This news comes after a protracted wait for new original music from Jamey that goes back to September of 2010 when he released his last original album of music, The Guitar Song. In 2012 Jamey also released Living For A Song: A Tribute to Hank Cochran, but it did not contain any new Jamey Johnson-penned songs. Jamey has been in a contract dispute with his publisher.
The crown jewel and center of interest at this weekend’s auction of the Waylon Jennings estate was the 1958 Ariel Cyclone motorcycle once owned by Waylon’s mentor Buddy Holly and given to Waylon on his birthday in 1979. Though early reports had the motorcycle not reaching the auction reserve with a bid of $375,000, SCM has confirmed with Guernsey’s Auctioneers that the bike indeed did sell…
The third important role in the new Hank Williams biopic I Saw The Light has been cast. 19-year-old Maddie Hasson from New Bern, North Carolina, who previously played Willa Monday in the Fox TV show The Finder, and currently co-stars in the ABC Family show Twisted has been cast in the role of Billie Jean—Hank’s second wife and an important woman in country music lore.
Over the weekend, Johnny Cash’s daughter Rosanne Cash ventured out to Folsom, CA to cut the ribbon at the new Johnny Cash Trail and Overpass, which includes a pedestrian and bike bridge that replicates the castle-style guard towers of Folsom Prison’s east gate. After the 2.5 mile trail is complete, planners want to create a 2-acre park beside the trail that will include a 50-foot statue of Cash.
Indio, California’s country version of the massive Coachella Festival bucks the trend of most corporate country music festivals by casting independent artists and legacy acts in their lineup right beside some of the biggest current names in the country music industry as well as major label up-and-comers. This is the environment that cultivates cross-pollination between independent artists and a wider fan base.
Waylon fans and collectible enthusiasts from around the country and world made their way to the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, AZ or tuned in online to a 2,000-item estate liquidation from the Arizona homestead of the late Waylon Jennings. The auction was conducted by Guernsey’s of New York who compiled over 500 lots of Waylon’s personal effects.
Friends, fans, and family of slain country music artist Wayne Mills will have to wait a little longer to attempt to get the answers and justice they seek in the songwriter’s death. The 2nd Degree Murder trial for the man accused of killing Wayne, bar owner Chris Ferrell, has been pushed back nearly five months from its originally scheduled date.
“I’m as respectful of the man’s work ethic as I’m mystified by his transformational skills. Without a doubt, the filmmakers chose the right actor for the job.” This is the long and short of how Rodney Crowell feels about the job British actor Tom Hiddleston is doing to morph himself into Hank Williams for the upcoming biopic “I Saw The Light.”
On Thursday night October 2nd, the International Bluegrass Music Association held their 25th Annual Awards ceremony in Raleigh, NC at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts. Big winners included Noam Pikelny who won both Album of the Year, Special Consensus who won for Recorded Event of the Year, and Balsam Range who took home Entertainer of the Year.
Fans of elite folk/Americana songwriter James McMurtry have been waiting a long time for new music from the famous son and fixture of Austin’s Continental Club. McMurtry released his last studio record Just Us Kids in April of 2008. Soon fan’s patience will be rewarded. James McMurtry has partnered with the label Complicated Game out of Los Angeles to release a new record in February of 2015.
One of country music’s most famous families is now bigger by one. Holly Williams, granddaughter of Hank Williams and daughter of Hank Williams Jr., gave birth to Stella June Coleman on Tuesday, Sept. 30th in Nashville at 1:45 PM. The 7 lbs., 12 oz. baby girl was named after Holly’s great, great aunt, and June was Williams’ grandmother, and the subject of one of the seminal songs on Williams’ last album.
Jim Ed Brown, member of the influential early country family band The Browns, esteemed solo artist, and long-time devoted member of the Grand Ole Opry, has been diagnosed with lung Cancer. Brown made the announcement today after he was forced to cancel a few shows recently. “I am forever grateful for the love, support, and prayers during this time,” Jim Ed said in a statement.
