COUNTRY April 2, 2015

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Audio • Bits & Breaks • Country Prep • Datebook • Datebook Tomorrow • Entertainment • Fun & Games • Image of the Day • Joke of the Day! • Last Minute Items • News & Nuggets • News Attack • Number for the Day • Television • Video of the Day • Wacky-But-True

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DATEBOOK: APRIL 2, 2015

This is day 92 of 2015. There are 273 days remaining.

BIRTHDAYS

• Singer Leon Russell is 73

• Christopher Meloni (True Blood, Law and Order: SVU) is 54

• Clark Gregg (Phil Coulson in the Marvel comics universe) is 53

• Roselyn Sánchez (Without a Trace) is 42

• Pedro Pascal (Game of Thrones) is 40

• Adam Rodriguez (CSI: Miami) is 40

• Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class, Ingorlious Basterds, Prometheus) is 38

• Lee Dewyze (American Idol) is 29

IT HAPPENED TODAY

• 1902: Electric Theatre, the first full-time movie theater in the United States, opened in Los Angeles.

• 1917: The first woman ever elected to the U.S. Congress, Jeannette Rankin, took her seat as a representative from Montana.

• 1932: Aviator Charles Lindbergh, through an intermediary, paid $50,000 ransom in a New York cemetery to a man who promised to return his kidnapped son. (The child was found dead the following month. The ransom money was eventually traced to Bruno Hauptmann, who was executed for the crime.)

• 1968: The science-fiction film 2001: A Space Odyssey had its world premiere in Washington, D.C.

• 1974: Robert Opel streaked naked across the stage at the Academy Awards. Actor David Niven, who is on stage, ad libbed, “Just think, the only laugh that man will probably ever get is for stripping and showing his shortcomings.”

• 1975: CN Tower was completed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, reaching 1,750 feet in height and becoming the world’s tallest free-standing structure (at that time).

• 1978: Dallas debuted on CBS. It starred Larry Hagman as J.R. Ewing, Linda Gray as Sue Ellen, Barbara Bel Geddes as Miss Ellie, Patrick Duffy as Bobby, Victoria Principal as Pam, Charlene Tilton as Lucy, and Jim Davis as Jock.

• 1992: In New York, Mafia boss John Gotti was convicted of murder and racketeering and was later sentenced to life in prison.

• 2005: Pope John Paul II died at the age of 84. His funeral was broadcast to every corner of the globe through the modern media. Millions of Catholic pilgrims journey to Rome, Italy to pay final respects.

SPECIAL EVENTS

• International Children’s Book Day

• National Ferret Day

• National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day

• World Autism Day

• Tell A Lie Day

UPCOMING

• April 5: Easter (Sunday)

• April 5: Major League Baseball season opener (Sunday – Cards at Cubs, 8:05p ET)

• April 6: NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Game (Monday)

• May 10: Mother’s Day (Sunday)

• May 25: Memorial Day (Monday)

• June 21: Father’s Day (Sunday)

• More holidays

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NUMBER FOR THE DAY

63.5: Temperature (Fahrenheit) reached one day in March in Antarctica, a record.

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NEWS ATTACK!

McDonald’s announced that it’s removing some of the additives from its grilled chicken. [Now its shelf life is only six months.]

An Ole Miss student was kicked out of his fraternity, and then his parents yanked him out of school after he spent part of spring break biting the head off a hamster on video. [There was a time when you could have built an entire rock and roll career off that.]

A drunk driver in Alaska was arrested after he crashed his truck then stole a forklift in an attempt to move the truck. [That’s why when you go out for  a night of drinking you should always have with you a designated thief.]

Antarctica is changing. It recorded its highest temperature ever — 63.5 degrees. [It was so warm scientists say there was very little ice remaining on the golf course.]

In Japan the world’s oldest person has died at 117. She died only weeks after her 117th birthday party. [They never should have made that old lady try to blow out that  many candles.]

An Uber driver was arrested in Denver after he circled back to try to rob the home of the woman he had just dropped off at the airport. [Remember the good old days when cab drivers were content to just steal you blind on the fare?]

In Pennsylvania a man was killed in the cemetery when his mother-in-law’s headstone fell over on him. [She always did insist on having the last word.]

