La Costa Canyon High School graduate Luke Walton loves country singer Taylor Swift, and he isn't afraid to sing about it.

The 18-year-old Carlsbad singer/songwriter rewrote Swift's hit "Love Song" with slightly new lyrics to show his devotion to the country starlet, and he recorded it on video.

In the five-minute film, Walton tells viewers to watch his video repeatedly so that it will move to the top of the most-watched list on search engines (he hopes Swift will google herself, see the video and track him down personally). Then he sings the "Romeo and Juliet"-inspired song while accompanying himself on guitar. Since he uploaded the song to youtube.com, it has been viewed more than 41,000 times.

Walton, who graduated last January, has produced two self-released albums and, according to his Facebook web page, has concerts lined up all month at the Sage Grill in Encinitas, the Carlsbad Farmers Market and the San Diego County Fair. This fall, he'll head to the University of Southern California, where he was one of just 14 students in the nation accepted to the school's new music program focusing on popular music.

---

Last week in Preview, I wrote an article about homegrown singing sensation Adam Lambert, who grew up in Rancho Penasquitos and went on to become an international phenom on "American Idol."

International? Yes indeed, as I learned after my story was discovered and posted on Lambert's official home page by his enthusiastic fan base. Over a five-day period, I received hundreds of e-mails from Lambert's fans from such far-flung locations as Malaysia, Finland, Brazil, Quebec, Israel, Scotland, Germany, England, Sweden, Australia and Japan.

Many critics have surmised that Lambert's ambiguous sexuality (rumor has it he'll confirm he's gay in this month's issue of Rolling Stone) cost him the "American Idol" crown and will ultimately affect both his success and record sales. But if the messages I received from his adoring fans are any indication, he needn't worry.

Virtually all of the fans who wrote (mostly women, from their late teens to their mid-70s) acknowledged that they know he's gay but they don't care, and they appreciated how his life story and music (not his sexuality) were the focus of the article.

---

The cow has come home to roost.

In late April, one of the 38 painted, full-size fiberglass cows installed around La Jolla as part of the benefit art installation CowParade La Jolla, was stolen from its moorings in front of a hair salon on Girard Avenue.

An all-points-bulletin was issued for the missing 100-pound bovine (which was colorfully spray-painted by local muralist Werc Alvarez) but there was no trace of its whereabouts until last week, when it mysteriously reappeared -- a bit scratched and dirty but otherwise unharmed -- in exactly the same spot where it was pried loose during the weekend of April 25-26.

CowParade La Jolla spokeswoman Natalie Haack said that exhibit organizers suspected the cow was stolen by local teens as a prank who didn't know what to do with the full-size cow once they had it.

"From the amount of dirt on it, we think it must've been sitting in someone's back yard all this time, and they got tired of trying to hide it," she said.

The prodigal cow is expected to draw $5,000 to $10,000 at the CowParade auction on July 11. Proceeds will benefit Rady Children's Hospital and the Zoological Society of San Diego.

---

Another San Diego arts organization struggling to make ends meet is Sushi, a 28-year-old arts group that presents cutting-edge and avant-garde art, dance, theater and music.

Upon the conclusion of its 2009 season last month, the company was forced to let go its founder and executive director Lynn Schuette. Operations manager John Warner also resigned. A staff of two part-time volunteers is keeping the doors open, but Sushi's 2010 season is in jeopardy.

To create a quick cash infusion, the Sushi board has decided to revive its Red Ball gala later this month. The street party/silent auction -- known for its eclectic mix of the weird and wonderful in acts, music and art and the requirement that all attendees dress in red -- hasn't been held since 2006.

This year's Red Ball, scheduled for 7 p.m. to midnight June 13 on the streets outside Sushi's home space at 237 11th Ave. in San Diego, will continue in the tradition of nontradition. Among the acts scheduled to perform are Zirc Ubu's Steampunk/Cabaret/Vaudeville Cirque, the Balkan Gypsy bandleader Wolfgang von Cope and his Orkestra Moustachio, and a stilt-walking engineer. There will be food, beer and wine, a silent art auction, dance performances, live music and DJs.

Tickets are $75 or $125 for two. For more on Red Ball and Sushi's financial situation, visit sushiart.org.

---

San Diego Street Scene, which announced last month that it will return to the streets of downtown San Diego on Aug. 28 and 29, has unveiled some of its concert lineup.

The two-day outdoor concert will feature the Black Eyed Peas, M.I.A., Thievery Corporation, Modest Mouse, the Dead Weather, Silversun Pickups, Cake, Conor Oberst & the Mystic Valley Band, Mastodon, Ozomatli, Devendra Banhart, Shooter Jennings, Grand Ole PArty, Los Campesinos and many more.

Advance tickets are now on sale for $122 plus $10.50 ticketing fee. Visit street-scene.com.

Pam Kragen is the arts editor of the North County Times.