritter Award recipient, but for recently being honored as a ³50 Year² member of the Grand Ole Opry.

Headlining the 40th Annual IFCO FunFest Show is Joe Diffie. Also performing are Trick Pony, Aaron Tippin, Chris Young, Ty Herndon, Billy Yates, Lady Antebellum, Carly Goodwin, John Stone, Todd Fritsch, Gary Mule Deer, and Two Foot Fred. IFCO's band leader is Joe Bob Barnhill, and Robert K. Oermann will be the night's host.

The 40th Annual IFCO FunFest Show will also, for the first time, be broadcast on XM Satellite Radio/Highway 16. The show will re-air several times throughout June and early July. Additional air dates will be posted at ifco.org and xmradio.com.

The 2007 IFCO FunFest Show benefits Nashville's Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt (http://www.vanderbiltchildrens.com/). This hospital was created to give children a place to hope and heal. The focus is on research, education and advocacy, which allows the hospital to provide comprehensive, state-of-the-art care delivered in a nurturing, family-centered environment.

Ticket prices are $40 for Tier 1 seating, $35 for Tier 2 seating, and $27.50 for Tier 3 seating. A limited number of special VIP meet & greet tickets are sold out. Ticket orders can be placed online at: http://www.ifco.org or by calling 615.371.9596.

IFCO is an international regulatory body, and is widely regarded as the foremost authority on setting-up and operating fan clubs. Founded in 1967 by Loudilla, Loretta and Kay Johnson, they have since established IFCO as a respected force in the entertainment industry, a clearing house for fan clubs, and consumer watchdog for the fans.

For more information, please point your browser to http://www.ifco.org

LANTANA, best known for their Texas twang-with-an-attitude musical style and diverse personalities, are connecting with their fans in a brand new way with the launch of their official fan club website June 1. The club offers fans access to numerous "Members Only" features, including the chance to go behind-the-scenes with Biz Haddock, Karol Ann DeLong and Dalene Richelle via their personal blogs, aptly dubbed: "Biz's Blog," "Dalene's Diary" and "Karol Ann's Korner."

Fans can not only "connect" personally with LANTANA but also with other fans by creating their own personal profiles in the fan club's unique interactive "YourSPACE" community, which features personal fan email accounts, individualized fan galleries and instant messaging. Lantanafanclub.com is filled with special photos, video clips and up to date information on fan club contests, VIP ticket packages and concert "Meet & Greets" as well. Members can sign up for the monthly LANTANA Times, read the group's latest music reviews, purchase their BGM Records' debut CD, UNBRIDLED, and be the very first to hear all of the hottest LANTANA news.

The immediate success of the trio's two hit singles ("Country As A City Girl Can Be" and "Let Somebody Love You"), and their outstanding live performances, have made the fan club a virtual necessity. "We're proud of our lantanamusic.com website and we really enjoy our MySpace 'home,' but we wanted to create a special community for our fan club members to make personal connections. It's a fun, creative and interactive space, and it gives members a way to communicate directly with each other and with us," says Karol Ann, the trio's "token" brunette. "Our personal blogs should be riot if we are able to capture in words just one of the typical days in the life of LANTANA. Between the three of us we have a lot to say about music, fast food, airport security and the best hair care products available!"

NO JAIL FOR WILLIE NELSON ON DRUG CHARGE

Willie Nelson and his tour manager were spared jail time Tuesday after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor count of marijuana possession.

Nelson and tour manager David Anderson, along with Nelson's sister, Bobbie Nelson, and two drivers, were issued citations on Sept. 18 after state troopers said they found marijuana and hallucinogenic mushrooms on the country legend's tour bus during a commercial-vehicle inspection on Interstate 10.

State District Judge Paul deMahy fined Nelson and Anderson $1,024 each and put both on probation for six months. As part of a plea agreement, the citation against Bobbie Nelson was dismissed.

St. Martin Parish Assistant District Attorney Chester Cedars said he dismissed the citations against the two drivers because there was no indication they "had anything to do with the contraband."

Word spread quickly that Nelson was in this small southern Louisiana town, and a crowd of about 25 fans gathered outside to wait for the entertainer after his brief court appearance. When he emerged, Nelson obliged, shaking hands, signing scraps of paper and posing for photographs.

"Thank y'all," he said, waving as he climbed into a waiting car.

BILLY JOE SHAVER FREE

Billy Joe Shaver has been freed on bail after a gun shooting incident. He turned himself in and was charged with aggravated assault. The 67 year old was unlawfully carrying a hand gun to add to the charges.

ARTISTS ANNOUNCED FOR COUNTRIEST of the COUNTRY SHOW

Joe Diffie, Tammy Cochran, Michael Peterson, Chris Young, Highway 101, David Frizzell, Ricky Lynn Gregg, Jimmy Fortune, Billy Ryan and David Kroll are among the artists slated to appear on Billy Yates' COUNTRIEST of the COUNTRY show scheduled for Wednesday, June 6th at the Ernest Tubb Texas Troubadour Theater in Nashville.

The annual event which is sponsored by the Billy Yates International Fan Club began only three few years ago has now evolved into what is considered by many to be the best Country Music show during the CMA Music Festival. With so many guests, it is by far one of the best entertainment values in Nashville that week.

This year's show will also include "hit songwriters in the round" featuring Byron Hill ("Nothin' On But The Radio" - Gary Allan, "Size Matters" - Joe Nichols, "Fool Hearted Memory" - George Strait plus many more hits), Georgia Middleman ("Don't Ruin It For The Rest Of Us" - Joe Nichols & Mark Chesnutt, "I'm In" - Radney Foster & "The Kinleys"), and Kerry Kurt Phillips ("Pick Up Man", "Is It Cold In Here", "Prop Me Up Beside The Jukebox" - Joe Diffie, "Do You Want Fries With That" - Tim McGraw, "That's Just Jesse" - Kevin Denney plus more).

To order tickets send $25.00 (check or money order) per ticket to:

Billy Yates International Fan Club
P.O. Box 864
White House, TN 37188
USA

Doors will open at 5:30PM and the show will start at 6:00PM.

All profits from the show will be donated to CHRISTMAS for the CHILDREN, a non-profit organization that raises money throughout the year to take local underprivileged children Christmas shopping. The organization is located in White House, Tennessee.

TRIBUTE NIGHT TO HANK COCHRAN A SUCCESS

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum kicked off its new quarterly programming series Poets and Prophets with a salute to legendary songwriter Hank Cochran. A capacity crowd of well over 200 fans in the Ford Theatre enjoyed the show. For 90 minutes Hank laughed and shared stories about his
colourful life, the path that led him to Nashville, the inspirations for his hit songs and even performed songs. Afterwards, Hank signed autographs for over an hour in the Museum gift shop.

"I always tried to make my songs short, sweet and make it rhyme," Cochran said in describing the recurring qualities of an amazing array of compositions that have not only been turned into country hits, but also been hits in other genres. The lengthy Cochran list includes "Make The World Go Away," "Set 'Em Up Joe," "Ocean Front Property," "She's Got You" and "The Chair." Hank was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1974 - he continues to write, adding new tunes to his impressive catalogue.

KRISTOFFERSON TRIBUTE PLANNED FOR CMT AWARDS

Keith Urban, Gretchen Wilson, Willie Nelson and more will take part in a tribute to Kris Kristofferson on the 2007 CMT Music Awards, April 16, on CMT at 8 p.m. ET.

April 12, 2007 – Kris will receive the Johnny Cash Visionary Award during the telecast from the Curb Event Center in Nashville. The award recognizes an artist’s musical vision, groundbreaking music videos and pioneering initiatives. Rosanne Cash, Johnny’s daughter, will present the award to Kris. Also appearing in the tribute are actors Russell Crowe and Luke Wilson, along with Oscar-winning film director Martin Scorsese.

FORMER HOME OF JOHNNY CASH DESTROYED BY FIRE

Fumes from a wood preservative ignited by a spark are the likely cause of a mid-afternoon fire at the home at the late Johnny and June Carter Cash......situated in a suburb about 20 miles (30 kilometers) northeast of downtown Nashville........ according to Hendersonville Fire Chief Jamie Steele. Fire trucks arrived within five minutes, but the house was already engulfed in flames. “We’ve got a pretty good idea what happened,” said Steele, who said he would offer more on the fire Wednesday.

