This Is Big: Jason Carter Leaves the Del McCoury Band
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In as titanic of a move as you will ever hear about in the world of bluegrass, fiddle player Jason Carter is leaving the Del McCoury Band to pursue a solo career after 33 years by Del McCoury’s side.
CMA-Winning Veteran Country Journalist Chuck Dauphin Hospitalized
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Friends and family of veteran country music journalist Chuck Dauphin are asking for prayers as he works to recover from an injury after a fall, and remains hospitalized in critical care due to complications with diabetes. Dauphin fell and broke his arm just below his shoulder and was admitted to the Maury Regional Medical Center in Columbia, TN.
Outlaw Country Cruise Announces 4th Annual Lineup
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Yarr there matees, it’s time once again to peruse over the lineup for the annual Outlaw Country Cruise, and ponder just exactly how “Outlaw” it is to board a luxury cruise ship bound for an exotic tropical destination, or if seawater will ruin your favorite black leather vest.
Album Review – Charley Crockett’s “Lonesome As A Shadow”
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Rarely, if ever before have we seen an artist who illustrates both the complexity of American roots music, yet ratifies their striking similarity as Charley Crockett. He possesses the ability to intuitively blend various roots forms together naturally because he holds by God authenticity in multiple cultures where specific strains of roots music originated.
Album Review – Joshua Hedley’s “Mr. Jukebox”
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What Joshua Hedley has done on Mr. Jukebox is compose a haunting reenactment of country music from the 50’s, from the writing, to the phrasing, to the instrumentation and approach, marked by incredible detail, inferred by studious comprehension and tireless devotion to the effort…
AmericanaFest Announces Initial 2018 Festival Lineup
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Once again artists and fans will come from around the country and world to congregate in Nashville for AmericanaFest this September. Part industry conference, part fan festival, it combines scores of venues across Nashville for hundreds and performances and showcases. The 19th Annual festival will include some 250 performers.
Why Carrie Underwood’s Producer Credits for “Cry Pretty” Are Critically Important
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Carrie Underwood co-produced her entire new record out in September. This takes Carrie Underwood—a top tier country performer—into virtually uncharted territory in the mainstream, at least in the near term. This move by Carrie Underwood is incredibly audacious for country, mainstream or otherwise, from a man or a woman.
$10 Million Donation to Local Radio Station KEXP Is Big Boon For Independent Artists
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Being an independent music artist is not easy. Adversity lurks everywhere, and the cards are stacked against you. But it’s nice to have auspicious enclaves of support to help you upon your journey. For many years, a small nonprofit radio station based in Seattle called KEXP has been that very thing for bands.
Album Review – Left Arm Tan’s “El Camino”
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Just like country and Americana bands from places outside of the United States, local and regional bands can be an excellent hiding place for some of the best music being released in a given year that is going regularly overlooked by the rest of media. Left Arm Tan from Ft. Worth, TX fits right into that mold.
Guitarist and Producer Randy Scruggs Has Passed Away
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One of the most important men behind-the-scenes who had his hands deep in the iconic sounds of country music, while also keeping the flame of one of the most famous families in country history alive has passed away. Randy Scruggs, whose playing, writing, and producing ran deep throughout country music for decades, passed away on Tuesday.
Miranda Lambert Revels in Being the “Keeper of the Flame”
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When the Miranda Lambert camp announced the next single they’d be sending to country radio was the mid-tempo “Keeper of the Flame,” it didn’t leap off the page as a smart pick for today’s radio landscape. But that probably wasn’t the most important consideration that worked itself into the calculus.
Blackberry Smoke Hit #1 in Country in Pure Album Sales with “Find A Light”
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Blackberry Smoke is once again #1 in country, at least when you consider pure album sales. Their most recent album Find A Light released on April 6th sold more cohesive records last week than any other country release according to the Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart. They also charted in Rock and Americana.
Backstreet Boys’ A.J. McLean Says He Wants to “Disrupt” Country & Turn It Urban
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In 10 years and 11 days of owning and operating Saving Country Music dot com, I have never once seen someone display such bold-faced effrontery and wanton disrespect for the gorgeous and historic institution of country music as this wash up and his $50,000 diamond-encrusted gauge earrings.