George Jones will release Burn Your Playhouse Down, a collection of never before heard duets with some of music's biggest names -- including Keith Richards, Leon Russell, Vince Gill, Ricky Scaggs, Mark Chesnutt, Tammy Wynette and Georgette Jones, his only child with Tammy. The songs were recorded at various sessions, including the famous Bradley Barn Sessions and the recording sessions from his album, Friends in High Places. The album was released yesterday.

Burn Your Playhouse Down track listing
"Burn Your Playhouse Down" with Keith Richards
"Window Up Above" with Leon Russell
"Selfishness in Man" with Vince Gill
"She Once Lived Here" with Ricky Skaggs
"I Always Get Lucky With You" with Mark Knopfler
"You're Still on My Mind" with Marty Stuart
"When the Grass Grows Over Me" with Mark Chesnutt
"I Always Get Lucky" with You with Shelby Lynne
"Tavern Choir" with Jim Lauderdale
"Rockin' Years" with Dolly Parton
"Lovin' You, Lovin' Me" with Tammy Wynette
"You and Me and Time" with Georgette Jones













The Randy Owen benefit concert held last week in Knoxville for the Church shooting victims raised over $10,000.

Dolly Parton hosted three sold-out benefit concerts at her Dollywood theme park over the weekend, raising money for the Imagination Library with two shows on Saturday (Aug. 16) and one on Sunday (Aug. 17). Her own children's book will be hitting the shelves soon.

A Roman sculpture carved 18-hundred-years ago that bares an uncanny resemblance to Elvis Presley is set to be sold at an upcoming auction. Bonhams auction house spokesman Julian Roup admits the likeness is remarkable, and tells the "New York Post," quote, "Fans of the King of Rock 'n' Roll, seeing this face from the distant past, will be forgiven for thinking that their idol may well have lived a previous life in Rome." The Australian art collector who currently owns the marble head has named the statue "Elvis." In addition to its similar facial structure, the carved hair is long and wavy, with arching bangs over the forehead and side locks reminiscent of Presley's mutton chop sideburns. The ancient Roman "Elvis" statue is expected to go for between 50-and-60-thousand-dollars as part of The Geddes Collection auction, taking place in London on October 15th.

Glen Campbell is introducing fans to another side of himself with his new CD. "Meet Glen Campbell" is a covers project, featuring the noted singer and guitarist remaking songs originally recorded by such artists as U2, The Velvet Underground, The Foo Fighters, and Green Day; as well as Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, John Lennon, and Jackson Browne. But he's not trying to reinvent himself as a modern rocker. Campbell's putting his own spin on the material, and has noted that the disc, quote, "sounds like a Glen Campbell album." He picked the tunes for the CD, explaining that they're all songs he likes that he's found to be particularly moving or inspiring. "Meet Glen Campbell" arrives in stores today. To mark the release, Campbell will be playing a special club show, at the Troubadour in Los Angeles tonight. Campbell is also hitting the airwaves and the Internet to promote "Meet Glen Campbell." He'll be featured in a segment on this evening's "Entertainment Tonight," and he'll be a guest on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" on August 29th. Online, the video for Campbell's version of "Angel Dream" will have its premiere on Yahoo! Music today, while he's also featured on this week's "Acoustic Cafe" at www.acafe.com and on AOL's "AOL Music Sessions."

"Meet Glen Campbell" Track Listing:

1. "Sing" (originally recorded by Travis)

2. "Walls" (originally recorded by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers)

3. "Angel Dream" (originally recorded by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers)

4. "Times Like These" (originally recorded by the Foo Fighters)

5. "These Days" (originally recorded by Jackson Browne)

6. "Sadly Beautiful" (originally recorded by The Replacements)

7. "All I Want Is You" (originally recorded by U2)

8. "Jesus" (originally recorded by The Velvet Underground)

9. "Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)" (originally recorded by Green Day)

10. "Grow Old With Me" (originally recorded by John Lennon)

Vince Gill will give audiences a very different concert with his new “A Special Evening With Vince Gill” tour. The last time the singer hit the road he carried numerous musicians who could play any song off his four-disc set “These Days.” With the new trek Gill is taking only two musicians – pianist Pete Wasner and percussionist Billy Thomas. The three will present many of Gill's hits along with a few new tunes. Gill says the inspiration for the trek came from James Taylor's recent acoustic tour. He adds that the new show will be, quote, “pared down and informal.” Gill launched the trek last night in Wellington, Ohio. He'll be in Westbury, New York tomorrow night and in Morristown, New Jersey on Thursday. The tour concludes in Alexandria, Virginia on November 24th.

Classic songs from Tammy Wynette and Marty Robbins are featured on two new DVDs issued by the Country Music Hall of Fame. Wynette's edition in the “Legendary Performances” series boasts the hits “Your Good Girl’s Gonna Go Bad,” “I Don’t Wanna Play House,” and “D-I-V-O-R-C-E,” along with performances by Tammy and George Jones including “We Love It Away” and “Golden Ring.” Robbins' collection has his 1957 performance of “Knee Deep In The Blues,” 1969’s “Begging To You,” his classic “El Paso,” and “My Woman, My Woman, My Wife.” The DVDs also feature interviews and behind-the-scenes footage from various times in the performers' careers. “Tammy Wynette: Legendary Performances” and “Marty Robbins: Legendary Performances” are both in stores today.

