Washington, DC ' Lee Greenwood, known for writing and performing the most recognized patriotic song of our time '  'God Bless the U.S.A.' ' will soon be garnering air miles to and from the nation's capitol.  Greenwood has accepted a Presidential appointment to the National Endowment for the Arts council and will serve a six-year term.

Appointed by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the Senate, the Nashville-based country singer is scheduled to be sworn in today, Nov. 17, as one of the 14 regular members of the National Council on the Arts. Council members advise the NEA chairman, and their portfolio includes reviewing and making recommendations on applications for grants from the $145-million-a-year federal agency.

My appointment to the council of the National Endowment of the Arts is a great opportunity for me to be involved in searching out the best in art in our American culture & to lend a hand to help develop talented artists & artistic programs that would otherwise go unnoticed,' adds Greenwood.

Greenwood, who grew up on a farm near Sacramento, is the lone council member appointed by Bush who will serve throughout the four years of the Obama term. The other 13 slots are occupied by Bush appointees but will come due during the next President''s term.

Pam, Mel, Mel Jr., and Carrie April Tillis Hit the Tour Trail This Holiday Season

(Nashville, TN) ' With Christmas just around the corner, Pam and Mel Tillis are happy to announce their holiday tour, 'A Tillis Family Christmas.'  Pam, Mel, Mel Jr, and Carrie April will spread Tillis holiday cheer with stops all across the nation as well as one performance in Canada.  The tour dates are listed below.

'A Tillis Family Christmas' is a lifetime of Christmas memories set to music.  The Tillises have been celebrating Christmas on stage as individuals and as a family for over 20 years.  Former CMA Entertainer of the Year, award winning comedian, Songwriter's Hall of Fame member and part-time movie star, Mel Tillis, and his two-time Grammy Award winning daughter, Pam Tillis, welcome you to a night of fun and poignancy, from the silly to the sacred.

This year, Mel will be releasing his first ever Christmas album entitled 'Snowflake,' and Pam will be showcasing songs from her 2007 holiday release, 'Just in Time for Christmas,' along with many of their chart-topping country hits.

Joining them on stage for the two hour extravaganza will be Pam's brother, Mel Tillis, Jr., and baby sister, Carrie April Tillis.  Mel Jr. has written songs for Ricky Skaggs, Reba McEntire and many others, including a #1 hit by Jamie O'Neal. Carrie April Tillis, a classically trained opera singer and actress, has been a favorite of audiences from Branson, Missouri, to New York City.

''J-j-j-ingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way' and a great big 'ho, ho, ho' to all of you from the Tillis family!' sings Mel.  'D-d-ditto dad,' added Pam, 'and we can't wait to see you all at 'A Tillis Family Christmas!''

'A TILLIS FAMILY CHRISTMAS' TOUR DATES:

November 29 ' Hiawassee, GA ' Anderson Music Hall ' 7:00pm

December 2 ' Melbourne, FL ' King Center for the Performing Arts ' 8:00pm

December 3 ' Lakeland, FL ' The Lakeland Center ' 2:30 & 7:30pm

December 5 ' Bay St. Louis, MS ' Hollywood Casino ' 7:00pm

December 6 ' Bay St. Louis, MS ' Hollywood Casino ' 7:00pm

December 7 ' Meridian, MS ' Riley Center for the Performing Arts ' 8:00pm

December 11- Sault St. Marie, MI ' Kewadin Casino ' Time TBA

December 13 ' Onamia, MN ' Grand Casino Mille Lacs ' 5:30 & 8:30pm

December 14 ' St. Michael, ND ' Spirit Lake Casino & Resort ' 4:00pm

December 15 ' Regina, SK ' Casino Regina ' 8:30pm

December 19 ' Tucson, AZ ' Venue TBA ' Showtime TBA

December 20 ' Albuquerque, NM ' Venue TBA ' ShowTime TBA

HALL OF FAMERS CELEBRATED ON
THE ORIGINAL SOUL MEN: SAM AND DAVE DVD DOCUMENTARY

Featuring 21 outstanding live performances, including their 1967 Grammy-winning classic song 'Soul Man,' and new and vintage interviews, the two-hour DVD documentary The Original Soul Men: Sam and Dave (Hip-O/UMe), released in the United States, December 9, 2008, tells the story of the greatest, most successful 'soul duo' of all time, SAM & DAVE.  Sam Moore and Dave Prater Jr. had a major impact as one of the most successful 'cross over' acts of their era influencing everyone from the Beatles and the Rolling Stones to Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi and, of course, the Blues Brothers. The impact of their unique sound and style continues to do so today.  The Blues Brothers' classic 1978 Saturday Night Live rendition of 'Soul Man' and the duo's own version on that show in 1980 are among the DVD's highlights.

