“Wild Thing” Writer Chip Taylor’s Unheralded Country Career (RIP)
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Acclaimed songwriter and performer Chip Taylor died on Monday, March 23rd. And as can be expected and probably warranted, the remembrances all started off with how he was the writer of “Wild Thing.”
Tracy Lawrence Says New Album Will Be “Very Country”
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Tracy Lawrence has a new album coming out on August 16th called Made in America, and though we don’t have many details on it at the moment, the 90’s country star who put together seven #1’s and twenty-one Top 10’s into the 2000’s says it’s going to be “very country,” and hopes it’s part of the recent return to country’s roots.
Album Review – Gabe Lee’s “Farmland”
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More folk than country, but more country than most of what you hear on the radio, ‘Farmland’ is a bold stroke of confident and articulate songwriting prowess filled with stories of broken heats, failures and frailty, and cutting insight into the trappings of American life. It’s not unfair to draw comparisons to Dylan and Prine when listening to ‘Farmland.’
Marty Stuart Artist-In-Residence Comes as Hall of Fame Induction Looms
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You’ll be hard pressed to present another country music personality more responsible for helping to save country music in the last quarter century than Marty Stuart. Though he never had the big hits as some of his contemporaries, his work both in the public eye and behind-the-scenes to preserve the legacy of country music is unparalleled.
New Willie Nelson Album “Ride Me Back Home” On The Way
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Willie Nelson’s latest album will be called ‘Ride Me Back Home,’ and will once again be produced by Buddy Cannon, with a release date forthcoming sometime in June. This is the news coming out of an exclusive SiriusXM taping that occurred at Willie’s ranch outside of Austin on April 13th in the chapel of his own private Western town, Luck, TX.
Rodney Crowell Readies New Collaborative Album, “TEXAS”
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Making a collaborative album with some of the most iconic artists from Texas and beyond wasn’t exactly what Houston native Rodney Crowell had in mind when he first started out to write and record his latest record. It just sort of happened that way. This won’t just be a Texas record in name.
Brooks & Dunn, Reba, & George Strait Top Country Albums Chart
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No, it’s not 1989, it’s 2019. But looking at the top of the Billboard Country Albums chart this week, you would have thought you’d been transported back 30 years in time. But it’s quite okay if you’re a traditional country music fan. No need to figure out how to generate the 1.21 gigawatts it takes to fire the flux capacitor and get you back to the present.
Brandi Carlile Caps Off Resurgent 2019 Old Settler’s Music Fest
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For 32 consecutive years, bluegrass fans, folkies, country freaks and outcasts, and a cast of other cool characters from the roots realm and beyond have bivouacked at various locations around the Austin area under the heading of the Old Settler’s Music Festival. 2019 was the festival’s second season at the now permanent site.
Album Review – “State I’m In” by Aaron Lewis
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It really is hard to know just what the hell to do with Aaron Lewis. On the one hand, his music is definitely country, and don’t go citing his former life as the frontman of Staind as some rebuttal to this conclusion. On the other hand, Aaron Lewis comes with a very large amount of baggage.
Hal Ketchum Suffering from Alzheimer’s, Retires From Performing
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Beloved and accomplished singer, songwriter, and performer Hal Ketchum is suffering from Alzheimer’s and Dementia, and has officially retired from touring. This was the news that was confirmed by Ketchum’s wife, Andrea on Sunday (4-14) afternoon.
Johnny Cash Statue Coming to the United States Capitol
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Johnny Cash’s legacy has already been firmly cemented into American history, and well beyond his contributions to country music. Only fitting that he would become the first country music artist, and one of the few cultural icons beyond the political realm to ever to have his likeness memorialized in the United States Capitol.
Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit Play Rare Acoustic Set at Old Settler’s
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Though some Jason Isbell fans may have balked at the idea of not getting the full, roaring version of The 400 Unit live, at the 32nd Annual Old Settler’s Fest, it seemed even more appropriate than the electric alternative. It gave fans of Jason Isbell and his band an opportunity to see them in a way few have.
Justin Moore’s New Album “Late Nights & Longnecks” Delayed
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Justin Moore fans will have to wait a little bit longer to get their hands on his latest record and fifth release overall, Late Nights and Longnecks. The record was originally scheduled to be released on April 26th, 2019 through Big Machine Records’ Valory Music imprint. No reason has been given for the delay.