Raleigh band D-Sass has moved to the top 16 in CMT.com’s Music City Madness Competition.

The national competition pits 64 unsigned country, bluegrass, folk, southern rock and Americana artists against each other in four different brackets.

Each bracket was selected by a country artist. D-Sass is competing in Jewel’s bracket.

The winner will travel to Nashville to record their own CMT Studio 330 Sessions, play a private showcase with A&R executives at Valory Music and will meet country star Reba backstage. The winner will be announced Dec. 15.

There are only five teams left in "The Amazing Race," who is your pick to win it all?

Maybe it is because they are from New Orleans (my home city), or because they have such great attitudes, but I am rooting for Harlem Globetrotters Flight Time and Big Easy to win.

They always seem to be having a great time and they never seem to fight with each other. Unlike some teams (Dear Dan, please stop yelling at Sam. That hay really looked heavy!)

Who do you like?

Dean Tauton created a spooky, musical production on his lawn for Halloween. But he told me that he really goes all out for Christmas.

Preparations are already under way for Tauton's "winter wonderland" on Abbey Lane. I'll post more information when things are finally complete. Also look for some photos.

Until then, check out his Halloween display, one more time, through this interactive slideshow.

Judging by "Paranormal Activity" raking in millions at the box office this weekend, scary movies are still in style.

I've never been a huge fan of them. To tell you the truth, "Snow White" scared me as a child. It was that witch with those big scary eyes!

Since then, I've only seen a few movies that have frightened me.

The scariest was "The Ring."

Let me give you the background information: At the time, I slept with a white noise machine at night and used to always go to sleep with the TV on. Anyone who saw that movie can understand why those points are important.

The film was scary, but after I saw it some weird things happened to me.

About 12 hours later my phone rang while I was in the shower. By the time I got to the phone the person had hung up, but the number showed up scrambled with odd symbols on the caller ID. I couldn't read it. Apparently the phone's battery was dying, but it was a weird coincidence since...

Raleigh band D-Sass has been selected to compete in CMT.com’s Music City Madness Competition.

The national competition pits 64 unsigned country, bluegrass, folk, southern rock and Americana artists against each other in four different brackets.

Each bracket was selected by a country artist. D-Sass is competing against Josey Greenwell in Jewel’s bracket. Voting ends Nov. 2.

If D-Sass wins the first round, they would complete against either Jay Mast or Emily Clark in round two.

The winner will travel to Nashville to record their own CMT Studio 330 Sessions, play a private showcase with A&R executives at Valory Music and will meet country star Reba backstage. The winner will be announced Dec. 15.