Photo by Dave Spencer

There are two things I can recognize the second I walk in the back door here at WBKR–that someone burned coffee and that someone burned popcorn.

It’s very simple: if the coffee pot gets too low, turn it off; AND if you microwave popcorn, don’t leave it. Otherwise, a foul-smelling aroma will permeate the building. And, I’m the one who gripes the loudest about it.

Well, now, I guess I’ll need to keep my mouth shut.

I was really looking forward to this awesome popcorn I bought at Reid’s, and I followed the instructions to the letter. They told me to take out the popcorn when the popping sounds started becoming separated by 2-3 seconds.

Didn’t work.

When I DID wait until that point, I pulled the popcorn out only to see a pillar of smoke billowing out of the bag’s opening.

I got a lungful.

So, I took it outside and vowed to NEVER complain about the smell of burned popcorn again. Yep, it turns out that instead of popcorn, I’m now eating crow.

Pass the salt.

Well, ironically, Tim has signed with Big Machine records, a labeled owned by Mike Borcehtta’s son Scott! And, in another irony, the act that made Big Machine a big machine, Taylor Swift, her first hit was Tim McGraw.

Here are all the details.

We look forward to many years on new Tim McGraw music!

Photo from Vicki Ellis

I am SO jealous!  Our good friend, Vicki Ellis from the Western Ky Regional Blood Center, and her husband, Jimbo, are in Las Vegas.  And, last night, they were at the MGM Grand for the 2012 Billboard Music Awards.  Yep!  They got to watch . . . in person.  And that photo!  That was taken from Vicki’s seats.  How cool is that?  They were there for all the performances and all the trophies.  In case you missed last night’s show (either in person or on the tube), here’s your complete list of winners (including country) and some video of Carrie Underwood’s performance of “Blown Away.”

Carrie’s performance as definitely one of the highlights of the night.  And, now, here’s your complete rundown of the nominees and winners!

COMPLETE WINNER LIST

Spotlight Award:
Katy Perry – WINNER!

Woman of the Year:
Taylor Swift – WINNER!

Top Artist:
Adele – WINNER!
Lady Gaga
Lil Wayne
Katy Perry
Rihanna

Top New Artist:
Bad Meets Evil
Big Sean
Foster the People
Scotty McCreery
Wiz Khalifa — WINNER!

Top Male Artist:
Justin Bieber
Chris Brown
Drake
Lil Wayne – WINNER!
Bruno Mars

Top Female Artist:
Adele – WINNER!
Lady Gaga
Nicki Minaj
Katy Perry
Rihanna

Top Duo/Group:
The Black Eyed Peas
Coldplay
Lady Antebellum
LMFAO – WINNER!
Maroon 5

Top Billboard 200 Album:
’21,’ Adele – WINNER!
‘Christmas,’ Michael Buble
‘Take Care,’ Drake
‘Born This Way,’ Lady Gaga
‘Tha Carter IV,’ Lil Wayne

Top Hot 100 Song:
‘Rolling in the Deep,’ Adele
‘Party Rock Anthem,’ LMFAO Feat. Lauren Bennett + GoonRock – WINNER!
‘Moves Like Jagger,’ Maroon  Feat. Christina Aguilera
‘ET,’ Katy Perry Feat. Kanye West
‘Give Me Everything,’ Pitbull Feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer

Top Digital Songs Artist:
Adele – WINNER!
LMFAO
Bruno Mars
Katy Perry
Rihanna

Top Radio Songs Artist:
Adele – WINNER!
Katy Perry
Bruno Mars
Nicki Minaj
Rihanna

Top Touring Artist:
Bon Jovi
Taylor Swift
Take That
U2 – WINNER!
Roger Waters

Top Social Artist:
Justin Bieber – WINNER!
Eminem
Lady Gaga
Rihanna
Shakira

Top Streaming Artist:
Lil Wayne
LMFAO
Nicki Minaj
Bruno Mars
Rihanna – WINNER!

