Ron Paul gives Kelly Clarkson a shout-out

Ron Paul gave Kelly Clarkson a shout-out before his strong third-place finish in this week's Iowa caucus."Does anyone know the name kelly Clarkson?" the Republican presidential candidate said to supporters at Valley High School in West Des Moines, Iowa. "Our supporters went out and bumped up her sales by 600%." Kelly expressed her support for Paul in a series of WhoSay posts last week.

Carrie Underwood will be part of a one-hour PBS Great Performances special on Tony Bennett later this month. Carrie sang It Had to Be You with the 85-year-old singer on his recent Duets II album, and the special, which airs Jan. 27, will take viewers into the studio sessions for that collaborations album.

The Taste of Country website has named Scotty McCreery country's Best New Artist for 2011.

Kris Allen has promised MTV's Jim Cantiello a vinyl version of his next album. That won't make him the first Idol to release vinyl product (as David Cook fans quickly pointed out to Jim), but it would make for a nifty collectible.

Kellie Pickler will host an emcee the second annual "Unleashed: Dinner with Your Dog" event at Nashville's Hutton Hotel Jan. 21. The dinner and dog/canine couture fashion show benefits the Nashville Humane Association.