Seeing The World When Sober

Jimmy Carter in his homebase Nashville.

Booze seemed to be in just about all things this week ... Pushing booze to the Super Bowl audience and shutting off the booze to Country greats like Randy Travis and Tim McGraw.

First the great war words involving Blake Shelton and the "old farts." Blake hates being a bore and speaks colorfully on a few occasions. He spoke colorfully and called old farts ... old farts ... and proclaimed kids don't buy their grandpa's music. There was outrage. Round up the usual subjects. I'm an old fart and I understood and felt no disrespect. This world is way too sensitive these days. Regradless, Blake caught Hell and apologized and then this week drove to Durant, Oklahoma and met personally with the great Ray Price. Ray even says he is an old fart but the whole comment got all twisted around with no help from the so-called media and music friends.

Ray sings as good as he did 20 years ago, but he's never gonna get a download from my 15-year-old Bieber fan. That's just the way it rolls. No hurt feels, just reality. I don't get this story and the Beyonce lip-sync story that remains on the network news shows again. Singers using tracks on TV and even lip-syncing ... this is show shocking. Shocking ... I cant go on ... but I will.

Tim McGraw on the cover of People. They mainly focus on his former days of drinking and his volunteering stoppage. Tim never went off the cliff but was maybe close. He is great now and this new CD is his best. Heard him sing a lot of it live and he is rocking. Plenty of TV in the next week as the new music appears. Get it ... money-back guarantee!

Randy Travis sober ... or I hope so. The judge gave him 30 days in rehab and a slap on the wrist for his naked run to the store. Another world-class talent who better stay straight. I'm a fan and I like Randy. I hope he works hard to stay straight.

Booze and Country music ... bedfellows indeed. Take trucks and drinking out of the mix and you are left with love and cheating. We need trucks and booze. Too much candy will make your teeth fall out ... Country needs to check its promotion of drinking like Hollywood needs to monitor gun play. Moderation and being smart is the brainy thing to do. Greed prohibits that. Who can walk away from that booze money? It is a problem...

A good glass of wine ... an occasional scotch and water works for me. Stupid booze binges don't. Our stars are getting the message that it's bad. Now the fans might need some re-education. Again, no one likes a drunk. Unless they are buying concert tickets and CDs and T-shirts...and you get the picture.

I hope the modern-day Country star can try to be more socially responsible ... sing the best music ... have fun but don't glorify stumbling drunks who are just on the horizon at Spring Break. Gentleman and ladies, start your engines...