LeAnn Rimes Makes Fabulous “Swingin'” Return

When I was on the red (blue) carpet last week before the CMT Music Awards, this adorable Australian country singer Shea Fisher told me that her favorite video of all time was LeAnn Rimes’ “Nothin’ Better to Do.” I agreed it was a great video because Rimes can be so entertaining when you stop paying attention to the gossip and just focus on her singing. So when Rimes came out during the awards show to perform her new single, a cover of John Anderson’s 1983 “Swingin’,” it all became perfectly clear again how fabulous she is onstage. She sang that song like it was her own, threw her rich vocals into it, gave it a saucy sexy spin AND did three cartwheels. Not that I was counting or anything. Her next album, Lady and Gentlemen, will be all covers. On her Twitter page, Rimes says she is “Super excited,” so I can’t wait to hear more of that. She also wrote that the album will be released on vinyl on Sept. 30 and all other outlets on Oct. 5, for those of you who haven’t gone all retro and bought vintage record players.

Country Stars Glisten at CMT Music Awards

The whole who-are-you-wearing thing really shouldn’t be an issue at awards shows, but it is. I guess it’s just human nature that everyone wants to check out everyone else. And if it’s a crime, I’m kind of guilty of it, too. I got as dressed up as I could to work, not walk, the blue carpet at last night’s (June 9) CMT Music Awards, and some of the media around did ask the outfit questions and dole out the compliments. But I will say this. The styles I noticed most were the strapless dresses on the women because they looked so comfortable in the heat and humidity. A lot of the men were wearing the Johnny Cash-ish all-black suit, shirt and tie get-up. (See photos.) Trust me, they were all sweating like crazy. Or as they say in the South, they “glistened.” But MTV.com has all the details on who wore what, and how Miranda Lambert’s dress sparkled, Faith Hill went boho with a floral J. Mendel gown and how Taylor Swift’s hair was sleek and straight while Snooki’s pouf was high and mighty.