Where's the Excitement?

I guess I won't hear a lot of Country music on the radio in Hawaii, but if I do I'll let you know.

One thing I have to do on a daily basis is find news about Country music artists for reports on several dozen radio stations.

Is Country music as boring as the publicity that it generates? I pray not. I have to dig like a coal miner to find things every night and day because the Music City publicity machines do very little -- or the best they can maybe do is make some buzz.

Buzz makes the world go 'round. No shortage of buzz on Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus. Kenny Chesney has enough stuff going on that you have something nearly every day if you dig. Trace Adkins' publicity machine is strong ... and it doesn't hurt he's on "Celebrity Apprentice." That's been a huge career boost!

A few others get some copy, but many you hear and see NOTHING. We don't need paparazzi, but we do need stuff to keep their names out there. The smart folks have said, "We are in a song -- not artist -- driven environment." But I think things are best when you have stars, and the fans support whatever songs they come up with.

We need some new STARS badly! Just try a little hard, folks ... give the people who do try to generate star interest some food.

So sad today to see the death of Sally Arnold, the wife of Country Music Hall of Famer Eddy Arnold ... 66 years of marriage! One of the great love stories; she went to get an autograph at a 1941 Pee Wee King show and 66 years later.... I hope Mr Arnold is going to be okay. He's in the hospital, still trying to get his hip fixed after a fall.

Kenny Chesney on his Keg tour....How cool is that? Plenty of buzz about him. Panama City was smoking with Kenny, the beach, Spring Break and beer!

The flu, the crud ... whatever is still beating up Nashville folks. Three weeks for me, and I'm still coughing and popping antihistamines. Miranda Lambery had to cancel the Austin Rodeo. Josh Turner, the NASCAR gang ... everyone....

"Nashville Star" national open casting call - Friday, March 21 and 22 ... NBC is the network. You get a deal and go to sing in China.

Also look into this www.gridironbash.com. Bunch of concerts at football stadiums before/after spring college football games. Alan Jackson is playing Alabama April 11, etc...

If you are playing on the Internet, I do have a website: www.askjimmycarter.com. BUT go to www.youtube.com and in search type: askjimmycarter. You will find my YouTube channel. Over 125 videos with interviews from Sean Connery to Henry Mancini ... I just decided to air them out to the world for people as sort of an oral history. I add more all the time...

Off to the Pipeline on the North Shore in Oahu. I will be humming Jan and Dean's "Ride the Wild Surf!"