Suing to Get the Songwriter's Money....

Jimmy Carter in his homebase Nashville.

TMZ usually gets the story factually correct, but made songwriters sound like bullies this week when BMI sued a bar in Idaho. The bar was playing music with a BMI license to perform the music.

Over the years you see this happen -- and sometimes the bar owners/restaurants scream! You pay for your napkins and toothpicks; why do you think you should get your music for free? The bar will lose and many Internet writers will make it sound like the rich artists are picking on the small business guy. Ridiculous!

The booking wars never go away in TV ... One event is making the bookers day lighter ... soon ... No Oprah on free TV. 9/9/2011 is her last day. She is going to her own network -- OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network).

Award season rolling right along with this weekend's AMAs and the Grammy nomination announcements just a few days away in December. Taylor Swift's domination will continue.

Taylor's story is a great one. Like a space shuttle, is she still climbing or are we leveling off? A typical conversation these days around Music Row: Is she at her top velocity? How long are the engines going to burn at this thrust level? With a possible Grammy Best Album win, where would you go from that jumping-off place?

A bunch of new acts in the pipeline. The Band Perry ... trio is real good ... several others. New blood is a good thing.

Christmas music is about to jump on the air in a big way ... and the end of the year is in sight. Who is not worried about the economy on Christmas? If you are not, you should be -- don't know a businessman who isn't!

2009 has been one weird year. Been great for the Taylors of the world, but for many in her audience it has been a scary time. What will 2010 bring for radio debt, advertising, the car dealers, music sales, concert attendance? If you have no gray hair, better get ready for some.