Independent voices from the TWT Communities

George Jones, the peerless, hard-living country singer who recorded dozens of hits about good times and regrets and peaked with the heartbreaking classic "He Stopped Loving Her Today," has died. He was 81.
Ashley Monroe, "Like a Rose" (Warner Bros.)

Andrew Leahey, music reviewer for The Washington Times, lists his top 10 movies of 2012.
Becoming one of pop's top-selling acts over the past two years hasn't changed Ke$ha much _ the girl who got famous by celebrating the trashy life is still reveling in it.
A TV show DVD set represents more than a holiday gift that's easy to wrap. It also demonstrates respect: you know the recipient is mentally fit and couch-ready for a viewing marathon of "Dr. Who" or "House."
Keith Campbell, a prominent biologist who worked on cloning Dolly the sheep, has died at 58, the University of Nottingham said Thursday.
The onscreen love between Queen Latifah, Alfre Woodard, Jill Scott and Phylicia Rashad in the updated version of "Steel Magnolias" is real.
Dolly Parton says she won't be involved in a planned water and snow park project in Nashville.
Frances Williams Preston, who worked with top songwriters as president of the royalties company Broadcast Music Inc., died Wednesday. She was 83.

Actor Steve Martin is the best thing to happen to bluegrass music since Dolly Parton and Nickel Creek teamed up in 2001 to cover Collective Soul's "Shine."
From rare audio interviews of former slaves to recordings by Donna Summer and the Grateful Dead, 25 sounds that shaped the American cultural landscape are being inducted into the National Recording Registry.

From rare audio interviews of former slaves to recordings by Donna Summer and the Grateful Dead, 25 sounds that shaped the American cultural landscape are being inducted into the National Recording Registry.
Like the King of Pop or the Queen of Soul, Donna Summer was bestowed a title fitting of musical royalty _ the Queen of Disco.
Like the King of Pop or the Queen of Soul, Donna Summer was bestowed a title fitting of musical royalty _ the Queen of Disco.
Like the King of Pop or the Queen of Soul, Donna Summer was bestowed a title fitting of musical royalty _ the Queen of Disco.
And Dolly Parton added, "My heart is absolutely broken.
She says she learned about songwriting by sneaking into her mother's sessions as a child.