On Vince Gill Endorsing Taylor Swift for the Country Hall of Fame
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What else was Vince Gill going to say to a loaded, ambush question? He wasn’t going to say, “No, Taylor Swift’s pop and her music sucks.” He’s Vince Gill, and will give a Vince Gill answer. But the problem wasn’t Vince’s answer.
Album Review – Shane Smith & The Saints – “Norther”
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Perhaps no other band calls to mind the most defining and elemental moments of life than Shane Smith and the Saints. And perhaps no other album Shane Smith and the Saints have released accomplishes this better than “Norther.”
Blackberry Smoke Drummer Brit Turner Dies of Brain Cancer
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Along with being a founding member of the band since its inception in 2000, Brit Turner was the actual brother of Blackberry Smoke bass player Richard Turner, and was also considered the big brother to everyone in the band.
Opry’s 2024 NextStage Class Features Surging Independent Talent
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Started in 2019, the Grand Ole Opry’s NextStage program looks to highlight rising talent by featuring them more regularly on the Opry stage, and across the Grand Ole Opry’s various programs and properties.
Godfather of Austin Blues, Stevie Ray Vaughan Mentor W.C. Clark Dies
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There are few guys whose legacies loom larger in Austin, TX than blues guitar legend W.C. Clark. Though the blues is where he resided, his influence ran like a vein throughout all the music originating in the Live Music Capital of the World.
Remembering “First Lady of the Banjo” Roni Stoneman (RIP)
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It can be a big challenge to distinguish yourself from the crowd when you’re one of 23 children. But that’s exactly what Roni Stoneman did through her illustrious career as a banjo maestro, singer, actor, and comedian.
Album Review – Jonathan Peyton’s “Nothing Here’s The Same”
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Peyton firmly places himself in the community of country and Americana’s strong contemporary songwriters writing songs that don’t just distract from our demons and internal dilemmas, but address them.
Bristol Rhythm & Roots Fest Announces Initial 2024 Lineup
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If you go to Bristol Rhythm and Roots in 2024, you’ll get your face rocked off by 49 Winchester, The Red Clay Strays, Silverada—all of which are considered some of the best live bands in the business.
4-Story Bar & Venue Coming to the Ernest Tubb Record Shop Location
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Both the current ownership group of the building, and the company the owners have partnered with to lease and manage the property, are not currently committing to saving the record shop business itself.
Album Review – Blackberry Smoke’s “Be Right Here”
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At this point, Blackberry Smoke has nothing more they need to prove to anyone. They’re an institution, and the Georgia natives have stepped up to fill the shoes of the Southern rock bands that have come before them.
Sturgill Simpson, Gary Stewart Among 2024 Kentucky Hall of Fame Class
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The Kentucky Music Hall of Fame has just announced their 2024 class, and as can be expected there is a heavy dose of country and bluegrass greats going in. This includes Ketucky natives Sturgill Simpson and Gary Stewart.
Dispelling the Ray Charles “Only One Country Album” Myth
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One of the most common misunderstandings when it comes to Black performers in country music is the legacy of Ray Charles. Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2022, his legacy is regularly diminished.
Kelsey Waldon Rides Winning Streak into New Album Announcement
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Kelsey Waldon has released plenty of original songs in her career. But on this new project, she mines the great American songbook to recreate her original inspirations for deciding to become a country singer in the first place.