Album Review – Jess Jocoy’s “Cul-de-Sac Kid”
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The album explores avenues in your brain uncommonly traversed, unlocks emotions rarely tapped, and confers a level of perspective that is shades more gratifying than just another generic honky tonk song.
George Strait Comes Full Circle with Album Release Show at Historic Gruene Hall
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Strait played his first show at Gruene Hall on Saturday, February 21st, 1976—five years before releasing his first record, and only a few months removed from being honorably discharged from the Army. For his first gig, they charged $0.25 at the door, and according to Strait from the Gruene Hall stage Wednesday night, he made $7.00 total.
UPDATED: Willie Nelson Cancels Multiple Shows Due to Undisclosed Health Concerns
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Any time health news comes down for an 83-year-old country performer, concern goes up. For most 83-year-olds, Willie Nelson is the picture of health. But an undisclosed illness has sidelined him for some recent shows, leaving many concerned for the country legend.
The Importance of Genre in Music Illustrated as an Artist’s Palette
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To try and illustrate why it is important to keep the influences of America’s founding genres pure, I’ve always used one tried and true illustration. And to prove that this illustration precedes Beyonce at the CMA Awards, instead of presenting it anew here, I’ll transcribe it from a recent podcast from Wide Open Country.
Crystal Gayle Invited to Be The Newest Member of the Grand Ole Opry
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Crystal Gayle will be the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. This is the news out of Tuesday night’s (11-15) Opry presentation where Carrie Underwood surprised the crowd by walking out and inviting Gayle to the legendary country music institution while Gayle was performing her signature song, “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue.”
Holly Dunn Wasn’t Happy About Her ‘Total Expunging’ from the Grand Ole Opry (RIP)
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Another day, and another unfortunate passing in the country music community. On Tuesday morning (11-15) it was announced that Warner Bros. recording artist and once marquee Grand Ole Opry performer Holly Dunn has died. Dunn had announced earlier this year that she was diagnosed with ovarian Cancer. She was 59-years-old.
Album Review – Ronnie Dunn’s “Tattooed Heart”
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Ronnie Dunn has the voice and the name to where if he wanted to transition into a legacy act or do like Tim McGraw and make the best of the opening up of the format to better songs, he could really do some damage. But he has to really commit to it. His days of #1 hits and CMA Awards are unfortunately in the past.
Beyond The Font Size, Stagecoach 2017 Offers Opportunity to the Overlooked
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Every year the release of the lineup for the Stagecoach Festival in Indio, California is a good case study into who to watch for on the rise in country music. Similarly, every year a ruckus is made by traditional and independent country fans about how certain names are assigned a larger font than others in what seems like a backwards system.
Waylon’s Widow Jessi Colter to Release Memoir “An Outlaw and a Lady”
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For those who can’t get enough info about legendary country music Outlaw Waylon Jennings and the wild and influential life he lived, you’re about to get one of the most up close and personal accounts of Hoss that’s possible to put in print, while also getting to know the lady who stood by his side in sickness and health.
Song Review – Aaron Watson’s “Outta Style”
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What’s going “outta style” is Bro-Country and songs that chase trends, while traditional country has once again proved to be the timeless influence in country music that always comes back to the forefront. This should bode well for an artist like Aaron Watson if he sticks to what he does best.
Piano Legend Leon Russell Has Passed Away
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From country to rock, from the studio to the stage, from collaborations with Willie Nelson, Eric Clapton, and Frank Sinatra, Leon Russell was popular music’s piano man for a generation. And now he has joined the list of music legends who took their final breath in 2016.
Album Review – Chris Stalcup & The Grange’s “Downhearted Fools”
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Full of true-to-life stories run through a gritty filter, ‘Downhearted Fools’ is Chris Stalcup singing about what he finds right smack dab under his nose—the adversities and self-doubts that smack him in the face like every rising sun so rudely blasting through tattered shades, reminding one of the heartbreaks and sordid affairs of the night before.
How Many of These Country Music Veterans Can You Name?
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So many of country music’s legendary artists also spent time earlier in their lives serving the country in one capacity or another. And on Veteran’s Day as we pay tribute to ALL the men and women who served in the military and put themselves in harm’s way, let’s have some fun by looking back to see how many of these country legends we can pick out by their pictures.