Three hours after firefighters were alerted to the blaze, the roof had collapsed and flames and smoke continued to billow from the home. The trees and grass outside the home was charred black and all that was visible inside the structure was metal scaffolding that was being used by the workers. Steele said the home’s unique multi-leveled design made it difficult for firefighters. “For a firefighter, when you hear unique it’s going to be hard. All the things that made it a unique and attractive home made it harder to fight the fire,” the chief noted. Also the nearest hydrant was several blocks away, forcing firefighters to roll out several hundred feet of hose.

This is not the first time firefighters had responded to a fire there. They came twice in the 1980s, said Steele, who noted the Cashes were very gracious and appreciative.

"It was a very, very unusual contemporary structure," Cash's brother, Tommy, said. "It was built with stone and wood and all kinds of unusual materials, from marble to old barn wood. I don't think there was a major blueprint. I think the builder was building it the way he wanted it to look." Johnny and June lived there the entire time they were married, It was the only house they lived in together until they both passed on.

"All but two of Hendersonville’s fire units came out to the scene and were joined by one unit from the Gallatin Fire Department. One firefighter suffered minor injuries. All the workmen escaped the flames.

The fire brought out several famous spectators, including members of the Oak Ridge Boys and Marty Stuart, who live nearby. "So many prominent things and prominent people in American history took place in that house -- everyone from Billy Graham to Bob Dylan went into that house," said Stuart, who lives next door and was married to Cash's daughter, Cindy, in the 1980s.

Kris Kristofferson, then an aspiring songwriter, once landed a helicopter on Cash's lawn to pitch him a song and Roy Orbison lived next door for a while.

The property was purchased by Barry Gibb, a former member of the Bee Gees, in January 2006. Gibb and his wife, Linda, had said they planned to restore the home on Old Hickory Lake and hoped to write songs there. Barry has said that he is going to preserve the place and honour Johnny's memory.

Bought for a reported $2.3 million, they had not yet moved in to the home.

Richard Sterban of the Oak Ridge Boys said "Maybe it's the good Lord's way to make sure that it was only Johnny's house."

BILLY JOE SHAVER CONNECTED WITH TEXAS BAR SHOOTING

Singer-songwriter Billy Joe Shaver has been connected to a shooting in a Texas bar Saturday night.

A man was shot in the face about 8:30 p.m. on the covered back porch of Papa Joe's Texas Saloon in Lorena, a suburb of Waco, said John Moran, Lorena city manager and chief of police. The name and age of the victim, who remains in Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center, have not been released, he said.

Shaver “has not been charged with anything and hopefully he won't be charged with anything," said Austin attorney Joseph Turner, who represents the songwriter. Turner is a well-known and highly successful criminal defense attorney who has represented Willie Nelson, Matthew McConaughey and Branch Davidian Ruth Riddle. "He is not under arrest and they haven't issued any warrants for his arrest."

Shaver is a beloved Texas performer whose songs have been recorded by Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Marty Stuart. His songs were the basis for Jennings' landmark 1973 Honky Tonk Heroes album. His own hits include "Georgia on a Fast Train" in 1973 and "You Asked Me To" in 1978. He was a 2006 inductee into the Texas Music Hall of Fame.

Turner was retained by Shaver, 67, on Saturday and has been in touch with police investigators. "We are cooperating the best we can. They are still conducting the investigation." Turner would not comment on speculation that the man who was shot had a knife.

Moran, the Lorena police chief, would not discuss details of the case or confirm that Shaver was involved. "I am not saying this person is a person of interest at this point because it is a case in progress. The Texas Rangers are assisting in this investigation. I can't go into details on it right now." There were witnesses to the shooting, Moran said. The Waco Tribune-Herald reported that about 25 people were in the bar. "We've been talking to folks," Moran said. "There are a lot of people to talk to."

When asked about the shooting Sunday night, the person answering the phone at Papa Joe's said, "There wasn't none, thank you," and hung up. However, an eyewitness told the Waco newspaper the shooting occurred outside the back door. "All I heard was a pop," said the man, who wouldn't give the newspaper his name. "I thought it was a firecracker. (The victim) came walking back in with his hand on his cheek and had blood all over his face. “Then I guess the (shooter) ran and got in his car and took off.”

A Lorena police officer told the Waco paper that he had difficulty getting information from customers at the scene. "No one knows a thing,” he told the paper. “If they do know, they’re not saying anything.”

INTERNATIONAL SONG CONTEST ANNOUNCES WIINERS

The International Songwriting Competition (ISC) is pleased to announce its 2006 winners. Almost 15,000 songs by amateur and professional songwriters from 88 countries were submitted to the 2006 competition, confirming ISC's status as the world's leading global songwriting event.Entries were received from faraway countries such as Rwanda, Uzbekistan, Iran, Guatemala, and Hungary, among many others. More than $150,000 in cash and prizes will be shared among the 56 winners, including an overall Grand Prize of $25,000 (US) cash - the largest cash grand prize of any songwriting competition in the world.

It is with the greatest pleasure that ISC is awarding this year's Grand Prize to Scott Leger of Austin, TX, USA for his song "Maybe Tonight, Maybe Tomorrow."

Upon learning of a friend's cancer diagnosis, Scott wrote the song both as a personal coping mechanism and as a tribute to honor cancer survivors across the world. According to Leger, the song is dedicated not only to his friend but also to the millions of people affected by cancer. His hope is that the song will encourage people everywhere to live life to its fullest, whether they're dealing with cancer or any other challenge. The song was debuted at the Lance Armstrong Foundation Gala in front of a room full of VIP's including former President Bill Clinton.

In addition to its lyrical content, the song's memorable chorus and strong pop sensibility resonated with the ISC judges, culminating in it being awarded this year's Grand Prize.

As the lead singer and principle songwriter of the award-winning band Wideawake, Leger brings a passion and purpose to his songwriting that is inspirational and timeless. Wideawake's two releases, Bigger than Ourselves, and Not So Far Away have sold a combined 40,000 units independently, and they have shared the stage with Switchfoot, Blue October, Third Eye Blind, Sister Hazel, Sheryl Crow, Hootie and the Blowfish, Tears for Fears, Vertical Horizon, and Gavin Degraw. Leger has also recently launched a solo career.

In addition to the Grand Prize winner, many other deserving songwriters also share in the prestige and kudos of winning their respective categories in ISC 2006. These winners hail from all over the world, representing diverse cultures and ranging from talented amateurs to seasoned songwriting veterans. The 18 categories include all genres of contemporary music, from rock to jazz to R&B/Hip-Hop and more.

In the Country category, this is the first time that an Australian songwriter has won First Place, even beating out many seasoned Nashville pros!

Click here for winners.

Renowned for its high caliber of judges, ISC compiled a stellar panel of judges for the 2006 competition, including:

Brian Wilson; Tom Waits; Rosanne Cash; Sean Paul; Mark Chesnutt; Jerry Lee Lewis; Frank Black (Pixies); Robert Smith (The Cure); Cassandra Wilson; Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse); Medeski Martin & Wood; Craig Morgan; John Mayall; John Scofield; Amy Ray (Indigo Girls); Darryl McDaniels (Run DMC); MercyMe; Macy Gray; Charlie Musselwhite; Peter Hook (New Order); Blue Man Group; Tiesto; and Jeff Stinco (Simple Plan)

Charlie Walk (President, Epic Records); Monte Lipman (President, Universal Records); Mona Scott-Young (President, Violator Records); Cameron Strang (President, New West Records); Steve Lillywhite (Sr. VP A&R, Columbia Records and Producer - credits include U2, The Rolling Stones, Dave Matthews Band, Phish, Peter Gabriel, and more); Alexandra Patsavas (Owner, The Chop Shop Music Supervision - credits include The OC, Grey's Anatomy, Without A Trace, Carnivale, Rescue Me); Barbara Sedun (VP Creative, EMI Music Publishing Canada); Bruce Iglauer (Founder/President, Alligator Records); Cory Robbins (Founder/President, Robbins Entertainment); Betty Pino (DJ, WAMR Miami, pioneer of Latin radio); Angel Carrasco (President, 605 Discos and Sr. VP A&R, Sony BMG Latin America); Thomas Brooman (Co-Founder/Artistic Director, WOMAD); Dan Storper (President, Putumayo World Music); Danny Epstein (Music Supervisor, Sesame Street/Sesame Workshop); Tara Griggs-Magee (Executive VP Gospel/Urban Music, Sony Records); Emily Wittmann (VP, Nick Records); Leib Ostrow (CEO, Music For Little People); Larry Willoughby (VP A&R, Capitol Records Nashville) and Manolo Gonzalez (Sr VP Regional Mexican A&R and National Promotion, Univision Records)