Chris Christie got into a heated debate with a public school teacher. [He told her to meet him after school on the playground.]

The E! network announced a new Kardashian spinoff. It’s called Dash Dolls and will focus on the sisters’ retail store. [Well, that should certainly make your cable bill worth every penny.]

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NEWS & NUGGETS

THIS WOMAN KNOWS: TO LIVE LONG, BE KIND _ The world’s oldest person, 116-year-old Gertrude Weaver of Arkansas, believes the key to longevity is treating other people kindly. Weaver, born on July 4, 1898, lives at a senior care facility in Camden, Arkansas, where she exercises in her wheelchair three times a week.

… Misao Okawa, a Japanese woman recognized as the world’s oldest person who credited her longevity to “eating delicious things” and getting plenty of rest, died at the age of 117 on Wednesday.

… Weaver’s 93-year-old son visits her on a regular basis.

TINY BIRD MAKES EPIC 1,700-MILE TRIP OVER OPEN OCEAN _ A tiny songbird that summers in New England can pull off something even the biggest airline companies can’t: A nonstop flight from Vermont to Puerto Rico. Every fall the blackpoll warbler embarks on an incredibly dangerous, nonstop flight from New England and eastern Canada to warmer temperatures in the Caribbean. Not only is the flight nonstop, the tiny birds’ course runs entirely over the turbulent waters of the Atlantic Ocean. For more than five decades, scientists believed this epic journey was taking place, and now an international team of biologists has confirmed it’s true. Recent advances in tracking technology allowed researchers to fit dime-sized locating devices onto the backs of 19 blackpolls from Vermont and 18 from Nova Scotia.

BABY CHOKED ON CIGARETTE BUTT WHILE MOM WAS IN BAR _ A Florida mom was arrested on multiple charges after a 1-year-old choked on a cigarette butt while the woman walked to a nearby bar because she “needed a break. Two other adults who were at the house heard the 1-year-old choking after the child managed to find smoked cigarettes in an ashtray. One of the adults was able to remove the cigarette butt from the child’s mouth.

GREAT WHITE SHARK HARASSES KAYAKER FOR AN HOUR _ A South African kayaker recently came face-to-face with a great white shark when the predator grabbed his boat, gouged it and then spent an hour harassing him.

Start it on Facebook, take it to the phones: What’s your scarey wildlife encounter story?

COUPLE OFFERS $60 CUDDLE SESSION _ Noelia Bonilla and Charlie Amadiz end their nights cuddling with each other. When morning rolls around, it’s time to spoon with strangers. The couple started The Ideal Cuddle, a confidential cuddling service in New York City to help improve people’s well-being and create a safe environment for individuals to connect. The cuddling is never allowed to cross the line into being sexual. All sessions are videotaped for the safety of participants and facilitators, and anyone who crosses the line will be banned from services. The couple offers male to female, female to female, and female to male sessions — and rates start at $60 for 45 minutes of snuggle time. The pair also offer a “double cuddle” session, in which clients can be embraced by both “specialists.” No one has yet to take them up on the dual service.

ARTIST PAINTS LAST SUPPER WITH KETCHUP AND FRIES _ Mil Cannon is an Atlanta artist who has done videos for Usher and other big stars. But Cannon’s latest project is drawing a lot of attention. Using just 12 packets of ketchup and two large orders of fries, Cannon painted the last supper in a new video posted to YouTube. A three-minute video shows the painting from start to finish, with Cannon using only the ketchup as paint and only the fries as paint brushes. • Video

… At the end of the video, we learn the reason behind the painting. Words flash on the screen saying the cost of two large fries, $5, would feed 100 hungry people this Easter. The video is to benefit Serv International, a nonprofit whose mission is to feed the hungry here and around the world.

COUPLE WINS LOTTERY FOR SECOND TIME _ A U.K. couple won $1.2 million from the EuroMillions lottery last week. They won the same jackpot just two years ago.

