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Parties in the Plaza
Looking for something cheap to do while you're in Nashville this summer? Perhaps the Grand Ole Opry® Plaza Parties will fit the bill. The parties will return for their 5th consecutive year beginning Friday, June 11th and running every Friday at 6:30 P.M. and Saturday at 5:30 P.M. through August 14th. During the series, the Opry® Plaza--the area in front of the Opry House, the BellSouth Acuff Theatre, and the Opry Museum--is transformed into a high-energy free celebration for local and visiting music fans. Again this summer, the Wildhorse Saloon will be on hand in the Plaza selling its award-winning barbecue, and other vendors will serve up a variety of other food and beverages. The schedule of artists slated to perform:

• June 11 ~ Dale Watson & his Lonestars, Ray Scott
• June 12 ~ John Arthur Martinez, Troy Olsen
• June 18 ~ BR549, Amy Farris
• June 19 ~ Dave Alvin & the Guilty Men, Amy Farris
• June 25 ~ Robbie Fulks, Cari Lee & the Saddle-ites
• June 26 ~ Elizabeth Cook & the Model Prisoners, Jedd Hughes
• July 2 ~ Mandy Barnett sings Patsy Cline, Adrienne Young & Little Sadie
• July 3 ~ BeauSoleil, the Avett Brothers
• July 9 ~ Old Crow Medicine Show, Two Tons of Steel
• July 10 ~ Two Tons of Steel, Anna Fermin’s Trigger Gospel
• July 16 ~ Shannon Lawson
• July 17 ~ Gail Davies, Last Train Home
• July 23 ~ Trent Summar & the New Row Mob, James Intveld
• July 24 ~ Darrell Scott, Caroline Herring
• July 30 ~ Jon Langford & the Pine Valley Cosmonauts, Paul Burch & the WPA Ballclub
• July 31 ~ The Derailers, Chris Richards
• August 6 ~ Jim Lauderdale, the Hacienda Brothers
• August 7 ~ Billy Joe Shaver, the Hacienda Brothers
• August 13 ~ Bruce Robison
• August 14 ~ BR549, Last Train Home

Artists and schedules are, of course, subject to change. For updates to the Opry® Plaza Party lineup, visit Opry.com. 5/31/04

"Nashville Star" May Move
Mergers are the norm these days, and a merger between the USA Network and NBC may cause "Nashville Star" to be moved to NBC. Seemingly more likely, the show that launched Buddy Jewell's career may instead move to CMT, which, according to the Tennessean, has offered show producers nearly the same amount of money that the USA Network pays for the show, a hefty sum by CMT's standards. Brad Schmitt reports that neither USA nor CMT have commented on the possible move. 5/30/04

Kilgore Released from Hospital
According to Marty Martel, Merle Kilgore has been released from Nashville's St. Thomas Hospital after undergoing quintuple bypass surgery on May 19th. Kilgore was admitted to the hospital on May 13th after an MRI discovered a collapsed vertebrae and blocked artery. 5/30/04

ACM Award Winners
If you're a traditional country fan, you likely did not enjoy the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards--if you watched the show in the first place. The winners were as follows:

• Pioneer Award: Ray Price
• Entertainer of the Year: Toby Keith
• Top Male Vocalist: Toby Keith
• Top Female Vocalist: Martina McBride
• Top New Artist: Dierks Bentley
• Top Vocal Group: Rascal Flatts
• Top Vocal Duo: Brooks & Dunn
• Album of the Year: Shock'n Y'all by Toby Keith
• Single of the Year: "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" by Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett
• Song of the Year: "Three Wooden Crosses" by Randy Travis
• Vocal Event of the Year: "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" by Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett
• ACM/Launch Video of the Year: "Beer for My Horses" by Toby Keith and Willie Nelson
• Home Depot Humanitarian Award: Martina McBride

Highlights of the show included George Strait's performance of "Desperately" and Brad Paisley's duet with Allison Krauss. If you missed the show or just want to see it again, tune in to CMT on Saturday, May 29th at 5:00 P.M. ET/PT. 5/26/04

