Sierra Ferrell Wins BIG at 2025 Grammy Awards
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From a homeless and train hopping busker, to one of the fastest-rising stars in independent roots music, to now a three-time Grammy-winning artist, the hopeful and inspiring story of singer and songwriter Sierra Ferrell only continues to get sweeter.
Album Review – Wanda Jackson’s “The Party Ain’t Over”
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Despite the dissolution of The White Stripes and the Queen of Rockabilly cresting into her 70’s, this new album leaves little doubt that The Party Ain’t Over, and neither are the careers of Wanda Jackson and Jack White. Whatever criticism one can come up with for this album, it is difficult to say that it lacks vision, or scope, or that it needs fleshing out…
Super Bowl Illustrates Divisive Nature of American Music
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In the last decade or so, music has become a vital part of The Super Bowl presentation. The halftime show and National Anthem have always been a hoopla for the event, but with the addition of a pre-game concert, a rendition of “America, The Beautiful” and countless other opportunities to cross-market music to one of the biggest audiences television boasts all year…
ACM Nominations “Fixed,” Carrie Underwood Snubbed
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Jimmy Carter (no, not the peanut-farming ex-prez) on 96.9 “The Kat” from North Carolina in his “Wednesday Dirt Alert” segment called the recently-released Academy of Country Music awards nominations “super-political” and asserts that he was specifically told that Carrie Underwood got snubbed for nominations from her label so that fellow label-mate Miranda Lambert would get some much needed press.
Ray Wylie’s Grit & Groove Fest Lineup Speaks to Influence
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Down here in Texas they call him Wylie Lama. Musicians flock from all around the country and world to see if some of Hubbard’s songwriting prowess or production ear can rub off on them. And musicians from all over the spectrum. People like Hayes Carll, whose new album KMAG YOYO is getting tons off buzz, to The Black Crowes front man Chris Robinson.
Saving Country Music’s 2010 Album(s) of The Year
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As I said in the nominations, all four albums could have won on any given year, and simply by the strength of the 2010 field, they each were unfairly pitted against each other. When all the dust settled, I was still left with two albums that were both masterpieces, both great examples of real country, both accessible and great ambassadors for the independent country movement…
Big Names Cash In On ‘Third For A Word’ Songwriting Rule
21 CommentsWhen music fans think about the art of songwriting, they usually want to have a romantic vision of the process–their favorite songwriters sitting down late at night in a dimly lit room, deep in the throes of passion and inspiration. Maybe a candle flickering above a blank piece of paper, with a glass of wine or whiskey to the side, and tears staining the page as they alleviate their heartache by bearing their soul in a song.
In truth, mainstream songwriting more resembles the unappealing aesthetics of industrial food production . . .
Judd Films To Film Muddy Roots, Don Maddox Added
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The buzz going into 2011’s Muddy Roots Festival is that this is going to be “the one” event that marks a major shift in the interest, support, and unity in underground roots. It is only appropriate then that Judd Films will be there to document it…One of the performers Judd Films will be there to capture will be 90-year-old Country Music Hall of Famer Don Maddox.
Album Review – Bob Wayne’s “Outlaw Carnie”
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The first thing you need to appreciate about Outlaw Carnie is that it is country. Forget that it’s on a metal label, and that Hank III’s name is being put out there for context. There’s no fusing of metal and country here. There’s no sludgy BC Rich or Flying V guitars, no screamo, cookie monster lyrics. There’s banjo, fiddle, dobro, upright bass, brushes on snare, if there’s any drums at all.
Hank Williams Movie “The Last Ride” Readies 2011 Release
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A feature film named “The Last Ride” about the final days of Hank Williams has been completed and should be released later this year. The movie stars Henry Thomas, the main kid from ET that’s yells “Penis Breath!’ and was shot mostly in Benton, Arkansas with other parts shot at a gas station in Sherwood, AR. It is directed by Harry Thomason, an Arkansas native.
Trace Adkins Targets Your Kids w/ Sexualized Puppets
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When I first roasted this song, a lot of people thought I’d gone too far. That I was tilting at windmills. That I was being some sort of ultra-moralist by pointing out the sexual nature of the song. Some thought it was a stretch to say it was targeted towards kids, and putting clips of children reciting an innocuous joke that had nothing to do with the actual song was a way for me to bend facts to fit my assertion.
Rachel Brooke Album News, Tour w/ Those Poor Bastards
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Rachel Brooke’s much-anticipated release Down In The Barnyard has been given an official release date of February 22nd. It can be pre-ordered now…A few songs from the new album will be debuted on Outlaw Radio tonight (1-26-11) on SCM LIVE at 8 PM Central, and later will be archived on episode 129 on the Outlaw Radio Page. There will also be a tribute to Charlie Louvin tonight at 6:30 Central…
RIP Charlie Louvin 1927-2011
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Country Music Hall of Famer and Grand Ole Opry Legend Charlie Louvin died at 1 AM early Wednesday morning according to his son Charlie “Sonny” Louvin Jr. Charlie had been battling pancreatic cancer. Earlier this month Charlie had been in the hospital for a urinary tract infection and dehydration. He was 83.
Charles Elzer Loudermilk was born in Henagar, AL in July of 1927.