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE IS COMING BACK _ During the 1980s, kids around the world were given the chance to make life or death decisions. Should you grow gills? Should you explore the dark, scary cave? Should you confront the people hunting you? These terrifying choices were turned into gameplay thanks to the Choose Your Own Adventure book series. From 1979 to 1998, Bantam Books released 184 self-guided adventures. According to Chooseco, the current publisher of CYOA books, there are 260 million of the books in print in over 40 languages. Those numbers are about to get even bigger. Choose Your Own Adventure will be releasing a new story on April 15 called Escape from the Haunted Warehouse, which promises to be the scariest journey yet. Oddly, the book was originally announced in 1997, and it was intended to be the final entry in the initial publication of the Choose Your Own Adventure series. But it was never actually put into print.

HOW BLUE SKIES LEAVE THE BRITISH FEELING BLUE _ According to a new study, the weather does not make British people more moody — except when they are stuck in the office on a sunny day. New research (presented to the Royal Economic Society’s annual conference) found that weather patterns have no measurable impact on people’s overall levels of happiness but can affect their job satisfaction.

COLLEGE KIDS HIRE THEMSELVES OUT AS CLASS STAND-INS _ On college campuses across China, students are increasingly hiring themselves out to schoolmates as stand-ins to attend classes. The surrogate class takers target upperclassmen who might be looking to find some extra time for internships or to run a side business. Ads for the services are a common sight on university online forums across China. Rates start about about $3.25 for a 90 minute class, with note-taking and homework priced separately. Discounts are available for longer contracts.

BRAZIL PRIEST SUSPENDED FOR NUDE SELFIE _ A Brazilian priest known for conservative views on moral issues and disapproving in his sermons of kissing and sex has been suspended for sending a nude selfie to an apparent mistress. Father Alfredo Rosa Borges is seen posing naked in front of a mirror holding his cell phone in pictures posted last week. Father Borges admitted sending suggestive messages to a woman who later posted them but denied having an intimate relationship with her.

COMPANY MAKES TEAR-FREE ONIONS _ The sobbing of a chef as he chops onions in the kitchen could be a thing of the past thanks to one Japanese company, which says it has produced a tear-free vegetable. Scientists say they have managed to disable the production of a powerful substance an onion releases as the knife slices into it, cutting down on the pungent fumes that bring tears to the eyes.

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WACKY-BUT-TRUE

WACKY-BUT-TRUE: WOMAN FLASHED GOOGLE STREET VIEW CAR _ A woman in Australia has admitted that she exposed herself to a Google Street View camera car so she could fulfill a dream of getting on Google Maps. But now she’s in trouble for flashing her privates in public. • Safe for work pic

WACKY-BUT-TRUE: WOMAN ASKS DEPUTY TO ‘SMOKE SOME ON IT?’ _ A deputy driving down a street in Bradenton, Florida, spotted Sue Luna, who had a warrant for violation of probation. The deputy arrested Luna and placed her in the backseat of his vehicle to take her to the station. Luna reportedly could not sit still and her eyes kept rolling back in her head. The deputy suspected she was under the influence of a drug. Before the deputy placed Luna in his backseat, he noticed a napkin jammed underneath the seat with a glass pipe inside. The pipe, commonly used for smoking crack cocaine, had metal jammed in one end and burn marks on it. Luna admitted she put it there. She then asked the deputy “Do you want to smoke some on it?”

WACKY-BUT-TRUE: ‘TISSUE ATTENDANT’ AT MADAME TUSSAUDS IS COMFORTING 1D FANS _ It’s been just over a week since Zayn Malik left One Direction, and the world is still in an emotionally fragile state. Heartbroken fans have been making the pilgrimage to see the One Direction exhibit at Madame Tussauds in London, so the wax museum appointed a tissue attendant to comfort the crying fans. According an employee, the museum had a delivery of 150 boxes of tissues over the weekend.

WACKY-BUT-TRUE: MAN TAKES PIZZA HUT TO COURT OVER ‘EXCESSIVELY HARD CROUTON’ _ A Tennessee man took Pizza Hut to court over some fault food. Everett Chattman (of Harriman, Tennessee) was eating at a Pizza Hut when he allegedly broke a partial denture as he bit into a crouton. Chattman and his lawyer initially attempted to deal with the situation through insurance, but they filed suit when negotiations stalled. Chattman’s lawyer said Pizza Hut damaged his client’s denture by “negligently serving … excessively hard croutons.”

