Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks had the honor of singing John Lennon’s “Imagine” at yesterday’s tribute service for former First Lady Rosalynn Carter. It was at a Methodist Church in Atlanta. Don’t know exactly why it was chosen, but it is one of the couple’s favorite songs. There’s a video from 2017 of Georgia Tech students singing it to the Carters when they were given the Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Change. There was also a quote from Jimmy. “In many countries around the world . . . my wife and I have visited about 125 countries . . . you hear John Lennon’s song ‘Imagine’ used almost equally with national anthems.” It’s fair to think that Jimmy or a family member requested the song . . . or that Trisha and Garth knew it was special to them. They’re longtime friends.
Apple Music announced that “Last Night” by Morgan Wallen was its most streamed song of the year. That’s WORLDWIDE, not just in the U.S. And across all genres. Four more of Morgan’s songs also made the Top 50: “You Proof” is 20th . . . “Thinkin’ Bout Me”, 26th . . . “One Thing at a Time”, 42nd . . . and “Wasted on You” is 50th. (Three others made the Top 100: “Chasin’ You”, “Thought You Should Know”, and “Everything I Love”.) “Fast Car” by Luke Combs also made the Top 50 at #34. “Something in the Orange” by Zach Bryan is 36th. Morgan finishing ahead of them shouldn’t be a huge shock. “Last Night” topped Billboard’s Hot 100 for 16 weeks this year. Speaking of Billboard, they announced the top country TOURS of 2023, and Morgan tops that list too. His shows grossed $260 million. Luke Combs is next at $133 million. Then George Strait, $107 million . . . Shania Twain, $85 million . . . and Eric Church, $50 million.
Parmalee just put out a dramatic video for their new song “Gonna Love You”. In it, drummer Scott Thomas is shown being rushed to the hospital after being shot. And he’s actually playing . . . HIMSELF. This is a “true story,” Back in 2010, Parmalee was robbed at gunpoint while they were in their trailer after a show. During the chaos, Scott was shot three times and was in a coma for 10 days. He eventually recovered, and has been with the band ever since. But that was definitely in doubt after the shooting. At the end of the video, the band put a message that said the doctors gave Scott a 5% chance of living, and he required three “life-saving surgeries and spent 40 days in the hospital.” The band says this was just the right time to delve into the story.
Keith Morrison is remembering his late stepson Matthew Perry with a call to action for Giving Tuesday. A month after the Friends star’s untimely death at 54, Morrison broke his silence on the loss by urging fans to donate to the recently launched Matthew Perry Foundation, which seeks to help those struggling with addiction. “This is not the sort of thing I commonly do, this pitch. But this year is different.” Morrison has been married to Perry’s mother, Suzanne, since 1981, when the actor was 12.
99-year-old Jimmy Carter attended his wife Rosalynn’s memorial service. Also in attendance: Billy and Hillary Clinton, Joe and Jill Biden, Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Melania Trump.
Taylor Swift is reportedly planning to hunker down with her new beau, Travis Kelce, now that she’s done with the 2023 leg of her Eras Tour. After her plane went directly from Brazil to Kansas City, Mo., on Monday, “they will be spending weeks at a time together” in the $6 million mansion he bought last month to give their romance some privacy. Kelce has at least six more games on the roster before finding out if the Kansas City Chiefs will make it to the playoff and ultimately the Super Bowl on Feb. 11.
Before he died, Jimmy Buffett did a video for the ASPCA promoting pet adoption.
Russell Wilson is 35. Denver Broncos quarterback
Lucas Black is 41. LaSalle on “NCIS: New Orleans”.
Anna Faris is 47. Christy Plunkett on “Mom”.
Brian Baumgartner is 51. Kevin, the on “The Office”.
Gena Lee Nolin is 52. Neely Capshaw on “Baywatch”.
Jonathan Knight from New Kids on the Block is 55.
Cathy Moriarty is 63.
Rahm Emanuel is 64. President Obama’s chief of staff from 2009 to 2010, and Chicago mayor from 2011 to 2019. Now he’s Biden’s Ambassador to Japan.
Howie Mandel is 68. “America’s Got Talent” germaphobe.
Jerry “The King” Lawler is 74. WWE announcer.
Suzy Chaffee is 77.
Chuck Mangione is 83. Composer-musician and master of the flugelhorn on the fabulous instrumental classic “Feels So Good”. You’d know it if you heard it. A flugelhorn is like a trumpet, but with a softer, richer sound.
