Well, if you thought you were already swimming through an upside down world where the NBA and NHL seasons have just been suspended along with pretty much every major music tour and festival to speak of at least until April, well try this development on for size: Ray Wylie Hubbard has signed with Big Machine Records.
The big concert set to officially open the brand new Globe Life Park stadium in Arlington, TX on Saturday, March 14th has been postponed due to Coronaviurs concerns, as well as the show in Austin. Cody Jinks flew into New York, only to find his shows in the area postponed.
The amount of cancellations tied to the Coronavius outbreak can be dizzying to keep up with, even within the confines of independent country and roots. But a few important cancellations are worthy of note, including two dates on the Sturgill Simpson / Tyler Childers tour, and the Mike & The Moonpies Europe tour.
A new original studio album is on the way from Travis Tritt, finally. Announced Wednesday morning (3/11), the 90’s country legend who’s sold more than 30 million records worldwide has signed with the Los Angeles-based record label Big Loud Noise, and will be releasing a Dave Cobb produced record in 2020.
SXSW has not just been canceled for 2020 due to concerns over the Coronavirus. The declaration by the City of Austin of a “local disaster” on March 6th has put the entire organization on the brink, and looking at an uncertain future. SXSW was forced to slash 1/3rd of their full-time workforce.
Another one of The Strangers has reunited with Merle Haggard in the big honky tonk in the sky. Biff Adam—the long-time drummer for Merle Haggard’s backing band passed away in his sleep Saturday evening, March 7th, due to congestive heart failure. He was 83-years-old.
Miranda Lambert has been spending the first part of 2020 on her Wildcard tour. As part of the tour, Miranda has been doing something unique to pay tribute to the first responders who rush into burning buildings and respond to 911 calls when trouble strikes.
The big tribute show at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena for Willie Nelson that transpired on January 12th, 2019 is finally set to be broadcast for the rest of us who couldn’t attend, and it will include some behind-the-scenes footage and interviews as well. Specials for Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers are also on the way.
Texas-based Southern rock band Whiskey Myers are launching their own personally-curated event to be an annual gathering for their fans called the Firewater Festival. It is set to take place October 1st through 3rd, 2020 in Ly Cynge, Kansas about 45 minutes south of Kansas City at the Wildwood Outdoor Education Center.
Pam Tillis will be back in a solo capacity for the first time in a dozen years when she releases her eleventh studio record ‘Looking for a Feeling.’ Influenced not just by her country roots that run deep from her performing father and songwriter Mel Tillis, Pam is also looking to bring her classic rock and soul influences to the table
Featuring 27 dates starting in July, the tour will afford you the opportunity to get plenty of your fill of Blackberry Smoke music, as well as the Allman Betts Band and Wild Feathers. But then you’ll get something you can’t see with any of these bands individually.
Unless you’ve been living on Mars, you probably know all about the often polarizing political opinions of alt-country legend Steve Earle. One of the most outspoken and politically-charged performers of our time, he pulls no punches, either in his music, or on stage. But with his upcoming record, he’s taking a different approach.
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 current “Queen of Bluegrass” Rhonda Vincent will be the next member of the Grand Ole Opry. Surprised on stage by mentor Jeannie Seely Friday night (2-28) during the Grand Ole Opry presentation, Vincent had to ask Seely twice if she was serious (which of course she was), before Vincent responded “Absolutely, 100%. Oh my gosh.”
For many in the Texas and Red Dirt realm, Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen are their #1 and #1A favorite performers. And when they combine their efforts, that appeal is amplified. Though neither imbibes in really strong traditional country in their respective primary projects, when they get together, the fiddle and steel guitar comes to the top.
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…