2025 Saving Country Music Single of the Year Nominees
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We’ve run down the nominees for Album of the Year and Song of the Year. Now it’s time to give some love to the songs that simply get stuck in out heads and remind us of the sheer joy of music.
Country Songwriter Drifting Towards Homelessness Gets Hand Up
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Beginning in the 00’s, songwriting in country music began to change, and by the early 2010’s, the population of country music songwriters had contracted by as much as 90% by some estimates, as the royalties that helped sustain these writers also began to dry up.
Remembering Ralph Emery, Country Music’s Preeminent Broadcaster (RIP)
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It was the stars of Nashville and beyond that performed the music that made country music famous. But it was Ralph Emery who served it up all to the public in a way that made made it so easy for everyone to invite it into their homes, and into their hearts.
Hailey Whitters Draws From Heartland for Upcoming Album ‘Raised’
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Hailey Whitters is a really important artist to this whole thing. With Americana-level writing chops and a traditional-leaning sound, yet mainstream-level appeal and acceptance, she’s vital to the effort to save country music. She illustrated this with her last album ‘The Dream.’
Dallas Frazier, Writer of ‘Elvira’ and So Many More, Has Died
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Before you can write it, you first have to live it. And Dallas Frazier lived many lives in his lifetime, putting it all in song along the way, and amassing one of the most legendary song catalogs in country music history, while also enjoying moments as a singer and a performer.
The Road Ends: Robert Earl Keen Announces Retirement from Touring
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In a video released on Friday, January 14th, Robert Earl Keen address his fans saying, “It is with a mysterious concoction of joy and sadness that I want to tell you as of September 4th, 2022, I will no longer tour or perform publicly. I plan to continue to write songs,
Demand for Turnpike Troubadours Tickets Crashes Multiple Sites
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Friday, January 14th marked the third opportunity for fans of the Turnpike Troubadours to score tickets to one of their reunions shows after a nearly 3-year hiatus. And though many got lucky, for many others, it was three strikes and you’re out.
Ian Noe Announces New Album ‘River Fools & Mountain Saints’
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The elusive and enigmatic Ian Noe from Kentucky stunned many and left them hungry for more with his debut album Between The Country from 2019. But aside from some scant touring and appearances, the songwriter has been mostly out of the spotlight.
Delay of FOX Country Music Drama “Monarch” is a Big Deal
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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, and especially if you’ve spent any time interfacing with the NFL on FOX over the last few months, you know just how energized the TV network has been about their new country music drama series ‘Monarch.’
Rep. Matt Gaetz Is Wrong Trying to Shut Down 30A Songwriters Fest
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Rep. Matt Gaetz has sent an open letter to Ron DeSantis claiming that the festival is requiring “vaccine passports” from attendees, which would be against Florida law that forbids such requirements. But no such requirement is being made by the festival.
Five Randy Travis Singles Receive New Gold & Platinum Certs
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It had been since 1997—or 25 years—since Warner Bros. had done a proper accounting on Randy’s catalog, and made sure his Gold and Platinum Certifications were current. Now Randy Travis has received five new RIAA Certifications.
Turnpike Troubadours, Lake Street Dive Lead 2022 Floydfest
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Floydfest in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and just off the Blue Ridge Parkway has formally announced their 2022 lineup, and it’s a doozy. Not exclusively a country or roots festival, they consider themselves more a “world” festival, but they always include a healthy dose of cool country.
Grand Ole Opry Unfairly Attacked After Morgan Wallen Appearance
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The Grand Ole Opry is currently facing sharp criticism for allowing Morgan Wallen to perform on Saturday night’s Opry on January 8th. The first detail that everyone must understand is that Morgan Wallen was not a scheduled performer for Saturday evening’s Opry.