Who knew that Barack Obama’s fateful stroll up the driveway of Samuel Wurzelbacher would help create a media frenzy? As so often happens during a presidential campaign, the candidates’ every word becomes fotter for press. So, when Mr. Wurzelbacher found Mr. Obama right in front of his home in Ohio, he assumed a fake alias (Joe) and told Mr. Obama that he was “concerned” about how the Senator’s tax policies would adversely affect his small plumbing business. Barack Obama explained (in essence) that he was sorry that “Joe’s” small business (which supposedly made more than $250K per year) would take a hit, but that it was important to “spread the wealth around”. 

Those fateful words ushered in one of the strangest story-lines to an already strange presidential race. “Joe the Plumber”, it was later revealed, was not actually named “Joe” and wasn’t even a real plumber. But that didn’t stop him from becoming a symbol for the McCain campaign. “Joe” has taken the stage with John McCain and Sarah Palin, and has even become an outspoken critic of the Obama policies. 

Now there’s word that Joe (i.e. Samuel) has caught the eye of Nashville. He’s apparently locked down representation for entertainment ventures with The Bobby Roberts Company and publicist Jim Della Croce of The Press Office. Singer Aaron Tippin (who has also campaigned with Mrs. Palin) met with Samuel, and even expressed confidence in a budding music career.

In an interview with FOX News, Samuel said:

I love country music…I mean it’s pretty much what I listen to from sun-up to sun-down. But as far as me being a country music star, I don’t know. I don’t think people are tone-deaf out there.”

New music video of Kevin Costner & Modern West performing Superman 14 in concert.

For those of you not familiar with the Zac Brown Band, they have been making a name for themselves with their single “Chicken Fried” moving up the charts. Originally signed to Live Nation, Zac and his band were left homeless once Live Nation decided to give up trying to be a record label. Thankfully, they have landed on their feet at Atlantic Records.

Here’s the press release:

NEW YORK – On November 18th, Atlantic Records/Home Grown/Big Picture will release Zac Brown Band’s ‘The Foundation,’ a collection of 12 songs that draw inspiration from the band’s Southern roots and everyday life experiences. It’s music that resonates no matter where you call home. Zac Brown Band’s signature sound is equal parts country, bluegrass, southern rock, pop and reggae. Lead by the tenacious Zac Brown, the band possesses awe-inspiring musicianship, skillful songwriting and dynamic live performances that have been embraced by audiences across the country. “Chicken Fried,” the album’s first single - which sold almost 150,000 downloads in the first five weeks and currently ranks #6 on Billboard’s Hot Country and #36 on Billboard Hot 100 – has already established the band as a radio favorite. Watch the “Chicken Fried”

music video, directed by Clifton Collins Jr., here.

Produced by the legendary Keith Stegall (Alan Jackson, George Jones), ‘The Foundation’ features “Whatever It Is,” a ballad about the bewildering power of love, “Toes,” an ode to the pleasures of beach life; and “Free,” which has turned into an audience anthem during recent tour stops.

Zac Brown Band performs upwards of 250 dates a year and has played more than 3,000 shows in their career and shared the stage with bands such as Sugarland, Alan Jackson, Los Lonely Boys, The Allman Brothers, Willie Nelson, B.B. King, ZZ Top and Etta James. The band’s aggressive touring has helped them develop a fanatical grassroots following by winning over believers one person at a time.

“Zac Brown Band is a self-made American success story,” said Atlantic Records Chairman/CEO Craig Kallman. “They’ve built up a phenomenal grassroots base with music that cuts across musical boundaries and walks of life to speak to the hearts of people everywhere. They are the perfect band for our times, with the songs, the musicianship, and the power to become a major presence. I am thrilled to welcome Zac Brown Band into the Atlantic family, and we are looking forward to joining forces to take their career to new heights.”

Zac Brown Band is: singer/guitarist Zac Brown, fiddler Jimmy De Martini, bassist John Hopkins, guitarist/organist Coy Bowles and drummer Chris Fryar.

Since recording ‘The Foundation’ Zac Brown Band has also engaged Keith Stegall’

s Nashville-based Big Picture Entertainment Group, and its subsidiary Bigger Picture Promotion, led by Michael Powers and Jeff Solima, in spearheading radio promotions.

Zac Brown Band is managed by ROAR, a Beverly Hills, California-based talent and brand management company with offices in Nashville, Atlanta and New York.

As any True Country fan could have probably guessed, the world’s most popular country artist, Kenny Chesney’s Lucky Old Son debuted this week at the number one spot, knocking off hip hop act TI’s album, Paper Trail. With 176,414 sold this week, this makes Chesney’s 4th number one album. His last, The Road and The Radio debuted in the top spot back in November of 2005.

Now if he can wrangle up some wins at the CMA Awards in November the year will be complete.

At 41, this mother-of-three shows off her killer abs on the cover of the fitness mag Shape. This is the first time she’s posed anywhere in a bikini, and we’re wondering “what took her so long?”. The country star credits her impeccable physique to her strict Pilates workouts, and even joked that the exercising gives her the kind of flexibility that her hubby, Tim McGraw, absolutely loves.

“I could bend in ways I haven’t been able to since I was a teenager.”

This red-hot issue hits newsstands on November 10th.

Police are investigating an altercation between John Rich (Big & Rich) and Jerry Montano, the former bassist for the rock band Danzig, that occured early Friday morning at the Mondrian Hotel in West Hollywood. TMZ is reporting that Rich got into an argument with “two tattooed, large gentlemen,” when things escalated and he swung a beer bottle at Montano, hitting him in the face, supposedly breaking his nose. Following the clash, Montano repeatedly mumbled, “the little guy hit me” (as opposed to the “big guy” — Big Kenny Alphin) Paramedics arrived on the scene shortly after the fracas, but no one was taken to the hospital and neither party has pressed charges. This looks like a little more than your typical cowboy bar fight. Yikes.

We’ll keep you updated as this story develops…

Watch the artful new video for Randy Rogers Band’s “In My Arms Instead.” The ending has a surprise twist that’ll be easy to predict for those of you who have read the track-by-track explanation for the band’s new album.

It seems that the 3rd volume of Tim McGraw’s Greatest Hits (which hit shelves yesterday) was not endorsed by the man himself.

“I am saddened and disappointed that my label chose to put out another hits album instead of new music,” he said. “I’ve only had one studio album since my last hits package. It has to be just as confusing to the fans as it is to me. I had no involvement in the creation or presentation of this record. Sure, I love the songs, and I don’t want to take anything away from all the creative people who were a part of making those records. But the whole concept is an embarrassment to me as an artist. In the spirit of an election year, I would simply say to my fans, ‘I’m Tim McGraw, and I don’t approve their message.’”

Poor guy! All you die hard fans out there probably know this isn’t the first time something like this has happened to Mr. McGraw. Back in 2000, he wanted to put out a new record with nothing but new material, but his record label put out his first Greatest Hits album instead!