Cochran to Appear at Nashville Songwriters Festival
Without a doubt, Hank Cochran is one of the greatest songwriters who ever lived. Cochran has had a hand in composing a number of country standards including "Make the World Go Away," "I Fall to Pieces," "A-11," "Don't Touch Me," "Is It Raining at Your House," "It's Not Love But It's Not Bad," "Set 'Em Up Joe," "She's Got You," and "You Comb Her Hair." According to Country Music Classics, fans who want to see the songwriting legend will get their chance at this year's Nashville Songwriters Festival; Cochran will perform at 3 P.M. on Saturday, June 19th on the BMI stage. Songwriter Red Lane and artist Mac Wiseman will accompany him. Want to go? The festival will be held in Nashville June 18th through the 20th at the Music Valley KOA off Briley Parkway. For general admission tickets, click here or call (615) 424-1491or (931) 296-4067. 5/25/04

Paisley and Krauss Head to D.C.
If you still listen to any mainstream radio, you've likely heard the gorgeous Brad Paisley-Alison Krauss duet "Whiskey Lullaby." Paisley and Krauss will perform the song on the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards on Wednesday, May 26th before heading to Washington D.C. to perform at the National Memorial Day Concert on Sunday. The concert, which will be held on the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol, will also include Alison's band, Union Station. For those who are unable to see the D.C. show in person, the concert will be broadcast on PBS. 5/24/04

Mother Maybelle's Guitar For Sale
Just a day after an auction of Cash memorabilia was announced, CMT revealed that Maybelle Carter's Gibson L-5 acoustic guitar is for sale. The guitar, one of the most important instruments in the history of country music, has a $575,000 asking price. The archtop guitar is being brokered by Gruhn's Guitars in Nashville on behalf of a Carter heir. 5/21/04

CMA Celebrates Arnold's Birthday
Eddy Arnold got a surprise on his birthday: The Country Music Association (CMA) honored the legend with a surprise birthday party. Arnold was visiting the CMA offices for a scheduled meeting when a birthday cake and giant card were unveiled by the staff to recognize his 86th birthday. Arnold, easily one of country music's top ten artists of all time, celebrated his birthday on May 15th. 5/21/04

Nelson Has Hand Surgery
First, Willie Nelson was going to have surgery to relieve carpal tunnel syndrome in his hand. Then he wasn't. Turns out that he was--and already has. Nelson's daughter has confirmed that the country legend underwent surgery on Wednesday, May 19th. Doctors have informed Nelson that he can resume playing guitar after the incision has mended and he has gone through physical therapy. He is expected to be "on the road again" on July 3rd. 5/21/04

Kilgore Recovers from Heart Surgery
Late last week, Merle Kilgore entered Nashville's St. Thomas Hospital after his L2 vertebrae collapsed. While he was being tested, a blocked artery was discovered, and an angioplasty was scheduled. During the angioplasty, doctors learned that Kilgore had four blockages. Quadruple bypass heart surgery was then scheduled for Wednesday, May 19th. During the procedure, doctors detected that a quintuple bypass was required. The procedure was successful, and Kilgore is resting in the Cardiac Care Unit, where he will remain until Friday. 5/20/04

Cash Memorabilia to Be Auctioned
Quite a few pieces of country music memorabilia have been up for auction in recent months: Alan Jackson's Thunderbird, W.S. Holland's drums, even a wax museum! On September 14th and 15th, the family of Johnny and June Carter Cash intends to hold its own auction. The auction, which will be held at Sotheby's, will feature items owned by Johnny and June, particularly instruments, costumes, furnishings, awards, and other music memorabilia. So why is the family planning this auction within only a year after the deaths of the country legends? It turns out that the Man in Black himself was planning the auction before he died in September of 2003. A formal announcement about the auction is expected during the event formerly known as Fan Fair. 5/20/04

