Album Review – Hayden Baker’s “Alive & Well”
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It’s time you graduate from “never heard of him” or “sounds familiar” to “he’s my new favorite traditionalist” when it comes to fielding queries about Hayden Baker.
Blake Shelton Deserves Credit For Success of “Friends & Heroes” Tour
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Yes, Captain Old Farts & Jackasses has given traditional country fans plenty of reasons to give him a hairy eyeball over the years or curse his name under their breath (anyone remember the tractor rapping of “Boys ‘Round Here”?) But I’ll be damned if Blake Shelton hasn’t been on some prolonged traditional country kick lately.
Billboard Must Remove Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” From Country Chart
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The debate about what is country music and what isn’t is an eternal one. But a 1:53-long viral “song” that is really nothing more than an internet meme entitled “Old Town Road” by rapper “Lil Nas X” has rekindled the debate anew, with critical implications behind it.
Jerry Lee Lewis Cancels Shows to Recover from Stroke
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Country music legend and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jerry Lee Lewis has been forced to cancel some upcoming shows as he continues to recover from a recent stroke. The 83-year-old suffered what was characterized as a minor stroke on February 28th, and initially was not expected to miss any of his performance commitments.
Sturgill Simpson on New Album: “It’s Definitely Not a Country Record”
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It feels like any day now we’ll hear something about a new record coming from Sturgill Simpson. But just in case the country fan in you is hoping it will be a return to Sturgill’s roots, and similar to his earlier records like ‘High Top Mountain’ and ‘Metamodern Sounds in Country Music’, you best steel yourself for something else.
Album Review – Tom Russell’s “October in the Railroad Earth”
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This album is a story of America, and who better to tell it than Tom Russell. His years have only embellished and refined his wit and craftsmanship, and he never lost his hunger along the way. There are good reasons why Russell is so revered by his musical and literary peers, and those reasons remain evident on “October in the Railroad Earth.”
The 2019 Tumbleweed Festival Announces Daily Lineups
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The Tumbleweed Music Festival set to take place just outside of Kansas City May 30th through June 1st has just announced their daily lineups for 2019, and the festival will have a slightly different complexion from previous years by putting all the performers on one main stage.
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.