Album Review – Ben Vallee’s “Introducing…”
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If you’re a fan of genuine throwback classic country music, you’ll find very little to fuss about, and lots to favor in the songs of steel guitar player turned frontman Ben Vallee’s debut album aptly titled “Introducing…”
Album Review – Dolly Shine’s “Walkabout”
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Dolly Shine is a young, hungry, and adept Texas country band in the truest sense, shifting between bluesy rock and traditional country, and calling regularly on the fiddle to carry songs with the strong influences of Texas music right out front for listeners to latch onto.
Blackberry Smoke Readies New Album “Like An Arrow”
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Blackberry Smoke isn’t just helping to save country music, they’re helping to save Southern rock music, rock music, American music, and music made by real humans sweating on a stage, holding real damn instruments, and testifying. In a time when we can’t agree on anything, music fans from a major swath of the population can agree on Blackberry Smoke.
Turnpike Troubadours Release Surprise Single “Come As You Are”
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No, it’s not a Nirvana cover, but it is quite a surprise from the Turnpike Troubadours, who usually tend to leave their fans salivating for new music between album releases with agonizing impatience. Without pretense or explanation, the Oklahoma natives dropped a new single called “Come As You Are” on Friday, and it has folks all abuzz and for good reason.
Conway Twitty’s Former “Twitty City” No Longer Giving Tours
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Conway opened the multi-structure tourist attraction and family compound in 1982 at a price tag of $3.5 million, and lived there until his death in 1993. The centerpiece was Conway’s 24-room mansion surrounded by memorial gardens that became a destination for tourists and famous for the elaborate Christmas light displays every December.
Lineup for 10th Annual Cayamo Cruise Announced
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For 10 years now, the Cayamo Cruise organized by Sixthman Productions has been one of the most defining annual events in the Americana music realm. Quarantining so much Americana talent in one place has resulted in many memorable and legendary collaborations, and intimate performances from some of the best songwriters to ever suck air on land or sea.
Why Not Use These Collaborations to Help Develop Some COUNTRY Talent?
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The next trend in country may not be defined by a style or a sound, but who is involved in it. But if collaborations will be the next big trend, how about putting out just a little bit of effort to make sure that the great talent that is going unrecognized in country music itself gets some love?
Bar Where Country Artist Wayne Mills Killed Is Finally Demolished
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The Pit & Barrel Bar, previously known as BoondoxXx, and most famous for being the location where the bar’s owner Chris Ferrell shot country artist Wayne Mills in the back of the head as Mills was exiting the location, has finally been demolished. Many fans and friends of Wayne Mills were hoping for the demolishing of the building to help erase the memory.
Song Review – Miranda Lambert’s “Vice”
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Flying low over the country music masses to survey the landscape, it’s patently clear that in the 48-hour aftermath of Miranda Lambert releasing her first single in over a year, how you feel about it has a lot to do with how you feel about Miranda Lambert, or Blake Shelton. The fact that “Vice” has become so polarizing proves that music is no longer about music, but personality.
Wade Bowen Clears the Air About Granger Smith Comments
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Saving Country Music headquarters received a call Tuesday afternoon (7-19), and was informed that Wade Bowen and Granger Smith had just engaged in a good, healthy phone conversation, and that Wade Bowen wanted to clear the air on the matter. Here’s the transcript.
Hating Taylor Swift: The World’s Old New Sport
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So are we all supposed to be hating on Taylor Swift again? Is that what the summer of 2016 protocol calls for? Because God forbid that I’m out of fashion here. I mean when I was railing on Taylor Swift for saddling up with Max Martin on 1989 to manufacture derivative pop songs, I was chastised at large because didn’t I know that she stood up to Spotify and Apple?
Jett Williams Talks Hank Biopic, & Mother’s Best Recordings
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“I thought Tom Hiddleston did a superb job. I thought he captured the physical resemblance, the mannerisms,” Jett Williams says. “But I would have liked to see a lot more focus on the music, and why did he write those songs? … They did not ask anyone in the family anything.
Album Review – Steven Tyler’s ‘We’re All Somebody From Somewhere”
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The implosion of the rock genre, especially on radio, has made country a haven for rock stars looking to keep their careers relevant, ultimately spreading the cancer of declining careers to the country format as well. If Steven Tyler’s move to country had anything to do with inspiration or influence, you won’t hear much of it on this new record.