Ever since Oliver Anthony and “Rich Men North of Richmond” went viral, the accusations that he’s an “industry plant” or that his meteoric rise has been the product of “Astroturfing” have been pervasive.
Whether you love Oliver Anthony or think he’s a fudge rounder, he’s definitely sparked off a ton of national interest in earnest songwriters who can stand in front of a microphone with just an acoustic guitar.
If you’re looking for the Appalachian sound that has gone untouched by the rapacious cretins in Nashville and their commercial interests, Tim Goodin is a good place to start.
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.
Born in Kentucky and raised in West Virginia, at just 19 years old he’s getting ready to release his debut album Dark Black Coal via Thirty Tigers. Just over two years ago Logan was featured in a now viral video singing his song “Dark Black Coal” for Radio West Virginia and the comparisons to Tyler Childers poured in.
Unflinchingly offering brutal dispatches from the most downtrodden and desperate moments of life, Arlo McKinley delivers one body blow after another in songs that are brutally articulate about the level of depression and despondency suffered.
After two years away due to COVID-19, the annual Healing Appalachia concert event is returning September 23rd and 24th to Lewisburg, WV, with Tyler Childers once again headlining the event that looks to raise funds and raise awareness about the opioid crisis gripping Appalachia, and so many parts of the US.
Songs are the most important unit of measurement in music, and the specific moment a life can change, a perspective can shift, a deep emotion that has gone dormant is re-awakened, and life is enhanced positively henceforth. When we talk about potential “Song of the Year” nominees, were not looking for the toe tappers.
The Saving Country Music Top 25 Playlist is built to keep you informed on all the best songs and albums coming out right here, right now in country and roots music. It’s available on most all streaming formats, or just use the song, artist, and album recommendations to find something new.
Over the last few years, we all haven’t been able to stop harping on all the great country music talent coming out of the greater Appalachian region, from Kentucky, to West Virginia, to the Commonwealth, to south and eastern Ohio. One festival has its finger squarely on the pulse.
It seems these days that life pinballs back and forth from one disaster to another. You almost have to be reminded that on December 10th, a cluster of tornadoes ravaged Western Kentucky and the surrounding areas and states, leaving a large swath of destruction.
The tornadoes that ravaged large swaths of Western Kentucky on December 10th struck at the very heart of country music’s heartland, and what’s become the launching point for the current country music revolution led very much by artists from Kentucky.