Album Review – Emily Scott Robinson’s “Appalachia”
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What kind of towering power is music capable of? To bask in the audience of Emily Scott Robinson’s voice and songs, you feel like anything is possible through the marriage of words and melody.
Texas/Red Dirt Legend Charlie Robison Announces Retirement After Surgery
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One of the members of the First Family of Texas Music—and a landmark musician and songwriter for a quarter century—shocked and saddened fans on Monday (9/24) evening when he announced that he’s calling it quits. In a short note to fans, Charlie Robison let it be known that he will no longer be pursuing music.
JP Harris Helps Revive the Country Tradition of Sharing the Stage
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Of the many traditions of country music that have been trounced upon and forgotten in recent history, the culture of male country artists being complimented by women on stage is one of the most regrettable. Whether it was Dolly playing with Porter, Emmylou singing with Gram, or scores of other examples…
Willie Nelson and Van Morrison Collaborating Together In Studio
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It’s very early in the process, and we don’t know if it’s just a few songs or an entire album. But the word out of Pittsburgh, PA is that Irish singing/songwriting legend Van Morrison and country music icon Willie Nelson were recently in the studio together collaborating on an upcoming project.
Despite Soft Radio Support, Carrie Underwood Shatters Expectations with “Cry Pretty”
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Carrie Underwood has set a slew of new landmarks with her new album ‘Cry Pretty,’ setting highs for her career, highs for a country artist, and highs for a woman making music in the country realm. And she does it with little support from country radio, which allowed the title track to stall on the format as her album was nearing release.
Evan Felker & Turnpike Troubadours Make Triumphant Return at Medicine Stone
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All is well in Oklahoma. Those are the reports from Saturday night’s (9-22) appearance by powerhouse Red Dirt band the Turnpike Troubadours after they took the stage at the Medicine Stone Festival in their hometown of Talequah, Oklahoma. After a series of canceled shows due to kidney stones….
Newest Additions to Saving Country Music’s Top 25 Current Playlist (#27)
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Newest additions to the Saving Country Music Top 25 Playlist start off with JP Harris and his blazing new song “JP’s Florida Blues #1” from his upcoming record ‘Sometimes Dogs Bark At Nothing’ out October 5th. And don’t count Loretta Lynn done yet. At 86-years-old, she’s still pumping out tunes that get the blood pumping.
Tyler Childers Joins Town Mountain for New Song “Down Low”
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Formidable bluegrass power group Town Mountain must have left the back door to the studio open while recording their new record New Freedom Blues due out October 26, and in walked a stark raving hilljack covered in goat’s blood, also known as newly crowned Americana Emerging Artist of the Year Tyler Childers.
Eric Church’s Double Down Tour is the Right Way to Do It
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One of the reasons scalpers and resellers have secured the upper hand when it comes to purchasing tickets for your favorite live act is because demand is outpacing supply. Artists love to show up to one market and play a massive sold out show, with some floor tickets exceeding $600 or more on the secondary market…
Album Review – James Steinle’s “South Texas Homecoming”
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James Steinle’s debut album ‘South Texas Homecoming’ is a songwriter’s record driven home at times with a hard country backbone. Finely-crafted, erudite, and thought-provoking in moments, and then bouncy and playful when it needs to be, it touches plenty of erogenous zones on the country music palette.
Drake White Confirms He Was Dropped by Dot / Big Machine
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As a more rootsy and songwriter-based artist on a major label, Drake White became a favorite of many grassroots fans. Though Drake’s four radio singles all did decently, they eventually stalled outside the country radio Top 10, he was still able to sell nearly 60,000 copies of his debut record ‘Spark.’
Dickey Betts in Critical Condition After Hitting Head in Fall
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Southern rock legend and founding member of The Allman Brother Band Dickey Betts is currently in critical but stable condition in a Florida hospital after hitting his head, causing bleeding from his brain. Betts was in his backyard in Little Sarasota Bay, and slipped and cracked his head while playing with the family dog.
Definition is Americana’s Greatest Challenge, Not Diversity
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2018 was a high water mark when it came to the amount of diversity showcased by the organization and its community. But still the criticism for Americana’s lack of diversity have grown louder, bolstered by the current political climate where many feel they need to insist upon more diversity.