How classic: Opry to add fourth day of shows next year

So the Opry skews kind of old school as it is, right?

Now the Opry is adding a fourth night of show, on Thursdays, to kick it super old school. It’s gonna be called Opry Country Classics and it starts next year.

Not only will the veteran Opry members sing their signature songs, but they’ll be singing classic songs from other artists, living and not.

Yes, it’ll air live on 650 WSM-AM.

Says Opry chief Steve Buchanan (who is a very snazzy dresser):

“We are pleased to introduce this new show that celebrates country music’s incredible legacy by showcasing its most familiar and beloved songs performed by the legends that made them famous as well as rising stars.”

This just in: Eagles to land at Sommet Center Sept. 18

You make a country album, ya gotta play Nashville, right?

The Eagles – special guests at last year’s CMA Awards show — are set to play the Sommet Center Sept. 18.

Tix go on sale Aug. 4.

And that’s about all I know right now.

But tix at other venues on this tour are selling for, like, $45 to $185.

Sheryl Crow meets local college kids at sound check

New Nashvillian Sheryl Crow was nice enough to let 25 college kids into her sound check at the Sommet Center tonight, part of a Grammy in the School initiative with the local Recording Academy chapter.

Then Sheryl let them ask questions. Among her gems for students: The music industry is in dire trouble; she loves living in Nashville, where she can hang out with Faith Hill without photographers snapping away; Sheryl likes to put her baby to bed every night; her record label gives her lots of freedom to make her own music; Michael Jackson, her old boss, didn’t learn backup singers’ names for the first two years of a tour.

Hey hey hey! Bill Cosby is set to play TPAC Sept. 27

It has been a while since we’ve seen Bill Cosby in town.

But he’s back, for two shows Sept. 27, a 4 p.m. matinee and an 8 p.m. show.

In case you were wondering, this pic is from Bill Cosby when he was a student at my alma mater, Temple University, which apparently cranks out graduates who achieve a WIDE range of success afterward.

Tix go on sale at 10 a.m. Sunday, and they’ll run ya $37-$60.

You can call 255-ARTS or go to any TicketMaster outlet.

Or you can check out TPAC.org to get more info on the show.

Hold up: Jessica Simpson wasn’t booed after all

Big Web sites like TMZ.com, The Superficial, even People.com all picked up a story from the Kenosha News in Wisconsin:

Jessica Simpson got booed at the Country Thunder USA Festival.

But four Music Row insiders at the show told me today that just didn’t happen.

And Chicago freelance reporter Liz Crokein took video and says Jessica’s show was boo-free.

By the way, the same festival has already asked her to play again next year.

Keith and Nicole get a sitter to check out Pat Benatar…

But the famous new parents never showed.

Pat Benatar rocked a sold-out Wildhorse Saloon Tuesday night.

A front-row table was reserved for Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman .

Expected at the table with them: The kids Nicole adopted with ex-hubby Tom Cruise .

However, Keith and Nicole never made it, I’m told. No word on what may have happened to Sunday Rose Kidman Urban’s parents.

By the way, Pat Benatar was AWESOME!

Darius makes radio history, makes Opry debut tonight

Yes, Darius Rucker as in Hootie and the Blowfish. Haven’t ya heard? He’s gone country. Fer real.

In fact, his first country radio single, Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It, already is around No. 16 on country radio charts.

A side note: It has been exactly 20 years since an African-American broke the top 20 on country charts. The man was Charley Pride, the song, I’m Going to Love Her on the Radio.

Darius tells me he’s quite psyched and quite nervous about the Opry performance tonight.

“I haven’t eaten much today. I was having lunch with my wife and daughter. She was like, ‘Why aren’t you eating?’ I was like, ‘I really don’t feel much like eating,’” he said.

“I’m pretty nervous,” Darius said. “But it’s a cool thing.”

Belated Kenny Chesney stadium show pics for ya

Here are some pics from inside and outside the stadium for Kenny Chesney’s LP Field show Saturday night.

It’s Kenny Chesney-mania! Here’s today’s lineup

More than 45,000 tickets have been sold for today’s big Kenny Chesney wang dang doodle at LP Field.

The parking lot tailgating has been going on already for hours.

So when’s your favorite gonna be on?

Gary Allan – 4:05 p.m.

LeAnn Rimes – 5:05 p.m.

Sammy Hagar – 6:25 p.m.

Keith Urban – 7:45 p.m.

Kenny his own dang self — 9:20 p.m.

Listen to your Heart: Rockers to play the Wildhorse

Heart (Crazy On You) are on tour playing big shows with Journey and Cheap Trick this summer.

But Ann and Nancy Wilson – pictured here with Fergie in a recent American Idol performance — will break off the tour for a special show Aug. 9 at the Wildhorse Saloon.

Heart has been around town quite a bit in the past few years, doing projects with Wynonna and Gretchen Wilson.

But Heart’s publicist says it was Nashville fans who insisted on the one-off show here.

That doesn’t mean one or two of Heart’s Nashville friends might not pop up at the Wildhorse show….

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