Kathy Mattea, Suzy Bogguss Part of First Ever Opry Induction/Invitation
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It took 100 years, but it finally happened, and for two deserving women of country music. As part of the Grand Ole Opry’s year-long 100th Anniversary celebration, it saw its first induction/invitation.
Sheryl Crow: “Country Is More Pop Than Pop Was When I Came Up”
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“The country format is more pop than pop was when I came up two decades ago,” Sheryl explained to Reuters late last week when being interviewed about her new album, illustrating the degree of country’s move to pop in recent years. Of course Sheryl isn’t saying anything that some country fans haven’t been clamoring about for years, but Crow’s perspective and honesty speaks to the degree of change in country.
Robbie Fulks is Back with Stunning “Gone Away Backward”
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With a gift for poetry like Townes Van Zandt, and a penchant for the whimsical, progressive approach to bluegrass akin to John Hartford, Robbie Fulks releases a stunningly entertaining, brilliantly-balanced, deep, yet instantly-engaging comeback album called Gone Away Backward through longtime associates Bloodshot Records.
Wynonna Judd Needs A Hand With National Anthem
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Yes, we’ve seen this before, when Luke Bryan wrote some National Anthem notes on his hand at the 2012 MLB All-Star Game. Well it appears that this has now become a thing—either writing the notes to the Star Spangled Banner on your hand, or hiring people who inconceivably can’t remember the words to the most well-known song after “Happy Birthday” to sing it to massive crowds, at important events, during significant times.
Country Band The Kentucky Struts Disrupt Tennis Tournament
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This weekend the eyes of the tennis world will be focused on the second round of the US Open in New York City, but a couple of weeks ago at the Western & Southern Open, Saving Country Music -approved country band The Kentucky Struts caused quite a ruckus during a tennis match pitting #2 in the world Rafael Nadal from Spain against Tomas Berdych from the Czech Republic.
Austin Lucas Discusses “Stay Reckless”
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The dream of most every musician who has severed all ties to the civilian day job world and made that scarey plunge of becoming a professional artist is to eventually be discovered by someone who can help them make their dream into at least a stable, sustainable reality. The fairy-tale story of some unsigned, but unquestionably deserving artist getting discovered at a random show rarely comes true, but it did for Austin Lucas.
Kacey Musgraves Is Tired of Affliction T-Shirts & Truck Songs
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Say what you want about Kacey Musgraves, but you have to give the young songstress credit for speaking her mind. In a recent Q&A with GQ Magazine, the Texas-born songwriter had some spicy things to say about a few of Nashville’s current infatuations. When GQ asked her what musical trend needed to die out immediately, Kacey responded, “Anyone singing about trucks, in any form, in any song, anywhere.”
16 Essential One Man Bands of the Roots World
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Good music is entertaining. Great music changes lives. And on the front lines of life altering music experiences are the one man bands. Courageous, pioneering, persevering through obscurity and misunderstanding, one man bands might make up a majority of the music world’s boldness and creativity per capita. Here’s 16 of them from a wide swath of the roots world.
8 Positive Female Role Models in Music
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Sex has been used to sell music almost since music became a commercial enterprise. From the shaking of Elvis’s hips, to Madonna’s “Sex” book, to Miley Cyrus doing all manner of gratuitous things with a foam finger. but in truth there’s plenty of positive female role models. From huge, internationally-known pop stars, to promising up-and-coming artists, positive female role models in music are out there.
Charlie Worsham’s “Rubberband” May Win Him a Wide Audience
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There’s nothing I value more than a mainstream country music record that bucks all trends and is truly worth your ear. Enter Charlie Worsham and his debut album Rubberband that is being lauded by many critics and fans alike as a breath of fresh air for the mainstream radio dial. Rubberband is a very fun album that sucks you right in, but Charlie Worsham is no Kellie Pickler….
Michael Jackson Montgomery Releases Single For Miley Cyrus
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Its the day after MTV put on its annual Video Music Awards, and the internet is buzzing with Miley Cyrus talk after the former child star put on a raunchy, sexually-explicit performance as part of the VMA show. While parent advocacy groups are up in arms, pop country hopeful Michael Jackson Montgomery is hoping to capitalize off of all the renewed Miley Cyrus attention.
We Lose Linda Ronstadt’s Voice
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This news of Linda Ronstadt losing her voice due to Parkinson’s Disease seems like an especially sinister storyline. What a cruel machination of mother nature to rob a woman of her one defining gift while she still has life and clear cognitive factories to contemplate her fate. This isn’t any voice, or any woman.
Larry & His Flask Guide The Yearning Soul “By The Lamplight”
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Larry & His Flask is an interesting music specimen. The biggest advice I could give to an underground roots band right now would be, “Get away from underground roots if you want to grow,” and Larry & His Flask’s success is the perfect example why. Their 2011 stint on the Warped Tour and taking the time to do things right on the business side….