Still Overwhelmed

Jimmy Carter in his homebase Nashville.

Still trying to soak in all the great music and information overload of the first half of June. The news flow in general has not been Summer-like with cop murders, another Iraq war, OJ anniversary and more. Just seems anything but slow Summer-like.

Kimberly Perry getting married seems sobering considering she was just a little girl singing with her brothers a few short years ago. Seen them lately? Dynamic performers!

In order of what my brain thinks of a week after the CMA fest: Little Big Town has really stepped up production and remain the same nice people ... another act that should be high on your recheck list. Thomas Rhett seems like he is about ready to blast off.

It was nice and a little surprising that a few classic acts got to take that big stadium stage. It is so much about the male flavors of the month these days. Alabama seems ready to get back in the game. The young female audience loved the songs ... sang along ... just hard to see them opening for anyone. Not that they can't ... just they are headliners and there has to be some kind of package to spotlight them and some of the young up-and-coming stars.

Future Hall of Famers ... I hope. The Oak Ridge Boys should follow the Statlers into the Hall ...Unlike the Statlers, the Boys roll on. They remain the best singing group around ... how me better showmen and singers ... for the whole family. Another recheck on your list if you haven't seen them in a while.

Now to all these award shows on TV every few weeks ... add to that the talent shows. The Grim Reaper is coming. "American Idol" gets this season, then all bets are off. Fox may be ready.

The award show glut is simply silly. Another one this week ... The American Country Countdown Awards ... six weeks after the CMAs ... last award show of the year ... with a major radio sponsor, this may be a hard one for the other radio chains to even promote ... same with iHeart Awards show ... just so many, they become run of the mill. The ACMs at Cowboy Stadium does ramp up the competition. Raises the bar for the others.

Duane Allen of the Oaks was backstage at the LP Field news conferences/CMA Music Fest when asked about today's Country. Charlie Daniels got the same questions. You might be surprised they understand that it's always about the next big thing. Country music is filling a void created by bad pop music. Charlie wants the new folks to push the limits and experiment. It keeps the business fresh. New sounds. Okay, hard to disagree with that.

Duane says it might not be your style of Country, but its Country music and it's filling the void and filling the seats of folks who come from pop and everywhere else.

The sounds of Country are all over the place. If you can't find something, then the problem is you.

If you don't like it all, then you're okay, too ... and not alone.

Alan Jackson is going to roll on even if George has parked the bus. The new kids are everywhere and backed up to get out like the planes at O'Hare at 5p ...Better be top of your game or you will be downsized.

A salute to all the dads ... not the easiest job you will ever get, but sure can be the most rewarding.