A Country Fan Appreciates the Catalog of Neil Diamond

Neil Diamond. The Jewish Elvis Presley as some have referred to him over the years. But country? That’s probably not what you think of when you think Neil Diamond.
Neil Diamond. The Jewish Elvis Presley as some have referred to him over the years. But country? That’s probably not what you think of when you think Neil Diamond.
The 2022 Americana Music Awards transpired at the Ryman Auditorium Wednesday Night, September 14th, with Billy Strings, Brandi Carlile, Allison Russell, Sierra Ferrell, and The War and Treaty all walking away with big awards. There were also a few surprises.
On Friday evening, October 16th, PBS will air the presentation of the Grammy’s special merit awards for the year’s Lifetime Achievement recipients. The event is capped off with a tribute to John Prine, whose segment runs almost twice as long as any other tribute.
We used to complain that most all country songs these days were about beer and trucks. The point was to hopefully expand mainstream country’s thematic subjects. Bo in concession they cut most of the references to trucks out, leaving only one piece of subject matter on the table. There’s only one little Indian left, and it’s amber and comes in a bottle or can.
Muddy Roots will be taking over the Grand Ole Opry House on May 15th for the finale of their 2016 Nashville Boogie Vintage Weekender, and the one and only Chris Isaak will be headlining. The performance will be part of the larger 4-day event being held at the Opryland Hotel and Resort. Other names playing throughout the weekend include The Reverend Horton Heat, The Blasters, Wanda Jackson, Pokey LaFarge, and Dale Watson.
Dale Watson’s gray hair may be filling in nicely, but he’s not slowing down. On the heels of The Sun Sessions, he is releasing a video for each individual song. He’ll also be doing an exclusive tour with his “Texas Two” lineup in Europe. But at the moment he is also mourning the loss of his long-time bass player Gene Kurtz, who passed away over the weekend.
I’m not sure many other artists, even the ones that are big Johnny Cash fans, would be up for pulling this project off with this adeptness. It would almost take a small team of musical historians, creative writers, and musicians to evoke what Dale Watson does in a seemingly effortless manner simply from his fandom, understanding, and deep appreciation for The Man in Black.