Album Review – Hayden Baker’s “Alive & Well”
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It’s time you graduate from “never heard of him” or “sounds familiar” to “he’s my new favorite traditionalist” when it comes to fielding queries about Hayden Baker.
Guy Clark’s Definitive Biography to Finally Be Released
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The definitive biography on Guy Clark finally has a release date, and further details have been revealed. Fans of the revered songwriter who passed away on May 17th have long anticipated the coming of ‘Without Getting Killed or Caught: The Life and Music of Guy Clark’, and they will finally have their patience rewarded on October 18th.
Mark Chesnutt Admits He Hated His Aerosmith Cover, As Did George Jones
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The song turned out to be Chesnutt’s final #1 in his career, but for a man who was mostly known for traditional country, it was a controversial decision to say the least. Chesnutt’s country version of the song alienated some of his most loyal fans. But it turns out the song was controversial with Mark Chesnutt as well, and with one of his musical heroes, George Jones.
CMA’s New Rules Help Reduce Campaigning, But Will It Slow WME Dominance?
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The Country Music Association sent out the initial ballots for the 50th Annual CMA Awards on July 5th, and with them came a new system that hopes to stop some of the campaigning for artists to win certain awards. It’s called “Nominee Showcase,” and gives voters a centralized location to find verified and fairly-presented stats on all the nominees.
Hear New Cody Jinks Tune “Chase That Song” Ahead of New Album
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You’ll be hard pressed to find another country album for the rest of 2016 as heavily anticipated by fans in the know as Cody Jinks’ I’m Not The Devil. Due out August 12th, the reigning Saving Country Music Song of the Year winner feels poised for a breakout with this one, and the snippets released from the record so far have folks salivating for the whole thing.
Some Rapper in a Garth Brooks T-Shirt Named Riff Raff is Going Country
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You know, I would normally be so diametrically opposed to any rapper announcing his intent to make a country record that I would puff my chest out in defiance, shake my little fists, and give other indications of a stony countenance to let them know that I’ll be damned if they waltz through the gates of country music without at least a strong dose of hostile friction from my disgruntled ass.
Quit Using Music Stars As Your Unwitting Political Pawns, Mkay?
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The thing about music legends is they are legends for us all, and unite individuals with songs that speak to the universal struggles and shared joys that all Americans and humans experience. Politics should never should be foisted upon them so that music can remain a respite from political spats, and a place where people of all political ideologies are welcome.
An Artifice of Integrity: The Death of Examiner.com
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What once was one of the Internet’s most promising up-and-coming properties has announced they will be ceasing operations on or around July 10th. Examiner.com, which consisted of numerous locally-oriented sub-domains and relied on citizen journalists for content has decided to shutter due to low revenue and a tainted brand.
Gene Watson Wants More ‘Real. Country. Music.’ on the Radio. “Some Depth”
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Watson’s comments illustrate that the issues facing today’s country music don’t just boil down to preferences in style. Country music used to be more about conveying something of substance to the audience—a moment that gives you perspective, or makes you take stock in life.
Song Review – Tim McGraw’s “How I’ll Always Be”
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If “Humble and Kind” had no business on country radio (yet it ended up at #1), then “How I’ll Always Be” is a downright coup d’état. It’s not the lyrics of the song that make it a marvel of modern American country radio. It’s the music of “How I’ll Always Be” that makes it so unique and welcome for mainstream country radio.
Chris Stapleton Chooses to Spend the 4th of July with 40,000 Troops
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For those wondering why Chris Stapleton isn’t playing Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic this year, or perhaps some other big holiday blowout concert, it’s because the flaming hot country music star has decided instead to spend it with the 40,000 service members and their families at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.
Kenny Chesney Fan’s Drunk Walk Epitomizes Annual Pittsburgh Embarrassment
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Every year, Kenny Chesney’s annual concert on Pittsburgh’s North Shore at the Heinz Field has become the biggest country music embarrassment of the year. This year it’s the video of a drunken female talking on the phone, bent backwards like a character from an M.C. Escher painting while walking backwards before eventually falling down.
Album Review – Aaron Vance’s “Shifting Gears”
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Whenever you find an artist who doesn’t fit in the stereotypical mold of what we expect certain music artists to be, that’s when you know you’ve found someone with true passion because they’ve had to overcome those stereotypes and sideways glances when it might be easier to just fold and move on to something else.