Female rock group Heart is pissed off about the Republicans using their song “Barracuda” last night as Sarah ‘Barracuda’ Palin and her family joined Republican presidential nominee John McCain on stage after his acceptance speech.

Nancy Wilson, of Heart, had this to say in response to their song being used by the elephants last night:

“I feel completely f—ed over.” She and sister Ann Wilson then e-mailed the following exclusive statement:

“Sarah Palin’s views and values in NO WAY represent us as American women. We ask that our song ‘Barracuda’ no longer be used to promote her image. The song ‘Barracuda’ was written in the late 70s as a scathing rant against the soulless, corporate nature of the music business, particularly for women. (The ‘barracuda’ represented the business.) While Heart did not and would not authorize the use of their song at the RNC, there’s irony in Republican strategists’ choice to make use of it there.”

It was mentioned in the same article that Barack Obama stole George W. Bush’s republican music theme, “Only In America” by Brooks & Dunn, to conclude his speech to 85,000 screaming fans at his acceptance speech last Thursday.

If you’re not aware of the history of the GOP using “Only in America,” a refresher is in order: Brooks & Dunn played it at the Bush inauguration in 2000. At the 2004 GOP convention, Dick Cheney used it as his exit music after his speech. And President Bush frequently used it on the campaign trail four years ago, even asking Brooks & Dunn to come out and play it live at rallies in the final week of the race.

McCain has been using the Brooks & Dunn song “That’s What It’s All About” at his campaign rallies this year.

Kix Brooks summed it up well when he spoke of the Democrats using a song that has become such a staple of the Republican party:

Kix Brooks released his official response in a benign statement: “Seems ironic that the same song Bush used at The Republican Convention last election would be used by Obama and the Democrats now. Very flattering to know our song crossed parties and potentially inspires all Americans.”

I think Kix summed it up best.  We for sure wouldn’t be speaking of Heart at all this morning unless their hit song was used as a backdrop for Palin to enter the stage last night.  I don’t think people at home go around wondering or giving a flip whether Heart supports McCain and Palin.  Palin’s basketball nickname from high school is “Barracuda.”  Heart should be smart, take the money that will come from the song being downloaded on iTunes, and donate it to their boy Barack!

The true winner this election season is Brooks & Dunn.

Truly, “Only in America!”

RELATED: Oprah Blocks Having Sarah Palin On Show

[image: WENN]

Country star Kenny Chesney is back in the saddle again with a new love. Chesney is dating pageant queen Skylene Montgomery (photos below) from West Virginia. The two met at one of his concerts in May.

Now the National Enquirer claims he hooked up with Miss West Virginia pageant queen Skylene Montgomery after meeting her at a concert in her native Charleston last month (May08) - and the pair has been dating ever since.

The tabloid claims Chesney is smitten and is taking the 23-year-old on tour with him.

Rumors of Chesney’s sexuality have dogged him especially after Renee Zellweger claimed fraud as the reason for the annulment of her marriage to Chesney back in September 2005 after just four months of marriage.

Photos of Pageant Queen Skylene Montgomery Below

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Former Alabama quarterback Jay Barker married award winning country singer Sara Evans on Saturday evening in Franklin, Tennessee.  Evans’ 9-year old son Avery walked her down the aisle.  All seven of their children (from prior marriages) made up the attendees.

The short ceremony featured Nashville songwriter Marcus Hummon, a close friend of Evans’s, singing “God Bless the Broken Road,” the Rascal Flatts hit he wrote – a song that the couple says has deep meaning for their relationship. Christian minister Joe Beam, who was responsible for introducing the couple last fall, performed the ceremony.

Evans, 37, wore an ivory silk taffeta Vera Wang gown with a halter neck and Barker, 35, wore a Dolce and Gabbana suit. The black-and-white affair (guests were requested to wear black) was accented with hints of yellow roses, and the sophisticated décor was given a down-home twist with a menu catered by Constant Craving featuring Southern fried chicken, country-style pole beans, biscuits and macaroni and cheese.

The presence of fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, and biscuits have to make it one of the greatest wedding receptions of all-time.

Evans and Barker announced their engagement just back in March.  They have been dating since last fall.

Country music star Shania Twain in a personal message on her website is thanking her fans for their support.  She says she will be back on top after she has “some time to heal this broken heart.”

Here is the text of the letter:

To my beloved fans:

As I am sure you have seen or heard; I am going through a rough time personally in my life.   I wanted you all to know that I could not be getting through this without you.  Your letters, emails and words of encouragement give me strength.  Your overwhelming support reminds me to smile, no matter how deep the pain and to always be grateful for all the beautiful blessings in my life.

