“It’s not an afterthought like the kind of crap that is on country radio now,” said Blackberry Smoke frontman and primary songwriter, Charlie Starr in a recent interview. “It might be some people’s thing but it’s not mine. There’s not much of a statement, there’s no emotion — it’s hollow and that’s a drag.”
“I think right now it’s kind of trending back to more traditional country music, which is what I like and I like to do. So I’m glad to see that. But I can’t put anybody down for having success in the business, which is just tough … I’m not saying I have to like it, but I just know how tough it is.”
In an era when music coverage has become nothing but an endless parade of plaudits by corporate-owned entities looking to drive traffic to their websites, John Conquest was a hard-nosed, honest, dogged, pugnacious, and ruthless critic that would tell it like it is, positive or negative, without holding back.
The Earls of Leicester and Flatt Lonesome were the big winners at the 2016 installment of the International Bluegrass Music Association or IBMA Awards held during the World of Bluegrass conference in Raleigh, North Carolina Thursday (9-29) evening.
You’ve gotta love it when major label country artists get off their guard and actually say what they want to say. Even many of the artists responsible for the worst atrocities against country music know that many of the songs are garbage. They also happen to know who butters their bread and when to lock lips and say the right things.
The Nashville country music community is reeling after the news that one of its own is refusing to make a Christmas album this year despite the blatantly obvious and universally-recognized obligation for anyone and everyone with a record deal and a decently-sized audience to record one this season.
Fraternal twins The Church Sisters—one of the most promising young acts in the traditional country, bluegrass, and Gospel realms—have officially signed with the Valory Music imprint of Big Machine Records. This is after the duo signed a development deal with Big Machine back in August of 2015.
One of the first women in country music to break down the gender barrier, and a six decade member of the Grand Ole Opry, has died. Jean Shepard, famous for recording such iconic songs as “A Satisfied Mind,” “Beautiful Lies,” and her duet with Ferlin Husky on the iconic “A Dear John Letter” passed away Sunday, September 24th. She was 82-years-old.
Country music legend, female trailblazer, and the oldest living member of the Grand Ole Opry Jean Shepard has entered hospice care after being admitted to the Intensive Care Unit earlier this week. This is the news from her son, Hawkshaw Hawkins Jr.
Though there are still many bad songs on country radio and in country music in general, the snapping of Blake Shelton’s #1 streak is just another sign things are beginning to turn around in the mainstream, and artists of more substance are beginning to find more success at the expense of the Bro-Country era’s old guard.
Devarati Ghosh, also known to many as Windmills Country, who among many other much more important contributions to the cultural and educational community was a Saving Country Music contributor, regular commenter, and behind-the-scenes counselor and compass for years, died on September 2nd, 2016.
Riding high after the release of her recent album My Piece of Land and getting ready to participate in this week’s AmericanaFest festivities in Nashville, Amanda Shires and her band had their van broken into while on the stage at the City Winery in Chicago on Monday (9-19) evening.
Marty lived in Glendale, AZ until he enlisted in the Navy at 17 and served in the Pacific Theater in World War 2. It was there he learned to play guitar, and like so many GI’s, fell in love with the steel guitar of Polynesian music. After Marty’s discharge, he started his career in nearby Phoenix, both as a performer and a DJ, and later with his own television show.
The King of Juke Joint Swing Wayne “The Train” Hancock will release his newest album called ‘Slingin’ Rhythm’ via Bloodshot Records. Produced by Lloyd Maines, it finds Wayne Hancock reprising his signature sound that mixes elements of country, Western swing, rockabilly, and blues in a neotraditional style.
Hillary Clinton is not the only one feeling under the weather and needing some time off. Country music’s current First Lady Miranda Lambert has got a case of laryngitis or something similar, and has been put on mandatory vocal rest by her crack team of country music doctors. The result is Miranda will miss at least three of her upcoming shows.
Kelcy Warren, the CEO of Energy Transfer Partners who is behind the Dakota Access project is actually an impresario in the music space and when he’s not dictating the construction of controversial projects or directing the stamping down on dissent against the company. And now some of his musical buddies turning against him.
Country legend Loretta Lynn was forced to cancel her Labor Day weekend appearance at her ranch in Hurricane Mills, TN on Saturday (9-3) after suffering a fall, and now word has come down that the country queen will have to cancel additional dates and will require surgery.
Don’t blame me for taking an “I’ll believe it when I see it” attitude after listening to “Beautiful Drug” and “Tomorrow Never Comes” off of their latest album Jekyll + Hyde, but Zac Brown and the Zac Brown Band have just released a new missive putting their fans on alert that they’re heading back into the studio soon, and will be “returning to their roots” on the new album.
Jerry Reed and Ricky Skaggs may still be on the outside looking in when it comes to the Country Music Hall of Fame, but the Musicians Hall of Fame in Nashville, located on the other side of downtown in the Municipal Auditorium, has decided these two country music superpickers are worthy of induction. And along […]
The seminal instrument of country music would not sound the same, and many of country’s golden hits would not be as sweet if it weren’t for Bud Isaacs, and now he’s gone. A member of the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame, a player on countless country music recordings, and once member of the Ozark Jubilee, Bud Issacs was vital to helping form the sound of country music.
Ben Haggard has long been seen as a promising future talent in country music himself, regularly posting videos online and garnering a significant following. And now he has taken one of the first steps towards launching his own career. Announced this week, Ben Haggard has signed to performing rights organization BMI.
Now that some of the dust has settled since Sturgill Simpson made his inflammatory comments about the mistreatment of Merle Haggard on Monday (8-29), many others have taken the opportunity to weigh in on the matters on both sides of the country music cultural divide.
If your a recent Turnpike Troubadours convert and never got a chance to own their very first debut album Bossier City, you better jump on the opportunity now because for a limited time they’re making it available to the public once again, with proceeds going to a good cause.
The nominees for the 50th Annual CMA Awards have been announced, and Chris Stapleton, Eric Church, and newcomer Maren Morris lead the field each with five nominations. Stapleton continues to be the big surprise, picking up a nomination for the evening’s biggest prize, Entertainer of the Year, and four other nominations.