John Michael Montgomery Plots His Final Farewell
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Even though many of his top songs are as cherished as any in country, his legacy was always overshadowed by Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, and the other big artists who emerged in the ’90s decade.
Album Review – Paul Cauthen’s “My Gospel”
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One of the most difficult undertakings for a music reviewer is to share your opinion on a record that you ultimately favor more than fault, but happen to have more critical observations for than positive ones, especially when public sentiment is tilting so favorably towards it already. It just becomes a recipe for misunderstanding.
Travis Tritt Rips the CMA’s for Booking Beyonce
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“As I see it, country music has appealed to millions for many years. We can stand on our own and don’t need pop artists on our awards shows,” Tritt said in a series of tweets on November 3rd. “I love honest to God country music and feel the need to stand up for it at all costs. We don’t need pop or rap artists to validate us.”
Album Review- Erik Dylan’s “Heart of a Flatland Boy”
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‘Heart of a Flatland Boy’ is refreshingly raw and energetic, with tightly-wound songs all written or co-written by Dylan, and a straightforward but effective production approach, blurring the lines between country and heartland rock in both the sound and themes, and painting a mental picture of places and people that are filled with a meaningfulness…
This Country Music Is Racist / Beyonce Bullshit (A Rant)
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I told you booking Beyoncé was a bad idea CMA’s. Now you’re a racist reprobate in the eyes of the politically-charged Millennial entertainment media and sycophantical pop diva worshipers who will nail people to crosses to prove the depth of their fanaticism, and so is all of country music and its bumpkin fans.
TV Ratings for the CMA Awards Hit All-Time Low
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It was a historic night for the CMA Awards as they celebrated their 50th Anniversary with a cavalcade of stars both new and old Wednesday evening (11-2), but not even a last-minute addition of pop superstar Beyonce, or an appearance by Taylor Swift handing out the evening’s Entertainer of the Year award could salvage ratings for the show.
Midland Surprises (& Arouses Suspicion) with Big Machine Debut EP
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There may be no better example of how the mainstream country music industry has completely bought into the shifting of the paradigm to more traditional and more substantive music than the signing of the band Midland to Big Machine Records. It’s this pretty strange development that speaks to just how deeply rooted this movement has entrenched itself into the industry now.
Saving Country Music 2016 CMA Awards LIVE Blog
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Welcome baseball fans to the Saving Country Music LIVE blog for the 50th Annual CMA Awards! For those few who aren’t watching the Chicago Cubs face the Cleveland Indians in one of the most anticipated Game 7 World Series matchups in the last century—or perhaps are looking for a way to either keep up with the CMA’s without watching.
The World Series and Beyonce Upstage the 50th CMA Awards Before They Even Begin
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All of a sudden what felt like a massive event a few weeks ago now feels deflating, while there is a very real concern that low ratings will be translated by the CMA’s as a sign that nobody wants to see the older performers they booked. Ironically, the Beyonce announcement will seal the deal for many older country fans to change the dial.
50th Annual CMA Awards Complete Preview
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Everything you need to know about the 2016, 50th Annual CMA Awards, including the reasons to watch, a breakdown of the presenters, a list of the performers, all the nominees, and the early winners. For their 50th Annual presentation, the CMA’s have invited an unprecedented amount of legendary country performers to participate.
Acclaimed Songwriter and Performer Bap Kennedy Has Passed Away
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Not known by every country, blues, and Americana fan, but cherished deeply by the ones who did, songwriter and performer Bap Kennedy took his cross-Atlantic enthusiasm for roots music and became one of the most well-respected musicians and songwriters by his peers ranging from Nashville to Belfast during his nearly 40-year career.
Miranda Lambert & Her Fans Should Be Fine Not Winning 2016’s CMA for Female Vocalist
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Miranda Lambert has won a record-setting six straight CMA Female Vocalist of the Year awards. But there may not be a seventh. When it comes to awards and recognition, nobody has been as heavily decorated as Miranda Lambert in recent memory, male or female. But it has been time for a breather, and Miranda Lambert’s last year has been a pretty quiet one, at least from a musical standpoint.
Travis Tritt to Release Live Acoustic Album “A Man and His Guitar”
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For years Travis Tritt has been touring the country playing acoustic shows, and the naked context of his music has done nothing but elevate his legacy in the minds of those who’ve attended. Nothing against seeing Tritt with his band, but it takes something special in an artist to take the stage with nothing more than a stool, a guitar, and a water bottle, and entertain a large crowd.