I have so much to say but I know the best way for me to speak is through my music.  This is my therapy, my passion, and my love.  I look forward to sharing it with all of you as I begin this new journey.

I need some time to heal this broken heart but make no mistake; I will be back and hopefully stronger than ever.

Thank you my friends, from the bottom of my heart.

Love,
Shania

It has been over two weeks since news surfaced that Shania’s husband Mutt Lange is having an affair with Marie Ann Thiebaud.

Country music star Chris Cagle and his girlfriend Jennifer Tant were both arrested on domestic abuse charges early this morning. Both were taken into the slammer after police arrived at Cagle’s home and both Cagle and Tant had obvious marks of physical abuse.

Cagle’s latest arrest occurred around 4:40 a.m. Wednesday after he and girlfriend Jennifer Tant visited Players Inn, a bar located west of Nashville in the Bellevue community. Police reports indicate the couple got into a verbal dispute after leaving the bar and that the disagreement apparently escalated into a physical altercation once they arrived at Cagle’s home.

After arriving at Cagle’s house, officers determined that Cagle and Tant appeared to be intoxicated and that both showed signs of physical abuse. According to a police affidavit, Cagle had a bump on his head caused by Tant hitting him with an umbrella, and Taut had a scrape on her lip and a sore arm from Cagle hitting her with her purse.

Domestic abuse is a very bad thing but getting arrested for a country star will just help provide material for the next album. It is sort of like a gangster rapper getting sent to prison. Country music’s version of Music City Row Creed.

Sugarland, Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift were the big winners at tonight’s 43rd annual Academy of Country Music (ACM) Country Music Awards.

The show was hosted by the always entertaining Reba McIntyre.

Brad Paisley and Underwood did a moving tribute to country great Eddie Arnold who passed away ten days ago.

Other stars to perform included Dolly Parton, Trace Adkins, Brooks & Dunn, Miranda Lambert, Montgomery Gentry, Rodney Atkins, and Sugarland.

Garth Brooks won a life time achievement award and his wife Trisha Yearwood made an appearance as well.

A very prepped out Keith Urban, in suit, vest and tie, was in attendance with his very pregnant wife Nicole Kidman.

Kenny Chesney took home the biggest trophy of the night, ‘Entertainer of the Year.’

Here is a look at the nominees and WINNERS (in bold)

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Country music star Eddie Arnold has died at the age of 89 at his care home in Nashville, Tennessee. Eddie was popular for more than seven decades and influenced hundreds of musicians both country and in other genres.

Mr. Arnold was a harbinger of the lush, orchestral Nashville Sound, made popular by the likes of Jim Reeves and Patsy Cline in the late 1950s and ‘60s. His greatest success was on the country charts, where, taken together, his singles have spent more time — including more time in the top position — than those of any other singer in the music’s history.

Thirty-seven of his hits crossed over to the pop charts. The biggest of those, “Make the World Go,” reached the pop Top Ten during the fall of 1965, when it was heard on the radio alongside the latest records by the Beatles, the Supremes and the Rolling Stones.

Eddie charted more than 140 songs including 28 #1 hits.

The ‘Tennessee Plowboy’ was born in Henderson, Tennessee, near my hometown and where most of my family still resides. Rest in Peace Eddie!

Country singer Jim Hager, who rose to fame as one of the Hager twins on country variety TV show Hee Haw, has passed away at the age of 66 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Hager was at a coffee shop when he collapsed Thursday, Sam Lovullo said. He said he had been told that by Jon Hager, the surviving twin. Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he had been taken, gave no details on the cause of death.

The twins, who were also guitarists and drummers, rose to national fame as original cast members of the TV show in 1969. With its mixture of music and country-flavored humor, the show was a huge hit.

Condolences to Jon and the Hager family!

The 2008 CMT Country Music Awards took place tonight in Nashville, Tennessee at Belmont University. This year’s event was hosted by Billy Ray and Miley Cyrus.

Here is a Look at the CMA Winners

• Group Video of the Year - “Take Me There” Rascal Flatts
• Collaborative Video of the Year - “Til We Ain’t Strangers Anymore” Bon Jovi and LeAnn Rimes
• Breakthrough Video of the Year - “I Wonder” Kellie Pickler
• Performance of the Year - “I Wonder” Kellie Pickler
• Tearjerker Video of the Year - “I Wonder” Kellie Pickler
• Wide Open Country Video of the Year - “Gone, Gone, Gone” Alison Krauss and Robert Plant
• Video Director of the Year - Michael Salomon
• Comedy Video of the Year - “Online” Brad Paisley
• Supporting Character of the Year - “I Got My Game On” Rodney Carrington
• Duo Video of the Year - “Stay” Sugarland
• Male Video of the Year - “I Got My Game On” Trace Adkins
• Female Video of the Year - “Our Song” Taylor Swift
• Video of the Year - “Our Song” Taylor Swift

source: CMT.com

Country star Sara Evans is dating former University of Alabama quarterback Jay Barker according to a friend of Evans.  Evans went through a nasty divorce last year from Craig Schelske while competing on ‘Dancing With The Stars’.

