On “The Last Kings of Babylon,” Jason Boland tries to summarize the last 25 or so years in music, from the personal and the professional, to the sacred and the profane.
“MoDErN cOUnTRy SUcKS!” What are you nuts? It’s an embarrassment of riches out here, you just need to know where to point your nose. Turn off Bobby Bones and get to listening to the best in independent country music.
Welcome to 2025! Hopefully it will be a prosperous year in country music. As usual, the amount of releases coming out early in the year is a little light, but that doesn’t mean it won’t include some heavy hitters.
“This album is a mirror,” says Boland. “It’s a retrospective, a reflection of everywhere we’ve been and everything we’ve learned over the last 25 years on the road. These songs are about the journey. We were searching for something.”
Now shows have been added to Thursday, April 10th, and Sunday April 13th. The presale for these dates starts Tuesday, October 8th at 12:00 pm Central. Fans can sign up for the new presale.
Sources say that over 120,000 people signed up just for the presale access alone. In mid April, Stillwater is going to transform into a major music city. This might turn out to be one of the biggest musical events all year.
The rumors are true. Legendary Red Dirt band Cross Canadian Ragweed is reuniting, and will be playing a show with fellow Oklahoma legends the Turnpike Troubadours and other Red Dirt legends.
In 2024, the Jackalope Jamboree (June 27-29) still had some of the topmost names in independent country like Charley Crockett, Kaitlin Butts, and Silverada. It had legends of Red Dirt like Jason Boland, and The Randy Rogers Band.
Though you may not nerd out enough about country music to wonder how your favorite Texas/Red Dirt artists end up playing at your local watering hole or wind up on a festival lineup, it’s a very big part to how an artist or band either makes it breaks it in the music business.
Concept albums have been an integral part of country music history, with the release of certain projects completely reshaping the country music paradigm, including in recent memory. Just in case you need an illustration of the breadth and importance of concept albums in country music
Things in country music are changing, and across the board, even at an old relic like the Grand Ole Opry. Of course, it’s days of launching stars overnight are long gone. But you ask any artist in country music, and they’ll tell you that making their Grand Ole Opry debut is a lifetime bucket list achievement.
The writing has been on the wall for a while, but over the weekend Shooter Jennings made it official: he’s stepping away from touring as a solo performer indefinitely to focus more on the production side of music where his career has been focused more and more.
The Grand Ole Opry is currently facing sharp criticism for allowing Morgan Wallen to perform on Saturday night’s Opry on January 8th. The first detail that everyone must understand is that Morgan Wallen was not a scheduled performer for Saturday evening’s Opry.
It’s that time of year to once again commence a discussion about the best stuff released in country music. Excruciating work went into whittling the selections for Saving Country Music’s Album of the Year to 11 nominees, and even then it feels scandalous that still more weren’t selected.
It’s all been done in country music. You’ve heard that before, right? Well Jason Boland has never been one to acquiesce to that idea, even while still putting together a legendary career as one of Red Dirt’s stanchest traditionalists. So a concept record about an alien abduction? Sure.
A couple of deserving bands from the Texas and Red Dirt side of country are finally receiving their due with upcoming opportunities to step into the hallowed circle at the Grand Ole Opry. It’s just the latest sign things are opening up a bit under the new Opry management.
Original Red Dirt music legend Jason Boland may be best known for straightforward country music heaters such as “Pearl Snaps” and “Somewhere Down in Texas,” but those that have followed his 20-year career know that if you know Boland, you best stay on your toes.
Shooter Jennings has signed on with the Concord Label Group as a staff producer who will work closely with Concord’s Chief Label Executive Tom Whalley as a creative executive to develop the current roster, and identify new talent. Concord owns numerous imprints important to the country and roots realm.
Sure, Shooter Jennings as a record producer is nothing new. What has changed now is being a producer now feels like the primary focus, or at least an equal effort for the second generation performer. And most importantly, that’s where Shooter’s passion is.
If you’ve been a good little Saving Country Music reader over the last couple of years, then you’ve known that Jesse Daniel has been touted here as one of the most exciting country music artists coming up to keep a keen eye on. Excellent live, and already an Ameripolitan winner in 2019 in the Honky Tonk Male category.
Want to feel old? Then try to wrap your head around the fact that it’s been over 20 years since Red Dirt country music legend Jason Boland released his iconic debut album ‘Pearl Snaps.’ But if there’s any consolation, it’s that Jason Boland and the Straggglers will be heading out on a 20th Anniversary Tour to celebrate the milestone.
The Texas music and Red Dirt movement is growing. There is no doubt about that. The appeal and participation in the music is no longer regional, despite what the names might imply. It’s just as much of a genre at this point as a collaboration of local scenes, offering a much more healthy alternative to the mainstream of country.
The Turnpike Troubadours and Jason Boland and the Stragglers have just announced the lineup for the 2019 Medicine Stone Festival on the grounds of the beautiful Diamondhead Resort in the Turnpike’s home town of Talequah, Oklahoma. The lineup has expanded to 32 names in 2019.
Texas and Red Dirt music isn’t just for folks in Texas and Oklahoma. The title of the music may imply that it’s a regional thing, but the appeal is international, and the talent is world-class. No matter where you are, Texas/Red Dirt is a much more healthy alternative to the mainstream.