The Grand Ole Opry just announced the 2025 class for its Opry NextStage program. The NextStage program “serves to spotlight country music’s next big up-and-coming artists.” This year’s class includes: Avery Anna . . . Chayce Beckham . . . Dasha . . . . . . and Tucker Wetmore. Previous members of the Opry NextStage program include: Riley Green, Megan Moroney, Nate Smith, Parker McCollum, and Lainey Wilson.
If you’re a fan of Reba McEntire, you’ll be HAPPY to know that you’ll be seeing a lot more of her. That’s because her NBC sitcom “Happy’s Place” was renewed for a second season. A lot of TV shows die after one season on the air, so getting another full season is always a huge deal. Reba even got to break the great news to her entire cast, right before they were about to shoot the finale for season one. There were lots of hugs, and tears. It was a pretty cool moment. Besides Reba, the show also stars her boyfriend Rex Linn, and Melissa Peterman.
Pam Tillis was onstage at a Grand Ole Opry event next to Tucker Wetmore, and going on and on about what a great talent he is. The only problem was, she thought he was Riley Green. To be fair, they both have a mustache and are tall and handsome. But the whole thing was awkward, and in front of a live audience too. She first starts telling everyone how much she loves the new video Tucker did, and he even says, “Thank you”. But then it reached full-cringe when she introduced Tucker as, quote, “Mr. Riley Green everybody.” That’s when Tucker said, “My name is Tucker Wetmore.” To which Pam later responded, “Well, I haven’t seen your video.” Riley was onstage much further down, and jumped in to try and smooth it over by saying, “Thank you for the nice things you said about me.” But it was too little, too late. Pam ended it with, “I told my management I should’ve worn my glasses.”
Scotty McCreery recently postponed two shows in Florida . . . scheduled for last night and tonight . . . because he came down with an illness. There aren’t any details on what kind of nastiness he’s dealing with, but his team says they’re working to reschedule the gigs.
Sophie Turner is 29.
Corbin Bleu is 36. Disney’s “High School Musical”
Jennifer Love Hewitt is 46.
Billy Baldwin is 62. Alec, Daniel and Stephen’s brother.
Christopher Atkins is 64. “The Blue Lagoon”.
Mary Chapin Carpenter is 67. Country star whose biggest albums include 1992’s “Come On, Come On”, with “I Feel Lucky”, “Passionate Kisses”, “I Take My Chances” and “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her” . . . and 1994’s Grammy-winning disc “Stones in the Road”, with the smash hits “Shut Up and Kiss Me” and “Tender When I Want to Be”.
Kelsey Grammer is 70. Frasier Crane on “Cheers” and “Frasier”.
William L. Petersen is 72. He WAS Gil Grissom on “CSI”.
Anthony Daniels is 79. C-3PO. He’s the ONLY actor to be in all ten “Star Wars” movies.
Tyne Daly is 79. Maxine Gray on “Judging Amy” and Mary Beth Lacey on “Cagney & Lacey”.
David Geffen is 82. He co-founded DreamWorks
