1) Growing up in the town of Lake, Mississippi, Randy learned how to play music from his father.

2) Young Randy performed live for twelve years before he loaded his ’92 Cougar with junk and an air mattress and moved to Nashville.

3) Randy moved to Nashville without a game plan, and his car broke down. Unable to pay his rent, he was close to getting thrown out of his little duplex.

4) Randy started singing song demos in Nashville, earning $75 one week.

5) In 2005, Randy hit the country charts as a song writer on Trace Adkins’ hit “Honkey Tonk Badonkadonk”

6) Randy’s song “Anything Goes” reached the airwaves in 2008, followed by his hit “Boots On”.

7) One of Randy’s big weaknesses is his habit of crying at emotional movies, like the film “Powder”.

8) Randy usually takes his Harley Davidson on tour with him. He tries to ride every day.

9) Randy loves playing country music at any venue, but he especially enjoys the peaceful vibe and weather of Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado.

10) Randy and singer Jessa Lee Yantz got engaged in July of 2011 and they married just months later. Their son, West Yantz Houser was born in March 2012.

Y108′s 8 Man Jam 2013, powered by Bowser GMC Trucks and brought to you by FlyPittsburgh.com is May 23 at Rivers Casino!

Though Nettles recently announced that she will release a solo album this fall, during an interview Sunday at the Billboard Music Awards she was quick to clear the air regarding the future of her band Sugarland.

“Oh, god no!” she exclaimed, when asked if she and Kristian Bush would be breaking up the band. “Nobody panic,” she said, mugging for the camera. “We’re just taking time to do things individually–personally and professionally. And we’re super supportive of each other on both those fronts.”

Nettles was interviewed by Billboard on the red carpet before Sunday’s award ceremony. It was her first public appearance since her son Magnus was born five months ago.

During the interview she was practically giddy about her upcoming solo album; however, she didn’t want to go into much detail about the songs or the sound, as she didn’t want to “give everything away.”

Read more and watch the video on Radio.com

Rucker knows this firsthand, as he grew up entrenched in country music and is releasing his third country album, True Believers, today (May 21). In our Radio.com Essentials profile, Rucker broke down country music stereotypes and explained the stories behind many of the songs on his new album, while Entertainment Weekly‘s Grady Smith provided some back story on the former Hootie & the Blowfish singer. Watch below.

It’s a common answer to the question, “What type of music do you like?”: “I like everything but country.” But Rucker, who himself encountered great success in the mainstream with rock before segueing to country, pleas with music fans who respond this way.

“To have that stereotype of my dog died or my wife left me, that whole stereotype that they love to live with,” he explained, “every time I hear somebody say that ["I like everything but country] I say, ‘Take one day and listen to country.’”

As for those who claim country music is all about the same tired lyrical themes of Southern living, Rucker counters that he sings about what he knows.

“For me, I don’t sing about pickup trucks and stuff like that because that’s not a life I lived,” he said. “Clichés are clichés, there are a lot of guys that don’t write about that stuff but there are a lot of guys that do and it works.”

Instead, Rucker’s goal is to relate, with the added hope of pushing the envelope this time around. Though he partnered again with producer Frank Rogers, who also worked on 2008’s Learn to Live and 2010’s Charleston, SC 1966, the two tried to step away from the last two albums and simply find the best songs they could to create a new sound.

“I think this is the best record I’ve ever recorded,” Rucker said. “I’m excited for people to hear it, for country music fans and music fans in general to hear it. I hope they get a song or two or three that makes them go, ‘Man, that’s my life.’ That’s why I write songs.”

Read more on Radio.com

Oklahoma was hit with a severe tornado yesterday (May 20) in the community of Moore, an Oklahoma City suburb. Country singer Toby Keith grew up in the neighborhoods that were hit, and he spoke with CNN‘s Anderson Cooper about hearing the news.

“So many tornadoes come through there but I don’t ever remember one hitting an elementary school right square on the button like this one did,” he said, his voice shaky with emotion. “It’s devastating. My sister’s house got hit. It’s a mile north of my mother’s house on the farm where I was raised.”

Keith took to Twitter to bring awareness to the tornado that struck his hometown.

Hometown got hit for the gazillionth time. Rise again Moore Oklahoma. Godspeed.Prayin – T

— Toby Keith (@TobyKeithMusic) May 20, 2013

“This storm has devastated the community that I grew up in,” he continued. “I rode my bike through those neighborhoods. I have family and friends in Moore. My heart and prayers go to those that have lost so much. But Moore is strong and we will persevere. God be with you all.”

The tornado took 24 lives, including at least seven children when it hit a local elementary school, CBS News reports.

“You just gotta hope that everyone takes cover,” Keith said. “Oklahoma has great meteorologists and they prepare you for this. Oklahoma people are just so resilient and are used to dealing with this in the springtime. They did the best they could do, I’m sure.”

Oklahoma native Carrie Underwood also voiced her prayers on Twitter as did Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton and Joe Diffie.

