The snarky, anti Bro-Country anthem “Girl in a Country Song” is what put the country music duo Maddie & Tae on the map, but “Die From A Broken Heart” might end up being what makes their career. Despite the lack of radio support, “Die From a Broken Heart” was recently certified Gold by the RIAA. Now it’s finding life on radio as well.
“If it ever gets to be too much for you, there are a lot of great songwriters out there who agree with you politically. Oh wait, no there aren’t,” Jason Isbell responded to a Twitter user. But this assessment severely discounts to work of conservative songwriters who’ve contributed to the American songwriting canon.
Daniel Lee Martin always knew he wanted to be famous. He launched a country music career where he would write songs with Keith Urban, open for Willie Nelson, and have MLB pitching ace Bronson Arroyo invest in him. He would star in reality TV shows. But now, Daniel Lee Martin is famous for all of the wrong reasons.
Reprising a touring concept that was first dreamed up in 2019 that seemed a little offbeat but worked very well according to attendees, Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives will be joining The Steve Miller Band out on tour in 2020. Comedian and musician Gary Mule Deer will also play a supporting role on the tour.
George Strait has minted yet another career milestone that puts him in an elite class of musical performers, not just in country music, but anywhere in the world. He’s now officially sold over 10 million tickets to events since first reporting touring revenue officially, only the 2nd country artist to ever do so.
There’s no pulling of punches or production elements here. Co-written with Marcus King about the wild circus that is lower Broadway in Nashville, and employing a Southern rock band behind him in the studio, “Honky Tonk Hell” opens up and entirely new audience for Gabe. But the new record isn’t all fire and brimstone.
The new vice president and executive producer of the Grand Ole Opry said this week in an interview that Hank Williams will not be reinstated to the institution he helped popularize. But while casting aside the idea of Reinstating Hank, he inadvertently mentioned the reason why the case for Hank’s reinstatement is warranted.
If word comes down that Tami Neilson is making her way to your town, pitch the tent, prop up the podium, assemble the pews, pass out handbills and burn up the telephones lines to put everyone on alert that the new queen of rockabilly herself is coming to testify and save souls with her earth-shattering shouts and dulcet coos.
Canadian country and Western singer Corb Lund recently announced he will be releasing a new album called ‘Agricultural Tragic,’ and ahead of the record, he’s released a new song called “90 Seconds of Your Time.” Corb alluded with the release of the song that it was based on a true story, and now we know just how true that story is.
Ever since Tim McGraw’s move to Sony, it’s seemed like a series of missteps. Now Tim McGraw is a man without a label. We’ll likely hear about McGraw signing to a new label in a matter of days. Maybe it will even be Big Machine. Don’t count on it being Curb. But again the question is, why all the label musical chairs in the first place?
It’s not just the fact that Logan Ledger’s voice sounds like a striking combination of George Jones and Dwight Yoakam, and that he could write songs to compliment it, it was about the team that had assembled around his talent, namely highly-decorated producer T Bone Burnett, and Rounder Records.
Paul English, the long time drummer, manager, and right hand man for Willie Nelson, has died, Saving Country Music can confirm. A member of Willie’s band from his start in shady bars in Fort Worth, Texas, all the way up to Willie’s most recent shows, he was the seminal member of Willie Nelson’s Family Band. He also acted as Willie’s manager.
A third-generation mobster who turned state’s witness in 1999 and entered the Federal Witness Protection Program, only to become the mastermind behind two fraudulent restaurant chains attributed to two prominent country music personalities in Toby Keith and Rascal Flatts, has finally been indicted.
When looking to assemble a draft class of strong and talented country music women to return some balance to the genre, you better not let your gaze shoot over the head of Canadian-born, and Austin-forged singer/songwriter Whitney Rose. They don’t just hand out residencies at Austin’s legendary Continental Club to anyone.
Fans of the Grand Ole Opry were super excited to learn in late October of last year that the venerable country music institution would finally be returning to television through the newly-launched Circle Network. But this is a shortsighted move by the Circle Network. The demographic for the Grand Ole Opry episodes is going to be much older.
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit have announced their sixth studio album to be released on May 15th called ‘Reunions.’ Ahead of the new album, Jason Isbell has released the blistering and politically-charged anthem “Be Afraid.” Far from roots or even notions of Americana, it’s only fair to label it rock with a highly-charged political message.
Place whatever qualifiers you wish on the estimation of John Moreland as the overlord of all modern songwriters, like his stuff isn’t very commercial, or that sometimes he strains to find a proper melody. But on paper, his lines are pure poetry, putting words to the fears and anxieties that wash over us on a daily basis.
Here are the greatest country and roots albums of the last decade in Saving Country Music’s estimation. Albums were regarded primarily on quality, and how they held up over the decade, as well as the influence they had on country music, and music at large. These are the albums that should not be overlooked over the last 10 years of music.
The Kansas City Chiefs walked away with the Vince Lombardi Trophy for winning Super Bowl XIL over the San Francisco 49ers last Sunday, but when it came to the musical performer that saw the biggest boost in revenue during the big game’s highly-anticipated advertising segments, it was none other than Johnny Cash.
The Saving Country Music Top 25 Playlist is built to keep you informed on all the best songs and albums coming out right here, right now in country and roots music. It’s available on most all streaming formats (see below), or you can just use the song, artist, and album recommendations to find something new to listen to. New songs just added.
The only way you heard Tanya’s two acceptance speeches is if you were signed into the streaming feed of the Grammy’s “Premier Ceremony,” which transpires hours before the actual Grammy Awards broadcast on CBS. Granted, it’s very understandable why not all the awards are handed out on national television.
Neal McCoy’s tour bus “Old Glory” is the latest to go up in flames in an early morning fire. Luckily, McCoy and all his crew were able to vacate the vehicle before the blaze overtook it, and much of their gear stowed in a separate trailer was also spared. But it is the latest close call involving touring musicians, and fires.
Hold onto your muk lucks because The Hurtin’ Albertans with Corb Lund at the helm will be releasing a new album called “Agricultural Tragic” via New West Records. His first original studio record in five years and his 10th overall, the title is indicative of the theme of the new record, and also defines the approach to country music.
Haha. Okay… So this is how Sam Hunt is making his music, “… more traditional in terms of the genre … that’s definitely where the songs are leaning at this point,” like he promised us he was doing last summer? By filching a piece of a sacred Webb Pierce classic and misappropriating it for a derivative drum-looped pop song?
