Taylor Swift’s Debuts At No. 1
Taylor Swift sold 592,000 copies of her second album, “Fearless,” during its first week of release to debut at No. 1 on Billboard’s country albums chart as well as the all-genre Billboard 200. Swift set a record for the largest opening sales week of 2008 by a female artist in all genres of music, and the fourth biggest overall, behind Lil Wayne, AC/DC and Coldplay. Swift’s latest single, “Love Story,” remains at the top of Billboard’s country singles chart for a second consecutive week. “Fearless” has racked up the highest first-week sales for a country album since November 2007 when the Eagles sold 711,000 copies of “Long Road Out of Eden.” With 129,046 copies sold digitally, “Fearless” is the biggest country digital album debut in the history of Nielsen’s Soundscan, and the 4th biggest digital album debut to date, behind only Coldplay, Jack Johnson, and Kanye West. “White Horse,” a track from “Fearless” that was featured on the season premiere of “Grey’s Anatomy,” will debut at No. 13 on Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart this week, giving Taylor her 6th Top 20 debut of 2008. This breaks the all-time Billboard record for the number of Top 20 debuts in a calendar year by any artist. Of the 13 tracks on “Fearless,” 11 have now spent time on the Hot 100.

Bob Wills’ Boxed Set Of 1940s Radio Shows Due
A series of syndicated radio programs recorded by Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys will be released in a 10-CD boxed set on January 27th by Collectors’ Choice Music. The remastered 150-song collection, “The Tiffany Transcriptions,” recorded in 1946 and 1947, mixes well-known songs such as “New San Antonio Rose,” “Faded Love” and “Take Me Back to Tulsa” with covers of popular songs from that era. Known as the King of Western Swing, Wills was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1968.

Montgomery Gentry To Perform On Christmas Special
Montgomery Gentry are set to perform on Larry The Cable Guy’s “Star Studded Christmas Extravaganza” on CMT tomorrow. They’ll be singing “Merry Christmas from the Family.” Other celebs making guest appearances include Toby Keith, Terry Bradshaw, Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, Lewis Black, Blake Shelton, Rodney Atkins and Emily West.

Faith Hill Promotes Christmas CD In Big Apple
Faith Hill will hit the Big Apple to promote her recently released Christmas album, “Joy to the World.” The 11-song recording was two years in the making and features such classics as “Holly Jolly Christmas,” “O Holy Night” and the current single, “A Baby Changes Everything.” The first stop will be NBC’s “Today” show on Monday. Later that day, Faith will appear at the Virgin Megastore in Times Square to sign copies of her album before visiting “The View” the following day. She’ll also appear on David Letterman’s show on November 28th. Hill will also tape two songs for the December 3rd Tree Lighting Ceremony at Rockefeller Center.

Reba Headed Back To Broadway
Reba McEntire is heading back to Broadway for a revival of the musical “Anything Goes.” Reba will play evangelist-turned-nightclub singer Reno Sweeney in the musical. Ethel Merman originally played the role and Patti LuPone also brought Sweeney to life in the 1980s.

Kenny Talks Overseas Plans
Kenny Chesney would welcome the opportunity to take his live show to other countries in the near future. Chesney has plans to perform some dates in Canada next summer, and adds that a trip overseas is possible. “The summer that I take a year off from the States might be the summer that I go over there and test the waters,” Kenny says. “My friend Bruce Springsteen told me once I go over there and build that fan base that they will always be there. So I hope he’s right.” Kenny expects to launch his 2009 tour in April.

Tim McGraw Considering Another Movie
With his new movie opening soon, Tim McGraw is looking ahead to another possible movie project about a man in east Tennessee who faked his own death with the help of the town and a funeral parlor. McGraw says the movie is based on a true story. McGraw is in “The Four Christmases,” which opens next week with Dwight Yoakam, Reese Witherspoon, Vince Vaughn and Robert Duvall.

Taylor Swift Hasn’t Given Up On Love Yet
Taylor Swift and Joe Jonas moved to Splitsville last month, and Taylor says she’s already looking for new love. Jonas dumped Swift during a 27-second phone call. He’s now dating actress Camille Belle. But Swift says she’s already started the search for Mr. Right. “You know what? I’m going to meet somebody, someone who is so wonderful, and I’m not even going to remember the other guys,” Swift said.