Last week, on CMT's Next Superstar, the hopeful finalists were thrust into yet another totally unexpected challenge--this one, complete with a bonus emotional wringer attached.

The group was taken to Fort Campbell, Kentucky and introduced to the families of the the 101st Airborne division returning from deployment in Afghanistan. Some of these folks hadn't seen their enlisted loved ones in quite a long time, and they shared their stories with the contestants--who were then paired up with pro songwriters and told to compose an original song about the experience.

The returning soldiers and their families were then recruited to watch and vote on live performances of the new songs. As a fitting touch, Army vet Craig Morgan served as a guest judge for the challenge.

As anyone would expect, tears were shed, hearts were wrung--and some darn good original songs were composed as a result of the experience. It was no doubt a hard decision to determine who would be eliminated. But in the end,

Kenny Chesney is the latest country megastar to lend a helping hand to those affected by recent natural disasters in the South. He announced on Thursday that he will be donating all fees and profits from his May 25 concert in Tuscaloosa, AL to disaster relief efforts.

Tuscaloosa was one of America's hardest-hit regions last month, having suffered enormous damage from a tornado on April 27. Forty people were killed and more than 5000 homes and businesses were either completely destroyed or seriously damaged.

Chesney naturally considered cancelling his scheduled show in the ravaged city, but Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox asked him to keep the date, claiming it would be a much-needed step forward for the community.

"Mayor Maddox convinced us that this is a great opportunity to bring the people of Tuscaloosa together in a positive way," Chesney explained. "We are grateful for the opportunity to help them in this way."

"We're thrilled that all the money from this show will stay in the

Anyone who is a big fan of Darius Rucker knows that Darius Rucker is a big fan of golf. However, Rucker's involvement with the sport goes beyond a mere hobby--it's a philanthropic outlet for him as well: He's partnered up with the PGA to use one of his songs to raise proceeds for charity.

Rucker wrote the song, titled "Together, Anything's Possible," specifically for the PGA's charitable initiative (which has the same name as the tune). All net proceeds from downloads of the song for one year will be donated to the PGA's charitable arm, which supports more than 3,000 causes in the areas of education, environment, medicine, disaster relief, and youth outreach, among others.

It also supports the military--here's Rucker on Wednesday performing at THE PLAYERS Championship in Florida as part of Military Appreciation Day.

"To me, this song signifies what it means to come together as a family, a community, or simply through music for the betterment of others' lives," Rucker explains of

Well, folks, it looks as if there will indeed be a big ol' wedding in Texas this weekend--starring everyone's favorite country couple, Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert.

Of course, nobody's actually doubting the wedding will take place as planned--that would be this Saturday, May 14. However, it's been fun seeing pics of a few events that have solidified the approach of Shelton and Lambert's nuptials.

First off, Lambert enjoyed an oh-so-Southern bachelorette celebration a few days ago--instead of partying it up in Vegas, she was spotted in Lexington at the Kentucky Derby along with a gaggle of girlfriends (all dressed in the spirit of things...and that means hats!). Here's Lambert in her getup:

Meanwhile, Shelton took to Twitter on Monday and posted a photo of the marriage certificate, apparently obtained that day in Grayson County, Texas.

Shelton being, well, Blake...he immediately followed the photo tweet with another--a shot of a sign saying "Death Certificate Applications."

A boy who prefers fashion magazines to football. A teenaged girl who works for a fast-food diner and suffers jeers from her peers. A little girl who eats her lunch alone in a bathroom stall.

Oh, and a gorgeous, glamorous star who has fulfilled her dream of "someday living in a big old city," while all her detractors have done with their lives is "be mean."

All of these personalities star in Taylor Swift's new video for "Mean," and it's a touching reminder in today's climate--where bullying is more prominent than ever--that it does get better.

Because, of course, Swift's video gives the happy endings we all love. The boy grows into a famous designer, cheered on the runway and flanked by models. The teen girl saves her minimum wage for college and becomes a powerful executive in a corner office.

And the little girl in the bathroom? Well, we don't find out what happens to her, explicitly. But let's just say that Swift's tale seems to be somewhat autobiographical.

Only Taylor Swift

The past month has left Alabama and surrounding states in critical condition due to tornado and storm damage. And, as aptly demonstrated last spring when floods devastated Tennessee--the country music community is fast and generous when it comes to arranging aid.

Country legend Hank Williams Jr. has announced he is spearheading an all-star concert May 12 to help those affected by the recent natural disasters. The lineup will feature Keith Urban, Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw, Lady Antebellum, Ronnie Dunn, Sara Evans, Alabama and more; with all money raised benefiting American Red Cross disaster relief efforts. Additionally, ESPN's star sportscaster Erin Andrews has just been confirmed as a co-host of the event.

Andrews has personal interest in the Southern disasters, having grown up in Florida and built her career in Tampa and Atlanta. "I have been fortunate to spend a great amount of time in this area and have always appreciated the warmth, hospitality and spirit of this wonderful

Last Friday's episode of CMT's Next Superstar offered up probably the toughest challenge the contestants have faced to date. And that's meant literally!

After undergoing a little stage-presence tweaking with famous choreographer Robert Royston, the group was delivered a cryptic basket of bandanas--then hauled off to a no-frills, ya-don't-wanna-be-here-on-the-wrong-night biker bar. Yup, their challenge was to impress a crowd of bona fide Hell's Angels types.

Okay, so it was "Outlaw Country Week," but heck...I doubt anyone was expecting that.

The seven remaining hopefuls rose to the occasion, performing a range of suitable covers ranging from Waylon to the Hag to the surprisingly appreciative crowd (as well as perpetually sunny guest judge Big Kenny from Big & Rich). In the end, the bikers voted, putting Bri Bagwell and Danielle Lauderdale into the positions of having to "Sing for survival."

In a surprising twist, judge Matt Serletic announced that he and the guest judges would

Fans of Jennette McCurdy most likely first know her for her starring role on the Nickelodeon hit series iCarly. They also seem to be catching on quite nicely to her foray into country music--she's just released a video for her new single, "Generation Love," which was produced by Rascal Flatts' Jay DeMarcus. And now, before she's even released her debut album (it'll be out this fall), everyone will know her as a remarkably successful charitable musician as well.

McCurdy set out in early March on a six-week cross-country mall tour with the intent of raising at least $100,000 for St Jude Children's Research Hospital. In addition to a free performance, McCurdy offered fans a $10 package with a 2-song CD and a photo which she'd personally autograph, with all proceeds going to St. Jude.

Well, to say that reponse was overwhelming is kind of underwhelming the actual results! McCurdy was delighted to discover at the end of her tour that she'd actually exceeded her monetary goal by nearly