Love And Theft to Host Pre-Tel Awards NASHVILLE – The excitement is building as the first group of presenters are announced for “The 43rd Annual CMA Awards,” hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, and airing live from the Sommet Center in Nashville, Wednesday, Nov. 11 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network. The first celebrities announced as Awards presenters during “Country Music’s Biggest Night™” are NASCAR superstar driver Dale   Read More ...

GATLINBURG, Tenn. (October 26, 2009) – Dancers at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies were a part of helping break the Guinness World Record on Saturday, Oct. 24 resulting in about 23,000 people in 32 countries dancing in” Thrill The World,” a worldwide attempt to break the record for the largest simultaneous dance with Michal Jackson’s Thriller. Actress Ola Ray, who was best known for Michael Jackson’s girlfriend in Thriller was   Read More ...

Cades Cove is located in the far western Tennessee section of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.  This beautiful slice of Heaven on Earth stretches five miles in length by two miles in width and is completely surrounded by living mountains. European descendents first settled Cades Cove in 1818, as the majority journeyed from the Watauga Settlement in northeast Tennessee.  But, prior to their arrival, Cades Cove was a cherished   Read More ...

Clingmans Dome is one of the most popular spots in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and for good reason: the view is spectacular.  A good time to be there is before sunrise.  The fog rolls over the mountains as the sun comes up creating an amazing scene.  My first visit to Clingmans Dome was a good one as I walked away with over 150 shots to sift through later   Read More ...

Freedom is not given, it is taken.  As a result, we are as free as we choose to be.  Free enough to help an unemployed neighbor fix his car so he can find a job.  Free enough to find housing for and feed an elderly couple abandoned by their children.  Free enough to protect a child from abusive parents.  Because freedom is a choice, we will be free. Freedom is   Read More ...

STATESVILLE, N.C. – Elliott Sadler’s No. 19 Stanley car will race as a Ford for the first time in NASCAR Sprint Cup competition this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. Sadler is racing the Ford Fusion in preparation for Richard Petty Motorsports switch to Ford beginning in 2010. Sadler will return to his familiar No. 19 Dodge entry for the final three races of 2009. ON DRIVING A FORD AT TALLADEGA: “Richard   Read More ...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — This week the Tennessee Titans (0-6) return from their bye to host the AFC South rival Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3). The late afternoon kickoff at LP Field (capacity 69,143) is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. CST on Sunday, Nov. 1. In the final 10 games of the regular season, the Titans will have six home games, evening out a schedule that had them on the road in four of the   Read More ...

DiPiero Joins Randy Houser, Brett James, Rivers Rutherford and Victoria Shaw at Nashville’s Limelight NASHVILLE – Hit songwriter Bob DiPiero has been added to the line-up of the CMA Songwriters Series taking place at Nashville’s Limelight on Tuesday, Nov. 10 (9:30 PM/CT). DiPiero, whose hits include “Blue Clear Sky” recorded by George Strait, “Can’t Take the Honky Tonk Out of the Girl” recorded by Brooks & Dunn, and “Take Me As   Read More ...

October 26, 2009 – A special called Knoxville City Council Meeting will be held at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, October 28 in the Small Assembly Room in the City County Building. City officials will present a resolution asking Council to authorize the mayor to spend $35,000 as the first phase of a sales agreement that would ultimately allow the city to purchase a 68 acre tract of land for 1.4   Read More ...

CMT.com on Monday revealed a new “Holly Dolly Christmas” contest featuring a grand prize of five phone minutes with the lady herself. Entries will be accepted here through Dec. 13, with one winner to be selected for a five-minute call with Dolly, $2,500 shop.com shopping spree, Loveless Café deluxe breakfast gift basket and autographed copy of the Dolly: Live From London CD/DVD. A second prize winner gets a $1,000 shopping   Read More ...