Great Shows And Greater Memories

Have any bucket list concerts on your list? The Eagles' "Hotel California 2020" tour is easily on my list. Saw Elvis, Hendrix, Zeppelin, CSN&Y, even saw the original Grand Funk Railroad and The Beach Boys, but The Eagles were elusive and expensive. They are still expensive, but look at their show list that continues to expand with extra shows now in Atlanta, Denver, New York and Inglewood, California. Seeing Eagle Vince Gill would make it that much better. They're one of the most influential acts for today's Country A list, and today they would be Country.

So many great shows and events are already on the books for 2020. Lynyrd Skynyrd in Dallas New Year's Eve with Asleep at the Wheel and The Allman Betts Band sounds great. It's at the American Airlines Center, indoors and comfortable. Don't forget the free outdoor New Year's Eve show with Keith Urban near the State Capitol building in Nashville. This one not playing in the downtown entertainment corridor just seems odd. Guess those folks have their own business to do.

Chris Stapleton is already very visible for the new year. He's been chosen to christen the new Texas Rangers' new baseball stadium in Arlington, Texas, with Willie Nelson supporting him on March 14. He'll appear again with Willie April 25th at the University of Kentucky's football stadium, and there's a Pink/Stapleton duet set for the CMA awards next month. New music is coming, along with a likely rekindle for Stapleton-mania coming in the new year.

Then there's Stagecoach April 24 to 26 in the California desert, with Thomas Rhett, Carrie Underwood and Eric Church. The weekend before in Fort Lauderdale is the Tortuga beach party with Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert and Tim McGraw. That's three days, three stages by the ocean, and growing every year.

Bryan is setting up for a big 2020 with the return of "American Idol" and headliner status at Tortuga.

Did you see where Garth Brooks and Keith Urban will finish out 2019 for the late Bob Kingsley's radio show? If you're a young star wanting to see how it's done -- short term and long -- copy those two guys. They have the best PR, and it never looks forced. They are very media friendly, and give their time to so many great things. There are too many examples to list.

Just this week saw Garth on the Musicians Hall of Fame website talking to museum creator Joe Chambers. How can we still be learning about Garth at this point? Watch that interview! "Garth Week" is coming to A&E November 28. He's selling vinyl! And there's his big stadium show in Knoxville in November. Wait until we see paid attendance figures for that monster!

How about Lauren Alaina on "Dancing with the Stars?" She's killing it, and will come out on the other side a winner one way or another!

Music City speeds up this time of year. There's the Musicians Hall of Fame induction of great artists like Steve Wariner (Garth was at that one singing with Steve), the Walk of a Fame ceremony with Lady Antebellum and Clint Black, and "Opry Goes Pink," with Luke Bryan getting the Album of the Decade honor from the Academy of Country Music.

Things will stop like hitting a wall in early December, just six or so weeks away. This year is slipping away. But fasten your seatbelts for the next seven weeks: The CMAs, "Garth Week," the AMAs, the ABC Brad Paisley special, the Dolly special on NBC, and on and on. Will the CMAs crown anyone new? Who wins the Entertainer of the Year trophy? No shortage of drama coming!