Many fans of Texas / Red Dirt station 95.9 The Ranch out of Ft. Worth spoke up, and now the radio station has responded. Usually such protestations don’t work, and are chalked up as one of the rigors of changing a radio format. But after such a spirited public backlash, The Ranch has reversed course, at least for the moment.
As much as Marty Stuart is a student of country music, he’s also a teacher. And with a refreshing boldness, and frankly a little bit of guts from running the risk of being misunderstood by some of the fuddy duddy fans of traditional country, Marty Stuart encapsulates a critical time in country and all of American music when country music became cool.
“Take This Job and Shove It” became an iconic country music anthem for a generation because it encapsulated the quiet desperation of the working man and the theater of the mind they would succumb to just to make it through another day to feed their families through lean times. Here, the Moonshine Bandits make it into an ode of the great American screwups.
Margo Price was surprised Tuesday (3-7) night when she was beckoned to the headquarters of her record label Third Man Records, and walked in the doors to find a throng of friends, band members, and other supporters there to congratulate her on winning the 2017 American Music Prize.
The Texas scene is still buzzing after the recent format tweak to one of the region’s premier radio stations, 95.9 The Ranch out of Ft. Worth. After adding a few more older catalog Nashville country songs, some classic rock and a little Americana, certain fans of the station were up and arms, hoping the station would stick more to its Texas-centric format.
Now 56-years-old, and having been absent from the country music scene for nearly 20 years, Supernaw is attempting to emerge from his troubled past, taking it one day at a time, and trying to mount a comeback. The once major country music star will release a Greatest Hits album of new versions of his older tunes, as well as two new songs.
In an effort to create more portals to recommend more music, Saving Country Music has launched a Spotify Top 25 Playlist. Unlike other playlists posted by SCM previously, this one will be regularly augmented as time goes on with new tracks deemed worthy of distinction. And no, there will not be any old country music songs on it, that is why it is called “current.”
Kudos to Blake Shelton for giving a hand up to traditional country music through his work on ‘The Voice.’ But if he wanted to show true leadership and really make an impact, he would show that same leadership with his own music.
Country artist David Nail has parted ways from MCA Nashville / Universal after a tumultuous period where his music was stuck in seemingly endless delays, and his last few singles stalled in the charts. In late 2015 / early 2016, Nail became one of many MCA Nashville-signed artists mired in endless delays for new music by the company.
There are few venues more historic than Gruene Hall in Texas, and few living country music artists more legendary than Loretta Lynn. This weekend in Gruene, TX (3-3 and 3-4), Loretta and her kin stopped in for a two-night residency at the legendary dance hall, and country music fans from around the area packed themselves into the nearly 140-year-old venue.
Sturgill made his first 2017 post-Grammy appearance at the Okeechobee, and many fans noticed there was no Laur Joamets, and no horns on stage with him. After the rumor mill got stirring in earnest, Sturgill addressed the issue directly on Sunday (3-5) afternoon.
Fans are so furious over the move, they have hammered The Ranch’s social media accounts with complaints, filled the station’s message board with missives of discontent, someone has set up a Facebook page boycotting the station, and program director/DJ Shayne Hollinger has even received threats of violence.
Joseph Huber now readies his fourth release overall ‘The Suffering Stage’ being self-released on April 21st, and has shared a new song “You Showed Me” that already has folks buzzing. Featuring steel guitar, which is a new sound for Huber, the new song and new album promise to expand the songwriter’s already devout following.
SXSW is an irresponsible mess that puts artists, media, industry, and local citizens in inhumane, and sometimes dangerous positions, even without activating any immigration rules. And hopefully this issue will expose the culture of control that ironically has allowed the event to get completely out of control, and will hopefully encourage SXSW to reform.
Justin Townes Earle is the newest signee to New West Records, and will be releasing his debut album on the label Kids In The Street on May 26th. The release will find Earle coming back into the Americana fold after releasing his last two records Single Mothers and Absent Fathers on Vagrant Records out of California.
Shinyribs is total ridiculousness, and only “country” in fleeting moments and by accident. This goes without saying, so save your comments about what Saving Country Music should and should not be discussing. It’s madness that Shinyribs has been taken in so lovingly and held close to the bosom by the Texas music scene as it has.
Ortega recently decided that her five-year stint in Nashville was no longer worth the struggle. She moved back to Canada, and almost decided to leave country music behind as well. But out of her struggles, losing her label, and looking for a way forward she has recorded a four-song EP called ‘Til The Goin’ Gets Gone.’
Announced Tuesday (2-28), Jamey Johnson has signed a new deal with music rights organization SESAC. Though these rights organization deals happen all the time on Music Row, with artists moving back and forth from ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC for various reasons, this one feels significant if for no other reason than the rhetoric that accompanies it.
Ben Dorcy is the nearly 92-year-old original roadie who started in 1950 and worked with Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash and June Carter, Jerry Jeff Walker, and even more modern artists like Randy Rogers and Jack Ingram. Though he may not be as well known as the artists themselves, Ben Dorcy is one of the most beloved individuals in all of Texas music.
On Tuesday (2-28), Sturgill Simpson addressed ticketing issues with his fans who are seeing these immediate sellouts and tickets getting posted for $400 and up on secondary sites, especially after his popularity has taken a sharp rise due to his Grammy awards and nominations, and a viral Saturday Night Live performance.
Windy City from Alison Krauss comes in at #1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart for the week ending February 23rd, and also comes in at #1 on the Bluegrass Album Chart, #2 on the Americana chart right behind Ryan Adams’ Prisoner, and #5 on the all-genre Billboard 200.
For 40 years, Don Markham was the horn player in Merle Haggard’s backing band, The Strangers. In fact he outlasted every other permanent member in the band, and aside from a few hiatuses throughout the years, was the only constant member. He also played on every single Merle Haggard release since 1974, though you may have not noticed him.
A tribute is finally planned for The Hag, and it promises to be a star-studded event. ‘Sing Me Back Home: The Music of Merle Haggard’ will take place at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Thursday, April 6th to honor what would have been Merle Haggard’s 80th birthday, and to mark the one year anniversary of his passing.
O’Toole had flown earlier on Saturday from Houston’s Hobby Airport to Amarillo, TX in preparation for a show at the GoldenLight Cafe and Cantina with the Corey Hunt Band. After arriving at the airport, he contacted an Uber ride to take him to his hotel.
