This summer has passed by like a fast race car. The Kentucky State Fair has come and gone and that's a definite sign that summer is winding down, making way for the beautiful season of colors— my favorite time of the year.

I had the pleasure of going to the Reba/ Brooks & Dunn concert on August 19, the opening night of the fair. Reba had outdone herself again; the costumes were Las Vegas style, but her music is still pure country.

Brooks & Dunn are getting better all the time; they are definitely entertainers. Now I know why Brooks has the name Kix; he sure puts the kick in their show. Both guys are super people. Look for them at the CMA Awards; they have been nominated for for Entertainer of the Year, Vocal Duo of the Year, Song of the Year and Album of the Year.

Vince Gill has received eight CMA nominations and Alan Jackson is close behind with six. Garth Brooks is up for four, including his third in a row for Entertainer of the Year.

Women of country music were missing in the majority of the categories. Only three female artists' names appeared among the twenty nominees in the top four categories.

For all the glitz and glamour, watch CBS on September 29. See you there!

When "Mooney" Lynn, the husband of Conway Twitty's long-time duet partner Loretta Lynn, was rushed in for emergency heart surgery Loretta needed someone to fill her concert dates at the Loretta Lynn Theater in Branson, Mo. Conway readily agreed to do this for a dear friend he loved. After Conway died June 5 (at the same hospital where Mooney's heart surgery was performed), Tammy Wynette agreed to take over the concert dates for him at the Loretta Lynn Theater.

Tammy, 51, is the biggest-selling female country star of all time. Tammy wanted to stand by her man — friend Conway Twitty. But her health didn't hold up. She has been battling a recurrent bile duct blockage and has been hospitalized three times in the past year. The first lady of country music has had a scary seventeen months.

Country artists are getting very concemed about the deadly disease AIDS as its devastation increases daily. Mark Chesnutt and Mary-Chapin Carpenter are filming public service awareness spots for the TV audiences to see and hear. The spots will air in January of 1994.

Chesnutt says, "We have a huge problem. Why not do what we can to make our fans more aware of this and what's going on."

Keep up the good work, guys!

The beautiful Ronna Reeves has a song that has played on the soap "One Life to Live." They're interested in Ronna; don't be surprised if she's on the soap soon.

Wedding bells are in the future of several country artists:

Trisha Yearwood is planning a spring wedding to the Mavericks' Robert Reynolds and Jeff Hanna of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and singer/songwriter Matraca Berg are heading for the altar.

Fans of the talented group Alabama will be happy to learn that lead singer Randy Owen has been given a clean bill of health by his doctor.

If you've been looking for the flaming shirt you've seen Kix Brooks wear, call 1-800-242-6540. A hot item these days! (I've been looking for a shirt from Kix since I first heard about their new line. Hint, hint, Kix.— Editor.)

Billy Dean and wife Cathy have a beautiful new baby boy. The little fel1a's name is William Eli Dean.

Well, some of the local events going on around the city are exciting too.

The Great Break Contest at Coyote's is now history and the winner was Free Spirit. The band received $1,000 in cash, a single recording contract with Music Man Records and free tickets to all the concerts WAMZ Radio promotes. Second place went to $2 Dollar Pistol, who received $500 cash and a Fender electric guitar from Mom's Music. Congratulations go out to all of you and we expect to hear bigger and better things from you as well.

There's a new CD of local original music coming out in November. Read next month's issue for more details.