ISC 2006 Sponsors: ASCAP, Epiphone, Berklee College Of Music, Sam Ash, Cakewalk, Shure, D'Addario, Hear Technologies, Disc Makers, Sonicbids, Musician's Atlas, Sibelius, Karian Studios, Planetary Group, OnlineGigs, The Music Business Registry, Mediaguide, ArtistMonitor, Platinum Blue Music Intelligence, Alphabet Arm Design, George Stein, Esq., SongU, Sleepless Media, Shari's Berries and Taxi

www.songwritingcompetition.com

International Songwriting Competition
1307 Eastland Ave
Nashville, TN 37206
Phone: 615.251.4441
Fax: 615.251.4442

BAND AGAINST MS FOUNDATION HIRES NEW DIRECTOR

Country music star CLAY WALKER pleased to name Kyle Frederick, Director of BAMS

NASHVILLE, TN – When country music singer CLAY WALKER decided to make his private battle with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) public by forming Band Against MS Foundation (BAMS) in 2003, he had no idea that his association with the disease and determination to raise awareness as well as funds toward MS research would produce such significant results. The growth of the organization has led down an exciting path with the addition of Kyle Frederick to the BAMS team as Director of Operations.

“By continuing to fund research, Band against MS Foundation gives those living with Multiple Sclerosis hope for the future. We are sincerely grateful for the individuals, groups and businesses that contribute to the Foundation’s success and recognize that they are at the core of our endeavor,” says Frederick. “Additionally, I am personally grateful that Clay has charged me with steering his Foundation. He has proven to be the consummate example of how one overcomes adversity through sheer determination and fortitude in his battle with MS.”

Frederick moved to Nashville in 1980 to pursue career as a guitarist and has since toured US, Canada, and Europe with various nationally acclaimed recording artists. He released a Pop/Rock solo LP in 1991, and left his solo career when he was originally hired by Clay Walker in 1993 as acoustic guitar player/band leader. His ventures then led him to the role of Walker’s tour manager, publicist and co-manager. Thus, it’s only fitting that following a stint with SHeDAISY 2005 and 2006 as manger, Frederick is back with Walker and excited to be named Director, Band Against MS Foundation.

Upon being named Director, Frederick has held a benefit concert and live auction in Monterey, CA and led the organization toward a generous $100,000 contribution to University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston at UT Medical Center. Frederick plans to lead on-going awareness campaign and fundraising activities with a forthcoming planned donation and ceremony with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) Lone Star Chapter in coming months. In addition, he will be overseeing the launch of a new BAMS website this spring.

To contact Kyle Frederick, Director of Band Against MS Foundation, you may write to 2409 21st Avenue S. Suite 102, Nashville, TN 37212 or phone 615-297-8875. For additional information and updates, be sure to visit www.bandagainstms.org.

WILL KEITH URBAN SOON BE A FATHER?

March 29, 2007 — The Australian media is once again speculating that Keith Urban's wife, actress Nicole Kidman, is pregnant with the couple's baby.

This time, Australia's Woman's Day magazine claims that after months of fertility treatment, Nicole has told family and friends that she and Keith are expecting their first child.

Although there has been no confirmation of the rumors, Keith has been talking about becoming a father in recent interviews. "I am looking forward to fatherhood," he told Australia's Sunday Telegraph. "I have always wanted to be a good dad. My brother's got two kids and he's an excellent dad, and I think we both have that sense of being home and being solid family guys."

Keith is already stepfather to Nicole's two children, Isabella and Connor, but he says he has always longed to father his own child. "I don't get to see the kids as much as probably a lot of stepdads would, but it is a good relationship," he said of Nicole's kids, who spend much of their time with their father, actor Tom Cruise.

"SKIP A ROPE" SINGER HENSON CARGILL DIES

Henson Cargill, who reached No. 1 on the country charts in 1968 with "Skip a Rope," died Saturday (March 24) in Oklahoma following complications from surgery. He was 66. Released on Monument Records, "Skip a Rope" spent five weeks at the top of Billboard's country chart and was nominated for CMA song of the year. It was written by Jack Moran and Glenn Tubb. Cargill also reached the country Top 10 a year later with "None of My Business" and later recorded for Mega, Atlantic and Copper Mountain. In the 1980s, Cargill operated a country music bar in Oklahoma City called Henson's.

Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m. Thursday, March 29, 2007 at Highland Hills Baptist Church at 7900 Devore (just north of NW Expressway on Council) with interment at Memorial Park Cemetery.

BON JOVI GOES COUNTRY

Bon Jovi have completed work on their new country-flavoured album. It's called "Lost Highway" and will be released on June 19th. The group releases the first single to country radio shortly, with the title, "(You Want To) Make a Memory". The project has been developed in Nashville, with the band collaborating with a host of top Music Row songwriters.

WILLIE IN TROUBLE OVER HIS VEGETABLES

Willie Nelson has been in trouble over suspect vegetable matter before, and now it's happened again...but with a difference. His new ice cream flavour at Ben & Jerry's, called Willie Nelson's Country Peach Cobbler, was recalled immediately after it hit the shops. It seems the ingredients list omitted wheat, which is contained in the ice cream and can cause allergic reactions. So 250,000 pints of the dessert had to be sent back to the factory.

KEITH AND NICOLE IN OZ

Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman say they plan to spend more time in their native Australia this year. Keith has been on a week-long promotional jaunt down under and has told local radio that because both he and Nicole have family in Australia, they are going to make it a point to return more frequently than they have in the recent past.

MORE BAD NEWS FOR LONESTAR

More bad news for Lonestar fans: after being dropped by their record label, the group is now losing lead singer Richie McDonald. Richie's vocals have always been the lynchpin of the Lonestar sound, and although the remaining group members say they will carry on with a new singer, it will be tough for them to maintain Lonestar's position in the country music heirarchy with a new lead voice.

Richie says although he still loves the rest of the guys and will honour all current show commitments, he felt it was time to attempt a solo career. His last performance with the group will be in November.

INDIE ACT BUCK JONES DIES IN FREAK ACCIDENT

The independent country music world is mourning the death of singer Buck Jones who died on Saturday 17th March on his way to a gig in a bizarre chain of events which began when his tyre blew near Greenville, Texas. His passenger was Jon Byrd, a guitar player. Jones walked down the road to try and get help when he was struck by a car. 33 year old Jones leaves a wife and seven-month old son. A memorial fund has been set up, and contributions may be sent to the Buck Jones Memorial Fund, care of Fifth Third Bank, 5000 Maryland Way, Brentwood, TN 37027.

BOB WILLS' STEELY DIES

Steel Guitarist Tom Morrell has died. He was 68. In a career which spanned many decades he appeared on many hit records and worked with some of the best acts in the business. He was a former member of the Texas Playboys.

This is your last chance to submit your music for a chance to perform in Austin during what is the busiest, most important music week of the year. This is the music industry's premier destination for the year, where thousands of fans and music industry professionals descend upon Austin to network and check out new talent at the various music festivals around town.

Over 150 bands and solo artists will perform in RedGorilla showcases on 6th Street in Austin, TX – right in the heart of all the action. So, don't miss the chance to take advantage of this excellent opportunity.

RedGorilla continues to be a "No Badge Required" event. It is free to attend and is open to the general public.

RedGorilla Music Fest invites you to enter your song for inclusion on the RedGorilla Compilation CD.

Your music can be in the hands of industry professionals before the event even starts. With over 2,000 bands on 6th Street in mid-March, it is difficult for industry professionals to decide which artists to see. Hearing your music beforehand might just be the pivotal factor that entices that "important someone" to come see your showcase. The Compilation CD will be made available before the event begins to over 500 major and indie record label execs, music publishers, film and television music supervisors, music producers, and managers.

The CD will also be handed out in Austin during the event and will be available for download to 1,000 RedGorilla VIPs (music industry professionals and bands) who will be given a special dog-tag necklace with a download code. The CD will also stream in a hot podcast on the Next Big Hit New Music Mix - currently the largest indie music program on the internet with over 80,000 listeners each month.

You can secure your spot on the Compilation CD for only $500 (and if you're not performing at RedGorilla but want to be on the CD, you can still submit your song!) Your song will reach nearly 100,000 new people, and you'll also receive 10 copies for yourself. Space is limited, and there are only a few slots remaining, so take advantage of this incredible opportunity and secure your track today.

