Out With The Old And In With The New!

Jimmy Carter in his homebase Nashville.

Has that old saying ever been more true? Regis, Larry, Oprah, Bob Barker, just to name a few ... Almost every city has seen their local anchor team "retired" in the last few years. This week Alan Jackson went label-less. To everything there is a season.

A CD manufacturing plant closed in New Jersey. 300 loyal employees will become part of the unemployed.

While Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift keep rolling ... Snooki may get her own MTV show ... Younger and younger people do what young people have done since the dawn of time. Inherit the Earth. It's a natural, if not disturbing for the old, occurrence.

Howard Stern re-signed with Sirius ... Steven Tyler the best they could find for "Idol." Bon Jovi is still hot. Clint Eastwood is still cool. So don't write off everything over 50. In fact, the talent seems to still be in the 40 to 80 class. Haven't seen a new Beatles or Stones lately. Any new Pacinos or Deniros. Not really. So hang on, 50-somethings. It's not over yet. Not by a long shot.

I think most people would have predicted "American Idol" had seen better times and might even been a terminal patient. Well, again, not so fast. I sure didn't think it would be going as well as it is -- 26 million curiosity the first night, but the trick as most everyone left satisfied that "Idol" was going to be okay. It may be a bit early to make that declaration. It is a fact the last few Idols have done virtually nothing. Minor, minor impact. The early Idols we never see 10 years later. Carrie and Kelly are the golden Idol children for sure. We shall see what happens in 2011. Maybe ... then again, maybe not.

On the subject of Alan Jackson: Remember, Johnny Cash became a God AFTER leaving Columbia Records. Good things can happen with a new excited crew selling you. See Reba's career if you need footnotes.

"A Star is Born" with Eastwood at the helm and Beyonce? Wasn't "Country Strong" a "Star is Born?" In plot, at least, kind of like the Judy Garland version. I bet Clint does it more Streisand-style. Whatever he does will work. I'd bet that horse any day.

That Country duet album in production with Lionel Richie sounds like a major event ahead. What a co-star lineup and Tony Brown knows how to get it done. Classic material ... can't wait. McGraw, Zac, Jimmy Buffett, Blake, LBT, niceeeee....

Hope The Green Bay Packers didn't party too much at Brad's show Thursday night... -9 outside in Green Bay ... whew ... the QB on stage ... Go, Pack ...Go, Jets ... and that's all I have to say about that.

Speaking of new ... The Urban/Kidman baby story is interesting, to say the least ... same for the Taylor Swift/Jake G dinner in Nashville this week. Some real national water-cooler gossip. Amazing every week in Music City ... sometimes it like Salem in "Days of Our Lives."