The 2025 Independent Country Festival Guide (Updating)
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Welcome everyone to the inaugural Saving Country Music independent country festival guide. This will be the aggregation point throughout 2025 for information on festivals that include a majority of independent country.
Album Review – Union Sound Treaty’s “Next Year”
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West Virginia is as good a place as any to find huddled masses of hard working folks who are constantly facing down hard times, or having to work jobs many of us would not wish on our worst enemies. Union Sound Treaty from Morgantown speaks to those burdens and fears better than most in their debut album called ‘Next Year.’
Take My Money: J.P. Harris to Release “Why Don’t We Duet in the Road”
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Country throwback traditionalist and east Nashville music organizer/rebel rouser J.P. Harris has announced a unique duets project with Nikki Lane, Kelsey Waldon, Leigh Nash, and Kristina Murray called ‘Why Don’t We Duet in the Road.’ This vinyl-only gatefold double 7″ 4-song project will consist of classic country duets.
I Am Not a Misogynist (An Editorial)
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Covering female country artists has all of a sudden become a perilous enterprise. Even when you’re putting out efforts to highlight female artists, simply referring to them by their gender can be a no no, along with a host of other seemingly spanking new, and frankly unintuitive rules that will put you in the doghouse with a host of socially-conscious media members
The Turnpike Troubadours at Cowboys (A Photo Blog)
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There’s no stopping the Turnpike Troubadours. The mainstream country music industry may continue to turn a blind eye to their regional and national success, but that won’t slow them down at all. As they continue to put on one of the most engaging live shows in country music, the crowds at their shows continue to swell.
Jean Shepard’s Husband Benny Birchfield Stabbed in Bizarre Double Killing
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The husband of the late Jean Shepard is recovering in the hospital Sunday evening after being stabbed at the home he shared with the country legend in Hendersonville, Tennessee. 79-year-old Benny Birchfield was found by police in his front yard, suffering from a stab wound at 3 a.m. Saturday (12-17) morning.
Sturgill Simpson to Play Saturday Night Live
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Add yet another accolade to the list of Sturgill Simpson’s growing accomplishments. Announced late Saturday night (12-17) during the latest episode of Saturday Night Live, the surprise contender for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards in February will be the musical guest on the venerable TV staple January 14.
Willie Nelson to Co-Star In First Ever “Live Movie” with Woody Harrelson
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Willie Nelson will be one of the principle actors in what is being dubbed as the first “live movie” ever, orchestrated by Willie Nelson friend and fellow celebrity stoner Woody Harrelson. The idea is to shoot a feature-length film from multiple locations, and beam it directly into theaters through the miracle of technology.
Country Music Video Incites Man to Shoot Television
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A 43-year-old West Texas man named Lamar Barry Andrews is in the pokey tonight for shooting a television. The incident occurred Friday (12/16) morning in Horizon City, TX, just outside of El Paso after Andrews and his girlfriend got in an argument over a country music video playing on the TV.
Mountain Tough Tennessee Fire Benefit to be Streamed Online
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On Saturday, 12-17, Music City Roots, Yee-Haw Brewing Co., and Ole Smoky Moonshine are organizing a benefit for the fire victims called Mountain Tough that will include performances by Jim Lauderdale, Mo Pitney, The Secret Sisters, Sam Bush, Chuck Mead, Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley, and headliners the Zac Brown Band.
Saving Country Music’s Best Videos of 2016
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Just like Saving Country Music’s Song of the Year candidates, this is not just about entertainment, this is about putting together words, music, and in this case, a visual representation, that can shake the viewer out of their daily routines and make them realize something that previously was either lost or never discovered about themselves or their world.
Dolly Parton Telethon Raises Nearly $9 Million and Counting for Fire Victims
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As if we needed another reason to love Dolly Parton, the Queen of the Smoky Mountains made good on her promise to help her friends and neighbors significantly affected by the recent wildfires in eastern Tennessee that ravaged Gatlinburg and surrounding areas, and came within yards of Parton’s Dollywood resort.
Saving Country Music’s Official Stance on “The Voice” Winner Sundance Head
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Yesterday amid many calls for my opinion and participation, I finally tuned into The Voice finale to see what all the hubbub was about … just in time to see Sundance Head performing with KISS. I promptly returned to the Dolly Parton telethon.