The Race is ON!

Jimmy Carter in his homebase Nashville.

I've gotten in trouble here before these times ... the run-up to the Country Music Association Awards ... Some could not handle the fact that labels have to choose sometimes who they will back when their artists are competing against each other. It is a very political time that more often than not has no resemblance to reality. The two leading nominees are not in the top 20 most-played artists on Country radio. And some of the format's best selling and huge performance acts did not get even one nomination.

That's how the football bounces ... Nothing here moves in a straight line.

Can the warm and fuzzy feeling for George Strait be enough to power him to the Entertainer of the Year slot again? Just maybe! How many of you saw this coming? I bet few of you.

The Luke Bryan camp is full speed ... Unveiling new video on ET, then the finale of America's Got Talent on the 18th ... co-hosting The View on the 19th..No one can dispute the kind of year this has been for the ACM's most valuable player ... Luke may actually get hotter in 2014!

Jason Aldean's people won't give up without a fight. A DVD of that huge stadium show in Athens, GA comes out as a DVD October 15th. Jason on the red carpet for the ACM Honors this week. Accompanied by a MOST unhelpful "person". Your "people" are so critical to how you are received. Most of our PR people are very helpful in these red carpet live/tape TV scenarios. We all have a job to do. Hell, even Elvis was cool in my encounters with him on two different situations.

Most of the artists in Country Music act nice. A few are a little too big for their britches. The Hollywood/New York "people" want to treat people like they treat the NY media. Doesn't work here. We have changed, but bring back Garth Brooks so we can show people how to do it. I hope he does come back so he can educate a few of these wanna-bees what a real star does!

Johnny Cash 10th anniversary of his death got looked over somewhat this week ... Sept 12th ... sad ending, in such bad health, dying four months after his beloved June Carter Cash. Sept 12th ... Birthday of George Jones, another American Original. Dealing with some pissant "people" and thinking what it was like covering giants and legends. There was a difference ... so much less BS!

Glad Nashville is still reasonably Paparazzi-free. Not tolerated and never been an issue. NY/Paris/L.A -- another story. NYC: A pap on a bike runs down Nicole Kidman. Out of control even in the Big Apple ... long since out of control in Paris and LA. But what to do?

Looking forward to this weekend's Blake Shelton show in Nashville. He is smooth as glass and will help Luke be a better host when they do the ACM's in 2014. If he won the EOY/CMA again, I would not protest. He has done so much to convert people to the genre. Love Blake ... Please don't let all this change you ... pleaseeeeeee....

Put all your bets on a format that is primarily appealing to 18-28 year-old girls is like driving a nitro truck with bad tires. Award shows that don't reflect reality are equally bad. These are dangerous times for the industry. Never been so much in the forefront with TV shows 'Nashville' and MTV stars like Taylor Swift.

iTunes radio ... all the technology...Beware of these suits who claim to know where we are going. If they are so smart, they should quit and go work for Apple. Apple seems a bit lost these day ... PRAY!