Evans turns 37 tomorrow and has three children with Schelske.

A friend of the country singer confirms to PEOPLE that Evans and Jay Barker, a former football star at the University of Alabama who now hosts a sports radio show in Birmingham, are an item. “They are dating,” the friend tells PEOPLE.

Barker was one of the most successful quarterbacks in Alabama history.  He led the team to the 1992 National Championship.  He has the highest winning percentage of any quarterback ever to play at Bama.  His college record was 35-2-1.

Nix you should be proud. That is about as good as a Bama graduate can do.  He might finally make it into the Crimson Tide Hall of Fame now.

Jessica Simpson is planning a duet with country singer Dolly Parton on her next album.  Simpson is making a country album in Nashville in an attempt to strike big on the charts again.

Jessica told me she’s meeting with none other than Queen of Country Dolly Parton next week about doing a duet on the album. She’s also working with writer/producer John Shanks. In other words: she’s taking country seriously. Fans of the genre needn’t worry.

The only thing missing from this buxom duet will be Kenny Rogers, the plastic man.

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Carrie Underwood, in the Jan/Feb issue of Women’s Health, denies that she and Tony Romo were ever dating last year.  She had this to say to the women’s mag:

“He was not my boyfriend and we were never dating. The more I screamed ‘We’re not dating!’ the more headlines claimed that we were a couple or that I was crying because he was out with another girl. We’re really good friends, we hang out a lot, and we’re close…well, friends smooch occasionally.�

She also had these things to say in the article:

On being a vegetarian:
“There was a traumatic incident that made me stop eating beef…And it hit me that these cute little animals that were running around playing would become someone’s dinner.  Eating them made me feel guilty.â€?

On watching her diet and staying thin:
“The older I get, the harder it is to splurge without consequences.  I love food.  Chocolate and cheese and anything that’s bad for me.  I’ll be really good when I’m at home so I can eat what I want to when I’m out with friends.�

On what the gossip mags and message boards have to say:
“Occasionally I’ll be on the Internet and see something about me and give in to the urge to click on it.  It’s hard not to.  Usually I wish I didn’t.�

Read More of This Article

Read More Carrie Underwood Stories on Bumpshack

Back on December 29th we reported that Nicole Kidman was pregnant with husband Keith Urban’s baby.  After a week of denials her representative is now confirming the pregnancy.

Nicole Kidman and husband Keith Urban are expecting their first child, her rep confirms.

“The couple are thrilled,” Catherine Olim says in a statement.

For Kidman, 40, this will be her third child. She and her former husband, Tom Cruise adopted two children during their marriage: Isabella, now 15, and Connor, 12.

Congrats to Keith and Nicole….and for being one of the few celebrity couples to have a baby after getting married.

The two hottest and most popular women in country music are former American Idol winner Carrie Underwood and teen sensation Taylor Swift. Swift wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on her debut album Taylor Swift. Underwood on her second album, Carnival Ride, started co-writing some of her own tunes with the likes of Hillary Lindsey and Luke Laird.

Both women are extremely talented and will dominate the Billboard charts for the next thirty years. They will also continue to develop a rivalry as they will be competing with each other for awards and radio airplay.

Here is a quick look at Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift:

Carrie Underwood	Taylor Swift
Age: 24 - March 10, 1983 Hometown: Checotah, Oklahoma	Age: 18 - December 13, 1989 Hometown: Wyomissing, PA
Hit Songs: ‘Jesus Take the Wheel’ ‘Because He Cheats’ ‘Don’t Forget to Remember Me’ ‘So Small’	Hit Songs: ‘Tim McGraw’ ‘Teardrops on My Guitar’ ‘Our Song’ ‘Invisible’
Albums: Some Hearts - 6x Platinum (#2) Carnival Ride - 2x Platinum (#1)	Albums: Taylor Swift - 2x Platinum (#8) Taylor Swift Holiday Collection
Awards: Grammy Awards: 2007 Best New Artist, Best Female Vocal Performance - ‘Jesus Take the Wheel’, Best Country Song - ‘Jesus Take the Wheel’ CMA Awards: 2007 Female Vocalist of the Year, Single of the Year - ‘Because He Cheats’, 2006 Female Vocalist of the Year, Horizon Award Complete List	Awards: CMT Music Awards: Breakthrough Video of the Year - ‘Tim Mcgraw’ CMA Awards: Horizon Award
Discovered: American Idol	Discovered: Bluebird Cafe (Nashville)

Top 10 Albums on the Billboard chart in the December 01, 2007 issue.  Alicia Keys has the #1 album in the country with her new CD As I Am.  Josh Groban’s Christmas album, Noel, has moved all the way up to #2.  Celine Dion’s new album debuts at #3.

