CMA Horizon Award winner Brad Paisley will lead a delegation of Nashville artists on Sunday (Oct. 15) to the 12th annual Country Gold Festival in Kumamoto, Japan. This year's lineup also includes Chalee Tennison, the Wilkinsons, the Derailers, Claire Lynch and host Charlie Nagatani. The Country Gold Festival, begun in 1989 by Nagatani, is held each year at the base of the world's largest active volcano, Mount Aso. Other country artists who have played the festival include Dwight Yoakam, Chely Wright, the Dixie Chicks and Diamond Rio. ...

Dwight Yoakam, who coaxed country legend Buck Owens out of retirement for the pair's duet on "Streets of Bakersfield" (RealAudio excerpt) in 1988, is singing with Owens again. For Yoakam's upcoming album, Tomorrow's Sounds Today, the two co-wrote and duet on the weeper "The Sad Side of Town," and sing together on "I Was There," which Owens based on the gospel song "Were You There?" Finally, Yoakam and Owens are joined by accordion whiz Flaco Jiminez, who also played on "Streets of Bakersfield," for the song "Alright, I'm Wrong," written by Yoakam's producer Pete Anderson and Cisco. Yoakam, who turned Queen's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" into a country TV commercial for clothing, attacks Cheap Trick's "I Want You To Want Me" this time out. He wrote the rest of Tomorrow's Sounds Today, set for an Oct. 31 release. Also guesting on the album are Chris Hillman and Jim Lauderdale. ...

Chris LeDoux underwent liver transplant surgery Saturday (Oct. 7) at Nebraska Health System in Omaha. LeDoux had been diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis, a disease without a known cause that necessitates a liver transplant. LeDoux was placed on the organ transplant list two months ago, after the diagnosis. He has been moved from the hospital's intensive care unit into a transplant care unit. LeDoux's trademark song is "Whatcha Gonna Do With a Cowboy" (RealAudio excerpt), which he recorded as a duet with Garth Brooks. ...

Although Randy Travis has been off Warner Bros. for four years, the label is set to release a project the singer started back then and recently completed, a Warner spokesperson reports. Inspirational Journey, scheduled for an Oct. 31 release, includes classic gospel songs such as "Amazing Grace," as well as three Travis originals: "The Carpenter" (which he wrote with Chip Taylor and Ron Avis), "I Am Going" (co-written with Buck Moore) and "Walk With Me" (co-written with Les Bohan). Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter add vocals on "The Carpenter." Guest musicians include Marty Stuart playing mandolin on "Don't Ever Sell Your Saddle." The album also includes the classic "Doctor Jesus," written by Tony Stampley and Justin Bolen. Travis recently parted ways with DreamWorks Nashville and is said to be in negotiations with several Nashville labels. ...

Heather Kinley of the Kinleys will host the K-9 Classic Charity Golf Tournament, Oct. 23 at the new President's Reserve Course at Nashville's Hermitage Golf Course. Proceeds fund ACT Now (Animal Care Taskforce of Nashville Inc.) and its programs. ...

The Dixie Chicks' appearance on CBS' "60 Minutes II" has been rescheduled from Tuesday (Oct. 10) to Oct. 24. (Sonicnet.com's parent company, Viacom, also owns CBS.) ...

Garth Brooks is off the road forever but will release a final album, the country superstar told Billboard. No release date has been set for the album. Touring, he said, is out of the question, now that he wants to spend time with his three children. He also revealed that he and his wife, Sandy, will divorce. Brooks also said he plans to continue with plans for a movie starring his rock alter ego, Chris Gaines. ...

Craig Morgan will lead an all-star benefit for Deliver the Dream, a retreat center for families facing serious illness or some other crisis. Suzy Bogguss, Shane Minor and Jeff Carson join him in the concert, on Oct. 16 at the Paul Porter Center in Brevard, N.C. ...

Nashville contemporary Christian singer Michael English has pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining prescription painkillers and has been sentenced to three years' probation, the Tennessean reports. The singer also will have to perform 200 hours of community service. ...

More awards shows wrapped up CMA Awards week Thursday night (Oct. 5) in Nashville. At the SESAC awards dinner, the performing rights organization named "Home to You" (RealAudio excerpt), a hit for John Michael Montgomery, as its Country Song of the Year. "Home to You" was written by Arlos Smith and Sara Light. Also honored were country songs "Smoke Rings in the Dark," recorded by Gary Allen and written by Houston Robert and Rivers Rutherford, and "Real Live Woman," written by Bobbie Cryner and recorded by Trisha Yearwood. SESAC also honored the roots-Americana albums Fire, Honey & Angels, by Walt Wilkins, and Dancin' With Them That Brung Me, by Stacey Earle. ...

At Thursday night's ROPE (Reunion of Professional Entertainers) Awards dinner, 91-year-old Bill Carlisle was named Entertainer of the Year. Carlisle, who began performing in 1929 with the Carlisle Family, still sings every Friday and Saturday night at the Grand Ole Opry. He will be 92 in December. Carlisle's fellow Opry member Johnny Russell was named Songwriter of the Year, and pianist Hargus "Pig" Robbins, who also is the CMA Musician of the Year, was named ROPE Musician of the Year. Robbins played on Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde, among many other studio credits. ...

Not long after releasing Kelly Willis' new One More Time compilation, MCA Records is readying a best-of Joe Ely CD, scheduled for a Nov. 21 release, says a label spokesman. Tracks include early gems "She Spoke Spanish to Me" and the live "Fingernails," and '90s standards "All Just To Get to You" and "Roll Again" (RealAudio excerpt). … Pre-eminent Nashville AM country radio station WSM celebrated its 75th birthday Thursday (Oct. 5) by broadcasting live all day from the Ryman Auditorium. Many past station employees and broadcasters and a number of country artists, including Earl Scruggs and Jack Greene, stopped in for the live show, which was also open to the public. "Murder On Music Row" co-author Larry Cordle stopped in to sing an acoustic version of the song, which won the CMA Vocal Event of the Year award for George Strait and Alan Jackson. Cordle said that "Murder on Music Row," which he recorded with his group Lonesome Standard Time before the Strait-Jackson version, is up for Song of the Year at the International Bluegrass Music Association Awards, set for Oct. 19 in Louisville, Ky. Loretta Lynn and Randy Scruggs called in from New York City, where Lynn appeared on the "Late Show With David Letterman" on Wednesday (Oct. 4) and tapes a special for CBS on Friday (Oct. 6). (Sonicnet.com's parent company, Viacom, also owns CBS.) …

Lee Ann Womack has been asked to take part in the Nobel Peace Prize Concert to honor the winners of the annual Nobel Peace Prizes, according to a Womack spokeswoman. The concert takes place Dec. 11 in Oslo, Norway, and also will feature Don Henley, Bryan Adams and Nigerian artist Femi Kuti. Womack will perform her hit "I Hope You Dance" (RealAudio excerpt) with the Norwegian Symphony Orchestra. ...

— sonicnet.com staff report