The final chapter has been written on the highly-anticipated and much maligned movie on the life of country music icon Hank Williams, at least until the DVD is released. “I Saw The Light”—starring Tom Hiddleston as Hank, written and directed by Marc Abraham, and based off of the Hank biography written by Colin Escott—is a commercial flop. This is on top of receiving terrible reviews…
Though Merle Haggard is no longer around to record and release new music, that doesn’t mean there isn’t unheard, unreleased recordings waiting to be unearthed for the public in the future. As is often the case with music artists who pass away, unreleased Merle Haggard music remains vaulted away, either as leftovers and outtakes from previous recording sessions, or in Merle’s case, purposely stashed away…
The story from W. Earl Brown about Toby Keith and Merle has now been shared on Facebook nearly 100,000 times, and websites like Taste of Country and others have picked it up. But despite it being a touching tribute to Merle and a great story, the Mandalay Bay concert with Toby Keith was not the final concert Merle Haggard ever played as is being reported.
On his 79th birthday, one of the most legendary performers in country music history has died. According to numerous sources, Merle Haggard passed away this morning, April 6th. This story is developing, and Saving Country Music will keep you abreast via continued updates as details emerge and remembrances pour in.
A natural phenomenon that has been baffling scientists at the University of Alabama for years has taken yet another strange “turn” over the past few months and days. At the grave site of Hank Williams—the legendary country singer who is eternally entombed at the Oakwood Cemetery in Montgomery, Alabama—unexplained seismic activity has been occurring for many years.
It was another stunning night for Kentucky songwriter Chris Stapleton as he dominated the 2016 ACM Awards held Sunday (4-3) night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Stapleton walked away with Song of the Year for “Nobody To Blame,” Album of the Year for “Traveller,” and Male Vocalist of the Year as well. Along with an earlier win for New Male Vocalist of the Year, that give him four total awards.
Now there’s some news, though it’s of a convoluted variety. On Wednesday (3-31), it was announced that Gary Allan had “re-signed” with Universal Music Group Nashville—the parent company of MCA Nashville. The press release spoke about how Gary had been with the label for the entirety of his 20-year career, which is true. But one very important distinction in the press release is that Gary is no longer being promoted by MCA Nashville.
As first announced by Saving Country Music in December, country music’s most famous supergroup, The Highwaymen, will be getting their own American Masters television special. The Highwaymen: Friends Till the End will air Friday, May 27th, at 9 p.m. on most PBS stations. Just announced, accompanying the documentary will be the release of a four-disc CD/DVD live box set.
Dave Cobb’s win for Producer of the Year speaks to just what kind of inroads more independently-minded and organic country music is making in the industry. Compared to the heavy-handed production practices that prevail throughout the country music industry, Dave Cobb took a very relaxed approach to producing Chris Stapleton’s ‘Traveller,’ and you can’t argue with the results.
Tuesday morning (3-29) found country music dignitaries and CMA executives gathered in the rotunda of the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville to announce the newest members to the storied institution. The event was hosted by the fiery Brenda Lee. The 2016 Country Music Hall of Fame inductees were: — Randy Travis in the […]
Before there was Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, Clint Black, Brooks & Dunn, and the other big commercial powerhouses of country music in the late 80’s and early 90’s, there was Randy Travis setting the table for them all, revitalizing the neotraditional sound in country music, opening the door for a new era where country music would reach its commercial pinnacle, and playing a pivotal role in the history of the genre.
“His record label flew us down to Panama City,” they explain. “We pulled off the prank, we executed it. He was doing a meet and greet with the sorority girls, hundreds of girls. We were playing two guys in the sorority so excited to meet Luke Bryan. The company set us up with a one on one. He was wasted. He was plowed. So I just start naming off everybody else’s music.
The new Hank Williams biopic I Saw The Light finally opened in select theaters in New York, Los Angeles, and Nashville on Friday, March 25th, and will be released nationwide on April 1st, and the controversy and criticism of the film continues. I Saw The Light originally debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival on […]
There is no signs of slowing down for Chris Stapleton, and now he’s entered a very elite class in country music. His debut album ‘Traveller’ has officially sold over 1 million copies—actually 1.05 million copies to be exact, with another 27,000 copies sold last week according to Billboard. What does this mean? Aside from adding another digit to the odometer, it puts Stapleton at the very top of the genre in album sales.
We’ve seen flames adorning The Reverend Horton Heat’s Nudie suits, flames painted on Jimbo’s standup bass, flames painted on many of the hot rods you might see pull up to a Horton Heat show, and Jim Heath can blaze on his signature Gretsch guitar like few others. But flames coming out of the side of their tour bus while smoke fills the cabin full of sleeping band and crew members is not the style the band was going for.
Well so much for drama, pomp and circumstance, or anticipation. As informally as sticking a post-it note to the office billboard right beside a reminder to clean the microwave after each use in the breakroom, the ACM Awards have announced the apparent winners of the 2016 “New Artist” categories. Though during certain years, the ACM’s […]
Touring and Merle Haggard have been an interesting proposition lately, ever since he was diagnosed with a double pneumonia back in December. It’s been on again, and off again. As soon as you hear it’s on, he cancels a show last minute due to heath. Then when you hear he’s still recovering, all of a sudden he decides to play a few dates. This has left some fans confused and frustrated, and many concerned.
The big news in country music Tuesday (3-22) was that critically-acclaimed songwriter and performer Brandy Clark would be releasing her sophomore studio album ‘Big Day in a Small Town’ on June 10th. But one question some Brandy Clark fans are asking is why the album has been delayed. It was originally scheduled to be released on April 1st.
On Monday (3-21), the Norman, OK-based country rock band The Damn Quails took to Facebook to solicit the public for help finding their tour manager who went missing during their show in Houston Saturday night (3-19). At roughly 11:00 p.m., 39-year-old Colin Deyalsingh disappeared with no trace from the Firehouse Saloon in Houston, located at 5930 Southwest Fwy (Interstate 69) 77057
Loretta has been working on new music at Johnny Cash’s famous Cash Cabin Studio in Hendersonville, TN over the past eight years, recording over 90 songs. She’s been collaborating with her daughter Patsy L. Russell and John Carter Cash as producers. Loretta signed a new deal with Sony’s Legacy imprint in late 2014 to begin releasing albums again after a long hiatus.
“Man, what a great writer,” Dave says about Brent. “His dad gave me his CD, but a lot of my family plays so I just thought ‘Well, it’s just another CD.’ My wife made me put his CD on in the car of songs he’d been writing. We were driving back to the airport from the funeral that time, and he just knocked me out. He’s like Don Williams. So deep. Such a deep, beautiful writer.”
Though Young was considered mostly a background member of the Outlaw movement for many years, his appearance on the legendary Outlaw documentary Heartworn Highways helped awaken the world to his talent. Though he still remained mostly known through the songs he wrote that others performed, Young had a strong solo career and released a total of 14 albums.
After selling out all of his tour dates in February, playing to packed rooms in Europe in March, selling out every one of his dates in April, and most all of his dates sold to capacity this summer, Chris Stapleton has added some new tour dates in May and September to help keep up with demand.
The longest tenured member of Sturgill Simpson’s band has moved on. After a few weeks of chatter about how he may not be making Sturgill’s next tour, bass player Kevin Black officially announced Tuesday (3/15) that he will no longer be a part of Sturgill’s band moving forward.