Happy July 4th ... Happy Birthday, America!

These politicians, crying how bad it is, are making everyone depressed. No wonder a lot of people just never put the news on at all!

Meanwhile, in the city where nothing is unimaginable ... this should about complete the circle: Taylor Swift and Def Leppard will join together on "CMT Crossroads." If that doesn't put the purists in therapy, I don't know what will!

Actually, the feedback is great from every 30-something I talked to on the air today! That group sold 65 million CDs and has/had a lot of fans. It's today's country folks ... like it or perish.

I admit, I never found country appealing as a child. I was a Beatles/Beach Boy guy. People like Johnny Cash, Waylon, Willie, Bob Wills and Gene Autry are the ones in country I began to find interesting. Every generation has its own music or a hybrid thereof. This specific generation of country stars/fans are all about the hair bands of the '90s. Garth Brooks was as much affected by KISS as he was of Merle Haggard ... maybe more by KISS. And so it goes.

Another contestant from "American Idol" got a Nashville deal this week -- Kristy Lee Cook. Automatic name recognition means less money spent on brand establishment. Easy way and a safer bet. Use the horse angle, folks. We haven't had a horse gal since Reba, and it always worked for Strait and even Chesney.

NBC's getting smashed with "Nashville Star," although "American Gladiators" does worse. Can "Nashville Star" just fade away? Two hours for this show is painful.

Taylor again has the top selling country CD with 31,000 sales. (Coldplay 251,000 ... Lil wayne 220,000 ... Camp Rock 163,00.) Take a picture of Music Row CD sales today and it's pretty sad. CD sales do stink, but the tour business is smoking!

Look at all the folks going to country shows this summer. It's a huge number. Maybe not everything a sellout. but business is brisk -- but for how long is the huge question.

It's pretty clear no one has a crystal ball these days on any subject. From gasoline to Middle East politics. Everyday something else amazing.

Did you see that no Country station is in the top 5 in Dallas and the top format there is Regional Mexican? Whew.

Hootie doing the Opry in the week ahead ... Chesney at the big Nashville Stadium ... Wynonna in the studio with a CD this Fall.

The Urban baby any day ... Paisley's new video is, as usual, fantastic.

Rush Limbaugh getting $400 million -- $38m per year and a $100m signing bonus. He could fund Music Row with an endowment. Wow