Return to Transcripts main page

CNN LARRY KING LIVE

Country Music's Superstars

Aired March 28, 2006 - 21:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

LARRY KING, CNN HOST: Tonight, four of country music's biggest superstars. Naomi Judd, she and daughter Wynonna became one of country's greatest duos ever and she's overcome depression and so much more along the way.
Travis Tritt, 18 top ten country hits and breaking big news here tonight with an "American Idol" connection.

Lee Ann Womack, a sound so classic she's been compared to the legendary Tammy Wynette.

And, Martina McBride, from small town girl to sexy international star with more than ten million albums sold.

Four of country's greatest together and we'll take you calls tonight, now, next on LARRY KING LIVE.

I get a little excited don't I? We'll begin now the opening segments with Naomi Judd and then the whole panel will gather, all this in connection with the Kennedy Center, that famed establishment in Washington, D.C. that is saluting country music for three -- are you surprised they're doing three weeks of salute to country music at the austere Kennedy Center?

NAOMI JUDD: I'm so psyched. Yes, in Washington, D.C. It's this Friday night and when they called and asked us, I thought what year is this? Wynonna and I get to do a show again together. My first love is singing.

KING: And they did the Grand Ole Opry last week, their own Grand Ole Opry.

JUDD: Yes. Friday night it's going to be Vince Gill, Lee Ann Womack, the legendary Ray Price and Wynonna and I.

KING: When was the last time you two sung together?

JUDD: We do very special things. Of course, we did the finale at Super Bowl halftime. We performed at the White House. We did the big Texas Fourth of July event.

KING: But you don't tour and sing anymore do you?

JUDD: No. Like I said, we just do real special things.

KING: Why don't you sing anymore? JUDD: Actually I sing every day but in conjunction with Miss Y (ph), hi Y, she said to tell -- she called me right before the show and she said "Tell Uncle Larry I think he's swell." I just constantly reinvent myself. I have a new talk show for the first time in history Hallmark has a -- Hallmark Channel has a talk show. I'm on every Sunday morning.

KING: What's the emphasis?

JUDD: Ooh, it's amazing stories about ordinary people to whom something extraordinary happens. For instance, well this Sunday Dolly Parton is going to be on, so when I have celebrities on because they're my pals, Dolly's a gal pal, I find out stuff from her that nobody else knows, like the fact that she has tattoos. But the show, the Hallmark show is about -- oh, I'm hearing this.

KING: I'm hearing it too.

JUDD: Oh!

KING: It's hard to hear both things at the same time.

JUDD: Well, it's really about how something absolutely phenomenal can happen to each and every one of us and how we get through, like I just had a family who went to sleep in their nice suburban house, normal, and in the middle of the night a gang broke in, raped the daughter and killed the father.

And it's about how, I had all of them there and they talk about how they got through it, how they cope and actually the mother went on to visit the guys who were convicted in prison and even joined the restorative justice program. I had a guy who did 19 years for a crime he didn't commit in federal prison.

KING: So this is on every Sunday now?

JUDD: Every Sunday morning and it's -- it's the most exciting thing I've done and it just gives people hope. It's by Faith and Values Media so it's really about building bridges between diversity and different beliefs.

KING: But why don't you sing anymore on a regular basis?

JUDD: Well, if a certain hurricane Wynonna would ask me more often but I'm so stinking proud of her and I'm going to join her Tuesday night. She's a hostess. I told her today she's the best hostess since Twinky. She and Cowboy Troy do the Nashville Star on Tuesday night.

KING: I know.

JUDD: So, I'm going to be the celebrity judge Tuesday night.

KING: But why don't you sing anymore?

JUDD: She hasn't asked me. KING: You don't sing solo?

JUDD: I've never sung solo and that's really because the whole emphasis of my life is about harmony and I mean that metaphorically and literally because I think my gig in life is to bolster or enhance other people's best efforts.

