For The Red Clay Strays, This Is One Award That Truly Matters
28 Comments
It’s the statistical nature of the award that makes their win for Top Country Duo or Group so significant. No duo or group in country music garnered more spins than The Red Clay Strays.
Now With #1 Album, Aaron Lewis Continues to Backpedal From Country Comments
48 Comments
Celebrating the #1 record in country this week with his Big Machine Records debut Sinner responsible for 39,000 copies sold, Aaron Lewis continues to try and walk a difficult line between being a major label country artist, a traditionalist who wants to talk smack on the industry, all while wearing the baggage of being the successful frontman of the rock band Staind.
SCM’s Biggest Takeaways from AmericanaFest 2016
24 Comments
List making either before or after events has become a dubious enterprise of mainstream outlets just looking to troll the fan bases of independent performers to get these performers to dutifully post the coverage to their social network feeds and drive unique views to the outlets while little if any true discovery for said artists by new fans actually occurs.
That Ariana Grande Singer Says “Hell Yeah” She’d Go Country
48 Comments
Pop star Ariana Grande is saying “hell yeah” she would do something in the country realm, and her timing couldn’t be better. As pointed out by periodicals as diverse as Saving Country Music and The New York Times, country collaborations with pop stars are all the rage as vapid stars look to gain chart traction for terrible singles.
Song / Video Review – “Forever Country”
128 Comments
Screw me, but I just don’t have a strong opinion about this thing one way or the other. Sometimes that happens. If you think this song and video is amazing, then awesome. If you think it’s stupid, I can see that perspective too. In the end it’s kind of a wash for me.
The Church Sisters Officially Sign to Big Machine Records
21 Comments
Fraternal twins The Church Sisters—one of the most promising young acts in the traditional country, bluegrass, and Gospel realms—have officially signed with the Valory Music imprint of Big Machine Records. This is after the duo signed a development deal with Big Machine back in August of 2015.
Jean Shepard: A Staunch Defender of True Country Music (RIP)
22 Comments
One of the first women in country music to break down the gender barrier, and a six decade member of the Grand Ole Opry, has died. Jean Shepard, famous for recording such iconic songs as “A Satisfied Mind,” “Beautiful Lies,” and her duet with Ferlin Husky on the iconic “A Dear John Letter” passed away Sunday, September 24th. She was 82-years-old.
Thoughts & Prayers Requested After Jean Shepard Enters Hospice
28 Comments
Country music legend, female trailblazer, and the oldest living member of the Grand Ole Opry Jean Shepard has entered hospice care after being admitted to the Intensive Care Unit earlier this week. This is the news from her son, Hawkshaw Hawkins Jr.
Album Review- Dwight Yoakam’s “Swimmin’ Pools, Movie Stars”
40 Comments
Just the idea of Dwight Yoakam making a bluegrass album is like some sort of gift from the country music Gods. Before a lick of music was heard, the news of Swimmin’ Pools, Movie Stars was its own viral event. The primary issue with this album is that none of these songs were written to be bluegrass songs.
After Big Americana Wins, Jason Isbell Slays Robert’s with Merle Haggard Covers
31 Comments
After the awards, Jason Isbell did like so many artists of country music’s storied past once did after playing at the Country Music Mother Church. He ambled out of the backstage exit into the famous alley that separates the Ryman and the bars of Lower Broadway, and took the stage with his wife Amanda Shires at Robert’s Western World.
2016 Americana Music Awards LIVE Blog
47 Comments
Welcome ladies and gentlemen to Saving Country Music’s 2016 Americana Music Awards LIVE blog! As the festivities stream live from the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, we’ll tag along to leave our observations, keep up with the winners, discuss the performances, and share what happened for those folks who missed it.
Scenes from Americana Music Awards Rehearsals
7 Comments
AmericanaFest is one of the biggest annual gathering of the tribes on the roots music calendar, and the crown jewel is the Americana Awards on the Wednesday of the festival week. This year Saving Country Music showed up early to take in the rehearsal for the festivities taking place at the Mother Church of Country Music, the Ryman Auditorium.
Blake Shelton’s Run of Consecutive #1’s on Radio is Over
88 Comments
Though there are still many bad songs on country radio and in country music in general, the snapping of Blake Shelton’s #1 streak is just another sign things are beginning to turn around in the mainstream, and artists of more substance are beginning to find more success at the expense of the Bro-Country era’s old guard.