Not that you needed any more validation of just how much of a good dude the 2-time reigning Saving Country Music Artist of the Year Tyler Childers is, but he just proved it yet again. After playing a full show on New Year’s Eve, wishing everyone a Happy New Year’s, Tyler stayed after the show to help the Appalachia Wireless Arena crew clean up.
You can’t blame Texas/Red Dirt fans for being a little jumpy these days. After the announcement from the Turnpike Troubadours earlier this year about their indefinite hiatus, some fans are worried what other bands 2019 might claim before the end of the year. But according to Cody Canada, everything is cool.
If you needed any more confirmation of just how cool Alan Jackson is, for the second year in a row he’s chosen the openers for his upcoming tour not out of the mostly paltry class of up-and-coming major label talent looking for attention. Instead, he’s turned to Lower Broadway in Nashville, and the stage of his own AJ’s Good Time Bar.
Forget that in less than two months from now, Tyler Childers will be taking off on a national arena tour with fellow Kentuckian and producer Sturgill Simpson that is already some 25% sold out, Tyler Childers is selling out arenas on his own right at the moment, at least one near his hometown, and on consecutive nights.
Shaky Boots is returning as a replacement for the EDM/hip-hop festival, Shaky Beats. The rock fest Shaky Knees will still be held in 2020 the week before in Atlanta’s Central Park. Also as part of the return is more of an emphasis on independent country and Americana artists, as can be seen in the lineup.
The country and rockabilly legend with a large frame and funny name has left us to entertain from that big stage in the sky. Sleepy LaBeef, born Thomas Paul LaBeff, passed away the day after Christmas at 84-years-old after a long decline in health, leaving a 6.5-foot hole to fill in the legacies of both rockabilly and country.
Knoxville, Tennessee’s alt-country/Americana outfit The Black Lillies have announced an indefinite hiatus. In a statement released on Thursday, December 26th, the band said, “After eleven years, five albums, approximately 2000 shows, and countless relationships built along the way, the time has come for us to take a step back…”
23-year-old Michael D. Mosley was wanted in connection with the killing of Clayton Beathard, 22, and Paul Trapeni III, 21, and the injury of a third man on Saturday, December 21st shortly before 3AM outside the Dogwood Bar in Nashville on the 1900 block of Division Street. Clayton is the brother of Tucker Beathard, and the son of Casey Beathard.
Christmas came early for ticket holders of the Texas Music/Red Dirt/Americana-oriented Mile 0 Fest set to transpire in Key West, Florida on January 28th-February 1st, 2020, as well as for those still sitting on the fence about if they want to go, or those who might have a ticket waiting for them under the Christmas tree.
Releasing a live record is seen as a rite of passage for many artists. And with the energy she brings to a live show, you would think Miranda Lambert would be a good candidate for one. Many fans have been requesting a live record, and now some 15+ years into her career, you would think she’s about due. But she says it’s not going to happen.
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. 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 have just been added.
Mike and the Moonpies are bar none the best country music band out there at the moment, and recently tied for 1st in Saving Country Music’s rundown of the Best Live Performers in 2019. This may be one of those situations where your opportunity to see a band like this in smaller venues is finite, so take advantage of it while you can.
Songwriting legend, Americana forefather, and (possibly) future Country Music Hall of Famer John Prine will be one of the 2020 recipients of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. It will be the biggest trophy John Prine will have received in his illustrious career, right behind the jukebox Steve Goodman bought for him.
Grammy-nominated country music songwriter and performer Brent Cobb will be touring extensively once again in 2020, and he’ll start by stripping it all down and performing his much-beloved songs in seated, intimate venues this winter in a tour being called, “A Night of Fine Acoustic Country Music with Brent Cobb.”
Grammy nominated, CMA-winning, well-respected and admired singer and songwriter Brandy Clark is prepping the release of a new album in the new year called ‘Your Life Is A Record.’ Though details on the new record are still a little light, Brandy did preview the new record recently during a promotional event.
On Thursday, September 13th, Whitey Morgan and the 78’s played a show at The Apollo near Rockford, Illinois when they had an unexpected visitor stop by in the form of Cheap Trick Rick, a.k.a. Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Rick Nielsen. “Apparently he is a fan,” Whitey Morgan tells Saving Country Music. “He’s a great dude.”
Shooter Jennings and Lukas Nelson got together to recreate the magic of their famous fathers on a new rendition of “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys,” originally written and performed by Ed Bruce with his wife Patsy. But of course you only get a teaser version of the song in the opening segment of ‘The Ranch.’
As first reported by Saving Country Music in October, The Grand Ole Opry will finally be returning to television via the recently-announced Circle Network owned by the Opry Entertainment Group—or at least portions of the show will be, along with expanded specialty programming tied to the iconic country music institution.
If you’re going to be in Tulsa this New Years, let me just say on behalf of all the country and roots fans that won’t be, we hate you and your ugly stupid face. It’s completely unfair that you’ll get the opportunity to take in some of the best lineups of performers this side of the big festivals.
The SteelDrivers have about all you need from music: The drive and instrumentation of bluegrass, the grit of country, the energy of rock, the soul of the South, the songwriting of Americana, and four Grammy noms and a win that prove they do it all better than most. They’re the best elements of American roots music wrapped into one.
In 2019, an interesting new destination festival popped up just outside of Whitefish, Montana called Under The Big Sky. With acts such as Dwight Yoakam, Cody Jinks, Whitey Morgan, and Amanda Shires on the bill, it got the attention of true country fans, but the question was if it would be worth the trek.
Luke Combs doesn’t need any help selling tickets on his currently sold-out “Beer Never Broke My Heart” tour. He’s arguably the biggest artist in all of country music at the moment. But he’s calling in the cavalry for his show Saturday night at San Antonio’s 18,000-capacity AT&T Center anyway. Combs has tapped the fast-rising Flatland Cavalry.
In the official autopsy and toxicology report obtained by Saving Country Music, Medical Investigator Lori Proe of the New Mexico University School of Medicine confirms Kylie Rae’s degree of inebriation, and that she died due to blunt force trauma during the accident. No other drugs or intoxicants were found in Kylie Rae’s system.
Austin, TX is losing yet another music legend. The latest to join the stampede out of the Live Music Capital of the World is Grammy winner and guitar-playing legend Redd Volkaert. Renown throughout the country music world and beyond for being one of the greatest Telecaster players in history, Volkaert once played in Merle Haggard’s band.