Cathey Miller’s interplanetary folk art first grabbed me when I saw one of her elaborate DIFFA jackets. Now is a good time to discover or catch up with the Pop-influenced artist, whose paintings of empowered ancient/futuristic women are endearingly funny and politically subtle. Miller’s part of a three-gal show that opens tomorrow night at Tractor Beam, and she has a solo show of new work next month at Kettle Art that looks like it might be more overtly political:

Richardson-reared Jessica Simpson is making a country move with this new song. Sounds like the rocked-up twang that’s popular radio fare, so here’s predicting it’ll be a hit despite the playa-hatin’.

In other local music news, seven members of the University of Texas at Dallas Chamber Singers will be performing on a tour of China, and University of North Texas jazz school alum Eric Morones is busy with the release of a new album, movie scoring and writing books.

Still looking for results of last night’s 24-Hour Video Race finals without picking up the phone. Anybody?