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Country Music News: AP-AMPrep-Country
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r c AP-AMPrep-Country 03-28 1555
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``THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE‘‘ - TRACE ADKINS LOSES CELEBRITY APPRENTICE TITLE
TO BRIT PIERS MORGAN
NEW YORK (AP) _ Trace Adkins got fired. Donald Trump crowned
former British tabloid editor Piers Morgan winner of ``The
Celebrity Apprentice‘‘ on last night‘s season finale. The final
task was to hold a grand charity event. Adkins was in charge of
taking care of the talent, The Backstreet Boys, while Morgan was
responsible for the auction and food. They were judged on money
raised and ticket sales. Morgan‘s team raised more money than
Adkins, while Adkins‘ team sold more tickets. Trump called his
decision the toughest thing he has had to do in a long time. But he
said ultimately, Morgan ``did an amazing job and beat the hell out
of everybody.‘‘ Trump said there really weren‘t any losers. He told
Adkins he ended up with a number one single and called him a
``special human being. A beautiful guy.‘‘ Morgan won $250,000 for
his charity, the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. The fund helps
families of U.S. military personnel lost on duty. Money also goes
to a world-class state-of-the-art physical rehab center at Brooke
Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. Morgan‘s brother has
fought in two tours of duty in Iraq and his brother-in-law has
fought in two tours of duty in Afghanistan. Adkins‘ charity, the
Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, also raised some money.
Adkins‘ 6-year-old daughter suffers from a severe food allergy.
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fades)‘‘
Donald Trump
Donald Trump announces the winner of ``The Celebrity
Apprentice.‘‘ COURTESY: NBC ((mandatory on-air credit))
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Donald Trump
Before giving him the boot, Donald Trump tells Trace Adkins he
played a good game and is a heck of a human being. COURTESY: NBC
((mandatory on-air credit))
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Trace Adkins
Trace Adkins makes his case to Donald Trump why he should win
``Celebrity Apprentice.‘‘ COURTESY: NBC ((mandatory on-air credit))
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Trace Adkins
Archive audio of Trace Adkins, performing his hit single
``You‘re Gonna Miss This,‘‘ during last night‘s show. COURTESY: NBC
((mandatory on-air credit))
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``THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE‘‘ - TRACE ADKINS AND THE BSB
NEW YORK (AP) _ As part of his final task on NBC‘s ``The
Celebrity Apprentice‘‘ last night, Trace Adkins had to be the
handler for The Backstreet Boys. A move he said gave him new
appreciation for himself. He expressed his frustration at the guys‘
demands for things like wheat grass juice, black nail polish and a
knee brace. Adkins said he did a show one night where his stomach
hurt so bad he could hardly move. He says ``I walked out on the
stage and did my show. Left the stage, went to the emergency room
and had 18 inches of my colon cut out that night.‘‘
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Trace Adkins
Trace Adkins can‘t believe some of the demands made by The
Backstreet Boys -- like needing wheat grass juice backstage.
COURTESY: NBC ((mandatory on-air credit))
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Trace Adkins
Trace Adkins says being the handler for The Backstreet Boys and
having to fulfill some of their demands gave him a whole new
appreciaiton for himself. COURTESY: NBC ((mandatory on-air credit))
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JEWEL MAY POSE FOR SHAPE MAGAZINE, BUT NOT IN A BIKINI
UNDATED (AP) _ Jewel may be a Shape magazine covergirl after
all. She originally passed on the offer, not wanting to pose in a
bikini. But she writes on her MySpace page that she may not have to
be in a bikini to do it. She says, ``They may let me do it dressed.
I‘m gonna talk to them to see if we are on the same page as far as
what ‘dressed‘ means.‘‘ Jewel had previously said she didn‘t feel
right about posing in a bathing suit, saying ``I stand for serious
things and yet there I am oiled up in a bikini.‘‘ Plus, she says
she loves ``to eat cookies.‘‘
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KENNY TURNS 40 WITH HELP FROM FRIENDS AND FAMILY
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) _ Kenny Chesney turned the big Four-Oh
this week with a party in Nashville for 200 of his friends and
family. Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Jennifer Nettles, Dierks Bentley
and Kix Brooks were on hand for the bash. Chesney‘s parents and
sister were also in attendance. Chesney choked up during the
occasion, saying ``it makes me realize what a gift all the people
in my life have been.‘‘ He also received what he said was his
``favorite birthday present ever.‘‘ It‘s a book of letters from
people ranging from Keith Urban to Peyton Manning to Eva Longoria.