The deadline for RedGorilla to receive all materials is February 19th, so contact us quickly to reserve your track on the 2007 RedGorilla Compilation CD.

Canadian singer/songwriters Joni Mitchell and Jean-Pierre Ferland were inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame on Jan. 28th at Toronto’s John Bassett Theatre.

Revered Montreal-born Quebec legend Ferland was recognized in performances of his catalog by the province’s francophone stars Isabelle Boulay, Laurence Jalbert and Mario Pelchat. As well, French star Patrick Bruel sent a videotaped address from Paris.

“Music has no law, music has no religion, music has no politics, and no solitude,” Ferland told the audience of 400 in a bilingual speech that received a standing ovation. “Music is just a noise. A wonderful noise, and I’m proud to be a part of it.”

Alberta-born, Saskatchewan-raised Mitchell was lauded by performances of her songs by American artists, singer/songwriter James Taylor, jazzman Herbie Hancock, singer Chaka Khan as well as Canadian opera soprano Measha Brueggergosman. Also, famed Canadian author Margaret Atwood spoke her praises.

Hancock, who collaborated with Mitchell on her 1979 album “Mingus” described her songwriting “a map to the human heart.” He added that, “Joni had vision so far out on music’s horizon that she would never stay in one place with one sound.”

Before his performance of Mitchell’s “Woodstock,” Taylor recalled meeting her in Toronto at the Mariposa Folk Festival in 1970. “Joni, you’ve been a dear friend and a great well-spring of inspiration musically to me throughout these years,” Taylor said directly to Mitchell sitting in the front row. “I love you.”

In addition to Taylor playing “Woodstock,” Khan and Hancock performed “Help Me” and Brueggergosman sang a towering version of “Both Sides Now” which closed the show. The other two Mitchell songs inducted were “Big Yellow Taxi” and “You Turn Me On, I’m A Radio.”

Mitchell, who took the stage to a standing ovation, recalled meeting her first songwriter when she was 18. “I was working in a coffee house in Saskatoon and I’d sung songs and I’d danced to songs but I’d never met a man who had wrote a song, and about three years, I guess, it took until I wrote my first song and, well, as you know, I wrote a lot of them, a lot of them are quite unorthodox.”

Mitchell added, “You know, I’m told that I was really born with a scientific bent more than a creative bent. I really need to explore and discover. That has given me, to some what seems like courage, but really it’s just in my stars.
There’s nothing I can do about it.”

Also inducted into the Hall of Fame during the evening were two pioneering Canadian musical figures – country legend Wilf Carter, and Broadway lyricist Raymond B. Egan.

Among the classic Canadian songs inducted at the ceremony were David Clayton-Thomas’ “Spinning Wheel,” Ralph Freed and Burton Lane’s “How About You” and Sylvia Tyson’s “You Were On My Mind.”

The event also featured performances by Clayton-Thomas, Michael Buble, Blue Rodeo frontman Jim Cuddy and country singers George Canyon, Corb Lund, and Oh Susanna.

Canadian broadcaster CBC-TV will broadcast a one-hour special on the event on March 5.

Soon you can call her the coal miner's doctor. Loretta Lynn is slated to receive an honorary doctorate of music from Berklee College of Music during her March 17 performance at the Grand Ole Opry. The honor from the Boston college puts the 71-year-old Lynn into a select group of recording artists that includes Duke Ellington, Tony Bennett, Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones, B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Earl Scruggs, Sting and Sarah Vaughan.

"Loretta Lynn's songs have squarely addressed real-life situations faced by many women, and she's used her artistry to deal openly with themes like loyalty, divorce, desire and women's role in society before others in country music," Berklee President Roger Brown said in a release Wednesday. Lynn's many hits include "Coal Miner's Daughter," "You Ain't Woman Enough" and "The Pill."

We were up all night dodging tornadoes. They were all around us. We had our few most important items, including my outboard hard drive, in the car, with the car aimed toward the street. You get about 5 to 8 minutes warning.

I woke up about 2PM today and noticed the answering machine blinking. Friends and relatives worried about us. We're OK.... this time. We were hit by hurricanes in 2004. I woke Misty up, and we've been watching the TV coverage on all channels all afternoon.

We were right on the edge of two violent storm systems the worst one a couple of miles to the north, and another a couple of miles to the south. A "supertornado" is what they are calling the one that ripped a 300 yard swath from coast to coast. It looks like a war zone. They know of 19 people killed so far, and they're still searching.
It's been declared a disaster area, and the politicians are all promising fast government help. We'll see. They haven't helped for the last two... one on this past Christmas Day, and the hurricanes in 2004. And, oh yeah, Katrina.

Historically, Florida tornadoes are smaller ones... not like those in the Midwest. The planet is changing.
Believe it.

OUR ONLINE CD CATALOG:
Visit the Music Room MESSAGE BOARD .... "it's a little bit different."
Please visit our Home Page at: http:/www.jackandmisty.com

We remember the genius of the Nashville A-team musicians, and how they would take our ideas and make them sound better than we had imagined. Lloyd Green, Billy Sanford, and Hargus Robins say that our music was the most creative they’ve played, but it goes both ways.

Our sessions were like parties. In fact, sometimes we hurried to get things done before the party got too wild.
We liked to record late at night and with all the musicians and singers there at once. It got a feeling going
that you can’t get with overdubbing. Feeling is more important to us than perfection. We always showed up prepared... with numbered chord charts, demo tapes, and lyric sheets. Our lyric sheets were color coded... red text for Misty, and blue for me. If there was overdubbing, it was usually Misty or me, laying down a keyboard or guitar track, that we couldn’t do while singing.

Whenever we’d find a good engineer that was easy to work with we’d asked for him as often as possible. This is especially important to us because we always oversee and take part in the mixdown. When we first hit Nashville and they weren’t used to us, some engineers resented our suggestions, but after a while they became friends and allies.

At least one songwriter in Nashville couldn't pass up the tale of an escaped convict accused of stealing a Wal-Mart tractor-trailer and a country star's tour bus because he wanted to see his critically ill mother.

Bluegrass picker Tim O'Brien wrote the lyrics to "The Ballad of Christopher Daniel Gay" about the convict's journey and set them to the melody of folk singer Woody Guthrie's "Pretty Boy Floyd." O'Brien first read about Gay last week in a Colorado newspaper. "I just knew there was a song in there," he said. "Chris Gay's mother even rhymed for a reporter saying, 'What he done was wrong, but he knows his mama don't have long.'"

Back in Nashville, O'Brien recruited Dobro ace Jerry Douglas and bassist Wayne Moss. They knocked out the track Monday after a few takes and posted it as a free download on O'Brien's Web site. http://www.timobrien.net/download.cfm

"It was like this in the old days ... you know, write it Sunday, record it Monday and get it on the radio on Tuesday," O'Brien said. The third verse goes, "Stole a pickup in Carolina, then a Wal-Mart truck with 18 wheels. He drove toward his dyin' mama in the Cheatham County hills. "And it's down those lanes and back roads the police made their chase. And he almost made her trailer, he almost saw her face."

Gay, 33, escaped from a prisoner transport van Jan. 21 near Hardeeville, S.C., apparently to visit his terminally ill mother in Tennessee. He is suspected of stealing a pickup truck in South Carolina, and then the cab of a tractor-trailer in Georgia. He allegedly drove to Manchester, about 60 miles southeast of Nashville, where he hooked the cab to a Wal-Mart trailer filled with $300,000 in merchandise and took off again.

Police say he abandoned the rig within 50 yards of his mother's home northeast of Nashville and fled to the woods as authorities closed in. He never saw his mother. Gay was later spotted driving country singer Crystal Gayle's tour bus Thursday in Florida. He was arrested the next night near Daytona Beach, Fla., where he remains in custody. He aroused suspicion when he went to USA International Speedway in Lakeland, Fla., and said he was there to pick up NASCAR driver Tony Stewart.

