In Jo Dee Messina's video for "Stand Beside Me," she plays a worker in a dry-cleaning store. "They've seen my strong, tough side," says Jo Dee, referring to songs like "Bye Bye" and "I'm alright." "Now they get a chance to see another side."

Billy Ray Cyrus got career encouragement from an unsolicited letter Johnny Cash sent him in 1992. Referring to the criticism Billy Ray received for "Achy Breaky Heart," Johnny likened him to Elvis Presley. "In your case, as in Elvis'," Johnny wrote, "the good outweights the bad."

Honorary chairperson Kathy Mattea and more than 5,000 people hit the streets on Oct. 18th in Nashville, TN to raise $175,000 for Nashville Cares at the organization's seventh annual AIDS Walk.

Shania Twain is slated to perform at this year's Billboard Music Awards. The show takes place Dec. 7 at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas and airs live on Fox form 8 to 10 p.m. EST.

Shania Twain's "Come On Over" is a step closer to equaling the sales of her breakthrough album, "The Woman In Me." Sales of her latest effort have passed the six-million mark-seven million if you count overseas sales. And that doesn't even include sales throught record clubs-the album was just added to several clubs lists. Some estimates say "Come On Over" could match "The Woman In Me's" 10-million sales by early next year.

Garth Brooks would rather end his three-year world tour in the U.S. than overseas, so he's added one more show. He'll play Texas A&M's Reed Arena in College Station, Texas, Nov. 21.

Garth Brooks has announced the details of his NBC TV special that will coincide with the November release of "Garth Brooks: Double Live." the hour long live show will feature Garth in front of a studio audience in L.A., introducing highlights from past concerts, (including never before seen footage), performing a couple of tunes live and interactiong with fans via satellite. What's more--this will be a live show, no matter where in the country you are. NBC will broadcast one live hour to the Eastern and Central time zones...follow it with another live broadcast to the Mountain time zone...and then do one more live show for the Pacific time zone. It amounts to three live shows that could be entirely different, airing over the course of four hours.

The man who wrote the script for "The Fugitive" has been signed to do the same for "The Lamb," a film project under development by Garth Brooks' L.A. based production company. Variety reports that Jeb Stuart has been signed to pen the thriller about a superstar musician and an overzealous fan. Still no word on whether or not there's a role for Garth in the film.

Since it's release 6 years ago, Garth Brooks' Christmas album, "Beyond The Season," has sold more than 3 million copies. If you don't have one of them, you may want to remedy that in the coming weeks as this will be its final season in stores. Starting now, shipments of the album will feature new packaging, including the label, "last time this title will be available." Garth has told us he hopes to record a second holiday album in the months to come.

Trisha Yearwood will sing with opera great Luciano Pavarotti in an upcoming PBS special, Great Performances: Pavarotti & Friends. They'll perform "Adeste Fideles." The special, airing Dec. 2, will also include performances by the Spice Girls, Celine Dion, Jon Bon Jovi and Stevie Wonder.

Sawyer Brown shot a video in Los Angeles for "Drive Me Wild," the first single and title cut from their next album. It's due in January.

A softball team captained by Faith Hill beat Tim McGraw's tean, 13-12, at the annual Swampstock benefit Oct. 11 in Rayville, La. "They're not here just to see me and my friends play," Tim said of the 11, 000 fans that watched. "They're showing up to support the whole community."

John Denver's life will be the subject of a two-hour made-for-TV movie. The singer's first wife and children are reportedly cooperating with the producers of the film based on Denver's 1994 biography, "Take Me Home".

The Dixie Chicks, who've taken to celebrating landmarks in their career with small chicken foot tattoos, have to make another appointment at the tattoo parlor. Their debut album, "Wide Open Spaces," has hit another milestone. It's been certified double-platinum for selling more than 2-million copies. Some say it's the fastest selling debut album by a group in country music history.

At first LeAnn Rimes thought it was a joke. Wouldn't you if someone called and identified himself as Elton John? Turned out that it really was the pop-rock legend on the other end of the line, looking for her to sing a duet. The song "Written On the Wind" is expected to be the first single from "Elaborate Lives: The Legend Of Aida", an album from Elton's new musical, which is currently being staged in Atlanta. The album is due in stores soon.

Prior to a recent concert at an Ohio fair, Sammy Kershaw was talking with some fans when he learned that one of them--a 14 year old named Ashley Foos--had lost her show horse earlier in the day when the animal unexpectedly died at the fairgrounds. Sammy asked his road manager to ger her number...and a few days later, she got a phone call inviting her to Sammy's farm in Tennesssee. He's giving her one of his horses!

Deana Carter's long awaited 2nd album, "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" is now in stores. The follow-up to her multi-platinum "Did I Shave My Legs For This?" features ten songs, including a handful that Deana had a hand in writing. The album features Deana's current hit "Absence Of The Heart," and her remake of "Brand New Key," a pop hit for folk singer Melanie in the early 70's. While it's been 2 years since Deana released her debut album, she welcomed the time between projects--"it gave me time to get over the pressure of everybody wondering, 'What's she gonna do next?'"

Toby Keith's Greatest Hits Volume One, a collection of 14 songs is now in stores. The album features a dozen hits that made the Oklahoma native a star...from his 1993 debut, "Should've Been A Cowboy," to the more recent "Dream Walkin'," The album also features two new songs--"If A Man Answers" and his latest hit, "Getcha Some."

Alabama may want to reconsider the title of their recently released 2-disc set, "For The Record: 41 Number One Hits." One of the 3 new songs on the compilation--"How Do You Fall In Love"-- is closing in on the top of the charts. It's currently at number 3...and rising. And speaking of number-one hits, Alabama may have been able to lay claim to more number-one hits that any other country act when they were putting For The Record: 41 Number Hits together, but George Strait has since passed the boys from Fort Payne. His most recent chart-topper, "True" was the 43rd of his career.

Travis Tritt's first new album in more than two years is now in stores. "No More Looking Over My Shoulder" finds Travis doing just that--looking ahead with a collection of songs that he believes offers fans something fresh and new, while still embodying the characteristics that have helped him to sell more than 15 million albums over the years. "I'm interested in what I'm doing today and tomorrow --no looking back," he tells us. And he says he found that message in the title song, penned by Michael Peterson.

The dates been set--the special 100th episode of "Touched By An Angel" featuring Wynonna, in her acting debut will air on CBS on November 15th. The episode also features Celine Dion.

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