Country Weekly Fast Facts 7.28.08

The following items are from the July 28 issue of COUNTRY WEEKLY, on sale now.

SCHOOL DAYS
What were your favorite stars like in high school? Who were the glamour queens, the top students? Stars like Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley and more look back on their school days in this special section. "Growing up in the country," says Carrie, "I enjoyed things like playing on dirt roads, climbing trees and, of course, singing." Kenny notes that he learned his work ethic at his alma mater, Gibbs High School in Corryton, Tenn., while Brad remembers, "My favorite subject was English and I always did well in any class that had creative writing." The feature also includes vintage high school photos of Garth Brooks, Kellie Pickler, Alan Jackson and many others.

A LETTER TO ME
A new book, What I Know Now: Letters to My Younger Self, features contributions by Lee Ann Womack and Trisha Yearwood, who give advice to their 20-something selves. Lee Ann advises on recording her first album, writing, "Enjoy the moment, not the end result." Trisha urges her younger self not to jump into marriage. "Don't be so worried about what everybody else thinks of you. Follow your instincts," she writes.

PLUS!
Trace Adkins, Miranda Lambert and more stars rock the first-ever BamaJam Music & Arts Festival . . . Aaron Tippin pays tribute to his dad on his new CD . . . and get the story behind the Carrie Underwood smash, "Last Name."

 Source:  Country Weekly magazine