Kilgore Undergoes Surgery
Merle Kilgore was set to undergo quadruple bypass open-heart surgery today at approximately 6:00 A.M. The surgery was expected to take 3-4 hours, but no further details have been released. Surgery to repair Kilgore's L2 vertebrae took place Tuesday, May 18th. Want to send get well wishes to Kilglore? Flowers may be sent to Merle Kilgore, c/o St. Thomas Hospital, Nashville, Tennessee. Donations in lieu of flowers can be sent to St. Jude, c/o Merle Kilgore, 1305 16th Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee, 37212. Cards can be sent to Merle Kilgore Management, 2 Music Circle South, Nashville, Tennessee 37202. 5/19/04

Diffie and Wife Have Baby Girl
Joe Diffie's new release will be in stores on June 1st, but he and his wife have something more important to celebrate. On May 1st, Joe and his wife Theresa welcomed their daughter, Kylie Tarissa Diffie, into the world. Kylie weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces at birth and was 19 inches long. Pictures of the baby are available on Joe's web site. 5/18/04

Stanley Bluegrass Festival Set
Want to see bluegrass legends Ralph Stanley and Jimmy Martin and the band billed as New York's only bluegrass gospel band? Attend Ralph Stanley's 34th Annual Memorial Bluegrass Festival at the end of the month, and you'll get your chance. Performers at the event will include Ralph Stanley II, the Clinch Mountain Boys, Jimmy Martin & the Sunny Mountain Boys, the Lewis Family, the Cherryholmes Family, Jim Lauderdale, Patty Loveless, Charlie Waller & the Country Gentlemen, Larry Sparks & the Lonesome Ramblers, and the Singing Conquerors (the act billed as New York's only bluegrass gospel band). The festival will take place Thursday, May 27th though Saturday, May 29th at the Hills of Home Park on Smith Ridge between Coeburn and McClure, Virginia. Tickets, which can be purchased at the gate, are $30 per person per day, $60 for any two days, or $75 for the entire festival. For more information, visit Stanley's website by clicking here. 5/18/04

Nelson To Avoid Surgery
Willie Nelson will not have surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome this month as was widely reported. The country legend has canceled two months of appearances so that he can rest his hands in an attempt to avoid surgery. According to CMT, a concert promoter had announced earlier this month that Nelson would undergo surgery after he was unable to finish a May 8th concert in Las Vegas because of the pain in his hands. 5/18/04

Final List of ACM Presenters and Performers
Curious as to whether your favorite traditional country artist will appear on the awards show at the end of May? The Academy of Country Music (ACM) has announced the final list of the artists who will perform and/or present awards at the awards show later this month. Performers include Clint Black, Vince Gill, Alan Jackson, Loretta Lynn, Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss, and George Strait. Dierks Bentley, Buddy Jewell, Tracy Lawrence, Joe Nichols, Randy Travis, and Josh Turner will be among the artists presenting awards. In other ACM news, the Academy will present Willie Nelson with the Gene Weed Special Achievement Award, which acknowledges unprecedented, unique, and outstanding achievement in country music. George Strait is a previous recipient of the award. The ACM Awards Show is set to air on May 26th at 8:00 P.M. ET from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. 5/18/04

Opry® Softball Team Set to Defeat After Midnite Team
Okay, so we really don't know who will win this year's City of Hope Celebrity Softball Challenge during the week formerly known as Fan Fair. We just hope it will be the Opry® team. In this year's game, the Grand Ole Opry® team--which features relatively few Opry® members--and the After Midnite team will go head-to-head to see who can run around the bases more times. The Opry® team includes Vince Gill, Joe Nichols, Brad Paisley, Josh Turner, Jeff Bates, and Little Jimmy Dickens (yes, Little Jimmy Dickens!). The After Midnite team includes considerably more "mainstream" and "hot new country artists"--and no Little Jimmy Dickens! Buddy Jewell and Trace Adkins will serve as the Opry® Live team coaches, and Tennessean Entertainment columnist Brad Schmitt will serve as the celebrity umpire. Want tickets to the game (Who doesn't want to see Jimmy Dickens play softball)? Visit Ticketmaster. 5/17/04

