Kix Wins.....All By Himself: They haven't yet officially disbanded, but Kix Brooks has already won his first award since the announcement that Brooks & Dunn would be going their separate ways. Brooks won the CMA Award for National Broadcast Personality for his hosting duties on Citadel Media's American Country Countdown. The win marks the first time that a recording artist has won a radio honor.

Messina Gives Out Phone Number: Since she burst onto the Country Music scene back in 1996, Jo Dee Messina has long been considered one of the most accessible artists in Country Music. She carries that reputation a step further by releasing her cell phone number to fans. Over the weekend of October 16-17, the recording artist gave out her number, 615-866-1681, and spent several hours on the phone with fans in just that first weekend.  "I have always loved talking with fans," said Messina, "and Twitter and SayNow make it really easy to communicate. This is something I will do periodically, and it's another way of staying in touch with the fans. We had some interesting conversations Friday night. Some people didn't believe they were actually talking to me. It was cute." Messina is currently putting the final touches on her upcoming album for Curb.

The Return Of John Schneider:  In addition to his work on TV Shows like "The Dukes Of Hazzard," "Smallville," and "Nip/Tuck," fans also remember that John Schneider also carved out a very successful Country Music career in the 1980s. It appears that he's coming back. Schneider has just recorded a new batch of songs that he is very excited about, including "The Promise." The fall of 2009 marks the 25th anniversary of his first Country # 1 hit, "I've Been Around Enough To Know."

Oak Ridge Boys Release Johnson Tune: It has been a great 2009 for the legendary Oak Ridge Boys, and they are far from done yet. They have just released a new single from their incredible THE BOYS ARE BACK. Titled "Mama's Table," the gorgeous song is from the pen of one of Nashville's most respected artists, Jamey Johnson. The single is at radio now.

Swift Stays Up Late For SNL: The accolades keep rolling in for Taylor Swift. The Big Machine superstar continues to add to her impressive career resume. On November 7, she will do double duty on NBC's SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE as she will host the show, as well as provide the musical entertainment. It ought to be a fun night for the singer, who admitted that she would love to be in a skit with SNL cast member Andy Samberg. It could cap off a huge week for Swift, who has several nominations at the upcoming CMA Awards, including Entertainer Of The Year.

Country Date To Remember: November 10, 1949

Let this be proof that you should always be nice to your teachers. You just never know---they could wind up being famous. Take the case of North Carolina native Yvonne Vaughn. She had been working as a teacher, and also trying her hand at a music career. In 1972, that hand paid off handsomely. Her first two singles for Dot Records, "The Happiest Girl In The Whole U.S.A.," and "Funny Face," both sold over a million copies---making her the first female artist in Country Music history to have back-to-back Gold records. She continued to have hits through the 1980s, and still performs to this day. Here's a salute to Ms. Vaughn, oops....I mean Ms. Fargo. I was up too late watching you on TV to do my homework! Reckon she’s ever heard that one?

REVOLUTION, Miranda Lambert  (Columbia)

How does one begin to define the style of one Miranda Lambert? I mean, really, she has proven adept at many different styles of Country Music. There's Miranda the Wild Child. There's the Miranda who you don't want to scorn. Then, as she proved on her last album, is a subdued Miranda---as evidenced by her radio hit "More Like Me."

Those that still have the goal of putting Ms. Lambert inside a neat little musical box will no doubt end up disappointed once again, as her third Columbia disc showcases many different sides of the singer, and I think the album will wind up surprising many in the process.

Let's start with the Miranda that we expect. You know, that take-no-bull Texas girl who says what she thinks to whoever she thinks. The opening cut and current single, "White Liar," is evidence of this, and the result is one of the finest moments on record for a female vocalist in Country Music this year. It is a nice example of what she does better than anyone else out there these days. That approach also comes into play on "Only Prettier," which sounds like a modern-day Loretta Lynn song. Her brand of Lone Star wisdom definitely has a sarcastic bite, one that keeps you listening to see what she is going to say next.

Possibly the strongest of the Miranda-Who-Will-Kick-Your-Backside songs is the Fred Eaglesmith-written "Time To Get A Gun." Now we all know about Miranda and guns, but this one is a little different. It's not as much about revenge on the man who done her wrong, but a statement about the times that we live in today---the song actually turns into a female Bocephus, a part that she handles with ease.

Lambert is much more than just the sum of these parts, however. She flirts with the sub-genre of Alt-Country on cuts like the witty "Me And Your Cigarettes," (written with Blake Shelton and Ashley Monroe---one of the best-kept secrets in Nashville) as well as the Julie Miller-written "Somewhere Trouble Don't Go." Then, there's the tender side, which is in full force during such performances as "Airstream Song," "Makin' Plans," and the jewel of the album, "The House That Built Me."

REVOLUTION, cut for cut, is a very worthwhile representation of all things that Lambert does so well. My only fear is that she might do them a little too much so. Songs like "Sin For A Sin" and "That's The Way That The World Goes 'Round" might go over the head of some of the people that make decisions about what goes on the radio. After all, those same people pretty much vetoed the stunning first single, "Dead Flowers," which was her best moment yet.

But, if being a little too good for your format is the worst thing about your music, I think you're in pretty good shape. The album opened up on top of the sales chart, which proves that Miranda Lambert's following doesn't care about cookie-cutter songs, and actually get what she is doing. That leads me back to my initial question---How do you define the music of Miranda Lambert? The answer is, simply....You don't....You just enjoy it, and I think a lot of people will be doing that with this disc!