The Americana Music Association has just announced an additional 99 artists to go with the previously-announced 74 artists that have been selected to perform at the 2018 AmericanaFest. This brings the total of announced performers to 173 of what will eventually swell to some 250.
Whether there’s any need for panic among fans and artists who are part of the new reshuffle remains to be seen, but it is certainly something to keep an eye on. Often these label reshuffles are enacted with the best of intentions, and the devil is ultimately is in the details.
Apparently there is a hard and fast proviso in the mainstream country music bylaws stating that artists signed to major labels must release a torpid, moronic ode to coincide with the official observance of summer each calendar year. Over the years Luke Bryan has been one of the most steadfast observers of this natural summer phenomenon.
Announced on Wednesday (6-20), a massive tribute album dedicated to the King of the Road will be making its way to music lovers. And though tribute records come down the pike all the time and make you wonder if your time and money is worth heaping onto songs you already know, this one has a little something special in the recipe.
Attending a festival is not just about the music. It’s about the overall experience. For some, they couldn’t imagine participating in a grassroots event without also participating in the production of it in some capacity. The time they donate to their music community is just as fulfilling as the music itself, if not not more.
It can’t be expressed vehemently enough how rare to downright non-existent actual criticism of music from country music “critics” and journalists is in the marketplace at the moment. But AJ McLean and “Back Porch Bottle Service” has inexplicably brought out a surprisingly critical consensus among country music “critics.”
Texas country artist Cody Johnson is now a major label artist. Announced on Monday (6-19), Warner Music Nashville has signed a deal with Cody to form CoJo Music/Warner Music Nashville. The deal means Cody Johnson is now part of one of the biggest label groups in country music, but still retains a certain level of control.
BJ Barham and American Aquarium have pulled off quite a feat with their latest album ‘Things Change.’ Not only did they write and record what has been the band’s most well-received and critically-acclaimed album to date. Now the initial sales numbers have been tabulated, and it has sold through better than any of the band’s records previously.
Garth Brooks has a new single on the way called “All Day Long” that will be debuting on radio stations on Tuesday, June 19th, as well as a new song called “The Road I’m On” that will also be made available to fans who pre-order his next album. The latter was written by Randall King, and will be the song Garth will open his upcoming tour with.
A portion of the ticket sales will go to benefit the Music Row Preservation Fund. But most importantly the tours will help educate the public about the historical significance of the area and some of its most important landmarks, instilling visitors with their own passion for preservation of Music Row’s important places.
In the interest of equal time and giving everyone a forum to voice their grievances, Saving Country Music has decided to post the six messages received from angry Kane Brown fans via the site’s Facebook page here. These aren’t fake, and these aren’t a selection of the messages. These are all the messages presented in order.
The music of Pharis and Jason Romero is stripped-down and rootsy, born from the traditions of country and folk similarly, and steeped in songwriting customs and the interplay of harmony. If you’re looking for an entry point into what Pharis and Jason Romero are capable of as a steadfast country fan or otherwise, ‘Sweet Old Religion’ is it.
Netflix has released the 5th Season of their hit original series The Ranch, and as per usual, the episodes are textured with lots of great songs from often overlooked and deserving country music artists, hand selected to help set the mood and theme of each scene.
Sam Hunt just needs to get out of music and start selling a signature line of flat-brimmed baseball caps, bedazzled ironic fanny packs, and fur murses. Even if he did a complete 180 in his career right here, right now, it would be impossible for him to reverse all the irreparable damage he’s done to country over the last few Godforsaken years.
Ahead of the July 27th release of Cody’s new album Lifers comes the debut track “Must Be The Whiskey” written by underground country artist Josh Morningstar. A bit more than just your average drinking ode, the song delves into the revolving door that hard alcohol can be—drinking to numb the pain of a broken heart…
Getting to see singers, songwriters, and string aficionados Sarah Jarosz, Sara Watkins, or Aoife O’Donovan live in concert individually is probably justification enough to spring for the babysitter and call in sick to work the next morning. Stack them together as the bluegrass supergroup known as I’m With Her, and it makes the decision even easier.
Over the last few years, Lee Ann Womack has been one of the biggest firebrands and proponents for true country music out there, taking any opportunity presented to her to speak out about what’s happening to the genre, and how she feels about the country music of today. The topic came up yet again in a recent discussion.
There’s no mistaking Josh Ward as anything but country. We’re not talking about close approximations or the blending of styles in some way. When you think traditional country in the style of classic George Strait, this is Josh Ward. It’s steel guitar, it’s fiddle, it’s twangy lead guitar overlapping lyrics of heartache, sin, and redemption.
See, this is what they should have been doing with the Wal-Mart Yodeling Boy from the start, not sticking him in some studio with Joey Moi of Nickelback fame to record a song left on the cutting house floor after a Florida Georgia Line session. Mason Ramsey doesn’t even need to be singing original songs at this point.
All you have to do to turn your friends and family into Turnpike Troubadours fans is to play them the music. If there was one artist, one band out there that can bridge all gaps between your pop country friends to your hard rock buddies, it’s Turnpike. Young or old, male or female, city, country, or suburban, the music resonates with all.
Granted, you’re making a perilous decision pinning your hopes on someone like Garth Brooks to help turn the needle to the positive in popular country. But a big honky tonk song from him could give the emerging movement a big boost. We’ll just have to see.
Remember a couple of weeks back when the 85-year-old Willie Nelson had the runs so bad he couldn’t perform in Charlotte? They’ve announced additional performers for the makeup date, and all of a sudden what was supposed to be a simple makeup performance for Willie has turned into a pretty badass show all unto itself.
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit’s next album will be a live one recorded at the Mother Church of Country Music, the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. And as part of the release, he will play another one of his historic residencies at the historical landmark—a place he’s sold out for 14 consecutive dates and counting.
Bentley’s new record The Mountain is not some dramatic return to his bluegrass roots, and it’s probably not even fair to call it rootsy aside from a few songs. But it is a return to Dierks Bentley doing what he does best, which is putting out good, quality, often inspiring songs that are raised in importance since they’re something you enjoy with others.
