Charlie Kirk, Jesse Welles, and the Freedom of Speech
230 Comments
But whether your Freedom of Speech hero is Charlie Kirk or Jesse Welles, it should be for all of us to protect our neighbor’s right to “say exactly what [they] mean all the time.”
Michael Jackson Montgomery Releases “Perfect Pop Country Song”
41 Comments
We first learned about pop country’s Michael Jackson Montgomery over 1 1/2 years ago, when the pop country “mega-franchise” project he was a part of for a major Nashville record label pulled the plug on his manufactured music career. Well now he is ready to begin releasing the full studio versions of his songs and is starting today with what he calls “The perfect pop country song” called “Ice Cold Beer In A Pickup Truck”.
2012 Muddy Roots Festival Official Field Guide
42 Comments
The Muddy Roots Festival is nigh upon us, and folks from all around the country and world will be making the trek to Cookeville, TN in a few days for the premier event for underground/independent roots music. This is all the info you need in one place, so print it out, bookmark it and pull it up on your phone during the fest, and most importantly, have fun!
Willie Nelson Recovering After Hospital Stay in Denver
8 Comments
Country Music legend Willie Nelson spent Sunday night in a Denver area hospital after complaining of breathing problems due to Emphysema and the high altitude. According to KVET 98.1 in Austin, Willie Nelson is feeling better this morning and planning to head back to Texas today. Nelson has a show scheduled at the Dallas House of Blues for Tuesday (8-21), but no word if he will be playing the show or not.
Album Review – Corb Lund “Cabin Fever”
37 Comments
50% of Americans may not be able to correctly identify that Saskatchewan is a part of Canada, or comprehend that Canadians are technically Americans too, but if one of your friends has been exposed to Canadian country singer Corb Lund’s music and scoffs it off as something too foreign for their ears, you may want to seriously consider a renouncement of said friend’s country music citizenship.
Fake Outlaw Justin Moore Accused of Stealing ‘Backwoods’ Song
22 Comments
Fake country music “Outlaw” Justin Moore has been served papers for a copyright infringement lawsuit stemming from his 2009 laundry list song “Backwoods” released on his debut self-titled album. Also named in the suit is the Country Music Anti-Christ Scott Borchetta’s Big Machine Records label who released the song.
Taylor Swift Courts Radio w/ “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”
123 Comments
The hints of what Taylor Swift had in store for her new album were subtle, but seemed to be leaning towards a maturing of her music. She talked openly about how her next album would be a “darker” album. And then she premiered the first single from the album “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” and even the most devout Taylor Swift apologists were reminded very starkly that Taylor Swift is just a pop star.
George Jones Announces 60-Date “Farewell Tour” in 2013
19 Comments
After 50 years of service to country music, the 80-year-old George Jones has just announced that in 2013, he will be going on his final tour. “The Grand Tour” as it is being billed will begin in 2013, and include 60 dates. At this time, no dates or cities have been announced. “The Grand Tour” was also an album and song Jones released in 1974.
Blackberry Smoke’s “Whippoorwill” & Southern Rock
32 Comments
Try telling Blackberry Smoke that genres don’t matter in modern music. In many ways they don’t, and in many ways they are absolutely the most important thing. Blackberry Smoke may be a prime example of why. Many modern Southern rock bands focus too much on force to drive home the Southern rock vibe. I was surprised at how little hard-driving songs there were on this album, and how much attention was paid to lyrics.
Worst “Country” Songs of 2012 So Far
79 Comments
What a banner year it has been for bad songs in country music. After 2011’s “Red Solo Cup” by Toby Keith and Jason Aldean’s country/rap “Dirt Road Anthem” the bar has been raised for how low you must go to get attention for your twilighting music career. Put a clothesline clip on your nose, a paper bag on your knee, and dive in…if you dare.
Andy Vaughan & The Driveline Are ‘Searching for the Song’
8 Comments
There’s so much music these days vying for everyone’s attention, it is almost imperative that you employ some sort of “bit” to get noticed: a distinctive singing style, a blending of genres, humor, irony, etc. How about just sincerity in craft, and good songwriting? Why can’t that get noticed too? After all, in music these days, that’s pretty rare itself, and those attributes are what Andy Vaughan puts into play in Searching For The Song.
Some Respect for Randy Travis at a Tough Time
37 Comments
Alright, so we’ve all now had our yucks over this story of a naked Randy Travis being arrested, and I am certainly not above guilt, but I am seeing some fairly alarming rhetoric surrounding this story that I feel is unhealthy to the country music environment. The details of the story may be funny, but the incident is not. Celebrity or no, Randy Travis is a human being who is clearly going through a moment of crisis in his life.
Expert: Erratic Randy Travis Could Be Caused By Paulie Walnuts Wings
18 Comments
What is the cause of all of Randy’s recent erratic behavior? One expert says it can be linked to the silver wings that have recently sprouted from the side of Randy’s head. “Paulie Walnuts syndrome is what some like to call it, named after the famous Sopranos TV character known for being especially ruthless and having ‘silver wings’ in his hair.”