2006 INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITING COMPETITION (ISC) FINALISTS AND SEMI-FINALISTS ANNOUNCED - LISTEN AND VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE SONG

February 2, 2007 - The International Songwriting Competition (ISC) is pleased to announce its 2006 finalists and semi-finalists. Selected out of almost 15,000 entries from 88 countries, they represent all genres of contemporary music. For a complete list of 2006 ISC finalists and semi-finalists, please visit: http://www.songwritingcompetition.com/winners.htm

ISC winners are chosen from the group of finalists and will be announced in March, 2007. ISC's judges include executives from 14 record labels and esteemed artists such as Tom Waits, Brian Wilson, Sean Paul, Jerry Lee Lewis, Rosanne Cash, Craig Morgan, Robert Smith (The Cure), Amy Ray (Indigo Girls), Cassandra Wilson, Darryl McDaniels (RUN DMC) and many more. Over $150,000 in cash and merchandise will be awarded to 56 winners, including an Overall Grand Prize winner who receives $25,000 in cash (the largest cash Grand Prize of any songwriting competition in the world) and over $25,000 in prizes.

The 2006 ISC finalists' songs are currently posted on the ISC website as part of the 2006 People's Voice - an online voting contest that allows the public to listen to and vote for their favorite ISC finalist. The winner of the People's Voice is selected solely by public vote and is in addition to, and completely separate from, the regular winners who will be selected by the prestigious ISC judging panel. Visit http://www.songwritingcompetition.com/pvwelcome2006.htm to listen to the 2006 ISC finalists' songs and cast your vote!

The complete panel of 2006 judges include: Brian Wilson; Tom Waits; Rosanne Cash; Sean Paul; Mark Chesnutt; Jerry Lee Lewis; Frank Black (Pixies); Robert Smith (The Cure); Cassandra Wilson; Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse); Medeski Martin & Wood; Craig Morgan; John Mayall; John Scofield; Amy Ray (Indigo Girls); Darryl McDaniels (Run DMC); MercyMe; Macy Gray; Charlie Musselwhite; Peter Hook (New Order); Blue Man Group; Tiesto; and Jeff Stinco (Simple Plan); Charlie Walk (President, Epic Records); Monte Lipman (President, Universal Records); Mona Scott-Young (President, Violator Records); Cameron Strang (President, New West Records); Steve Lillywhite (Sr. VP A&R, Columbia Records and Producer - credits include U2, The Rolling Stones, Dave Matthews Band, Phish, Peter Gabriel, and more); Alexandra Patsavas (Owner, The Chop Shop Music Supervision - credits include The OC, Grey's Anatomy, Without A Trace, Carnivale, Rescue Me); Barbara Sedun (VP Creative, EMI Music Publishing Canada); Bruce Iglauer (Founder/President, Alligator Records); Cory Robbins (Founder/President, Robbins Entertainment); Betty Pino (DJ, WAMR Miami, pioneer of Latin radio); Angel Carrasco (President, 605 Discos and Sr. VP A&R, Sony BMG Latin America); Thomas Brooman (Co-Founder/Artistic Director, WOMAD); Dan Storper (President, Putumayo World Music); Danny Epstein (Music Supervisor, Sesame Street/Sesame Workshop); Tara Griggs-Magee (Executive VP Gospel/Urban Music, Sony Records); Emily Wittmann (VP, Nick Records); Leib Ostrow (CEO, Music For Little People); Larry Willoughby (VP A&R, Capitol Records Nashville) and Manolo Gonzalez (Sr VP Regional Mexican A&R and National Promotion, Univision Records)

2006 Sponsors include: ASCAP, Epiphone, Berklee College Of Music, Sam Ash, Cakewalk, Shure, D'Addario, Hear Technologies, Disc Makers, Sonicbids, Musician's Atlas, Sibelius, Karian Studios, Planetary Group, OnlineGigs, The Music Business Registry, Mediaguide, ArtistMonitor, Platinum Blue Music Intelligence, Alphabet Arm Design, George Stein, Esq., SongU, Sleepless Media, and Taxi

International Songwriting Competition
1307 Eastland Ave
Nashville, TN 37206
Phone: 615.251.4441
Fax: 615.251.4442
songwritingcompetition.com

AAA
Any Precious Girl Ben Sures - Toronto, ON, Canada
Breathless Duncan/Isaac Carpenter/Mark Watrous - Los Angeles, CA, USA
Die For You Billy Redfield - Baltimore, MD, USA
Fall Joshua Meltzer - Northampton, MA, USA
Hip These Days Joy Askew - New York, NY, USA
Mercury Ben Glover (Ben Glover & The Earls) - Glenarm, Northern Ireland
Never Come Around Jonathan Cour - St Louis, MO, USA
Pack My Bags Danielle Talamini - New York, NY, USA
Playin' It Like It's Over Hans Eberbach/Nathan Dale (Fallen Aliens) - West Sacramento, CA, USA
Somewhere Else Mark Arnell/Danny Martin/Matt Cheadle/Angelo Barbera (I-94) - Studio City, CA,

USA
Taking Bob Dylan Jen Foster, Kathy Scott - Nashville, TN, USA
The Disease Of Being Sad Jason Bajada - Saint-Sauveur, QC, Canada
The Songs You Inspire Andrew Vladeck - Brooklyn, NY, USA
Uptown Craig Sidler - Tshwane/Pretoria, South Africa
You Made It Easy Anthony Nigro (Osgoods) - Sherman Oaks, CA, USA

Americana
Anna Lee Tim Giovanniello - Waxhaw, NC, USA
Come To My Senses - Doug Burr - Denton, TX, USA
For Everything Else I Got You Mark Lucas - Leichhardt, NSW, Australia
Girls With Apartments In Nashville Joy Lynn White/Duanne Jarvis - Nashville, TN, USA
Heartbreakers Hall Of Fame Sunny Sweeney - Nashville, TN, USA
Knockin' Jess Reimer (The Doug & Jess Band) - Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Long Gone Dream Martin Hoybye, Kevin Welch - Horsens, Denmark and Nashville, TN USA
Love Someone Lou Bradley - Brunswick Heads, NSW, Australia
Me & Bonnie Parker Markus Rill - Wuerzburg, Germany
No Stars In The City Cam Penner, Tabitha Nordby (Cam Penner/The Gravel Road) - Calgary, AB, Canada
Queen Of Hearts Ben Kyle (Romantica) - Minneapolis, MN, USA
Red Moon Bonnie Bishop - Austin, TX, USA
Rooster Gonna Crow Richard Evans - London, England
Traded My Diamond Korby Lenker - Seattle, WA, USA

Blues
A Woman's Side Of The Bed Sam "Bluzman" Taylor, Jr. - Islandia, NY, USA
Can't Wait Around Anymore Brian Mitchell - New York, NY, USA
Don't Let It Get You Down Boney Fields - Vitry/Seine, France
Eat The Lunch You Brought Jeff Turmes - Los Angeles, CA, USA
Fourteen Dollars In The Bank Paul deLay (Paul deLay Band) - Portland, OR, USA
How'd You Know I Missed You Rick Fines, Suzie Vinnick - Peterborough, ON, Canada
Love Blues Jimmie Wood/JJ Holiday (Imperial Crowns) - St Paul, MN, USA
Put A Sock In It Laurie "Waddy" Mitchell - Memphis, TN, USA
Silver Dollar Colin Germano (Bourbon Street) - Drummoyne, NSW, Australia
So Blue Without You Kevin Mark (Kevin Mark Blues Band) - Dorval, QC, Canada
This Is My Church Chris Fitz (Chris Fitz Band) - Lynn, MA, USA
Whole Lot To You Dragan Pecinar (Demode) - Belgrade, Yugoslavia

Children's Music
A Pirate's Life Marcy Marxer - Kensington, MD, USA
Bye Bye Bully Dr Mac - Santa Barbara, CA, USA
Caterpillar Caterpillar Kira Willey - Bethlehem, PA, USA
Don't Put Your Cat In The Washing Machine Bruce Fite - Nottingham, PA, USA
Ed The Emu Kirk Simpson - Jimboomba, QLD, Australia
I Wanna Play Bill Harley - Seekonk, MA, USA
I'm A Pirate Leslie Bixler - Malibu, CA, USA
It's a No-No To Kiss A Rhino Roger Day - Franklin, TN, USA
It's The Lampies Mike Connaris - London, England
No! No! No! Robbie Schaefer - Vienna, VA, USA
Pets Have Feelings Too Scott Wheatley/Julene Jones - Los Angeles, CA, USA
Pig Latin Polka Cathy Fink - Kensington, MD, USA
Turn Around In Circles Heidi Hensley/Ken Hensley (Henslee & Henslee) - Athens, GA, USA
Where's My Nose? Susan Ring - Providence, RI, USA