Tracy Lawrence Homecoming Weekend
Tracy Lawrence's hometown of Foreman, Arkansas, will celebrate his homecoming during the first weekend of June--and boy, do they have something to celebrate! Not only is the star bringing Rhett Akins, Daryle Singletary, Chad Brock, and David Kersh home for his annual homecoming weekend, but he is also coming home a "comeback kid." After having little luck at radio since his 1999 top 5 hit "Lessons Learned," Lawrence is back on top of the country music charts with his latest single, "Paint Me a Birmingham," and his new CD, which is currently sitting in the top 10 on the Billboard top country albums chart. Proceeds from Lawrence's annual homecoming weekend support a number of programs and charities in the Foreman area. For information and tickets, call 870-542-7557. 5/17/04

Kilgore to Undergo Quadruple Bypass Surgery
Perhaps Merle Kilgore should be at least somewhat thankful for the recent collapse of his L2 vertebrae; perhaps that incident saved his life. After Kilgore was rushed to the hospital for that ailment earlier this week, doctors discovered that he had a blocked heart artery, and he was scheduled for angioplasty on Saturday, May 15th. According to the Tennessean, doctors discovered during the attempted angioplasty that the situation was worse than they expected: One of Kilgore's arteries is completely blocked, two are mostly blocked, and one is partially blocked. He is now to undergo quadruple bypass surgery. The Tennessean's Brad Schmitt reports that, despite the setback, Kilgore is in good spirits. 5/16/04

Clark to Be Next Opry® Member
Terri Clark will soon become the first Canadian female artist to be inducted into the Grand Ole Opry®. On Saturday, May 15th, during the televised portion of the historic show, Steve Wariner and Clark's mother, Linda, approached Terri onstage and asked her if she would be available the night of June 12th. Of course, Terri accepted the invitation. People who will be in Nashville for the week formerly known as Fan Fair and who wish to attend the Opry® induction show should call (615) 871-OPRY for tickets to the June 12th 6:30 show. 5/16/04

Kilgore Hospitalized
Merle Kilgore was hospitalized at Nashville's Saint Thomas Hospital on Thursday, May 13th, in Nashville after his L2 vertebrae collapsed. After further testing, a blocked heart artery was discovered. Kilgore is scheduled to have surgery for the blocked artery on Saturday, May 15th. Kilgore is perhaps best known as the co-writer of "Ring of Fire," but he has other claims to fame, one as a member of the Nashville Songwriters Association International Hall of Fame and another as Hank Williams Jr.'s manager. Kilgore also worked with Hank Sr., Johnny Horton, and the Cash family. 5/14/04

Jackson's Car Auctioned
Although Alan Jackson loves his vehicles, he recently showed that he cares for people more by donating his 1963 Thunderbird to a domestic abuse shelter near Nashville. On Tuesday, May 11, 2004, the car was auctioned at the Lexus dealership in Nashville and brought in $35,000 for the shelter. Approximately 250 people attended the event. 5/14/04

Pride Recovers
Late last week, Charley Pride underwent brain surgery to remove a subdural hematoma. He has been released from the hospital and is now recovering at home. Pride will be sidelined between four and six weeks. 5/14/04

Strait from the Heart
George Strait and his staff proved that they have a lot of heart recently. According to Great American Country, Strait's office received a box of Wrangler George Strait cardboard stand-up cutouts and sent one of them to Van Warden, son of songwriter Monte Warden, who co-wrote Strait's hit "Desperately." Van, who has Down's Syndrome, is a huge Strait fan, and he was thrilled with the gift. Monte remarked, "With his Down's (Syndrome), Van has daily challenges we will never know--but he had not a care in the world when he opened the BIG box from Nashville." 5/14/04

Gary Stewart Tribute Set
When Gary Stewart died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound late last year, his death sent shock waves through the country music community. Although he accumulated only three top ten hits and never quite attained superstardom, Stewart was no less a country music legend. Appropriately, a tribute to Stewart is in the works. Wade Hayes, songwriter Dean Dillon, and Rosie Flores are the only artists currently lined up for the event, but more artists will be added to the line-up as the tribute nears. The show will be held May 28, 2004, at the Trap in Nashville. 5/13/04

