Twang Town Lowdown - Tuesday, March 29th

 

WEDDING BELLS SOON TO RING FOR TAYLOR?

 

Taylor Swift and Calvin Harris are still walking on air as a couple -- and it sounds like they're getting set to walk down the aisle.

The cutest couple in showbiz just flooded social media with PDA-packed pics of their island vacation, which has really warmed up the wedding chatter. A friend of the pair tells Britain's Heat magazine, “Taylor and Calvin had the perfect holiday.

They didn’t argue once and it really cemented how in love they are. It’s the most healthy and mature relationship Taylor has ever been in. They’ve regularly talked about marriage and have even discussed having children... One of Calvin's team has been talking about where to purchase bespoke rings which has prompted people to feel that an engagement is close."

BLAKE SHELTON: VIDEO SET TO DEBUT TONIGHT

 

Blake Shelton's video for his latest single, "Came Here to Forget," will debut tonight (Tuesday) during the season premiere of Discovery's reality series Deadliest Catch. The clip will then be available on the show's Facebook page.

Blake's new album, If I'm Honest, comes out on May 20th. Deadliest Catch airs at 8 p.m. CST.

THE COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES CLASS OF 2016

The 2016 Country Music Hall of Fame has announced its next class of inductees -- and they're three North Carolina natives: Charlie Daniels (Veterans), Randy Travis (Modern) and Fred Foster (Non-Performer).

The legendary Brenda Lee hosted the announcement this morning at the Hall of Fame in Nashville. When Fred took the podium to make his acknowledgments, he let the cat out of the bag and revealed his fellow inductees. Charlie thanked everyone who helped him throughout his career. Randy said, “Thank you,” before giving the floor to his wife Mary Davis, who delivered an emotional speech honoring her husband’s work.

The 2016 inductees will be celebrated at the invitation-only Medallion Ceremony later this year.

MERLE HAGGARD: FAMILY URGES HIM TO STOP TOURING

 

In a new interview with Garden and Gun, Merle Haggard reveals that his family wants him to stop touring. The 78-year-old has had health problems recently.

He says, “I can’t. It’s a double-edged sword. It’s what keeps me alive, and it’s what [screws] up my life. It’s hard to have a family, so I try and split it up. I try to build a life here of a reasonable sort, and then go and jump on the bus.”

Merle postponed shows in March to recover from double pneumonia. His next show is April 7th in Cape Girardeau, Missouri with Willie Nelson.

Hag's 1968 hit "Mama Tried" was added to the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry last week.

The D.A. Of The Day - Tuesday, March 29th

 

DRUNK DRIVER HAS SOME "BAGGAGE" ON THE HOOD

A Florida woman really hit the roof after a barroom fight with her husband -- and she ended up riding on top of it for six miles down as he drove down the highway, refusing to let her down.

Richard Addy says he and his wife were both pretty wasted at the end of a long bar crawl over the weekend, so when they got into a scuffle after their final cocktail, he decided to drive off without her. The 69-year-old Addy headed for home, but when he pulled up at the first red light he hit, he heard his spouse, Elizabeth, pounding on the roof and asking him to stop.

He didn't. In fact, he continued on for a full six miles, with Elizabeth screaming the entire way, until he was flagged down by a trooper, who noted "a strong odor of alcohol" on his breath. The cop did not test him for blood alcohol, but charged him with reckless driving and permitting a passenger to ride on the exterior of a vehicle. 

SMELL YA LATER, DATER..

 

The quickest way to a man's heart is through his nose -- or so says a new dating service that attempts to match you to your soulmate based on how you smell.

According to the man behind New York-based Smell Dating, "Most normal dating services, you rely on profile pictures, assumptions that come from visual information. You either really like the smell of someone or you don’t. It’s much more innate.” Prospective sniffers and sniffees need to sign up, then wear a T-shirt for three days and nights, with no deodorant, and wait for your ideal match to follow their nose to you.

Smell Dating will set up an exchange of contact information, but if the person you get matched with seems off, the site's FAQ says, "Trust yourself, your nose knows."

Sounds like the pits to us.

HE'S CRACKED HIS CHALUPA:

 

A Massachusetts man was angry that he couldn't make a run for the border at his local Taco Bell, so he decided to do the next best thing -- and made a run for the joint's ATM, crashing his car into it at an estimated 80 miles per hour.

Derrick C. LaForest reportedly pulled into the drive-thru at the eatery and laid on his horn for two solid minutes in hopes someone would take his order, but when told he couldn't get a Chalupa, he was thrown for a loop -- and hit the gas. He blasted into the building with such force that he knocked himself unconscious.

The 42-year-old, who admitted he was "hangry" after an evening out, told police he didn't remember hitting the building and had "no idea" how it happened, but said he'd driven over from a bar about three miles away from Taco Bell.

