2025 Cotton Fest Boasts Incredible Lineup
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Cotton Fest boasts being “The biggest BYOB country music festival in west Texas,” and who’s gonna argue or check the math with a lineup like that? Coeds from Tech, roughnecks from The Patch, and everyone in-between will be there.
Brandi Carlile Shows Needed Leadership in Launching “Girls Just Wanna” Festival
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Once again Brandi Carlile has proven why she is a gem of independent roots music, and an asset to the planet. While other people have talked, planned, promised, and threatened to throw an all-girl festival or tour in the roots realm, Carlile has hauled off and actually done it.
How Brooklyn Became a Bastion Of Independent Country Music
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In the late 80’s, there was a commercial for Pace Picante Sauce that featured a bunch of cowboys sitting around a campfire eating a chuck wagon dinner. When the cowboys ran out of Pace made in San Antonio (by folks who know what Picante sauce is supposed to taste like, the commercial proclaimed), the cook […]
Kenny Chesney’s “Better Boat” (co-written by Travis Meadows)
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Nearly everything about “Better Boat” is right. The songwriters Travis Meadows and Liz Rose are right. The entirety of the instrumentation being performed by Mac McAnally on an acoustic guitar is right. Kenny choosing songwriter Mindy Smith to perform the song with instead of some pop star is right.
Willie Nelson’s Earliest Recordings Released in “Things to Remember – The Pamper Demos”
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For the first time—at least in physical form—Willie Nelson’s earliest recordings have been compiled together and released as a proper album. Called ‘Things To Remember–The Pamper Demos,’ it contains the very first recordings of what would go on become some of Willie Nelson’s most iconic songs.
Corb Lund Hits Texas and the West on “Western Destinations” Tour
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“I’ve been wanting to do a tour like this for years and years, so I’m thrilled that it is finally happening,” says Corb Lund. “We’re playing a bunch of places we’ve never been before and it’s long overdue. I grew up in a rodeo and ranching family and I write songs about western life, so it makes sense for me to do a tour focused on this part of America.”
Women Performers Speak Out Against 50/50 Trolling of Festivals
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Plain and simple, the trolling of music festivals on Twitter for not having 50/50 men vs. women on their lineups is very specifically hurting the cause to include more women on festival lineups. Expecting every festival to achieve 50/50 representation of women immediately is unreasonable to impossible in certain sectors of the music economy.
Chris Stapleton Earns Marty Stuart’s Praise – “It’s Not Bull$hit Country.”
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The biggest adversity to independent music is success. Nobody knows this better than Chris Stapleton. After he was fully embraced by the mainstream industry and was winning awards left and right, folks began vilifying him as a sellout and for not being as country as advertised. But Marty Stuart doesn’t see it that way.
Newest Additions to Saving Country Music’s Top 25 Current Playlist (#24)
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Freshly provisioned for your summer road trip, the Saving Country Music Top 25 Playlist has been reinforced with some doozies of modern country greatness. Leading the charge is the staunchly traditional singer and songwriter Shane Owens, with the lead track off of his recently-released EP “It’s a Southern Thing.”
Album Review – Cliff Westfall’s “Baby You Win”
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Hot damn. I don’t know who the hell Cliff Westfall is or where he’s been hiding out for so many years, but he just released a hot shit country record that will whip the pants off of most others released this year and many from years prior, and get you making room on your list of favorite artists.
Song Review – Eric Church’s “Desperate Man”
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“Desperate Man” is a song you give a weird look the first time, tolerate the 2nd, and can’t stop listening to after the 3rd. Shake your little fists at the music industry all you want, but the way of things is for the pure, unadulterated songwriters to revel in obscurity for most of their careers, while the adored superstars rake in all the fame and cash.
Eric Church Collaborates with Ray Wylie Hubbard on “Desperate Man”
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Eric Church promised big news, and delivered by announcing the release of his latest record, as well as a new single, both of which will be called “Desperate Man.” Most had anticipated the announcement of a new album and a new single. But what none of us foresaw was the tie-in with Texas music legend Ray Wylie Hubbard.
Loretta Lynn Is Back Working After Health Issues
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After a long hiatus from the public spotlight, Loretta Lynn is back working, and putting preparations together to release her latest album, Wouldn’t It Be Great. The country music legend suffered a mild stroke on May 5th, 2017, which required her to cancel her upcoming performances, and delay the release of the album.