Like someone with the Coronavirus coughing in your face, here come the 2020 ACM Awards nominations. With Maren Morris and Thomas Rhett leading the pack of nominees with five nominations each, Justin Bieber receiving three nominations, you might as well be getting news from the local doctor where you’re quarantine station is located.
Few performers in the last few years have embodied the Outlaw honky tonk spirit and injected it with a dose of West Coast and Bakersfield flavor like Jaime Wyatt. Now she’s back with a full LP called “Neon Cross” to be released by New West Records, and is once again being as honest and unapologetically country as ever.
The numbers for the song, and for Tyler Childers in general are incredible. But looking bigger picture at the accomplishment, this will be about the opening of a new era in music where non-radio, independently-minded musicians with creative control of their music began to compete with their mainstream counterparts in sales.
The 2020 Ameripolitan Awards were handed out on Monday night. Meant to recognize American music with a strong roots influence that often gets lost in the realm of popular music, as Nick 13 of Tiger Army said when presenting an award, “The music that the mainstream has forgotten, that’s the music we remember.”
Willie Nelson will release his triumphant 70th studio album called First Rose of Spring come April 24th via Sony’s Legacy imprint. Seceding much of the songwriting to others on this effort aside from a couple of tunes, the title track comes from the pen of Randy Houser, Allen Shamblin, Mark Beeson, and has been released ahead of the record.
Jon Pardi continues to show leadership in helping to return an element of twang and substance to country radio. After the debut single and title track from his latest record Heartache Medication went #1, making it the first mainstream country radio song in nearly eight years. Now he’s going to release “Ain’t Always The Cowboy.”
Set to perform at the sold-out Ameripolitan pre-party show was Dale Watson and His Lonestars, along with throwback legend Chuck Mead, and James Intveld from California. But the assembled crowd got a lot more than they paid for when country legend and recent Grammy winner Tanya Tucker walked in the door.
It may not exactly be the Grand Ole Opry, but earning an opportunity to debut on the Austin City Limits stage for an appearance on the longest-running TV music program in American history is still a distinct honor, and one now Tyler Childers and Luke Combs will be enjoying during the upcoming season.
If you think a bunch of boys from the Pacific Northwest can’t bring serious heartbreaking twang to country music, then your ears have never rested upon the musical contributions of the much beloved songwriting collective known as Western Centuries. As supergroup (of sorts) assembled from parts and pieces of other projects…
The snarky, anti Bro-Country anthem “Girl in a Country Song” is what put the country music duo Maddie & Tae on the map, but “Die From A Broken Heart” might end up being what makes their career. Despite the lack of radio support, “Die From a Broken Heart” was recently certified Gold by the RIAA. Now it’s finding life on radio as well.
Reprising a touring concept that was first dreamed up in 2019 that seemed a little offbeat but worked very well according to attendees, Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives will be joining The Steve Miller Band out on tour in 2020. Comedian and musician Gary Mule Deer will also play a supporting role on the tour.
George Strait has minted yet another career milestone that puts him in an elite class of musical performers, not just in country music, but anywhere in the world. He’s now officially sold over 10 million tickets to events since first reporting touring revenue officially, only the 2nd country artist to ever do so.
There’s no pulling of punches or production elements here. Co-written with Marcus King about the wild circus that is lower Broadway in Nashville, and employing a Southern rock band behind him in the studio, “Honky Tonk Hell” opens up and entirely new audience for Gabe. But the new record isn’t all fire and brimstone.
It’s not just the fact that Logan Ledger’s voice sounds like a striking combination of George Jones and Dwight Yoakam, and that he could write songs to compliment it, it was about the team that had assembled around his talent, namely highly-decorated producer T Bone Burnett, and Rounder Records.
Paul English, the long time drummer, manager, and right hand man for Willie Nelson, has died, Saving Country Music can confirm. A member of Willie’s band from his start in shady bars in Fort Worth, Texas, all the way up to Willie’s most recent shows, he was the seminal member of Willie Nelson’s Family Band. He also acted as Willie’s manager.
A third-generation mobster who turned state’s witness in 1999 and entered the Federal Witness Protection Program, only to become the mastermind behind two fraudulent restaurant chains attributed to two prominent country music personalities in Toby Keith and Rascal Flatts, has finally been indicted.
When looking to assemble a draft class of strong and talented country music women to return some balance to the genre, you better not let your gaze shoot over the head of Canadian-born, and Austin-forged singer/songwriter Whitney Rose. They don’t just hand out residencies at Austin’s legendary Continental Club to anyone.
The Kansas City Chiefs walked away with the Vince Lombardi Trophy for winning Super Bowl XIL over the San Francisco 49ers last Sunday, but when it came to the musical performer that saw the biggest boost in revenue during the big game’s highly-anticipated advertising segments, it was none other than Johnny Cash.
The Saving Country Music Top 25 Playlist is built to keep you informed on all the best songs and albums coming out right here, right now in country and roots music. It’s available on most all streaming formats (see below), or you can just use the song, artist, and album recommendations to find something new to listen to. New songs just added.
The only way you heard Tanya’s two acceptance speeches is if you were signed into the streaming feed of the Grammy’s “Premier Ceremony,” which transpires hours before the actual Grammy Awards broadcast on CBS. Granted, it’s very understandable why not all the awards are handed out on national television.
Neal McCoy’s tour bus “Old Glory” is the latest to go up in flames in an early morning fire. Luckily, McCoy and all his crew were able to vacate the vehicle before the blaze overtook it, and much of their gear stowed in a separate trailer was also spared. But it is the latest close call involving touring musicians, and fires.
Hold onto your muk lucks because The Hurtin’ Albertans with Corb Lund at the helm will be releasing a new album called “Agricultural Tragic” via New West Records. His first original studio record in five years and his 10th overall, the title is indicative of the theme of the new record, and also defines the approach to country music.
In yet another sign that reigning Saving Country Music Artist of the Year Tyler Childers is one of the hottest commodities in country music at the moment, he has officially sold out his four-night “Country Squire Residency” at the Country Music Mother Church, The Ryman Auditorium, starting with his show Thursday evening (2-6).
From the realm of news to get your country music pants going crazy, Travis Tritt just “Travis T guarantee’d!” that he will have a new album later this year. A new album from a beloved artist is exciting enough. But from Travis Tritt, it’s exceptional, especially if it’s a studio album. It’s been since 2007 and Tritt’s album ‘The Storm.’