Top Digital Media Artist:
Adele – WINNER!
Justin Bieber
Lady Gaga
Lil Wayne
Rihanna

Top Pop Artist:
Adele – WINNER!
Lady Gaga
LMFAO
Katy Perry
Rihanna

Top R&B Artist:
Beyonce
Chris Brown – WINNER!
Cee Lo Green
Miguel
Rihanna

Top Rap Artist:
Drake
Lil Wayne – WINNER!
LMFAO
Nicki Minaj
Wiz Khalifa

Top Country Artist:
Jason Aldean
Zac Brown Band
Lady Antebellum – WINNER!
Blake Shelton
Taylor Swift

Top Rock Artist:
The Black Keys
Coldplay – WINNER!
Foster the People
Foo Fighters
Mumford & Sons

Top Alternative Artist:
The Black Keys
Coldplay – WINNER!
Foster the People
Foo Fighters
Mumford & Sons

Top Latin Artist:
Mana
Pitbull
Prince Royce
Romeo Santos
Shakira – WINNER!

Top Dance Artist:
David Guetta
Lady Gaga – WINNER!
LMFAO
Rihanna
Britney Spears

Top Pop Album:
’19,’ Adele
’21,’ Adele – WINNER!
‘Christmas,’ Michael Buble
‘Born This Way,’ Lady Gaga
‘Under the Mistletoe,’ Justin Bieber

Top R&B Album:
’4,’ Beyonce – WINNER!
‘My Life II… The Journey Continues (Act 1),’ Mary J. Blige
‘F.A.M.E.,’ Chris Brown
‘I Remember Me,’ Jennifer Hudson
‘Talk That Talk,’ Rihanna

Top Rap Album:
‘Hell: The Sequel,’ Bad Meets Evil
‘Take Care,’ Drake
‘Watch the Throne,’ Jay-Z & Kanye West
‘Tha Carter IV,’ Lil Wayne – WINNER!
‘Sorry for Party Rocking,’ LMFAO

Top Rock Album:
‘Mylo Xyloto,’ Coldplay – WINNER!
‘Wasting Light,’ Foo Fighters
‘Torches,’ Foster the People
‘Sigh No More,’ Mumford & Sons
‘Here and Now,’ Nickelback

Top Alternative Album:
‘Mylo Xyloto,’ Coldplay – WINNER!
‘Wasting Light,’ Foo Fighters
‘Torches,’ Foster the People
‘Sigh No More,’ Mumford & Sons
‘Here and Now,’ Nickelback

Top Dance Album:
‘Nothing but the Beat,’ David Guetta
‘Born This Way,’ Lady Gaga – WINNER!
‘The Fame,’ Lady Gaga
‘Sorry for Party Rocking,’ LMFAO
‘Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites,’ Skrillex

Top Digital Song:
‘Rolling in the Deep,’ Adele
‘Party Rock Anthem,’ LMFAO Feat. Lauren Bennett + GoonRock – WINNER!
‘Sexy and I Know It,’ LMFAO
‘Moves Like Jagger,’ Maroon 5 Feat. Christina Aguilera
‘E.T.,’ Katy Perry Feat. Kanye West

Top Streaming Song (Audio):
‘Without You,’ David Guetta Feat. Usher
‘Rolling in the Deep,’ Adele – WINNER!
‘How to Love,’ Lil Wayne
‘Party Rock Anthem,’ LMFAO Feat. Lauren Bennett + GoonRock
‘Super Bass,’ Nicki Minaj

Top Radio Song:
‘Rolling in the Deep,’ Adele
‘Party Rock Anthem,’ LMFAO Feat. Lauren Bennett + GoonRock
‘Moves Like Jagger,’ Maroon 5 Feat. Christina Aguilera
‘Give Me Everything,’ Pitbull Feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack + Nayer – WINNER!
‘We Found Love,’ Rihanna Feat. Calvin Harris

Top Streaming Song (Video):
‘Rolling in the Deep,’ Adele
‘Party Rock Anthem,’ LMFAO Feat. Lauren Bennett + GoonRock
‘Sexy and I Know It,’ LMFAO
‘The Lazy Song,’ Bruno Mars
‘Super Bass,’ Nicki Minaj – WINNER!

Top Pop Song:
‘Rolling in the Deep,’ Adele
‘Party Rock Anthem,’ LMFAO Feat. Lauren Bennett + GoonRock – WINNER!
‘Sexy and I Know It,’ LMFAO
‘Moves Like Jagger,’ Maroon 5 Feat. Christina Aguilera
‘E.T.,’ Katy Perry Feat. Kanye West

Top R&B Song:
‘She Ain’t You,’ Chris Brown
‘F–k You (Forget You),’ Cee Lo Green
‘Down on Me,’ Jeremih Feat. 50 Cent
‘Sure Thing,’ Miguel
‘Motivation,’ Kelly Rowland Feat. Lil Wayne – WINNER!

