SMALL FACES: Dwight Yoakam is taking a...

SMALL FACES: Dwight Yoakam is taking a break from film work (he co-stars with Matthew McConaughey and others in the upcoming “The Newton Boys”) and recording to do a charity Christmas concert at Billboard Live on Nov. 13, benefiting the Los Angeles Mission. . . .

With Spin having a “Girl Issue” on the stands now, Rolling Stone has a women-in-music issue due Oct. 28 to kick off its 30th anniversary celebration. Courtney Love, Madonna and Tina Turner are planned for the cover. In addition to performers, the issue’s profiles of 30 women include such executives as Virgin’s Nancy Berry, MTV president Judy McGrath, Elektra chair Sylvia Rhone and Geffen publicist Bryn Bridenthal. An anniversary TV special is also being planned for spring. . . .

Folk Implosion, the duo of Sebadoh’s Lou Barlow and his friend John Davis that made a splash with songs in the movie “Kids,” is being courted by major labels, with Interscope, DreamWorks, London and RCA in the hunt. . . .

Luscious Jackson is set to do the next in the Gap’s series of “Easy” commercials. Presumably the Manhattan quartet won’t come off as undignified as Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry do in their recent Gap ad. . . . .

Jackson Browne, a teaming of Vince Gill and Amy Grant, Leo Kottke and Clint Black are among those contributing instrumental acoustic guitar pieces to “The Sounds of Woods and Steel,” a Windham Hill album honoring the hand-crafted Taylor guitars brand, due Jan. 26. . . .

Having already picked a title, “Gentleman’s Blues,” Cracker is about to start work on its next album with producer Don Smith. Leader David Lowery is putting finishing touches on the new songs. . . .

An album of the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s music remixed by artists of Asian heritage is due for Jan. 27 release in the U.S. Among those remixing are Talvin Singh, Fun-Da-Mental and the Asian Dub Foundation.