Luke Bryan

September 29, 2015

A Win For the Good Guys: The Turnpike Troubadours Make Waves on the Country Charts

Granted, it is a different day in the music business, and independent country bands are appearing on the country album charts more and more often. But still, to behold the steady rise of the Turnpike Troubadours from a bar band from Oklahoma to the top of the country music charts without ever having to reshape their sound or sign their life away to a major label is an incredible feat.

Alabama, Luke Bryan, Thirty Tigers, Turnpike Troubadours

September 28, 2015

Ray Benson of Asleep At The Wheel Calls out Luke Bryan / Modern Country. “There’s No Originality”

Trigger News 78 Comments

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.

Ameripolitan, Asleep at the Wheel, Dale Watson, Don Henley, Emmylou Harris, Hank Williams, Luke Bryan, Merle Haggard, Patsy Cline, Ray Benson, Willie Nelson

September 23, 2015

Florida Couple Leaves Kids in Car While Attending Luke Bryan Concert

Trigger News 69 Comments

There’s been much concern about the behavior of country music fans at mainstream country concerts lately, especially in parking lot rituals leading up to the concerts themselves, but this is is a parking lot incident that goes way beyond piles of trash and disorderly patrons.

Luke Bryan

September 10, 2015

Keep It Simple Stupid: The Dumbing Down of Country Music

Trigger Random Notes 95 Comments

It’s not just that depth and intelligence are missing from a lot of mainstream country music these days, it’s that it’s being purposely avoided. It’s uncool to be deep. It’s uncool to challenge listeners to think, to covey ideas through music, or tell truly meaningful stories. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with songs that are just fun-loving moments of visceral escapism. The problem arises when that’s all you’re offering.

Hank Williams, Luke Bryan, Taylor Swift

September 9, 2015

2015 CMA Awards Nominees, Picks & Prognostications

Trigger Random Notes 94 Comments

On Wednesday morning (9-9), the nominees for the 49th Annual Country Music Association Awards were announced on ABC’s Good Morning America, with decidedly non-country personalities of Steven Tyler and Kelsea Ballerini helping to make the announcements. The 2014 CMA Awards will happen on Wednesday November 4th on ABC, and will be hosted once again by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood.

Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton, CMA Awards, Eric Church, Kacey Musgraves, Kelsea Ballerini, Kenny Chesney, Little Big Town, Luke Bryan, Maddie & Tae, Miranda Lambert, Nominees, predicitions, Sam Hunt

September 4, 2015

Still More Country Than Sam Hunt . . .

Trigger Down with Pop Country 78 Comments

When your music is better classified in every single other major American genre of music instead of country, then maybe you should consider to quit lying to your fans and the public and quit calling it country, kind of like Taylor Swift did. It’s not just that Sam Hunt isn’t country, it’s that he is the absolute antithesis of country.

Adele, Elton John, Florida Georgia Line, Hayley Williams, Kiss, Lady Antebellum, Luke Bryan, Meghan Trainor, Miley Cyrus, Morrissey, Paramore, Sam Hunt, Shooter Jennings, Swamp Dogg, Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw

August 31, 2015

Thomas Rhett’s “Vacation” — aka Adolescent Girls in Bikinis Singing About Drinking Beer

Trigger Down with Pop Country 188 Comments

WARNING : LANGUAGE — What is “Vacation?” It’s the taking of two separate compositions: War’s “Low Rider,” and Jason Derulo’s “Wiggle,” smashing them together like your 4-year-old would two pats of Play-Doh, having Thomas Rhett white-boy rap imbecilic lyrics over it through an Auto-Tuner for a few minutes, and then spitting out the result on some douchebag producer’s Mac.

Luke Bryan, Sam Hunt, Thomas Rhett, Vacation

August 20, 2015

5 Simple Solutions to Help Save Country Music

Trigger Random Notes 84 Comments

We bitch, we moan, we criticize, we celebrate the symbolic little victories that give us hope that a sea change for country music is imminent, or at least slowly taking hold, even though in many respects things only seem to get worse every year. And we look for ways to implement meaningful solutions to the problems plaguing country music so it can once again become a medium of creativity.

and Sturgill Simpson, Brandy Clark, Chris Stapleton, Jason Aldean, Kacey Musgraves, Luke Bryan, NASH Icon, Randy Travis, Sam Hunt, Thomas Rhett, Waylon Jennings

August 18, 2015

Many of Today’s Country Artists Find Actual Country Music “Boring”

Trigger Random Notes 114 Comments

I believe it was the Buddha who once said “life is suffering.” And though you would think mainstream country artists who make their living playing music to massive audiences, they have problems too apparently, and recently the biggest one appears to be having to play music that fits within the confines of the country music genre. Oh, the horror.