HOTLIST- Tuesday, March 29th

 

KIEFER SUTHERLAND DEBUTS NEW MUSIC

Kiefer Sutherland isn't just a famous actor; he's also an aspiring country musician. Sutherland is set to release "Not Enough Whiskey," the debut track from his forthcoming album, Down In A Hole. The song will become available April 1 on iTunes, with the album set for release this summer. Kiefer co-wrote every song on the 11-track record, which he says closest thing he's ever had to a journal or diary. Sutherland says, "All of these songs are pulled from my own personal experiences. There is something very satisfying about being able to look back on my own life, good times and bad, and express those sentiments in music." The brand-new video for "Not Enough Whiskey" debuted this week and you can check it out below.

Kiefer will also embark on a nationwide 32-date tour, kicking off with a show in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on April 14. Sutherland says of the trek, "As much as I have enjoyed the writing and recording process, I am experiencing great joy now being able to play these songs to a live audience, which was something I hadn't counted on." The tour has dates listed through May 28.

              

POPE NOW HAS INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT  

The Pope has added another social media account, this time on Instagram. Word traveled fast, and with the first 24 hours, he already had more than one million followers.

On Saturday the Pope wrote his first post, explaining that he was beginning a new journey on Instagram. He also posted a photo, another first, of him kneeling in prayer, and asked people to pray for him.

The Pope already has a Twitter account, and the Vatican already had an Instagram account. His Spanish Twitter account has more than 11.4 million followers, while his English-language account has more than 8.89 million followers.  

KATT WILLIAMS: ARREST WARRANT ISSUED

 

Katt Williams will be charged for punching a teenager last week.

Arrest warrants were issued Monday for the 42-year-old comedian as well as 17-year-old Luke Wash after the two mixed it up in Gainesville, Georgia.

A video of the altercation shows Katt sucker-punching the youth, who then knocked down the funnyman and put him in a chokehold before the fight was stopped.

Katt will be charged with disorderly conduct and is expected to turn himself in. Luke Walsh was booked Monday afternoon and held on a $1,300 bond.

It's still not clear what caused the fight, but Katt later said he had thought Luke was 19.

SHATNER AUCTIONING OFF TWO CLASSIC CARS 

 

 William Shatner has two of his personal cars in an upcoming auction. Barrett-Jackson  Auction at the South Florida Fairgrounds will sell the 2002 Aston Martin DB7 and a 2004 Volkswagen Phaeton. Shatner will sign both of the vehicles. The auction will be April 8-10.

Shatner sent out a press release that said, “The sound of the exhaust, the ticking of the engine, the sleekness of the design have intrigued and entranced me. I look for cars like the ones I am selling: this great VW Phaeton — one of the most advanced cars in the world at its time — and this Aston Martin DB7, which is a jewel of design. They are like my kids, but I know they will get great care and I will be there for the adoption process. I am looking forward to it.”

There’s no reserve on either car, meaning there’s no minimum bid for a chance to grab a piece of both automotive and pop culture memorabilia.

Check out the auction page for the Phaeton, and the page for the DB7 Volante

Twang Town Lowdown - Monday, March 28th

 

WORKOUT PLAYLIST – THOMAS RHETT

Thomas Rhett has been partnered with the nationwide 24 hour gym and fitness center Snap Fitness as the brand's 2016 spokesperson. As the spokesperson, Thomas is hosting boot camps in select tour markets throughout the year to further promote his "I Feel Good" health initiative with them. People often cite their busy schedules as a reason why they don't exercise often, but Rhett wants everyone to know that it can be done -- and he's living proof. Thomas tells Taste of Country, "I'm trying to convince them that my schedule is super busy too and any way you can find a way to squeeze some of that stuff in, it helps you feel better and look better and helps them live a long, healthy life."

So, what helps Rhett pump up the intensity during his workouts? That would be music, of course. Thomas shares, "If we're doing a cardio day, it has to be all uptempo. Your 'Uptown Funks,' your 'Downtowns.' I put a couple of my songs in there, not that I listen to my music on a daily basis." He adds, "I feel like I made some of those tracks for me running on a treadmill." But for his weight training days, Rhett opts for slower songs like "Roses" by EDM duo The Chainsmokers or "Started From the Bottom" by rapper Drake. Some of the other songs that make Thomas' workout playlist include the Rolling Stones classic "Start Me Up," The Cadillac Three's "Get Your Buzz On" and Dierks Bentley's "Somewhere on a Beach." Rhett still has upcoming boot camps dates scheduled in Dallas on May 21, Minneapolis on June 11 and Columbus, Ohio, on June 18.

THE MOM HAIRCUT – CARRIE UNDERWOOD

Carrie Underwood's hairstyle has changed a lot since she was a contestant on American Idol more than a decade ago, and she's welcomed some of those changes. Carrie tells Elle that when she was on Idol, it was the first time anyone besides herself had fixed her hair. She says, "Even growing up, when we'd go to prom, I did my own and I've always done my own." And Underwood admits that her big hair days are in the past. She says, "There were some (looks) that I don't think I would do now–I had big hair. I had a lot of big hair. And I like big hair, but I wouldn't go back there again."

