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DAME EDNA ON LATEST AMERICAN TOUR

Australia's Dame Edna Everage, once described as being the most verbose person to ever be totally out of touch, is packing them in again. The dame, actually 68-year-old actor Barry Humphries, has been a TV talk show host and has won a Tony, other international awards and was, at one time, ubiquitous on international television. Now, according to Everage, she's back in the States -- by popular demand. Overdressed in her usual fashion, sporting outlandish rhinestone-encrusted glasses, Everage played to a packed East Coast audience recently in a performance described by the Philadelphia Inquirer as one of suffocating smugness -- all in good fun, of course. To show how quick Humphries is in actually "being" the dame -- after 40 years of putting on the makeup -- when a straggler showed up late at a recent show, Everage addressed the woman directly, asking where she was from. She sheepishly mentioned a suburb of the city in which the concert was taking place. "I came all the way from Australia," Everage retorted, "and I showed up on time."

VINCENT 'RULES' AT BLUEGRASS AWARDS

In a performance that critics called "stunning," Rhonda Vincent dominated this week's Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music awards. The 29th annual show was held in Nashville at the Sheraton Music City Hotel. CMT says Vincent won the entertainer and contemporary female vocalist awards. Additionally, she and her group took the overall best in bluegrass honors. The group's latest hit is "Is the Grass Any Bluer?" That song is a tribute to the late Bill Monroe. The track was named Song of the Year. A member of her band, Hunter Berry, was named best fiddler of 2002. In addition to the performances that were a part of the show, there were four days of contests, showcases, trade exhibits, seminars and other attractions. The cable network, in reporting on the event, says Vincent's work in live performances at the shows was nothing short of stunning. To enhance their image, the band wore black tailored suits. Rather citified for bluegrass singers.

TRAVIS LATEST TO REST HIS VOICE

Add the name of Randy Travis to the list of country stars being told by throat experts to rest their voices or risk permanent injury. For days we've been reporting Keith Urban has been told to keep quiet, not even to speak. Because of his doctor's orders he's had to cancel a slew of public appearances, possibly until March. Country.com says Travis also is on the "keep quiet" list. Travis has been advised by his doctor to take a three-week hiatus from all singing and major talking. The singer's publicist says the move was necessary to prevent injury and to make sure Travis can keep a spate of summertime commitments. Among the events Travis will have to miss is this year's Country Radio Seminar. "I hope to make up for it in the future," he told Nashville media.

COMPOSER WINS SUIT AGAINST HIP-HOPPER

A judge in California has stopped the sale of a hip-hop hit because a famous Indian composer claims the song was stolen from her. Songwriter Bappi Lahiri claims borrowing much of her song for the American hit smacks of "cultural imperialism." Sales of the song "Addictive" by Truth Hurts were put on hold by the judge. Lahiri is demanding she get some kind of writing credit on the CD that contains the song. The cut is from Truth Hurt's compilation "Truthfully Speaking." Billboard magazine says the suit was filed last fall against producer Dr. Dre and Aftermath Records, as well as the company's parent, Interscope Records and Universal Music Group. Lahiri claims Truth Hurts used about four minutes of her song "Thoda Resham Lagta Hai." So far, about 300,000 copies of the song have been sold. It reached the No. 2 spot on one R-and-B chart for a while and reached No. 9 in the Billboard Hot 100 listings.

GODFATHER OF WASHINGTON STATE WINE DIES

Just weeks after being featured in a major article in the Wine Spectator, Walter J. Clore has died. A survivor of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, he headed to the Northwest, eventually planting a vineyard. In the ensuing decades he persuaded others to do likewise. He invented revolutionary ways of growing grapes in less-than-perfect conditions and making them into wine. Because of Clore's efforts, Washington state is second only to California in the production of fine wines in this country. Clore's pioneering efforts led to a sudden respect for grape growing in Washington, once only thought of as the apple capital of the country. Now there are 330 grape-growing companies and individuals in Washington, some in the cold central parts of the state. Washington has more than 28,000 acres planted in grapes and boasts 200 wineries pumping out 11 million gallons of premium wine a year. The total take is $2.4 billion. Few individuals have so changed the face of a single state's agriculture as did Walter J. Clore. Scholarly looking, thin, unassuming, demanding in his work, much loved for his warmth and generosity, but most of all for his foresight and vision, he was 91.

UPI DAILY SURVEY QUESTION NO. 518

Inspired by the story about the Washington state winemaker, here is today's question: "Have your feelings about wine changed over the years? If so, how?" Put WINE in the subject line and send to [email protected] via the Internet.

RESULTS OF QUESTION NO. 513 (PARK)

Last week we asked about your favorite amusement parks. From our usual random dip into the e-mail inbox are your replies:

-- Over 65 percent noted either Disneyland or Disney World.

-- 20 percent mentioned one or another of the Six Flags parks.

-- Kings Island near Cincinnati got several votes.

The remainder mentioned regional parks in various parts of the country. BRC mentioned one of my favorite places, Dollywood on the edge of the Great Smokey Mountains. TOMORROW: More of your thoughts. GBA