[Related Post: Give Me Dollywood Over Hollywood]

Country music legend and Backwoods Barbie, Dolly Parton, is set to appear on the big screen next to whom, you might ask? Queen Latifah, that’s who! Parton and Queen L on the same screen? You know what that means? This film has feel good written all over it!

Parton, 64, will appear in the upcoming Warner Bros. feature Joyful Noise – a film that centers around a small-town woman (Parton) who’s widowed by a church choir director and a mother (Latifah) who’s is placed in charge of the group. Directed by Todd Graff (2003’s indie Camp feature about misfits at a musical summer camp for teens), the script for Joyful Noise follows the two leading women in an effort to overcome their opinions of each other and save the choir (which might be going down to tubes due to budget cuts).

Parton and Latifah have both left their marks on the acting realm with their previous movie roles. Latifah is an Oscar nominee (for her acclaimed role in 2002’s Chicago), and Parton has certainly captured audiences and critics alike with her memorable roles in films like Nine to Five and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. The last time Parton graced the movie screen was in 1992’s Straight Talk.

Production on the film is scheduled to begin in January.

Besides being a personal hero of mine, Dolly makes the current musical landscape seem immensely shallow, when placed next to her own material, music that is deep fried and full of heart. Check out the incredibly vulnerable music video for Dagger Through The Heart, below.

Currently in DC melting my face off, I felt inspired to write a post with some kick-ass 4th of July songs for your viewing/listening pleasure.

001/ Martina McBride, Independence Day

Still my favorite 4th of July song ever. Saturated in a deep blue coat of meaning revolving around domestic abuse, Martina pours her heart out on this classic track. Check out the video below.

002/ George Michael, Freedom

A throwback to his golden days, Michael’s Freedom is iconic in the way it speaks of breaking free of the chains that hold us down. Perhaps a big lesson in independence is accepting that sometimes the clothes don’t make the man.

003/ Kelis, 4th of July

A new music video for Kelis debuted recently featuring the singer wearing a Native American headdress and singing about Independence Day. It’s a disco electronic love feast that satisfies. Check it!

004/ Drake ft. Alicia Keys, Fireworks

I’ve written about this track and have supported rapper Drake in several articles over the past few months. Take a listen to the sizzling number below featuring the always elegant Alicia Keys.

Besides being Southern, and having bad driving habits, another thing I share in common with Pickler is her birthday. I’ve posted several articles on the blonde twangy twizzler and today, I post once more to celebrate her awesomeness. Joining me in turning a year older, Pickler, who recently announced her engagement to Kyle Jacobs, celebrated her 24th yesterday (June 28th).

Check out one of my favorite Pickler moments via 2006’s MTV Movie Awards.

An oldie but goodie!

[Sidenote: Thank you to everyone who sent birthday wishes, messages, and love. I genuinely appreciate the thoughts and gestures! Also, thank you to everyone who supports BTB currently. The site would be nothing without an audience, so thank you to all readers who continue to come back Monday-Friday every week to read what's on our minds musically.]

Being from the South, there’s no denying the place in my heart reserved for Southern girls, specifically those that are blonde, sweet tea sweet with a sense of humor, and pack a punch on the guitar. Needless to say, I effing love Taylor Swift! But then again, who doesn’t?

America’s sweetheart recently decided to go above and beyond for her fans, promising to hold a 13-hour meet and greet for everyone who would show up (via the CMA Music Festival). Instead, Swift spent close to 15 hours hugging and signing autographs for over 2,000 of the 10,000 fans who showed up! She also performed a mini-concert for all fans. Both the concert and meet and greet were free and open to the public! How awesome is that? I mean, can you imagine any other stars willing to put in that sort of time and commitment to fans? Highly doubt it! It’d be nice to see other acts pay tribute to fans in this manner, considering the fact that it IS the sole reason for their success. What a way to make those selfish turds look like lazy asses!

Said Swift: “My favorite thing about CMA Music Fest has always been getting to spend time with the fans, so this year I wanted to figure out a way to meet as many of them as possible. Thirteen is my lucky number, and the 13th is during Music Fest, so I think spending 13 hours that day with my fans is going to be amazing!”

Besides making us exhausted with her ever-giving heart and crazy schedule, Swift has been renovating a condo in Tennessee and apparently one of her biggest obsessions (besides her fans, of course) is stingrays (and giant-sized birdcages)?

Check out a clip of Taylor discussing her affection for stingrays below, followed by footage from her 15-hour free meet & greet in Nashville.

Hello guy at the 1:23 mark! His hand’s a little low on her hip, no? Copping a feel are we?!

Miranda Lambert is, without a doubt, a spitfire. She’s proved this point on kick-ass diddys like Kerosene and Gunpowder and Lead. But don’t let her attitude-driven songs soak up all your attention, taking your ears away from the vulnerability throughout the rest of her music, for the girl’s got a heart the size of Reba McEntire’s hair via the 80s!