1. As I Am - Alicia Keys
   
2. Noel - Josh Groban
   
3. Taking Chances - Celine Dion
   
4. Now 26 - Various Artists
   
5. The Ultimate Hits - Garth Brooks
   
6. Long Road Out of Eden - The Eagles
   
7. Mothership - Led Zeppelin
8. American Gangster - Jay-Z
9. Carnival Ride - Carrie Underwood
   
10. Exclusive - Chris Brown
    

Top 10 Albums on the Billboard chart in the November 17, 2007 issue. It is the first week on the charts for the Eagles, Britney Spears, Avenged Sevenfold, Josh Turner, Backstreet Boys, Andrea Bocelli. The Eagles album is only available at Wal-Mart and Sam’s Clubs and still almost sold double (710,000) the amount of albums as Britney Spears did for the week.  Five of the top ten are country albums.

1. Long Road to Eden - Eagles
2. Blackout - Britney Spears
3. Carnival Ride - Carrie Underwood
4. Avenged Sevenfold - Avenged Sevenfold
5. Everything is Fine - Josh Turner
6. Raising Sand - Robert Plant/Alison Krauss
7. Unbreakable - Backstreet Boys
8. Noel - Josh Groban
9. The Best of Andrea Bocelli - Andrea Bocelli
10. Still Feels Good - Rascal Flats

The 41st CMA Awards for country music took place last night in Nashville, Tennessee.  The big winner was Carrie Underwood who won ‘Female Vocalist of the Year’ and ‘Single of the Year.’  Kenny Chesney also had a big night in winning the coveted ‘Entertainer of the Year’ award.

Brad Paisley won ‘Male Vocalist of the Year’ and ‘Music Video of the Year’ for his hit song “Online”.

The goofiest acceptance of the night easily went to Sugarland and their over-the-top giddy surprise at winning ‘Duo of the Year’ over such established acts as Brooks & Dunn and Montgomery Gentry.

Here is a look at the Winners from the 41st CMA Awards (complete list)

Entertainer of the Year - Kenny Chesney

Female Vocalist of the Year - Carrie Underwood

Male Vocalist of the Year - Brad Paisley

Horizon Award - Taylor Swift

Vocal Group of the Year - Rascal Flatts

Vocal Duo of the Year - Sugarland

Single of the Year - “Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood

Album of the Year - “It Just Comes Natural” by George Strait

Music Video of the Year - “Online” by Brad Paisley

Song of the Year - “Give It Away” by Bill Anderson, Buddy Cannon, Jamey Johnson

Country star Joe Nichols has entered rehab to deal with some long standing substance abuse issues according to his manager.

“As Joe has alluded to in interviews over the past year, he has struggled with the issue of substance abuse,” his management team said in a statement posted on his Web site. “In order to become a healthier person and deal with long standing issues, he has entered into a rehabilitation program for consultation and treatment.”

Nichols is famous for the songs Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off, The Impossible, Broken Heartsville, She Only Smokes When She Drinks, Size Matters and Let’s Get Drunk and Fight to name a few.

Good luck Joe and congrats on you recent marriage to your girlfriend of twelve years.

Official Joe Nichols Website

Country music star Josh Turner has been invited to join the historic Grand Ole Opry.  He will be inducted on October 27th by Vince Gill.

During Opry Live, Turner presented Roy Clark with a plaque commemorating his 20 years as an Opry member. Clark then pulled an envelope attached to the back of the plaque and said, “Well, actually this is for you, Josh. It reads: How would you like to formally become a member of the Grand Ole Opry?”

Said Turner: “I made my Opry debut back in 2001. I never knew this could happen so early.”

Turner is known for his hits: ‘Long Black Train’,  ‘Me and God’ and ‘Would You Go With Me.’

Troubled country singer Mindy McCready was sentenced by a Tennessee judge to a year in the county jail today for violating her probation.  McCready has had numerous arrests since breaking onto the music scene a decade ago.

“Your honor, I can honestly tell you this: This has been the longest two months of my life … not being able to hold my son … has been excruciatingly painful.”

“I could only say I’m sorry,” she said. “Please give me a chance to make things as right as they can possibly be.”

Bivins sentenced her to a year in the county jail with credit for 75 days of time served. After her release she will face another two years of probation.

She deserves it.  Mindy has been a nut job since her fame.  She is famous now for being in and out of jail.