Top Rock Song:
‘Rolling in the Deep,’ Adele
‘Someone Like You,’ Adele
‘Paradise,’ Coldplay
‘Pumped Up Kicks,’ Foster the People – WINNER!
‘Walk,’ Foo Fighters

Top Alternative Song:
‘Rolling in the Deep,’ Adele – WINNER!
‘Sail,’ Awolnation
‘Paradise,’ Coldplay
‘Pumped Up Kicks,’ Foster the People
‘The Cave,’ Mumford & Sons

Top Latin Song:
‘Bon Bon,’ Pitbull
‘Danza Kuduro,’ Don Omar & Lucenzo – WINNER!
‘Taboo,’ Don Omar
‘Corazon Sin Cara,’ Prince Royce
‘Promise,’ Romeo Santos Feat. Usher

Top Dance Song:
‘In the Dark,’ Dev
‘Without You,’ David Guetta Feat. Usher
‘Party Rock Anthem,’ LMFAO Feat. Lauren Bennett + GoonRock – WINNER!
‘Sexy and I Know It,’ LMFAO
‘Till the World Ends,’ Britney Spears

Top Rap Song:
‘Good Feeling,’ Flo Rida
‘Party Rock Anthem,’ LMFAO Feat. Lauren Bennett + GoonRock – WINNER!
‘Sexy and I Know It,’ LMFAO
‘Give Me Everything,’ Pitbull Feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack + Nayer
‘Super Bass,’ Nicki Minaj

CMA Music Fest Official Website

We are getting closer and closer to the 2012 CMA Music Festival!  This marks the 41st year for Nashville’s annual “Fan Fair” event and this year promises to be bigger and better than ever.  To help celebrate, get you ready and get you down there, WBKR is loaded up with tickets for the event.  And, you can win them all week long.  To find out who’s playing and how you can win single-night tickets, keep on reading!

During The WBKR Waking Crew this week, you can win tickets to opening night of the festival, Thursday, June 7th!  That night, LP Field is going to be rocking with performances by Jason Aldean, Glen Campbell, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley, and Zac Brown Band.  That’s one heckuva way to kick of the 41st annual CMA Music Fest and, if you listen to Moon and me this week, you could be there in the crowd!

Jaclyn Graves is giving tickets away to the Friday night concert at LP Field!  And that line-up is crazy good too!  It will feature Brantley Gilbert, The Band Perry, Ronnie Milsap, Jake Owen, Blake Shelton, and Carrie Underwood.  Tune into Jaclyn’s show from 9am to 2 and be listening for your chance to grab tickets!  She’ll have them for you Monday through Thursday!

During The Drive Home with Dave Spencer, you can win tickets to the Saturday night show, on June 9th!  Luke Bryan will be there and be joined by Eric Church, Hunter Hayes, Faith Hill, Kenny Rogers and Little Big Town.  Like Jaclyn, he’ll have those tickets up for grab Monday through Thursday.

Then, on Friday (May 25th) . . . tune into Jaclyn AND Dave Spencer to try and win tickets to the grand finale of the CMA Music Festival!  Each will have a pair of tickets to the Sunday night LP Field concert featuring: Dierks Bentley, Alan Jackson, The Mavericks, Martina McBride, Scotty McCreery and Rascal Flatts!

For more information about the 41st annual CMA Music Fest, click here!  And, to learn more about the festival’s brand new autograph policy, click here!

And keep your radio tuned to The Country Station, 92.5 WBKR all week long to win tickets!  Good luck and, hopefully, we’ll be seeing you in Nashville!

We

This is going to be really fun!  The Foundation for the Daviess County Public Schools is holding its first-ever Alumni & Friends Festival Weekend on Friday, August 24th and Saturday, August 25th.  And organizers are encouraging you to SAVE THE DATE!  Think ”high school reunion” . . . but with EVERY class of Daviess County High School and Apollo High (and all Daviess County middle and elementary schools) all rolled into one.  The Alumni & Friends Festival Weekend is going to be a wonderful weekend of fellowship, memories and celebration of the Daviess County Public School System.  And here’s a sneak peak at some of the activities that are planned!

DCPS Alumni & Friends Fest 2012 – August 24-25th

Make plans now to join us for a great time at DCPS Alumni & Friends Fest 2012!  Not an alum?  No problem, because we know you are a friend and all of our friends are welcome to attend our events!!!

