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Scotty McCreery has plenty of memories from his time on American Idol, but one of the weirdest involved baseball, his one and only day off and a security crew that apparently wasn't about to let him leave the set. McCreery, who won Season 10 of American Idol in 2011, recently opened up to me on Taste of Country Nights about what life was really like behind the scenes of Idol, and revealed something from his time on the show that was unexpected.

Dolly Parton's family gathered in Nashville to say goodbye to the woman they knew not just as a country music legend, but as the aunt who made them feel deeply loved. Her niece, Lainey Mae Parton, confirmed that Dolly was laid to rest Friday (Aug. 28), sharing an emotional tribute the following day. For Lainey, saying goodbye meant trying to put into words what Dolly meant to her long before the world knew her as a superstar.

TYLER, Texas -- Texas dove season opens September 1, 2026, with the entire state sharing the same opening day for the first time. Texas Parks and Wildlife says mourning dove and white-winged dove populations are near record highs again this year, while hunters should also make sure they have a valid 2026-27 hunting license before heading out. Considering how big dove hunting is in Texas, and certainly here in East Texas, that's worth knowing before everybody starts making plans for opening day.

In addition to his recent pushback on data centers, Texas Governor Greg Abbott is now stepping in to regulate the ever-expanding use of Flock cameras in Texas. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has directed all state entities to suspend funding allocated for Flock Safety cameras. The sudden policy shift comes as public concern over the artificial intelligence-driven surveillance network escalates across the state.

Dolly Parton was one of the most beloved entertainers of all time, and that's due in no small part to the fact that she was anything but a polarizing figure. The country icon almost never had a bad word to say about anybody, and she deliberately steered clear of talking about politics in public. In fact, Parton wouldn't hesitate to shut an interviewer down if they tried to get her to go there. We really don't know.

Dolly Parton famously grew up in poverty in rural Tennessee as one of 12 brothers and sisters, but many fans don't know all that much about some of her siblings. Several of Parton's brothers and sisters have also been involved in music and the entertainment business over the years, while others have completely avoided the spotlight and opted to live relatively quiet, normal lives. Yes.

Vince Gill wanted to pay tribute to his friend Dolly Parton, but it just didn't come out the way he'd planned. The crowd in Kansas City was there to pick him up however. Vince Gill played the Midland Theatre in Kansas City, Mo. on Thursday (Aug. 27). Dolly Parton died two days earlier, on Aug. 25. The two recorded a version of "I Will Always Love You" that went Top 20 on country radio in 1995.

It seems pretty unlikely that Cledus T. Judd will get to "Meet Her." His Ella Langley parody is getting yanked from all streaming platforms after this weekend. Taking to Facebook, Judd says Sony Music New York messaged his team and asked for the takedown. "It caught me by surprise and I was shocked," he says. Cledus T. Judd's "Meet Her" is a parody of Ella Langley's No. 1 hit "Be Her." He filmed a music video in the style of Langley's. The lyrics praise the young singer.

Dolly Parton was nothing if not honest and — as long as you weren't talking politics — candid. Many years ago she talked about acting across from some of Hollywood's leading men. Find two clips of her discussing on-screen romance below. The first (at 4:40) is from a conversation with Jay Leno. Later (at 5:40), she discusses kissing with David Letterman. "They all tempted me," Parton tells Leno, who asked which of her co-stars were most appealing.

The world is mourning the loss of Dolly Parton after she died at the age of 80 on Tuesday (Aug. 25). News broke regarding Dolly Parton's death on Aug. 25 The country veteran had been dealing with health issues, and it had been months since her last public appearance Reports say she had a brief battle with cancer prior to her passing She died at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, surrounded by loved ones Parton was a mainstay not just in country music, but pop culture as a whole.