HOWDY DUTY (Items on Brooks & Dunn, Loretta Lynn, George Strait, Taylor Swift, Jack Ingram, Bobby Lord)

Brooks & Dunn are transferring the saga of their characters, Slim & Howdy, from their CD liner notes to the printed page. "The Adventures of Slim & Howdy: A Novel" lands in finer booksellers in May. Meanwhile, here's how B&D's trail will play out in '08 (so far), including a dip down under and dovetails with Kenny Chesney's annual cash machine and Alan Jackson's tour...

2/29-3/1 Boondall, AUSTRALIA-Brisbane Entertainment Centre
3/05 Melbourne, AUSTRALIA-Rod Laver Arena
3/10 Sydney, AUSTRALIA-Acer Arena
3/22 Houston, TX-Reliant Stadium/RodeoHouston
4/16 Calgary, Alberta-Pengrowth Saddledome
4/17 Edmonton, Alberta-Rexall Place
4/18 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan-Credit Union Centre
4/19 Winnipeg, Manitoba-MTS Centre
4/26 Columbia, SC-Williams Brice Stadium
5/3 Dallas, TX-Pizza Hut Park
5/9 Virginia Beach, VA-Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
5/10 Baltimore, MD-M&T Bank Stadium
5/30 Milwaukee, WI-Marcus Amphitheatre
5/31 Maryland Heights, MO-Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
6/8 San Francisco, CA-AT&T Park
6/14 Cincinnati, OH-Riverbend Music Center
6/15 Cuyahoga Falls, OH-Blossom Music Center
6/27 Cadott, WI-Chippewa Valley Music Fest
6/28 Oshkosh, WI-Country USA
7/13 Atlanta, GA-Turner Field
7/19 Saint Clairsville, OH-Jamboree in the Hills
7/20 Noblesville, IN-Verizon Wireless Arena
7/25 Tampa, FL-Ford Amphitheatre
7/26 West Palm Beach, FL-Cruzan Amphitheatre
8/1 Albuquerque, NM-Journal Pavilion
8/2 Phoenix, AZ-Cricket Pavilion
9/5 Charlotte, NC-Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
9/6 Raleigh, NC-Walnut Creek Amphitheatre
9/12 Burgettstown, PA-Post Gazette Pavilion
9/13 Chicago, IL-First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre

Coal Miner's Daughter (and Her Sister): At 74, Loretta Lynn is still on top of her game. Thursday night, she heads home to Kentucky to induct her sister, Crystal Gayle, into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame.

Philly Cheese Strait: George Strait's Saturday show in Philadelphia was well received. George's latest, "Troubabdour," lands April 1.

He Shoots, He Hopes to Score: Hockey players love Taylor Swift.

Wherever You Call: Jack Ingram wants you to call him at 512-377-9901 and leave a message and he's checking 'em.

R.I.P.: Bobby Lord, Grand Ole Opry member who hosted his own television show in the 1960's has died.