One Song ... Two Singers....

Jimmy Carter in his homebase Nashville

The Fall is here ... two versions of "Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven" on the playing field.

Not taking sides on this one. George Strait may have recorded it first, but it was not on his original lineup for Troubadour. It was a bonus track.

Chesney cuts it and it's the fastest rising song in his career. There's room for both. You can't ever get enough Strait music on the air! It's a wonder this doesn't happen more often.

Anyone remember "How Do I Live?" That was a neck-to-neck battle with one actually in the movie. I think there were a few ruffled feathers, but everyone survived.

Where do folks go now with the Music Row Longhorn gone?

Just got off the road seeing two of the best-produced shows in Country Music history. The Brad Paisley party show and the current edition of the Brooks and Dunn Cowboy Town.

First, Brooks and Dunn at the New York State Fair in Syracuse. What a huge event! They have a huge talent budget with the acts this year ranging from the Jonas Brothers and Toby Keith to Brooks & Dunn/ZZ Top. James Otto was the opening act and if anyone ever needs to have someone sing Bob Seger in a bio film, get James. What a voice! This big guy belts them out. "I Just Got Started Loving You" is surely a CMA nominee. Otto should be around for a while. Very good performance.

Brook's & Dunn this night opened for ZZ Top, but that alternates. This is one well-oiled machine. It should be after this many years!

Ronnie remains on the greatest voices in contemporary music -- any genre. Kix and Ronnie want the audience to have a good time and it's obvious that they do. It is very comforting to go to a show and know 90% of the songs and enjoy singing along with the band. ZZ Top is a one of a kind. This show was a good idea on paper and even better in person. The box office has been as good as the reviews.

Terry McBride is playing bass for the boys ... one of the great songwriters and talents around. The backstage people are all veterans of early day Randy Travis shows and other top acts. The video support made the energy go higher and when you look at the whole stage, it's beautiful.

You can walk yourself to death at the N.Y. State Fair, so make sure you have all your credentials in a row before you go. Traffic is a bear! Oh, yeah ... didn't get to say hi, but the Nitty Gritty Dirt band was playing a free afternoon show that was jammed. They still sound wonderful.

On to Tinley Park, IL, outside Chicago ... on the same day as Obama hooking up with Joe Biden downstate. The First Midway Bank amphitheatre is huge ... one of the biggest around. They even have skyboxes.

Brad's got everything going first-class, including the catering. On this night, some kind of bacon-wrapped grilled shrimp and a high-quality beef medallion. Add a salad, teas and apple pie, and I was ready to nap.

Future star Chuck Wicks opened with Jewel to follow. Jewel is so talented and hard to put in any confined genre or box. She can scat sing like Ella and yodel a capella . Very talented...

Then Brad's appearance ... Just saw him a few months ago and the show has grown 100% ... and it was great a year ago! The massive HD-looking screen blows your mind. The Urban screen is slightly bigger, but Keith generally just put the TV cameras in the screen. Brad programs this big screen unit like a machine gun. You are wowed and amazed the whole show. The images look so lifelike. You have to see how Brad uses video and music together. This guy is an Entertainer of the Year -- if not this year, next!

With guest video stars Andy Griffith, Little Jimmy, Dierks, Bill Anderson, Allison Krauss and BB King. The youthful audience never sat down.

Lots of 20-something girls with straw hats and short skirts, dancing in the aisles. It was a fun-filled Saturday night. People got their money's worth!

The audiences change fast ... every year. And very unpredictable. Brad's gang is younger than ever. B& D's audience looks young and female, too.

The road is a tough place. Hats off to the weekly road warriors!