Friday After 5 – Join your classmates, family and friends at everyone’s favorite end-of-week event: Friday After 5!  Live music and dancing on the lovely Owensboro Riverfront.  Come on down and see the BIG changes to this riverfront area that will be unveiled the same weekend. 

Friday Night Football - Apollo and Daviess County will both play in Owensboro on Friday night the 24th.  Daviess County hosts Owensboro Catholic at home; Owensboro hosts Apollo.  Game time 7:00 p.m.  Show up to support your alma mater!

Start training NOW!  Alumni & Friends 3K Run 8:00 Saturday morning at Yellow Creek Park before the annual Cross Country Season Kick-Off DC 6K Relay.  Check-in begins at 7:00 a.m. 

Friends & Family Picnic will be held at lunch time on Saturday.  Details pending.  Visit with classmates, friends and their families.  All are welcome!   (Event will be held in conjunction with the Owensboro Air Show).

Alumni & Friends Extravaganza 2012 is Saturday evening, August 25th, at the Hines Center.  Plan to spend a magical evening with Distinguished Guests, friends and classmates.  Our Distinguished Guests will be a variety of successful people associated with DCPS.  Bidding on dinner for 4-6 people at a table hosted by one of our Distinguished Guests will begin in July 23rd and end August 1st.   Tickets for Special Evening Dinner Tickets (general admission dinner tickets) and the dance will be open until August 10th.   Check back for reservation and ticket information.

We encourage you to SAVE THE DATE!  As a proud graduate of Daviess County High School, I will definitely be on hand.  I’ll be emceeing the Extravaganza at The Hines Center and can’t wait to see lots of familiar faces and friends.  So, please, make your plans to attend. 

And, remember, you can keep up-to-date on the latest details about the 2012 Alumni & Friends Festival Weekend at the Foundation’s Facebook page.

There were two horses to pick from, a big one and a minature pony. I, of course, wanted my two and a half year-old to ride the smaller one. She was all about riding the big one….until it became her time, ha! So, she rode the smaller one and absolutely loved it! She told me we would come back and ride the big horsey. And, to my surprise, she did! I was pretty proud that she got up there on that big ole horse and rode it around, twice!

Such a fun day and I hope you enjoy our pics! Thanks for letting me share!

#5-  Too Much Heaven-  Bee Gees

Absolutely one of my favorite ballads of the 1970′s.  It reached #1 in 1978, and there’s a fun and little-known fact about the single.  The B-side, a song called “Rest Your Love on Me,” reached the Top 40 on the U.S. country chart! 

And, speaking of country . . . did you know the Bee Gees wrote this song??

#4-  Islands in the Stream-  Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton

That song was one of the biggest hits of 1983 and reached #1 on three different charts.  It topped the Billboard Hot 100 as well as the Billboard Country and Billboard Adult Contemporary charts!

#3-  A Woman In Love-  Barbra Streisand

The Bee Gees had a couple of HUGE hits with Barbra Streisand’s help.  “Woman In Love” (written by Barry and Robin Gibb) spent three weeks at #1 and remains Barbra Streisand’s final chart topper.  She also had a huge hit with ”Guilty” and that duet (with Barry Gibb) reached #3.

#2-  To Love Somebody

For my money, the Bee Gee’s “To Love Somebody” is one of the GREATEST songs ever written.  And there have been dozens of great performances of it because of the song’s message and genius crescendo.  The most recent GREAT performance was Joshua Ledet’s on American Idol and that version is proof of just how enduring the music and legacy of the Bee Gees remain.

#1-  If I Can’t Have You- Yvonne Elliman

For me, this is THE best song of the disco era.  And while the Bee Gees recorded their own version of it, it was Jesus Christ Superstar diva, Yvonne Elliman, who truly gave it wings and let it fly.

So, the music world has taken yet another hit.  The Bee Gees are down to a single member . . . 65-year-old frontman, Barry Gibb.  His brother Maurice passed in January of 2003.  And now Robin is gone to soon as well.  The comforting news is that the Bee Gees are leaving behind a songbook that defined generations and continues to inspire up-and-coming artists.  While Robin may no longer be with us on Earth, his spirit is on our songs and souls.

rivercityfestivaloffilms.com

On Saturday, November 3rd, Verite Films–Starks’ production company–and Kentucky Wesleyan College will host the festival on the Wesleyan campus.

