American Idol, Season 10, Begins with a 10,000 Plus Auditioning Crowd in Nashville, Tennessee
American Idol, Season 10, hopefuls come from near and far to the Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville, Tennessee for try outs during a Heat Wave in July 2010

'American Idol' season 10 underway in Nashville (AP)
Nashville, Tenn. – The 10th season of "American Idol" is under way in Nashville, and despite the long lines and big dreams of wannabe contestants, there's no denying that something's missing. "'Idol's' going to be different this year first and foremost because (judge) Simon Cowell's not here," supervising producer Patrick Lynn said in an interview. "But secondly, this is our 10th season, we're going into it, and we're really this year are making it about the contestant. It's all about...

Auditions for Season 10 of 'American Idol' Begin in Nashville
At Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee on Thursday, a crowd of approximately 10,000 aspiring recording artists arrived to sign up for tenth season auditions for Fox's long-running reality competition series, American Idol . KTLA.com is reporting that hopeful contestants lined up to receive wristbands outside of the venue as early as 9 a.m. despite the sweltering 90-degree heat. While there are still countless individuals from all over the country with lofty aspirations, American...

'American Idol' season 10 underway in Nashville
Nashville, Tenn. — The 10th season of "American Idol" is under way in Nashville, and despite the long lines and big dreams of wannabe contestants, there's no denying that something's missing. "'Idol's' going to be different this year first and foremost because (judge) Simon Cowell's not here," supervising producer Patrick Lynn said in an interview. "But secondly, this is our 10th season, we're going into it, and we're really this year are making it about the contestant. It's all about...

Nancy O'Dell in True Religion
Lindsay Lohan in JET » TV personality Nancy O’Dell speaks onstage at Nashville Rising, a Benefit Concert for flood relief at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.

Bryan Dixon: 'American Idol' Nashville contestant
By USAToday.com Bryan Dixon fronts a Ventura County, Calif., band called Softsilence, but Saturday he auditioned for the 10th season of American Idol in Nashville and made it through the first round. “I don’t even remember” what I sang, he said shortly after finishing his audition. “The whole thing is right now.” Related posts: American Idol ‘will flourish’ with or without Cowell American Idol judge Simon Cowell says the hit Reality TV... Simon...

Thousands line up for shot at American Idol in Nashville
American Idol 10 auditions begin in Nashville.

First Round of Idol Nashville Auditions Are Under Way
Well, people are foolish enough to keep trying out for American Idol. Yep, even after this year's winner is selling CDs out of the back of his car... oh wait, that's what's going to happen in 6 months. Getting a little ahead of myself. Anyway, the Nashville first round of auditions took place today where people try out in front of random people at folding tables in hopes of being called back for the producers and then being called back for the celebrity judges. Brian Mansfield reports that...

Kelly Dutton: 'American Idol' Nashville contestant
Logan Allen: 'American Idol' Nashville contestant To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones . For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com . Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com . Guidelines: You share in the USA Today community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your...

Tenn Gov Commutes Sentence of Woman on Death Row, Eligible For Parole In 2012
Nashville, Tenn. (CBS/AP) Gaile Owens was a mere 77 days from being the first woman to be put to death in Tennessee in almost 200 years when Gov. Phil Bredesen commuted her sentence, Wednesday, for paying a man to Murder her husband, Ron Owens, in 1986. The decision by the Governor means Gaile Owens could potentially be released as early as 2012. Gaile Owens was found guilty of hiring Sidney Porterfield to kill her husband in 1986, and sentenced to death. Gov. Bredesen said he decided to...

Best of the best: Demetri Martin, 2010 Lilith Tour, Blue Water Fest
The event formerly known as Boat Week in Port Huron has a new name and attitude this year. It's now known as the Blue Water Fest and it's awash in three days of family-friendly activities designed to showcase downtown Port Huron and its riverfront. Among them: a juried art fair, a film showcase featuring Hollywood classics (think the Little Rascals and Buster Keaton) and four stages of live music. (Watch for country artist Justin Moore and promising Nashville newcomer Easton Corbin.) Boats...

Erin Andrews Suing For Millions!
Former Dancing with the Stars contestant, Erin Andrews , is suing several Hotel chains for more than $1.2 million for giving out her Hotel Room number to a man who altered the peepholes in her Hotel Rooms and secretly filmed videos of her in the nude! Michael David Barrett was sentenced to 2.5 years in Prison this past March for interstate stalking and turned over the footage he shot from her while in Columbus and Nashville Hotels. On top of it all, he was supposedly trying to sell the vids...

