Martina Mcbride

Today Harry Belafonte; Anthony Mackie; Hulk Hogan. (N) 7 a.m. KNBC Good Morning America Taylor Swift; Julianne Hough; chef Emeril Lagasse. (N) 7 a.m. KABC Good Day L.A. (N) 7 a.m. KTTV Live With Regis and Kelly Taylor Swift; Lauren Alaina; co-host Jerry O'Connell. (N) 9 a.m. KABC The View Stephen Lang. (N) 10 a.m. KABC The Talk Pauley Perrette; Il Volo performs. (N) 1 p.m. KCBS The Doctors Dr. Sanjay Gupta discusses the Michael Jackson death trial. (N) 2 p.m. KCBS Dr. Phil Duff McKagan, Guns N' Roses; a woman admits to robbing her family to feed her addiction.

SUNDAY Nostalgia, as the saying goes, ain't what it used to be… except at the "2011 TV Land Awards," which reunites the stars of such classic sitcoms as "Family Ties," "The Cosby Show," "The Facts of Life" and "Welcome Back, Kotter. " (TV Land, 9 and 10:30 p.m.) Bruce Campbell – the man, the myth, the legend – takes center stage in the new made-for-TV action movie "Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe," a prequel of sorts that fills in the back story of his character on the hit espionage drama.

SERIES Moguls and Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood: Patriotic films of the World War II era are featured in this new installment (5 and 8 p.m. TCM). Chuck: It's "Black Friday" at the Buy More in this new episode of the action comedy (8 p.m. NBC). Lie to Me: John Amos ("Good Times") guest stars on a new episode of the medical drama (9 p.m. Fox). Cake Boss: The staff deals with the Christmas rush in this new episode of the reality series (9 p.m. TLC). The Buried Life: The reality series ends its season with back-to-back episodes (10 and 10:30 p.m. MTV)

Taylor Swift was predictably flummoxed when she got on the phone Wednesday night with The Times, a few minutes after becoming the youngest person ever, and the first female in nearly a decade, to be named entertainer of the year by the Country Music Assn. "I am absolutely at a loss for words," she said, the sounds of celebration clattering in the background. "I feel like I'm in a dream. It honestly was one of those moments where my second-grade music teacher, my crew who puts that stage together and takes it down every night, all the fans in the meet-and-greet lines, all these faces came flashing through my mind."

Prince "LotusFlow3r" * * * "MPLSound" * * 1/2 Bria Valente "Elixer" * * By now, most music fans are well aware that Prince will self-release three albums that will sell in one $11.98 bundle at Target and on the artist's website starting Sunday. Which one you fancy the most depends on what flavor of Prince "u" prefer -- the nasty antiquity of "MPLSound," the guitar-hero antics of "LotusFlow3r" or the VIP-lounge purrs of his protegee Bria Valente on "Elixer."

So you fancy yourself a singer, eh? . . . Alone, in your car, with the windows up, when no one's looking. Well, now you can test your pipes against Martina McBride and Elvis Presley in private, and if you like what you hear, you can share them with your friends via e-mail. As a promotion for the "Elvis Presley Christmas Duets" album, Sony BMG Music Entertainment has created a website that allows you to record "Blue Christmas" as a duet with Presley, singing McBride's part from the album.

"American Idol" did not, in fact, miss an opportunity last week to "channel emotion" toward the hurting hearts in Virginia and the whole country ["A Missed Opportunity to Honor Victims," by Randy Lewis, April 19]. On Wednesday night's results show, guest country artist Martina McBride sang "Anyway" -- her new single that is an anthem of hope amid pain and loss: "God is great, but sometimes life ain't good. And when I pray, it doesn't always turn out like I think it should. But I do it anyway."

When Martina McBride turns up in a couple of weeks on "American Idol" to coach contestants on the finer points of singing a country song, don't be surprised if she starts quoting the adage that "less is more." The woman who has won nine trophies from the Country Music Assn. and the Academy of Country Music, mostly for female vocalist of the year, isn't big on singers who like to showboat.