Today marks the 33rd anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death, and hard-core fans that apparently have nothing better to do are lined up outside the gates of Graceland in Memphis. While all of this is going on, the current owner of Graceland and all of Presley’s estate is considering selling it, even though it brings in about $60,000,000 every year.
And the top bidder? None other than Simon Cowell, the former judge on American Idol.
These pics are of some of the equipment Brad lost in the flood.
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The most surprising part of this ordeal has been that the worse part was not the clean up; it’s putting lives and businesses back together again. All of the flood damaged equipment, inventory, drywall, and carpet have been removed from our offices. Even the doors have been taken down. We’re pretty much working out of a bare shell of a building now, with electricity and running water, but no AC. The construction crew is ready to start rebuilding, but can’t until the codes department issues a building permit, and we’re told there’s about a three week backlog
I did notice that one tenant in our complex got their permit immediately. It’s the warehouse/distribution center for Taylor Swift’s t-shirts, caps, and other merchandise they sell on her tours.
Guess Taylor has a liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittle more clout than I do. 
Last night’s show was like none I’ve ever experienced. Brad Paisley opened with a $100,000 donation, followed by another $100,000 donation from Jack Daniels, and a $250,000 donation from ACM (the Academy of Country Music).
Dierks Bentley and Brad Paisley
People were applauding half the time, and crying the other half. When Rodney Atkins sang his hit song “These are my people, this is where I come from”, it had meaning like never before.
Rodney Atkins and Cheryl Crow backstage
When Lady Antebellum sang an acoustic version of “I Just Need You Now”, the opening line of “Picture perfect memories scattered all around the floor” was haunting, especially knowing that lead singer Charles Kelley’s house was also flooded.
Lady Antebellum
Host Jamie Denton (who plays Terri Hatcher’s husband on Desperate Housewives) is a Nashville native who flew back from L.A. to co-host the event. I thought he was going to have to step in when his co-host, actress Kimberly Williams Paisley, broke down in tears on camera after a story on how many dogs and cats drowned at a veterinarian’s office because they couldn’t get them out.
Jamie Denton and Kimberly Williams Paisley in rehearsal
Chills ran down my spine when Martina McBride sang this opening line from her hit “Do it Anyway” :
You can spend your whole life building
Something from nothing.
One storm can come and blow it all away,
Build it anyway.
God is great, but sometimes life ain’t good.
And when I pray,
It doesn’t always turn out like I think it should,
But I do it anyway,
I do it anyway.
She then blew everyone away when she belted out “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” as only Martina could do. But it was Keith Urban who brought down the house when he sang these Beatle’s lyrics from “Help”:
When I was younger, so much younger than today,
I never needed anybody’s help in any way.
But now these days are gone, I’m not so self-assured,
Now I find I’ve changed my mind and opened up the doors.
Help me if you can, I’m feeling down
And I do appreciate you being round.
Help me get my feet back on the ground,
Won’t you please, please help me?
Martina and Keith backstage
Tonight is the big fundraiser at the Ryman Auditorium for the 30,000+ Nashvillians who lost their homes, and I am so excited. Scheduled to perform are Keb Mo, Cheryl Crow, Ce Ce Winans, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Martina McBride, Dierks Bentley, Rodney Atkins, and Lady Antebellum.
Please click here to help: http://www.gactv.com/gac/pac_ctnt/text/0,,GAC_26058_98169,00.html
Dierks Bentley
This is country music star Dierks Bentley, futilely trying to bail the water out of his basement with a bucket, because Lowes and Home Depot were all sold out of pumps. It illustrates how helpless everyone felt – even a big star with seven #1 singles.
Titans Quarterback Kerry Collins
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The flood-beaten ticket booth washed away from a resort and was carried miles across town by raging waters until it came to rest upside down in someone’s backyard — until Titans quarterback Vince Young and some of his Tennessee teammates arrived.
They broke it apart and carried the sodden chunks of wood up to the street to be taken away.
The Titans delivered Wednesday the help to flood victims promised by owner Bud Adams last week. The team took a break from their offseason program, and nearly 80 employees, coaches and players hit the streets a short drive from the Titans’ offices. They didn’t look that different from other volunteers throughout town wearing masks and sweating from all the hard work.
The storms May 1-2 that flooded Tennessee killed 22 people with an early damage total for Nashville alone already at $1.5 billion and rising fast, not counting the devastation in 51 other counties. Adams donated $200,000 from his foundation last week with the NFL and the NFL Players Association matching that amount.
The work wasn’t without its dangers.
Receiver Lavelle Hawkins had a nail puncture his left shoe as he ripped at that ticket booth with a hammer. A sign identified the booth as serving ticket holders for the Grand Ole Opry, before being dumped in the yard by the flood.
Seeing the Titans’ LP Field under water was an early sign of just how much the Cumberland River had overflown its banks. The Titans couldn’t get to their offices downstream for days because local officials worried about a leaking levee had evacuated the area.
They had been waiting for the right time to head out to help, and Fisher said they went on a day off between two minicamp sessions. Most of the roster turned out, minus the rookies who can’t join the team until next week.
Tim McGraw and his wife Faith Hill have announced the first national fundraiser for the Nashville flood victims, with Lynyrd Skynyrd, Brooks & Dunn, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Leann Rimes, and Martina McBride already signed up to perform.
Tickets are available at www.NashvilleRising.org, where you can also make donations to flood relief.
As Montgomery Gentry sang, “This is my town!”, and this is how we do things in Hillbilly Hollywood.
Hardcore health food fan Gwenyth Paltrow just finished shooting a movie in Nashville, and said she gained 10 pounds because we have more breaded and deep fried food here than any place she’s ever seen. I thought she was exaggerating, until I took my beautiful bride to dinner at a steakhouse at the Opryland Hotel last night. It’s one of the few places in Nashville to get my favorite appetizer – Oysters Rockefeller, and we hadn’t been there in over a year. But my eyes and taste buds were deeply disappointed to see that the closest thing they now serve is “Fried Oysters Rockefeller”, which is NOT Oysters Rockefeller. Guess Mrs. Paltrow was right. Next thing you know, they’ll be serving deep fried Snickers and Twinkies in Nashville. Oh wait, they already do. 