Frampton comes alive - again
Peter Frampton has weathered storms in his career before. But never quite like this. The Veteran singer-guitarist recently lost all of his gear to Nashville floodwaters -- then had some of his replacement equipment trashed when high winds destroyed an outdoor stage in Oklahoma this month. "Yes, we've had a couple of upsets," understates the 60-year-old rocker from Portland. "Twice in a month, we've been pretty devastated. "We had spent three or four months in Nashville getting everything...

Nashville sees huge turnout for 'Idol' auditions
Auditions for the 10th season of "American Idol" are kicking off in Nashville as wannabe contestants prepare for a show without judge Simon Cowell.

Inmate stabs Nashville corrections employee
A A correctional corporal at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville was stabbed multiple times by an inmate. A news release from the Tennessee Department of Correction said Cpl. Rafael Morales was recovering after the attack around 7:21 p.m. on Tuesday night. Morales is in stable condition with stab wounds to his head, arms and abdomen. The inmate accused of attacking him, Kevin Goff, 39, is serving a 20-year sentence for a second-degree Murder conviction out of Maury County. Goff...

Taylor Swift Will Dish about Her New Album in Live Webcast
Want to know all the behind-the-scenes deets surrounding Taylor Swift's upcoming third album? You can ask her for the info yourself next Tuesday, July 20. At 4PM CDT, Taylor will host a live chat from Nashville to catch her fans up on what she's been working on and what they can expect from the new album. "I've spent the last two years out on the Fearless tour and working on my new record," the 20-year-old spills. "I've gotten so many questions from fans -- on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, my...

Nashville sees huge turnout for 'Idol' auditions (AP)
Nashville, Tenn. – Auditions for the 10th season of "American Idol" are kicking off in Nashville as wannabe contestants prepare for a show without judge Simon Cowell. People began lining up for wristbands outside early Thursday morning. By 9 a.m., supervising producer Patrick Lynn estimated there were upward of 10,000 people waiting in the nearly 90-degree heat. Contestants are mixed on Cowell's departure. Some are relieved they won't have to face him; others wish they could get his...

The Life and Times of Hank Cochran (From Nashville from a Bridge)
Hank Cochran, the Writer of many Country Music Masterpieces including "I Fall To Pieces," "She's Got You," "Make the World Go Away," and "A Little Bitty Tear," died at his home on Thursday, July 15, 2010 after a long battle with Cancer.

Country songwriter Hank Cochran dead at 74
Hank Cochran , a consummate songwriter who composed a string of country hits including "Make the World Go Away" for Eddy Arnold , has died. He was 74. Martha E. Moore , his publicist, said Cochran died Thursday morning at his home in Hendersonville north of Nashville . He had been in declining health in recent years, and suffered an aortic aneurysm in March. He was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer two years ago. He co-wrote the following No. 1 hits: Patsy Cline 's "I Fall to Pieces"; ...

Omni in agreement to buy land for convention center hotel
A Nashville developer has agreed to sell land south of the Country Music Hall of Fame to Omni Hotels so it could build a hotel to serve the city's new convention center. Tower Investments Senior Vice President Alex Marks said his company reached a deal with Omni in the past week on Tower's 3.1-acre site at 322 Fifth Ave. South. Earlier this month, Metro officials said they were negotiating with Omni and other companies and were optimistic they could have a hotel deal in place soon. But they have...

Darius Rucker's New Album Due in October
Darius Rucker is one of the most successful pop-to-country converts of all time. So his sophomore country album, one of the most highly anticipated of the year, has fans wondering if he can top the success of the platinum 'Learn to Live.' What they don't have to wonder about anymore is the name and release date of the new disc. 'Charleston, SC 1966,' is due October 12 on Capitol Nashville, and will include 12 songs. That's just shy of the 77 songs he wrote for the new project (and the 52 he...

Body found after boat crash near Smyrna
A SMYRNA, Tenn. -- Searchers have found the body of a man thrown into Percy Priest Lake when two boats collided southeast of Nashville. WTVF-TV reported the body was recovered early Friday morning near Fate Sanders Marina in Rutherford County. That was about six hours after the boats crashed, throwing three people into the lake. The other two were quickly rescued. The station reported one of them was taken to a Hospital and the other one was treated by medics at the scene. Authorities didn't...

Legendary Country Songwriter Hank Cochran Dead at 74
Hank Cochran, a consummate songwriter who composed a string of country hits including "Make the World Go Away" for Eddy Arnold, has died. He was 74. Martha E. Moore, his publicist, said Cochran died Thursday morning at his home in Hendersonville north of Nashville. He had been in declining health in recent years, and suffered an aortic aneurysm in March. He was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer two years ago. He co-wrote the following No. 1 hits: Patsy Cline's "I Fall to Pieces"; George Strait's...