Fans can watch fireworks tonight with Rascal Flatts. The trio is set to perform at the 35th anniversary of the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular, which will broadcast live Friday at 10 PM ET on CBS. The special Independence Day show will include Rascal Flatts singing some of their biggest hits with the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, followed by an always-impressive fireworks display. CBS' 'Late Late Show' host Craig Ferguson will emcee the special for the second consecutive year.

Def Leppard apparently only whetted its appetite for country music by singing with Tim McGraw on the new 'Songs From the Sparkle Lounge.' Now, the British group will appear with 18-year-old Taylor Swift -- who once sang about Tim McGraw -- on a 'CMT Crossroads' episode set to tape in Nashville in October.

"Every time I've seen Crossroads on CMT I've always thought, 'If I ever get to do one of those, it has to be with Def Leppard!' So this is really a dream come true for me," says Swift. "I have been screaming the words to Def Leppard songs for years."

How many years? Could be all of them, as Swift was born two years after the arena rockers released 'Hysteria.'

Sara Evans will appear on Regis Philbin's new game show, 'Million Dollar Password,' this Sunday. The modernized version of the classic game show pairs celebrities with contestants, taking turns giving and receiving clues to the magic password. Evans and her partner will go up against actor Steve Schirripa of 'The Sopranos.'

Evans is also celebrating her two-week wedding anniversary this weekend. The country beauty married Alabama football legend Jay Barker in an intimate ceremony near her home in Tennessee on June 14.

Life has imitated art on the set of Toby Keith's upcoming movie, 'Beer For My Horses,' and folks at PETA are not going to be happy. Rocker Ted Nugent has a role in the film as hunting enthusiast named 'Skunk.' Keith recently told reporters that his buddy Nugent stayed in character after a shoot, resulting in a shooting of a different sort.

"Ted has just shot a guy with a bow and arrow," explains Keith of the movie scene. "And he's leaving the set to go back to his trailer, and all of Hollywood is standing around and a cotton tail jumps up -- rabbit -- and crosses the set. POW! And he guts him a rabbit right in front of everybody."

'Beer For My Horses' was written and produced by Keith and is described as a "fun-loving road trip movie." Also starring Willie Nelson, Tom Skerritt, Gina Gershon and Rodney Carrington, the film is set to hit theaters August 8.

John Rich is celebrating lucky number-six. The country singer-songwriter-producer extraordinaire sits at the center of the judges' table on what is currently Monday night's most popular television show, 'Nashville Star.' The reality talent competition is in its sixth season but its first on a major television network, thus its first with enviable ratings. It's a popularity boost that Rich says does wonders for his own agenda, as well as for the music that he loves so deeply.

The Boot sat down with the notoriously opinionated Rich to talk about what exactly is at stake for him with the show and what he says makes it a more credible program than 'American Idol.' We also get his candid commentary on fellow judges Jewel and Jeffrey Steele, as well as his hints into the true personality of the show's host, Billy Ray Cyrus.

What makes 'Nashville Star' standout from other reality talent shows?

We're not looking for a great singer, we're looking for a great artist. There's a difference, in my opinion. Not many people consider Kris Kristofferson a great singer, but I think everyone considers him a great artist. He's a great songwriter; he connects with the audience; he knows how to emote -- to make a lyric kick you right in the chest. That's what I'm looking for.

Billy Ray Cyrus has another job he can add to his ever-expanding resume: TV host. With two widely successful careers under his belt, both as a singer and actor, he is currently hosting 'Nashville Star,' a job all the more daunting since it is now on network TV for the first time in the show's six-year run. And for Cyrus, it's a perfect fit.

"The fact that it's on NBC this summer, and the slogan with NBC is 'It's all about the music,' that's what turned me on. That's what I've always been about," Cyrus told The Boot backstage at Nashville's Roy Acuff Theater, where the reality talent show is being filmed.

Taylor Swift will co-host MTV's 'TRL' next week, marking the first time ever that a country singer has co-hosted the show. She'll appear on the live video request show Monday through Thursday, wrapping up the week with performances of her songs 'Picture to Burn' and 'Our Song.'

Swift will also make a young fan's dream come true when she appears on another MTV show, 'Once Upon a Prom.' On the June 21 episode, cameras will follow the country sensation as she chooses which among forty dateless teens to accompany to their high school prom. Swift will also act as host of the show, introducing clips from some other big celebrities talking about their own crazy prom experiences.

