NEWS IN BRIEF Rodney Atkins Earns College Degree Mon. August 06.2007 6:11 PM EDT
Rodney Atkins has earned his college degree from Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville after the school introduced a new major in interdisciplinary studies. Although he attended the college 14 years ago to study psychology, Atkins accepted a diploma last week after the school discovered he had already taken all the necessary courses. "When I was going to Tennessee Tech, my parents must have thought I was trying to become an astronaut with the way I was just taking up space," Atkins joked. "I think going to college was definitely a benefit to me ... but it's very satisfying to finally have the degree in hand -- especially after paying back all those student loans." Vince Gill Plans Celebrity Golf Invitational Mon. August 06.2007 6:11 PM EDT Vince Gill will help celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Vinny Pro-Celebrity Invitational golf event on Aug. 12-13 in Brentwood, Tenn. Gill will be joined by British Open senior champion Tom Watson, who will give a clinic. In addition, the family of the late golf pro Payne Stewart will present a bronze trophy for an award named in his honor. The Vinny is a private, invitation-only event. Other celebrity participants include Amy Grant, John Michael Montgomery, Charley Pride, Mac Davis and members of the Gatlin Brothers and Diamond Rio. Celebrity athletes include 1975 U.S. Open winner Lou Graham, Olympic figure skater Scott Hamilton, Baseball Hall of Fame member Harmon Killebrew, former Oakland Raiders quarterback Daryle Lamonica, LPGA Hall of Fame member Nancy Lopez and former NBA player Will Perdue. Singer-Songwriter Lee Hazlewood Dead at 78 Mon. August 06.2007 6:11 PM EDT Lee Hazlewood, best known for writing and producing Nancy Sinatra's 1966 hit, "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'," died Saturday (Aug. 4) at his home in Henderson, Nev., of complications from renal cancer. The 78-year-old Oklahoma native also produced Safe at Home, a 1968 album by the International Submarine Band, a group featuring the late Gram Parsons. After Parsons joined the Byrds later that year, his contractual problems with Hazlewood forced Byrds founding member Roger McGuinn to replace Parsons' lead vocals on all but two songs of the landmark country-rock album, Sweetheart of the Rodeo. As a recording artist, Hazlewood made several solo albums in addition to a series of duets with Nancy Sinatra. His most recent CD, Cake or Death, was released in 2006. Natalie Maines Accepts Movie Role Fri. August 03.2007 3:28 PM EDT Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks will play a prison nurse in an upcoming movie, Stealing Cars. The film will start shooting in September and will be directed by Michael Skolnik, who cast her after seeing the Dixie Chicks documentary, Shut Up and Sing. Maines' husband, Adrian Pasdar, stars in the NBC series, Heroes. The Dixie Chicks won five Grammys earlier this year for their album, Taking the Long Way, and single, "Not Ready to Make Nice." John Rich Selling His Corvette for Children's Hospital Fri. August 03.2007 3:28 PM EDT Big & Rich's John Rich has placed his Corvette on eBay and all proceeds will be donated to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital in Nashville. The minimum bid is $50,000. The black hardtop coupe has been featured in Corvette Quarterly and on CMT and has only 17,800 highway miles. Celebrity drivers include Gretchen Wilson and Kid Rock, according to a description on the Web site. The auction ends on Wednesday (Aug. 8). More Flatt & Scruggs TV Shows Coming to DVD Fri. August 03.2007 3:28 PM EDT Two more volumes of The Best of the Flatt & Scruggs TV Show will be released by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Shanachie Entertainment on Oct. 9. These volumes -- the third and fourth in the series -- offer shows from 1961 and 1962, when the bluegrass duo was in peak form. One of the new volumes features two performances by 7-year-old prodigy Ricky Skaggs. The other includes the television debut (at age 8) of Earl's son, Randy Scruggs. Volumes five through eight are scheduled for release next year. Tim McGraw Adds "If You're Reading This" to CD Thu. August 02.2007 6:13 PM EDT Tim McGraw's single, "If You're Reading This," has been added to new pressings of his current CD, Let It Go. McGraw first performed the song at the ACM Awards in May. After radio stations started playing the song after taping it from the TV broadcast, the live recording was remastered and released as an official single in June. McGraw and the Warren Brothers co-wrote the song, a tribute to the families of fallen soldiers. McGraw and Faith Hill will conclude their Soul2Soul 2007 tour on Aug. 11 in Anaheim, Calif. Tanya Tucker's Ex Steals U-Haul During Move Thu. August 02.2007 6:13 PM EDT A truckload of Tanya Tucker's wardrobe and jewelry has been recovered after it was stolen by her former fiance on July 22. Tucker and her entourage were traveling from Nashville to Malibu, Calif., where she is moving, when the truck driven by Jerry Laseter left the caravan. The U-Haul was recovered in Las Vegas with only a threatening note inside. However, the wardrobe and jewelry were ultimately found and returned to Tucker. Laseter was arrested and charged with felony theft on Saturday (July 28) in Las Vegas. He and an alleged co-conspirator, Chrislynn Jones, were released on bail. Clint Black Plans Theater Tour Thu. August 02.2007 6:13 PM EDT Clint Black will launch his Up Close & Personal tour on Aug. 23 in Cerritos, Calif., performing in theaters and smaller music venues across the U.S. He will be joined by opening act Laura Bryna, a new artist on Black's record label, Equity Music Group. "While it is definitely a thrill to play large venues in front of thousands of people, for me, it is an even bigger rush to perform in a setting as intimate as a theater," Black said. "There's a special element added to a theater performance that is unequaled -- being able to relate so closely with the audience." Black's new single is titled "The Strong One." Kay --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Access the Recipes And More list archives at: http://www.mail-archive.com/recipesandmore%40googlegroups.com/ Visit the group home page at: http://groups.google.com/group/RecipesAndMore -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