And I was going to get my M.D. I was using my R.N. and going to go on to medical school to become a doctor when Miss Thing started singing, so I wanted to steer her. The entertainment business screws with people's heads.

KING: Yes but both of your daughters have done phenomenal.

JUDD: Yes.

KING: Because you're a terrific singer so one would think...

JUDD: That's very kind.

KING: Did the hepatitis have anything to do with your not singing?

JUDD: No, hepatitis affects your liver not your vocal chords.

KING: So you could have sung all along. Did you take time off because of it though? If you're in the hospital with it you're not -- can't go on tour.

JUDD: Right and you know what anybody out there that might have hepatitis C, because it is going to kill four times more Americans than AIDS will in the next decade, but anybody out there listening to us tonight that has Hep C, please go to my Web site, naomijudd.com, because it is a silent killer.

I'm a medical miracle and one of the reasons I have this new Hallmark Channel show is I want to show people that miracles happen, that anything is possible, and I'm sort of a simple, practical type. I want to show you this is A, B, C, D. This is how you do it.

KING: How did you cure, if that's the word, depression?

JUDD: You know that's sort of a misnomer because when I was on here with your panel, remember we had Mike Wallace. We had Dr. Kay Jamison (ph), head of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins. They were talking about clinical depression but I was here to represent panic attacks.

And, panic attack is the other end of the spectrum from depression. For instance, when Wynonna was on she was talking about compulsive eating. Well, anorexia and bulimia are also the other end of the spectrum. It's all -- I say addiction is a no-fault disease. Addiction is a no-fault disease. It's really about coping with the pain of living and I was here to talk about panic disorder.

KING: Briefly what is a panic attack? JUDD: A panic attack is when you literally can't stop your fearful thinking. I say fear stands for false evidence appearing real.

KING: You think you're going to die?

JUDD: You think you're going to die. It's like a bad hallucination. There are eight causative triggers for panic disorder and it just happened in my technicolor, melodramatic way that I manifested all eight.

KING: Can it happen anywhere on a train, on a plane, in a car, on the street?

JUDD: Oh, absolutely.

KING: Anywhere?

JUDD: It happened -- my first panic attack was on the Judd mobile was on the back of the bus in a snowstorm going to Indianapolis, Indiana. I will never forget it unfortunately. And, I thought I was losing my mind. I thought I might be having a heart attack, you know, what that feels like.

And, I found out the next day, my sister-in-law is a nurse and she met me and said, "Honey, you're having a panic attack." And sometimes just diagnosing and knowing what the issue is helps you go "OK, now I can start working. Now I can start trying to figure out the solution but you can go to Anxiety Disorders of America.

KING: How did you defeat it?

JUDD: Who was the president that said, "I know I used all the brains I have, I call upon and borrow from everybody else." I first of all got the diagnosis. I worked with the Anxiety Disorder Association of America, actually became their spokesperson, met with other people.

For me I lean so heavily on heavily on just other folks that's why I'm in all 50 states. I look in the nooks and crannies across America. Friday night I was in Omaha, Nebraska at the performing arts center giving a, I don't want to call it a lecture, it makes it sound like I'm an expert. I was doing a speaking engagement about healing about the ways people heal.

So, when I -- no matter where I am, and I was in Naples, Florida talking about domestic violence because I survived that, other people spill their stories on me and I learn from them probably more than the experts.

KING: It appears, Naomi that everything in the world has happened to you. Naomi Judd is our guest and we'll have a whole panel join us in a little while. One more session with Naomi and she'll remain with the panel.

And we'll be right back. Don't go away. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: The Judds will sing Friday night at the Kennedy Center. It's the Kennedy Center's three-week salute to country music. Her daughter, Wynonna made news, some news here earlier this month. She went public on this program with her inpatient rehab for food addiction. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WYNONNA JUDD: Food to me is what alcohol is to the alcoholic and the struggles up and down. You know the business. One minute you're number one. The next minute you're number zero.

