Austin Songwriters Turn Out for Inaugural Episode of “The Hook”
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From amateur and aspiring, to professional and seasoned, some great songwriters from Austin, TX and surrounding areas showed up to the first installment of The Hook in Austin at Sagebrush.
Willie Nelson Nephew Involved in Billy Joe Shaver Estate Dispute
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Country Music Outlaw and songwriting legend Billy Joe Shaver passed away on October 28th, 2020 at the age of 81, but the matters surrounding his estate remain unresolved, including his recurring songwriting royalties. It’s all the subject of an ongoing legal dispute.
Texas DJ Justin Frazell Pleads No Contest to 2nd Assault Charge
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Former Texas music DJ Justin Frazell has plead No Contest to an indecent assault charge stemming from a December 22nd, 2020 incident in Denton County. It was one of two incidents of a sexual nature that the radio personality had been charged with in the last 14 months.
Album Review – Aaron Raitiere’s “Single Wide Dreamer”
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Aaron Raitiere has this favorable disposition for a songwriter of not taking himself too seriously, and this interesting knack for always being able to see the bright side of things, even if there really isn’t one. “Single Wide Dreamer” is a musical attitude adjustment.
Country Music Mourns Loss of Deborah McCrary of The McCrary Sisters
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There may not be another collection of voices more commonly featured via the recordings and live performances of country and roots artists than The McCrary Sisters—from the top reaches of mainstream commercial country, to the most revered Americana performers.
Mikel Knight Finally Facing Wrongful Death Lawsuit Trial
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It was July of 2014 when a young man named Ky Rodgers first posted a lengthy, firsthand account about his time working on one of the street teams for country rap artist Mikel Knight. This is when many were first made aware of the allegedly dangerous…
Nikki Lane Readies New Album “Denim & Diamonds”
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Writing and performing songs is just one of the many ways Nikki Lane contributes, and instead of just jotting down a few ditties to satisfy some arbitrary release timeline, she decided to savor and experience life, and let the songs come to her for this particular album
Ameripolitan Awards Announce Return for 2023
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Ameripolitan has been mothballed for the last couple of years, with a few fearing if it would ever return. Well just announced, the Ameripolitan Awards, as well as a weekend full of events will return to Memphis. Nominations are now open for the awards.
Tyler Childers Breaks Another Barrier with 2X Platinum Certification
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The paradigm continues to shift, and the possibilities for country artists without the support of mainstream radio and major awards continues to increase with the continued success of Tyler Childers, and specifically the songs from his 2017 album “Purgatory.”
Vandoliers / Shane Smith & The Saints Offer 1st Taste of New Music
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Two bands from Texas who help represent just how diverse and omnivorous the music from Texas can be have just given us the first taste of new music in what will hopefully be two rousing projects to help get us through 2022: The Vandoliers, and Shane Smith & the Saints.
Zach Bryan’s “American Heartbreak” Hits #1, Beats Projections
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Zach Bryan has officially ensconced himself as an independent country music superstar, doing what only a select few other non radio-supported artists have done through grassroots support in the past, which is score a #1 album in country music.
Album Review – Wilco’s “Cruel Country”
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Spoiler alert: This album is not country. Instead, “Cruel Country” is very much a late-career Wilco album, a Jeff Tweedy album, and when you’re expectations are recalibrated to this reality of things, you can actually appreciate this album for what it is.
New Billy Joe Shaver Recording Surfaces, Tribute Planned
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Country Outlaw and songwriting legend Billy Joe Shaver passed away on October 28th, 2020 at the age of 81. But fans of Shaver received a welcomed and unexpected new recording of his classic song “Old Chunk of Coal” that populated across streaming services.