New Adds to Saving Country Music’s Top 25 Current Playlist (#172)
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As folks quibble back and forth about what mild superstar should play the Super Bowl Halftime Show, so many great artists, songs, and albums are out there awaiting your discovery that are way more enriching.
Album Review – Hayden Baker’s “Alive & Well”
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It’s time you graduate from “never heard of him” or “sounds familiar” to “he’s my new favorite traditionalist” when it comes to fielding queries about Hayden Baker.
Zach Top Is Opening New Doors for Artists, Young AND Old
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Opportunities are opening up for older artists, many of whom were put out to pasture during the Bro-Country era, or forced to capitulate to the current sound. There might not be a better example than Joe Nichols.
Ernest Tubb Record Shop Back Open. And Yes, They Have Records
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Don’t ever give up on hope in country music, or its most storied institutions. That’s the lesson to draw from the Ernest Tubb Record Shop in downtown Nashville that recently quietly reopened its doors.
Jackalope Jamboree Pulls Together Killer Lineup for 2026
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The Jackalope Jamboree has just announced their 2026 lineup, and it is a doozie, with Kaitlin Butts headlining Thursday night, Shane Smith & the Saints on Friday, and the Turnpike Troubadours on Saturday.
Website/App Crashes, Sticker Shock for Final Alan Jackson Show
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The pre-sale for the concert officially started on Wednesday morning (10-15) through Seat Geek, and immediately the app and website were crashing, with those getting through experiencing sticker shock.
Album Review – Carter Faith’s “Cherry Valley”
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Not since Caitlyn Smith have we heard this combination of top-caliber songwriting with a superior voice brought to music that can appeal to country and pop fans without losing credibility with either.
Surging Bluegrass Band Mountain Grass Unit Announces Early 2026 Dates
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2025 hasn’t seen that many breakout artists, in country, or really in music in general. Mountain Grass Unit is one of the exceptions, with guitarist Luke Black feeling like one of the next great American pickers.
Kathy Mattea, Suzy Bogguss Part of First Ever Opry Induction/Invitation
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It took 100 years, but it finally happened, and for two deserving women of country music. As part of the Grand Ole Opry’s year-long 100th Anniversary celebration, it saw its first induction/invitation.
One Dead, Many Disgruntled After RedWest Weather Cancellation
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Due to inclement weather, the sets for the Saturday night headliners were washed out, with many fans taking online to complain, one fan dying, and now a class-action lawsuit is being threatened.
50 Year Ago: George Strait Plays First Professional Gig
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From humble beginnings and low expectations to the very pinnacle of the country genre, George Strait is an inspiration for all those country performers getting up on stage to play their first professional gig.
Album Review – “It’s All Her Fault, a Tribute to Cindy Walker”
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It’s a celebration of generations of country women and excellent songwriters, reminding us how important women were to the foundations of country, and how critical they are to preserving those traditions today.
‘Wall Street Journal’ Causes Stir By Initially Calling Johnny Cash “Uncool”
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‘The Wall Street Journal’ stepped in it pretty good late last week while strangely deciding to step into the realm of country music by initially characterizing Johnny Cash as “uncool.”