Album Review – Bryce Leatherwood (Self-Titled)
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Everywhere you turn these days, it seems there’s a new country traditionalist crooning out killer music you can immediately warm up to, and with a cut to their jib that assures you this isn’t some interloper.
Willy Tea Taylor Readies Release of Anticipated “Knuckleball Prime”
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The wait is nearly over, and the emergence of one of our generation’s most talented songwriters draws near as Oakdale, California’s Willy Tea Taylor readies the release of his debut album called “Knuckleball Prime.” The thought with Willy has always been that he is a gem waiting to be discovered, and Blackwing’s support may be what delivers Willy Tea to the wider audience his songs deserve.
A Cosmic Connection: Sturgill Simpson Chooses to Celebrate Americana Wins with Fans
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Sturgill rescheduled the dates to make it up to the communities he missed because of the cancellation, including one of the few available dates in Charlottesville at The Jefferson Theater—the same night as 2015’s Americana Music Awards. Sturgill had a choice, and it couldn’t have been an easy one.
Zac Brown Calls “Old” Country “Predictable.” Says He’s Making More EDM Music
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The “Benedict Arnold of Country Music,” a.k.a. Zac Brown, sat down recently with the always-complicit Rolling Stone Country to participate in yet another puff piece, and shoved his foot so far down his throat, Cheryl Tiegs would be colored impressed by his the once country star’s incredible pliability.
2015 Americana Music Awards LIVE Blog
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Welcome ladies and gentlemen to Saving Country Music’s 2015 Americana Music Awards LIVE blog! As the festivities stream live from the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, we’ll tag along to leave our observations, keep up with the winners, discuss the performances, and share what happened with the folks who missed it.
Changing the Name of Nashville’s Marathon from “Country” to “Rock ‘n’ Roll” is Stupid
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Look, I don’t want to make too much of this, because in the end, what’s in a name? I didn’t really get too exercised over it (har har) until I saw award-winning songwriter (and #55 on SCM’s Greatest Country Songwriters of All Time) Don Schlitz tweet out about it, “Hey Mark Buffalino: you’re an idiot. And that’s my nice tweet.” But this has got to be the most dumb and over-thought decision I’ve seen in a long time.
Album Review – Brett Eldredge’s “Illinois”
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We have entered a new era in country music where the ambitions and influences an artist shows up to Nashville with are patently irrelevant, and all that matters now is finding a seat at a shrinking table and making whatever concessions one must to secure your spot. It’s a cutthroat version of musical chairs, with the participants most willing to sell out the hardest having a distinct advantage.
Brennen Leigh & Sunny Sweeney Bridge Differences in “But If You Like Country Music”
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You can’t get away from the political divisiveness these days, and the issue only promises to get worse as the United States Presidential election proper looms large in the not so distant future. But that’s what’s so great about music. It’s a world away from the rancor of political discord. Or as Brennen Leigh and Sunny Sweeney say, “A love of country music conquers all.”
NPR Should Take BBC’s Lead & Launch a Streaming Service
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Announced last week, the owned-by-the-public British institution the BBC is putting together their own streaming music format, called the “New Music Discovery Service.” It will include over 50,000 tracks that have been broadcast on the BBC in recent months, customized playlists to help listeners navigate the crush of new music and discover something they may enjoy.
Jason Aldean Says He Can’t Distinguish Country’s Females. “They just sound really similar to me.”
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Adding to the ongoing discussion about the dearth of female representation in mainstream country today, country superstar Jason Aldean contributed some curious comments to The Washington Post ahead of a show at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, VA on Saturday, September 12th.
David Allan Coe Pleads Guilty to IRS Charges Totaling $466,564 – Could Face Prison Time
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76-year-old David Allan Coe has plead guilty to to one count of impeding and obstructing the due administration of the internal revenue laws in a Federal court in Cincinnati. The news was announced Monday, September 14th. Coe could face up to three years in Federal prison, and a fine of up to $250,000 for the offense.
Lindi Ortega Wins Canadian Country Music Awards “Roots Artist of the Year”
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On Saturday night (9-12), the CCMA’s also threw their annual awards gala where 20 CCMA were handed out, including one to Last Gang Records singer and songwriter Lindi Ortega who walked away with the distinction of Roots Artist of the Year. This is Lindi’s second win in the roots category in a row. Lindi released her latest record ‘Faded Gloryville’ on August 7th.
Beck’s 1999 “Midnite Vultures” is the Perfect Foil to Today’s R&B/EDM Country Craze (Vintage Review)
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What on God’s wide creation would persuade the proprietor of a country music website to take the time and effort to compose a dissertation on some album by a pasty-skinned genre bender released over 15 years ago that has little to nothing to do with country music and doesn’t even comprise one of the more popular titles from his catalog?