Gettin’ Yo Street Cred On

Tim McGraw at Jazz Fest? To quote Marge Simpson after seeing an alligator wearing sunglasses: Now I’ve seen everything! But yes, Tim McGraw will performing at the New Orleans Jazz Fest alongside Jimmy Buffett, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss Sheryl Crow, John Prine, Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint, Delbert McClinton, Del McCoury, Richard Thompson, Widespread Panic, Dr. John, Al Green, Diana Krall, Chick Corea, the Roots this Spring. Though not classically a jazz musician, McGraw has done heaps of charity for his home state of Louisiana and the Gulf Coast post-Katrina. So rock jazz on with your bad self, Tim.

Underwood to perform at Grammy’s

Best female country vocal performance (”Before He Cheats”) and best country collaboration with vocals (”Oh Love” with Brad Paisley) nominee, Carrie Underwood will perform at the Grammys.  Said Underwood: “The thousandth awards show  performance is the most special.”  I made that up.

Chick to be Hatched

Marty McGuire, the fiddlin’ one-third of the Dixie Chicks, has confirmed she is pregnant with her third daughter, so make the FUTK onesie you’re knitting pink.

Sometimes it’s fun to be just one of the guys

Kellie Pickler reported on Superbowl media day for the Tonight Show. Pickler multitasked by interiewing the Giants and promoting her album (via WCNC):

“ “Do you listen to music before the game?” Pickler asks.

“Sure,” Strahan replies.

“Will you listen to my album?” Pickler says, holding up a copy of her debut, “Small Town Girl.”

“Sure, pass it up,” Strahan says.

The CD flows through the hands of real reporters like a bucket of water on its way to a fire, arriving at Strahan’s podium in a matter of seconds. He scans the playlist, clearly having never heard of even one song on Pickler’s country album.

“My Angel,” he calls out.

“Red High Heels,” he says next.

“That’s the one!!!!” Pickler screams out. “Play ‘Red High Heels.’”

Strahan plays right along.

“OK, I’ll just imagine Tom Brady in the game wearing red high heels,” he chortles.

New Carrie Video

Lame video for a lame song.  Carrie, girl, we love you but get it together!

Dolly’s Album Release Date Pushed Back

Dolly Parton’s new album, Backwoods Barbie, will be released later than the previously reported date, Tuesday, February 5.  Parton’s album will now be released in late February or early March to coincide with the beginning of her tour.  This has me a little worried: usually things are pushed back because they suck.  (Still waiting for Blonde Ambition in the theaters?)  Hopefully, she really is just waiting for the tour push, but consider me skeptical.

New Willie Nelson Video!

Hope for Reba & Kelly Coming Near You!

Reba McEntire and Kelly Clarkson might just extend their tour, if the fans demand it. That’s great news to me since they’re coming no where near NYC on their 15-city tour (really Reba & Kelly — not even Red Bank, NJ, not even Nassau, Long Island?).

“It depends on the people — my fans, Kelly’s fans, new fans — if they’re interested, whether they like it or not and come out and see it,” Reba tells Billboard.com. “I hope it works out. I love working with Kelly. On stage it’s magical. It’s just electrifying.”

Consider it demanded, Reba & Kelly!

Underwood, Turner to Tour Together

Carrie Underwood will be hitting the road this Spring with opening act Josh Turner. Underwood said of the outing:

I’m so excited to be hitting the road and doing the full show of my music that I have always dreamt of doing. I have been so fortunate to learn from so many other great artists while touring with them, and they have inspired me in so many ways. They have helped me to get to this stage of my first real headline shows, and now I finally feel ready. I can’t wait to travel throughout the U.S. and Canada and see all my fans.

It’s a bit of odd pairing if you ask me. I’m not sure how many of Underwood’s middle school fans ever think to themselves “You know ‘Before He Cheats’ is great, but I sure would like to hear more Civil War-inspired love songs and George Jones covers.” Then again, they won’t mind staring at him and screaming. Hopefully Turner can teach Underwood how to pick out good material for her album. For that we would all be indebted to him.