The mayor of Gulf Shores, Alabama just announced there will be no Hangout Music Fest and no Sand in My Boots festival in 2026. He said “We delayed too long, or they did, in their application to be able to get the kind of acts that we required them to have to be successful in 2026.” Hangout Music Fest rebranded in 2025 as Sand in My Boots, with Morgan Wallen leading the way. It sold out instantly and drew a crowd that business owners called “better behaved.” And the city wants that same style again in 2027. The mayor said organizers now have time to chase the talent needed to bring back the audience the city “preferred.”
Dolly Parton never thought of her song Hard Candy Christmas as a Christmas song at all. She said, “It’s kind of funny that people think it’s a Christmas song . . . it’s really not. It’s just about people having hard times and saying, ‘It’s like a hard candy Christmas.'” Dolly first recorded it in 1982 for “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” . . . and even though Carol Hall wrote it, Dolly connected with the story. Growing up in East Tennessee, her family didn’t have electricity, so Christmas meant simple decorations and a box of hard candy. And even now, Dolly says those humble traditions are some of her sweetest memories.
At the CMAs, as the stars were walking up for their interview, they were greeted with their full government name. And it took a lot of them by surprise.
- They said, “Luke Albert Combs” to Luke . . . and he asked, “IRS?”
- Ella Langley walked up and they called her, “Elizabeth Camille Langley” . . . and she said, “Wow, my government. Did I do something wrong?”
- Riley Green came walking up and they said, “Jonathan Riley Green” . . . and he looked a little shocked. He said, “Where’d you get that from? You find my birth certificate lying around somewhere?”
- And the best one was Lauren Alaina. They called her, “Lauren Alaina Kristine Arnold” . . . and she just couldn’t stop laughing. Eventually she said, “Did you google that?”
The most popular touring acts of the millennium were announced and Kenny Chesney is the only country artist in the top ten. He came in at #7 with more than 18 million tickets sold since 2001. Kenny said “When I got the news, I was shocked. I only really think about all those faces smiling, laughing, singing.” And he closed with, “To think we played to over 18 million people since 2001 is mind blowing for a kid from East Tennessee.” No Shoes Nation got a shoutout. Kenny said the passion of his fans is what keeps everything moving. The only two other country artists to make the Top 25 list were Luke Bryan at #20 . . . and The Big Dog Daddy, Toby Keith, at #23. Luke sold 10 million tickets, and Toby sold 9.3 million.
Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner are in the “matching outfits” phase of their relationship.
Some very cool “Jaws” memorabilia will hit the auction block next month.
Sigourney Weaver is in talks to join Amazon’s “Tomb Raider” series.
That guy who rushed Ariana Grande in Singapore was recognized at a Lady Gaga show in Australia . . . and promptly kicked out.
The series premiere of “Simon Cowell: The Next Act”
Raven-Symoné is 40.
Meghan Linsey is 40.
Meg White is 51. White Stripes
Nia Peeples is 64. “Pretty Little Liars”.
Kenneth Branagh is 65.
Susan Dey is 73.