And I had just been using food for every emotion I had. If I was joyful, we'd go out to eat. You know how it is when you have kids. It's all about snacks and food and carrying it with me on the road. And, I just -- it became too much, so I did something about it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Were you concerned when Wynonna was getting so heavy?

JUDD: All mothers want to fix and help their children, especially if you're an R.N. like I am. I have to say and I was sitting at home, she called me right before the show went on. She said, "Mommy, I'm going to be on Uncle Larry tonight. Plan your life around it."

And I had no idea that she was going to talk about that. I am so extraordinarily proud of her because she's modeling for all of us that when we need help we got to raise our hand. I asked Tim, your producer, to put the name of the facility if you can. It's called Shades of Hope.

KING: Yes, we even have the 800 number.

JUDD: The 1-800 number, yes, good stuff.

KING: 800-588-4673, 800-588-4673, Shades of Hope.

JUDD: And you know what food is such an issue in America and it's really not just the fact that 65 percent of us are overweight but, like I said, addiction is a no-fault disease. Addiction is trying to cope with or ease the pain of living. Food was just a symptom for her. She's doing extraordinarily well. I told you during the break I might have my womb bronzed. I'm so proud of both my girls.

KING: Well you ought to be.

JUDD: Yes, you know what?

KING: Considering all you went through as a youngster and things you went through in your life and then... JUDD: We all go through stuff. There's absolutely nothing different or special about me but I really feel like we're a flawed masterpiece and I mean that because, this is what I tell my husband. He said, "What are you going to say on the show tonight if they ask you about why?" And I said the bottom line is we're all perfectly imperfect human beings.

And one of the things that I learned when I went to support Y in her process is that people think of -- they think that we're one unit, you know, Ashley, Wynonna and Naomi. We're not. The girls are very different from me and we all have our different realities.

If a family watches a car wreck, they're all going to have completely different realities and each one of them is valid. And what I've learned to do as a mom now is to hug more and talk less. She's doing great though.

KING: Do you still like singing as much?

JUDD: Oh, yes. You know sometimes I miss it in my bones. Sometimes it's just this deep ache. And I knew where she -- I always know where she is. She was in Kansas City on Saturday night and it was the weirdest feeling about nine o'clock.

I had just gotten home off my bus going to Omaha to do my speaking gig and I was -- I was running the bath water and, I know this sounds crazy, but the sound of that running water and it was at nine o'clock at night and it almost sounded like applause and I just sort of go in to this trance-like state.

I knew where she was. I knew what her set was like. I knew what the -- I miss it but again getting to do this talk show on the Hallmark Channel, this talk show series every Sunday morning, I'm meeting the most extraordinary people.

We had a girl on who found out at age eleven, her daddy kind of raised her. He was Mr. Mom. Her mom picks her up from school dig this, and says "Daddy's not coming home. We found out he's a serial killer." So, yes, her name was Jen Carlson (ph).

So, I'm sitting next to this girl and she's crying, talking about how she's afraid she's going to wake up and be the exorcist or she's going to -- she doesn't want to get married and have kids. So, we had the world's leading forensic psychiatrist, Dr. Helen Morrison, on. You probably had her on your show. She rocks and she was talking to this girl.

KING: And Naomi has a new book called "The Transparent Life, 30 Proven Ways to Live Your Best." You've also got another one coming from Simon and Schuster about aging right?

JUDD: I told you not to tell that. I'm going to snap your suspenders mister.

KING: You didn't say not to say that. You never said not to say that. You told me you're writing a book on aging. You never said that. If someone tells me not to say it, I don't say it.

JUDD: OK. OK, then I'm going to tell everybody that you sing really good because you were singing for me between breaks. You want to give us a little riff?

KING: No. You'll never be (INAUDIBLE).

JUDD: His expose.

KING: When we come back, Travis Tritt, Lee Ann Womack, and Martina McBride will be here with us and all of them will analyze our first guest.

JUDD: He has perfect pitch.

KING: Perfect pitch, yes.

