Can We Fast Forward to Fall.and HOLD?

Jimmy Carter in his homebase Nashville.

The Summer of 2011 has put some mileage on many of us. With Nevada desert temps and New Orleans humidity how do you sit in a concert outside or do anything outside, for that matter?

At this week's Tim McGraw show in Oklahoma City they pushed the show start time back ... added mist machines and gave out water. At 109 or whatever, it's more chain gang work than something I would pay a $100 for. For those of you missing this Dallas Hell Inferno weather, praise your luck!

Toby lost his voice this week and got it back; Eric Church broke records with his #1 debut on the Billboard Album charts. Keith Urban bought a Fiat. Taylor Swift went to the Lincoln Memorial. Busy week for the artists and a difficult one for their fans.

Economic uncertainty and scalding weather equals upset stomach and headache! Love the new Luke Bryan CD. It's out this week. Alabama will be the headliner for the WE Fest in Minnesota next year as that PR rollout continues. Alabama is back 100%.

Politics in Iowa at the state fair. Nothing new about that. Randy Travis will be the opening act for Michelle Bachmann August 13th at the Iowa Straw poll. How political will Country stars dare to be in this next Presidential election? Will the right-wing acts support their candidate or do it quietly? I say quietly will be the norm.

Sweet Home Alabama will live for a second season on CMT. Casting is already underway.

That Bingo/Country music gambling show trial in Alabama will have a verdict soon. Music Row missed a huge black eye on this story. Dozens of Country artists and behind-the-scenes people were involved with this effort to get big-time gambling in Alabama. Up to their necks! Names came up in testimony, but no cameras allowed in Federal Courts. Newspapers did not know anyone and has told me as much. Just didn't blow up the names ... story died.

Always glad to see folks like John Rich carrying the water for charity.

Jerry Lewis getting canned by MDA is still a little shocking.The show will feature segments taped at the Opry house with many artists. Jerry Lewis raised over a billion dollars for MDA since the 1950s and he doesn't get to say goodbye. This story is not over ...Ugly end to a great life's accomplishment.

Fall with more mergers. New consolidation hires. Uncertain 2012 economy. Might better get some rest (cheaply, of course) and fasten your career seat belts. You just feel the quicksand. Don't you? I'm banning the news networks

for a few days! Too depressing!

Watched the end of a Charlie Daniels show on Facetime/iPhone the other day. How did we survive without $270 cell bills for smart phones and iPad data plans?

We live in exciting but scarey times. Clouds.dot coms less important. Facebook memory pages that suck an hour out

of you in a hearrbeat. Time management, Time shift, Time shortage, Time is not on my side!

(Mick, I thought you were touring this year?)