Dolly Parton is hopping mad at The Howard Stern Show, which last week manipulated recordings from one her audio books into sexually graphic sound bites that made Dolly appear to say terrible things about Kenny Rogers, Johnny Carson and Linda Ronstadt. In a statement, Dolly reacts, “I have never been so shocked, hurt and humiliated in all my life. I cannot believe what Howard Stern has done to me. In a blue million years, I would never have such vulgar things come out of my mouth. They have done editing or some sort of trickery to make this horrible, horrible thing. Please accept my apology for them and certainly know I had nothing to do with this.”
Dolly also hints that there may be legal action, noting, “If there was ever going to be a lawsuit, it’s going to be over this. Just wanted you to know that I am completely devastated by this.”
[AristoMedia]
The Academy of Country Music Awards will air Sunday on CBS, and it’s not too late to vote for the ACM Entertainer of the Year! This is the first time the honor will be decided by the fans, so just log on to acmvote.com by 10:40 PM, ET on Sunday. The Entertainer nominees include Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, George Strait, Keith Urban and Rascal Flatts. Flatts’ lead singer, Gary LeVox, notes, “We’re excited that this year the ACM Entertainer of the Year category will be voted on by the fans, the very people who make our music possible.” Band mate Jay DeMarcus adds, “And since it’s an election year, everyone can get in some practice and vote this week for their favorite ACM Entertainer of the Year.”
Rascal Flatts’ Joe Don Rooney has returned to his hometown of Picher, Oklahoma to help clean up the wreckage left by the tornadoes and storms that hit the area last weekend. Although Joe Don’s family members are okay, Country Aircheck reports six people died in the town of approximately eight hundred, including a high school friend of Rooney’s. He shared details of the devastation, noting that “half the town is gone.” He added, “I’m going to try to help out the best I can the next couple of days… It’s just really, really sad… But there is a bright spot to see the people band together and see the love and the support from all the surrounding communities.”
Donations can be made to the American Red Cross Tulsa Chapter at 981-831-1225.
Rod Stewart would like to do a country project, according to Reuters. He says, “There’s a Country & Western album I’d love to do, although the record company doesn’t want it. We are still in the throes of talking about it, [but] I very much doubt whether we will get it done this year.” Known for songs like “Maggie May,” “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy” and “Tonight’s The Night,” the 63-year-old rocker has done some interesting projects lately, including one featuring adult standards.
Marie Osmond is the latest celebrity weighing in on the controversy surrounding Miley Cyrus’ recent Vanity Fair photo shoot. According to Marie, a former child star herself, Miley’s dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, is to blame for leaving the 15-year-old alone during her photo session. Osmond tells AOL Television, “My parents never, never left us alone. We always had some form of a guardian or something with us, a guardian that would represent what they would have done. Her dad stepped out, and that’s when it happened. How do you say no to somebody like Annie [Leibovitz, the photographer] when you’re a little girl? It’s an interesting thing that happened with her.” In actuality, a source close to the Cyrus’ tells People that both Miley’s grandmother and teacher stayed at the shoot when her dad was called away to a business appointment. They add, “Billy Ray was not there for the shot. He would not have approved that shot if he was.” Still, Marie is unwilling to let Billy Ray off the hook, concluding, “I think, if your kids are going to be in that kind of business, then you need to make it your business to be there for them and help them figure out, but not necessarily to control them.”
Rodney Atkins’ mother, Margaret, has literally played a vital role in his life. She adopted Rodney as an infant and recalls that he had health problems early on, telling Country Weekly, “After a month or so with us, you could really see a difference in him. We were there for him day in and day out.” Rodney has nothing but praise for his mom:
“She never was the kind to really want to draw attention on herself. There’s no vanity. She has the patience of an angel. People ask me, ‘What’s the word that comes to your mind?’ Really with my mother, she’s angelic. She really is. She doesn’t say much, she’s quiet, she’s supportive. She’s always made me feel like, whether she’s voicing her opinion or not, she’s always praying for you.” Read what Rodney’s mom has to say about her son in the latest issue of Country Weekly, on newsstands now.
CMT is ready for round two of their popular Gone Country reality series! John Rich(of Big & Rich) will once again host the show, which will feature a new batch celebrities all vying for a chance at country success. Among the contestants this time around are Jermaine Jackson of Jackson 5 fame, former Skid Row lead singer Sebastian Bach, NSYNC member Chris Kirkpatrick, actor Lorenzo Lamas, actress Sean Young, singer-songwriter Irene Cara and 2005 American Idol finalist Mikalah Gordon. Production for Gone Country 2 is underway. Look for the show to premiere in August.
Def Leppard feat. Tim McGraw - Nine LivesMusic Video Codes at Yallwire
Tim McGraw has teamed up with rockers Def Leppard for “Nine Lives,” the first single off the band’s new studio album, Songs From The Sparkle Lounge, which will be in stores in late April. The song will also become the featured track in a special opening segment recorded for NBA games airing on ABC. Exclusive new video footage was recently shot for the segment with both artists in Los Angeles. The video debuted over the weekend as the lead-in to the NBA game between the San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns.
The foundation for the album’s collaboration with Tim was laid at Def Leppard’s 2006 Hollywood Bowl show where McGraw joined the band on stage for an encore performance of “Pour Some Sugar on Me.” The artists stayed in touch, and when the band started writing the song, “Nine Lives,” they immediately thought of reaching out to Tim to sing on it.
Check out “Nine Lives” featuring Tim McGraw & Def Leppard on YALLWIRE
Jim Hager, one of Hee Haw’s Hager T**wins, died last Thursday at the age of 66 from an apparent heart attack. The Hager Twins rose to national fame in 1969 when they joined hosts Buck Owens and Roy Clark, along with the rest of the Hee Haw gang who satirized country life with cornball one-liners. A memorial service will be held tomorrow at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium.
The family is suggesting donations be made in Jim’s name to one of his favorite charities, The Elephant Sanctuary, P.O. Box 393, Hohenwald, Tennessee 38462.
While some may think it’s a stretch for Jessica Simpson to record a country album, she tells Glamour magazine it’s something she’s wanted to do for a long time. Jessica reveals, “I fought with my label three years ago about it. This time I said I wouldn’t make another album unless it’s country.” Simpson believes she was a pleasant surprise to the Music City songwriters she collaborated with for the project. She says, “I think what they liked was that I was open. They thought Jessica Simpson was going to be what they read about in tabloids. That’s not me.” Jessica reveals that during the process she’s even written a song for her boyfriend, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, called “Back In My Old Boots,” though it isn’t clear whether or not it will be included on the upcoming CD. No word on a release date yet.
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