Album Review – Dan Lepien’s “The Honky Tonk Traditional”
28 Comments
Oh bless this guy’s heart. He thinks it’s still 1990 and you can release a country record without any snap tracks, trap beats, tractor rapping, Auto-tune, or other wiggety wah wah and still get people to go wild over it.
2017 Americana Music Awards LIVE Blog
118 Comments
Welcome ladies and gentlemen to Saving Country Music’s 2017 Americana Music Awards LIVE blog. As the festivities stream live from the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville (link below), we’ll tag along to leave observations, keep up with the winners, discuss the performances, and share what happened for those folks who missed it.
Independent Names Get Mainstream Opportunity Via 2018 Stagecoach Festival Lineup
23 Comments
Each year the release of the Stagecoach Festival lineup is a point of intrigue as people sift though the names and remark on the font sizes, and see who has been tapped to play the 3-day event in Indio, CA in April. As arguably one of the biggest country music festivals all year, the artists booked say a lot about who is rising in country music.
Chris Stapleton Surpasses Even More Album Sales Milestones
27 Comments
Chris Stapleton’s torrid sales pace continues, and is now stretching to almost two calendar years where the country star has single-handedly dominated the Billboard Country Albums chart. Along with being a perennial name at the top of the chart, Chris Stapleton’s last two records have just surpassed significant sales plateaus.
Album Review – Kip Moore’s “Slowheart”
74 Comments
It has come to the point in country music history where we are giving certain songs, artists, and albums a pass, or even extra points, simply because they are more country than things that are not country at all. This is one of the unfortunate symptoms of the stretching of boundaries that has occurred through artists like Sam Hunt.
Why The Death Of Don Williams Hurts So Deeply
78 Comments
For many country fans, the way you would deal with the death of a close friend or a loved one would be to put a Don Williams record on. So what are you supposed to do when Don Williams is the one who has died? The memories are so rich and the voice is so familiar, it’s like Don Williams is part of your family.
American Aquarium Impresses with Revamped Lineup
28 Comments
For those who thought that the news of long-time American Aquarium members Bill Corbin and Kevin McClain leaving the clan in April meant the end of American Aquarium, they don’t know the indomitable spirit of the founder, frontman, and principal songwriter of American Aquarium, BJ Barham.
September 8th, 2017 – Another Tragic Day in Country Music History
66 Comments
Today, September 8th, 2017, would have been the 85th birthday of Patsy Cline—one of the most iconic, influential, and immediately recognizable voices in the history of country music. But she died tragically in a 1963 plane crash near Camden, Tennessee that also killed country starts Cowboy Copas, and Hankshaw Hawkins.
The “Gentle Giant” Don Williams Has Died
82 Comments
Country music legend, Hall of Famer, iconic voice, and gentle soul, Don Williams, has passed away at the age of 78. He died after a short illness according to his representatives at Webster Public Relations. He is the owner of 17 #1 country hits, 9 total Male Vocalist of the Year Awards, and countless other distinctions and accolades.
Album Review – Charlie Parr’s “Dog”
12 Comments
Playing music isn’t always the glamours or adventurous profession it appears to be to many fans and observers on the outside, especially within the lean, meager levels of underground and independent realm. Some play music to fulfill their lifelong dreams, while others do it out of a necessity.
Song Review – Chris Young’s “Losing Sleep”
31 Comments
Where Chris Young once was one of the few remaining firewalls of true country influences in the mainstream, now he’s one of the catalysts for non country influences taking full control. As an R&B song I guess “Losing Sleep” works pretty well. But as a country song, it utterly fails—and from someone who you expect better from.
Steel Resolve: How Hearing Issues Led to Sharing A Passion for the Steel Guitar for One Player
14 Comments
Imagine finding something that you believe very well might be your true life’s purpose and passion, only to have it snatched away from you via physical ailment. That is the story of Josh Killian from Kennesaw, Georgia, an amateur steel guitar player turned founder of the new nonprofit called Steel Resolve.
Loretta Lynn Announces Her Return to Performing After Recent Stroke
13 Comments
Good news for Loretta Lynn, her fans, and country music. After suffering what was characterized as a mild stroke on May 5th of this year, and then announcing in mid July that she would be canceling all 2017 tour dates, Loretta apparently is now feeling good enough to book her first live performance since the stroke.