The 12-hour event will begin at 10AM and showcase the work of filmmakers from across the country. There will be screenings throughout the day.

Immediately following each film, those in attendance will be able to speak with Hollywood artists from Kentucky. They will also be able to participate in workshops and master classes conducted by industry professionals.

The festival will showcase feature-length and short films. Plus, there will be live entertainment from local musicians. All proceeds from the screenings will benefit local non-profit charities.

Filmmakers may submit their films to:

The River City Festival of Films – KWC
c/o Tamara Coy
3000 Frederica St.
Owensboro, KY 42301

She came out and made her signature kool-aid, helping us raise money for Relay For Life.

Take a look as she, in a way only Kizzy can, introduces Chad to her kool-aid.

Photo by Dave Spencer

Before your mind starts racing after reading that headline…I was FIVE!

I recently mentioned to my family that I blogged about my sleepwalking exploits when I was a child. They couldn’t believe I’d tell that story, but I was three years old. And it’s funny.

So, with that on the table, my sister, Sharon, asked if I remembered the time I fell asleep in church when I was five years old. I told her that, if memory serves, I fell asleep in church a lot when I was a little kid.

Hey, at least I was sitting still and being quiet. But the particular occasion about which she was speaking was, for me at the time, embarrassing and maybe a little (physically) painful.

I was five and we were in the third or fourth row. While sitting straight up, I fell asleep. And, this time, when I dozed off, I just keeled over. I mean, I just fell over like a block of wood.

And, when I did, my head hit the pew with an incredibly loud THUD! Needless to say, it woke me up and I sat back up. Well, my sister’s best friend had come with us to church. She was known for having a hair-trigger giggle box and was laughing uncontrollably while, somehow, not making a sound. She was just bouncing.

Then, my sister, her friend, and I looked up into the choir loft and noticed the entire church choir–who had all had a ringside seat–were similarly bouncing, and in tears, trying desperately not to burst out laughing in the middle of the sermon.

And, I know our pastor must have had to be exercising some extra special will power, because he had a pretty good sense of humor and most likely found that very funny.

In the meantime, I was sitting there with my feelings hurt because it looked like, from the perspective of a five-year-old mind, that everyone was laughing at me. Of course, now I think it’s hilarious!

And if something like that were to happen today, and I was anywhere near, I’d just have to excuse myself and leave. You know…kind of what I wanted to do then, but for vastly different reasons.

Happy Sunday!

Christopher Polk, Getty Images

We’ve already shown you Jason Aldean‘s role in the new star-studded Mountain Dew commercial. But now, the ‘Fly Over States’ hitmaker is featured in a 18-second solo spot, during which he (quickly) talks about how he does country music. Or, should we say how he ‘Dews’ country music?

The short clip is devoted entirely to Aldean, who admits that he treats his live shows like a two-hour party. As if that’s any surprise! Dubbed over clips of Aldean jumping, kicking, and rocking out in front of his fans (who are rightfully going crazy from his star power), the country star says, “To me, being a musician is about giving those fans the best show I could possibly give them.”

That’s the country version of Mountain Dew’s ‘DeWeezy’ campaign, which was rolled out this year at South by Southwest. The entire campaign brings together hip-hop artists, country stars, NASCAR racers, skateboarders and snowboarders under one united cause: drinking Mountain Dew and how awesome it is. So far, the 30-second TV spot has been successful at bringing together people of all interests and backgrounds.

Lil Wayne, Mac Miller, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Paul Rodriguez Jr., Theotis Beasley and Danny Davis also appear in the full-length commercial, but this bit is solely Aldean — just like you like it.

Watch How Jason Aldean ‘Dews’ in New Mountain Dew Commercial

Source: TasteofCountry.com

The public is invited and encouraged to attend.

Michael Hickey / Jemal Countess, Getty Images

‘Duets,’ the new reality singing competition series starring Sugarland vocalist Jennifer Nettles and semi-country singer Kelly Clarkson, debuts this coming Thursday (May 24) in a two-hour premiere. The premise of the show is that established vocalists will partner with neophytes for –you guessed it- a duet! Rather than be judges or mentors, the celebs are performing alongside the hopefuls. Ahead of the big bow at 8 PM ET, the singing partners of each mentor have been revealed by ABC.

Nettles will perform with John Glosson, a 32-year-old from Douglas, Georgia. She’s a Georgian, so based on that fact alone, this is likely a smart pairing. She will also sing with J Rome, 25, from Laurel, Maryland.

