The Circle Remains Unbroken at Inaugural Unbroken Circle Festival
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It’s official. Independent country and roots music has a new killer festival on the calendar. It’s called the Unbroken Circle Music Festival, and it happened September 4-6 on the banks of the Ohio River.
Willie vs. The Weaponizing of Music In The War of Identity
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“We are all the same. There is no difference anywhere in the world. People are people. They laugh, cry, feel, and love, and music seems to be the common denominator that brings us all together. Music cuts through all boundaries and goes right to the soul.” — Willie Nelson
Colter Wall Adds to 2019 Tour Dates, Including w/ The Wood Brothers
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Throwback country and folk singer Colter Wall is currently traversing the European continent bringing his one-in-a-million voice and roots revivalist music to the Old World, and then he will be returning to North America come April to perform the music from his latest album ‘Songs of the Plains’ to appreciative audiences.
Album Review – Emily Scott Robinson’s “Traveling Mercies”
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Singer and songwriter Emily Scott Robinson has released a remarkable work of cutting autobiographical stories mixed with brilliant works of fiction that even from this early perspective in the calendar year can confidently be presented as one that will challenge for one of the best collections of songs released in all of 2019.
Dustin Schaefer Leaves The Black Lillies, To Fill In with Reckless Kelly
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Guitarist Dustin “Dusty” Schaefer has left the Knoxville-based roots band The Black Lillies, and will be pursuing his solo career henceforth. But not before he will take the lead guitar spot recently vacated in Austin-based alt-country band Reckless Kelly for a stint starting in mid April.
Yes, A Guy Named Colby Swift Sang Cody Jinks on ‘American Idol’
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You may not know whether to laugh or cry, cheer or jeer, but Cody Jinks was just exposed to a huge national and international audience, though he wasn’t there in person to soak it up. Instead the exposure happened on Sunday night’s (3-17) episode of ‘American Idol’ via a contestant by the name of Colby Swift
Country Hall of Fame Makes “Joke” By Snubbing Hank Jr. / Jerry Lee Lewis
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Everyone has an opinion of who should be in the Hall of Fame. But few held the opinion it should be Ray Stevens. Sorry Hall of Fame. Love you, but this was a bad, bad pick. What a joke. Hank Williams Jr., Jerry Lee Lewis, Maddox Brothers and Rose, and a host of other performers were much more deserving.
Brooks & Dunn Announced as Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees
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Brooks & Dunn will be the newest inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame in the Modern Era. This was the news coming out of the press conference held Monday morning (3-18) in the Hall of Fame rotunda in Nashville. Brooks & Dunn was a commercial powerhouse duo in the 90’s if there ever was one.
“King of the Surf Guitar” Dick Dale has Died
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From country to punk, from rockabilly to blues, from pioneering some of the most important sounds and modes on the most influential instrument of the last century, Dick Dale was a guitar god, a cultural icon, the soundtrack to generations of fans, and a forger of the future of all American music art forms. And now the “King of the Surf Guitar” is gone.
Willie Nelson’s Luck Reunion is the American Roots Gathering of the Year
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What started out to be a small and intimate alternative to Austin’s sprawling SXSW gathering every March, and that was only known initially through invite or word of mouth, has now become arguably the most important and exclusive gatherings in all of American roots music every year.
Loretta Lynn & Patsy Cline The Focus of Upcoming Biopic
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A film delving into the life and friendship of two of country music’s most iconic performers is set to be shot this month and released later in 2019. Called ‘Patsy & Loretta,’ it will follow the careers of Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn as they intertwined in the early 60’s.
Cody Johnson Sells 73,009 Houston Rodeo Tickets, Beats Mainstream Competition
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The incredible accolades and numbers just keep racking up for Texas country music artist Cody Johnson. After hitting #1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart with his recent album Ain’t Nothin To It, he rolled into Houston’s NRG Stadium on Friday night (3-15) for a performance on the star-shaped stage for a crowd of 73,009.
Album Review- Maren Morris’s “GIRL”
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Maren Morris certainly isn’t the first, will most definitely not be the last, and can’t even be described as the worst to ply pop elements in country either in part or predominantly. It is certainly true from any honest and objective perspective that Maren Morris’s second record, GIRL, is one of the most exclusively pop albums to ever be released in country.