Pat Smathers raised $63,035 by the end of 2007.

The Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor raised $61,079 from major donors, including Greensboro Business Journal publisher Douglas Copeland, state Sen. Joe Sam Queen and Haywood County Commissioner Larry Ammons.

He also raised $1,956 from donors who gave less than $50. He did not receive any money from poitical action committees, but he loaned his campaign $23,667, according to a campaign finance report filed with the State Board of Elections last week.

At the same time, he spent $82,378 on a bluegrass fundraiser, radio advertising, Beach Boys tickets, Google and Facebook ads, and mailers.

That left him with cash on hand of $5,178.

Update: Smathers' donations include $6,513 worth of in-kind contributions he gave his campaign.

John Edwards should have a pretty busy birthday on Sunday.

The former North Carolina senator will have a private, pricey bash with his former law partners. But he also plans a big blowout with former UNC-Chapel Hill head coach Dean Smith.

The second fundraiser will be held at the Best Western University Inn in Chapel Hill from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday. Along with bluegrass by Chapel Hill's Big Fat Gap, there will be "popcorn, a pig roast, and of course, pie." Tickets are $15.

Presumably, that would be Bobbie Edwards' pecan pie. For a copy of her recipe, supporters have been asked to donate $6.10, $19.53 or $54 — his birthday, birth year and age, respectively.

After the jump: Video of Edwards' campaign aides Joe Trippi and Jonathan Prince trying — and failing — to make the pie correctly.

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The Senate recognized country icons Earl Scruggs and Don Gibson today.

The resolution was intended to boost a plan by Destination Cleveland County to start a Southern Music Heritage Museum honoring the two musicians.

But it also gave fans in the Senate a chance to talk about their heroes.

Sen. Charles Albertson, a professional country music singer, recalled rushing home from church to hear Scruggs on WPTF. Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand noted that "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" was his fraternity's theme song.

And Sen. Stan Bingham recalled playing a Flatt and Scruggs' bluegrass song, "Hot Corn, Cold Corn," to admiring Australians. He even quoted a few lines:

Here comes a preacher,
and the children are a crying.
The chickens are a hollering,
and the toenails are a flying.

Treasurer Richard Moore is running for governor, but of which state?

He took the stage at a campaign kickoff at his Oxford high school Tuesday to a snappy instrumental bluegrass song by the band GrassStreet.

The title: "West Virginia Turnpike."

It was suggested to the band that this was an odd choice for the occasion.

"You can call it Carolina Turnpike if you want," said member Kevin Tompkins.

He said he wrote the song seven years ago after going to West Virginia to buy a Dobro. It's available on the band's 2005 album, "Hittin' the Street."

Band leader Wayne Kinton said Moore's campaign specifically chose the song because they wanted a "fanfare" for his entrance.

After a campaign aide urgently whispered in his ear, he clarified that the song is now known as "Turnpike."