Outsiders Zach Bryan, Hailey Whitters Win ACM ‘New Artist’ Awards
Everybody calm down. It’s just the ACM Awards. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t celebrate that the good guys won.
Jason Isbell
Release Radar & Most Anticipated Albums for 2nd Half of 2023
We have reached the point of insanity these days with the amount of albums coming out each week in the greater country and roots realm. It’s like a full-time job just keeping track of it all, let alone navigate through the sea of releases to try and find what may be appeal to you.
Perilous Future for Twitter & Tik-Tok Presents Challenges for Music
Platforms like Twitter and Tik-Tok have been instrumental to the rise of artists outside of the musical industrial complex by connection them directly with fans, and circumventing the need for major labels or mass media to help performers find a sustainable audience in many instances.
How Country Beat Back Rap in Mainstream Country
For the last dozen years or so, one of the most contentious battles within the realm of commercial country music has centered around the incursion of hip-hop influences into the genre, and specifically the use of verses that are rapped as opposed to sung, and electronic beats replacing organic drums.
Album Review – Drayton Farley’s “Twenty on High”
With a couple of acoustic releases over the last couple of years, Alabama songwriter Drayton Farley rocketed up the depth charts of emerging talent in the Americana realm with the way his songs resonated with audiences irrespective of their stripped-down nature, and tantalized the imagination.
John Prine’s Son Tommy Prine to Release Debut Album
This will be the last time it is relevant to refer to Tommy Prine as the son of John as anything but an interesting footnote, if that time hasn’t already passed. After winning Saving Country Music’s 2022 Song for the Year for his debut single “Ships in the Harbor,” it’s time for him to step out of the shadow of his famous father.
Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit Announce New Album “Weathervanes”
The alpha male of Americana Jason Isbell has announced his latest album to be released via his own Southeastern Records distributed by Thirty Tigers, and in anticipation the album has already swept the Americana Awards and been bestowed three Grammys, even though it won’t be released until June.
While Maren Morris Is Apologizing for Things, Here’s a Few More
In a recent behind-the-scenes clip as part of this season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Maren Morris felt then needed to apologize to the drag queens competing on this season’s show on behalf of country music. But Maren Morris has some specific things she should apologize for personally.
Get Drayton Farley on Your Radar Ahead of “Twenty On High”
If you can’t get enough of that country/rock/roots sound emanating from Alabama and underpinning excellently written songs that cut straight to the heart, you have little to no excuse to not sift Drayton Farley and his upcoming album ‘Twenty On High’ to the very top of your 2023 depth chart.
On Morgan Wallen’s “You Proof” Setting Country Radio Record
Over the Christmas/New Year holiday, Morgan Wallen’s “You Proof” set a rather landmark achievement by becoming the first radio single in country music history to spend 10 weeks at #1—a record that despite the song’s country lyricism as a heartbreak drinking song, can only be regarded as dubious.
This Zach Bryan vs. Rich O’Toole Thing
On December 18th after Zach Bryan had three of his songs featured on Season 5, Episode 7 of the Paramount series Yellowstone, singer and songwriter Rich O’Toole took to social media to say that Zach’s song “Motorcycle Drive By” had borrowed/stolen the guitar/melody part from his song “Take My Heart” released in 2014.
Album Review – Adeem The Artist’s “White Trash Revelry”
There was most certainly a time in country music—and even in it’s more open-minded and less commercially-concerned cousin of Americana—where not fitting neatly within the gender binary would be a significant burden on the attention you would receive for your music. 2022 is not that time though.
The Continuing Mystery of Cory Barron’s Death at a Country Concert
As the concert ended, the friends of Cory Barron couldn’t find him. They searched the entire ballpark, hung around to see if he would show up, called friends to confirm he didn’t leave with someone else, with no clue of where he’d disappeared to. By Saturday morning, a missing persons report was filed.
No, Loretta Lynn’s “The Pill” Is Not Still Banned (& other issues)
The Pill. THE PILL! Even before the unfortunate passing of the great Loretta Lynn on October 4th, there was nothing that exposed one more as a political apparatchik larping as a journalist within the country music space than shoehorning a reference to Loretta Lynn’s “The Pill” into your misguided think piece.
Billy Strings Wins Big, Luke Bell Paid Tribute at Americana Music Awards
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.
John Prine’s Son Tommy Prine Releases Debut Single
At 26-years-old, Tommy Prine is the youngest son of John Prine. He learned how to fingerpick from his father, first picking up a guitar at the age of 10. But interestingly, it wasn’t his father’s music that first inspired Tommy to get into singer/songwriter material at the ago of 17. It was Jason Isbell’s opus ‘Southeastern.’
American Aquarium’s “Burn. Flicker. Die.” Ten Years Later
At their last possible breaking point before absolute annihilation and the resignation to go get regular jobs, BJ Barham and American Aquarium pushed all their chips to the center of the table, bet hard in a last dying gasp, and won in their 2012 album “Burn. Flicker. Die” released 10 years ago today.
Amazon’s ‘For Love & Country’ Film Erases Critical Black Legacies
Though the film means well, and is generally well-made with superb cinematography and high production value, the approach and information conveyed in the film is problematic to say the least, actively participating in erasing the legacy of Black country artists in a film that purports to be championing them.
On The Frustrations with Tyler Childers’ Output and Appearances
The bigger issue here is that people just want more Tyler Childers, and you can’t blame them for that. If he was playing two hours sets on his own tour, most everyone would be leaving satisfied. But he’s not, even though it feels like he should be.
Quit Claiming Mainstream Country Radio is the Only Way to Success
In 2015, we couldn’t imagine artists not supported by mainstream country radio selling out arenas, and minting multiple Platinum singles without the help of Music Row. Here in 2022, Tyler Childers is considered one of the top artists in the entire country music industry, and now we have Zach Bryan.
New Grammy Americana Award Only Partially Solves Problem
The new award will give one more opportunity for Americana artists (and some country artists by proxy) to be nominated and win in what has become one of the most crowded categories in all of the Grammy Awards. But the problem remains that anything can be called Americana.
Tyler Childers Breaks Another Barrier with 2X Platinum Certification
The paradigm continues to shift, and the possibilities for country artists without the support of mainstream radio and major awards continues to increase with the continued success of Tyler Childers, and specifically the songs from his 2017 album “Purgatory.”
Zach Bryan’s “American Heartbreak” Hits #1, Beats Projections
Zach Bryan has officially ensconced himself as an independent country music superstar, doing what only a select few other non radio-supported artists have done through grassroots support in the past, which is score a #1 album in country music.
Zach Bryan’s “American Heartbreak” Album Already Setting Records
Zach Bryan and his new album American Heartbreak are having a moment, and when all is said and done and the dust settles, it’s likely to ensconce the singer/songwriter among the very top artists in country music. But it’s not just because the album has 34 songs.