Now, Carrie is rocking a much shorter hairstyle and she has a good reason for doing so. She says, "Now that my hair is shorter, it's easier to fix, which was the whole point. Cutting my hair was a 'mom' move." Underwood washes her hair every day because she's constantly working out and sweating, and she says that shorter do equals more quality time with her son, Isaiah. She says, "I could spend half an hour to blow it dry and have it be super long, or I could spend that time playing with my son, and I'd much rather do the latter."

HARMONICAS FOR HEALTH – CHRIS JANSON

Chris Janson has teamed up with ACM Lifting Lives and the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) Foundation to start a program called Harmonicas for Health. The health initiative is part of the COPD Foundation's Pulmonary Education Program (PEP) and works to encourage COPD patients to exercise their lungs and improve their lives through the power of music. As the spokesperson for the initiative, Janson recently paid a visit to patients at Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, to see their progress as they learn to play the harmonica to treat COPD. Chris says, "I can attest to the healing power playing the harmonica provides. As an asthmatic, harmonica playing has helped me overcome my breathing problems and make some damn good music." The COPD Foundation's goal is to have 25 Harmonicas for Health programs launched at various hospital PEP locations nationwide by September.

The D.A. Of The Day - Monday. March 28th

 

YOU REALLY SHOULDN’T HAVE ALCOHOL ON YOUR BREATH WHEN ….

 

During an event at a local coffee and yogurt shop called “Coffee With A Cop,” Charlene Kranitz was unfortunate enough to wander into the restaurant to get a cup of yogurt.

Unfortunate, because a police officer noticed that she was stumbling as she came into the shop and went to the machine. When she walked past him, he smelled alcohol, so when she left the shop, he followed her outside. She went to her car, which was parked against a light pole.

The policeman gave the 66-year-old woman a sobriety test, which she failed. After he established that she was the sole person in the car and intended to drive it, he arrested her for DUI.  

When asked if she had noticed that there were police officers in the shop when she entered it, the woman replied no and said she had no idea the Coffee With A Cop activity was going on there.

WOMAN REFUSED ENTRY INTO NEW ZEALAND FOR CARRYING LEMONS

 

A woman was refused entry into New Zealand after trying to smuggle in six lemons in her pants. Border officials caught her at Auckland Airport, where she was arriving on a flight from Hong Kong.

The lemons were hidden in her trousers, but they were sniffed out by a biosecurity dog, according to the “New Zealand Herald.” The woman had not declared any food items on her arrival card. She explained to officials that they were good for her health, but that didn’t set very well with them, as it would be possible to endanger New Zealand’s horticulture industry by bringing in food that could have pests or diseases on it.

The woman was refused entry to New Zealand, and returned to Hong Kong on the next available flight.

Security commented that they hope to send a strong message to smugglers who show contempt for the country’s bio-security rules.

MAN TRADES TOOLS FOR BOY AT WAL-MART

 

A man in West Norriton Township, Pennsylvania, stole tools from Wal-Mart, but he left an 11-year-old boy in trade.

The man was caught in the act of taking the tools, and when confronted by a security person at the store, he ran and left the boy in the store. Once out the door, he went to a silver sedan with New Jersey plates and fled, making no attempt to take the boy with him.

The youngster was able to tell them how to contact his mother, who told police the man was watching her son for her. She claimed not to know his full name.

Police released the boy back to is mother, but contacted Children and Youth services for a followup investigation.

The HOTLIST - Monday. March 28th

 

HUGH JACKMAN - REAL LIFE HERO

Hugh Jackman is best known for playing super hero Wolverine in the X-Men series of films, but on Saturday things got REAL as he did some real life rescuing at Bondi Beach in Sydney. When several swimmers got caught in a severe riptide, Hugh sprang into action and helped to retrieve the swimmers. One of which happened to be his teenage son Oscar.

BATMAN V SUPERMAN HITS JACKPOT AT BOX OFFICE

 

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“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” did very well at the box office its first weekend out. The movie grough in $170.1, placing it in history books as the sixth biggest opening every in North America for a movie, according to “The Hollywood Reporter.”

The film, which stars Ben Affleck as the Batman and Henry Cavill as Superman, had the biggest opening weekend of any DC Comics film.

The film opened in more than 4,000 theaters, with a 66 percent male audience. The largest age group was 18 and 34 years old, “Variety” reports.

Also in the movie are Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Amy Adams as Lois Lane and Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor.

NEW BABIES FOR CELEBRITIES

Donald Trump is a grandpa again. Daughter Ivanka had a third child, a boy, named Theodore James Kushner, on Sunday. Mom and dad, Jared Kushner, are doing fine. Big brother Joseph and sister Arabella are anxious to meet the newcomer.

Seth Meyers and wife Alexi Ashe Meyers are proud parents of their first child, a son, born Sunday. They have not yet revealed the child’s name, but word has it that viewers will find out more on Tuesday night’s “Late Night with Seth Meyers” over NBC.