JUDD: You do!

KING: We'll be right back.

JUDD: Who knew?

KING: Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Naomi Judd remains with us.

That was Lee Ann Womack. She joins us from Houston. Her awards include Grammys, American Music Awards, CMA and ACM awards, and the latest CD titled "There's More Where That Came From," and there's the lovely Lee Ann.

In Atlanta is Travis Tritt, the Grammy-winning country music star, singer, and songwriter, singer of 18 top ten country hits.

And, in Nashville, is Martina McBride. The lovely Martina has won ten major music awards in the last 12 years. Her latest CD is called "Timeless," a tribute to some country music classics.

Travis, what was it like to perform at the Kennedy Center?

TRAVIS TRITT: Well that was my first time to actually be there and, you know, after seeing the Kennedy Center Awards for years on television, I mean it was really a thrill to actually get a chance to perform there.

More importantly though for me to be a part of the Grand Ole Opry's first performance there. We got a chance to perform this past weekend with the Del McCoury Band, Marty Stuart and Rebecca Lynn Howard and it was really a sort of a throw back to all of the traditional parts of the business, of the music that we love, as well as all of the different things, the blues and the bluegrass, all those different things in there that makes country music truly America's music. KING: Lee Ann, do you think now that country music is now part of the nomenclature, it's part of the accepted form of American music?

LEE ANN WOMACK: I think it's the most accepted kind of music there is in America now and, like Travis said, it is America's music. You know, I said before, I'll say again country music speaks to people's hearts and it really tells a story and will reach down deep inside of you like no other kind of music out there can. So, I think that's why we're all so proud of it.

KING: Martina, you were what the Kansan of the year? What are you now in the Kansas Hall of Fame?

MARTINA MCBRIDE: I don't know if it's actually the hall of fame but I was named Kansan of the Year this year which is really special.

KING: Did you get to hear much country music growing up there?

MCBRIDE: Oh, yes. It's all I -- I really didn't know there was another kind of music until, you know, I was probably a teenager. I mean it's all we listen to. My dad had a country band when I was growing up. I just had this rich upbringing in country music.

KING: Why, Naomi, are country music people so fan friendly, easy to reach, accessible?

JUDD: Country music was birthed in the farms and the workplaces and the factories, the front porch, certainly the churches and that's who we are. You know I'm really proud to know these three folks.

First of all, they are three of the most distinctive singers in our business but I just was flashing on the fact that all three of them have huge hearts. One of the things I get disturbed with in today's culture is that so many of the people who are celebrities are rewarded for bad behavior.

And, there's something so astonishingly pure about country music. I know these three singers. They're not only brilliant performers but they're also humanitarians and there's still something very, what's the word, populist about country music.

KING: You know also you don't hear much bad stuff about country music stars.

JUDD: Now that Travis Tritt, I could tell you a few things about him.

KING: OK, excepting Travis Tritt.

JUDD: No, Travis and I talked about this. We were together at the -- remember at the James Taylor concert?

TRITT: That's correct.

JUDD: And he came in with his beautiful wife and we all have -- we all have our -- well I don't have any skeletons. They've all been brought out. But Travis is very frank and honest about the steps that he went through in his journey.

TRITT: That's right.

JUDD: And that's another thing about country music. We fess up and we say...

KING: Yes, you do fess up.

JUDD: Yes.

TRITT: Fess up.

KING: Travis, Randy Jackson of "American Idol" is going to produce an album for you?

TRITT: Actually Randy and I met a few weeks ago. Sam Moore, the legendary Sam and Dave, called me. He turned 70 this year and was going to put together a duet album that included among other people Elton John, Sting, Wynonna Judd is on that album as well.

And, he called me and asked me. We worked together in the past. And he called me and asked me if I would be a part of the album and I found out about two days before that Randy Jackson was actually producing that album. We met for the first time.

