TV Pickers again plan state swing

UNIQUE ANTIQUES: The Pickers have picked Arkansas again.

Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz, the stars of the History channel’s American

Pickers who hunt through hoarders’ — er, historians’— stashes of stuff for valuables, are set to return to the Natural State this month and next. And they’re looking for colorful pack rats, er, private collectors to participate.

A call placed to a cast associate last week revealed the pair has not yet begun filming and “no locations have been set yet.”

They request, “If you or someone you know has a large, private collection or accumulation of antiques that the Pickers can spend the better part of the day looking through, send us your name, phone number, location and description of the collection with photos to: americanpickers@cineflix.com.”

Or pick up your retro rotary phone and call them at (855) 653-7878.

That spells out 855-OLD-RUST.

OLE SOUL: Country musician Luke Williams of Beebe turns 25 in two weeks, but he already got the present of a lifetime. Williams informed Facebook followers he will get to check a huge item off his bucket list.

On Thursday, Williams says, “I will step onstage with Jeff Bates at the (Dr.) Ralph Stanley Forever Tribute concert … On the most legendary stage in country music … At the GRAND OLE OPRY HOUSE !!!! ”

The tribute, which he says will feature “a list a mile long” of artists, including Lee Ann Womack, is not a typical Opry show and will not be broadcast.

“This is for my grandparents,” he says. “When I was a little boy, all my grandpa talked about was how much he loved country music and the Grand Ole Opry.”

And now all his grandpa Vernon — who proudly called the newspaper to share — can talk about is Luke. MAG BRAGS: Billboard recently recognized Jeffrey Hasson, a 34-year-old Little Rock native and Pulaski Academy graduate, in its “40 Under 40: Music’s Top Young Power Players Revealed” list. The Nashville-based agent for Paradigm represents, among other artists, Ben Folds.

And Billboard brought Hasson into the fold. And a recent issue of

People, a story listing “Your Favorite Restaurants in Every State,” with assistance from Zagat dining experts, named The Hive in Bentonville’s 21c Museum Hotel as Arkansas’ best, noting it “seamlessly melds art with refined southern cuisine.”

People finds The Hive buzzworthy.