WACKY-BUT-TRUE: COPS SUSPENDED FOR BOOZING WITH PRISONERS _ A couple of police officers in India have been suspended after spending a night out on the town with inmates. The cops reportedly spent seven hours drinking with two prisoners in a bar in Mumbai. The officers signed out the inmates saying that they wanted to question them, but instead took them to the bar.

WACKY-BUT-TRUE: DRUNK MAN STEALS FORKLIFT, DRIVES 3 MILES TO RETRIEVE TRUCK _ In Alaska a 21-year-old man crashed his father’s truck into a stack of pipes. To recover the truck he came up with a plan: steal a forklift to move the truck. He was pretty drunk, which helped his courage. But his plan failed. The man drove for three miles in the stolen forklift but was stopped by police after someone reported the machine going down the road.

WACKY-BUT-TRUE: WOMAN FIGHTS OFF INTRUDER WITH CERAMIC CHICKEN _ Patricia Leece of Lexington, Kentucky, said she opened her door early Monday because she thought the banging and shouting was her granddaughter, but she instead found a female stranger. The woman pushed her way into Leece’s house and wrapped a bra around Leece’s neck to choke her. Leece says she fought with the stranger for 15 to 20 minutes. She finally grabbed a ceramic chicken and started hitting the stranger in the head with it. When the intruder fell unconscious Leece called 911. Police said the intruder was apparently on drugs and believed she was being followed when she knocked on Leece’s door.

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ON TELEVISION

THE BIG BANG THEORY (8p ET, CBS) — New

GREY’S ANATOMY (8p ET, ABC) — New

BONES (8p ET, FOX) — New

DATELINE: THE REAL BLACKLIST (8p ET, NBC) — Repeat

THE FLASH (8p ET, CW) — Two repeats air tonight.

THE ODD COUPLE (8:30p ET, CBS) — Christine Woods (The Walking Dead, Go On) guest stars in this new episode.

SCANDAL (9p ET, ABC) — New

THE BLACKLIST (9p ET, NBC) — New

THE BIG BANG THEORY (9p ET, CBS) — Repeat

BACKSTROM (9p ET, FOX) — New

MOM (9:30p ET, CBS) — Jaime Pressly guest stars in this new episode.

ELEMENTARY (10p ET, CBS) — Anastasia Griffith (Once Upon a Time) guest stars in this new episode.

FINALE: THE SLAP (10p ET, NBC) — This miniseries ends tonight.

AMERICAN CRIME (10p ET, ABC) — Regina King guest stars in this new episode.

SERIES PREMIERE: LIP SYNC BATTLE (10p ET, Spike) — Already a huge viral sensation, now Lip Sync Battle has its very own show, hosted by LL Cool J and with colorful commentary by co-host Chrissy Teigen. Each episode will feature two A-list celebrities performing. The premiere features Jimmy Fallon and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Another new episode at 10:30p ET features Common and John Legend.

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ENTERTAINMENT

JOHN’S FIRST LOVE, CYNTHIA LENNON, DIES OF CANCER _ John Lennon’s first love, Cynthia Lennon, has passed away from complications due to cancer. Cynthia’s son with John, Julian, announced the news on his website and tweeted a photo of his mom in remembrance. Cynthia married John Lennon just before The Beatles exploded, and went along for the ride as the band experienced massive success and a loyal following, which sometimes became a danger to her. Fans, she once said, were not supposed to know that any of the Fab Four were married or expecting children because it ruined the experience for them.

FURIOUS 7 BREAKS PRE-SALE RECORD _ Furious 7 is breaking records and it hasn’t even opened yet. Pre-sales for the latest entry in the street racing action franchise surpassed those of last year’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier to become April’s biggest pre-seller on Wednesday. Furious 7 will open this weekend in 4,003 theaters in North America and another 10,500 overseas.

STAR TREK SERIES COMES BACK TO CBS WITH WIL WHEATON? _ Sources say not only is Star Trek coming back to TV — on CBS — but that Wil Wheaton will play the starship’s captain. Wheaton is known for his portrayal of Wesley Crusher on the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation.