And the song that we did was actually an old Ray Charles song called "Riding Thumb." It was real bluesy and really sort of kind of a departure from some of the things that I've done in the past in the country music world. And, Randy even said to me he said "I had no idea that you sang that type of stuff. If you ever want to do an album along those lines, please call me."

And I said, "Well, it's odd that you say that because I just signed a brand new record deal with a company called Category Five Records back in January and we're looking to start working on our new album sometime toward the end of this year and I would love to do something a little bit different."

So, he and I got together. We talked about it and starting a little bit later on this year we're going to co-produce the album. It will be out sometime probably mid-summer of next year. We'll have a first single coming next spring.

KING: Lee Ann, have you done a lot of duets?

WOMACK: I love collaborating with people and especially my heroes. I've gotten, of course, to record with Willie Nelson, do a duet with him. I got to do one with Harry Connick, Jr. on my Christmas record. And, somebody I always wanted to work with was George Strait and I finally got to do a duet with George. He's our hero down here in Texas, so I got to have one on his record. And, I love working with other artists that I really respect.

KING: Martina, have you done a lot of dueting?

MCBRIDE: I really haven't done a lot of duets. I would love to, if anybody out there wants to give me a call. I'd love to sing with -- I'm like Lee Ann. I love to sing with people and perform with other artists.

KING: Why haven't you?

MCBRIDE: I don't know. Nobody's asked me.

TRITT: Well let me just say you could sing with me any time you want to.

MCBRIDE: I would love to.

KING: I'm shocked at that. All right, I'm going to get a break. We'll get Martina some work tonight.

JUDD: At eHarmony.com.

MCBRIDE: Thank you.

KING: When we come back we'll include your phone calls. Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC)

KING: We're back with our four major figures in country music. Naomi Judd is here with us in Los Angeles. In Atlanta is Travis Tritt. In Houston, Texas, Lee Ann Womack. And in Nashville, Martina McBride. Before we go to phone calls I'd like each of you, and we'll start with Martina, to comment on the loss of Buck Owens.

MCBRIDE: Oh, I'm just so sad. I mean, I -- we all are. But I was such a huge fan of Buck Owens. And I have cut his songs and got the opportunity to have a couple of really meaningful conversations with him, which just mean the world to me.

KING: Naomi?

JUDD: See that red, white and blue guitar they've got right now? He gave me one of those. We were playing in Bakersfield, California. And there are certain little snapshot moments that I had. Life is like a movie but you have these still frames. This man was so powerful in creating the Bakersfield sound. Dwight Yoakam and I were talking about this recently. He has radio stations. He was also a very good businessman.

KING: Travis?

TRITT: You know, one of the things I love so much about Buck Owens was much like me from time to time, in my career, just really haven't felt that -- as though the Nashville establishment embraced what I was doing. Buck Owens was one of those kinds of people. He came to Nashville basically at a time when they were just saying, we don't really get what you're doing. He basically went out, went back to Bakersfield. And said, you know what, I don't need Nashville, I can do this on my own. And produced and wrote and put out some of the best music. I mean, at the time, he was being covered by people like The Beatles. One of the hottest people out there going. And I love the fact that he was a maverick and that he stood up for what he believed in. And basically did his own thing his own way. I love that.

KING: Lee Ann?

WOMACK: I think one of my favorite albums of all time is Buck Owens' Carnegie Hall record. It's just great to hear him in the '60s being embraced in New York by all those people who might not have known that much about country music.

I have to also say the reason I'm in Texas right now, we also lost Cindy Walker at the end of the week last week, who's a great, great writer. What really impressed me about Buck and Cindy both was that they still were writing and very involved in the music industry. Right up until the day they died. And if I'm lucky, I'll be able to keep working and keep my passion for country music like they did, right up until the end.

KING: Let's go to calls. Pikeville, Kentucky, hello.

CALLER: Hi, Larry. I was wanting to speak to Travis and ask him, did he write the lyrics to "Where Corn Don't Grow?" He is my man.

