Country Q&A: Last Week's Question

Week of February 25, 2009

By Neil Haislop

GAC host Storme Warren joined Kellie Pickler on her first USO Tour to the Middle East to visit with the armed forces serving in "Operation Iraqi Freedom." Don't miss GAC's special, Kellie Pickler: My USO Diary, premiering Saturday, Feb. 16 at 9 p.m. ET.

Each week country music expert Neil Haislop answers your questions!

Q: I'm only 15 but I've been considering enlisting in the military, doing lots of research on the different branches and organizations. I was looking at the USO website and saw that Kellie Pickler went overseas on a USO tour — which makes me look up to her even more. Is it possible for me to go along on a USO tour and get a sense of what it's like over there?
(Kim, Jensen Beach, FL)

A: Kim, first I admire that you understand and appreciate the heroism of our men and women serving in the military in dangerous places like Iraq, and that you are considering whether to join up later and help out in some way now. Hopefully, three years from now our men and women will be coming home from those places and peace replaces war.

As far as what Kellie Pickler has done, celebrities are invited by the USO for their name value and to give soldiers a positive message that we back here care for them. Meanwhile, there are plenty of organizations, from churches to schools, doing projects to help our military people abroad, or those back home recovering from wounds received abroad. Do a quick Google search along with your parents for "civilian aid to war veterans" and see what you might be able to do now for a good cause.

Q: I just read that Jimmy Wayne is going to be opening up for Alan Jackson. This would be a great concert. Where are they going to be playing together?
(Lisa, Collierville, TN)

A: Lisa, Jimmy Wayne may be doing a show with Alan Jackson, but the only tour he’s on this year that we’re aware of is Brad Paisley’s American Saturday Night Tour. You can visit either jimmywayne.com or bradpaisley.musiccitynetworks.com for the dates Jimmy will be out with Brad.

Q: I would like to know why Trace Adkins does not get nominated for a lot of awards. He is a truly amazing man with a huge heart and amazing songs. We see these new artists come in and get nominated but what about the ones who have been here and still continue day after day selling albums and not getting any recognition? It really irritates me. How do we get involved in changing that?
Jeni, Livingston, TX)

A: Jeni, that’s a tough question. In most cases it’s the artists that sustain long periods of big hits and big tours, or have exploded on the scene lately, that get the most nominations. Trace has said of himself, "I’m not quite a top tier star," and doesn’t gripe all that much about nominations, although he’s had some along the way. As it turns out, fans do have a chance to speak out at fan-voted awards like the "American Music Awards," "People’s Choice Awards" and now, even the "Academy of Country Music Awards" has allowed fan votes to be counted for Entertainer, and this year for Top New Artist of the year. So hang in there, Jeni. Fan opinion is becoming more important than ever at some awards shows.

Q: Is Kenny Chesney coming to the Cleveland Browns Stadium this year?
(Cindy, Chardon, OH)

A: Cindy, so far the Cleveland Browns’ stadium doesn’t appear on Kenny Chesney’s tour schedule, but he will be appearing not too far from Cleveland at Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on May 23.

Q: Maybe I am just imagining this, however, I swear that I heard someone else besides Garth Brooks sing, "Papa Loved Mama." I thought Aaron Tippin did that song way before Garth made it a No. 1 hit.
(Rose, Flint, MI)

A: Rose, It’s possible that Aaron Tippin recorded "Papa Loved Mama" at some point, but it was never released as a single. It later became a No. 3 hit for Garth. What you may be thinking about is Mark Chesnutt singing "Friends and Low Places," before Garth came along to record the song and turn it into a four-weeks-at-No. 1 smash.

Q: In the video "Seashores of Old Mexico", who plays the young George Strait? He looks like he could be George's son.
(Mia, Singer, LA)

A: Sue, that question was asked a lot when the video for "Seashores of Old Mexico," was released. But to play that role, they chose a young actor that looked more like the younger George Strait than George Jr. did!