The Mother Church of country music is ready to debut it’s new stage. You can see Ryman officials incorporated a 36-inch lip of the old blonde oak stage at the front of the new one. The rest of the stage is now a medium brown Brazilian teak that will be far more durable and camera friendly.

The Band Perry will be the first act to play the new stage. The show is sold out.

PHOTO CREDIT: STEVE LOWRY/RYMAN ARCHIVES

Celebrating The Life of “SCOOBY” – Highway 2 mars from Ray Zate on Vimeo.

I don’t usually post “hard news” on here, but the recent losses to Nashville can’t go unlooked. In the past two weeks we have lost three local voices that contributed greatly to our city and the foundation we are built on as Music City. I knew some of them personally, others I never had the chance to meet face-to-face. With that said I will let the below links tell their story best. May you all rest in peace.

David Hall, Lightning 100.
Read More by clicking here.

Jayne Rogovin, Veteran Nashville Publicist. Read more by lcicking by clicking here.

Curtis “Scooby” Senior, Radio Host 101.1 The Beat. Read More by clicking here.
The talented Ray Zate put together the moving video of Scooby above.

Deputies responded to Chesney’s home shortly after 2 a.m. to find Melissa Carol Mansfield in a bathroom near the pool area. She had reportedly been drinking wine and smoking cigarettes.

“She was found around the pool area, in a restroom,” Williamson County Sheriff’s Deputy Hugh Tharpe told Nashville’s News 2. “[The] corporal was looking around the perimeter and found her in a restroom. She had at least one, if not two bottles of wine with her.”

Chesney’s home is high atop a hill, surrounded by a fence with a private gate. There are signs that clearly say, “No Trespassing.”

The sheriff’s office was alerted to the trespassing after an alarm at the home sounded.

It’s believed Mansfield somehow got around the fence after traveling to Nashville from Knoxville via Greyhound bus.

Mansfield told deputies that she initially traveled to Knoxville to see Chesney’s parents from her home in Murrieta, California, near San Diego.

From Nashville she took a limo to Chesney’s Williamson County home about 25 miles south, according to deputies.

“She claimed to have a relationship with Mr. Chesney and they were dating but that was not confirmed at all,” Tharpe said. “The property manager said that Mr. Chesney was out of town and she didn’t have permission to be on the property.”

He continued, “She claims she had a relationship with the homeowner and he invited her there.”

Chesney’s publicist confirmed via email that Mansfield has no connection to Chesney. Chesney was not home at the time of the break-in.

Thursday’s Mansfield’s brother, Austin, called the news of his sister’s arrest “heartbreaking,” adding his family has tried to get Melissa the help she needs several times.

Over the phone, Austin Mansfield, who lives in Georgia, told Nashville’s News 2 drinking is a battle his sister has been fighting for “quite some time.” He said they put her in rehab for her drinking problem just two weeks ago.

Mansfield said his sister hasn’t worked in a while and Wednesday wasn’t the first time she tried to track down Chesney. He said she once followed the singer to the Virgin Islands.

Mansfield is charged with criminal trespassing and public intoxication and remained in the Williamson County jail on a $1,000 bond Thursday afternoon.

Rather than bail her out, Austin Mansfield told Nashville’s News 2 they instead would like to get her psychiatric help.

Mansfield is scheduled to appear in a Williamson County courtroom next Thursday, February 23.

If you can’t see the video above click HERE!

Nashville Mayor Karl Dean joined members of the Cash family and museum founder Bill Miller Tuesday to unveil details of the facility.

Slated to open this summer, the museum will feature never before seen historical documents, letters, awards, costumes and instruments, uniting the acclaimed collection of Miller, longtime friend of the Cash’s and founder of the official Johnny Cash Web site, and pieces from Cash’s friends, colleagues and family members including his children and siblings.

“We intend on making this the best single celebrity museum anywhere in the world,” Miller told Nashville’s News 2.