Country
100 Proof Liz Carlisle/Russell Wolff - Cambridge, MA, USA
12 Step Program Of Love Dennis Dupuis - N. Hampton, NH, USA
Angel Jaque Faye/James Newton Russell/T. Kristian Russell - Nashville, TN, USA
Fiona Sean Patrick McGraw - Nashville, TN, USA
For The Ones I Love Ryan 'ryno' Nicholson/Jarrod Doucet - Franklin, TN, USA
Good Boots Ed Williams - Dallas, TX, USA
I Do This For You Eric Reading (The Readings)/Wendy Jans - Nashville, TN, USA
Let Me Down Easy Maxwell Russell - Florence, AL, USA
Line Dance Ed Lesniak/Seth Lesniak (Seth Edward & Papa James) - Columbus, MS, USA
Runaround Wendy Newcomer - Nashville, TN, USA
Sideman Lisa Carver - Hendersonville, TN, USA
Tailwind Harmony James - Tennant Creek, NT, Australia
The All Overs Samantha King/Ted Hewitt - Edmonton, AB, Canada
When I Grow Up Liz Hengber/John Jarvis - Franklin, TN, USA

Dance/Electronica
Cannon Music Matt Kowalsky - Warszawa, Poland
Da Riddim Griffin Kirby Ian Andersen (Shinjuku Zulu) - Toronto, ON, Canada
Desert Angel Ma Faiza/Veet Sandeh - Pune, India
Don't Tell Me Meital Patash Cohen/Dvir Tzanua - Jafa, Israel
Emotions Dj Danny D/Nova - Toronto, ON, Canada
High On The Dance Floor Daniel Boza (6dB) - St. Louis, MO, USA
Ihre Personliche Glucksmelodie Gabriel Ananda - Cologne, Germany
Into The Light Laura Scarborough/Bill Sarver - Austin, TX, USA
Lifetime Erodee - St Petersburg, Russia
My Name Is 'Jalousie' Manny Rivero - Montreux, Switzerland
NYC Jessy Moss/Wally Gagel - Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, USA
Pictures A. McDonald/C. Mitchell (Sneaky Sound System) - Bondi Beach, NSW, Australia
Soul Funky Jonas Lindahl (SinSonic) - Linkoping, Sweden
Stranger Avi Elman (Tronic Heaven) - Tel-Aviv, Israel

Folk/Singer-Songwriter
13 Down Dave Tutin - New York, NY, USA
City Hall Vienna Teng - Raleigh, NC, USA
Eight Feet Tall Adrianne Gonzalez/Gabriel Mann - Los Angeles, CA, USA
Falling In The Sea Michael Paynter/Sven Tydeman/Michael Szmouski - Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Love Will Find You Chris Cunningham, John Hermanson (Storyhill) - Bozeman, MT, USA
Scars 'Here We Are' Ryan 'ryno' Nicholson - Franklin, TN, USA
Slow Atop The Mountain Jeff Grant (M Bison) - Seattle, WA, USA
That Hat Bill DeMain/Jill Sobule - Nashville, TN, USA
The Lullabadeer Sam Winch - Appleton, WI, USA
The National Side Ben Kyle (Romantica) - Minneapolis, MN, USA
The Party Of Our Lives Oliver Paine - Lisbon, Portugal
This I'd Do Greg Trooper - Nashville, TN, USA
Times Like These No'am Peled - Tel Aviv, Israel
Wandering Round In Circles Lars Bremnes - Toensberg, Norway
When It Comes My Turn David Myles - Halifax, NS, Canada
Your Love Has Served Me Well Ilkka Ranta-aho (Redhill Rats) - Helsinki, Finland

Gospel/Christian
Center Of Your Soul David Harper - Spring Hill, TN, USA
Delight Mark Warren/Joel Warren (Forty Days) - Pagosa Springs, CO, USA
God Let Me Change The World Barbara Angel - Gdansk, Poland
Instead Of Me Chris Verdell - Columbus, MS, USA
Kneeling Bob Halligan Jr./Linda Halligan (Ceili Rain) - Syracuse, NY, USA
Merciful God Emeka Onyema (Vizion) - London, England
Out Of Control Dennis Reed, Jr.(Dennis Reed & GAP) - Charlotte, NC, USA
Peace In This World Gary Norian (McKaylis Sisters) - Sugar Land, TX, USA
So Much Grace Allison Sattinger - Culver City, CA, USA
Step Out Rochelle Hanson/Aaron Szpakowski/Theophilous (Da Philosapha) Beckles - Berrien Springs, MI, USA
Strong In Broken Places David Leask/Mary Ellen Beatty - Mississauga, ON, Canada
Tears Of The Oppressed Dave Hanburg/Tyler Hall/Rich Thompson/Mike Tenkate (Revive) - Sydney, NSW, Australia
The Lonely Separation Aaron Healy/Duncan Pankhurst/Roger Angove/Earl Edgar/Michael Page (Zebulun) - Auckland, New Zealand
Up Up Up Adé, Darren Sedor - Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Wings Of Love Roma Waterman - Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Instrumental
3+CQ Jindrich Pavlis/Ludek Boura/Vojtech Nydl/Petr Valasek (Czech Clarinet Quartet) - Prague, Czech Republic
A Birch Broom In The Fits Duane Andrews - Carbonear, NL, Canada
Al' Argentino Tomas Mach - Praha, Czech Republic
Brute Jason Sadites - Schumacher, ON, Canada
Buleria Del Abuelo Eduardo Olivares/Jorge Miller (Lalo Olivares) - Mexico D.F., Mexico
Crowdambo Jeremy Cohen (Quartet San Francisco) - Oakland, CA, USA
Danger Zone Deborah Henson-Conant - Arlington, MA, USA
Dustdevil Walter Strauss - Occidental, CA, USA
Frosty Steven Bernstein - Largo Vista, TX, USA
Sneaky Blues Yuri Naumov - Brooklyn, NY, USA
Spanish Samba Vincent Bernay - Angers, France
The Boisterous Border Collie Pete Hawkes
Melbourne, VIC, Australia
The Toothless Soothsayer Sue Terry - Brooklyn, NY, USA
Tooth & Claw Cornelius Boots (Edmund Welles) - Oakland, CA, USA

Jazz
Almost Crazy Virna Sanzone/Lindsay Page - Sydney, NSW, Australia
Almost There Matt Shulman - New York, NY, USA
Always Jeanette Lindstrom - Stockholm, Sweden
Before The Jump Marc Scholten (Utrecht Jazz Connection) - Utrecht, Netherlands
Clapham Junction Florian Ross (Florian Ross Quintet/Trio) - Cologne, Germany
Fats Write Al Ashley - Flushing, NY, USA
Jazz Like Harvie S - Hastings-On-Hudson, NY, USA_
Joao Su Merced Ignacio Berroa - Tenafly, NJ, USA
Lasciarsi Andare Marco Detto - Lecco, Italy
Los Gatos De Alf Elmer Ferrer (Elmer Ferrer Band) - Havana, Cuba
Mechanical Man Michael Walter White (Michael White Quintet) - Kobe, Japan
Songbird Perry Smith/Kathleen Grace (Kathleen Grace Band) - Los Angeles, CA, USA
Still Life Teri Roiger - Kingston, NY, USA
Stream Peter Sarik - Budapest, Hungary
When Love Has Left The Room Bett Butler - San Antonio, TX, USA

Latin
Auxilio Melany Moloney - Los Altos, CA, USA
Como Pegada A Ti Paula Gonzalez/John Geithner Cuesta - Bogota, Colombia
Dime Que Se Termino Martha Gonzalez, German Ortiz - Los Angeles, CA and Miami, FL USA
El Aguacero Alejandro Gomez/Maia (Ardilalunch) - Bogota, Colombia
El Ciego Carlos Naranjo (Carlito's Orchestra) - St. Peters, NSW, Australia
El Tiempo Ana Cristina Alvarez - Miami, FL, USA
Ella Me Dice Aniel Mejia - Republic of Panama, Panama
Hoy Juan Manzur - Los Angeles, CA, USA
La Rumbera Layla Angulo/Walter A. Torres - Seattle, WA, USA
La Vida Vale La Pena Monica Giraldo - Bogota, Colombia
Maldita Locura Estanis Gomez Vinent - Mahon (Menorca) - Islas Baleares, Spain
Mentiras Eduardo Olivares (Lalo Olivares) - Mexico D.F., Mexico
P'a La Calle Gregory Colina (CoCo GreGre) - Willemstad, Antilles
Si Te Vas De Mi Priscila Moreno - Panama City, Panama

