Two Great Ambassadors of Country Music

Jimmy Carter in his homebase Nashville.

Garth Brooks has something up his sleeve on 10/28, but of course, he's not telling anyone. Tennessee's Gov/the two U.S. Senators/Nashville Mayor's have a joint news conference.

He loves making a splash. Can't even imagine what he is announcing.

His understudy, Taylor Swift, has taken over the planet, with a 40-country release of her "Speak Now" CD and the reviews are some of the best for any CD. Google any Nashville artist and read the reviews from the big-city publications. They are mixed, at best, for the most recent releases. Darius got good reviews, but that's about it. I liked Kenny's CD more than some of the stodgy critics. Check out some for these cut lines for Taylor:

NY TIMES - "Most musically diverse ... probably her best ... excellent."

Hollywood Reporter - "Enormous breakthrough in songwriting ... Brilliant."

US - "4 stars, Grand slam..."

See the feature in Sunday LA Times Calendar

Pretty amazing reviews ... they have no bearing on her fans and buying that CD/download on Monday. Still, you take the good ones. Her marketing partners are amazing this time. She will do New York the first part of the week, then Los Angeles ... The haters will enjoy her song, "Mean!"

Congratulations, Blake Shelton, for your Opry membership. Glad that it means so much to you. Trace came in to help Blake get in. Will they win CMA event soon?

Jennifer/Sugarland hosting the CMA Christmas show and selling 200,000 first-week CDs.

Kellie Pickler still on a contact high from Clint Eastwood meeting on the Ellen Show. That's a great clip if you can find it on Ellen website or You Tube.

Paltrow/McGraw film premiering on CMA week in Nashville .Gwyneth says she was blown away by how good an actor he was! Says Faith has helped her a lot.

That Jamey Johnson video for "Playing the Part" should have come out sooner ... or they should have help with the release. Got to be coordinated, folks!

The Gulf Shores Brad Paisley beach concert was perfect. Everything about it. Hope Brad wins the Entertainer of the Year. He really deserves his FIRST one!

CMA vote counting starts soon ... Could be a shocking night of winners ... I sort of hope ... not actually. But it could very well be.