JEREMY RENNER STRIKES SETTLEMENT DEAL WITH ESTRANGED WIFE _ Jeremy Renner was finally able to put an end to the weirdest custody/support battle in recent memory. His estranged wife has agreed to a settlement, which Jeremy was willing to do all along. The settlement includes both custody and child support involving their 2-year-old daughter Ava. Under the terms of the settlement, Jeremy will share 50/50 custody with Sonni Pacheco. She’ll get $13,000 a month for child support. She gets no spousal support — the marriage lasted only 10 months and there was a prenup. Sonni’s lawyer said in court Wednesday there could be more issues, but Jeremy’s lawyer rolled her eyes to the judge and said the case was fully resolved. Sonni filed for divorce in December 2014. The two have been fighting over custody of Ava.

SUSAN SARANDON’S EX SAYS “I WASN’T GOOD ENOUGH” _ Susan Sarandon’s ex, Jonathan Bricklin, is still reeling from his split with the actress. The 37-year-old opened up about his heartache to Page Six earlier this week saying, “She’s someone I loved more than anyone I’ve ever been with, and that won’t change.” He continued, “We had a six-year relationship that’s gone through ups and downs. We’re taking some time apart to really refresh.” Bricklin met the 68-year-old star while on a 2010 vacation in Chile. Bricklin says, “I loved her dating me, and I never felt embarrassed for her dating me. What I felt was, the general public and maybe her family and friends maybe felt that I wasn’t good enough for her.”

KATIE COURIC GETS JAMES CORDEN WITH EPIC APRIL FOOL’S DAY PRANK _ James Corden thought Wednesday’s edition of The Late Late Show would be just another show. He didn’t know, however, that the laughs would come at his expense. When welcoming guest Katie Couric to the stage, the newest CBS host immediately freaked out when his guest experienced a horrible fall down a flight of stairs. As the audience looked on in shock, Corden sprang into action by running towards the injured journalist. But as it turns out, it was just a big ole’ prank. The real Couric appeared at the top of the stairs and called out, “April Fools’ Day!” Coren said, “I can’t breathe. That’s like my worst nightmare.” • Video

KELLAN LUTZ WILL HELP PEOPLE BECOME HUMAN DARTS ON REALITY SHOW _ Fox will debut a new reality competition show later this spring, with Kellan Lutz as host. The Twilight star will host Bullseye, in which four men and four women participate in three levels of challenges requiring them to use their bodies to hit targets on land, sea and air in an attempt to win $50,000. Among those challenges? Trying to hit the center of a stationary target while leaping from a moving 18-wheeler, and trying to hit a target while jumping between two racing speedboats.

DANN FLOREK RETURNING TO LAW & ORDER: SVU FOR ONE EPISODE _ Law & Order: SVU is bringing back two familiar faces — Dann Florek and Andre Braugher. Both actors will return for one guest star shot in the same episode in May. Florek made his departure from SVU during the 15th season, after spending 14 years as Captain Cragen.

… Braugher, currently co-starring opposite Andy Samberg on Fox’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine, has been on SVU five times.

JANUARY JONES AND WILL FORTE ARE DATING _ The Last Man on Earth has a new woman in his life. Will Forte, star of the Fox comedy, is dating his costar, January Jones. Jones and Forte first worked together when the Mad Men actress hosted Saturday Night Live in 2009.

ROBERT PATTINSON AND FKA TWIGS ENGAGED _ Robert Pattinson and FKA Twigs are reportedly engaged. Speculation surged after T-Pain seemingly broke the news during an interview with Vulture earlier on Wednesday, but he then played it off as an April Fools’ Day joke. Now it appears he may have just been covering up the truth after accidentally exposing it. According to People, Pattinson and Twigs are officially engaged after six months of dating.

BOB BARKER CAME ON DOWN FOR A ‘PRICE IS RIGHT’ RETURN _ Bob Barker made a special appearance on The Price is Right for April Fools’ Day. Looking spry at 91, Barker handled the first price-guessing game of the show, the classic “Lucky Seven,” before turning hosting duties over to Drew Carey, who finished up. • Video

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AUDIO

Visit the Pro Audio page for thousands of archived audio cuts.

EASTER DROPS

A package of clips relating to Easter. » click for download page

WARDROBE MALFUNCTIONS

Wardrobe malfunctions. Share your story and then go to the phones. Here are three calls that will help. » click for download page

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BITS & BREAKS

THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT MARSHMALLOW PEEPS

Easter is coming up, so here are some things didn’t know about marshmallow Peeps. The popular, chick-shaped candy has been around for more than 60 years.

