Aldean, Alex And The Two Lukes

Who wasn't talking about Alex Trebek this week? He told the world about the doctors telling him what none of us would want to hear. Trebek has a deadly form of cancer and he plans to beat the odds and not let it kill him!

Who among us could go on TV and tell everyone the way he did? Brave, classy and level. Since 1984, he is that steady hand guiding TV's smartest game show Jeopardy. This story touched us all. It shows us again how our lives can change in a moment.

Jason Aldean woke up one morning recently to learn that the Academy of Country Music had named him The Dick Clark Artist of the Decade. What a club that puts Jason in! Marty Robbins in the '60s, then it was Loretta Lynn, Alabama, Garth Brooks then George Strait. Aldean reacted to this news by saying thanks and praising those who helped get him there. You could name a few other possible choices, but the ACM got this one right. Nine years ago, Aldean was Country but with a contemporary twist. A DNA test is needed to see who the father of Bro Country is. Jason sure had a hand it, if not the legitimate dad. (FGL is the other.) Aldean might even be more low-key that Strait. He does the publicity as needed and then very sparingly.

Jason Aldean has been a consistent hit maker and concert draw. Not a lot of up and down ... just steady. New baby, new house and now this award. He is certainly on a roll. The pride of Macon, Georgia is making the home folks smile.

Twenty-nine-year-old Luke Combs is following closely behind Jason. This Luke has five # 1 songs and just played to 72,384 at RodeoHouston. He is the hot Country artist of the moment. You wonder if he can really grasp what he is accomplishing. He's in the middle of a tornado and it's still developing. Every week this story gets bigger! Tupelo, Orange Beach, Alabama this weekend, then Australia and back to Florida, then Canada before the end of March. What an exciting but exhausting time. That's a very big month for any artist.

The other Luke is busy in the American Idol world. Played the Houston rodeo and then Country Thunder later in the month. The Idol shows hitting the air now are pre-tapes from Fall. The crop this year on Idol and The Voice seems better than some years. Several seem like radio-ready stars early on.

The Idol judges look calmer and more comfortable in their jobs. The Voice still seems to react best to those singers who do power vocals. But both have some real folks ... can another Carrie Underwood be developed? I'd say yes.