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PRESLEY SONGS PUT ON NATIONAL REGISTRY

Among the first recordings to be added to a new "preservation registry" by the Library of Congress are those of Elvis Presley. The library, the nation's largest archive of precious memories of American culture, says the songs by "The King" are being preserved because of their cultural importance. Also being honored are the creations of Woodie Guthrie and bluegrass pioneer Bill Monroe. Some 50 recordings are in the initial batch of honorees. Ironically, one song scores twice, once in a 1947 recording by Monroe and his Bluegrass Boys and once by Elvis in the 1950s. It's "Blue Moon of Kentucky." Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land" also is in the 50. Additionally, a group of country recordings from 1927 has been selected. These feature the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers and Ernest Stoneman. The library says a recording of the first network performance of the Grand Ole Opry also is on the initial registry list. It dates from 1939 and features Roy Acuff and Uncle Dave Macon.

HUFFINGTON TARGET OF MEDIA JABS

Syndicated columnist Arianna Huffington's recent anti-sport-utility vehicle campaign is making her persona non grata in some quarters. The New York Post says a major newspaper in the Northwest, the Oregonian, has dropped her from its op-ed pages. The editor noted that, from his standpoint, Huffington went beyond being a commentator to becoming an activist. She also recently was raked over the coals in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in Texas. Her anti-SUV campaign is called the Detroit Project, though it's based in California. It has produced some damning TV spots in which the nation's love of gas-guzzling SUVs is linked to everything from a downturn in the national economy to international terrorism. As we have reported earlier, Detroit TV stations lined up instantly to say they would not air the ads. Additionally, many of the Hollywood stars tapped to be in the spots are drivers of the highway giants. In keeping with Huffington's "follow the money and you'll find big companies" stance, her latest, just-released book is called "Pigs in the Trough: How Corporate Greed and Political Corruption Are Undermining America."

MCGRAW'S LATEST CIRCUIT ANNOUNCED

Tim McGraw is about to take the Dancehall Doctors on the road again in a revue to be called "The Dancehall Doctors' One Band Show." The kickoff has been announced for Birmingham, Ala., on March 7. CMT says the concerts will be wall-to-wall music, more than two and a half hours of non-stop country. McGraw tells the cable network it's the most ambitious tour he's ever mounted. He also promises the concerts lengths will allow him to do something he's wanted to do for a long time -- to perform full-length "album style" versions of many of his songs -- not the shortened, Top 40 versions heard on most radio stations. He says doing a show twice the length of most shows and keeping the quality high will be a challenge.

'LOST' VAN ZANDT SONGS FOUND

A treasure trove of lost recordings of singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt is about to be released. The compilation, "In the Beginning," will feature 10 previously unreleased songs. The news provider country.com says the songs were recorded by the ubiquitous Van Zandt as part of a series of personal demos he did in 1966. They never saw the light of day, at least as far as distribution outside of friends and would-be clients. The lost demo tapes were located by photographer C.J. Flanagan. He found them while sorting through his huge tape library in an effort to convert his collection of old, fragile recordings to digital for future storage. Compadre Records says the collection will hit store shelves on April 22. Van Zandt died in 1977. For more on the legacy of the prolific musician check out townesvanzandt.com on the Internet.

CONWAY, KORMAN TO REUNITE ... AGAIN

Funnymen Tim Conway and Harvey Korman are planning yet another revue in Las Vegas. The Stardust Resort and Casino says the two will team up in early April and again in late July. A third concert is planned for November. Veterans of the Carol Burnett show, the duo has reunited in recent years to not only relive the old moments but to bring new routines to their many fans. Even though it's been years since they have worked together in a regular format on TV, they are commanding top-dollar ticket prices in Vegas. The Stardust has put their concerts in the $60 range. Louise DuArt has been tapped to appear with Conway and Korman. She is one of the top female singer-impressionists now working in the country. There's a neat gallery of many of DuArt's incredible make-up jobs at makeup-artist.com/prosthetic03.htm. Using heavy makeup she even takes on the faces of George Burns and Shelley Winters.

WILLIE NELSON ... ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Singer Willie Nelson says his latest on-the-road tour will begin in less than two weeks in Hawaii. It's hard to think of Nelson in any other mode than "moving." He's proving it with an ambitious set of live performances, the first of which will be in Honolulu on Feb. 9. The tour comes in the wake of the recent release of his latest CD, "Willie Nelson & Friends: Stars & Guitars." After the kickoff in sunny Hawaii, he and his entourage return to the States to play some of the most classic music venues in the nation. Included in the list of sites are the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco, the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles and the legendary Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa, Okla. According to the singer-songwriter's Web site, Nelson will be in the middle of a five-night gig in Bossier City, La., when he celebrates his 70th birthday ... the last day of April.

UPI DAILY SURVEY QUESTION NO. 514

Here is today's question: "What do you think of the new "Golden Dollars" the Mint produced, then stopped production on? And what about dollar coins in general?" Put COIN in the subject line and send to comments@upi.com via the Internet.

RESULTS OF QUESTION NO. 509 (SHIRT)

Last week we asked what personal items or mementos you have around that have become as comfortable as an old shirt. From a random dip into our incoming e-mail, here is what we found:

-- An aging photograph was the most mentioned item.

-- An old pair of comfortable shoes, often used to relax in placed second.

-- A bathrobe that's been around forever was third.

Other items included: A letter sweater from high school or college; a memento of graduation or marriage, such as a preserved corsage; a school yearbook and jewelry handed down by from departed relative. Oh, and BillGill said he actually does have a favorite old shirt. TOMORROW: Wrapping up the week. GBA