LAND OF LINKIN' (Items on Garth Brooks, Sugarland, John Mellencamp, Sheryl Crow, Hank, Jr., Martina McBride, Jewel, Kathy Mattea, Big & Rich )

Garth Brooks covered Don McLean, The Isley Brothers (and Otis Day & The Knights) and...Garth Brooks at Sunday's "We are One" inaugural concert at the Lincoln Memorial in our Nation's Capitol, prompting the next President and Vice President to get into the act.
Also there: Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles (joining James Taylor and John Legend), John Mellencamp, Sheryl Crow (who joined in on a Bob Marley jam) and 89 year old Pete Seeger and Bruce Springsteen, who landed an original version of an American anthem.
Meanwhile, was Garth there for a "frat party" or to appeal "to the lowest common denominator of wedding-reception rock?"
You be the judge...



...and here's a snippet of Garth's rehearsal...



Pittsburgh Sealer: Pittsburgh Steeler booster Hank Williams, Jr. was at Heinz Field Sunday, cheering on the team and amping up the crowd.
So why is he a Steeler fan?
Maybe because he and Terry Bradshaw were born in the same Louisiana hospital...but that doesn't mean he'd want the old QB ever singing on one of his records.
Book-ending Hank's excellent weekend? Hunting in Alabama and (maybe) playing for the Bushes in Texas.
Martina McBride, by the way...and as mentioned here, sang the National Anthem, before the game. On the way there, she revealed the title of her upcoming album: "Shine."

Staying Abreast of the News: "Whoa, Jewel is stacked"...and coming to Canada.

Train of Memories: Kathy Mattea's "Coal" tour is taking her to Wales, where she's kin, it turns out.

From the Scanner: Big & Rich & freaky, from Blender magazine, October 2004...