Zach Bryan Gets His … And Then Some
71 Comments
So much for releasing only one more major label album, mostly stepping away from music, or outright retiring altogether, all of which Zach Bryan has flirted with or overtly promised over the last year or two.
There Should Be No Shame For Musicians Who Took PPP Loans
81 Comments
There should be no shame in major music outfits taking money through the government’s Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP, to keep their road crew and support staff financially stable, despite it being characterized as the cash grab of millionaires by some, aided by certain embellished and misleading headlines in the media.
Album Review – Bo DePeña (Self-Titled)
13 Comments
Whether it’s tried-and-true traditional country, more modern Texas-style country with a little rock ‘n roll swagger, singer-songwriter stuff, or something in between, Laredo, TX-native Bo DePeña has you covered in this new self-titled record, and in only nine songs. Bo DePeña is a name on the rise.
Billy Strings, Michael Cleveland Lead 2020 IBMA Bluegrass Noms
11 Comments
The 2020 IBMA Awards will go forward as scheduled, sans audience of course, but with an exceptional list of nominees for 2020. Leading all nominees is fiddle player Michael Cleveland with seven nominations total, and entirely worthy after releasing the weal-received album Tall Fiddler. He’s followed by the wondrous Billy Strings.
Tyler Childers Streaming Concert from Pickathon Scheduled
13 Comments
The Pickathon Festival near Portland, OR has been helping to make the quarantine a bit more bearable over the last few months by tapping into its vast archive of high quality concert footage and streaming full sets from past years. The 2019 set from Tyler Childers on Pickathon’s Mt. Hood stage is streamed in its entirety.
Country & Southern Rock Legend Charlie Daniels Has Died
143 Comments
Country Music Hall of Famer and Southern rock icon Charlie Daniels has died. The 83-year-old passed away unexpectedly Monday morning (7-6) after suffering a hemorrhagic stroke. Daniels’ death has been confirmed by his publicist, Don Murry Grubbs.
Ennio Morricone: The Influence of the Country Concept Album
26 Comments
Italian film composer Ennio Morricone passed away on Monday (7-6) at the age of 91. And though he will will always be remembered as the definitive mastermind behind the sounds and sonic imagination of the Spaghetti Western, it would be criminal to overlook the influence Morricone had on American country music.
Socially Distanced Concerts Are The Way to Save Live Music
35 Comments
If you’re looking for a solution of how to solve the crisis facing live music at the moment, this is it. And it’s not a hypothetical. Thanks to Granger Smith, his fans, and a forward-thinking city and baseball team, they’ve proven safe music concerts can be done, and done successfully.
New & Reissued Johnny Cash Releases Not To Be Overlooked
16 Comments
For all of you Johnny Cash fans out there, there’s been a bevy of release and announcement activity lately you should be aware of—some of it newer stuff, some of it old, and all of it worthy to be on your radar. Here’s a roundup.
John Prine Posthumously Named Honorary Poet Laureate
16 Comments
John Prine has been posthumously named an Honorary Poet Laureate for Illinois. Born in Maywood, IL and initially rising to fame in the state as the “singing mailman” in Chicago, Prine is the first Illinoisan to receive the honorary designation, which commemorates and celebrates his writing and musical contributions.
Charley Crockett Brings Cinematic Vision to “Run Horse Run”
33 Comments
Charley Crockett has released the song “Run Horse Run” with its Spaghetti Western vibe and Johnny Cash cadence, and it’s accompanied by another video that fits into a greater narrative that he’s looking to build through the album. It’s one of multiple videos Crockett shot in the Sierra Nevada.
The Worst “Country” Songs of 2020 So Far
58 Comments
Due to COVID-19, and then the protests and riots after the George Floyd killing, the Saving Country Music snark machine has been pretty much powered down and collecting dust for the better part of 2020. But there has been as few instances of country music malfeasance so egregious, it would be unconscionable to not address them.
Ashley Ray Ready to Make Waves with New Record “Pauline”
28 Comments
Her name is Ashley Ray. And it’s a name that has ended up in the liner notes of the records of some of country music’s most revered performers like Lori McKenna and Wade Bowen. It’s a name that has been featured in opening slots for Miranda Lambert and Eric Church.