'American Idol' will have a little twang next week when Dolly Parton will appear as a guest judge and mentor to the finalists. The country legend is set to coach the contestants through some of her own songs on the April 1 show, and return the next night to perform her new song, 'Jesus and Gravity,' the second single from Parton's new album, 'Backwoods Barbie.'

Other celebrity judges set to appear on 'American Idol' this season include Mariah Carey, Neil Diamond and theater legend Andrew Lloyd Webber.

"Get Dolly Parton back on the radio!" country's original blond bombshell exclaims, sitting in her manager's Nashville office on a chilly March morning. Parton is back with her first new mainstream country music recordings in 17 years, and the legendary singer-songwriter is hoping country radio will take notice.

Her fans sure did. Parton's brand-new 'Backwoods Barbie' CD debuted at No. 2 on the country album charts, with her highest first-week sales in almost two decades. The album is the first on Parton's own label, Dolly Records. It's a venture she started after failing to get attention from the big leagues.

"They think I'm over the hill," Parton says of Nashville's major record labels. "But I don't believe that. My music is as young today as it was ever. And I always say, 'I may be as old as yesterday, but I'm as young as tomorrow, too!'"

Willie Nelson hosts a lawnmower race in this hilarious, star-studded video, with cameos by Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, Woody Harrelson and Jessica Simpson. Stay tuned to the very end for a dirty joke and one more, rather surprising, cameo.

Less than a week after doctors told her to take it easy, Dolly Parton has announced that her 'Backwoods Barbie' tour is back on. The country legend is resting a sore back, caused by what she jokes was "wagging these puppies around" (referring, of course, to her breasts). The doctors' orders forced Parton to postpone her tour, which was originally scheduled to begin later this month. She'll instead kick it off in April, and all tickets for postponed shows will be honored on their rescheduled dates.

"Thanks for being patient," Parton writes to fans on her official website. "I'm mending very nicely and will be fit as a fiddle soon. And I'll not only have the fiddle, but the rest of the band as well. We can't wait to hit the road for our 'Backwoods Barbie' tour. We're anxious for you to see our new show and play you some of the new songs. Look forward to seeing you soon."

Parton's 'Backwoods Barbie' -- her first mainstream country album in 17 years -- hits shelves on February 26.

Legendary singer-songwriter Emmylou Harris is among the newest inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Harris started her career in folk music but has found success in a number of genres, including rock, alternative, pop, gospel and bluegrass. But it was with country music where she found her identity.

"It's the music that gave me my true voice," said Harris at a press conference announcing her induction.

Tom T. Hall, the Statler Brothers and the late country-bluegrass pioneer Ernest "Pop" Stoneman will also be inducted to the Hall of Fame this year. This is the first year that the honors will not be given during the Country Music Association Awards broadcast. Instead, there will be a separate induction ceremony on April 27.

They may be her most well-known assets, but Dolly Parton's breasts are a pain in her back. The 62-year-old music legend is postponing her North American tour after doctors told her to rest her sore back for six to eight weeks.

"Hey, you try wagging these puppies around a while and see if you don't have back problems," the notoriously humorous Parton said in a statement.

Never one to take herself seriously, Parton has long joked about her big bust line. She once famously quipped, "I wanted to be the first woman to burn her bra, but it would have taken the fire department four days to put it out."

Parton was supposed to begin her tour in Minneapolis later this month, in support of her upcoming album, 'Backwoods Barbie.' It's the first CD on her new label, Dolly Records, and her first new mainstream country music in 17 years.

Willie Nelson is 74 years old and has absolutely no plans of slowing down. Lucky for us.

The music icon and all-around national treasure somehow found time between touring, his philanthropic endeavors and his golf game to record 'Moment of Forever, ' a collection of songs that mirror his life: There's a little bit of humor, a lot of love and a sound that stands the test of time.

Spinner caught up with the Redheaded Stranger to talk about his new project and his surprisingly simple explanation for his prevalence in modern music. And, of course, we couldn't help but let the conversation drift back to his notoriously wilder days.

I hear you're talking to us in between golf games right now. What's your handicap?

My driver and my putter! [laughs]

And you actually bought a golf course!

I'm across the street from it right now. It's a little nine-hole golf course called Pedernales Country Club. We have a lot of fun over there.

So you're a golf course owner, singer, songwriter, actor, philanthropist and father of ten. Is there anything you've yet to accomplish that's on your to-do list?

I don't like to think too far ahead. I've been lucky enough to get a lot done and have a lot of success. I don't want to be greedy. And when I'm happiest is when I'm out here playing music and staying out of trouble! [laughs] In the early days, we'd be out on the road and go out and play our concert, and then go back to the hotel and party till daylight. And then when it came time to leave, you couldn't find anybody! [laughs] So I decided somewhere along the way that it's better to leave town right after the show. And since we've started doing that, I've noticed that the marriages are actually staying together. [laughs]

Artist: Eagles
Video: 'Busy Being Fabulous'
Highlight: The legendary country-rockers try to keep up with a social butterfly in this sassy new video.

