Tracy Lawrence is a country star with a big heart. On Tuesday, November 26, Tracy and an army of volunteers took over the parking lot at the Nashville Rescue Mission where they were deep-frying hundreds of turkeys in row upon row of propane-fueled turkey fryers. It was part of his 14th annual Mission Possible that has served over 84,000 meals to the homeless and hungry in Nashville, Tennessee and also in Dallas, Texas, and Louisville, Kentucky. Mission Possible also raises money (more than $500,000 so far) to help the homeless and hungry. After the final turkey was fried to perfection, Tracy headed over to Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon for the (sold out) Mission Possible Charity Concert. In addition to Tracy Lawrence, fans were treated to performances by Tracy’s friends Justin Moore, Rhett Akins, Clay Walker and the band Halfway to Hazard.
Get ready to set your DVR: Garth Brooks is set to tell his story in an A&E documentary, that will air in a special two-night event on Dec 2 and 3. Titled Garth Brooks: The Road I’m On, it will chronicle his life from growing up in Oklahoma to his record-breaking world tours. Also set to appear in the documentary: Trisha Yearwood (a.k.a. Missus Brooks), Keith Urban, James Taylor and George Strait, among others. In the doc, Garth says: “There is nothing I enjoy more than throwing that door open, walking out on that stage and playing music.”
- Garth and Trisha joined former Pres and Georgia boy, Jimmy Carter, in Nashville to work on a Habitat for Humanity project in October. And Jimmy gave Garth ‘a little heat’ – just in fun – for taking a break during the construction work.
More Garth news. Some big tours have been announced for 2020: Garth Brooks has announced his first stadium date of the new year at Detroit’s Ford Field on Feb. 22. … The Cadillac Three have already set 26 cities for their Country Fuzz Tour, starting Jan. 23 in Jackson, Tenn. … Matt Stell (on the heels of last week’s No. 1 party for “Prayed For You,”) will kick off his Everywhere But On Tour, his first headlining tour, on Jan. 24 in San Diego. … Ryan Hurd has set 16 dates for his Platonic Tour starting Jan. 30 in Columbus, Ohio. … Kane Brown sets off on the first 23 stops on his Worldwide Beautiful Tour, starting in Dublin Ireland on Feb 2. … Zac Brown Band announced a 20-show extension of their Owl Tour, starting Feb. 28 in Moline, Ill. … Caylee Hammack will join Reba McEntire for 12 dates beginning March 20 in Evansville, Ind. … Jason Aldean launches his We Back Tour in Columbia, SC, on Jan 30 with Morgan Wallen and Riley Green opening.
•••
“I Know Country” Q&A from www.IKnowCountry.com
QUESTION: Complete the title of the album that went ‘Gold’ for Dierks Bentley on November 20, 2006. “Long — (a) Way Home, (b) Time Gone, or (c) Trip Alone.
•••
Maybe a Christmas gift for fans of the late Hank Williams? A pre-order of a table-top book and 6-CD set of live recordings, scheduled for release Feb 7, 2020. Titled Pictures From Life’s Other Side – The Man and His Music in Rare Photos and Recordings, it includes 144 tracks taken from ‘live’ radio recordings. Williams made the daily 15-minute radio shows that were sponsored by Mother’s Best Flour Company starting in 1951. The 272-page hard-bound book includes many previously-unpublished photos of Williams. You can pre-order the package from https://kingsroadmerch.com/hank-williams/
Billboard’s Hot Country Songs Top 5 for the week of November 30, 2019 [last week’s position in parentheses]
- (1) “10,000 Hours” Dan + Shay & Justin Bieber
- (3) “One Man Stand” Old Dominion
- (2) “Even Tho I’m Leaving Luke Combs
- (4) One Thing Right Marshmello & Kane Brown
- (7) :What if I Never Get Over You” Lady Antebellum
•••
ANSWER:
“Long Trip Alone” was Dierks Bentley’s third album and yielded two No. 1 Country chart hits: “Every Mile a Memory” and “Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go)”.
•••
On this day in Country Music…
November 27, 1969 Johnny Cash at San Quentin was the No. 1 album on the Billboard Country Album charts. Recorded ‘live’ at San Quentin Prison, it included the hit single, “A Boy Named Sue.” (Merle Haggard, then aged 20, was a convict in the audience during the earlier, 1958, Johnny Cash San Quentin concert.)
November 27, 2000 The No. 1 album on the Country Albums chart was When Somebody Loves You by Alan Jackson. It included the No. 1 Country single, “Where I Come from.”
This week’s Country Music Birthdays
November 26 Joe Nichols, 1976 (“Brokenheartsville”)
November 27 Eddie Rabbitt, 1941 (“Kentucky Rain” for Elvis) died May 7, 1998
November 28 Kristine Oliver Cummins (Sweethearts of the Radio), 1955
November 29 Hannah Mulholland (Runaway June), 1990
Preshias Harris is the author of “I Know Country” with 366 daily country music questions and answers. You can buy and instantly download your e-book copy at www.IKnowCountry.com.
Harris is also a music career development consultant with the emphasis on new and aspiring artists and songwriters. Visit www.collegeofsongology.com for more details. Follow her blog at www.nashvillemusicline.com
