NASHVILLE (Billboard) - It's usually considered a good thing when country music and artists make headlines. But two stories that kept country in the news this year -- the death of icon Johnny Cash and the incredible media scrutiny that accompanied a radio and fan backlash against the Dixie Chicks -- were events the industry could have done without. After his Sept. 12 death, mourners from every facet of the entertainment business attended Cash's funeral. A subsequent tribute concert featuring Hank Williams Jr., Sheryl Crow, Marty Stuart, Kid Rock and numerous others became one of Country Music Television's highest-rated specials....