CMT Counts Down Greatest Love Songs
Dolly Parton is set to appear on her second CMT special in two months. After hosting the CMT Flame Worthy Video Music Awards in April, the country legend will appear on yet another of CMT's countdowns: the 100 Greatest Country Love Songs. Artists joining her in singing the top twelve songs in the countdown will be Kenny Rogers, Brad Paisley, Randy Travis, Joe Nichols, and Dierks Bentley. The show will be taped at 7:30 P.M. at Nashville's Gaylord Entertainment Center on June 9th. Tickets are $50 and $30 and go on sale through Ticketmaster on Saturday. 5/13/04

Wright Celebrates 90th Birthday
Happy birthday to Johnnie Wright! Johnnie, his wife Kitty Wells, and a slew of his friends (Jim Ed Brown, Gail Davies, George Hamilton IV, Stonewall Jackson, Jimmy C. Newman, Jeannie Seely, and Jean Shepard, to name a few) all gathered at the Texas Troubadour Theater at the Ernest Tubb Record Shop on Wednesday, May 12th to celebrate Wright's 90th birthday. Initially, the cost of the show was 90 cents, one penny for each of the legend's 90 years here on earth, but the admission to the party ended up being free. Although Johnnie and Kitty retired from regular touring several years ago, the two continue to perform on occasion, and Wright, at 90 years old, is still one of the country music industry's finest entertainers. We wish him many more happy birthdays in the future. 5/12/04

"No Show Jones" to Fill in for Pride
George Jones is set to prove that he does show these days--he will fill in for Charley Pride at the Golden Voice Show in June. As was widely publicized, Pride had brain surgery late last week and is facing a 4-6 week recovery period. Jones joins Rhonda Vincent, Ronnie Milsap, Freddie Hart, and other country legends at the Golden Voice Show, which will be held during the week formerly known as Fan Fair at the Williamson County Agriculture Expo Center in Franklin, Tennessee. Don't have your tickets yet? Ticket orders should be mailed to the Performers Benefit Fund, c/o Jeanne Pruett, 4446 Trinity Peytonsville Road, Franklin, Tennessee 37064. The cut-off date for orders will be May 15th. Remaining tickets will be available day of show at the door. 5/12/04

Nelson To Undergo Surgery
Willie Nelson has canceled a number of appearances in May and June to recover from an upcoming surgery to relieve pain in his hands and fingers caused by carpal tunnel syndrome. According to CMT, Nelson was in so much pain on Saturday, May 8th that he failed to finish a show in Las Vegas. After surgery, the Country Music Hall of Fame member is expected to return to the road on July 1st, just in time for his July 4th picnic. 5/11/04

Paul Brandt Launches Radio Show
Remember Paul Brandt? He had two top five hits in the mid-1990's ("My Heart Has a History" and "I Do") but sadly faded into relative obscurity in the United States. Starting the weekend of June 5th, the singer will debut Paul Brandt's Canadian Countdown, a weekly one-hour show. During the radio show, Brandt will feature the week's top ten country hits by Canadian artists. He will also be the host of Paul Brandt's Canadian Country Minute, a daily short form feature that will profile a different Canadian country music artist each day. That show will launch on June 7th. 5/11/04

Vincent Reverses Mother's Day
Because she works nearly 300 dates a year on the road, Rhonda Vincent, mother to two teenage daughters, makes sure that on Mother's Day, her daughters have her undivided attention. Their wish becomes her command for that one special day. This year Rhonda received the ultimate challenge when daughter Tensel asked her mom to find a way to be at the Grand Ole Opry® to see Keith Urban. The challenge was even harder because Vincent had only one day's notice and an extremely busy schedule in her own right. Still, Rhonda changed all her existing plans and flights at a moment's notice. Vincent and her daughters walked into the Grand Ole Opry® House just as Urban walked on stage. After meeting Urban, Rhonda boarded the Martha White bus at midnight to travel to her Washington, D.C., appearance, and her daughters flew back to Missouri for school, clutching their personal photo of the singer/guitarist. 5/11/04

