Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Founder Passes Away; Brad Paisley Teams Up with John Fogerty; Free Music from Hayes Carll

• Warren Hellman, philanthropist and founder of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, passed away last night at the age of 77 due to complications from leukemia.

• Taylor Swift and Scotty McCreery were two of the artists who got spoofed in this SNL sketch.

• News has come out that soulful Etta James is in terminally ill in the last stages of leukemia. She released a country(ish) album in 1997, Love’s Been Rough On Me, that’s worth listening to if you haven’t before.

• Tim Tebow’s NFL heroics have spawned a country song.

• The pop country duo Jenny & Ashley released a new holiday single, “Winter Wonderland,” that’s offered as a free song and video download on their Facebook page.

• The Civil Wars and Emmylou Harris covered “The First Noel” together.

• The State of Indiana settled with 63 of the 65 victims of the Sugarland stage collapse.

• Brad Paisley is in the studio recording new music and he’ll have a special guest star by the name of John Fogerty with him on his next project.

• Crystal Shawanda released a video of her very first public performance, and it just so happens to be a Christmas favorite.

• In case you hadn’t been able to figure it out already, Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift make a bunch of money.

• Jimmy Wayne has been working on his dancing skills this holiday season.

• Anticipate a holiday album from Jerrod Niemann in the next year or two.

• Frankie Ballard will be appearing on Craig Ferguson’s show on Thursday, December 22^nd.

• Craig Shelburne highlighted some of his favorite new holiday songs this Christmas season over at CMT.

• Sony Records has signed The Henningsens, an outstanding family act that helped co-write much of The Band Perry’s debut album.

• Reba McEntire has no plans to retire any time soon.

• Rita Ballou’s year-end Top 20 list is more unique than everyone else’s over at Rawhide and Velvet.

• Catch up on your pre-Ryman Auditorium Grand Ole Opry history.

• Country music TV host Gene Williams passed away.

• This is almost reason to go back to school for another degree.

• Keith Lawrence of the Kingsport News and Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer listed his top ten bluegrass albums of the year. Junior Sisk took the top spot.

• Hayes Carll is giving away a free mp3 of his new holiday-themed song, “Grateful for Christmas.”

• Johnny Cash’s sister Joanne Cash has a new album called The Christmas Collection. “I am very proud of my new Christmas album,” says Cash of the all-new collection of Christmas favorites and holiday originals. “My husband Harry and I put together this collection and I am proud to say that he wrote seven of the songs, including a Christmas poem that he re-wrote called ‘The Night Before Christmas.’ I think you will be pleased and blessed as you listen to this collection.” The album can be purchased through her website.

• New music videos from the past week or so:

The Trishas – “Drive”

Darryl Worley – “The Fishin’ Hole Song”

Tanya Tucker – “Merry Christmas Wherever You Are”

Granger Smith – “Red Dirt”

Buddy Goode – “Cougarville”

Lee Brice – “A Woman Like You”

Missy Raines and the New Hip – “When the Day is Done”

Lucy Angel — “Mr. Santa”

Paul Nash — “Crossin’ That Line”

Lindi Ortega – “Christmas Eve With You”

Bearfoot – “Tell Me a Story”

Mark Wayne Glasmire – “Going Home”

Dale Watson & The Texas Two – “What’s Good For You”

Chad Brownlee – “(Christmas) Baby Please Come Home”

Joey+Rory – “A Little More Country Than That”