Clarkson has been teamed up with Jason Farol, 23, from Torrance, Calif., and with Jordan Meredith, a 21-year-old from Wisconsin. You can peruse the ABC site to get a sneak peek of and a feel for the partners.

Together, the superstars and their partners take the stage each week and perform in front of a live studio audience. In the end, only one duet will be chosen as the “winner.” Up for grabs is a contract with Hollywood Records. Not too shabby, huh?

Be sure and tune in this Thursday to hear the sweet sounds that Nettles and Clarkson make with their partners.

Source: TasteofCountry.com

ThirdCoast Digest/Flickr

I’m shocked, I tell you! Shocked!

Eh…I’ll get over it.

See, I’m already over it. But, honestly, Loretta Lynn fibbing about her age does change a big piece of country music folklore.

And, folklore’s a good word, I think, when describing country music history. The legends in this business like Hank Williams Sr., George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, and countless others are such HUGE names, they’re almost like mythical folk heroes. Like Paul Bunyan or Johnny Appleseed.

And, segments of their histories play like themes in great fiction–Hank Sr. dying in his car, George Jones driving his lawn mower down the road, Patsy’s tragic plane crash, and Loretta getting married at the age of 13.

Uh, yeah, about that last one. It ain’t true.

Universal Pictures

Yep, Loretta Lynn has been lying about her age. It seems the Associated Press obtained some records from the Office of Vital Statistics in Frankfort. These records list her date of birth as April 14, 1932…not 1935, as has long been believed.

Now, obviously this is not the kind of news that will bring down world governments. In fact, I think it makes her even more fun than she already was.

But that getting-married-at-13-and-a-mother-by-18 thing was a big part of her smash autobiography Coal Miner’s Daughter, which was adapted into an Academy Award-winning film.

So, Loretta is really 80 years old. She’s not 77. When she got married in January of 1948, she was 15, not 13. And she became a mother for the first time at the age of 20.

The record has been set straight.

You know something? I think it’s hilarious that she has kept her age a secret this long. There’s something about that that totally speaks to her personality.

Do we still love her?

Of course we do.

Why?

Because I will enter the dunk tank tonight at the Daviess County Relay for Life at Diamond Lake.

I’ve never done it before and am looking forward to it. You know, it occurs to me that if the “Dunk Hall of Fame” is my creation, I should have no problem becoming a member like these others:

MICHAEL JORDAN

He could dunk from anywhere on the floor. In fact, here are, at the very least, 10 impressive Jordan slams:

BLAKE GRIFFIN

Here’s a guy who, despite being surrounded by some of the most over-the-top revelry I have ever seen, was still able to focus enough to dunk over a CAR:

ANTHONY DAVIS

Had to include this guy, right?

Very impressive! Oh, I almost forgot…Dunkin’ Donuts and Duncan Hines.

Okay, that last one’s a stretch, but, again, this is my Hall of Fame. Here’s hoping I make it!

See you tonight!

Ethan Miller, Getty Images

Today is Toby Keith kicks off  his 9th-annual Toby Keith and Friends Golf Classic event. Toby will host  the groundbreaking of the “OK Kids Korral” in Oklahoma City. That facility is a home-away-from-home for children and families being treated at the Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center and other nearby facilities.

The ceremony is set for 10 a.m. this morning. Tonight is Toby’s dinner and auction to help continue the tradition of raising funds for the important cause.

Among those items up for auction include a trip to Africa with Pros for Africa, a Brush Creek getaway, a Dallas Cowboys VIP package, having a menu item named for you at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill, concerts and golf packages, as well as exclusive memorabilia from artists such as Coldplay, Carrie Underwood, the Rolling Stones, the Three Stooges and, of course, Toby Keith himself.

Keith’s Golf Classic is tomorrow. The celebrities will hit the links in hopes of getting a hole-in-one. Those who do accomplish the victory have a chance at winning a Ford truck from a local dealership.

Monies raised from the event will benefit the Toby Keith Foundation, which was set up to give sick children and their families a helping hand. For more information on the event or the charity, visit its official website by clicking here.

[button href="http://tasteofcountry.com/top-toby-keith-songs/" title="Top 10 Toby Keith Songs" align="center"]

Source: TasteofCountry.com

Ethan Miller, Getty Images

Scotty McCreery is gearing up to return to ‘American Idol’ for a second time this season. This time, the now-seasoned country superstar will head back to his old television stomping grounds to for a very special season finale performance on Wednesday (May 23).