Many of Sam and Dave's performances were culled from their mid-60s appearances on European television, plus there is  extremely rare footage only seen on the original broadcasts of The Mike Douglas Show and Hollywood Palace'appearances which have never before been released on home video or available for viewing.  Each performance has been remastered from the original tapes (some untouched in vaults for 40 years).  For the two lip-synched TV performances, the original multi-track masters replaced the original broadcast audio.

Beginning with their first surviving video performance on the American show The Beat, in 1966, and recently discovered performances of 'Soul Man' and 'You Don't Know Like I Know' from the German series Beat Beat Beat, the documentary brings together an incredible London concert performance of 'Hold On! I'm Comin',' an electrifying medley of 'Soul Sister/Brown Sugar/Lucky Old Sun' from The Ed Sullivan Show (which also provides two other performances) and 'When Something Is Wrong With My Baby' from the rarely seen U.S. show A Shade Of Soul.

Along with 'Soothe Me' from Norway and 'You Got It Made' and 'I Don't Need Nobody (To Tell Me About My Baby)' from Denmark, are other 1966-1970 performances in the U.S., including 'Make It Easy On Yourself,' 'Baby Don't Stop Now,' 'I Take What I Want' and two spotlighting Sam and Dave's band: 'Secret Agent Man' and 'Road Runner.'  Also seen and heard is a solo Sam Moore in Japan in 2007 with his Grammy-nominated 'You Are So Beautiful.'  A bonus section titled 'The Roots of Sam and Dave' adds three 1963 video performances by legendary Gospel acts, including the Soul Stirrers, who presaged Sam and Dave's style and sound.

The Original Soul Men: Sam and Dave also tells their story through interviews with Moore, who shares many anecdotes for the first time; Prater from past footage; Prater's widow, Rosemary; Blues Brother Dan Aykroyd, musical director Paul Shaffer, and bassist Donald 'Duck' Dunn, renowned for working with Booker T & the MG's and who toured and recorded with Sam and Dave; and former Stax Records owner Al Bell.  A booklet with extensive essays, rare photographs and more will be available for download at www.hip-o.com/Sam&Dave or www.originalsoulmen.com.

The Original Soul Men: Sam and Dave was produced by Historic Music Inc., the world's leading music footage and historic stock footage library, whose credits range from projects for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to Martin Scorsese's Grammy-winning TV series The Blues.

You can purchase the DVD at www.originalsoulmen.com or by going to www.amazon.com and searching "Sam & Dave DVD" on sale December 9th.

Austin, TX -- Danny Roy Young, the owner of the Texicalli Grille and rubboard player who died unexpectedly in August at 67, will be remembered next month and honored with a benefit concert to retire debt incurred after the restaurant was sold and subsequently closed.

Artists including The Texana Dames, Ponty Bone, Marcia Ball, Ray Benson, James McMurtry, the Cornell Hurd Band and The Antone's House Band featuring Derek O'Brien, Riley Osbourne, Frosty and Ronny James with special guests will perform starting at 6 p.m. Sunday, October 19, at Austin Music Hall, 208 Nueces St. Author Joe Nick Patoski will serve as event emcee.

Tickets are $10, available at 866-IGETTIX (866.443.8849); Austin gettix outlets Waterloo Records & Video (600 N. Lamar Blvd.), University Co-op (2246 Guadalupe), Monarch Event Center (6406 S. I-35) and RunTex locations (422 W. Riverside Drive, 2201 Lake Austin Blvd., 9901 Capitol of Texas Hwy., Suite 160); and online at http://www.gettix.net/concert/?event_id=2732.