Growing up in tornado alley, you always know what could happen…it doesn’t change how devastating it is when something does happen. #pray

— Carrie Underwood (@carrieunderwood) May 21, 2013

I’m thinking about and praying for my beautiful home state and the people in it tonight.

— Carrie Underwood (@carrieunderwood) May 21, 2013

Pray. That’s all we an do. Pray for peace for Oklahoma.

— Miranda Lambert (@mirandalambert) May 20, 2013

Just landed in LA and hearing about all the tornados in Oklahoma right now… Get somewhere safe!!!

— Blake Shelton (@blakeshelton) May 20, 2013

So sad to hear of all the devastation and deaths in my home state. Can’t imagine what the folks who lost loved… fb.me/G0IA0zx5

— Joe Diffie (@JoeDiffieOnline) May 21, 2013

Many more country artists chimed in as well, including Willie Nelson, Ronnie Dunn, and Trace Adkins, who each showed fans wanting to help easy ways that they can donate to the Red Cross and other organizations.

You can support #Moore response & other disasters by txting REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10, or online at redcross.org- Team Trace

— TraceAdkins (@TraceAdkins) May 21, 2013

Oklahomans… Texts get thru better than calls.Verizon lost 1 tower in last night’s twister…20 TODAY !

— RONNIE DUNN (@RonnieDunn) May 21, 2013

Add’l ways to help & donate to OK text STORM to 80888 for Salvation Army REDCROSS to 90999 FOOD to 32333 for Regional Food Bank #OKTornado

— Willie Nelson (@willienelson) May 21, 2013

Read more on Radio.com

This extends Strait’s record for holding the most No. 1 songs on all charts of any artist in any genre (Conway Twitty previously held the record with 55). It also means that the Sixty for Sixty campaign, to help Strait earn his 60th Number One while he was still 60 years old, was a success (Strait turned 61 on May 18).

George offered his thanks to fans in a message on his website:

“I didn’t realize we were making history — I just hoped we were putting out music that my fans would enjoy. As always, I’m thankful to the fans and country radio for their support on all 60 of these number one songs as well as my entire career. They are the ones who made this happen.”

It’s official, George makes history with his 60th #1 single!!! Thanks to all of YOU for your hard work and support! youtu.be/NFbCgcxd2XE

— George Strait (@GeorgeStrait) May 20, 2013

Fans and artists alike have been rallying for months in support of the song and Sixty for Sixty. Many of George’s friends and fellow artists, in fact, created videos honoring “King George” and his music.

Read more on Radio.com

It’s got white sand, blue water and tiki bars, along with plenty of drumming and dancing–but it also involves such antics as hatchet tossing, jet pack flights, and human catapulting. While it’s not exactly Jackass, the idea of being shot out over the water by catapult (with or without beer in hand) will certainly give the saner minds among us pause.

Read more at Radio.com

1. Chris says he cried the first time he heard one of his songs on the radio.

2. Chris co-wrote Tim McGraw’s “Truck Yeah.”

3. He played harmonica on Lee Brice’s CD “Hard 2 Love”.

4. Chris began songwriting at the age of 11.

5. Chris originally wanted to be a veterinarian.

6. He says the line from “Better I Don’t”,  where he talks about taking the stage in nothing but his boots, is TRUE!

7. Chris had a small part in the Neil Young concert film, “Heart of Gold”.

8. He’s written songs with the guys in “Guns N Roses”.

9.  Chris made his Grand Old Opry debut in February.

10. His favorite co-writer is his wife, Kelly.

Keep listening for your last chances to pick up tickets to the Y108′s 8 Man Jam.

I can’t imagine how heartbroken the families affected are feeling today.

The death toll is expected to rise and there are still dozens of children missing.

These are the times that try our souls.

If you are in a position to help, please head to http://www.redcross.org to donate to their disaster relief efforts.

All of our Oklahoma natives like Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton and all the families and friends of the victims are in our thoughts and prayers.

Tornado Ripped Through Oklahomaview gallery

As the first show of the season, it was a big hit. Brantley Gilbert rocked the house just before Tim and Love And Theft got things going with a nice 70’s Southern California vibe on a perfect night.

Tim did 20 of his best songs including some new material, but closed with “Live Like You were Dying,” which turned into a massive sing-a-long with about 24,000 people.

From the stage there wasn’t an open pocket of seats, aisle or lawn. It was filled all the way to the back of the bowl at First Niagara Pavilion and from stage wing left to stage wing right.

Y108 listener Shirlene Borsos was one of those 24,000 at the show Saturday. And it was during that closing performance that the night became more than just another concert.

Shirlene emailed Y108 a photo of her and Tim McGraw taken during his show along with her story:

“I have been fighting breast cancer for 7 months. During Tim’s performance of ‘Live Like You Were Dying,’ he called me to the stage and kissed my bald head. It was quite a moment. The picture says it all! Tim McGraw is quite a human being!”

Shirlene Boros and Tim McGraw (photo courtesy of Shirlene Boros)