HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Welcome to the first blog of 2008! Wow, I can't believe that it's already a new year! There has been some big news for the first week of the new year. The Saturday Night Saloon Year In Review show from 12/29/07 was the final Saturday Night Saloon. Don't worry Coal Country, if you enjoyed the Saloon show you can now tune in Monday thru Friday from 6am-9am for "The Big Ol Morning Show" on WXCC. I am now hosting the morning show on Coal Country and all of the energy of the Saturday Night Saloon is still there. It's a great way to start your day, I'll keep you updated on local events, weather, sports and more fun and games than you can possibly imagine! As always, I'll fill you in daily on everything happening in the world of country music, it will wake you up more than coffee (unless you are Third Shift Gary...he loves his coffee). Also, we are now streaming world wide on our website coalcountry965.com, so even if you are heading out of state or the country for that matter, you can take Coal Country along with you everywhere you go! Well, lets talk about my favorite thing...COUNTRY MUSIC!! Billboard's country album and songs charts come to a virtual standstill this week, a typical occurrence at the close of each year. There are no changes at the top -- where the Eagles' Long Road Out of Eden and Taylor Swift's "Our Song" still reign -- and are only sluggish stirrings within the Top 5. New songs this week are Sugarland's "Nuttin' for Christmas" (No. 51), Toby Keith's "Little Drummer Boy" (No. 58) and Sara Evans' "I'll Be Home for Christmas" (No. 59). Debuting on this week's albums list is Patsy Cline's self-titled collection (No. 73). Three albums return -- the multi-artist Forever Country (No. 69), Alan Jackson's Like Red on Rose (No. 74) and Trisha Yearwood's Greatest Hits (No. 75). Kenny Chesney's "Shiftwork" and Carrie Underwood's "All American Girl" each take a high leap this time around, vaulting from No. 25 to No. 17 and from No. 28 to No. 22, respectively. Rounding out the Top 5 songs, in descending order, are Sugarland's "Stay," Montgomery Gentry's "What Do Ya Think About That," Josh Turner's "Firecracker" and Rascal Flatts' "Winner at a Losing Game." Parading directly behind the Eagles in the Top 5 albums are Underwood's Carnival Ride, the eponymous Taylor Swift, Garth Brooks' The Ultimate Hits and Rascal Flatts' Still Feels Good. Be sure to check out the "Big Ol Morning Show" weekdays from 6am until 9am on Coal Country 96.5 FM or on the web at coalcountry965.com. Until next time

Uncle Rock

--"if you wanna make it, you can't fake it...you gotta LIVE IT!!!"