Charley Pride Recovers from Brain Surgery
Late last week, Charley Pride was admitted to a Dallas, Texas, hospital for emergency surgery, but no reason was disclosed. The Associated Press is now reporting that Pride was hospitalized Wednesday, not Thursday, for a subdural hematoma, a blood clot that collects between the brain and the skull. The Country Music Hall of Fame member had sought treatment after experiencing severe headaches. The surgery was performed on Saturday, and Pride is expected to make a full recovery within four to six weeks. The country legend may be released from the hospital on Tuesday, May 11th. 5/10/04

Campbell Pleads Guilty to DUI
Glen Campbell will serve time in jail after pleading guilty on Monday, May 10th to charges of driving under the influence and to leaving the scene of an accident. He was sentenced to ten days in jail, but will be eligible for work furlough after serving 48 hours. He must also serve 75 hours of community service. Campbell also allegedly kneed a police officer while in custody, but the charge of aggravated assault was dropped. The Rhinestone Cowboy will perform at the Coliseum during the CMA Music Festival, formerly known as Fan Fair, next month. 5/10/04

Sizzlin' Country On for May 25th
While most fans are predicting the winners at the ACM Awards, some country music aficionados will be enjoying the Sizzlin' Country concert in Las Vegas. The concert, hosted by Tracy Lawrence and held on May 25th, will include artists Buddy Jewell, Josh Turner, and Craig Morgan. The Sizzlin' Country Concert has been held the night before the ACM Awards for the past ten years and is hosted by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. 5/10/04

Charley Pride in Hospital
Country Music Hall of Fame member Charley Pride is in the hospital after being admitted to a Dallas, Texas, hospital on Thursday, May 6th. Pride was admitted for emergency surgery, but the reason for the surgery has not been disclosed. The country legend had to cancel several upcoming shows and is expected to spend the next four to six weeks recovering. 5/7/04

Dale Watson to Appear in Movie
If you watched The Thing Called Love, a movie centered on singer-songwriters at Nashville's Bluebird Cafe, you may have caught a glimpse of Dale Watson in the movie. Watson is now set to appear in a starring role in Austin Angel. In the movie, Watson will play a country singer who sells his soul to the devil (Charlie Sheen) to save his daughter. The movie will begin shooting in September. 5/7/04

Music Row Award Winners
The Music Row Awards aren't as well publicized as the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards or the Country Music Association (CMA) Awards, but in several cases, the categories are more creative, and the winners are more deserving. The winners of the 2004 Music Row Awards (held by the publication Music Row) are as follows:

• Top Ten Album All Star Musician Awards
  • Drums: Shannon Forrest
  • Bass: Glenn Worf
  • Guitar: Brent Mason
  • Vocals: Wes Hightower
  • Engineer (tie): Greg Droman, Julian King
  • Steel: Paul Franklin
  • Keyboards: Steve Nathan
  • Fiddle: Stuart Duncan
• Best of Awards
  • Best Nashville Song Plugger: Sherrill Blackman
  • Best Independent Publicity Company: AristoMedia
  • Best Studio (tie): Ocean Way Nashville, Sound Kitchen
  • Best Lunch Destination To Seal A Deal: Sunset Grill
  • Best Independent Record Promoter: Nancy Tunick
  • Best Bank To Deposit Your Royalty Check: SunTrust
• Music Row Critics Awards
  • Song Of The Year: "Almost Home," written by Craig Morgan and Kerry Kurt Phillips, published by Magic Mustang Music Inc. and Sufferin' Succotash Songs
  • Producer Of The Year: Buddy Cannon
  • Critics' Pick: Buddy Jewell
  • Breakthrough Songwriters: Jim Brown, Don Rollins; "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere"
  • Marketing Achievement (two projects awarded): DreamWorks Records, Shock'n Y'all and Sony Music Nashville, Buddy Jewell