• Peeps are owned and made by Just Born Inc., a candy company located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The company is named after Sam Born, a Russian-born founder and confectioner, who started the brand in 1917 after immigrating to the United States.

• Peeps were once made by hand and took nearly 30 hours to create. Today they take about six minutes to create.

• Just Born makes about 5.5 million Peeps each day.

• The original Peep had two small wings coming off the back of each bird. In 1955, the company dropped the wings to streamline the creation process.

• You can find Peeps on grocery store shelves and in candy stores, but there are also several brick-and-mortar shops specializing in Peeps. The first Peeps-theme store opened in 2009 in Oxon Hill, Maryland, right outside Washington, D.C. Since then the company has opened two other locations: one in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and another in the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota.

• There are Facebook groups dedicated to disliking Peeps.

SHOWER THOUGHTS

In the shower you’re alone with no distractions. It’s just you and your thoughts. On a Reddit board called Shower Thoughts people share what things they thought of while shower.

• Somewhere there’s a 50 year old billionaire who’s future trophy wife hasn’t even been born yet.

• The Comedy Central Roast of Justin Bieber should’ve been called The Biebercue.

• April 1st would be the worst day for a zombie outbreak to begin.

• There will never be any more people older than me than there are right now.

• If bicycles are called bikes, motorcycles should be mikes.

• If you don’t pay your exorcist do you get repossessed?

• No matter how stupid you think your ideas are, remember there’s a millionaire out there because of pool noodles.

• If you’re rich of famous enough, acting like a decent person becomes newsworthy.

• Our brain is our most important organ. According to our brain.

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FUN & GAMES

TRIVIA: This company’s average customer visits every eleven days. (Taco Bell)

TRIVIA: One in three women say the biggest problem in there life is what? (Men)

THE WORLD’S EASIEST MULTIPLE-CHOICE RADIO GAME

I have a series of multiple choices for you to make. Do that and you win! (There are no questions. The caller just chooses one from each group and wins all the way through.)

One subscriber calls it “Not A Damn Thing In Common.” After each list of three is given out the listener has to come up with something they have in common…which is not a damn thing. Whatever they call out is the right answer.

• Macaroni and cheese
• A laptop computer
• Pine cones

• French fries
• Tom Hanks
• Toronto, Canada

• Pumpkin seeds
• Ugg boots
• Frisbee golf

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JOKE OF THE DAY

A guy walks into a restaurant, sees no one around and yells out, “Where is everybody? I want some food!” A moment later a horse walks out of the back room. The man just stands there and stares at him. The horse says, “All right, you’re making such a fuss. What do you want to order?” The man still just stands there staring at the horse, who continues “Let’s have it. What’s your order, mister?” Finally the man asks, “Did the cow sell this place?”

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VIDEO OF THE DAY

Mixed martial arts self-knockout.

https://youtu.be/6UNfnmZyJUc

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IMAGE OF THE DAY

Just me and my fish going for a ride.

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LAST MINUTE ITEMS

• Wear a poo emoji button-down shirt.

• Guys, we found your Pinterest page: The Man Cave Grill Master’s Grills

• How to remove a wasp infestation with a shop vac.

• This is sand.

• Orbital objects.

• Yarn dissection.

• Vine: Dog finds the perfect stick.

• How to say sh** (and other words) in any language.

• How would you be in Mars years?

• This site says what you type using movie and TV clips.

• Bouncy Balls.

• There will soon be 299 under-ocean cables that connect the world to the Internet.

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COUNTRY DATEBOOK: APRIL 2, 2015

• 1984: ALABAMA’s album Roll On was certified gold and platinum. Hits included the title track, If You’re Gonna Play In Texas and When We Make Love.

• 1992: GARTH BROOKS’ album No Fences was certified triple platinum. Hits included Friends In Low Places, Unanswered Prayers and Two Of A Kind (Workin’ On A Full House).

• 1994: TIM MCGRAW’s first top ten, Indian Outlaw, peaked at #15 on the pop charts.

• 1994: LITTLE TEXAS scored its first number one hit with My Love.

• 2002: MARTY STUART was arrested for DUI in Hendersonville, Tennessee, while on his way to Walmart

• 2008: DOLLY PARTON performed at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles during American Idol, where contestants sang 9 To 5.

