21st Nashville Lawn & Garden Show Named a Top 20 Event

The 21st anniversary presentation of the Nashville Lawn & Garden Show, which will be held Thursday, March 4, through Sunday, March 7, 2010, has been named a Top 20 Event for winter 2010 by the South East Tourism Society of the USA. The Nashville Lawn and Garden Show, Tennessee’s premier horticultural event, annually attracts more than 22,000 people and is one of the largest gardening shows in the South. Produced by the Horticultural Association of Tennessee, the annual event is staged at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. “We’re excited and honored that the show has been selected as a Top 20 tourism event, particularly in its 21st anniversary year,” said Randall Lantz, co-manager of the Nashville Lawn & Garden Show.

Centerpiece of the Nashville Lawn & Garden Show is a naturalized presentation of more than 20 outstanding live gardens created by professional landscape designers. Most of the gardens include water features, ranging from small fountains to large waterfalls, and elaborate structures such as rock walls, terraces, pergolas and gazebos. A series of 20 free lectures is presented throughout the four-day show by expert horticulturists and garden designers. The show also includes 250 exhibit booths of horticultural products, services, and equipment for show and sale; in 2009, vendors from 12 states participated in the event. The show’s spectacular floral design gallery features the work of more than 25 of the best designers in the mid-south region.

The 2010 Nashville Lawn & Garden Show will open at 10:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m. each day, except Sunday when the doors close at 5:00 p.m. Admission to the show is $10.00 for adults; $9.00 for seniors (age 65 & up) and $1.00 for children 12 and under. Four-day show passes are $15.00. Discounts are available for groups of 15 or more adults when purchased in a block. Tickets may be purchased on-line through the show’s website beginning February 1, 2010. All events are indoors and there is ample free parking. The show is fully handicapped accessible.

Proceeds from the Nashville Lawn & Garden Show are used by the Horticultural Association of Tennessee to fund horticultural and environmental projects throughout Tennessee. The deadline for exhibit booth reservations for the 2010 show is January 1, 2010. For more complete information, call the Nashville Lawn & Garden Show office at 615-876-7680 or visit www.nashvillelawnandgardenshow.com.

Free Theme Pack with Cinescore Professional Soundtrack Creation!

53 Year Old Creep Believes He is Secretly Engaged to Miley Cyrus, Ends Up Arrested for Stalking

A 53-year-old man who told police he is secretly engaged to marry Miley Cyrus has been charged with attempting to stalk the teenage "Hannah Montana" star, who is filming a movie in Georgia.

Tybee Island Police Chief Jim Price said Wednesday that Mark McLeod, 53, of Appling was arrested after Walt Disney Pictures security officers reported he had returned to the beachside movie set Sunday after police warned him to stay away in June.

"He was asking for Miley and going up and knocking on some doors" of beach homes near the set, Price said. "The security guards recognized him. In fact, he went up to the security guards and asked them 'Is Miley around?'"

Wearing a yellow tank top and denim shorts so droopy that a deputy had to hold them up in back, McLeod appeared briefly before a Municipal Court judge at the Chatham County jail Wednesday afternoon.

Judge Steven Scheer set bond for McLeod at $50,000, with conditions that he doesn't return to Tybee Island except for court appearances and he stays away from Cyrus and her family.

Police on Tybee Island, east of Savannah, have been on the lookout for McLeod since he was arrested there June 22 on misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and obstruction of a police officer. Price said officers arrested McLeod after he tried to breach a security perimeter around the movie set. A police report says McLeod told officers he had come to the beach "to be with Miley" and tried to head butt one of them when he was handcuffed. McLeod later told police he and the 16-year-old Cyrus "were supposed to be together and we couldn't stop it."

Officer Warren Millikan wrote in his June report that McLeod claimed he'd met Cyrus 18 months earlier, that he'd sent her diamond rings and other gifts and that she had accepted his marriage proposal. The report said McLeod told police Cyrus' father, country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, approved of their relationship and that Miley Cyrus sent him "secret messages" through her TV show.

The officer's report quoted McLeod as saying, "Our eyes met at her concert and we both knew. I walked straight through security and up to her bus. Bill Ray was standing there. He shook my hand and said you're the good man we've been praying for."

Cyrus has been working on the movie "The Last Song" in coastal Georgia since mid-June. Filming is supposed to wrap up later this month.

McLeod was released from jail in June after signing papers agreeing to return for a court appearance Sept. 1. Price said police obtained a warrant to charge him with criminal attempted stalking, a misdemeanor, after he came back to the island Sunday.

McLeod has made no known threats to Cyrus, Price said, but the attempted stalking charge was warranted because "he's been warned by the police officers not to come back after the first arrest."

Sheriff's deputies in Columbia County arrested McLeod at his home in Georgia Tuesday evening. He was being transported Wednesday back to jail.

In March, the New York Daily news shot video of McLeod waiting in line at a book-signing appearance by Cyrus in Manhattan. "Hold me up. I'm a little bit nervous," said McLeod, shivering in a heavy coat and wool hat.

