Country Quickie: Taylor Swift’s Open Rehearsals & More!!!

Taylor Swift is putting her last dress rehearsal for her upcoming "Speak Now" tour to good use as she is opening it up to fans as a fundraiser to benefit victims of the recent deadly tornadoes in the Southeast. 13,000 fans will get a first look at Taylor's new show almost a week early; she is inviting them to attend "Speak Now…Help Now!" - her final tour rehearsal - on May 21 at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena, a benefit for tornado victims. Swift says, "I was watching the coverage of the tornadoes backstage at rehearsals, and I wanted to do something for the families affected by the damage. I've never opened a rehearsal to the public before, but I felt that inviting my fans to the last rehearsal for the 'Speak Now Tour' would be a great way to raise money. So, tickets will be available for people to come see us in the Bridgestone Arena, where we've been rehearsing for the last five weeks. We'll probably still be doing some fine-tuning to the show that night, since this will be a true rehearsal but I feel like it is so important for me and my fans to help if we can."

MIRANDA WANTS TO BE MARRIED ALREADY

Miranda Lambert is getting ready to tie the knot with Blake Shelton; May 14 is the big day! So does Miranda have everything together for the wedding at this point? She reveals, "I do. It's like last-minute things at this point, but it's starting to sort of add up…managing for the wedding and planning for the wedding. I'm ready for it to be here, I'm ready to get married and enjoy the process but I'm also ready to move into the next phase of life!" The couple is taking a week off together before they have to go back to work. Lambert says, "We have seven days that are just for us, and then we're back - balls to the wall!"

So is there any reason in particular that Miranda picked touring season to get married? She explains, "If I did it in the fall, it's deer season and if I did it in the spring, it's turkey season. So I really had to choose very wisely on this." One thing is for sure - Miranda can't wait for the moment of rest! She admits, "I need it," adding about Blake, "He has been so busy because he's on The Voice, and he's been making a record, and he's been touring…and we haven't seen each other much at all, which, you know, we're used to that…but it's gonna make it really better to just see each other and know that the wedding's over, and that we have a few days to just rest and clear our heads and enjoy being married!"

The Tennessean reports that Keith Urban and Country Music Hall of Famer Bill Anderson will join The Music City Walk of Fame as their 49th and 50th inductees! The induction ceremony will take place on May 15 in Music City. Permanent medallions in the stars' names will be installed in the sidewalk in Walk of Fame Park on Demonbreun, between Fourth and Fifth avenues. The ceremony is free and open to the public!

MSNBC reports that Kenny Chesney, Blake Shelton and Zac Brown Band are among the headliners for the Today show's highly-anticipated summer Toyota Concert Series. The shows will take place each Friday between Memorial Day and Labor Day in Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, featuring some of the biggest artists of all genres. Kenny will take the stage on June 17, Blake on July 8, and ZBB on August 12. The series will kick off on May 27 with R&B star Rihanna.

(all info taken from prep site dial-global)