The awards were held on May 4, 2004, at BMI. 5/7/04

Universal Absorbs DreamWorks
The rumors have been confirmed: Universal Music Group (UMG) has merged DreamWorks Records with two of its other labels. DreamWorks Records is the label home of neo-traditionalists Tracy Lawrence and Darryl Worley, while Vince Gill and George Strait call UMG home. James Stroud, the head executive of DreamWorks, will be co-chair of the combined company along with current chairman Luke Lewis. Several positions were cut in the merger. UMG, the world's largest music company, purchased DreamWorks late last year for an estimated $100 million. 5/7/04

Chesnutt Signs with Vivaton
A number of years ago, Mark Chesnutt and Sheila Shipley Biddy worked together at MCA/Decca. Now, the two will work together again. Chesnutt has signed to new label Vivaton, which is headed by Biddy. The artist is currently in the studio working on a new album with producer Jimmy Ritchey. His new record is set for release on September 21st; the new single is set for mid-summer release. Chesnutt will begin a "Save the Honky Tonk" tour this summer. 5/6/04

McCoury Sues
According to CMT, bluegrass artist and newest Grand Ole Opry® member Del McCoury has sued an independent record label. The label, Copper Creek Records, bought two masters--one studio album and a previously unreleased live recording--from the widow of the former owner of the company that owned the masters. Copper Creek wants to rerelease the studio album with bonus tracks from the live recording. McCoury says the project will interfere with his current albums. He also asserts that the label did not intend to pay him for using the recordings. 5/6/04

ACM Presents Awards
Its awards show isn't until the end of the month, but the Academy of Country Music (ACM) has presented some of its awards off-camera. Those winners are as follows:

• Nightclub of the Year - The Trap; Nashville, Tennessee
• Casino of the Year - Boulder Station Casino; Las Vegas, Nevada
• Don Romeo Talent Buyer/Promoter of the Year - Fran Romeo; TBA Entertainer
• Radio Station of the Year - WSIX; Nashville, Tennessee
• On-Air Personality of the Year - Blair Garner
• Producer of the Year - Tony Brown
• Audio Engineer of the Year - Billy Sherrill
• Guitar - Brent Rowan
• Bass - Michael Rhodes
• Drums - Eddie Bayers
• Steel Guitar - Paul Franklin
• Piano/Keyboard - John Hobbs
• Fiddle - Aubrey Haynie
• Specialty Instrument - Kirk "Jelly Roll" Johnson

The remainder of the ACM awards will be presented on-camera when the show is broadcast on CBS on May 26th. 5/6/04

Alabama Extends Farewell Tour
If you still haven't had a chance to catch a show on Alabama's Farewell Tour, you have more time. The band's last show was initially scheduled for June 26th in Little Rock, Arkansas, but the group has added more dates. The tour will now end in October. 5/6/04

Letters from Home
John Michael Montgomery's "Letters from Home" is not just a hit single; the song reflects Montgomery's obvious reverence for the troops. That attitude is obvious in Montgomery's actions. He joined high school freshman Shauna Fleming on a Knoxville radio station today, May 4th, to discuss Fleming's service project, AMillionThanks.org. A Million Thanks is a web site with the goal to collect and distribute one million letters and e-mails of appreciation to the men and women of the United States military. The organization currently has over 100,000 letters and e-mails. To learn more about the project or to compose a letter or e-mail for it, click here. 5/4/04

Superstars Set for Opry® Trust Fund Benefit
This year's Superstar Spectacular, a benefit for the Opry® Trust Fund, should be one of the hottest tickets in Nashville during the week formerly known as Fan Fair. Artists set to perform at this year's show include Bill Anderson, Tracy Byrd, Vince Gill, Jack Greene, Buddy Jewell, Brad Paisley, Pam Tillis, and Steve Wariner. This year's event will take place at the Ryman Auditorium on June 10th at 11:00 P.M. 5/4/04

More Artists Set for ACM Awards
Alan Jackson fans should be pleased. Jackson is one of the latest artists to be added to the list of performers at this month's Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards. Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss are also currently scheduled to perform. Dierks Bentley, Buddy Jewell, and Josh Turner will present awards at the show. The ACM Awards will air live from Las Vegas on May 26th at 8:00 P.M. ET/PT on CBS. 5/4/04

