plus: Plagarism suit against Marc Anthony [ tickets ] dismissed. Universal launches new Nashville label. Foo Fighters [ tickets ] drummer says drug abuse led to his hospitalization.

According to Billboard.com, Paul Westerberg [ tickets ] (formerly of the Replacements) has signed with the Los Angeles-based independent label Vagrant. He reportedly will release a 2-CD set on April 23: an "acoustic-leaning" Westerberg solo album titled "Stereo" and a "punk veering" disc by his side project Grandpaboy titled "Mono."

Westerberg's last album was 1999's "Suicaine Gratification" (Capitol), which met with disappointing sales.

An interview with Westerberg will appear in the magazine's Jan. 19 issue.

The String Cheese Incident [ tickets ] has announced plans for its annual Winter Carnival, which will comprise seven shows in Colorado.

More details are available on the band's official website. The dates, venues and talent lineups are as follows:

March
21 - Denver, CO - The Fillmore
(w/guest Stanton Moore featuring Chris Wood, Skerik, Brian Seeger and John Ellis)

22 - Denver, CO - The Fillmore
(w/guest Angelique Kidjo)

23 - Denver, CO - The Fillmore
(w/guests Ricky Scaggs and Kentucky Thunder)

25 - Vail, CO - Dobson Arena
(w/ guest Jack Johnson)

26 - Vail, CO - Dobson Arena
(w/ guests Dirty Dozen Brass Band)

29 - Telluride, CO - Telluride Conference Center
(Details TBA)

3o - Telluride, CO - Telluride Mountain
(Details TBA)

A court has dismissed a lawsuit filed last year against singer Marc Anthony [ tickets ] which alleged that his hit song "I Need to Know" was not written by Anthony and composer-producer Cory Rooney.

Daniel Agren sued Anthony, Rooney, Sony Music Entertainment and Sony/ATV Tunes, claiming that they wrongly used his music, lyrics and arrangement in the song.

According to Anthony's lawyer, a U.S district judge dismissed the lawsuit "after Agren determined that his claims were legally insufficient."

Major label Universal plans to launch Universal South, a country music imprint. According to Variety, the first acts signed are Bering Strait, a Russian group, and Holly Lamar, co-writer of the Faith Hill hit "Breathe."

Foo Fighters [ tickets ] drummer Taylor Hawkins told MTV that drug abuse led to his hospitalization in the U.K. last year, resulting in the cancellation of his band's European tour. At the time, the band released a statement that said Hawkins was hospitalized "after having apparently overindulged during festivities following the V2001 festival in Chelmsford, UK."

Hawkins told MTV this week: "I was just definitely a little out of control, but I'm really healthy and good right now and that's the most important thing."