Outlaw queen, regular Grand Ole Opry last-minute stand-in, SiriusXM DJ, and general badass Elizabeth Cook has decided to take some time off to deal with personal matters. Many were concerned that Elizabeth may be suffering from a serious health issue. It was revealed today that the country star appears to be suffering from severe exhaustion.
The George Jones Museum and Event Center is coming to downtown Nashville. This is the news relayed from George’s widow, Nancy Jones, who announced today that she has spent $4.35 million on two pieces of adjacent property. Early plans call for a 44,000 sq. ft. facility that would include event space, a music venue, restaurant, and gift shop, all to commemorate the legacy of George Jones.
Just over two months since the body of 22-year-old Cory Barron was found by a landfill worker in New Russia Township, OH after the young man had gone missing at Jason Aldean’s July 18th concert at Progressive Field in Cleveland, and friends and family still don’t have any answers as to the circumstances surrounding his death, and maybe never will.
18-year-old concertgoer Sean Murphy was accused of raping a 17-year-old girl and was arrested on the scene. The incident ended when a woman attending the concert asked the girl if what was happening was consensual, and she said, “No,” according to the Sun Chronicle, and the woman pulled the suspect off the girl who then fled. Now prosecutors have dropped rape charges against the teen.
On July 13th, Tim McGraw slapped a woman named Jesslyn Taylor in the crowd at the at Aaron’s Ampitheatre in Atlanta while numerous cameras captured the incident on tape. A new report from Radar Online posted Tuesday shows Jesslyn Taylor recorded on camera for the first time speaking out about the incident, and saying that McGraw still owes her an apology.
On Monday, September 22nd, the subset of American country music known to many by its nickname “Bro-Country,” died at its home in Nashville, TN. Though the specific cause of death has yet to be ruled on by the local medical examiner, preliminary findings appear to show that Bro-Country had been exhaustively over-utilized over the last few months and years until it finally passed away from overexposure.
Ever since Randy Travis suffered a severe heart malady and subsequent stroke on July 7th of 2013, fans have been concerned about the condition of the country star, with little to no true information about his health condition or status. Now we get to see the first video of Randy, who is seen walking with the aid of a cane and looking good as he attended an annual fundraising function in in Denison, TX.
Today would have been the 91st birthday of Hillbilly Shakespeare Hank Williams, and we get news that a new movie is in the works based around a novel written by alt-country pioneer Steve Earle called I’ll Never Get Out Of The World Alive. The movie will be stared in and produced by Australian actor Chris Hemsworth, most famous for playing Thor in recent comic book movies.
72 hours have passed since Toby Keith delivered a drunken performance at the Klipsch Music Center just outside of Indianapolis on Saturday Night, and angry fans, some of which spent upwards of $300 for tickets, have still yet to receive any apologies or explanation. Though the complicit country music media has completely avoided this story, many major local news outlets in Indianapolis and elsewhere.
Texas singer-songwriter Radney Foster is on the lookout for ten guitars and a Del Rio amp that was stolen from him recently, including the 1988 Gibson J-100 he can be seen holding above, and a Martin D-28 that was the first guitar he ever bought. The guitars were taken recently from a locked storage unit in Nashville. Thieves apparently busted the door jamb to enter the locked unit.
Saturday Night (9-13) Toby Keith made a tour stop at the Klipsch Music Center in Noblesville, Indiana just outside of Indianapolis on his “Shut Up & Hold On” tour presented by Ford F-Series Trucks, and according to many of the concert goers, Toby was too drunk to perform, put on a terrible show, and now some fans are demanding their money back.
Lucinda Williams is getting ready to release a double LP called Down Where the Spirit Meets the Bone on September 30th through her new label Highway 30 Records on Thirty Tigers. Lucinda Williams stopped down to talk to Rolling Stone, and she had some interesting things to say when asked if she pays attention to mainstream country much these days.