Until She Rules the World!

Going to my second Taylor Swift show of the year tonight. The first was at a Wisconsin festival outdoors. Tonight I am told the full show with all it's bells and whistles. I'm going tonight to see again this teenager wonder who made Country music history this week by getting a CMA Entertainer of the Year nomination.

Not everyone is on the same page with this young lady. I saw her when she got signed to Big Machine and shrugged. Then it started ... she was pretty raw but a fast learner. Fastest I have ever seen! From opening for Brad and a bit awkward to opening later that same tour with 200% more stage confidence.

Then I'm not sure what happened. BOOM ... here's she is a Reba Jr. doing TV shows, big costume changes and totally at home on stage.

Now she's MTV, sold 10 million CDs.downloaded 20 million, etc. Wow! Now four major CMA nominations and certainly a win or two. Before 2009, A Best Album Grammy nomination and who knows what else.

Who knows what will happen and where this is headed? It's already way off the expectation scale. One huge point, it's been done with class and cool.

The naysayers can go jump in the lake. Without Taylor Swift, Music Row would be in a depression. Four million physical sales? Who is even in the ball park? Answer: no one! Counting the Miley Cyrus sales is very bogus, by the way. Taylor is the oxygen line for the sales ship right now.

We heard the same junk during Shania's rise to fame. It was crap then, too. Go Taylor ... take over the world. Evolve and reinvent yourself every few years. She is smart and PLEASE Taylor get some college classes online or wherever in accounting, publishing and business law. You are too smart and talented to ever be taken advantage of!

Taylor Swift already is a huge success story and more impressive than a few of the modern legends because she's done it in her teen years and with no drama (example of one recently divorced Tennessee singer).

The CMAs are sure prediction-proof this year. They seem to be anyway. Taylor may do the award show sweep; it happens. But look at the Female Vocalist category. From 19 to 50-something, from redheads to blondes, this group should go out on the road as the cast of Moulin Rouge! Taylor, Carrie, Reba, Miranda, Martina ... strongest lineup of ladies since the '80s when Trisha and Patty were going strong.

The guys and the CMAs ... hmmm ... the male contenders not nominated are all a breath away from the A-list. In fact, some of the not-nominated are more fun than the ones who are.

We have bench strength right now in the guy department. Look at the ones not getting the noms -- Blake, Dierks, Gary, Billy and Jason, just to name five others. There are easily five more. And look at the A-listers not in for whatever reason: Alan and Toby ... and yes, Tim.

We have easily 20 strong guys in the business right now. Maybe 25 ... the female bench is MUCH lighter.

Brad Paisley continues to be a creative breath of fresh air. His sense of humor helps so much. Keith Urban just gets better at his game daily. Darius deserves his spotlight for sure. George Strait is like Richard Petty in NASCAR, except the country king is still on the track.

The CMAs got it right this year and who knows what kind of Attention Deficit Disorder show ABC is going to come to town with. What rapper will they choose to honor us with their raps? Which '80s metal hair band will thrill us with their collaboration? The nation is confused economically and musically. Country music is as close as anything to getting it right.

James Otto singing for the ACC, Kenny on NCAA football, Faith on NBC, Jr. on MNF ... we may be hotter than many realize.

The Beatlemania this week was nice. Is nice. Seeing Tim out in front is a feel-good moment for his fans.

Radio advertising is still anemic, I see. Concert sales are a little off for some., but it has to get better. A strong team is on the field. We just need more butts in the seats and at the cash registers.

Crossing my fingers for Jay Leno and hope he gets or has control of his show. Pray the suits won't mess it up. Jay is a friend of Country music and he will book the Country A-listers if the N.Y./L.A. suits don't have any power. Good luck, Jay!