Archive for August, 2009

The Courage to Tell the Truth

August 31, 2009
By Garrett McCord
The Courage to Tell the Truth

I love pleasant surprises and that's just what I got at the Iowa Farmers Union Annual Convention in Marshalltown this weekend.  A few months ago my coworker Steph Larsen and I co-hosted community health care reform forums in towns across Iowa.  The forums provided the opportunity for folks to get together and talk about...
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Carrie Underwood Continues to Play On

August 31, 2009
By Garrett McCord
Carrie Underwood Continues to Play On

When you've sold 10 million albums in a really, really short amount of time, you'd never dream of retiring. You'd play on. And on. And on. How perfect, then, that Carrie Underwood has named her third album Play On. It doesn't come out for another 64 days so I don't have an advance copy...
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Taylor Swift Sings “Tonight” With a Twist

August 31, 2009
By Garrett McCord
Taylor Swift Sings “Tonight” With a Twist

I'm a sucker for a good ol' lyrical rearrangement. And in this promotional spot for MTV's VMA show on Sept. 13, Taylor Swift has taken "Tonight" from West Side Story and turned it into her own funny-but-true thing. Like when she sings, "Tonight, tonight, I'll sing my song tonight/There will be no teardrops on...
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Steve Wariner Honors Chet Atkins at Hall of Fame

August 31, 2009
By Garrett McCord
Steve Wariner Honors Chet Atkins at Hall of Fame

Steve Wariner has a new album coming that salutes his mentor and friend Chet Atkins, and he shared some of it during a Saturday afternoon (Aug. 29) performance at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Wariner led his set with "Leaving Luttrell," followed by "Sails," with its beautiful melody brought to life...
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CMT’s All Jacked Up: Snakeman and a Big Bike

August 31, 2009
By Garrett McCord
CMT’s All Jacked Up: Snakeman and a Big Bike

Snakeman Today CMT's All Jacked Up is taking a drive about an hour outside of Dallas to meet Jackie Bibby, also known as "The Texas Snakeman." As I arrive at the location, a group of handlers are beginning to build a wooden-sided pit to hold more than 100 Western Diamondback rattlers. Now, I am not...
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Trace Adkins Gets Lifted as a Talent Judge

August 31, 2009
By Garrett McCord
Trace Adkins Gets Lifted as a Talent Judge

First, he got a taste of the TV bug on Celebrity Apprentice. Then he had a part in last year's An American Carol. And now the multi-faceted Trace Adkins is going full-on silver screen. He's joined the cast of this cool new film called Lifted, which is about a talented singer named Henry Matthews...
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Top 10 Tracks I’m Digging Right Now

August 31, 2009
By Garrett McCord
Top 10 Tracks I’m Digging Right Now

I was at a Carrie Underwood concert last night (Aug. 30) and got into a deep conversation with the guy sitting behind me all about which artists are truly country. His point was that today's country is really pop. I completely disagree, because really, when was the last time Britney Spears had a steel...
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The Financial Crystal Ball Is A Bit More Clear, And You Can See A Lot Of Red Ink.

August 31, 2009
By Garrett McCord

You have probably penciled in your own estimates for 2009 income, based on high production expenses and low commodity prices. Some of you will have a lot of red ink and some will have a small amount of black ink. Compared to your income for the past several years, there will be...
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Keselowski says he won’t return to JR Motorsports

August 28, 2009
By Patrick Consing
Keselowski says he won’t return to JR Motorsports

Brad Keselowski declined to comment on reports he’ll drive in the Sprint Cup Series for Penske Racing next year, but he did indicate Thursday to Sporting News he won’t be back in JR Motorsports’ Nationwide car next season. Asked whether he expected to return to JRM, Keselowski said, “At this time, no,” during a...
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Report: Petty will stay with Dodge

August 28, 2009
By Patrick Consing
Report:  Petty will stay with Dodge

It appears Richard Petty Motorsports will not move from Dodge to Toyota next season. At least that’s the impression that Lee White, who heads Toyota Racing Development, gave last weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. White said he believes that Mike Accaviti, the president of the Dodge brand, is doing all he can to keep...
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