NEWSMAKERS

NEWSMAKERS

Tyler, Underwood team for ‘Crossroads’

NASHVILLE, Tenn.

Steven Tyler and Carrie Underwood are teaming up for a special “CMT Crossroads” the night before the Super Bowl.

“CMT Crossroads: Steven Tyler & Carrie Underwood Live From the Pepsi Super Bowl Fan Jam” will air next Saturday.

The Aerosmith frontman and “American Idol” judge teamed with the country- music sensation and former “Idol” champion last year during the Academy of Country Music Awards.

Their performance of “Undo It” and “Walk This Way” was one of the night’s highlights and a viral video on the Web the next day.

They’ll try to re-create that energy at a private event at the Pepsi Coliseum in Indianapolis.

This is the second year “CMT Crossroads,” which pairs artists from different genres, will broadcast from the Super Bowl Fan Jam.

Brooks’ accountant testifies on donation

CLAREMORE, Okla.

An accountant for country singer Garth Brooks says she knew of no conditions attached to his $500,000 donation to a hospital in his Oklahoma hometown.

Cheryl Harris testified Friday that Brooks believed Integris Canadian Valley Regional Hospital would name a “substantial” section of a building after his late mother, Colleen Brooks. But she says she doesn’t know of any strings that may have been attached to the gift.

Brooks is suing the Yukon hospital for the return of the money and punitive damages.

The hospital contends that it didn’t give Brooks naming rights in exchange for the money.

Colleen Brooks died of cancer in 1999.

Audubon’s ‘Birds’ fetches $7.9M

NEW YORK

A rare first edition of John James Audubon’s illustrated “The Birds of America” depicting more than 400 life-size North American species in four monumental volumes was purchased at auction Friday for $7.9 million.

Christie’s auction house identified the buyer as an American collector who bid by phone.

The winning bid was within the presale estimate of $7 million to $10 million for the work, considered a masterpiece of ornithology art.

Neil Young company is sued over fire

SAN CARLOS, Calif.

A company founded by Neil Young is facing a lawsuit over a fire in the San Francisco Bay Area that authorities say started in a vintage car the rocker had converted into a hybrid vehicle.

The San Jose Mercury News reports that Unigard Insurance Co. sued LincVolt LLC this week, accusing the company of negligence for converting the 1959 Lincoln Continental to run on electricity and a biodiesel-powered generator.

The suit seeks nearly $500,000 that Unigard says it paid to the owner of a building damaged in the 2010 blaze in San Carlos.

Fire officials say the blaze started in the car, dubbed the LincVolt. Young converted the car into a hybrid vehicle in a highly-publicized project to promote fuel-efficiency.

Bryan, Eric Church to headline concerts

NASHVILLE, Tenn.

Two of country music’s hottest rising stars will headline The Academy of Country Music’s annual weekend concerts in Las Vegas this year.

Luke Bryan and Eric Church will perform March 30-31 at the Fremont Street Experience, the popular sixth annual show that’s free to the public.

Bryan will headline Friday’s show and Church will handle Saturday. The rest of the lineup will be announced later.

The ACM Awards follow April 1, live from the MGM Grand and Mandalay Bay on CBS. Reba McEntire and Blake Shelton host.

Bryan and Church are coming off the most successful years of their careers. Church’s “CHIEF” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 all genre chart, and Bryan’s “Tailgates & Tanlines” hit No. 2.

Vindicator wire reports