An old interview just resurfaced featuring Julia Roberts talking about what it was like working with Dolly Parton on the set of 1989’s “Steel Magnolias”.

They shot the film in Louisiana during the middle of the summer, so it’s safe to say it was terribly hot.  But Julia was amazed that Dolly wasn’t complaining, because everyone else on set was.

Julia said, “Everybody had ice on their wrists, doing the whole thing.  And Dolly never said anything.  And finally, I just had to say, ‘Dolly you’ve got a wig, and the wool . . . It’s hot, just say it’s hot, you know.  This is a drag.'”

To which Dolly calmly replied, “When I was a little girl, I wanted to be famous and I wanted to be rich, and now I’m both of these things.  I’m not going to complain about it.”

Then Julia said, quote, “[Now] every time I go to complain, or just kind of moan, I always hear Dolly sitting on the porch saying that, and it kinda keeps you quiet.”

Beautiful words from a classy lady.   However, I think this gives you free rein to complain if you aren’t rich or famous yet.

The 2024 resurgence of Sugarland continues. The duo, who reunited with a new single and tour earlier this year, have now announced their first new collection of new music since 2018’s “Bigger.” A new four-song EP, “There Goes The Neighborhood,” will be coming out this Friday. No word on if this is truly new music or music the duo had recorded pre-pandemic, which Kristian Bush had said was in the can back in 2019 – or whether their joint single with Little Big Town, “Take Me Home,” is one of the four songs included on the EP.

Baskin, Louisiana had a grand total of 210 people living there in the 2020 census. It would have had at least one more, but the town’s most famous resident, Lainey Wilson, left to make a name for herself in Nashville several years back. Now that that mission is accomplished, her hometown is honoring her. Last week, the Mayor of the Village of Baskin, George Curtis, announced they’d be naming a portion of Louisiana Highway 15 in Franklin Parish the “Lainey Wilson Highway.” Over the next few months, the town will install six signs in recognition of Wilson and her accomplishments. A ceremony will also be held at some point in the coming months to celebrate the official unveiling of the new signage, which both the country star and her family have been invited to.

“The Man In Black” will be the “Man In Bronze” – or, whatever they make statues of. Johnny Cash is getting honored with a statue to be erected in the nation’s capital next month. Five years ago, then-Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson announced that a statue of Cash would be added to the National Statuary Hall Collection, which is located in the US Capitol and features two statues from each state to honor notable natives. The statue of Cash will be replacing the current statue of James P. Clarke, a former Arkansas governor and US Senator whose statue has been in the Capitol Visitors Center since 1921. Clarke’s statue has become problematic in recent years, as he was a notable supporter of white supremacy; even his great-great-grandson, an Arkansas state senator, had called for his statue to be removed. So…Johnny Cash – a far superior Arkansas native to be honored. The unveiling ceremony takes place September 24.

The first round of performers for the “17th Academy of Country Music Honors” has been announced. The initial list includes Eric Church, Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Tyler Hubbard, Jamey Johnson, Ashley McBryde, Darius Rucker and Keith Urban. The event will honor this year’s Honorees Walt Aldridge, Tony Brown, Luke Bryan, Alan Jackson, Shannon Sanders, Lainey Wilson, and Trisha Yearwood. “ACM Honors” will take place August 21st at the Ryman Auditorium and will be hosted by Carly Pearce and Jordan Davis. Additional performers, presenters and event details will be announced in the coming weeks.