TRITT: Thank you, darling. First of all that was a song that Waylon cut, years and years ago. I was friends with Waylon Jennings. I had the fortune of being his buddy throughout the years. He had cut that on an album. For whatever reason it was never a real big hit for him. I don't know if they released it as a single.

That song was written by Roger Murrow (ph), who wrote a lot of stuff with Waylon throughout the years. Just a great song. One of those songs that being an old farm boy, growing up around -- being the son of a farmer in Marietta, Georgia, I certainly can relate to that song. And still one of the ones that we get one of the biggest amount of requests for probably still today.

KING: Covington, Georgia, hello.

CALLER: Hey, I just want to say I'm a big fan of all of you. After all the publicity from New York with "Walk the Line" and now with the Kennedy Center, how do you all feel about that?

KING: Naomi?

JUDD: I love the fact that everybody's starting to understand that country music is really the lyrics of all of us. It's what -- I don't know if it was Haggard that told me it's the poetry of the common man. It talks about the beats of our day that give shape and definition to our lives.

KING: They do. What would you add, Lee Ann? WOMACK: I, of course, had a great time in New York. I love the fact that we were able to take advantage of a lot of things in that city. And I think that bringing it to a new city, bringing the CMA awards to a new city, really pumped a lot of energy and new excitement. And a lot of awareness to country music. So we had a great time there.

We'd love to come back sometime. Take the awards back there. And as far as "Walk the Line" goes, what a great movie. I just -- I'm such a huge fan of both Reese and Joaquin. I thought they did a great, great job.

KING: Martina, did you like the New York idea?

MCBRIDE: I did. Like Lee Ann said, it was great. We got a lot of television opportunities we don't normally get. I just think it was -- it was fresh, it was different. And it did make a lot of people aware of country music who might not have really been aware of it very much. So it was great.

KING: Naomi is shaking her head. You didn't like it?

JUDD: Nope. Nope. I'm all for getting the word out there. But I don't like the fact that -- I feel like country music originates in Nashville and don't mess with it. I'm hoping now that good things come, that New York for instance will get a country station.

KING: Jazz originates in New Orleans but they play it in Chicago.

JUDD: New York doesn't even have a country music station. I love New York. That's where my studio is for my Hallmark talk show. I love New York. But it's not the home of country music. And one of the things that aggravates me about country music today is that we've got all these marketing execs, we've got focus groups, and I want to hear integrity. I want to hear real singers. Like these three that you've got on.

KING: Let me get a break and get their thoughts. We'll be right back on this edition of LARRY KING LIVE. More phone calls too. Don't go away.

(MUSIC)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(SINGING)

KING: We're back. Travis, before we go back to more calls, what do you think of Ms. Judd's complaint about taking the country music awards to New York?

TRITT: Well, you know, I agree with her sentiments about the fact that it is frustrating, considering the fact that there are so many country music fans in New York, and we don't have a country music radio station there. I was privileged enough a few years back to be a part of a series that went on in New York, it was called Country Takes Manhattan. Got to play a sold out show in Radio City Music Hall with Tricia Yearwood. And it just -- you could just tell by the fan response, there was a tremendous amount of country music fans in the area.

That was at a time when we did, of course, have a country music station in New York. And it makes it very, very difficult to go in and really reach the people that you want to be able to reach.

KING: Watkinsville, Georgia, hello.

CALLER: Hi.

KING: Hi.

CALLER: I am calling, and this is pertaining to Naomi Judd. And I watched when Wynonna Judd was on there last week. And she was speaking about the facility Shades of Hope. And I was wondering if I could get that phone number.

KING: Sure. I have it right here and I'll give it to you. 800- 588-4673. That's where Wynonna went for help. Shades of Hope. 800- 588-4673.

JUDD: We're all in this together.

KING: To Commerce, Texas, hello.

CALLER: Hello, Larry. I have a question for the entire panel. I'm curious as to what your spiritual beliefs are. And how that's shaped, you know, your life in the business. Even Larry.