John Carter Cash, Johnny’s son said the family is looking forward to adding to the collection.

“I’m excited for the world that they will be able to experience that connection in a different way, in a new way, in a way that hadn’t been possible before. I know my parents would be very excited to see that a Johnny Cash museum is happening and that it’s going to come about. It furthers their spirit and what they believe in and who they are as people.”

Phase I of the museum will consist of a museum store, permanent exhibits and a multipurpose venue for performances, special exhibits and other events.

Phase II will both ground and top floor expansions bringing the total square footage of the museum to 18,000 square feet.

Plans include an additional exhibit space, enlarged performance area, onsite food venue and more.

If you don’t see the video above click click HERE!

LMG Design Studio in Nashville has spent the last eight months working to make Madonna‘s performance dreams a reality.

Industry veteran Ken Gay heads up the local studio.

“Super Bowl, for me, is about eight months of my life played out in 12 minutes,” he said.

Gay has worked with artists like Cee Lo Green, Drake and Dolly Parton in the past year alone.

The studio on Broadway is designed to provide a hands-on environment for clients to brainstorm and discuss creative ideas with the latest live entertainment technology.

If you don’t see the video above click HERE

Scuffed by the heels of “The King,” ”The Queen of Soul” and thousands of singers in cowboy boots, scarred by an uncountable stream of road cases and worn by six decades of music history, the Ryman’s oak floorboards have reached the end of a very long, very successful run.

“It’s an exciting time, I love it. I mean this place deserves the best of everything,” Ryman General Manager Sara Williams told Nashville’s News 2.

The current stage is just the second in the 120-year history of the “Mother Church” after the original was installed in 1901 for a performance of the Metropolitan Opera. It was laid down in 1951 and has lasted far longer than expected.

“We really do our best to preserve the integrity of this building for folks now and for folks down the road,” Williams explained.

The Ryman is still the building most associated with The Grand Ole Opry, though it moved to the Opry House in 1974, and has hosted a number of significant moments in American culture.

Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash stood together on those boards and changed music. Cultures clashed there too when the boo birds took on country rockers The Byrds. Today the Ryman is a much sought-after destination point for musicians of all genres and many shows take on a unique aura.

Keith Urban who is making his return from vocal surgery, will be among the last performers on the stage when the Opry plays its final winter date Friday at The Ryman.

Dierks Bentley will play the last standalone concert Thursday.

Ryman officials said they will retain an 18-inch lip of the blonde oak at the front of the stage, similar to the way the Ryman stage was commemorated in a circle of wood at the new Opry House.

The rest of the stage will be stored and replaced with a medium brown Brazilian teak that will be far more durable and camera friendly.

Work will begin February 4 and continue seven days a week through February 20, when The Band Perry will make its Ryman debut with a sold-out show.

Tours will continue throughout the work at a discounted rate, allowing members of the public to watch.

*The Associated Press contributed to this report.

If you can’t see the video above click here HERE!

Keith Urban and Richard Marx finally celebrated the success of their number one song, Long Hot Summer Tuesday night at Cabana in Nashville.

Keith recently underwent vocal surgery and had to keep silent for 3 weeks. He talked to the media about how hard it was to keep his silence, especially around his daughter. The country star even toted around a white marker board to write on throughout his recovery.

Keith & Richard performed “Long Hot Summer” for the small crowd, with the help of two fans he found on Youtube.

Keith will make his official come back February 3rd the Grand Ole Opry.

Keith and Richard shared that this song was extra special regarding a rekindling of their friendship. Marx expressed his love for both the song and Keith. He jokingly said, “Keith’s not a bad kiss, for a guy.”

I will have more from the party on Yallwire. Stay tuned!

McGraw has been working with Curb for nearly 20 years, but this album is likely the last between the country music superstar and the record label.

I talked with some songwriters on the album for WKRN. Check out my story above. If you don’t see it click HERE!