That's what Hanna Montana is saying. Yes, after securing the job to host the CMT Awards in April, now NBC has announced that Billy Ray will host Nashville Star this summer. Executive producer Sally Ann Salso says "America just loves him." Not this America.

Country radio is the #1 radio format for the Fall of 2007. Listenership is down .6%, though, but that has to be a silverlining in a town that's sweating at the palms over record sales. I hear that pundits predict (Obama wins NH?) that digital sales will overtake physical sales in just 4 years. I wonder if ASCAP and BMI will stake their own writers' strike?

Tim McGraw has a new single at radio. The song "Kristofferson" is the fifth, and presumably last, single from his Let It Go album that came out last April. A new McGraw album is in the works... Jo Dee Messina will join me for a chat for an upcoming "Across the Country" podcast. Her new single "I'm Done" is at radio today and her new album is set for a release later this year. If you have a question for Jo Dee, send it to me at news@countryondemand.com

Country On-Demand will be there LIVE as Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood announce the nominees for the 43rd Academy of Country Music Awards, from the Country Music Hall of Fame. That's on Tuesday!

Well, in fact, that's the only thing you'll know before taking your vows, if you're signed up for Cornbread's "Two Strangers and a Wedding" initative. I realize this isn't exactly breaking country news, but St. Louis powerhouse WIL is sponsoring a "competition" to get married. The Cornbread Morning Show has asked listeners young and old to submit their names to a contest. Two winners, people who have never met, will be chosen and get married. How crazy is that?

Stay tuned for some big Reba news in the works now!!

Garth Brooks will appear on the Tonight Show With Jay Leno tomorrow (2/20) night. Garth's appearance was originally scheduled for November 5th--the day before the release of his Ultimate Hits Package, but the writer's strike forced cancellation of the shows taping.

Faith Hill was going to sing tonight at a dinner honoring Aretha Franklin but she had to cancel - she has bronchitis. Hill is scheduled to be on Franklin's new studio album, though. Bronchitis, laryngitis -- I tell ya. George Strait is back on the road this week, by the way.

Keith Urban flew to LA, that's over 8,000 miles from Australia, mate, to record a song with pop star Nelly Furtado. The "Promiscuous" singer personally asked him to make an appearance. No word on whether the song will be included in a future release.

Country Music Hall of Fame inductees and the class of 2008 will be announced next Tuesday (Feb. 12) at the Ford Theatre in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Last year's inductees were announced in September and inducted in October instead of in November during the CMA Awards broadcast. CMA CEO Tammy Genovese said she would be revising the induction process for 2008.

A nice article here from the Tennessean about Taylor Swift and her friendship with Carrie, Faith, and others in the industry. Go get 'em, girly!

Add one more "American Idol" contestant to the list of competitors from the popular TV series who have made it to the Billboard charts.

Season six sixth place finalist Phil Stacey enters Hot Country Songs at No. 55 with his debut single, "If You Didn't Love Me" (Lyric Street). Stacey is the third contestant from season six to chart (after Jordin Sparks and Blake Lewis), and the 32nd to appear on any Billboard chart. He is the sixth Idol to show up on Hot Country Songs, following Kelly Clarkson, Josh Gracin, Carrie Underwood, Kellie Pickler and Bucky Covington.

If Stacey's single is the next song by an "Idol" to go to No. 1, it will be the 168th chart-topper for the franchise. 31 Idols have charted on a Billboard chart this far.