Four years ago Army veteran Brendan Marrocco’s armored vehicle was bombed in Iraq and he lost all four limbs. Weeks ago, he was the first person to have a double-arm transplant and he wants Blake Shelton to be his first handshake. Blake tweeted, “I’m speechless and I will make this happen!"
Tim McGraw’s in New Orleans for the Super Bowl and tomorrow he performs on ‘Good Morning America’ with something from his upcoming album, ‘Two Lanes of Freedom.’
Tavern in Nashville’s Midtown is the new hot spot to see the stars. Lady A were there for lunch the other day so was Martina.
Gary Allan started surfing as a kid but when ‘Jaws’ came out, he was so freaked out about it he says he had to stop surfing for awhile.
Lady A’s Hillary Scott says on their upcoming album there’s a song about a love relationship that could be parent to child so they may start it with the heartbeat of her unborn baby. I think she’s having a girl because Hilary’s been craving sweet things and the baby’s heartbeat is quite fast.
Finally – Carrie Underwood’s on ‘American Idol’ tonight at the Oklahoma auditions.
Luke Bryan’s next album ‘Spring Break…Here to Party’ will be in stores and out digitally March 5. Luke says the songs are written with college kids in mind and the track list includes ‘Suntan City,’ ‘Just A Sip’ and ‘Buzzkill.’
Dierks Bentley will be hitting the golf course today in Scottsdale, Arizona, with several other celebrities for the Waste Management Phoenix Open Pro-Am. Other stars include Olympic Champ Michael Phelps, NBA star Julius Erving and Ken Griffey Jr.
Gary Allan says with his new album, ‘Set You Free,’ it was the first time he’s ever written with girls and he says the bonus was they smelled better then the guy writers!
Justin Moore told me his next album will be out this summer and we’ll hear the new single in about three weeks. No one else knows this yet but Miranda Lambert will also be on the album.
Faith Hill says to stay organized Post-It notes and calendars are prominent in their home and her favorite thing to cook for company is roasted chicken with vegetables and rice plus cornbread in her mama’s cast iron skillet.
Finally - Lady A’s Hillary Scott is due this summer. She’s had no morning sickness but she’s been tired and is taking a lot of naps lately.
Each year, about this time, Mike and I go really nuts. Why? The "Kicks Cares For Kids Celebration for Children's Miracle Network". Four days of broadcasting live in the Dillards Court at Music City Mall. It is a labor of love. But it is also pretty scary. I am going to tell you what few people know...this yearly broadcast is waaaayyyy out of our comfort zone!
First, you are taking us out of our little studio room and putting us on a public stage. We are in radio for a reason, nobody can see us! Second, we really feel the pressure to raise more money each year (of course) and take it very personally when we do or don't! Our biggest fear is that no one will call and that we have failed to convey our deeply held belief that Children's Miracle Network is the most amazing children's charity!
We interview parents who have gone through terrifying moments with their children and feel every single emotion with them. Then we stress about the editing (what to leave in, take out) and what song to put with the story. We then worry about the broadcast itself. Is the equipment going to work (it never does until right up to the hour it starts on Thursday morning!)
But once the Celebration gets started, it is like a snowball rolling downhill. We have an amazing amount of help and volunteers that come in from as far away as South Carolina each year just to help us. We laugh, we love on all our Miracle Kids that come by each year to see us, and we miss our own Miracle Kid, Eric.
So we hope you will join us February 14-17 for our Celebration this year, because it really is one...and we need you!
We're excited for YOUR Lone Star Bar to be the host of the Permian Basin's Outlaws & Legends Singer/Songwriter Competition! SIGN UP- fellow writers! Lots at stake for the winner: (1) performance on our the Big Country Chevy Stage at Outlaws & Legends with Merle Haggard/Randy Rogers Band and several more in Abilene, (2) televised performance on March 2 in Abilene, (3) Recording deal at Baker Street Recording Studio, and (4) 10 fan tickets for your fans!!!
RUN to The Lone Star Bar and enter, or go to www.outlawsandlegends.com and sign up on-line!!
Keifer and Shawna from Thompson Square were returning home from a show in Florida yesterday at 5:30 AM when their bus was blindsided by a car in the fog. The driver didn’t see them and hit the bus as it crossed the highway. From what I hear, there were no injuries.
With Brantley Gilbert and Jana Kramer engaged, people are wondering when they’ll team up musically. A duet is a possibility but Brantley says not anytime soon. He’s just finishing his third album and says, “the first person I run a song by is Jana and she’s pretty brutally honest.”
Kelly Clarkson says her wedding to Brandon Blackstock will likely take place this fall and they want it to be small because Kelly’s terrified at everyone watching her walk down the aisle. They’ve asked Blake Shelton to be their wedding singer at the reception and he said yes. The groom just happens to be his manager. Reba’s already asked if she can sing at the wedding.