"It's the first time I've ever, uh, actually been face to face with her," McLeod told the newspaper. "I talk to her a lot but it's kind of like I talk and she responds with pictures. It's just the way we communicate. I'm going to get her some flowers and I'm going to ask her to marry me."

Thanks to MSNBC

George Strait Twang Interview Video Footage

New and exclusive DownCast video content of Country music icon George Strait discussing his latest album, Twang, to be released next Tuesday, Aug. 11.

The unique footage, edited by Travis Television and distributed via AristoMedia's DownCast service, features a rare interview with Strait as he discusses his highly anticipated new release, which was bumped up for an Aug. 11 street date.

The first single from Twang, "Living For The Night," hit the Top 15 mark in just three weeks, making it one of the fastest rising singles of Strait's career and the first radio single he has written. The song, written by Strait, his son Bubba Strait and legendary songwriter Dean Dillon, sits at No. 7 this week on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart and the Mediabase/Country Aircheck chart.

"It makes a papa proud to have my son contributing to the creation of this record," Strait admits. "We had a great time writing with each other and then Dean adding his magic made it even more special. I hope the people that buy this record have as much fun listening to it as I had making it."

"Living For The Night" marks the first time Strait has penned a song he has recorded since "I Can't See Texas From Here" from his second album Strait From The Heart. Strait co-wrote two additional songs on Twang - "He's Got That Something Special" and "Out Of Sight Out Of Mind." Bubba Strait is the sole writer on "Arkansas Dave."

Co-producing the 13-track disc with legendary producer Tony Brown, Strait proves again why he has sold more than 67 million albums throughout his record-breaking career. Twang, Strait's 38th album, was recorded at Shrimpboat Sound Studio in Key West, FL. It is the same studio where they recorded Strait's last two award-winning albums.

2009 has already been a year of accolades for Strait. His platinum-selling Troubadour was named "Best Country Album" at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards in February. In April, Strait was the fifth artist ever to receive the Academy of Country Music's Artist of the Decade honor. Most recently, he headlined the kick-off event at the new Dallas Cowboys' stadium, selling out the venue in less than an hour. The concert was hailed by the Dallas Morning News as "an extravaganza" that "showcased Strait at the pinnacle of his musical game."

With a career spanning more than 25 years, Strait has 57 No. 1 singles to his credit, holding the record for more No. 1 hits than any artist in history, including Elvis. His 33 different platinum or multi-platinum albums have earned him the most RIAA platinum certifications in country music and places him third in all genres behind The Beatles and Elvis Presley. Strait was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2006, making him one of only a few artists to receive such an honor while still actively recording and producing music.

Track Listing for Twang:

1. Twang - Jim Lauderdale, Kendell Marvel and Jimmy Ritchey
2. Where Have I Been All My Life - Sherrie Austin, Will Nance and Steve Williams
3. I Gotta Get To You - Jim Lauderdale, Jimmy Ritchey and Blaine Larsen
4. Easy As You Go - Steve Bogard and Rick Giles
5. Living For The Night - George Strait, Bubba Strait and Dean Dillon
6. Same Kind Of Crazy - Delbert McClinton and Gary Nicholson
7. Out Of Sight Out Of Mind - George Strait and Bubba Strait
8. Arkansas Dave - Bubba Strait
9. The Breath You Take - Dean Dillon, Jessie Jo Dillon and Casey Beathard
10. He's Got That Something Special - George Strait, Bubba Strait and Dean Dillon
11. Hot Grease And Zydeco - Gordon Bradberry and Tony Ramey
12. Beautiful Day For Goodbye - Doug Johnson and Pat Bunch
13. El Rey - Jose Alfredo Jimenez

$50 Off Best Selling CD-DVD-iPod Radio

Save $50 instantly on our best-selling SoundWorks i765 CD-DVD-iPod Radio

The Top-Selling Ken Burns: Civil War DVD.

Ken Burns' Emmy Award-winning documentary brings to life America's most destructive - and defining - conflict. THE CIVIL WAR is the saga of celebrated generals and ordinary soldiers, a heroic and transcendent president and a country that had to divide itself in two in order to become one.

Trace Adkins and Gene Watson Answer "Murder on Music Row" with "We've Got a Pulse"

Trace Adkins and one of traditional country music's familiar voices, Gene Watson, have joined forces in the studio to record their feelings about country music in a new single. The new song is titled, "We've Got a Pulse," and is a song about defiance.

Gene told AOL's The Boot, that the song answers the hit "Murder on Music Row,". Further, Gene states that there's not a better song out there that states how he feels about country music. The lyrics of "We've Got a Pulse" make the statement that country music is alive and well and will continue to thrive.

Gene tells AOL the collaboration with his friend Trace came about naturally and makes the song even more special because he has been a longtime admirer of him as a person and a vocalist.

"We've Got a Pulse" is the first single from Gene's upcoming album, "A Taste of the Truth." The album will be out August 25 on Shanachie Records.

Tennessee Titans' Kicker Rob Bironas Surprises Charlie Daniels With Golden Shoe

Tennessee Titans' kicker Rob Bironas surprised Charlie Daniels with one of his game worn shoes after a recent Charlie Daniels Band appearance at the Grand Ole Opry. The shoe had been dipped in gold and was given to Charlie as a thank you for the golden fiddle Charlie had presented to Rob a few months prior. The plaque reads..."To Charlie Daniels, Keep Playin That Fiddle. - Rob Bironas #2."