Lyrics Only
7th Avenue Carol Ames - Poway, CA, USA
Cottonwood Tree Ant McNaught - Santa Cruz, CA, USA
Horace Gavin Carter Little - Nashville, TN, USA
Katie Mind The Light Bill Black - Falmouth, MA, USA
Poised For A Fall Ali Matthews - Stratford, PE, Canada
Riding Blind Chris Lewis - Mavnooth Co, Kildare, Ireland
Rocks Under Bare Feet And Dreams Tony Youngblood - Mayfield, KY, USA
Sixteen Adrienne Leopold - Toronto, ON, Canada
The Bar And The Night Bryan Tess - Kerry, Ireland
The Sun Tim Giovanniello - Waxhaw, NC, USA
To My Lucinda (Lose These Blues) Jenrose Fitzgerald (Kentucky Bootleggers) - Lexington, KY, USA
Today Ain't Over Yet Matthew Salada - Nashville, TN, USA
Washing Day Adam Levy, Amber Rubarth - New York, NY, USA
Wonderland Liam Phillips - Beverly Hills, CA, USA

Performance
Bare Hands Adam Stokes - Deerfield, NH, USA
Bullets Lisa Carver - Hendersonville, TN, USA
Convenience Stores Buddy Wakefield - Seattle, WA, USA
Everyday Alissa Moreno/Jeffrey Steele - Los Angeles, CA, USA
How Many Days Catherine Feeney/Nikki Lamborn (Never The Bride) - Kingston Upon Thames, England
If You Were Crying Over Me Rita Chiarelli - Toronto, ON, Canada
Mad Mad Love Lisa Richards - Townsville, QLD, Australia
Montreal Love Song Erik Alcock (We Are The Take) - Toronto, ON, Canada
Perfect Don Miggs (Miggs) - Oakland, CA, USA
Racket M Bradford Jones/J Sullivan/P Barton - Sunshine Coast, QLD, Australia
Something About That Girl Michael Welton (The Magnets) - Altrincham, England
We Got A Love Like That Rick Fines, Suzie Vinnick - Peterborough, ON, Canada
When Love Comes Calling Paul Millns - London, England
Wonderful Tragedy Phil Usher/Scott Mullane/Sean Bower (Grand Atlantic) - Wavell Heights, QLD, Australia

Pop/Top 40
Beep! Beep! Catrina DaCosta/James DuBois/Cheri D. Flake/Max Meadows/Van Kapeghian (13 Stories) - Atlanta, GA, USA
Desperate Songs Brendan Brown (Wheatus) - New York, NY, USA
Drive Mike Fox/Lukas Rossi/Gavin Brown - Toronto, ON, Canada
Easy Song max Min - Graz, Austria
Fearless Peter Roberts/Ron Boustead (Daechelle) - Los Angeles, CA, USA_I Still Burn Peter Wright/Jess Cates - London England
I Want You Mick Anderson/Patrick Ricapito/Huw Griffiths/Dave Simon/Laurent Salgine (Kid Courageous) - Bonnet Bay, NSW, Australia
If I Counted To Ten Catherine Feeney/Nikki Lamborn (Never The Bride) - Kingston Upon Thames, England
Let It Rain Aleksandr Chazov/Nadia Kay - Staten Island, NY, USA
Me and Ronnie (AyAyAy) Shanti Bowes/Darryl Swann - Los Angeles, CA, USA
More Than Enough Jamie Pearce/Niklas Andersson/Landgreen - Somerset, England
One Promise Dan Lichty/Dmitry Iyudin (3rd Culture) - Brooklyn, NY, USA
Reckless Marc Costanzo/Chininjeti/Tebey - Toronto, ON, Canada
Stand Up James Reid (The Feelers) - Auckland, New Zealand
When You Are With Me Jonas Leo Blees (Audio Implants) - Gothenburg, Sweden

R&B/Hip-Hop
Bounce Lyrical Eye - Nicosia, Cyprus
Drum Call John Scott - Oakland, CA, USA
For You Hussein Alidina ( "E.V."), Kenyan Lewis (B kay), Roberto Carlos (Illest Traits), Vic Nair (Advocate), Carrielynn Victor (Numinous), Justin Flett {EV & The A-Slam Fam} - Vancouver, BC, Canada
Gotta Go Michael Wayne Crigler (Bent) - Lawrenceville, GA, USA
Head Games Grover A. Zinn/Dena M. Chutuk (The Deadly Twins) - Marina Del Rey, CA, USA
Inhale, Exhale Matthew Tasa (Marvin Tyrell) - Bad Soden, Germany
Mr. DJ Andre Mieux - San Dimas, CA, USA
My Regret Banky Wellington (Banky) / Stanley Ekure - Bronx, NY, USA
No Place Like Home Michael McDonald, Mark E. Robertson Jr., Leon Jones (Ahmir) - Boston, MA, USA
Right Here Geoff Earley (The Geoffro Cause) - Brighton, MA, USA
Share It Torman Jahi East (Jahi) - Cleveland, OH, USA
Up To Ya! Mihai Ogasanu (Central BPM) - Bucharest, Romania
We Can Do It Like... Donny B. Lord/Olivier Roulon - Hollywood, CA, USA
Welkom 2 Amsterdam Tyger Vinum - Amsterdam, Netherlands
Where'd It Go? Mark Morley (Relic) - Brampton, ON, Canada

Rock
Avalon Adrian Sieber (Lovebugs) - Zurich, Switzerland
Because I Want To Jorgen Elofsson/Axel Johansson/Tracy Lipp (Niki) - Helsinki, Finland
Coolite Phil Usher/Scott Mullane/Sean Bower (Grand Atlantic) - Wavell Heights, QLD, Australia
Fade Bryan Bozeman/John O'Leary/Brandon Parker/Kevin Compton/Danny Helms (Crazy Anglos) - Marietta, GA, USA
I Don't Care At All Benjamin Schultz/Jon Butcher (Barefoot Servants) - Valley Village, CA, USA
Lights Out Martin Karlegard/Andreas Karlegard/Artur Singireys (Dons) - Riga, Latvia
Man Of The People Stephen Kilroy (Middle Distance Runner) - Arlington, VA, USA
Maybe Tonight Scott Leger (Wideawake) - Austin, TX, USA
Our Childs Eyes Jeremy Cavan (Sinister Trailerpark Magic) - King City, ON, Canada
Phantom Limb Gustavo Drummond (UDORA) - Sherman Oaks, CA, USA
Rosalie Mike Wolpe (Yakuza Zoo) - Los Angeles, CA, USA
Something Crazy Nathan Ironside (The Stirring) - Sunshine Coast, QLD, Australia
Song In D Ryan Grisham/Joe Asher/Heath Metzger/Zach Grace (Mock Orange) - Evansville, IN, USA
The Lonely Separation Aaron Healy/Duncan Pankhurst/Roger Angove/Earl Edgar/Michael Page (Zebulun) - Auckland, New Zealand
Who Do I Have To Kill Chris Sernel (Escape From Earth) - Park Ridge, IL, USA

Teen
Beautiful (Outside & In) Joy Lippard - Great Falls, VA, USA
Because You Broke My Heart Hannah Seiple/Elijah Seiple - Louisville, TN, USA
Bittersweet Nick Dillinger (Radio Racer) - Escondido, CA, USA
Day By Day The Penguins Steal My Sanity Jamison Baker - Altadena, CA, USA
Filosophilcal Flying Fish Grace Kelly - Brookline, MA, USA
Give Me Time James Murray - Hants, England
I Am Afraid Max Ernst, Spencer Ernst (Trustfall) - Silver Spring, MD, USA
I Believe (Psalm 86) Becca Mabbett - Kelowna, BC, Canada
I Don't Know A Thing Lucy Schwartz - Pacific Palisades, CA, USA
La Toune a Norbert Janelle Dupuis - Memramcook, NB, Canada
Mistaken Perception Eli Bennett - Vancouver, BC, Canada
Squeezebox Mark Williams - Stroudsburg, PA, USA
Try To Be Me Shalaine Mezzo - Mont Nebo, SK, Canada
What's The Deal Jillian Wheeler - Windham, NH, USA
When I Was Younger James Lockhart - Marion, IL, USA

