We Need Bottom UP ... not Top Down ... Stars

Jimmy Carter ... still fried from CMA Fest

Just saw a young Country singer on the ELLEN show .... I guess that's my new source for new talent. I also saw political analyst/singer Sammy Kershaw lead off a Larry King Show after the President, so I am prepared for just about anything.

The singer was James Dupre. Has a website, YouTube hits and he's a solid singer. Not a Justin Bieber Country star, but he was really good. Building a following around East Texas and Louisiana. Who knows? Ellen for sure was a champ for taking a chance on someone new. These are hard ratings times for TV and radio. Not many people taking chances on anything!

I just saw so many "cute but who in the world are they" artists on that purple CMT carpet. How did they get a deal? Who are they? So they were on a dance show or a Broadway play? Big deal. What happen to a "singer being the rage in his hometown then the rest of the world finding out about them?" Everything seems to be from a talent show on TV or something equally instant pudding.

Home grown vegetables just taste better. Internet crazy ... cutting corners on digging wells and cutting corners looking for breakout talent.

Montgomery Gentry was a local breakout act ....tried and true ...George Strait was, too. Trained in the bars of Texas.

Everyone wants to be the chairman of the board without even being a clerk.

The ones who last are the ones who worked the hardest to get their in the first place. Sinatra, Presley, Beatles, Cash, Dylan ... they all worked for what they got. Were veterans when they did get the big chance.

If you are going to spend a million bucks on someone you would think they would at least prove they could put a butt in the paid seat. Just saying....

Diamond Rio remains such a solid group. Heard them last week. Heard Sawyer Brown for the first time in years, too.

It was almost like the established people decided they weren't ready to sit down out of sight. This CMA ABC show I bet has a big number. It actually has some real stars anchoring the show -- and not just one-hit wonders.

Rascal Flatts starts their new tour this week. I wish them luck! They are good people and great representatives. Their charity work is top rung.

Brad Paisley is in London. Wouldn't it be great if someone that talented can breakout in a place that does appreciate the true musician and not just the flavor of the month? I really hope Brad gets good reviews and the buzz begins.

The Summer of 2010 is already a pot boiler ... 100-degree heat indexes everyday in Music City. The CMA Fest was a needed success. Thank goodness.

The mid-summer festival season is upon us. Country USA I will miss this year, but it's fantastic. I'll be back next year. Summerfest in Milwaukee may be the biggest of them all...

I'm saving up for the heat of Willie's 4th and Aquapalooza at Lake Travis near Austin. With the CMA that should about do it.

(Anyone looked at air far rates? whoa ... NO deals! Some decent hotel rates, but air fare? Forget about it!)

Randy Owen is beating his cancer problem and God's speed to you! Such a talented singer...

Happy Father's Day weekend and let's get ready for halftime 2010!