The Best Country and Roots Festivals in the United States
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Acting as if proximity to you or anyone else is irrelevant, and money is no object, what are some of the best experiences you can have listening to music in America?
John Prine To Receive The Grammy’s Lifetime Achievement Award
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Songwriting legend, Americana forefather, and (possibly) future Country Music Hall of Famer John Prine will be one of the 2020 recipients of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. It will be the biggest trophy John Prine will have received in his illustrious career, right behind the jukebox Steve Goodman bought for him.
Album Review – Nick Shoulders “Okay, Crawdad”
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Casting aspersions on all the fools who cemented their 2019 end-of-year lists before Santa came to town, this singing, yodeling, whistling, mustachioed, Louisiana weirdo named Nick Shoulders just screwed up everyone’s 2019 country music flow charts by releasing a serious “best of” contender here in the middle of shivery December.
The Top 100 Americana Albums and Songs on Radio in 2019
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The Americana Music Association has released the Top 100 Albums and Songs for 2019 according to the amount of radio play each album and song received. The annual report gives listeners a glimpse into the albums, songs, and artists that gained traction in the format over the year, and is a good tool to see what you might have missed.
Handwritten Song Lyrics Became Hot Music Gift in 2019
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It’s not exactly the Tickle Me Elmo craze, but in 2019, a new trend emerged in musical gift giving that we’re likely to see more of in the coming years. It isn’t just a great way to surprise the music lover in your family with a thoughtful and cherished present, it’s a way to help sustain the independent music artists out there.
On Kesha’s Collaboration with Sturgill Simpson, “Resentment”
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A website whose beat is country music really doesn’t have any business broaching a discussion on this song. Not that it’s completely out-of-bounds or objectionably opportunistic to do so. It’s just that despite the characterization of some, this song really doesn’t have anything to do with country music.
“Chillaxification”? The Meaning Behind Kenny Chesney’s Tour Name
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I want to congratulate Kenny Chesney on all of his great country music success with all the albums sold, the massive stadium shows, the incredible sheen he’s able to buff into his forehead, that strange marriage to Renee Zelleweger and whatever happened there, and of course, his always deliciously on-point Panama Jack attire. What an […]
Brent Cobb Announces Intimate Acoustic Tour to Open 2020
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Grammy-nominated country music songwriter and performer Brent Cobb will be touring extensively once again in 2020, and he’ll start by stripping it all down and performing his much-beloved songs in seated, intimate venues this winter in a tour being called, “A Night of Fine Acoustic Country Music with Brent Cobb.”
Country & Roots Music’s Best Live Performers of 2019
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2019 was a stacked year for top live performances. This was supposed to be a list of the top 10 live performances, but due to such a crowded field, things boiled over. And yes, there are three #1 acts. All should be considered equals at the very top level of live performance. They were all so great, it seemed unfair to put one over the other.
New Brandy Clark Album “Your Life Is A Record” Coming
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Grammy nominated, CMA-winning, well-respected and admired singer and songwriter Brandy Clark is prepping the release of a new album in the new year called ‘Your Life Is A Record.’ Though details on the new record are still a little light, Brandy did preview the new record recently during a promotional event.
Album Review – Garrett T. Capps “All Right, All Night”
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Garrett T. Capps is like a country artist without a country. Or more like a country artist without a planet. Space country is what he likes to call his music to attempt to convey the atmospheric and psychedelic flavoring of his brand of honky tonk. It’s a little bit out there, but more country and grounded than you might think.
The Worst “Country” Songs of 2019
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One sign that mainstream country music continues to improve is the decrease in “country” songs that were worthy of rants in 2019 compared to previous years. However there were a few exceptions in 2019, and songs worthy of taking out back to the woodshed. Our full-throated opposition to these monstrosities misappropriated as “country.”
Cheap Trick’s Rick Nielsen Shows Up to Jam with Whitey Morgan
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On Thursday, September 13th, Whitey Morgan and the 78’s played a show at The Apollo near Rockford, Illinois when they had an unexpected visitor stop by in the form of Cheap Trick Rick, a.k.a. Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Rick Nielsen. “Apparently he is a fan,” Whitey Morgan tells Saving Country Music. “He’s a great dude.”