Grand Ole Opry

by Brad Schmitt

Brad Schmitt is a longtime Nashville entertainment journalist, having shared the goods on Music City’s most interesting people in the newspaper, on TV, and online for more than 15 years. Every week, Brad hits country fans with the latest news from Nashville and the lives of their favorite country artists.

Taylor belongs with 10-year-old cancer patient – for a day, anyway

Taylor Swift visited a 10-year-old fan in Omaha’s Children’s Hospital & Medical Center on Saturday (March 9) after the girl’s friends and relatives lobbied the country star for the visit.

The Omaha World-Herald published a pic of Taylor with Lauren Hacker, 10, in Lauren’s hospital room.

Taylor also signed an acoustic guitar for Lauren’s brother, Jonathan.

The visit happened after Lauren’s friends re-cut Taylor’s hit “You Belong With Me” and re-named it “Come See Lauren Please.”  Then, they posted a lyrics video of the new version to YouTube.

And it worked! Ain’t that sweet?

It’s not the first time Taylor responded to an online effort to get her attention. You might remember last year that Taylor invited teen cancer patient Kevin McGuire to the ACM Awards after he invited her to his prom.

Anyway, Taylor is in Omaha, Neb., because that’s where she opens this year’s world tour Wednesday (March 13).

Here’s the News: Huey Lewis fulfills Darius’ pop dreams

Even stars freak out when they meet other stars.

Darius Rucker loves going to the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in Cali every year. He even got to have a drink with Clint Eastwood last month.

Oh, but that’s not all: Darius has long been a huge fan of Huey Lewis, and when Darius was playing a thank-you concert for the tourney’s volunteers, he spotted Huey in the crowd.

So Darius popped over and told Huey he was about to play “Workin’ for a Living.”

Huey said, “No way!” and then grabbed a harmonica and joined Darius on stage, playing harp and singing harmonies.

“Man what a great musical moment for me,” Darius told ABC News Radio.

So how did Darius do, you know, in front of Huey and all?

“Yeah, I killed it,” Darius said, laughing.

Good on ya.

It’s a girl! Another Lady for the Lady Antebellum family

OK, you remember that Hillary Scott of Lady Antbellum told fans just before Christmas that she and her hubby are expecting their first baby.

Now, Hillary’s peeps told US Weekly that the baby is a girl!

You might recall that Hillary’s hubby is the band’s drummer, Chris Tyrrell, so this baby girl is probably kicking pretty hard.

Congrats to the happy couple.

Watch “Come See Lauren Please, Taylor!”–the video that brought Taylor to Omaha’s Children’s Hospital & Medical Center–here.