KING: I'm an agnostic. So I question everything. Martina?

MCBRIDE: I'm a Christian. And I just think having a strong foundation and believing in God and having a strong faith really helps. It goes without saying. It helps in life. I have three daughters that my husband and I are raising. And in this crazy business, it's great to have something to hang on to. I'm really proud of that.

KING: Le Ann?

WOMACK: I'm a Christian. You'll find that most -- there's so much gospel music and so many of our backgrounds are in church. So many of us country singers started singing in church. Which is where I started singing. You'll find that most of the country singers are Christians. I mean, I won't say all, I won't speak for everybody else. But most of us are pretty spiritual people. And try to give faith a fighting chance.

KING: Travis?

TRITT: Grandson of an Assembly of God pastor for from right here in Marietta, Georgia. And obviously same thing as the rest of them. Grew up singing in church. First time I ever sang solo was at the age of about three years old in my grandfather's church. So I mean, it's certainly a part of my life and it's something that I rely on. My faith is something I rely on a daily basis.

KING: Naomi?

JUDD: You know. Because you and I have had all these conversations. Remember I asked you, if you could ask one question of God, what would it be? Do you remember what your answer was? You said you would ask God, did you have a son? I loved that answer.

Of course, I'm a believer. My religion is kindness. I'm a Christian. In fact, my Hallmark talk show on Sunday morning is produced by Faith and Values media. And their philosophy any is about building bridges between people of different beliefs. And on my show, we have a woman who was born in Korea, a Buddhist. Now she's a Rabbi and a cantor in Westchester. We have a girl who's a Presbyterian --

KING: I was asking you what you are.

JUDD: I'm a Christian. I'm just saying that I respect all the world's major religions. I think spirituality is a bridge. Religion is a bridge to get us to our true nature, our spirituality.

KING: And my concept is I just don't know.

JUDD: That's why you're a good interviewer.

KING: Whatever. I just don't know. But I do know that Anderson Cooper will be coming aboard at the top of the hour. What's up tonight, AC?

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: What a transition, Larry. Tonight on the program, the shake-up at the White House. Andy Card, the chief of staff, is gone. The question is, will he be the last one to go? We'll look at all the angles tonight. We investigate something called electric shock aversion therapy. It's used on kids. To some it sounds like torture. Electrodes attached to kids' bodies. If they get something wrong they get a painful jolt. Some parents say it's a Godsend for their kids, the only way to stop them from hurting themselves and others. We'll look at all sides at "360" right after you, Larry.

KING: Will not work on Chance and Cannon I do not think, but I'll watch. Anderson Cooper at the top of the hour. Back with more calls for our great guests after this.

(SINGING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Lee Ann wondered why she got invited. Partially because you're from Jacksonville, Texas. But also because you're a great artist.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Was that the Christmas gig, Lee Ann?

WOMACK: To be honest, I'm not sure what it was. Sorry.

KING: That's when you've really made it. New York City, hello.

CALLER: Yes, hi. Put to the panel, I'd like to say I like all your music. And it's because of Sirius I'm able to get you where I live.

KING: Sirius Radio.

CALLER: I originally got it because of Howard Stern. But after he's off I've got country music. For Naomi, my young daughter, she got into country music because of you and she's got an eating disorder.

JUDD: First thing you need to do is listen to her. When you say eating disorder, are you talking about anorexia or bulimia? Some of the signs would be, obviously she's losing weight, she's not interested in food, she's fascinated by the mirror, she thinks she's fat when obviously she's got.

KING: She might be gaining weight. You can have an eating disorder of eating too much.

JUDD: Exactly. The fact that he mentioned it was a young girl. They throw up. So they start to lose the enamel on their teeth. We all need to raise our hand and ask for help. Shades of Hope that we've mentioned already is just one of hundreds if not thousands of fabulous facilities. You definitely need to get her professional help. I can't stress enough this is a real disease. This is a very real disease.

