Nashville has been taking notice of Sarah Darling for some time now, despite the fact that the winsome blond star-in-the-making hasn't even put out a full-length album yet. She has released an EP, appeared on ABC's hit reality show "The Bachelor" (as a performer, not a contestant!), toured with "American Idol" Scotty McCreery, and even served as a spokesperson for everyone' favorite Southern sweet snack, Moon Pies.

Still, the singer insists that she's not going to put out her full set until she's got everything just right, and this is a promise she appears to be working on steadily. Having split with her original label, Black River Entertainment, earlier this year, Darling is currently exploring her options--but not resting on her laurels. She's just released a summery new tune, "Little Umbrellas," accepted a proposal from her boyfriend, and is busy planning both a wedding and her next strategic career move.

Last July marked what would have been the 100th birthday of American musical icon Woody Guthrie, who died in 1967 at the age of 55 but whose classic compositions such as "This Land Is Your Land" — as well as his musical political activism (he famously played a guitar emblazoned with the slogan "This Machine Kills Fascists") — have lived on much longer.

In October 2012, a diverse group of musicians gathered to honor him with a special concert, Woody Guthrie at 100! Live at the Kennedy Center, which paid tribute to his unique artistry.

Now, the show — featuring contributions from Jackson Browne, Rosanne Cash, Judy Collins, Jeff Daniels, Ani DiFranco, Donovan, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, John Mellencamp, Tom Morello, Old Crow Medicine Show, Lucinda Williams, and many more — is available this week as a commemorative CD/DVD package for fans to add to their collections.

Here's a taste of the love, care, and musicality that went into the tribute, exclusively available here on Yahoo! Music for you to check out before getting your own copy of the project.

Out of all the contributors to the fete, a standout speaker is singer-songwriter Joel Rafael, who's

Photo: Bruce GlikasNobody can say that Billy Ray and wife Tish Cyrus didn't try: Back in 2010, the country star filed for divorce from his wife of nearly two decades. He dropped the filing in early 2011, saying that he was ready to work on his marriage. But now, Tish has decided it's time to end the partnership, and it appears Billy Ray is on board.

Both husband and wife have requested privacy in their personal matter. Billy Ray issued a statement on Thursday, stating, "This is a personal matter and we are doing what is in the best interest of our family. We ask that you respect our privacy at this time."

Photo: Kris ConnorThe CMT Awards have built a reputation as the edgiest of the annual crop of country-music awards shows, with viewers expecting to see crazy skits, jokes, and performers/presenters from genres way out of the country arena. Some fans love the diversity, some hate it--but one country legend has spoken out firmly that she's completely over it.

Naomi Judd reached her breaking point with the show this year when, in her opinion, the CMT Awards did not pay appropriate respects to the late icon George Jones, who died in April. In a terse letter to the Tennessean, she blasted her disapproval: "George Jones is to country music what The Beatles are to pop, the Rolling Stones to rock, Elvis to rockabilly, Mozart to classical and Aretha to soul.

"Yet, the 'Country' Music Television awards show allowed only a 'by the way' mention of Jones’ death and legacy."

Lady Antebellum have been enjoying the spunkiest and sauciest hit of their career with the chart-topping single "Downtown," even as the videos and promotional appearances for it feature Hillary Scott looking ever-so-more pregnant. As the band takes the stage for an exclusive Yahoo! Music performance, the average viewer might not notice Scott's expectancy all that much, thanks to the miracles of slimming black.

Still, there is that moment when Scott pleads "I don't know why you don't take me downtown anymore" that you might imagine her partner's response reasonably being, "Um, because your water might break?"

Even with the blessed event being just weeks away — Scott's baby girl, her first, is due in late July — the trio haven't lost a step, and if anything, have been compressing about six months' worth of the usual album promotion into roughly half that time.

"I can probably speak for everybody on our team and say it’s easier to promote a record when someone’s not pregnant," Scott says.

Dierks Bentley at the Belcourt [Photo: Chris Willman]Dierks Bentley should know better than to say the word "naked" at a fan club party. But he let the word slip at his annual Last Call Ball, which was held on the closing day of the CMA Festival, as he and his band played an acoustic set for just over 300 of his most hardcore and most fortunate fans.

"Sounds good in here, man," Bentley told the crowd at the Belcourt, a movie arthouse built in 1925 that once, very briefly (in the mid-1930s), served as the home of the Grand Ole Opry. "It’s good to take these songs you guys have only heard all electrified up – were you guys there last night at LP Field? — and give ‘em a little bit of an acoustic feel... I'm nervous for some reason, man. I wasn’t nervous last night in front of the stadium, but I get nervous in front of you guys. You guys know me too well. I feel naked up here." Titters and light yowls ensued. Come a little closer and all that...

In actuality, the biggest attraction of the 70-minute afternoon concert wasn't hearing acoustic

Dierks Bentley and wife Cassidy (Photo: Jeff Vespa)Nobody can accuse Dierks Bentley of not appreciating his fans. The country star is so fond of his peeps that he even took the liberty of sharing a surprise gender reveal for his third child, which he and wife Cassidy are expecting this fall.

"We thought it would be kind of funny to give you the scoop on whether or not I'm having a boy or girl," Bentley noted in a videotaped message to fans. He then invited guesses as to the baby's sex, and also asked for name suggestions. (One of the weirder ones he received: "Dierks-Anne" if baby Bentley happened to be a daughter...what do you think?)

Who wears short shorts? Well, Carrie Underwood's certainly been having a good run with them lately! The leggy "American Idol" sported a sexy mint-green pair at the CMT Awards last week, and followed that up with an even more daring pair of patriotic cutoffs Sunday at Nashville's Country Music Association Fest.

Photo: Rick Diamond

Underwood topped off her stars and stripes (designed by hip boho line Gypsy Junkies)  with a variety of rockin' accessories, including studded boots and a leather headband, for a look that added up to classic American biker babe.