Major Layoffs Hit ACM Awards, MCA Nashville
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Is something amiss in the major label world? Two of country music’s major entities are cutting staff, and no matter how they spin it, when you’re downsizing as opposed to growing, it’s usually not a good sign.
Merle Haggard Calls Modern Country “Crap.” Says It’s “Screwing on a Pickup Tailgate.”
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That was the firebrand language coming from country music legend Merle Haggard ahead of an appearance Sunday, September 6th at the Bluestem Center for the Arts in Moorhead, Minnesota. In preparation for the show, In Forum talked to the 78-year-old performer, and he felt no need to be guarded with his feelings of where country music is headed.
Randy Howard’s Death at Hands of Bounty Hunter Ruled a Homicide
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The autopsy report for Randy Howard has just been released. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is handling the case, and told Saving Country Music Thursday (9-2) that the findings of the investigation had been turned over to the District Attorney General’s office for further review and consideration.
Song Review – Danielle Bradbery’s “Friend Zone”
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I’m sure Danielle is a super sweet girl and that her hair smells ravishing, but her latest single “Friend Zone” is a techno-loaded disaster that takes the worst attributes from Iggy Azalea’s id and shoehorns them into a meager, non-country composition, stinging the ear drums like flying battery acid.
Hellbound Glory Is Back – An Interview with Leroy Virgil
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That’s right, I said Hellbound Glory. And I said Leroy Virgil instead of Leon Virgil Bowers—the name Leroy Virgil decided to go with after he officially killed off Hellbound Glory and launched his solo career. If you’re sufficiently confused now, don’t worry. Just understand whatever he calls himself, he’s one of the best songwriters of our generation, and he’s still around kicking out tunes.
Yeah, So Morrissey Performed Waylon’s “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way”
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Morrissey performed the song at the Visalia Fox Theater in Visalia, California on August 29th, for what exact reasons remain undetermined. The band nails the 2-chord, hard-pounding, simple composition pretty spot on. Yes, I’m not sure Hank would’ve sang a country song in a Mork suit, but Morrissey seems to really be into his rendition, for whatever reason.
Muddy Roots Festival Readies 2015 Installment with Legendary Country Lineup
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The Muddy Roots Festival is gearing up for its 5th annual event in the rolling hills just outside of Cookeville, TN, about an hour or so from Nashville to the east for the upcoming Labor Day weekend, and boasts an impressive lineup of many country and bluegrass legends, including Del McCoury, Bobby Bare, Ricky Skaggs, Ralph Stanley, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Peter Rowan, and an impressive under card of insurgent roots artists…
Maddie & Tae Slam The Use of Electronic Drums, Admit to Using Media Trainer Previously
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Well well well. The story of country upstart duo Maddie & Tae only continues to get more juicy and intriguing, and only continues to turn more and more towards a positive one for folks concerned about the lack of roots and female representation in the country genre.
Thomas Rhett’s “Vacation” — aka Adolescent Girls in Bikinis Singing About Drinking Beer
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WARNING : LANGUAGE — What is “Vacation?” It’s the taking of two separate compositions: War’s “Low Rider,” and Jason Derulo’s “Wiggle,” smashing them together like your 4-year-old would two pats of Play-Doh, having Thomas Rhett white-boy rap imbecilic lyrics over it through an Auto-Tuner for a few minutes, and then spitting out the result on some douchebag producer’s Mac.
An Open Letter to “Austin City Limits”: In Consideration of Ray Wylie Hubbard
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I know you probably receive dozens of these types of letters, and they all make strong cases for who the author wishes you select for the next season. But in the case of Ray Wylie Hubbard, I really think it would not only mean a tremendous amount to Ray, but it would mean a tremendous amount to Austin City Limits to finally and formally recognize one of Austin’s most important performers, and help preserve his place in Austin music.
Album Review – Whitney Rose’s “Heartbreaker of the Year”
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I don’t know what they’re lacing the Canadian municipal water supplies with these days that allows the great frozen north to churn out authentic country and roots artists worthy of ears in bumper crop fashion, but they better import some of that concoction down here to the States post haste because Canada is kicking our ass in cool new country artists per capita.
Maddie & Tae’s “Start Here” is a Start on the Right Track for Mainstream Country
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“People forget how great country music is, and we haven’t,” Maddie Marlow was recently quoted as saying. “It’s nice knowing we’re putting the banjo, the fiddle, the steel and the mandolin back out front.” And that’s what they do in their debut full-length album “Start Here,” though you probably won’t catch many Waylon fans bobbing their heads along.
A Visit to the Grave of Waylon Jennings
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With the Hall of Fame-caliber legacy Waylon Jennings left behind, with all the noise still made about him by traditional and Outlaw performers and their fans, and even by modern-day mainstream performers looking to lend a bit of country cred to their otherwise flimsy country music resumes, you would think the final resting place of Waylon would be a bigger deal.