andPOP - Pop Culture With Substance

Country star Tim McGraw made one 9-year-old boy very happy during an Oklahoma City concert Friday night, by singing a duet with the young fan.

“My son Luke has been a fan since he was 3 years old and always has said that he was going to sing with Tim McGraw someday,” said the mother of Luke Wood, Kendra Wood, who brought her son to the concert.

“He made a simple sign, ‘Can I sing with you?’ And brought it with us. I was completely shocked when Tim started singing ‘Last Dollar (Fly Away)’ and motioned for him to come forward. Before I knew it he was whisked onstage, Tim handed him a mic and began singing with Luke,” she explained.

“I have NO idea how I am going to top this birthday present!” said Wood.

Country star Tim McGraw is the latest star to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

McGraw unveiled his star yesterday and that he was very surprised that he was given the honour.

“I really still don’t know how it happens, maybe they made a mistake or something,” he said during the unveiling.

With McGraw at the ceremony was his wife, Faith Hill, Billy Bob Thorton, and – of course – McGraw’s screaming fans.

“It’s been a great ride for me for a long time. This summer will make 18 years that I’ve been on the road playing music, making my living.”

Country couple Tim McGraw and Faith Hill have announced more dates for their upcoming Soul2Soul II tour.

The duo’s stops will now include Lexington, Kentucky, Nampa, Idaho, and Fresno, California. Members of McGraw’s and Hill’s fan clubs will have first dibs at tickets.

Tour Itinerary

April 2006
21, 22 – Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena
23 – Knoxville, TN – Thompson/Boling Arena
28-30 – Rosemont, IL – Allstate Arena

May 2006
5, 6 – Auburn Hills, MI – Palace of Auburn Hills
7 – Grand Raids, MI – Van Andel Arena
12 – Buffalo, NY – HSBC Arena
13 – Pittsburgh, PA – Mellon Arena
14 – Lexington, KY – Rupp Arena (on sale 4/1)
18 – Madison, WI – Kohl Center (on sale 4/1)
19, 20 – St. Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center
26 – Birmingham, AL – BJCC Arena
27 – Greenville, SC – BI-LO Center
28, 29 – Jacksonville, FL – Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena

June 2006
2 – Tampa, FL – St. Pete Times Forum
4 – Sunrise, FL – BankAtlantic Center
7 – Richmond, VA – Richmond Coliseum (on sale 4/1)
9 – Raleigh, NC – RBC Center
10 – Charlotte, NC – Charlotte Arena (on sale tba)
12 – Rochester, NY – Blue Cross Arena
13 – Albany, NY – Pepsi Arena (on sale now)
15, 16 – Philadelphia, PA – Wachovia Center
17 – Hershey, PA – Giant Center
18 – Hershey, PA – Giant Center
21 – University Park, PA – Bryce Jordan Center
23, 24 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
25, 26 – Boston, MA – TD Banknorth Garden
29 – Washington, DC – Verizon Center (on sale 4/1)
30 – Washington, DC – Verizon Center

July 2006
1 – Cleveland, OH – Quicken Loans Arena
2 – Charleston, WV – Charleston Civic Center
8 – Atlanta, GA – Philips Arena (on sale 4/1)
11 – Cincinnati, OH – U.S. Bank Arena
12 – Indianapolis, IN – Conseco Fieldhouse
14 – St. Louis, MO – Savvis Center (on sale 4/1)
16 – Milwaukee, WI – Bradley Center
18 – Kansas City, MO – Kemper Arena
21 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
22 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center
27 – Oklahoma City, OK – Ford Center
29 – Nashville, TN – Gaylord Entertainment Center

August 2006
2 – Denver, CO – Pepsi Center
4 – Salt Lake City, UT – Delta Center
5 – Salt Lake City, UT – Delta Center (on sale tba)
6 – Nampa, ID – Idaho Center (on sale tba)
8 – Portland, OR – Rose Garden Arena
9, 10 – Seattle, WA – Key Arena
14 – Fresno, CA – Save Mart Center (on sale 4/8)
17-19 – Los Angeles, CA – Staples Center
25, 26 – Phoenix, AZ – US Airways Center

Married country singers Tim McGraw and Faith Hill have joined with Amazon.com to assist flood victims of Hurricane Katrina and Rita.

The singers, respectively from Louisiana and Mississippi, join Trisha Yearwood, Paul McCartney and former US president Bill Clinton in donating money or exclusive content for Amazon.com’s charity campaign.

McGraw’s will premiere a recently recorded, unreleased song, called “Louisiana.”

McGraw said “You stream the song, and you don’t have to make a donation, but we encourage everybody to make one — or we’ll send some big guys after you.”

Much like the aftermath of Sept. 11 just four years ago, celebrities, musicians, and actors are banning together to raise money for victims of another U.S. disaster. This time, the cause is Katrina, the Category 5 hurricane that has left the Mississippi gulf and the city of New Orleans in ruins.

?A Concert for Hurricane Relief,? to be broadcast on NBC, MSNBC, and CNBC this Friday at 8 p.m. EST, will include performances by Wynton Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr., and Tim McGraw. Celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio are also scheduled to participate in the hour-long special, which will be hosted by Matt Lauer in New York. Viewers will be encouraged to donate to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

But the special which will likely draw the biggest crowd is a three-city MTV extravaganza that will feature performances by Usher, Green Day, Ludacris, and Alicia Keys. It will air live on Sept. 10 on MTV, VH1, and CMT from New York, Los Angeles, and Nashville.

“In the face of a tragedy of this scope, we simply have to do everything in our power to offer support, comfort and hope to all the people directly impacted by the hurricane,” said Judy McGrath, chair and CEO of MTV Networks, who announced the concerts yesterday. “Our goal is to join forces on every medium to get involved, to volunteer, to contribute in any way we can.”

Other artists currently on board for the event are Gretchen Wilson, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews Band, Rob Thomas, Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington, and David Banner. Additional performers are expected to be added to the line-up as the show draws closer. All proceeds will go to the American Red Cross.

President George W. Bush has called Katrina ?one of the worst national disasters? in U.S. history as hundreds are feared dead in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.