On The Good & Bad of Oliver Anthony’s Country Music Industry Rant
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Some of the observances and sentiments Oliver Anthony shares are true, and things you might be inclined to pump your fist in agreement over. A few of the things he says are categorically false and misleading at best
Dave Cobb Announced as the ACM’s 2016 Producer of the Year
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Dave Cobb’s win for Producer of the Year speaks to just what kind of inroads more independently-minded and organic country music is making in the industry. Compared to the heavy-handed production practices that prevail throughout the country music industry, Dave Cobb took a very relaxed approach to producing Chris Stapleton’s ‘Traveller,’ and you can’t argue with the results.
Charlie Daniels, Fred Foster, & Randy Travis Are The 2016 Country Hall of Fame Inductees
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Tuesday morning (3-29) found country music dignitaries and CMA executives gathered in the rotunda of the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville to announce the newest members to the storied institution. The event was hosted by the fiery Brenda Lee. The 2016 Country Music Hall of Fame inductees were: — Randy Travis in the […]
Randy Travis Announced As Newest Inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame
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Before there was Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, Clint Black, Brooks & Dunn, and the other big commercial powerhouses of country music in the late 80’s and early 90’s, there was Randy Travis setting the table for them all, revitalizing the neotraditional sound in country music, opening the door for a new era where country music would reach its commercial pinnacle, and playing a pivotal role in the history of the genre.
The Best Way to Buy Music And Support Your Favorite Artists
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How to purchase music is a very convoluted subject, is specific to each artist, and it can drive you crazy thinking about it. But despite some rare cases and unusual exceptions, there are a few hard and fast maxims about the best ways to purchase or stream music to make sure you’re supporting your favorite artists as best you can.
Song Review – Kenny Chesney’s “Noise”
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“Noise” is not a bad song. It’s not a good one either, and it’s certainly not country. But it’s not bad. And is it better than Bro-Country or some island ballad? I guess it is, but only as the lesser of evils. The problem here is that the song takes itself too seriously, and it’s built from the same stupid formula Kenny Chesney has used before.
Luke Bryan Storms Out of Botched Prank
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“His record label flew us down to Panama City,” they explain. “We pulled off the prank, we executed it. He was doing a meet and greet with the sorority girls, hundreds of girls. We were playing two guys in the sorority so excited to meet Luke Bryan. The company set us up with a one on one. He was wasted. He was plowed. So I just start naming off everybody else’s music.
Parker Millsap Finds His Voice On “The Very Last Day”
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The Purcell, Oklahoma native has that rich, songwriting blood of the central plains we’ve seen in artists like John Moreland, John Fullbright, Evan Felker of the Turnpike Troubadours, and so many more. And growing up in an evangelical community also imparts that indelible country gospel foundation to his music. But more than anything else Parker Millsap is a blues singer.
Hank3 Slams New Hank Williams Biopic. “I Just Want to See One Done Halfway Right.”
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The new Hank Williams biopic I Saw The Light finally opened in select theaters in New York, Los Angeles, and Nashville on Friday, March 25th, and will be released nationwide on April 1st, and the controversy and criticism of the film continues. I Saw The Light originally debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival on […]
Album Review – Margo Price’s “Midwest Farmer’s Daughter”
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For the last few years, one of the fixtures of East Nashville has been country throwback singer and songwriter Margo Price. And thanks to another oddball of the Nashville music scene—Jack White and his Third Man Records—Margo was plucked out of The 5 Spot and the other East Nashville dives, and is getting her shot at the big time.
Chris Stapleton’s “Traveller” Has Officially Sold Over One Million Copies
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There is no signs of slowing down for Chris Stapleton, and now he’s entered a very elite class in country music. His debut album ‘Traveller’ has officially sold over 1 million copies—actually 1.05 million copies to be exact, with another 27,000 copies sold last week according to Billboard. What does this mean? Aside from adding another digit to the odometer, it puts Stapleton at the very top of the genre in album sales.
Song Review – Sturgill Simpson’s “In Bloom” (Nirvana Cover)
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“In Bloom” is an indictment of ones own fans, and is based in part on judgement and assumption. Sturgill gives the song a slight twist by adding the addendum, “But he don’t know what it means, knows not what it means…to love someone,” but despite the more bright feel of the music of Sturgill’s version, the message remains the same.
Basically, American Radio Is Being Suffocated By Billions in Debt & Could Implode Any Moment
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The two largest radio station owners in the United States—iHeartMedia (formerly Clear Channel) and Cumulus Media—both have billions in debt, are both looking to restructure that debt to avoid bankruptcy or default, and are both dealing with dwindling profitability. Even when the companies are able to post strong quarterly earnings, the interest on the debt they owe makes it impossible to see a way forward.