Christmas Trees In One Spot ... Sweaty people On TV!

Jimmy Carter in his homebase Nashville.

The timing of the CMA TV spectacular simply felt off-key this year. I opted to watch Monday Night Football and DVR the CMA Music Festival.

The game was very good between the Broncos and Falcons; every time I turned on the Music Festival, it was someone else sweating more than the football players. If they weren't sweating, it seemed like the same crowd of young blondes dancing in the crowd.

The show would feel so much better on a weekend Summer night.

ABC has their own needs and plans, but ramming that three hours as a replacement for "Bachelorette" is better than nothing, I guess. Hate to see Country music as someone's fourth choice after football, a talent show and "Bones." Barely beating wrestling and reruns of Hawaii 5-0.

Big show on a big slick stage. Just didn't feel compelling and the mass audience pretty much felt the same way. Still, six million is better than no million. We will see if it sold any downloads on next week's charts.

Scanning the DVR, you see the wide variety of the present Country format. The pop influence present day is huge. Carrie kicking off the show set the tone.

A New England newspaper called her a full-on pop star. Yes, she is. Taylor is the new queen of MTV worldwide. These are transition times for sure.

Historically this is all same song third verse. From Marty Robbins to Waylon ... from Bob Willis to Eric Church ... the renegades write the rules! Always have and always will.

Change is never easy but you adapt and evolve. How many times have you heard that? It is the axiom for life.

Brad Paisley's new song, "Southern Comfort Zone," is an earworm song ... after hearing it probably three times, it will haunt you! Did me ... comes up out of the blue ... Great song!!

iHeart Music Festival this weekend out of Vegas should be unusual...I use iHeart everyday ... .can I confess? ( I Listen to KFI and WABC talk shows ... Bill Handel and Geraldo. Sometimes Rush)

This week ... ACM Honors and what is the big George Strait announcement on Wednesday? That one has me nervous ... he doesn't hold news conferences! Hmmmmmm....