Dallas Wayne’s Home Destroyed by Fire; Sammy Shelor Awarded Steve Martin Prize; Miranda Lambert Reveals Album Cover Art

• The Iowa Source posted a feature on Tom Russell. An excerpt: Southern California was where Tom was birthed—both bodily and musically. The mariachi bands and the FM radio from across the border, mixed with the musicals on the family stereo and musicians, comedians, and poets performing in LA, created a rich, embryonic stew.

• Sammy Shelor is the 2011 recipient of the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass Music.

• From Katy Daley of WAMU Bluegrass Country: “Let’s give a big push to ask Google Doodle (proposals@google.com) to honor Bill Monroe on Sept 13, his 100th birthday. Remember, say please and thank you.”

• Songwriter and Guy Clark touring partner Verlon Thompson will release Works, a collection of “literate story songs” on September 20.

• You’re probably aware of the wildfires in Central Texas. Over 500 homes have been destroyed, including Dallas Wayne’s home and studio. If you can spare a few bucks or can donate some goods to those who’ve been affected, it’d be greatly appreciated.

• Check out the album art for Miranda Lambert’s upcoming release Four the Record. And it you’re a Tweeter, you can insert your photo into the mosaic that composes the digital version of the cover.

• LeAnn Rimes will star in CMT movie Reel Love with Burt Reynolds, who will probably be the film’s only saving grace.

• Willie Nelson’s son Lukas had his tour bus searched for (surprise!) marijuana in Ohio. A band member was found to be in possession, but Lukas was clean.

• Randy Houser married singer-songwriter Jessa Lee Yantz in the Dominican Republic on Friday.

• Keith Urban talked to USA Today about his cologne and plans for a women’s fragrance.

• The Bellamy Brothers admitted that Britney Spears’ “Hold It Against Me” wasn’t a copy of their song and apologized to Spears’ songwriters, Dr. Luke and Max Martin, who dropped their lawsuit.

• Sam Bush received a Living Legend Lifetime Achievement Award from the Music on the Mountaintop Festival in Boone, North Carolina.

• Carrie Underwood’s hockey husband steals her moisturizer. All that time on the ice is probably drying.

• Paste reports that an Elvis Presley biopic is in the works and will be released in 2012.

• New (or new to you) music videos and live performances:

Keith Urban — “Louisiana Saturday Night”

Ryan Adams — “Ashes & Fire”

Chuck Wicks — “Old School”

Mitch Rossell — “Prayin’ It Don’t Rain”

Cathleen Taubert -- “The Only One”

Kylie Hinze -- “Romeo SuperHero”

April Lockhart — “Different”

Crystal Shawanda — “F**kin’ Perfect” (a Pink cover)

Linda Ortega — “Little Lie”

Shawna Russell — “Get Right or Get Left”

The Black Lillies — “Two Hearts Down”

Jack Ingram — “What’s a Boy to Do?” (via Music Fog)

Jack Ingram — “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down” (Acoustic Motel Series)

Jason Blaine -- “They Don’t Make ‘Em Like That Anymore” (for our Canadian readers only)

Andy Griggs — “Can I Get an Amen” (Live on The Don Gatlin Show)

Mark Goldberg — “Bumps in the Road”

Chris Cook — “Remembering”

Kylie Rae Harris — “Just You and Me” (via Rawhide & Velvet)

Blake Shelton — “God Gave Me You”