News for Christmas Weekend, 2004

QUESTION OF THE DAY

WHAT WAS GEORGE STRAIT'S LONGEST RUN OF CONSECUTIVE NUMBER ONE HITS? ( see below for answer )

BRITTANY WELLS SUPPORTING OUR TROOPS
Spindletop Records artist, Brittany Wells, has been booked to appear on Fox & Friends to announce "Operation From Harm's Way" on Tuesday, December 21st. The goal is to sell ringtones through GACTV.com with all proceeds going to purchase calling cards for our troops in Iraq. The Military Exchange is providing that service for Spindletop Records and delivering directly to the troops. Please help if you can by going to GACTV.com and buying her ringtone via the promotion on GAC's home page. And thanks to you and Brittany Wells for supporting our troops! Click here!

TOBY KEITH ALREADY SELLING OUT DATES IN 'O5
Toby is already getting a jump start on 2005, recently selling out two shows in Green Bay, WI. The first show sold out in a matter of seconds. Combined, the Jan. 27 and 28
dates will bring in 14,000 people from a town of only 100,000. Ted Nugent
opens. Other tour dates include Jan. 20 in Tulsa, Jan. 21 in Omaha, Jan. 22
in Moline, IL and Feb. 11 in Little Rock.

THE McGRAWS' HOLIDAY PAJAMA PARTY?
The Tim and Faith McGraw family may be planning a pajama party for Christmas day. According to People.com, the couple have ordered matching Nick & Nora pajamas (pricy PJs with pictures of sock monkeys). Check them out at Sleepyheads.com

ALAN JACKSON'S "TOYS"
Alan Jackson is a living example of the saying the only difference between a man and boy is the size of their toys. In his V-shaped plush garage he has 14 cars and a vintage ('58) Harley Davidson, and a small airplane.

TROY GENTRY's PUT-YOUR-EYE-OUT-GIFT
If you've seen the modern classic "A Christmas Story," you'll appreciate Troy Gentry's story of his favorite Christmas gift. He says it was a Red Ryder BB gun. Obviously he didn't shoot his eye out which was every mother's fear of giving a BB gun to a child.

NO FROSTY THE SNOWMAN CHRISTMAS FOR KEITH URBAN
Keith Urban heads to his brother's home in Australia for the Christmas Holidays.
No snow there since it's Summer South of the Equator. And, the only "white" Keith is looking forward to are the white caps of waves good enough to hang ten on.

"We actually go to the beach at Christmas time because it's the middle of the summer in Australia," Urban told AP. "It's kind of like a cross between Thanksgiving and Fourth of July because we eat way too much and it's completely stinking hot outside, so, you know - a mixture of all great holidays at once."

RASCAL FLATTS TO IRAQ?
Rascal Flatts were asked recently if they'd consider going to Iraq to entertain our armed forces there. "It would be an honor," they answered, "...and we hope to get the opportunity in the near future."

PAISLEY, MERLE, DWIGHT AND BUCK FOR A BAKERSFIELD NEW YEAR
One of the cooler New Year's eve concerts will take place at Buck Owens' Crystal Palace club in Bakersfield, California featuring Buck, Brad Paisley and Dwight Yoakam. On New Year's Day, Merle Haggard is the featured performer, reports MJI.

LeANN RIME'S J.C. PENNY CHRISTMASES
LeAnn Rimes tells USA ToDay that her grandfather and J.C. Penny provided some very happy Christmases.

"We didn't have a lot of money. My godparents were so wonderful. My godfather would give me the J.C. Penney catalog and he would get me a few things I would circle in it. … I was the only child around, so I got spoiled. I was blessed to have great people around me."

QUESTION OF THE DAY

WHAT WAS GEORGE STRAIT'S LONGEST RUN OF CONSECUTIVE NUMBER ONE HITS?

Beginning with "Nobody In His Right Mind Would've Left Her" from 1986, and ending with "Ace in The Hole," in 1989, George Strait scored 11 consecutive Number One Billboard hits, his personal best.