Billboard to Launch "Country Update" Chart Service

On Aug. 10, Billboard will launch a new chart service called Country Update, a weekly chart digest that will bring back to three the number of data sources for the sector’s sales and airplay.

Industry observers were saddened and perhaps shocked when R&R’s HotFax shuttered its doors a few months ago. Some executives opined that — unlike MusicRow’s CountryBreakout chart, which has carved its own niche by focusing on secondary radio and industry coverage — Country Aircheck and HotFax both covered mostly the same radio news and had mainstream radio charts and that therefore perhaps two similar reports were unnecessary. Others felt it was important to get different perspectives especially since MediaBase, which provides data to Aircheck, is a Clear Channel property.

According to Billboard’s Nashville Senior Chart Manager Wade Jessen, the new Country Update will address the above dynamics by forging a more unique balance between radio and industry. Publishing on Monday evenings, the product will include BDS-based radio charts as well as an A-Z song index of country titles and will become the venue for Billboard’s touring industry data.

Also featured will be the debut of a country digital download chart via SoundScan. Jessen promises some other features, including a mashup chart that combines digital sales and radio listening audience. Ken Tucker will helm the new undertaking’s editorial coverage in addition to continuing his other freelance duties.

Brenda Lee Country Music Hall of Fame Autograph Signing

Brenda Lee Country Music Hall of Fame Autograph Signing Guidelines for August 8, 2009 at 3:30 PM.

• Brenda Lee will sign a limited number of autographs.
• An autograph voucher is required to participate in the signing.
• Autograph vouchers will be available on property starting at 9:30 a.m. (central) on Monday, August 3, 2009 with the purchase of Brenda Lee related merchandise from the Museum Store.
• No person is guaranteed an autograph voucher, which will be given out on a first-come, first served basis.
• Only one (1) autograph voucher per person.
• Brenda Lee will sign a maximum of two items, which must be Brenda Lee related merchandise purchased in the Museum Store.
• Brenda Lee will not autograph personal items.
• Lean-in photographs will be allowed with individual fans (no group photos).
• We ask that visitors abide by these guidelines, to ensure that as many as possible can participate in the signing and meet Ms. Lee.

Orenda Fink to Release "Ask The Night" on Saddle Creek

Orenda Fink (Azure Ray, Art In Manila, O+S) will release her sophomore solo album, Ask The Night, on October 6, 2009 via Saddle Creek.

Orenda was born and raised in Birmingham, AL, and Ask The Night is very much a reflection of and homage to her Southern roots - the cultural and familial upbringing that helped to shape her aesthetic. The album, also inspired by traditional American folk music and Southern Gothic literature, is a mix of both her personal experiences and stories told in character. The songs vary in tone and style, while the instrumentation includes acoustic and slide guitar, mandolin, banjo, accordion, violin, upright bass, pump organ...even saw. From the plaintive, melancholy opener "Why Is The Night Sad" to the evocative "That Certain-Something Spring" to the sweetly doleful closer "The Moon Knows", Ask The Night is a captivating collection of folk songs, woven and intertwined by Orenda's distinctive, heartrending vocals.

Ask The Night was primarily recorded live to 8-track by Stephen Bartolomei (Mal Madrigal) in Orenda's former Omaha, NE, basement (she is now based in Los Angeles, CA), as well as by Andy LeMaster (Now It's Overhead; production on Bright Eyes, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, Azure Ray) in his Athens, GA, living room.

Track listing for Ask The Night:

1. Why Is The Night Sad
2. High Ground
3. Sister
4. That Certain-Something Spring
5. The Garden
6. Wind
7. Alabama
8. The Mural
9. Half-Light
10. The Moon Knows

The album features a wide variety of players and singers, including producers Stephen Bartolomei and Andy LeMaster, Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse), Dan McCarthy (McCarthy Trenching), and Adrianne Verhoeven (Dri, The Anniversary, Art In Manila), among others.

Since Azure Ray released their last record, Hold On Love (2003), Orenda - half of the acclaimed duo - has released multiple also-heralded albums both under her own name and with two bands: her solo debut Invisible Ones (2005); Art In Manila's Set The Woods On Fire (2007), and O+S's self-titled release (2009).

Four songs on Ask The Night are collaborations with Birmingham, AL-based artist and poet Chris Lawson, who provided creative inspiration during the writing process as well as album artwork, which can be seen below.

Billy Currington - People Are Crazy Video

Loudon Wainwright Autograph Signing at the Country Music Hall of Fame

Loudon Wainwright III Autograph Signing Guidelines for August 1, 2009 at 3:00 PM.

• Loudon Wainwright III will sign a maximum of two items. The first item must be artist related merchandise purchased in the Museum Store.
• Photography from the line is allowed. However, to accommodate as many visitors as possible, posed photographs with the artist will not be permitted.
• We ask that visitors abide by these guidelines, to ensure that as many as possible can participate in the signing and meet the artist.