A new book features country artists talking about their horses. Brad Paisley, Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry, Willie Nelson, and Heidi Newfield are among those included in “Horse Country: A Celebration of Country Music and the Love of Horses.” The stories vary from funny to poignant, with each singer revealing what it is that makes a horse such a great companion. Author Lisa Wysocky [[why-socky]] is a therapeutic riding instructor who has written other books about country music and horses. Other artists featured in the book include Tanya Tucker, Charlie Daniels, Hal Ketchum, and Chris Cagle. “Horse Country” will be in stores on October 14th.

Rosanne Cash has taken issue with something John Rich recently said at a John McCain campaign rally. Rich told the crowd of McCain supporters that, "Somebody's got to walk the line in the country. They've got to walk it unapologetically.... And I'm sure Johnny Cash would have been a John McCain supporter if he was still around." Well, not so fast. Cash issued a statement against the singer's assumption that her legendary father would be supporting the Republican hopeful. She said, "It is appalling to me that people still want to invoke my father's name, five years after his death, to ascribe beliefs, ideals, values and loyalties to him that cannot possibly be determined, and to try to further their own agendas by doing so....I knew my father pretty well, at least better than some of those who entitle themselves to his legacy and his supposed ideals, and even I would not presume to say publicly what I 'know' he thought or felt. This is especially dangerous in the case of political affiliation. It is unfair and presumptuous to use him to bolster any platform. I would ask that my father not be co-opted in this election for either side, since he is clearly not here to defend or state his own allegiance." Rich wrote a song in support of McCain called "Raisin' McCain." The accompanying video can be viewed on Rich's website, johnrich.com.

This fall ESPN will crank up the volume and cue the rowdy friends the only way Monday Night Football knows how -- with Hank Williams Jr. For an unprecedented 20th season, the legendary singer will perform the anthem that ushers in the NFL's weekly primetime showcase game, a ritual that has earned him four Emmy awards (1991-1994) and national acclaim among legions of football fans. Williams first performed All My Rowdy Friends Are Here on Monday Night - based on his hit song All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight - in 1989 during the 20th anniversary season of MNF on ABC. Through the years, the MNF open has featured Williams in a variety of settings -- cruising the highway in a convertible with Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, tapping with famed dancer Savion Glover, even flying through outer space. After performing alongside an all-star band the past two years on ESPN, Williams will be a solo act this fall, welcoming fans to the weekly MNF game with a house party theme.

Randy Owen will have two firsts come November. His debut solo album, “One On One,” will be released, as will his memoir, “Born Country.” The book looks at Owen’s climb from the son of a share cropper and a life of extreme poverty to becoming a member of one of the best-known bands in country music, Alabama, with cousins Teddy Gentry and Jeff Cook. Randy co-wrote the book with Alan Rucker. He worked on his album with John Rich of Big & Rich serving as his producer. Randy’s second single from the upcoming disc, “Like I Never Broke Her Heart,” is featured in “People” magazine’s special Country Music issue, on newsstands now. “One On One” and “Born Country” will be in stores November 4th.
 

Elvis Presley has the lead in this year's RockinTown.com's poll of the Greatest Rock Artists of All-Time. Results of the ongoing annual survey are posted on the website every New Year's Day. Presley topped the 2007 survey, and if he takes the number one spot again for 2008 he'll become the first artist to earn the title twice. More than 69-thousand votes have been cast for the 63 rockers on the ballot, and so far Presley's the only contender to have more than ten-percent of the vote. Presley has been garnering a lot of attention in recent weeks, as Saturday marked the 31st anniversary of his death. Police officials tell Memphis' "Commercial Appeal" that an estimated crowd of 15-thousand were on hand for Friday night's Candlelight Vigil, the annual procession along the driveway past Elvis' grave at Graceland. While that number is a significant drop from last year's record-setting gathering of 55-thousand, stormy weather, including intermittent rainfall, is thought to have been a factor in keeping some fans away.

Dolly Parton is introducing a new entertainment area in her Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Adventure Mountain will be ready for the people who come to her Festival of Nations beginning March 28th. The park’s newest attraction celebrates the 75th anniversary of the nearby Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Additionally, a new show, “Imagine,” presented by Le Grand Cirque, will also debut. The production will include a cast of athletes, performers, and acrobats exhibiting extraordinary skills in contortion, mime, silk ropes, and other performances.

Charlie Daniels and his wife, Hazel, will host a benefit for St. Jude Children’s Hospital on September 23rd. Daniels has invited Billy Dean to be the special guest at the event, to be held at the Palm Restaurant. For ticket information call 615-742-3193.

Also......

Charlie Daniels graces the cover of American Profile magazine. In the cover story, Charlie talks about his milestones, life on his ranch and his love of America.