A SOBERING HOLIDAY THOUGHT
A suicide bomber walked into a U.S. military mess hall in Mosul, Iraq this week and blew himself away, taking away the lives of 14 American servicemen and breaking forever the hearts of those that loved them and for whom Christmas will never be the same again.
As we glean the joyful gifts from colorful packages under the tree, take a moment, in a quiet place in your home and heart to think of the impossible-to-repay gift of the valiant men and women willing to go to such deadly places and so unselfishly lay their lives on the altar of freedom for their nation and liberty-seeking people in hostile lands.

What's On... (all times Eastern)

HOLIDAY VIDEOS ON GAC!
GAC will continue to bring you holiday videos throughout the day from now until Christmas, then tune in Sat., Dec. 25, Christmas evening, 10pm to 11pm ET for an hourlong block of back-to-back holiday videos to enjoy with your family!

LEE ANN WOMACK HOLIDAY SPECIAL!
Tune in for a magical Winterfest holiday special featuring performances from Lee Ann Womack, Steve Azar and more!
Dec. 24, 10pm ET (pre-empts Edge Of Country)
Dec. 25, 3pm and 9pm (pre-empts CRL)

NEW VIDEOS COMIN' UP THIS WEEK!
You're My Better Half - Keith Urban
What's A Guy Gotta Do - Joe Nichols
Check the GAC playlist for times

FAST FORWARD!
Host Christ Conn offers all the new videos from the past month, all in one place. Don't miss it!
Dec. 27: 11pm
Dec. 28: 4pm
Dec. 29: 7pm
Dec. 31: 11pm

GAC'S TOP 50 VIDEOS OF 2004!
Mark your calendar and ring in the New Year with GAC's Top 50 Videos of 2004!
The fans have spoken and we're counting up the votes right now to see which clips will make up this year's Top 50 Videos of 2004. Tune in Fri., Dec. 31st, New Year's Eve, starting at 7pm ET as some of your favorite GAC hosts will count 'em down all the way to #1!

GRAND OLE OPRY!
Sat., Dec. 25, 8pm or 11pm ET: Tune in for a "Best Of Opry" encore offering performances from Marty Stuart, Connie Smith, Von Trapps, Pam Tillis and Kathy Mattea! (or catch a Sunday or Tuesday repeat!) | click to visit our Opry page

CHRISTIAN COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS!
A few more chances to catch the show if you missed it when it aired LIVE on GAC!
Dec. 24: 8pm (Christmas Eve) (pre-empts GAC Classic and CRL)

COMIN' UP ON CRL
Jan. 13 - Miranda Lambert
Jan. 25 - LeAnn Rimes
click to request your favorite videos

COUNTRY MUSIC ACROSS AMERICA!
A 2004 Year in Review - Part One!
Storme re-visits highlights of 2004 including features on Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, Shania Twain, Gretchen Wilson and Big & Rich plus a whirlwind tour of Storme's travels around the world over the past twelve months. Stops include: The Bahamas, Louisiana, California, Illinois, the Turks & Caicos islands, Colorado, Alabama, Texas, Japan and more!

PLUS: Vote on your favorite story from Country Music Across America, in 2004!
Visit the CMAA show page at GACTV.com and click on the "Tell Us What You Think" link, then type your suggestion in the "Contact/Feedback" section. The winner will be played in its entirety on Dec. 28th, when we debut Part Two of our "2004 - Year in Review" special! | visit the CMAA show page now

CELEBRITY KITCHEN!
Dec. 23: Mark Chesnutt
Dec. 24: Susie Lucksinger
click for guest schedule, recipes, more!

GAC CLASSIC GUEST LIST
Dec. 29: Mavericks
Jan. 19: John Conlee
Click for details

EDGE OF COUNTRY
Now a daily, half-hour show! Host Kylie Harris offers a great mix of alternative and americana videos. | click for schedule

POSITIVELY GAC!
Two hours of inspirational, upbeat videos from Country and Christian Country artists every Sunday, 9 - 11am ET.

Click for complete GAC show schedule, playlist search & more!

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