Mile 0 Fest 2025: Ground Zero for Big Moments
15 Comments
What happens at Mile 0 Fest in Key West doesn’t stay in Key West. It resonates throughout the Texas/ Red Dirt world, into Americana, and throughout independent country for the rest of the year.
Willis Alan Ramsey Delivers in Dallas
7 Comments
I had no idea what to expect when driving down into Dallas to see Willis Alan Ramsey perform. Information on the legendary, but somewhat reclusive songwriter is scant at best. No website, calendar or social network sites to help. If you’re not religiously scanning the fine print of your local alternative newsweekly, and you don’t live in or near Texas, you’re likely to miss him.
Chat LIVE With Tonya Watts
2 Comments
On Thursday (8-26), former body double, current heartfelt songwriter, and overall general badass Tonya Watts will be chatting LIVE with YOU, if you so choose. The deal will go down at 7 PM time of the Central persuasion, in the live chat room of www.am1670.org.
Clay Walker Clashes With Curb Records
23 CommentsLooks like I’m a step behind this story, but apparently country star Clay Walker has joined a growing list of artists sideways with country label Curb Records. That list includes heavy hitters Leanne Rimes, perfume magnate Tim McGraw, and the Hank Williams legacy of Hank Williams Jr. and Hank III. Just like with Tim McGraw […]
Corsicana Set to Honor Billy Joe Shaver
13 CommentsOrganizers are working on plans for original country music Outlaw Billy Joe Shaver to be honored by Corsicana, TX, the town he was born in. Tentative plans include renaming a portion of the street Billy Joe grew up on in Corsicana to “Billy Joe Shaver Way,” as well as adding a prominent “Billy Joe Shaver […]
I’m Impressed by Possesed by Paul James
4 Comments(Possessed just released his latest album “Feed the Family” through Hillgrass Bluebilly Records, and it will be released worldwide Sep. 21st.) After recently reviewing the underground film The Folk Singer, I wanted to get more information about the “main character” (so to speak), the artist Possessed by Paul James, and luckily a check of his […]
No More Hank III Openers…For Now
51 CommentsIn about a week, Hank Williams III will be hitting the road on an East Coast tour, and for the first time in a long time he won’t be carrying an opening band. With one of the biggest and most loyal fan bases in non-mainstream country, Hank III’s opening slot has been coveted for years, […]
I’m Doing The Best I Can (Site Hacked)
33 CommentsFirst off thanks to the few, but vocal readers that reached out to me in the past few days, wondering if I was passed out in a ditch or something after a week elapsed without any new articles. No, I was not on a vacation. Truth is I’ve been working as hard as ever to […]
NPR’s Adverse Effect on Country & Roots Music
12 CommentsLast week an article was posted on No Depression lamenting the glossification of bluegrass. Of course my first thought was to point out bands like Trampled By Turtles, The .357 String Band, Split Lip Rayfield, The Hackensaw Boys, Larry & His Flask, and many others. But aside from that, I think you can make a […]
Whitey Morgan & The 78’s Due out Oct. 12th
0 CommentsFlint, Michigan’s Whitey Morgan & The 78′s eponymous album recorded at Levon Helm’s recording studio will be out on October 12th via Bloodshot Records. From Bloodshot: “Outlaw’s always been the rough-around-the-edges, tough guy uncle at the country music family picnic. Denim and leather, not Stetson and Nudie. Hair by Pennzoil, not Pomade. But in the […]
Bob Wayne’s Big Push & Century Media
4 CommentsLast October, I stepped onto Joe Buck’s legendary motorhome for an interview, and during our conversation he dropped the bomb that he’d signed to Century Media and was going to be working on a record with legendary producer Jack Endino. This was big news, because Joe Buck was about the last person I envisioned signing […]
Taylor Swift Tops Sugarland’s Steampunk w/ Splatterpunk
3 CommentsThis week pop country duo Sugarland released a video for their first single off the album The Incredible Machine due out in October. The album is supposedly inspired by “Steampunk,” a brand of science fiction set in an era when steam power is still widely used, but there’s also futuristic and sometimes fantasy elements. The […]
Amazon’s 50 $5 Country Albums For August
2 CommentsThe best way to buy records is directly from artists at the merch table, or directly from their website if possible. This way the biggest chunk goes directly to the artist. The next best thing is to buy from one of the last of the dying local record stores, though this is becoming less of […]