Brooks, Robbins, Smith Inducted Into HoF; Tim Johnson Passes Away; New Music Videos

• Jana Kramer had an airplane scare yesterday. A couple of her tweets:

“Terrified out of my mind. Emergency landing back in Miami without landing gear. #pray”

“HOLY S**T that was NOT cool at all. Good news though. I’m on the ground. We made it. Thanks for the prayers #shaking”

• Songwriter Tim Johnson passed away from liver and colon cancer early Sunday morning with over 100 major label album cuts to his name.  Johnson served on NSAI’s Song Camp faculty and served as a longtime board member of NSAI. Artists like Daryle Singletary (“I Let Her Lie”), Collin Raye (“Someone You Used to Know”), Kellie Pickler (“Things That Never Cross a Man’s Mind”) and Mark Chesnutt (“Thank God for Believers”) all recorded Johnson’s songs. He leaves behind a wife and two young children. Numerous songwriters and performers were on Twitter shortly after his passing to recognize the man.

Jimmy Wayne: “Prayers for Tim Johnson’s kids & wife . Tim wrote the lyrics to “Do you believe me know”. He passed at 1:30 this am.”

Jesse Lee:  “Music row lost a very talented and sweet man today. Tim Johnson, RIP”

Victoria Banks: “RIP Tim Johnson. In your own words: “God only cries for the living/ ‘Cause it’s the living that are so far from home””

Erin Enderlin: “I just heard we lost the great singer songwriter Tim Johnson today, thoughts and prayers with his family and friends. He was kind enough to let me sit in a room with him a couple time, true brilliance…”

Chely Wright: “Rest In Peace, Tim Johnson. One of Nashville’s best songwriters, but most importantly… a good guy. #LIVESTRONG”

• Following his medallion ceremony and induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame yesterday, Garth Brooks and his bride Trisha Yearwood look to be gearing up for a career relaunch: “He has sold more than 128 million albums – more than anyone except The Beatles and Elvis Presley. Brooks could start adding to that Brooks could start adding to that tally by making a simple announcement to Music Row: Send me your songs. ‘You talk about songwriters, the great ones can birth a career, but the greatest ones can bring life back into one,” Brooks said. “So we’ll be looking hard for songs just to see what the future might hold for us.’”

• Brooks, Connie Smith, and Hargus “Pig” Robbins were formally inducted into the Hall of Fame last night. Read about it here.

• The Grand Ole Opry could have a new name like your local arena or ballpark.

• Keith Urban may be ready to bail on American Idol already.

• Emily West and KS Rhoads have started a new duo and will unveil their newest songs, including this track, “Fallen,” this week at The Basement in Nashville.

• C.M. Wilcox reviewed a Billy Joe Shaver concert on Country California.

• The Rankin Family’s Jimmy Rankin will be releasing his first solo holiday album, called Tinsel Town, on 11/6.

• “Truck Yeah” by Tim McGraw went gold. Sigh.

• Actress Amy Adams is linked to playing Janis Joplin in an upcoming biopic.

• Jason Aldean’s Night Train is projected to sell 400,000 units in its first week, the second highest debut this year.

• Kristin Chenoweth is still recovering from an on-set accident that left her with cracked teeth and a fractured skull.

• Chuck Dauphin profiled Lorrie Morgan for Billboard, where she talked about her upcoming album with Pam Tillis.

• Kelly Clarkson may debut a new duet with Vince Gill called “Don’t Rush” on the CMA Awards November 1.

• Kellie Pickler dyed her crew cut bright pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

• Dolly Parton has a bunch of new improvements and updates to Dollywood planned in 2013.

• Grasstowne has released the first single, “This Old Guitar and Me” from their upcoming album (out in early spring), Grasstowne 4.

• The Toronto Star interviewed Iris DeMent about her very strong new album, Sing the Delta. An excerpt: “You know, I’m not interested in making records just for the sake of making records. I have other things I enjoy doing that entertain me, stimulate me. I’d rather go make an amazing pie and please five people than put out a record that doesn’t speak to anybody’s heart.” 

• Nashville star Hayden Panettiere wants to record a country album.

• T.G. Sheppard, hospitalized and in critical condition last week with a bladder infection, is doing better and has been released.

• Bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley is out stumping (and picking) for his friend, Virginia congressional candidate Wayne Powell.

• Music videos unveiled in the last week or so:

Corey Kenton – “She’s My Country”

Kellie Lynne – “Dirt Cheap”

Portage and Main – “Never Had the Time”

Jamie Burke – “What She Don’t Know”

The Hollowbodies – “Town Without a Name”

Cody McCarver – “I Just Might Live Forever”

Pete Kennedy – “I Am the One”

Reckless Kelly – “Pennsylvania Avenue”

Hey Romeo – “Maybe You Remember Me Now”

Houston Deese – “Can’t Stop a Good Thing”

Greensky Bluegrass– “Lose My Way”

Hope Nix – “Drive Me Wild”

Emily Cowan – “Meant to be Together”