Old Dogs ... New Tricks

In Pop and in Country, some of the best music still comes from acts who have been around for decades. Check the box office returns for everyone from The Rolling Stones to Paul McCartney.

In Country, I watched a concert crowd drink every note of Alabama.

The Fort Payne 3. Have been around since the '70s, making #1 hits. At The Georgia National Fair, they proved that some music even gets better with time.

Their back-up band and production support is even better now than in past years. Randy sounds fantastic ...Teddy and Jeff, too. It was a night with so many memories ... Made me head into iTunes and reload by song list. Songs that don't play on the hit radio playlists but are still great ...Go see Alabama whenever you can!

Classic Country alive and well in Las Vegas ... Reba and Brooks & Dunn doing more dates and Strait tickets now selling at high premiums.

For the concert bookers, these seem to be heady times ... the land of milk and honey.

2016 will be the boom or bust for the festival craze. The Bayou Country festival at LSU stadium may be coming back, but the two new entries are fighting for Southern space ... Look for the new festivals at the NASCAR tracks Talladega and Daytona. Luke Bryan and 40 more stars. Those events should be huge.

Somebody is doing something right ... bro ... oldies whatever ... Country music shows are growing in a boom-time mode.

The CMA show is now days away ... what will it say about present day Country music? Will it be all about the top radio songs or will it try to be more? Will the old and new mix be great or uncomfortable? We shall see...

Glad Dolly is better after kidney stones and hopeful Willie will be back soon ... His son says his medical issues are minor ... Willie set to play those big NASCAR stadium festivals, too.