In November, Blake Shelton and “Yellowstone” creator, Taylor Sheridan, introduced a new singing competition show called “The Road” that’ll air on CBS sometime in the fall.  “‘The Road’ offers viewers a backstage pass into the gritty and unforgiving life of a touring artist . . . Viewers will see what happens when some of the best up-and-coming performers pile into a tour bus and tackle a grueling schedule in pursuit of their dreams.” But now it was just announced that Keith Urban will serve as a headliner. Keith will perform his biggest hits and new music alongside the musical hopefuls in a series of shows.  A mentor, of sorts. His first show will be held in Fort Worth, Texas, this Sunday. Then he’ll travel to Dallas and Oklahoma to perform, before closing out his last show at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on April 2nd.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s dog, Hobbs, sadly just passed away and he wrote a touching tribute to him on his Instagram.The song he chose for the post was “What’s Going on in Your World” by George Strait.  Dwayne said, “One of my favorite songs felt appropriate here, as I wonder what’s going on in his new world, because I know what it’s like in mine.” He went on to say, “Not sure how spirits work but come back and visit every once in a while so we can get in trouble and laugh again.”  R.I.P. Hobbs.

Parker McCollum was talking about what qualifies as country these days and he said that despite the bigger circus tent, he’s not sure he fits inside. He said, “I wanted to be a country singer for as long as I remember, and the longer I do this, the more I kind of realize I may just not be one.  The more I try to write country . . . the further I get away from what’s always made me, me.”

Carly Pearce stopped a show in the U.K. the other night to break up a FIGHT. She’s wrapping up a big European tour this week and had a stop in Birmingham, England on Saturday.  And two women apparently started going at it in the crowd.  So she stopped the show and said knock it off. She told them “we’re all friends at my shows,” and everyone should be there to have a good time. She’s also been fighting the FLU.  So she told them she didn’t have time for any nonsense.

Erykah Badu is 54. 

Michael Bolton is 72.

Here are a few more Good News stories making the rounds . . .

1.  A karate instructor took down a purse snatcher in Philadelphia last Thursday.  A woman was outside yelling for help.  So he ran out . . . chased the guy down . . . gave him one hard kick to the leg . . . and the guy dropped the bag and ran off.  The woman said it was like a ninja showed up out of nowhere. No word on the thief’s name.  But cops shared his mugshot, so they got him.  The karate teacher is 33-year-old Stephan Venter.  (STEFF-un)  He’s from South Africa, but he’s been living in Philly for six months.

2.  Keep dreaming!  A guy in North Carolina had a dream last week that he’d win $110,000 in the lottery.  Then he woke up the next day and won exactly that amount, $110,000.

3.  A nine-year-old kid in Staten Island named John Michael Pasquale had a stroke in 2023 and almost died.  But 17 months later, he finally returned to school on Monday and got a VERY big welcome back.  All the kids and teachers lined the hallway and cheered for him.