• 2010: Astronaut Tracy Dyson sang GARTH BROOKS’ song The River to her husband before heading to the launching pad for her trip on Space Shuttle Discovery.

• 2011: In his first public show since BROOKS & DUNN’s split, RONNIE DUNN performed at the Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas. The set list included My Maria, Red Dirt Road, Hillbilly Deluxe and Bleed Red.

• 2013: THE BAND PERRY’s album Pioneer was released. Hits included Better Dig Two, Done and Chainsaw.

EMMYLOU HARRIS is 68

BUDDY JEWELL is 54

BILLY DEAN is 53

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COUNTRY AUDIO

ELI YOUNG BAND on their favorite album. » go to download page

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COUNTRY MUSIC NEWS

GARTH BROOKS has broken yet another ticket sales record, this time in Nebraska. On the first day of ticket sales for his shows in Omaha, 92,000 tickets were sold, breaking the record for the entire state that had been set by Garth himself back in 1997 (66,661 tickets). Garth and TRISHA YEARWOOD will play six shows in Omaha, with single shows on May 7 and 10 and two shows each night on May 8 and 9.

The Academy of Country Music’s Party For A Cause has added several more performers for its two day outdoor concerts at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas. Among those added are KEITH URBAN, ERIC CHURCH, BRETT ELDREDGE, HUNTER HAYES, ALAN JACKSON, JAKE OWEN, BROOKS & DUNN, LADY ANTEBELLUM, THE BAND PERRY, JOHN ANDERSON, DEANA CARTER, BRANDY CLARK, SARA EVANS, MARTY STUART, REBA MCENTIRE and COLE SWINDELL. They join a lineup of previously announced performers that include CLINT BLACK, DIERKS BENTLEY, RONNIE MILSAP, PATTY LOVELESS and FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE.

TIM MCGRAW says the music of the ‘70s was a huge influence and can be heard throughout all of his music. When asked how to describe his own musical style, he says it’s like GEORGE STRAIT, MERLE HAGGARD and THE EAGLES rolled into one.

LUKE BRYAN is recovering after a minor procedure on his elbow. Luke has a break in his touring schedule until his April 12 performance at Country Thunder in Arizona.

After months of being spotted in and around Nashville and much speculation, the Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler visited the Grand Ole Opry Tuesday evening to formally announce plans to release a country album. Tyler appeared on stage following singer/songwriter ERIC PASLAY’s performance, and that isn’t a coincidence because the pair has actually been doing some writing together. It’s rumored that Tyler has signed with the same label that TAYLOR SWIFT, TIM McGRAW and RASCAL FLATTS are on.

DARYLE SINGLETARY (Too Much Fun) is back with a new song, There’s Still A Little Country Left, the title track from his new album. The albums is expected to hit stores April 28.

Several artists will be in Murfreesboro, Tennessee tonight (Thursday) for an event to benefit The Exchange Club of Middle Tennessee. TANYA TUCKER, JOHN CONLEE, JOHN BERRY, T. GRAHAM BROWN, JAN HOWARD, and HIGHWAY 101’s PAULETTE CARLSON are just a few of those who’ll be mingling with guests and offering tips on how to help the Exchange Club, whose mission is community service, youth activities and the prevention of child abuse.

DON WILLIAMS is hitting the road in a couple of weeks and will tour through late November. The Country Music Hall of Fame member begins the tour April 16 in Effingham, Illinois, and will visit Wisconsin, Florida and other states on the trek, and perform a few shows in Canada.

DOLLY PARTON tells People magazine she thinks the artist who’ll stand the test of time is TAYLOR SWIFT. Dolly says Taylor knew who she was, had her dream and stuck with it and she’s very proud of the 25-year-old.

JASON ALDEAN tells E! News the artist he’d most like to duet with is Beyonce. Other names he mentioned are Justin Timberlake and Rhianna, while his new wife Brittany Kerr suggested a collaboration with Adele would be a cool thing too.

KACEY MUSGRAVES reveals to Cosmopolitan magazine she doesn’t wash her hair every day. She has actually gone as long as 12 days in a row without washing it, but she does dry shampoo it when she doesn’t wash it.