On Morgan Wallen Bowing Out of Grammy Consideration
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One artist that we know won’t be submitting their work to the Recording Academy happens to also be the biggest artist in all of “country” music. Morgan Wallen has let it be known that he won’t be submitting.
Hillgrass Bluebilly’s Launch Party Broadcast on SCM LIVE!
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On Saturday the mother of all SCM Live events will be going down, as we will be broadcasting Hillgrass Bluebilly’s Launch Party, featuring 7 bands, 2 stages, and 6+ hours of music, all LIVE to anywhere in the world from the Hole in the Wall in Austin, TX!
Jason Aldean’s Rap Warns of Impending Mono-Genre
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The parade of new lows coming from Music Row in Nashville just keeps coming folks. The pre-Holiday period of 2010 might go down as the worst ever. The latest low blow comes from Jason Aldean, whose single off his album released today called My Kind of Party is a straight up rap song.
Charlie Louvin Benefit DVD In The Works
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Charlie is in the fight of his life with medical bills mounting, and that is why Judd Films has put together a creative way to preserve this historic anniversary concert, while helping out Charlie. With help from Keith Neltner, Judd Films has started a Kickstarter account to help with the hard production costs to get a DVD made of the concert, that will later be sold with all the proceeds going back to Charlie.
Liz Sloan Story Defines Deep Themes in Country Landscape
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When reviews and videos began to surface from Bob Wayne’s recent tour with Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers, the big buzz was about Bob’s new fiddle player named Liz Sloan. Not that Bob hasn’t had great musicians in his band before, quite the contrary, and not that a woman should be considered out of place in Bob’s band, but still Liz’s presence intrigued me wildly because I knew there must be a good story behind it.
Sugarland Spells ‘Rock’ Bottom For Country
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This is not John Denver and Olivia Newton John ruffling feathers by winning country awards. This isn’t Garth Brooks flying over stadiums on wires. This isn’t Rascal Flatts rehashing classic rock songs, or even Taylor Swift playing with a fiddle player hidden in a dark corner. This is it. This is the bottom of the slippery slope. This is country music’s ‘rock’ bottom.
Your Opinion: “They Were Good Until They Got Sober”
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On New Year’s Day in 1953, country music’s first superstar Hank Williams died of what could be considered an early-era overdose–heart failure due to a lethal combination of morphine and alcohol. He was the first superstar musician to die in this manner, issuing in an era that would see the deaths of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Elvis, and many many more.
Bob Wayne Release Date Delayed / New Band Lineup
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Today was going to be the release date for Bob Wayne’s new album Outlaw Carnie, but despite a big press push the last few days, it will not come out until January 25, 2011. Wayne had originally been warning folks the new album wasn’t going to be out until early 2011, but then Oct. 26 had been thrown out there as the date. The new album also at one point was going to be called “From The Camper to the Cadillac.”
Justin Townes Earle Leaves Rehab / Adds Tour Dates
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Justin Townes Earle has officially left a rehabilitation facility and is back at his home in New York City.
Earle entered rehab and canceled his tour after an incident at Radio Radio in Indianapolis that ended with Earle spending the night in jail and being charged with assault against the venue owner and his daughter.
Hillbilly Royalty Returns to Lower Broadway
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Like JD Wiles of Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers said in part 2 of this series, the revitalization of lower Broadway started in the mid 90’s, but it was in the late 90’s when it really became “special.” Part of the reason for that was undoubtedly the presence of hillbilly royalty, from the bloodline of the man who helped build those buildings.
Album Review – Ronnie Hymes “UnIncorporated”
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UnIncorporated is a fun album with great songs that is not afraid to get too deep, or at times to be refreshingly immature.
The beauty of this album is it’s roots in truth. When so many Nashville products try to sing about the common man’s common struggles, they have to do it from the outside looking in. What Ronnie is doing is getting what is inside out, to keep his sanity.
Billy Joe Shaver to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award
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Texas country music legend Billy Joe Shaver will receive a lifetime achievement award nicknamed the ‘Rusty’ on November 17th. The award is named for another Texas music legend, Rusty Wier, and is being bestowed by Love & War in Texas. Scheduled to appear and perform at the ceremony are Gary P. Nunn, Tommy Alverson, Mark David Manders, and the Tejas Brothers.
Review – Those Poor Bastards ‘Gospel Haunted’
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Any review for Those Poor Bastards should probably start off with a disclaimer that gothic country is not for everyone. Nor do I claim to be an expert of the music; I’ve always felt like I’m on the outside looking in. Having said that, I have really become intrigued and entertained with what Those Poor Bastards do, and think of Lonesome Wyatt as virtually peerless in procuring sounds to set the exact mood he envisions for songs.