Sponsorship tables of 10 are available for $1,000, and tables of four for $400. To purchase, call 512.472.8463 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Doors open at 5 p.m. so guests can visit with Young's family and preview Texicalli Grille memorabilia up for silent auction. Texicalli Grille's signature sandwich, "the Texicalli," and waffle fries and queso will be sold at the benefit concert as well as Texicalli Grille T-shirts and bumper stickers.

When Young died, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett told The Austin Chronicle: "As Danny so often said, 'Never trust a skinny cook.' He was never shy with the fries, the chicken frieds and the catfish, all washed down with at least one original-formula Dr Pepper in what was definitely not a health food joint. And if Texicalli wasn't too great for helping you stay skinny, it was always the place to get 'the skinny' on what was happening in South Austin and the entire Austin music scene. A photo with Danny, some happy-looking Austin police and other Texicalli regulars from one of the CD release parties Danny hosted hangs happily on my D.C. office wall. And Texicalli was the venue for my own performance in a political ad about the need to support folks like a Texicalli waitress with federal student financial assistance."

Montgomery Gentry, Phil Vassar & Rodney Adkins
Join the Country Music Icon for the 12th Annual Event!

(Nashville, TN)--Charlie Daniels and friends Montgomery Gentry, Phil Vassar, Heidi Newfield and Rodney Atkins will offer their time and talents to perform at the 12th Annual Christmas For Kids Benefit Concert Monday, November 24th at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee, beginning at 7:00 PM. The charity event raises money for the Christmas For Kids organization. Tickets to the event are available by visiting http://www.christmas4kids.org and more incredible names will be added to the special evening's lineup as the event approaches.

The Christmas For Kids Organization has been in existence for over twenty years providing special children the opportunity to celebrate the holiday season. Each year, the organization brings the spirit of Christmas to hundreds of children throughout Middle Tennessee allowing them to participate in festive activities organized specifically for them. Events such as the Tour Bus Tour raise money and allow folks to visit the home-away-from-homes of more than fifty stars and celebrities at the Hendersonville Wal*Mart from 5:00 ' 9:00PM. The date for the Tour Bus Tour is set for December 15th.

The money raised at both events, the concert and Tour Bus Tour, is used to escort children from 25 different schools for a day-long excursion. The day consists of a chauffeured trip from their school aboard a country music star's luxury tour bus to a local Wal-Mart where they are accompanied by a volunteer to participate in their own Christmas shopping spree. On the return trip home, the children will participate in a Christmas carol sing-along.

All proceeds from the Tour Bus Show and the Charlie Daniels Band & Friends Benefit Concert (sponsored in part by 95.5 The Wolf)'November 24th--will be donated toward the children's Christmas Shopping.

Listing Details:
Charlie Daniels and Friends Char ity Concert
For the benefit of Christmas for Kids
Monday, November 24 / 7:00PM / Ryman Auditorium / Nashville, TN

Tickets are available by visiting www.christmas4kids.org <http://www.christmas4kids.org/> , TicketMaster, or by calling (615) 255-9600. Golden circle VIP tickets available September 22nd by calling (615) 453-2434 or e-mailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

(Nashville, TN) Country music icon George Jones has been chosen to receive the 2008 Kennedy Center Honors. Jones, who has been called, the "greatest living country singer," earned his reputation by diving so deeply into a song's lyrics that listeners couldn't help but feel an emotional connection to the song and the singer. The country legend first hit the charts in 1955 and since then has won two Grammys, numerous CMA and ACM Awards, has been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame,  and still headlines nearly 100 shows a year.

"I am completely overwhelmed to be the recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors," said Jones. "I can't believe that I have been included in the same company as previous winners that are country music legends: Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Roy Acuff and Willie Nelson. Since I was a young man, I have just done what I love and that is sing country music, and I never dreamed that something this special would happen to me. I am completely humbled and will be proud to accept the award!"

Since 1978, the Kennedy Center Honors have redefined America's perception of its artistic legacy and reinvented the way this nation rewards artists. The Honors have been compared to a knighthood in Britain, or the French Legion of Honor. At the same time, the annual addition of Honors recipients charts the international standard of excellence set by America's artists, as well as the aesthetic inspiration provided by artists of other nations who have achieved prominence on these shores.