The Music City Minute ...

Photo:  Cole Cassell / Southern Ground Records

Zac Brown believes he and his band are some of the hardest working artists in the business…and the music proves it!  Zac says they’ve matured.  He also says they’re better musicians and better writers.  Zac insists that the band spends hours writing the songs and hours arranging them.  Finally he says they work harder than a lot of other bands and that’s what sets them apart.

Photo:  Joseph Llanes for AOL

A new baby…the #1 song on the country charts this week…and now…Jake Owen gets another big headlining gig!  This time…he’ll headline the Discover Halftime Show at the Discover Orange Bowl - one of college football’s premiere bowl games!  Both the Orange Bowl  and the Discover Halftime Show will be broadcast on ESPN January 1^st at 7 PM .

Photo:  Big Machine Records      Photo:  Show Dog Universal Records   Photo:  Glen Rose

Three country artists made the Forbes list of the world’s 25 highest-paid musicians.  Taylor Swift tied with Paul McCartney at #8 with $57 million.  Toby Keith matched Justin Bieber’s $55 million salary at #10.  And Kenny Chesney ranked #17 with $44 million.

Photo:  Twitter

Taylor Swift loves to bake – all year long.  But she doesn’t necessarily indulge in her homemade confections!  She bakes a lot and then gives her treats to friends and family!

Photo:  Warner Nashville

Ashley Monroe, a member of the much loved group Pistol Annies, is set to release her own solo project produced by country icon Vince Gill.  She’s calling it Like a Rose and it’s set to be released to digital outlets on December 18^th.  The physical CD drops in retail stores on January 22^nd.

CELEBRITY SCOOP...

DEMI MOORE: New Boyfriend Is Half Her Age

(Photo: Craig Barritt/WireImage; Sipa)

Demi Moore is back in the dating world again, and -- surprise, surprise -- with a much younger man. She's dating world art dealer Vito Schnabel -- who is roughly half her age.  Demi and the 26-year-old were reportedly seen dancing at a party where they met in India, and have quietly been dating ever since. Vito is no stranger to beautiful, older women. He reportedly dated super model Elle Macpherson and actress Liv Tyler.  This comes less than a year since Demi's divorce from Ashton Kutcher, who's 16 years her junior.

Kate Middleton on Her New Hairstyle: "I'm Not Sure About It"

World-famous brunette Kate Middleton debuted a daring new hairstyle this week -- with cropped, side-swept layers that framed her face, and her longer locks in loose, sexy waves.

Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez Back Together? Couple Hang Out After American Music Awards

It appears that Justin and Selena are trying to patch things up, though it hasn't been that successful. On Friday, the pair allegedly got into a big argument while attempting to rekindle their romance and Gomez stormed out. Bieber followed after her in his car, but he was denied entry at the gate.

But what a difference a day makes. Gomez had a girls' night out with Taylor  Swift on Saturday, and the singer may have convinced her to give Bieber another chance.

Life & Style reports that the 20-year-old former Disney star was spotted sneaking into Bieber's trailer at the American Music Awards.

"Selena didn't walk the carpet or arrive at the venue with Justin, but after the show I saw Justin's mom, Pattie, come out of his trailer. About five minutes later, Selena walked out," an eyewitness told the magazine.

X17Online's photographer's spotted the couple leaving the Nokia Theatre together hand-in-hand, and later they were spotted at the AMAs after-party at Bootsy Bellows in Hollywood, and stayed for about an hour.

If they are back together again we can't say for sure. But if they are, at this rate they could be broken up again by lunchtime.

Young love is so fickle.

Jessica Simpson Pregnant Again: Weight Watchers Speaks Out

(Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

Since welcoming baby Maxwell on May 1^st, Jessica Simpson has been focused on her bonding with her little one -- and slimming down after her much-discussed 70-pound pregnancy weight gain with help from Weight Watchers (plus some extra motivation in the form of a rumored $4 million paycheck from the company.)

So what does her surprise second pregnancy -- mean for her deal? The brand is refusing to, well, weigh in.

"Any questions related to Jessica's personal life can only be answered by her team," says a WW rep. 

A rep for Simpson had no comment about the Fashion Star mentor's latest baby joy. Meanwhile, a source close to the Texas native tells Us she "really is overjoyed!"

WEIRD NEWS...

BIRKENSTOCKS ARE BACK!!!

If what’s coming off the runways has any impact on what will be hot in spring of 2013, which it does, Birkenstocks are going to be the trendy shoe of the season. Yup, Birkenstocks – the hippie, Dead Header shoe of choice for years is going high fashion. Wow. (Glamour)

BACON SHAVING CREAM

From the guys who gave the world Baconaise and bacon-flavored lip balm comes Bacon Shaving Cream. But if you're hearing this and thinking, "My man would LOVE this under the tree on Christmas morning!", you better order fast. Only 2,500 jars of this pork-scented lather of the gods have been made. You can buy it for $15 at BaconShavingCream.com.