Taylor Swift will make an appearance in the upcoming 'Hannah Montana' movie. The teen sensation shot her cameo role Monday, playing one of her songs in the background of a scene. Swift says she was excited to team up with the star of the movie, her good friend Miley Cyrus.

"Miley is awesome," Swift gushes. "I love her so much. She is so incredibly funny and sweet. It's fun to get to see her because we both have been on the road constantly, and with us both in Nashville now, it will be cool to get to hang out with her."

Swift adds that her cameo is an added bonus for fan encounters, especially with her youngest admirers.

"I'm just really excited about it because it's really cool when some of my little fans will come up with a Hannah Montana shirt on, and I want to be like, 'Guess what? I get to be in that movie with her!'"

Taylor Swift will kick off the season premiere of 'Nashville Star' Monday night with a performance of her hit single, 'Picture To Burn.' Swift, who at 18 has already seen her debut album go triple platinum, realizes that she has already achieved the dream that the contestants are fighting for and is quick to offer them advice.

"I think it's really about what makes you different," Swift told The Boot backstage at the taping of Season Six's first episode. "You have to stand out in some way. And that's not about creating an alter ego or some persona that's not you, because that's not real. It's figuring out what it is about you that people can relate to and applying that to who you are, while somehow you can be evolving . . . being able to change and grow. And also, if you get high on the ladder, if you are lucky enough to succeed, treat people with respect. Treat people the same that you would when you were back on day-one. And always remember your fans are No. 1."

'Nashville Star' makes its sixth-season debut on Monday night. Hosted by Billy Ray Cyrus, the reality talent show boasts an accomplished panel of judges: multi-platinum pop turned country sensation Jewel, singer-songwriter-producer extraordinaire John Rich and Grammy-nominated songwriter-producer Jeffrey Steele. This will be 'Nashville Star's' first season on a major television network, as it moves from the USA network to NBC.

"It's the first time country music has been represented on network TV in over 20 years, and I feel like country music is the greatest genre of music in the world," Rich told The Boot backstage at Nashville's Roy Acuff Theater, where the show is being taped. "When an offer came up for me to be part of promoting it to the world on network television, it was an offer I couldn't pass up."

Judges have been announced and voting is now underway for Great American Country's new reality talent show, 'The Next GAC Star.' Legendary songwriter and producer Desmond Child, who has worked with acts ranging from Carrie Underwood to Aerosmith, will be acting as a judge on the show. His judging partner will be Victoria Shaw, an award-winning songwriter who has penned hits for Trisha Yearwood and Christina Aguilera and co-produced Lady Antebellum's debut CD.

"Leave it to GAC to create a contest with fierce competition where we judges look for someone with the total package: looks, talent and the 'it' factor," says Shaw. "The contestants better be prepared to impress an outspoken redhead on the panel of judges. GAC might never be the same again!

Rascal Flatts are set to appear in what is destined to be one of the biggest blockbusters of 2009. The trio has signed on to film a performance that will be featured in the upcoming 'Hannah Montana' movie. The film, starring Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus, is currently being shot in the Nashville area. It's scheduled to hit theaters on May 1, 2009.

In the meantime, Rascal Flatts are gearing up for their big 'Bob That Head' tour. With Taylor Swift as their opening act, they'll kick off their summer shows June 13 in St. Louis, Mo. Click here for a full list of tour dates.

'Nashville Star' hasn't even had it's debut on NBC yet, and already the drama is unfolding. With the 12 contestants securely in place and less than 24 hours until taping, the producers decided to make a last-minute contestant switch.

Charla Corn was dismissed from the reality talent show on Sunday, just one day before she was set to tape the season premiere. According to TMZ, 'Nashville Star' producers felt that she didn't match the abilities of the other 11 contestants. With literally hours to go, they replaced Corn with Third Town, a Las Vegas-based country band. The band members caught a 2:00 AM flight to Nashville on Monday, where they landed just in time for a final rehearsal.

Who does former 'American Idol' contestant Kellie Pickler think will win on the show's season finale tonight? "David!" she jokes, but won't clarify if she means David Archuleta or David Cook. That's because, she says, the fan-voted talent show is always unpredictable.

"Nobody is safe," Pickler tells the Associated Press. "The ball's in anyone's court, and you don't know which way it's going to go.''

Take, for example, Chris Daughtry's elimination when Pickler was on the show. She says that was a shocker for everyone -- contestants, judges and fans alike.

Pickler's buddy Carrie Underwood, the most successful 'Idol' winner to date, is scheduled to appear on tonight's finale. She'll perform her new single, 'Last Name,' on the show.