George Strait headed to Tampa with Reba McEntire and Lee Ann Womack

Photo by Vanessa Gavalya

Country's classiest and most consistent hit-maker, George Strait (pictured), will return to the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa on Jan. 29, according to a publicity release issued late Friday.

Reba McEntire and Lee Ann Womack will be joining him.

At the 44th Annual CMA Awards, aired live Nov. 10 on ABC, Strait is up for Male Vocalist of the Year award for the 24th time.  

 He is also nominated for Album of the Year for "Twang," an award he won in 2008 for "Troubadour." 

Strait performing the "Twang" track "Living for the Night."

Trombone Shorty, Taste of Manatee and plenty of plays make for awesome, cool weekend

Trombone Shorty at Tropical Heatwave 2009/Wade Tatangelo

Sunny with a few clouds.

Breezy.

Highs in the upper 60s.

Time to grab that favorite light jacket or hoodie and embrace this first cool weekend of the year.

I highly recommend spending Saturday at the Sarasota Blues Festival where New Orleans native Trombone Shorty, who plays here before heading on tour with the Dave Matthews Band, should blow you away with his "supafunkrock." Click for my interview with Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews.

Before heading to the Blues Fest, and probably Sunday, too, I'll hit up Taste of Manatee and stuff my face with local cuisine.

And starting this week I'll be attending plays at Florida Studio Theatre in Sarasota and American Stage in St. Pete — if only so I can wear my favorite sportcoat! 

Trombone Shorty at Tropical Heatwave 2009 in Ybor City.

'Cortez Idol' karaoke winner gets $1,000

Get those pipes ready and make sure you pick a song that you can really belt.

Pelican Pete's will host its third annual karaoke contest starting Nov. 6.

“Cortez Idol:” will run through Dec. 11, date of finale.

Two contestants will be picked each week to go forward to the Finale. Autoway Ford and Pelican Pete’s are offering $1,000 for first prize.

Herald features editor Jana Morreale, who sings some mean karoake herself, will be one of the judges on Nov. 6. FYI: She's partial to hair metal and Madonna.

Pelican Pete’s, 12012 Cortez Road, Bradenton. (941) 792-4822.

Devon Allman calls dad Gregg Allman's upcoming solo album 'killer'

The highly anticipated Gregg Allman solo album, "Low Country Blues" (pictured), will be released Jan. 18 on Rounder Records.

Super producer T-Bone Burnett helmed the album that features Allman, a former resident of Manatee County, lending his rich, Southern drawl to classic blues songs by the likes of Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Skip James, Bobby Bland, Otis Rush and Sleepy John Estes.

"Low Country Blues" also features one new song, "Just Another Rider," written by Allman and his Allman Brothers Band colleague Warren Haynes.

"I've heard the whole thing," son Devon Allman (also an accomplished musician) told the Bradenton Herald during a recent interview to advance his Nov. 14 appearance at Ace's. "I love it. It's a killer record and something he's needed to make for awhile. It's very old school."

"Low Country Blues" finds Gregg Allman joined by an all-star cast of players including New Orleans icon Dr. John on piano, guitar great Doyle Bramhall II, bassist Dennis Crouch and drummer Jay Bellerose.

In addition to being available at the usual outlets, the album will also be sold at Starbucks shops nationwide.

The complete track list for "Low Country Blues" can be found on Gregg Allman's official website.

Gregg Allman Band performing at the 1994 Sarasota Blues Festival. 

Kiefer Sutherland, Chris Noth to star in Broadway revival of 'That Championship Season'

There have been countless movies inspired by sports.

But not so many plays.

"That Championship Season" focuses on four former hoops players who reunite with their high school coach 20 years after winning the state title. It easily ranks as one of the best productions about athletes —albeit former ones — to ever enjoy a run on Broadway.

Authored by Jason Miller, the critically acclaimed "That Championship Season" won the Tony Award for Best Play and the Pulitzer for Best Drama in 1973.

According to a recent report, it will soon receive a big star revival — one I would love to see.

Read "Kiefer Sutherland (pictured), Chris Noth head to Broadway," published by The Herald Nov. 2.

Here's the official trailer from the 1982 movie of the same name. Directed and scripted by Miller, it features Robert Mitchum, Martin Sheen, Bruce Dern, Paul Sorvino and Stacey Keach. 

Top 10 Election Day songs

You suffered through the terrible pummeling of ugly campaign advertisements.

Stood in line to choose the politician less likely to make our lives worst.

And you have the sticker to prove it.

Now, enjoy some tunes.


Top 10 Election Day songs

1. "Elected," Alice Cooper (watch clip below)
2. "Election Day," Arcadia 
3. "Political World," Bob Dylan
4. "Campaigner," Neil Young
5. "Electioneering," Radiohead
6. "Politician," Cream
7. "Mr. November," The National
8. "If I Ruled the World," Nas
9. "Money Changes Everything," The Brains/Cyndi Lauper
10. "White Liar," Miranda Lambert

Manatee Players' big win and the $250,000 Ringling Fest question

Due to my Friday deadline, when I researched and wrote my Sunday column, "Ringling Fest and the $250,000 question," I did not know that the Manatee Players took top honors at the state theater competition Saturday and will now be representing all of Florida at the Southeastern Theatre Conference, which will be held in Atlanta in March.

The Players' latest accomplishment, for their superb staging of Stephen Sondheim's "Sunday in the Park with George" (pictured performing at Ringling International Arts Festival fringe event at Museum of Art Courtyard) obviously strengthens the argument made by those who feel Manatee County would have been wiser to give the local community theater company the $250K rather than RIAF.

In case you missed Sunday's publication, here are links to my stories:

"Ringling Fest and the $250,000 question"

"Manatee Players takes top honors at state fest"

"Strauss celebrates 20 years of Sarasota Blues Fest"

"Cine-World brings Oscar buzz to Burns Court"