March Comes In Like A Lion.....

Jimmy Carter ... Off To Spring Break

CRS ... Daylight Saving Time ... a Citibank stock share worth less than it charges for an ATM transaction ... a new FCC Chairman (for whatever that means now) ... The Jonas Brothers hype machine stalls as Disney overcharges for tickets ... The White House takes on a talk show host ... Taylor Swift off to a new continent to take it over!

That's a lot for just the first few days of March, but Spring Break time for college is here and it's near the end of a bloody first quarter in financial circles.

Sure, were a lot of familiar faces missing from the CRS world this year. Budgets.

Ugliness at every turn. Some big shots still getting bonuses as employees are put on the street. Ugly.

Despite the obvious economic issues, the music situation doesn't look as bad. Physical sales sort of suck, but the ticket sales from the top of the hill are going well. Scalpers for Taylor Swift's sell-out shows are asking $1,200 for a $50 dollar ticket, according to a TV station in Missouri.

Kenny is selling out minutes after every show goes on sale ... and Strait sold out the Cowboys stadium very quickly. So it's not all doom and gloom.

The big festivals are hopeful. It's still a little early, but even in the deep South, the street festivals of the mid- and late-Spring are rocking from Macon to Montgomery to the recent Strawberry shows in Plant City, Florida. People want to get out and play. So far they are putting up the bucks. NASCAR is making deals and Talladega tix begin at $40!

One thing the recent CMA research info showed involved merchandise prices at concerts. The price is too HIGH!

The Spring cleaning at the labels got some good folks, including artists who never really kicked the afterburner in for any number of possible reasons. Some had some jerk factor; others just weren't exciting, were dull or didn't relate to the key female demo at all. Most were good people and real talents. The business remains part inspiration, part perspiration and a whole lot of luck.

"American Idol" this year is as rickety as the economy. I can't decide on the fourth judge or the singers. This Del Toro contestant woman makes me change the station. The 4th judge is sometimes good, sometimes grating on the nerves. Still "AI" is a big show and Seacrest is one of the greatest examples of earn while you learn anyone has ever seen. He was barely even a rank amateur when this began and now I actually listen to his show on KIIS/L.A. via iPhone a few times a week and he's good at his job on "Idol."

"Dancing with the Stars" with several Country-oriented contestants starts up Monday, March 9th. "Idol" and "DWTS" help the Country format -- most of the time. "DWTS" books a few acts during the seaon; "Idol" grows a few Country stars.

The new technology is often overwhelming for anyone over 30. It was funny reading the blog of Martina as she takes on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Myspace, texts, e-mails, ILike and whatever else. She asked, "How do you have time to do all this and have a life?" Exactly!

Still, you pick your poisons. Facebook is getting a facelift and My Space video is good. I still don't see the point of Twitter for most. (I do get it if you are the L.A. Times and use it to supplement e-mail news bulletin bursts).

The labels are getting their technology shined. The artists' social networking sites are still too dull, but it's getting better. Brad Paisley put some recording studio footage on his the other day.

You wish Jimmy Fallon had been a college radio DJ or something. The rookie awkwardness of the guy as a TV host is painful to watch. He will get better -- it's not brain surgery as we saw with Seacrest -- but the "earn while you learn" is painful for the fans at home.

Luke Bryan is off to Spring Break Panama City and Daytona. The Rodeo is still going in Houston and Keith Urban is playing gigs all over to promote his new CD coming at the end of March.

Warmer weather ... outdoor shows begin. Now we just have to get the car commercials back on radio and TV. The bank commercials. The other stuff. I have heard enough "IRS problems" and "buy gold" commercials to last a lifetime.