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RASCAL FLATTS CANCELS SHOW IN CANADA
SASKATOON, Saskatchewan (AP) _ Rascal Flatts left some Canadian
fans disappointed on Wednesday. The Star Phoenix newspaper says the
band canceled its show Wednesday in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan,
because of illness. Gary DeVox has laryngitis. The guys did perform
Tuesday night in Edmonton, Alberta. The concert is expected to be
rescheduled.
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GEORGE STRAIT‘S NEW ALBUM HITS STORES APRIL 1ST
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) _ George Strait‘s 37th album
``Troubadour,‘‘ hits stores this coming Tuesday. The album‘s first
single is ``I Saw God Today.‘‘ Strait says it‘s a great song to
start the record off with. He says ``anyone who has had a kid can
relate to seeing them for the first time and know that it is really
and truly is a gift from God.‘‘ Making guest appearances on the
album are Patty Loveless, Vince Gill and songwriter Dean Dillon.
Meanwhile, XM Radio is dedicating an entire channel to Strait‘s
music during the next two months. ``Strait Country‘‘ will be
available from Tuesday, April 1st through May 31st.
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BRAD PAISLEY CLIMBS THE CHARTS
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) _ Brad Paisley‘s current single ``I‘m
Still A Guy‘‘ is officially his fastest rising single to date. Five
weeks out and it‘s number 13 on Billboards Hot Country Songs and
R-and-R Country chart. The single surpassed ``Ticks‘‘ which was 14
in five weeks. In other Paisley news, he‘s part of the
celebrity-studded celebration of Sci-Fi‘s ``Battlestar Galactica‘‘
in a special airing tonight. He‘ll talk about why it‘s one of the
best shows on TV. ``Battlestar Galactica: The Phenomenon,‘‘ airs
tonight on the Sci Fi channel. And next Saturday Paisley is slated
to make his second appearance on ``A Prairie Home Companion with
Garrison Keillor‘‘ on public radio and XM Radio. The show will be
performed before a live audience at the famous Town Hall Theater in
New York City.
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AMERICAN IDOL FINALIST JOSH GRACIN RELEASING NEW CD ON TUESDAY, APRIL 1ST
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) _ ``American Idol‘‘ finalist and former
Marine Josh Gracin says his upcoming album is a more personal look
inside his life. The sophomore CD is set to hit stores on Tuesday.
Gracin co-wrote three songs on the record. He‘s most excited about
his newest single, the title track, ``We Weren‘t Crazy.‘‘ It‘s
about Gracin‘s personal journey from childhood to raising children
and having a family of his own. He says ``this album is more me.‘‘
Gracin says for his first album, he was still in the service,
having to fly in and out of Nashville to record when he could. He
says, ``This time around it had my undivided attention.‘‘
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ELVIS CASINO PLANNED FOR VEGAS STRIP
LAS VEGAS (AP) _ An Elvis-themed hotel and casino is planned for
the Las Vegas Strip. Elvis Presley Enterprises has signed off on
the deal, however, the development hinges on whether the company
can raise capital through debt and equity financing. According to a
Securities and Exchange Commission filing, the project has a
three-point-one billion dollar price tag. Construction is set to
begin next year, with a completion date of late 2012.
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CLAY WALKER ON FOX BUSINESS CHANNEL
NASHVILLE, TENN. (AP) _ It‘ll be an early wakeup call for Clay
Walker. He‘s appearing this morning on Fox Business Channel‘s
``Money For Breakfast.‘‘ He‘ll talk about multiple sclerosis, a
disease he‘s lived with since 1996. March is Multiple Sclerosis
Awareness Month.
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DOCTORS SAY TEJANO STAR REGAINING CONSCIOUSNESS
HOUSTON (AP) _ Hospital officials in Houston say Tejano star
Emilio Navaira (nah-VY‘-rah) is slowly regaining consciousness. The
Grammy-winning singer was severely injured after his tour bus
crashed Sunday. Navaira has opened his eyes and moved his arms and
legs. The hospital says, ``While his condition has improved, he
remains in critical condition.‘‘ Navaira was thrown through the
windshield and suffered severe injuries. Doctors have performed two
brain surgeries on him. The bus accident remains under
investigation.
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TODAY‘S BIRTHDAYS:
Charlie McCoy turns 67.
Reba McEntire is 53.
Rodney Atkins turns 39.
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SATURDAY‘S BIRTHDAYS:
Regina Leigh of Regina Regina turns 40.
Brady Seals is 39.
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by Myra Lopez
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(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
AP-NY-03-28-08 0305EDT<