KING: Don't put it off. Richmond, Virginia, hello.

CALLER: Hi, Larry, my name is Barbara. I want to say hi to everybody. And I am Travis Tritt's biggest fan. I just want to find out when he's planning on traveling to Richmond, Virginia, to tour again.

TRITT: Actually, all of our tour schedule is available at www.travistritt.com. We're doing right now -- I'm not touring as much as I have in many years past. I was just talking with somebody before the show, they were asking how many dates we tour. We do about 90 shows a year now. Which kind of puts me out there just enough to still be at home and be a father and husband and do some of the things that I need to do around home. But we're out there a good bit.

Just check our schedule there on travistritt.com.

KING: Do you ever forget what city you're in?

TRITT: Yes, I've done that many times. Back when we used to stay in hotels, it was like you wake up staying in a hotel, wake up, look at a phone book. Stumble around. It's -- it can be very confusing. That first couple of years that we toured, I think we did about 260, 270 shows a year. And I was home a total of, I think, 14 days those two years. And none of them were two days in a row.

KING: How many dates do you do a year, Lee Ann?

WOMACK: We're usually about 75. I have two kids. And I am a homebody. And I have a house in Texas and in Nashville. So I have two homes to spend a lot of time in. And I just -- I just -- from the beginning, I had a daughter when I started out on the road. So I stay at home as much as I can. And you know, and try to work as much as I can too. My first job obviously is being a mom.

KING: Martina, how many nights do you work a year?

MCBRIDE: Between 70 and 90 shows. I have three daughters. I have two that are in school. So we work our tour schedule around -- we do mostly weekends. So that they can come out on the road with us. So it's a great balance. It's the perfect amount. I get to spend a lot of time at home, I get to go out and sing.

KING: Nice life.

MCBRIDE: Best of both worlds, yes.

KING: Happy, Kentucky, hello.

CALLER: Hello, hi, Larry.

KING: Are you happy?

CALLER: First let me say each and every one of those people on that panel are amazing in their own right. My question is for Martina. Martina, there's a song called "Magic." it's one of your older songs. I just want to know, is that something you wrote or was written for you? Because it has a very special meaning to me.

MCBRIDE: I think the song you're talking about is called "From The Ashes." And it's one of my favorite things I've ever cut. It really has a very spiritual meaning. And I did not write it, unfortunately. It was written by a woman named Hillary Lindsay. I still try to do that song in concert every once in a while because I love what it says. I'm glad you like it, thanks.

KING: We'll take a break and be back with more right after this.

(SINGING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(SINGING)

KING: Naomi Judd, we've only got thirty seconds, we know you're working Friday night at Kennedy Center with your daughter.

JUDD: I will be singing harmony on the greatest singer there is besides Martina and --

KING: Travis, where are you working next?

TRITT: I'm going to be on "American Idol" one night next week. Then I think on April the 5th. Then going to San Francisco and then to Phoenix, Arizona.

KING: Lee Ann, where are you next?

WOMACK: I'll be joining Naomi at the Kennedy Center.

KING: Martina?

MCBRIDE: I'm going to Salem, Virginia, on Friday, then to North Carolina.

KING: Thank you all very much for a terrific hour.

Anyone who watches LARRY KING LIVE knows that Dr. Robi Ludwig, a psychotherapist who is a frequent guest on this show, is a terrific guest. She has a new book out, just out today, it's already getting lots of attention. It's titled, "Till Death Do Us Part: Love, Marriage and the Mind of a Killer Spouse." It's a provocative read, includes a list of ten personality traits of potential spouse killers. It is a very important book. Dr. Robi Ludwig's "Till Death Do Us Part."

Tomorrow night, an exclusive. Laci Peterson's step father. His first interview since the sentencing of Scott Peterson will be with us. That's Ron Grantsky tomorrow night on the death of his step- daughter, Laci Peterson.

Right now we turn things over to Anderson Cooper in New York to host "AC 360." Anderson.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com