This is the sound of tattooed scars, cauterized wounds, and calloused hands. This is the sound of folks with sinewy muscles and bulging veins earned not from pumping iron, but from forging steel and beating back rust.
Not all birthdays and anniversaries in country music are built the same. The centennial of the birth of Hank Williams on September 17th, 2023 has been 100 years in the making, and will be celebrated by country music fans across the world.
The horror on this poor woman’s face says it all. What could cause this reaction? Let’s look at some of the worst case scenarios in country music.
Jimmy Buffet wasn’t just a musician. He was the embodiment of resetting your mood, of centering the right priorities in life, and of making sure you don’t waste your time on Earth by making sure you budget time for wasting.
Tony Jackson’s new album “I’ve Got Songs To Sing” could be his big breakout moment, especially at a time when Tony Jackson’s version of traditional country is on the upswing.
Old Crow Medicine Show is at its best when they embrace the wild assed hillbilly street performer persona. Crow has always put the “show” into their version of throwback country.
Out of ashes came rebirth, including Bloodshot Records being relaunched after its sale to Exceleration Music, settling up with Jason Hawk Harris for back owed money, and agreeing to release his new album.
The widespread support Oliver Anthony enjoys spans across political, social, and geographical, and racial lines. It includes an international reach, and cross-genre support well beyond country music.
After taking some time out of the spotlight to fight the Cancer, Keith is now starting to battle back and appear in public again. But don’t expect a bunch of new songs from him anytime soon.
This tour will be an opportunity to see Vincent Neil as the headliner and in smaller venues. As is commonly said these days, see these guys in intimate settings while you still can, because you never known when they’ll blow up.
The Country Music world has lost an incredibly important and pioneering drummer. On August 28th, Roland “Arnie” Adams passed away at home, reportedly from a late-stage cancer.
If you went to see George Jones for some 25 years, it was difficult to impossible to miss Ron Gaddis on stage with him. He was one of the most famous “Jones Boys” for the latter half of George Jones’ career.
Just as fulfilling as discovering a brand new artist and watching them rise to fame, it’s similarly rewarding to stumble upon a local band whose music has national implications and is better than all those major radio acts.
So much damn country music talent will be assembled all in one place, it very well my cause a rip in the country music space-time continuum, and Merle Haggard himself might waltz on out and sing “Mama Tried” one more time.
There has been yet another huge shakeup in the world of independent country music, and Texas-based booking and management agencies. True Grit Talent Agency has been acquired by WME.
Zach Bryan deftly and poignantly encapsulates the sincerest feelings of people that they can’t begin to express themselves. When they listen to his songs, it’s like staring straight into their very souls.
The hits keep coming, and the Top 25 Playlist continues to be overloaded with songs that feel essential for the public to be heard. This latest update includes numerous songs that might go down as the best all year.
What the reaction to Luke Bell’s death certified was that he was a candidate to have a posthumous career in the same vein as Townes Van Zandt, Blaze Foley, and other singer/songwriters whose music feels so elemental.
Those who are generally timid of nature, go ahead and turn back now. But for the rest of you who love their music loud and Southern, it’s time to celebrate the announcement of a brand new album from Blackberry Smoke.
The story of the Turnpike Troubadours is one of a victory, where the better angels of a bunch of friends from Tahlequah, Oklahoma refused to allow some moments of weakness and the outside noise to tear asunder something…
On Thursday (8-24), the track list for Tyler Childers’ “Rustin’ In The Rain” was revealed on Spotify’s poorly-named but pretty good “Indigo” playlist. Childers says that the album is mostly love songs, with the deeper tie-in being the mules.
Beyond the big headlines and the culture war back-and-forths, the regular rhythms of country music continue on, like the rare but vaunted invitations to join country music’s most storied institution.
Not only is Nelly not a country artist, his very troubling record with sexual assault accusations makes him the antithesis of the type of person the ACM Honors should be highlighting.
Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye. I unilaterally declare that August 25th in the Year of Our Ford 2023 will be officially recognized as a country music holiday, with all right and privileges thereof.