A show commemorating the 40th anniversary or Johnny Cash's famous concert at Folsom State Prison has been canceled. The tribute concert, originally scheduled for this Sunday, would have been held in the same dining hall where Cash performed for inmates on January 13, 1968.

The cancellation has resulted in a lot of finger pointing. Folsom State Prison officials are blaming the concert promoters, citing problems with security, media access and filming rights. But the promoters say the prison is to blame, as its officials broke promises in their agreement.

The show was set to feature several of Cash's original band members playing some of his most beloved songs.It was to be streamed live over the Internet and would have benefited four nonprofit groups.

Rosanne Cash is on the road to recovery after undergoing brain surgery last week. The country songstress and eldest daughter of Johnny Cash was suffering from an undisclosed, but reportedly rare condition. She's expected to make a full recovery.

A posting on Cash's official website reads, "Rosanne is back home recovering comfortably from her surgery. She extends thanks and appreciation for all the love, good wishes, prayers and kindness."

Cash will soon resume work on a new album for Manhattan Records, a follow-up to her Grammy-nominated 'Black Cadillac' CD.

Willie Nelson has filmed a public service announcement, speaking out against dogfighting. The country legend and longtime animal rights activist is lending his support to a Georgia bill that would make it a felony for anyone to sell, trade or transport dogs for the purpose of fighting. Georgia is, of course, the home of suspended NFL star Michael Vick, who will be sentenced next month for his role in a gruesome dogfighting ring.

In Nelson's PSA, 'Georgia on My Mind' is playing in the background while he makes his appeal for the bill, saying, "Dogfighting is against the law in Georgia, but the laws are so weak, the beautiful state of Georgia has become a haven for dogfighters from around the country." The bill has already passed unanimously in Georgia's state Senate and now heads to the House.

Country Music Hall of Famer Hank Thompson, who melded Western swing and honky-tonk music on such hits as 'A Six Pack to Go,' 'Humpty Dumpty Heart' and 'Wild Side of Life,' passed away Tuesday at the age of 82. In his 60-plus-year career, he had garnered 29 Top 10 country hits, and he and his band, the Brazos Valley Boys, had been voted the No. 1 country & western band for 14 years in a row by Billboard magazine.

The Texas-born-and-bred singer and guitarist, who up till his death was still an active performer, having only recently canceled an upcoming tour, succumbed to lung cancer in his Keller, Texas, home. Thompson's most well-known song, 1952's 'Wild Side of Life,' inspired an equally famous answer record, 'It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels,' which launched the career of country star Kitty Wells.
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Country songstress Rosanne Cash will undergo brain surgery to treat a "rare but benign condition." Johnny Cash's eldest daughter is seeking help from New York Presbyterian Hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.

The 52-year-old singer-songwriter's official Web site announced that she will have to cancel her four remaining tour dates and push back her recording session, but will complete her debut album for Manhattan Records after she recovers from the procedure. The exact illness was not identified, but Cash plans on returning to the stage next spring.
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Porter Wagoner, the country music legend known for his signature blond pompadour and flashy, rhinestone-encrusted suits, died Sunday at a Nashville hospice. The singer was suffering from lung cancer. He was 80.

Throughout his 40-year career, Wagoner had 81 songs on the country music charts, 19 of those with his musical prodigy, Dolly Parton. He gave Parton her big break in 1967, hiring her as a singing partner. The two released several albums of duets together, and won the Country Music Association's first-ever Duo of the Year Award. Parton wrote the classic hit, 'I Will Always Love You,' about her professional relationship with her mentor.

In addition to his singing and songwriting, Wagoner was a celebrated television personality, hosting the syndicated 'Porter Wagoner Show' for 21 years -- the longest running country music variety show in history.

Wagoner was a staple in the country music scene right up until his death. In May, he celebrated his 50th year as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. In June, he released his last CD, 'Wagonmaster,' to some of the best reviews of his career. And in July, he opened for the White Stripes at a sold-out show at New York's Madison Square Garden.

For the second week in a row, the album charts are topped with a little twang. Last week, Reba McEntire dethroned feuding rappers Kanye West and 50 Cent with her 'Duets' album, making her first-ever No.1 debut on the pop charts. This week, country trio Rascal Flatts goes one-step further with their new CD, 'Still Feels Good,' not only debuting at the top but also immediately certifying gold with well over 500,000 copies sold. That's not much of a surprise, considering the band's last album made them 2006's best-selling act of any genre. Not to mention their immense success pissing off Nashville by crossing over into the pop world with songs like 'What Hurts The Most.'