Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the 2017 Saving AMERIPOLITAN Music LIVE blog from Austin, TX and the historic Paramount theater. Since the awards will not be broadcast or televised, the will be the live portal into the festivities for the folks who can’t be here. We’ll keep you informed of the winners, performers, doings, photos and other observations.
It was bound to happen at some point. It’s almost strange it took so long. Two guys who have long called Austin, TX their main haunt, and who have made careers out of steadfastly sticking to their guns in their particular styles of country music, be damned of the financial ramifications, what fleeting trends come and go, or what Nashville thinks of it all, joining forces on a duets record.
Just what 2017 has in store for us in the country music department remains to be seen. But we do know about what to expect in the release department for at least the first quarter of the year, while rumors abound about the big projects that could come to light later in 2017. Here’s a run down of what we know, what we think we know, and what we would like to believe.
The 4th Annual Ameripolitan Awards will transpire at the Paramount Theatre in Austin TX on February 15th, 2017, and Tuesday morning the organization that looks to shine a spotlight on American music with a heavy roots influence announced the nominees for the 2017 awards. Awards are handed out in four primary categories.
Two Austin, Texas country music heavyweights are coming together for the very first time come January 6th, 2017 when Dale Watson and Ray Benson release ‘Dale and Ray’—a duets album featuring the two traditional country artists dueling it out over original tracks and a handful of covers.
Dale Watson is not only one of the most dedicated torchbearers and gatekeepers of authentic country music—or as he would prefer to call it, Ameripolitan—he also happens to be one of the most prolific. Dale will release an album on you with absolutely no warning, no press, no info, and if you blink you would miss it.
The reason much of country music, bluegrass, blues, folk, and other older genres are referred to as “roots” is because these vital influences to American music are the building blocks for most or all of the music people enjoy today. Before there was rock and roll, and before there was hip-hop, roots music paved the way for all popular music genres.
Have you heard about the legend of Dale Watson’s “Chicken $hit Bingo”? He’s been hosting the event on Sundays since 2000 at places like Austin’s legendary Ginny’s Little Longhorn Saloon, and now at his own bar just outside of San Antonio in St. Hedwig called the Big ‘T’ Roadhouse. If you’re ever in central Texas and want a dose of full fledged Texas authenticity…
Corporate sponsorship is the grease for the wheels that makes country music turn. What is new about corporate truck sponsors in country over the last couple of years is how deep they have embedded into the country music culture, to the point where now smaller, independent artists can be seen out there participating in helping to promote full sized trucks.
According to Blake Shelton, nobody wants to listen to grandpa’s music anymore. But somebody forgot to tell the throng that assembled at Austin’s historic Paramount Theatre on Tuesday evening (2-16) and filled the venue to capacity for the 3rd installment of the Dale Watson-helmed Ameripolitan Awards.
Dale Watson’s 3rd Annual, 2016 Ameripolitan Awards went down Tuesday night in Austin at the Paramount Theatre, with awards handed out in the categories of “Honky Tonk,” “Western Swing,” “Rockabilly,” and “Outlaw,” designated by male and female, and groups. Additional awards were handed out favorite venues, festivals, DJ’s, and musicians.
With Letterman’s retirement, the concern was this once important roots music outlet on television would dry up. But since Stephen Colbert has taken the reigns at The Late Show, quite the opposite has happened. Monday night (2-1), critically-acclaimed songwriter John Moreland will be making his network television debut from the Ed Sullivan Theater courtesy of Stephen Colbert.
A bunch of lucky bastards will be congregating in southern Florida on Saturday, February 6th at the Magic City Casino in Miami for the Shore Leave Showdown, which dubs itself as a one-day “Southern Outlaw” festival, and includes one beefy lineup, not limited to The Mavericks, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Dale Watson, Robbie Fulks, Sarah Gayle Meech, The Kentucky Headhunters, and many more.
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.
The 3rd Annual, 2016 Ameripolitan Awards have announced their 2016 nominees. Scheduled to transpire on February 16, 2016 at the historic Paramount Theatre in downtown Austin, it will be hosted by Western Swing legend Ray Benson, and feature performances by many of the nominees and other notables from the “Ameripolitan” realm.
Yellow Rose, a film about a 15-year-old Filipino-American runaway with dreams of making it big in country music and co-starring Dale Watson, has begun the filming process, and was shooting Sunday evening (November 1st) at Austin’s historic honky tonk, The Broken Spoke. Details on the film first came to light in the Spring of 2014 after Dale Watson was formally cast as Jimmy Redburn.
How cool is it to have a father and a son in the same band? There’s a beer league factor to the Electric Rag Band, and not in a bad way. They make music when they can, how they can, and for the right reasons. And they’ve been doing it for quite a while now. Formed in 1994, their new record My Side accounts for their sixth release.
Like a slow moving thunder roll, Whitey Morgan continues to tour, night in and night out, delivering crisp, throbbing performances every time that leave crowds embedded with Whitey passion in every town they tackle until the crowds are swelling, and the word is spreading about this bearded guy from Flint who refuses to compromise, who has his heart in the right place, and who puts on amazing shows.
You’re Dreaming will be blood brothers Jack Torrey and Page Burkum’s third album, complimenting their self-titled debut release from 2011, and Live at the Turb Club from 2013. The new record will include ten original compositions, and will be produced by JD McPherson—an old-school throwback rock and roll-inspired artist himself.
Some independent country fans love to harp on whose name is in the biggest font in the headliner positions, but the names Stagecoach invites each year to fill out the roster gives you great hope for the future of country, and tells you who to look out for in the coming months and years, this year especially.
The songwriter, singer, guitar player, and frontman for the legendary Western Swing and classic country band Asleep At The Wheel had some harsh things to say about today’s country music in a recent interview, and specifically about the reigning CMA and ACM Entertainer of the Year, Luke Bryan.
It’s the combination of Strickland’s songwriting, and his amazing North Carolina-bred country voice that give you that tingle only true country music knows how to evoke. His frequent collaborator Gary Braddy also pens some of this album’s best songs, while the ‘B’ Sides continue to be one of the coolest backing bands in country music.
I know you probably receive dozens of these types of letters, and they all make strong cases for who the author wishes you select for the next season. But in the case of Ray Wylie Hubbard, I really think it would not only mean a tremendous amount to Ray, but it would mean a tremendous amount to Austin City Limits to finally and formally recognize one of Austin’s most important performers, and help preserve his place in Austin music.
Written solely by Carlson, the 5-song Release Me EP is a throwback, honky-tonkin, foot-stompin’ true country affair that lays full throttle on the twang and layers in the steel guitar hard and heavy. But this isn’t just all about styling and posturing to prove how country it is. Darci crafts some really smart songs and has an understanding of chords and arrangement and songwriting that separates her from the crowd.