It's almost that time of the year again: let's go racing! The Louisville Motor Speedway is about to start its engine for the 1993 season. Racing fans and country music fans go together almost like mom and apple pie. April 2 is the first day of the racing season. Shortly after that, WAMZ will host their first free concert of the summer. These country concerts are always exciting and a lot of fun for the whole family. Be listening to WAMZ to see who will be the first act at the Louisville Motor Speedway.

Dog and cat owners take notice: the possum George Jones has his own pet food on the market. I gave some to my dog and he seems to really like it.

If you missed seeing John Michael Montgomery in March, as I did, don't worry. His publicist says he will be in our area from time to time in the months to come.

Lorrie Morgan's ship is about to dock. Her CD Watch Me is about to go platinum. In addition, she's trying to get into the movies, stating "I want to go to the next level of my career." Morgan and her husband are working hard on their marriage these days, too. Good luck, guys!

Our boy from Flatwoods, Ky., has been showing off again. All the women are going crazy over this country boy from a town not too many people ever heard of. That's all right with me, because I like to view this fine man nature put on this earth.

Billy Ray Cyrus explained how he feels about the new video "Romeo and Juliet," in which he appears with
Dolly Parton: "I think this is the highest compliment I've ever been paid. I'm just a boy from Flatwoods, Ky. I don't consider myself a sex symbol."

A portion of the proceeds from the video will go to the Red Cross.

ASCAP is putting on its 12th Annual Country Songwriters' Workshop, sponsored by the ASCAP Foundation. The workshop will meet at ASCAP's Nashville office on six consecutive Thursdays: they began on March 18. The moderator will be Stew Bogard. Featured guest panelists from all aspects of the music industry will appear. The workshop is open to all songwriters and is free of charge regardless of performing rights society affiliation.

The update on Country Music Television is this: CMT has become the fastest growing basic cable network in the United States. Available in 18.1 million cable households, the network's ratings have increased by 67 percent in the past year.

I want my CMT. How about you?

Country concerts to watch for include Alan Jackson and Billy Dean at Rupp arena on April 18; Sammy Kershaw and Doug Stone at Louisville Gardens on April 18; Dwight Yoakam and Suzy Bogguss at the Gardens on May 18.

If you have any comments to share, write to me c/o Louisville Music News.