MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2025

Taylor Swift has lost over 144,200 Instagram followers since the Super Bowl.  Travis Kelce, on the other hand, has gained over 12,370.

The Wiggles doubled down by putting out TWO new songs with Dolly Parton. The first is called “Friends” and it’s all about making friends.  Solid messaging.  And it’s catchy, too.  And the second song is called “Counting 1 to 5” and it’s a cover of Dolly’s classic song “9 to 5”.  Both of these songs will be featured on The Wiggles’ new country album called, “Wiggle Up, Giddy Up” that’ll be released on March 7th.  Their new album will also feature Lainey Wilson, Orville Peck, Dasha, and more.

Lainey Wilson got engaged earlier this month to her long-time boyfriend Duck Hodges, and everyone is so happy for them. But now everyone’s focusing on more important issues.  Like how MASSIVE her engagement ring is.  One fan even said, “That’s not a rock, that’s a lot of rocks.”  Lainey joked last year that her only requirement for a ring was it had to be huge. Officially, “It’s a bold cluster ring with multiple diamonds”, and all of them have different cuts.  You’ve got elongated cushion cut . . . pear-shaped . . . oval cut . . . there are so many different diamonds it looks like a diamond bouquet. No wonder Duck took his time asking Lainey to be his wife.  He might not have had cold feet at all . . . I think he was just saving up money.

George Strait is the undisputed “King of Country”.  I mean the man has SIXTY #1 hits.  That’s an unbelievable number.  Some musicians would be lucky to have ONE #1 in their lifetime.  Which means George has lived 60 lifetimes. But Parker McCollum is not treating it like too big of a deal.  Parker played that giant show with George last year in Texas, and is now gearing up to go out on the road with George and Chris Stapleton.  So, the two have gotten close. Here’s what Parker had to say, quote, “I always knew George had 60, and I was like, ‘well, you’re never gonna have 60, so’ . . . And then, now that we have four, I’m only 56 behind him.  So, I should be able to catch up pretty soon.” Parker said all of this with a wry smile on his face.

The next artist people want to “go country” is . . . Drake. That’s probably mostly coming from HIS fans, rather than the country music community.  This debate is coming up because Drake’s new album with PartyNextDoor features a song called “Die Trying”, which has a SLIGHT country vibe.  It’s not a country song.  But it’s apparently close enough to get people talking. They’re saying things like:  “A Drake country album is so needed” . . . “I could really go for a Drake / Morgan Wallen collab” . . . and “a Drake country album would be so dope.”

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson donated $1 million to the wildfire relief effort.

Carlos Santana’s new album drops in March.  It includes collaborations with the late Miles Davis and Michael Jackson. 

Riley Green would make a pretty good high school coach. One of his songwriting partners shared a clip where he acts like a coach telling players they better hit the weight room. He was a D-1 quarterback at Jacksonville State from 2007 to 2009. He stole his buddy Wyatt McCubbin’s retro, wire-rim glasses for the video . . . the kind gym teachers wore in 1988. People online correctly noted he can do anything now, and women think it’s hot.  He’s in a sweatshirt and sweatpants, and the TikTok comments are still pretty thirsty.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is 48

Sammy Kershaw is 67.  Country singer whose biggest hits included “Cadillac Style”, “She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful”

Debra Jo Rupp is 74.  The mom on “That ’70s Show”.

Rupert Holmes is 78.  ” (The Pina Colada Song

Barry Bostwick is 80. 

Blogs

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2025

Taylor Swift has lost over 144,200 Instagram followers since the Super Bowl.  Travis Kelce, on the other hand, has gained over 12,370. The Wiggles doubled down by putting out TWO new songs with Dolly Parton. The first is called “Friends” and it’s all about making friends.  Solid messaging.  And it’s catchy, too.  And the second…

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2025

The Grand Ole Opry just announced the 2025 class for its Opry NextStage program.  The NextStage program “serves to spotlight country music’s next big up-and-coming artists.” This year’s class includes:  Avery Anna . . . Chayce Beckham . . . Dasha . . . . . . and Tucker Wetmore. Previous members of the Opry…