Without a single case of the Coronavirus either confirmed or even suspected at the moment in Austin, TX or the greater Travis county area, the mayor of Austin, Steve Adler, has declared a “local disaster,” mandating that the music portion of SXSW set to transpire in Austin the 3rd week of March will no longer happen, against the wishes of SXSW itself.
The Panhandlers aren’t just bound by their ties to the region. The geography and people of the upper portions of West Texas is what this music is all about. From falling water tables to failing farms, this is an account of an unforgiving land nobody would ever choose to call home. Yet people still do.
Like we saw with American Aquarium’s last record, the very well-received “Things Change,” BJ Barham might perform best when his back is against the wall, folks are counting him out, and he’s got something to prove. He relishes the underdog position.
Texas-based Southern rock band Whiskey Myers are launching their own personally-curated event to be an annual gathering for their fans called the Firewater Festival. It is set to take place October 1st through 3rd, 2020 in Ly Cynge, Kansas about 45 minutes south of Kansas City at the Wildwood Outdoor Education Center.
“Hey, so what does everyone think about American politics?” That’s basically the anthill you’re kicking over whenever you invoke the name of the Dixie Chicks, even though their music was never really that political, and the polarization of their name was more due to misunderstanding and hysteria
Pam Tillis will be back in a solo capacity for the first time in a dozen years when she releases her eleventh studio record ‘Looking for a Feeling.’ Influenced not just by her country roots that run deep from her performing father and songwriter Mel Tillis, Pam is also looking to bring her classic rock and soul influences to the table
“Nashville.” Oh how people love to wag a dirty finger in its direction as this monolithic homogenized reprehensible blob-like entity looming on the horizon, responsible for all the current ills in country music and some of the cultural filth beyond.
Tyler Childers is already regarded as one hell of a singer, songwriter, and country music performer, so much so that even without mainstream radio play, he’s getting nominated for Grammys. But who the hell knew this boy could play fiddle too?
Featuring 27 dates starting in July, the tour will afford you the opportunity to get plenty of your fill of Blackberry Smoke music, as well as the Allman Betts Band and Wild Feathers. But then you’ll get something you can’t see with any of these bands individually.
Unless you’ve been living on Mars, you probably know all about the often polarizing political opinions of alt-country legend Steve Earle. One of the most outspoken and politically-charged performers of our time, he pulls no punches, either in his music, or on stage. But with his upcoming record, he’s taking a different approach.
As tax season approaches and we get the opportunity to tie a bow around the doings of 2019, it’s always interesting to look back on the year at the Grand Ole Opry to see which performing members are paying their proper dues to country music’s most historic institution, and which one’s aren’t.
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 current “Queen of Bluegrass” Rhonda Vincent will be the next member of the Grand Ole Opry. Surprised on stage by mentor Jeannie Seely Friday night (2-28) during the Grand Ole Opry presentation, Vincent had to ask Seely twice if she was serious (which of course she was), before Vincent responded “Absolutely, 100%. Oh my gosh.”
For many in the Texas and Red Dirt realm, Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen are their #1 and #1A favorite performers. And when they combine their efforts, that appeal is amplified. Though neither imbibes in really strong traditional country in their respective primary projects, when they get together, the fiddle and steel guitar comes to the top.
What has every good country music fan crashing silly little sites like Saving Country Music on a regular basis? It’s the hope of discovering some piece of music or a performer whose quality far outpaces the popularity it enjoys, or in many cases, doesn’t. Johnny Falstaff is just that kind of guy, where less people know about him than should.
Like someone with the Coronavirus coughing in your face, here come the 2020 ACM Awards nominations. With Maren Morris and Thomas Rhett leading the pack of nominees with five nominations each, Justin Bieber receiving three nominations, you might as well be getting news from the local doctor where you’re quarantine station is located.
Few performers in the last few years have embodied the Outlaw honky tonk spirit and injected it with a dose of West Coast and Bakersfield flavor like Jaime Wyatt. Now she’s back with a full LP called “Neon Cross” to be released by New West Records, and is once again being as honest and unapologetically country as ever.
The numbers for the song, and for Tyler Childers in general are incredible. But looking bigger picture at the accomplishment, this will be about the opening of a new era in music where non-radio, independently-minded musicians with creative control of their music began to compete with their mainstream counterparts in sales.
Handing out the award for Best Rockabilly Male were rockabilly legends Jim Heath of The Reverend Horton Heat, and Nick 13 of Tiger Army. As opposed to the regular canned statements ahead of handing out the award, Nick 13 spoke about the importance of not just rockabilly, but all roots music that is going ignored in mainstream music.
The 2020 Ameripolitan Awards were handed out on Monday night. Meant to recognize American music with a strong roots influence that often gets lost in the realm of popular music, as Nick 13 of Tiger Army said when presenting an award, “The music that the mainstream has forgotten, that’s the music we remember.”
It’s very simple. Uproxx is not an independently-owned media entity that just happened to luck upon exclusively landing the most explosive interview of Sturgill Simpson’s career. Uproxx is owned by The Warner Music Group. Uproxx is owned by Sturgill Simpson’s record label. Steven Hyden is an employee of Warner Music Group.
We’ve already run down the Greatest Country Albums of the Decade, and in there, albums in the mainstream were given fair competition to be included, and some made the cut. But in the spirit of inclusiveness and impartiality, let’s make sure the great records from the mainstream get their due as well.
Willie Nelson will release his triumphant 70th studio album called First Rose of Spring come April 24th via Sony’s Legacy imprint. Seceding much of the songwriting to others on this effort aside from a couple of tunes, the title track comes from the pen of Randy Houser, Allen Shamblin, Mark Beeson, and has been released ahead of the record.
Jon Pardi continues to show leadership in helping to return an element of twang and substance to country radio. After the debut single and title track from his latest record Heartache Medication went #1, making it the first mainstream country radio song in nearly eight years. Now he’s going to release “Ain’t Always The Cowboy.”
