20 Years Ago Today: Bluegrass Loses Its King
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Bill Monroe will forever be the Father of Bluegrass. But it was Jimmy Martin, who studied under Monroe, who was able to rear back and declare himself “The King of Bluegrass.”
The Black Crowes Have Officially Broken Up
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The highly-influential Southern rock band The Black Crowes has officially broken up according to a statement released today from the band’s long-time guitar player Rich Robinson. The band was founded 24 years ago by Rich and his brother and singer for the band Chris Robinson. According to Rich Robinson, the issue came down to a spat over money with his brother.
Album Review – Justin Townes Earle’s “Absent Fathers”
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See, this is why we’re fans of music. Because there’s something about the perseverance of the human spirit wrapped in every single piece of audio material, and every single album, regardless of how good it is. We have artists that we follow, that we’re fans of, not just because they do things that seem esoteric, but because they’re human and apt to fail.
Mickey Guyton’s Making Waves with “Better Than You Left Me” (Review)
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“Better Than You Left Me” gets most all of the textures right—the steel guitar, the waltz beat, the swaying back and forth that jars loose the emotions from the heart and sends them racing through the blood stream. It’s pop country, but like Patsy Cline was pop country. Sure I’d love a little bit more dirt thrown on it or for her vocal performance to be a bit more subdued, but it’s more than a start.
George Jones “White Lightning” Moonshine Raises Questions
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Unveiled as part of the presentation of George Jones’ new museum was the plan to have the name and likeness of George Jones used on his own line of flavored moonshine and vodka, branded after his first #1 hit from 1959 written by The Big Bopper, “White Lightning.” The beverage line will be made in a partnership with the Silver Trail Distillery in Hardin, KY.
Once Again Eric Church Goes Independent for Concert Openers
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Say what you want about Eric Church’s music, and though he’s sporting one of the most loyal fan bases in popular music these days, he’s also revealed himself as one of the most polarizing figures in country music in the last few years. But you can’t fault the man for thinking outside the box, and scouring the hungry, unwashed faces of independent music when looking for openers.
Zac Brown Band Covers Jason Isbell’s “Dress Blues” on College Gameday
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As the college football consciousness of the country zoomed in on Arlington, TX and the first official National Championship game ever played at the collegiate level Monday night, Zac Brown Band was tapped as the entertainment for ESPN’s College Gameday presentation leading up to the big game. Zac Brown Band played Jason Isbell’s much-appreciated but fairly obscure song for fallen soldiers.
Song Review – Zac Brown Band’s “Homegrown”
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What gives Zac Brown Band a lot more creative latitude with their music is the fact that they’re honest about not really being country. We’re all music fans first, and then our loyalties split down the lines of various genres. If only more artists were honest about their intentions, it would give us the opportunity to enjoy the music more. Zac Brown Band is a Southern rock band…
Wade Bowen & Randy Rogers to Release “Hold My Beer”
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That’s right, the long-running legendary Texas country tour, and the long-anticipated album complimenting the collaboration is finally happening. Hold My Beer, a studio record featuring A-list Texas country talent Randy Rogers of The Randy Rogers Band and Wade Bowen trading licks back and forth will finally be released.
NASH Icon Signs Ronnie Dunn / Makes Big Network Move
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NASH Icon is ramping up for a big 2015, making some significant moves on Monday (1-12) to start the year where 2014 ended: stirring conversation about where country music is headed and potentially stimulating a format split that would see more older country music return to the airwaves en masse. The long rumored signing of Ronnie Dunn to the label has been officially announced.
ACM’s Present a Sausage Fest for 2015 New Artist Award
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The increasingly irrelevant Academy of Country Music Awards, or ACM’s, released their annual earache of ignoble pseudo-country performers known as the semi-final “New Artist” nominees this Monday, that spellbind any beholder with an even elementary understanding of the definitions of “New” and “Artist” as to how such names were populated.
Travis Tritt’s New Verse to “Country Ain’t Country” Criticizes CMT
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Many already regarded the Travis Tritt song “Country Ain’t Country” from his 2002 album Strong Enough as a slightly-veiled protest song preaching against the changes in the country genre, even though the actual lines of the song deal much more with wider reaching cultural and geographical issues. But apparently there’s an original verse that doesn’t appear in the recorded version that overtly criticized CMT.
Hillbilly Casino’s Geoff Firebaugh Talks Live Album & Lower Broadway
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One of the last remaining bands that still holds onto that spirit that revitalized Lower Broadway and still plays there on a regular basis is Hillbilly Casino. Nearing their 10-year anniversary, the band that can regularly be seen playing Layla’s Bluegrass Inn has released a live album recorded at the Exit Inn called “Live in the USA.” I spoke to the Hillbilly Casino bass player Geoff Firebaugh about the album and Lower Broadway.