Phillip Phillips and fellow hopeful Jessica Sanchez were named the last two standing after last night’s (May 17) episode, which saw Joshua Ledet narrowly missing out as a final contestant. It has become somewhat of a tradition that the winner from the previous return to the finale as a homecoming celebration. Pop singer Rihanna will also make an appearance for the final episode of the season.

McCreery was crowned the ‘American Idol’ victor last year, during the 10th season of the popular reality competition. The ‘Water Tower Town’ singer was propelled into superstardom after the release of his debut single Top 15 ‘I Love You This Big,’ which was certified gold, signifying more than 500,000 digital copies sold. His follow-up single ‘The Trouble With Girls’ followed suit, reaching gold status and topping out at No. 17 on the country charts.

The North Carolina native released his debut album, ‘Clear as Day’ on October 4, 2011 and has sold more than a million copies in less than a year. The success of his debut effort made McCreery one of the most successful ‘American Idol’ winners in recent years, and lead the young singer to an ACA and ACM win for Best New Artist.

McCreery has been on the road for most of 2012 providing opening entertainment on Brad Paisley‘s latest headlining tour. Want to catch him in concert? Click here for tour dates and ticket information. Or, tune in for the ‘American Idol’ season finale on May 23, 2012.

[button href="http://tasteofcountry.com/american-idol-then-and-now/" title="See 'American Idol' Singers - Then and Now" align="center"]

Source: TasteofCountry.com

According to a new study by the National Cancer Institute, coffee may actually prolong life.

I drink a full pot — 10- cups — every morning starting at 3:45 whenI arrive at the station and concluding at 9:00. I take a break and return at 10 a.m. when I continue sipping coffee all day.

Over the course of a 14-year study, researchers found that men who drank at least six cups of coffee a day had a 10 percent lower chance of dying than those who drank none. Women had a 15 percent lower chance.

“I would say it offers some reassurance to coffee drinkers,” said Neal Freedman, a nutritional epidemiology researcher and one of the authors of the study. “Other studies have suggested a higher risk of mortality with coffee drinking and we didn’t see that in our study.”

The study looked at the coffee habits of 229,000 men and 173,000 women from 1995 to 2008. It found that even people who drank between two and five cups of coffee daily seemed to have a lower risk of mortality. This applied to both regular and decaffeinated coffee.

It’s important to note, however, that the study highlights only a potential connection between coffee and decreased risk of death. Simply put, researchers aren’t quite sure why their findings highlight an uptick in longevity.

Still, Freedman said, it’s entirely possible that coffee may be beneficial in some unknown way. “Coffee has more than 1,000 compounds and we really don’t know what effects those compounds have on health,” he said.

I think one of the reasons coffee was thought to be unhealthy is because people smoked cigarettes with their coffee.

Enjoy!

With a 36-week racing schedule and limited off time, drivers and teams look forward to the three Charlotte-based events each season. This weekend’s All-Star Challenge, formerly known as the Winston, marks the first of these weeks for the 2012 season. The format for the All-Star Challenge has changed but the level of excitement on Saturday night will be just as high!

There are currently 20 drivers entered for the “main event.” This list is made up of 19 2011 and 2012 race winners. The 20^th driver is Mark Martin who won the event in 2005. When the green flag drops for the first of 4 segments, there will be 23 drivers in the field. The final 3 positions are made up of first and second place finishers in the Show Down Race and the fan vote. The Sprint Showdown entry list consists of 22 drivers — drivers who have not won races during the 2012 and 2011 seasons. They will all be racing for the top 2 finishing positions to secure their spot in the Sprint All-Star Race. Fans can still vote for their favorite driver to make the race on the fan vote at www.nascar.com/allstar .

The Sprint All-Star race consists of 4 20-lap segments and a final 10-lap segment. The driver in victory lane after Saturday night’s final 10-lap sprint will take home a cool million dollars! The driver in victory lane will have to have a setup that is good from the drop of the green flag to the black and white. This will be the opposite of what is needed for next weekend’s Coca-Cola 600.

Don’t miss a night of great racing from NASCAR’s hub, Charlotte Motor Speedway! Coverage begins Saturday at 5 p.m. on WBKR and WBKR.com!

– Blake Smith

provided photo