The country star recently held her third annual “Cause for Paws” concert and charity auction. The sold-out event raised $91,000 for animals affected by the recent floods in the Nashville, Tennessee area (as well as the East Texas Humane Society).

Besides Lambert, the event featured additional Whiskey Myers, Kacey Musgraves and Nightwork.

Said Lambert: “Since we started working with the Humane Society of East Texas over three years ago, we have donated over $325,000 and they have become a ‘no kill’ shelter. Every year it amazes me that people spend their hard-earned money to partner with us in this fight. I am very grateful!”

You can currently check out the ACM Female Vocalist of the Year at the CMA Music Fest, in Nashville, starting today until June 13th!

Check out Lambert pouring her heart out, performing The House That Built Me live, below.

I mighta been born just plain white trash but Fancy was my name!

Sorry, had to throw that out there.

Country legend Reba McEntire put a country ring on it when she recently covered Beyonce’s classic hit, If I Were a Boy for a recent episode of CMT’s Unplugged. And the outcome is amazing! Reba takes the song and sings it effortlessly, proving that if a message is universal (ya know, the whole boys being douchebags thing) then it can be sung in any format, in any language, in any part of the world and will still have a powerful effect on the audience, if the artist connects with the song emotionally. And Reba certainly does.

This is not the first time a song of Beyonce’s was covered by another well-know country artist. In 2007, Sugarland famously performed Irreplaceable on the American Music Awards where Knowles even took to the stage to join in singing along.

Check out Reba’s spin on If I Were A Boy, below.

A few days ago, before his face appeared on Idol Gives Back, President Obama arrived in Los Angeles to help raise money for the re-election of Senator Barbara Boxer. An exclusive dinner was arranged, and the guests in attendance had to pay $17,600 dollars per dinner plate. Let me state the obvious: most in attendance were wealthy corporate types or celebrities of various branches. When given a second thought, it’s clear that sometimes in order to feel you have a voice in America you need wealth (or at least the luxury of spending $17,600 for dinner). The ironic twist is the event took place in LA, a city on the verge of bankruptcy, with 80,000 residents homeless and 12 percent of the city’s population without jobs.

I mention the Obama angle, because I think it’s a common factor in deciding whether or not to give. Trust me, I’ve been there, to that place inside that selfishly overlooks the truth, by feeling as if I have nothing to give in comparisons to those with celebrity style bank accounts (which, let’s face it, should be giving in the first place, with or without the positive attention of the camera). The truth is, you do not need $17,600 to truly leave your footprint in the dirt of the world. Even as little as $10 bucks a month can literally feed children on the brink of starvation and catastrophic diseases.

Idol winner Carrie Underwood performed the beautiful track Change during the two hour event. Underwood talked to reporters after the show about the importance of supporting charitable causes: “This is the stuff that really makes a difference,” she said. “We’re coming up on 10 seasons of American Idol. Twenty years later, people might not remember who won what, but this is the kind of stuff that can make lives better and people will remember that.”

The track from Underwood’s Play On album was written by Katrina Elam, Josh Kear and Chris Tompkins. “[The song] talks about how the smallest thing can make a huge difference, and it really fits with tonight’s concept,” Underwood told reporters. During her fall tour, 36 cents of every ticket sold will benefit Save the Children’s programs in the U.S. The amount parallels a reference to “36 cents” in the lyrics of the song.

You can listen to the track, below. You can also check out Keep A Child Alive (a program I personally advocate), by clicking here.

Everywhere I Go off of her debut EP Where You Runnin’, stopped me dead in my tracks at a local record store (yes, some still exist), showcasing her achingly raw and evocative voice. How often has this happened to you lately? Think about it; sound that hits you so hard you can feel it? Now that’s music, what feelings sound like.

The bright intensity of Lissie’s voice will cut through any disdain your jaded heart may have built up against present day “singers” and “songwriters”. In my opinion, she belongs in the 1970’s with the brilliance of female musicians whose material will be set in stone for countless generations. Her sound seems as if it should belong to someone twice her age, both coarse and beautiful; a combination which, when it works, is something to behold. Her pipes are her instrument, and she commands them. Upon downloading more of her tracks, I found the songs range from hand-clapping and foot-stomping, to breathtaking ballads that all make up her ingredient; a spine shivering, rustic soul.

Lissie is an artist to watch, listen, and embrace. So raise the volume; she’s about to mend all the broken hearts of boring, pointless music trends!

Yep, you read that right!

Last night, exhausted from the gym, I came home and did what most dudes would do while relaxing in front of the computer: I youtubed puppies. Ok, so maybe that’s not what MOST guys would do, but I’m really debating with this idea of getting a pet. Long story short–my puppy searching somehow led me to discover this video and it totally made me smile.

A group of University of Rochester students have re-created Taylor Swift’s massive anthem You Belong With Me to feature a same-sex crush.

Made by the university’s singing group the Yellowjackets, the video Stars Matt Francis (jock) and Michael Pittman (gleek).

Watch the cuteness, below.