Tomorrow Gary Allan’s new album, ‘Set You Free,’ should top the Country Albums chart. Gary says, “I never watch the charts but it’s been so long since we’ve had something out there, I’ve watched every inch of it and it’s been a blast.”
Finally - Carrie Underwood tweets, “I just love the way my doggies look at me! Someday I hope to be the person they already think I am!”
Tonight Lady Antebellum will perform their new single, ‘Downtown’ on The Tonight Show and as you know Hillary’s expecting her first child this summer and she’s been on Pinterest a lot lately looking for nursery ideas but she won’t start painting till she knows her babies gender.
Gary Allan says the last thing he Googled was how to play the ukulele and he actually got pointers from some little kids video on youtube. When asked when the last time Gary was nervous, he said playing in a golf tournament on Davis Loves team. When they announced his name on the t-box Gary said he trembled and couldn’t hit the ball.
Toby Keith told me he had a Green Hornet lunch box as a kid, complete with a secret key so he could lock it.
Taylor Swift has signed a deal with Diet Coke and she’ll be in upcoming TV commercials. Taylor always keeps Diet Coke in her fridge saying quote, “because it understands me."
Finally - Brad Paisley told me the beauty product he can’t live without are his nose hair clippers.
We drove up to the cabin on Friday to check on the water situation (as in "is there any?") and found our neighbors at our cabin checking on that very thing. We pulled up in the truck and started talking about the situation when Loretta (neighbor) looked behind me rather startled and said "You have company!" I turned around and there were 37 deer staring at us!
Now, Mike has been feeding these deer for 8 years. We have 8 point bucks that come and eat at Chez Mikey! He feeds some of them apples and they eat out of his hand. They often come up to the porch and look in the door or windows looking for Mike. And he feeds them everything he can find. I have had to put "NOT DEER FOOD" on the cookie jar!
I grew up in Colorado. My father was a hunter, and a very good one. Until I was nine years old our winter meat was rabbit, venison and elk (and elk is some gooooood eating!) So I have no illusions about deer as pets, believe me. If my family is hungry, they will get some apple and corn fed deer! But right now, Mike has a following. I swear as the truck drives up the canyon the deer telegraph that "The Corn People are here!!" Plus, I can literally watch him relax as he feeds them and that is a "good thing" as Martha Stewart would say!
If you're on INSTAGRAM, then you are likely familiar with "food porn"... taking pictures of your food before you eat. Well, it seems that some places are trying to stop "foodstagramming". Read more here > Restaurants Ban Photos
This probably won't be the only "traffic rant" you see from me, more likely that this is the first in a series.
What has happened to our quiet(ish), small(ish) town??
It seems that we've all forgotten the very basic rules of driving. Speed limits around here are merely suggestions. In most cases, if you try to go the speed limit you will get tailgated & not-so-friendly hand gestures. Oh, and the red & white, upside down triangle... apparently it doesn't apply to oilfield trucks & sportscars anymore. YIELD the right of way people! Oh I get it, the very definition of the word is why so few will do it. yield: To give up, as in defeat; surrender or submit
"By gum, you won't catch me surrendering" << aggressive driver's mantra
Come on, slow it down. I'm not going to say that I am not guilty of speeding & driving aggressively, we all do it. But I am going to make an effort to be a more courteous driver... and the first person to honk at me for yielding will receive a not-so-friendly hand gesture.
Next episode: blinkers - it is ok to signal your intentions.
I have never been so jealous of anyone in my whole life. My sister-in-law Michele (Mike's youngest sister) is an artist. And I mean REALLY an Artist!! She has amazing talent but she has also spent her whole life pursuing, nurturing, sacrificing and working to support that talent. And last night she told us that she has been selected as the visual artist for the 2013 exchange with the Salzburg Kunstlerhaus in Austria from August 2 - September 25th. All expenses paid, small stipend and free studio with living quarters!
Salzburg, Austria was the setting for "The Sound Of Music". I WANT TO GO!! I can't think of anything more amazing for an artist...or me! I know this is a dream come true for Michele. She has wanted it for years and the honor of being chosen is incredible...blah, blah, blah. I WANT TO GO!! I know I have to put my "big girl panties" on and just be happy for her. And I am...but I WANT TO GO!!
I do not have ANY talent as an artist. I talk for a living...and they won't send me to Austria for two months for that! Congratulations Michele, you have worked for this and you deserve it! I will come to Austria and clean your studio for you...do your laundry...cook...clean your paint brushes...carry your luggage.....
If you want to check out Michele's work go to www.micheleschuff.com. Remember Michele, I am your favorite sister-in-law!