World Music
Agba Yei Selasee Atiase - Accra, Ghana
Boom Sheke Nana Sinem Varoglu (Sinem) - New York, NY, USA
Keep On (Game Of Life) Cezar R. Cunningham - Kingston 8, Jamaica
Malembo Donne Roberts - Toronto, ON, Canada
Mama Njacko Backo (Njacko Backo & Kalimba Kalimba) - Toronto, ON, Canada
Na Ndimaki te Alain Nkossi Konda - Immenstadt, Germany
Never Die Emmanuel Owusu-Bonsu (Wanlov) - Pakyi #2, Ghana
New Asia Andrew Lum (Andrew Lum & New Asia) - Singapore, Singapore
Psalm 150 Jean Paul Samputu (Samputu & Ingeli) - Kigali, Rwanda
Such Is My Love Jahlee/Kochie Banton - Brooklyn, NY, USA
Tribo Gandhista Bill Brendle/Katia Moraes (Sambaguru) - Reseda, CA, USA
Tricky Edina Szirtes/Kornel Varga (Fabula Rasa) - Kecskemet, Hungary
Why Do We? Chris Berry (Chris Berry & Panjea) - New York, NY, USA
Ya Karimo Djamel Laroussi (Djamel Laroussi Band) - Paris, France

ASCAP ANNOUNCES 2ND ANNUAL NATIONAL CONFERENCE DEDICATED TO SONGWRITING AND COMPOSING 2007

Building on the extraordinary, sold-out success of past spring's ASCAP "I Create Music" EXPO, the first and only national conference dedicated to songwriting and composing, ASCAP announces plans to stage an even larger, more comprehensive event for music creators, April 19-21, 2007 at the Hollywood Renaissance Hotel in Los Angeles, CA.

The only conference of its kind, the ASCAP "I Create Music" EXPO covers multiple music genres and offers all participants in the music creation process an opportunity to join together to advance their profession. The 2007 ASCAP "I Create Music" EXPO is expected to draw some of the biggest names in music. All songwriters, composers, lyricists, producers, publishers and other music industry professionals, regardless of affiliation, are invited to register and attend the 2007 ASCAP "I Create Music" EXPO, which will include panels, workshops, master classes, keynotes, one-on-one sessions, song critiquing, product displays, technology demonstrations, performances and more. Information about the EXPO, including early bird pricing and registration, is available at http://www.ascap.com/expo.

In a report by America's Forbes magazine on music's biggest moneymakers, country music stars score very well with Tim Mcgraw/Faith Hill, Rascal Flatts and Kenny Chesney in the top 10.

The acts on the list checked in with a collective $973 million in 2006, down a bit from last year's total of $994 million, The Rolling Stones topping the list for the second year in a row with $150.6 million from their "A Bigger Bang" tour.

* The Rolling Stones $150.6 million
* Tim Mcgraw & Faith Hill $132 million
* Rascal Flatts $110.5 million
* Madonna $96.8 million
* Barbara Streisand $95.8 million
* Kenny Chesney $90.1 million
* Celine Dion $85.2 million
* Bon Jovi $77.5 million
* Nickleback $74.1 million
* Dave Matthews Band $60.4 million

Tom was well know around the Dallas-Fort worth area and was in the Texas Steel Guitar Hall Of Fame.

For over 50 years this touring sideman and session player delivered Western Swing, Jazz and Country with artful skill on motion picture sound tracks and on the recordings of innumerable artists, including Bob Wills' Texas Playboys. Later as a bandleader, he arranged and produced dozens of albums. During the 1990's he proved to be a major force in the resurgence of non-pedal steel through touring, arranging and recording besides his brands of Morrell and the Morrell-Shields Steels. He was one of the founders and designers of MSA Pedal Guitars.

CRYSTAL GAYLE’s TOUR BUS RECOVERED WITH FUGITIVE ON BOARD
(see story below)

From Prostitution Sting to Evading Police, Fugitive finally caught in Daytona Beach, Florida on Crystal Gayle’s bus

Country music legend CRYSTAL GAYLE and her “tour bus” have been the topic of conversation within the media community over the last 2-3 days and finally some closure to the saga. The 45’ blue Prevost that carries Crystal Gayle across the country to perform for fans night-after-night, was stolen in Pleasant View, Tennessee, from the Prevost lot by fugitive Christopher Daniel Gay.

Gay who was running from police used Gayle’s bus to travel from Tennessee to Florida. On Thursday night, Gayle was informed of the stolen bus and although not mad at the situation as it was out of her control, she wished for no harm to anyone and for the fugitive to turn himself in so he could see his dying mother.

The drama continued until late Friday night when Gay was seen in the bus after dropping off a prostitute in the area police were conducting an undercover prostitution sting. Police pulled the bus over and Gay was arrested without incident.

“I am relieved that nobody was hurt,” says Gayle. “I do know that the bus must have been rocking and rolling with a prostitute on board and we’ll have to do some cleaning with Clorox,” laughs Gayle. The condition of the bus is still unknown.

In the meantime, Gayle and her husband/manager Bill Gatzimos have been in contact with Gay’s sister Leann. “Leann wanted to apologize to us for what her brother had done,” says Gatzimos.

From Talladega Nights to USA International Speedway CRYSTAL GAYLE’s name keeps popping up for racing fans!!

Nashville, TN – In a bizarre turn of events, the tour bus that normally carries country music’s long-haired beauty Crystal Gayle, was used as an escape vehicle by fugitive prison escapee Christopher Daniel Gay. Gay, who escaped while being transported between states, was eluding police when he began his journey to Florida from Tennessee in Gayle’s blue Prevost tour bus.

“I am glad that no one is hurt, I wish he would have went to see his mother who is very sick instead of joy riding in Florida,” said Gayle from her Nashville, Tenn. home.

Thursday evening (Jan 25), at about 6:00 PM, Gayle’s office was contacted by USA International Speedway Operations Manager Barry Williams to inquire about Gayle’s bus being in Lakeland, Fla. Williams had quickly become suspicious of the bus driver who identified himself as Daniel Pitts and said he was at the track to pick up NASCAR driver Tony Stewart. After being questioned by Williams the bus driver left “to get a sandwich.” Williams asked police to run the plates of the bus, thereby determining that it belonged to Gayle.

Rumors of Gayle’s bus being abandoned by Gay and recovered by Florida police are circulating. There is no confirmation of that report, and no information regarding the condition of the bus or the whereabouts of Gay.

Hank Williams fans from across the country began arriving Saturday in Montgomery to take part in a holiday weekend of activities to honor the memory of the legendary country music singer.

Blake and Kerrian (cq) Clayton had a good reason to drive 11 hours from their home in Peoria, Ill. — they became engaged at the Hank Williams Museum three years ago. Asked if he got down on one knee to propose, Blake nodded in the affirmative while his wife responded with a big smile. The engagement became official in front of the 1952 baby blue Cadillac in which Williams died on Jan. 1, 1953 in Oak Hill, W.Va. as he was being driven to Ohio for a concert.

He was only 29 at the time of his death, but his legend continues to grow half a century later and Montgomery continues to play a big role in keeping his memory alive. The 54th annual memorial service will begin at 10 a.m. Monday at the Oakwood Cemetery Annex, where Williams’ grave is located next to his wife, Audrey. Fans from as far away as Wisconsin visited Williams’ grave Saturday afternoon and many planned to remain in Montgomery to take part in a variety of activities.

Some of the events have been closed to the public because advance reservations were filled weeks ago, according to Beth Birtley, manager of the Hank Williams Museum at 118 Commerce St. That includes a New Year’s Eve party tonight and a visit to Williams’ gravesite at Oakwood Cemetery. The party is sold out, but “Midnight in Montgomery” at the cemetery is open to the public.

Birtley credits Lee Sentell, director of the Alabama Department of Tourism and Travel, with increasing the crowds by printing the “Hank Williams Trail” brochure, which outlines places of importance in the singer’s meteoric career. “The trail brochure has really helped us and an Associated Press article was printed in newspapers all over the country,” Birtley said. “ I think at least 50 percent of the people coming this year read the article.” At 2 p.m. Monday, a historical marker will be displayed at the cemetery. It will be erected at the Williams gravesite at a later date, Birtley said.

A steady stream of fans arrived at the cemetery throughout the day Saturday — taking pictures and paying their respects. A fan from Texas placed a large gold sunflower on Williams’ grave with a ribbon that read “We Love Hank And His Music.” James Webb of Maumelle, Ark. was in Montgomery for the funeral of a young relative whose grave is only a few feet from where Williams was buried in 1953. He and his wife, Laura, and their daughter, D.J., spent several minutes at Williams’