Labels to Return Royalties
A few artists should receive a windfall in the near future: Several major recording companies have agreed to return nearly $50 million in unclaimed royalties. The decision follows a 2-year investigation by the New York state Attorney General; that investigation discovered that many artists were not being compensated because companies had lost contact with them and had simply stopped making payments. Companies involved include Sony Music Entertainment, Sony ATV Music Publishing, Warner Music Group, UMG Recordings, Universal Music, EMI Music Publishing, BMG Songs, and BMG Music. 5/4/04

Daniels to Perform for Troops
Charlie Daniels has long been a supporter of American troops, so it's no shock that the Charlie Daniels Band will be performing for the American airmen and soldiers in Europe this week. Daniels and his band are traveling with the Tennessee National Guard and will visit Germany on Wednesday, May 5th and Kosovo on Thursday, May 6th. Forces throughout Europe, Afghanistan, and Iraq will be able to listen to Thursday's show live as it is broadcast over the Armed Forces Network. 5/4/04

Strait to ACM Awards
The Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards are just weeks away, but artists are still being added to the lineup. George Strait was added to the list of performers just this week. His latest album, Honkytonkville, is competing for Album of the Year. In related news, Radio & Records reports that Vince Gill will be performing on the awards show with Loretta Lynn. The show will be broadcast from Las Vegas on Wednesday, May 26th, at 8:00 P.M. ET/PT on CBS. 5/3/04

MerleFest Draws Record Audience
An extraordinary lineup greeted record crowds to MerleFest 2004, the 17th annual festival in celebration of the music of the late Merle Watson and his father Doc Watson. Wilkes Community College presented the event this past weekend (April 29th through May 2nd) on its campus in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. MerleFest again drew an enormous audience with a preliminary estimated total participation (including volunteers and school children) of 82,500. This figure exceeds MerleFest 2002's record of 78,294 by more than 4000. Performers at this year's event included Doc Watson, Merle Watson's son Richard, the Sam Bush Band, the Derailers, Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, Earl Scruggs, and Gillian Welch. 5/3/04

Stars Head to Kentucky Derby
What do George Strait, Travis Tritt, John Michael Montgomery, Jessica Simpson, Troy Aikman, and LaToya Jackson have in common? They were all on the guest list at a party leading up to this year's Kentucky Derby. The party, thrown by Patricia Barnstable Brown, was held last night in Louisville. The Kentucky Derby, held today (May 1st), has become a popular destination for the celebrity set; Strait attended the Derby last year, Montgomery showed up in 2000, and Tritt was on the list of attendees in 1999. Waylon Jennings was in attendance in 1982. 5/1/04

Cash Wins Video Award
Johnny Cash's video for "Hurt" has accumulated a couple of awards in the past year: the Country Music Association (CMA) award for Music Video of the Year and an MTV Video Music Award for Best Cinematography in a Video. On Thursday, April 29th, the video won yet another accolade: a PRISM award. According to CMT, the award was given on behalf of the Entertainment Industries Council, Inc., in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse/National Institutes of Health. 5/1/04

Tougher Than Bricks
Quick thinking by a bus driver saved Joe Diffie and his road crew from calamity early Tuesday, April 27th. An unidentified person threw a brick from an interstate overpass. The bus driver maneuvered the vehicle so that the projectile struck the windshield's center post. The glass shattered, but no one was injured. After the police filed a report, a member of Diffie's crew taped the windshield together with clear tape, and Diffie reached his destination. 5/1/04

Tennessee Honors Preston
Frances Preston, long-time BMI president and chief executive officer, announced last month that she was leaving the organization. The state of Tennessee recently honored her for "years of untiring service to the music industry." During its session on Thursday, April 29th, the Tennessee General Assembly approved a Senate resolution that cited her service to "her community, state and nation and to the many charitable causes that she has unstintingly supported." Preston is one of only 14 women currently in the Country Music Hall of Fame. 5/1/04

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