Andy Grammer, Darius Rucker, Eli Young Band, Johnny Cash, Luke Bryan, MIke Eli, Sam Hunt, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson

August 12, 2015

Album Review – Luke Bryan’s “Kill The Lights”

Trigger Reviews 133 Comments

Luke Bryan did not get here by happenstance, and he’s not going to blow his opportunity to remain on top by making poor decisions. Tell yourself his music won’t last through the cruel inquisition of time. Tell yourself he has no talent, and that he’s an idiot on and off the stage. Reassure yourself that eventually he will be relegated to a laughing stock of history with his shallow songs and shortsighted goals.

Ben Hayslip, Dallas Davidson, Florida Georgia Line, Garth Brooks, Hillary Lindsey, Karen Fairchild, Kill The Lights, Little Big Town, Luke Bryan, Review, Rhett Akins

August 10, 2015

The Gatekeepers of Country Music are Going Away

Trigger Random Notes 122 Comments

“. . . we play all of our own instruments, we write the best songs that we can, and we put harmony on the songs, we have a real band,” Zac Brown said in response to Luke Bryan’s “That’s My Kind of Night” not two years ago. And now the exact criticisms he leveled at Luke Bryan could be leveled at him. But they won’t be.

Alan Jackson, Charlie Rich, Florida Georgia Line, George Jones, George Strait, John Denver, Luke Bryan, Sam Hunt, Scott Borchetta, Tammy Wynette, Waylon Jennings, Zac Brown Band

August 3, 2015

This Luke Bryan Releasing a Video Exclusively Through “Tinder” Business

Trigger Random Notes 58 Comments

If there’s any comfort to be gained from the startling amount of country legends who have so unfortunately left the mortal coil this year, it’s that they passed on without knowing a time in country music when the biggest star of the genre was marketing his music through a sex app.

Luke Bryan, Tinder

July 15, 2015

An Open Letter to Luke Bryan

Trigger Random Notes 111 Comments

Dear Luke Bryan, Thanks for taking the time to read my letter, if in fact you do so. I can only imagine the time constraints a man of your success has, and you’ve already been taking of your time over the last few days to help clear up a mess that I guess I had some part in creating.

Aaron Watson, Blackberry Smoke, Blake Shelton, Dallas Davidson, Florida Georgia Line, Gary Overton, George Strait, Kacey Musgraves, Keith Hill, Luke Bryan, Merle Haggard, Sam Hunt, Sturgill Simpson, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson

July 14, 2015

Luke Bryan Calls Jessi Colter to Apologize Over Outlaw Comments / Shooter Speaks on Controversy

Trigger News 73 Comments

Luke Bryan has called Waylon Jennings’ widow Jessi Colter to apologize after he made comments characterizing Outlaw country artists as cocaine addicts “laying in the gutter, strung out on drugs.” Waylon’s son Shooter Jennings has also commented on the situation, saying, “It’s all flush in my book.”

Ben Haggard, Jessi Colter, John Mayer, Kathy Jennings, Luke Bryan, Merle Haggard, Shooter Jennings, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson

July 12, 2015

Waylon Jennings Family Member Responds to Luke Bryan’s Comments

Trigger News 130 Comments

Now one of the members of Waylon’s extended family has spoken out about Luke’s initial words and his apology. Kathy Pinkerman Jennings, who is the wife of one of Waylon Jennings’ sons Buddy Jennings, spoke out about the matter via Facebook initially on July 10th, and the posted a video to YouTube late Saturday night. Despite some media reports, Kathy Jennings makes it clear she is not speaking for the family.

Buddy Jennings, Jeannie Seely, Kathy Jennings, Luke Bryan, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson

July 10, 2015

Willie, Waylon, and Merle on Cocaine, In Their Own Words

Trigger History 77 Comments

So to give some historical context to Luke Bryan’s characterizations, I thought we would look back and see what Willie, Merle, and Waylon felt about cocaine. Willie hated the stuff, and would fire anyone in his crew caught using it. Merle barely touched it, except for one dalliance that ended poorly. And Waylon was a professed, long-term cocaine addict who openly expressed his struggles with the drug.

Luke Bryan, Merle Haggard, Shooter Jennings, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson

July 9, 2015

Updated: Luke Bryan Defines Outlaw Country As “Laying in the Gutter, Strung Out On Drugs.”

Trigger Random Notes 321 Comments

Being an Outlaw never had anything to do with arrest records or cocaine addictions. Anyone found on Willie Nelson’s crew with their nose in the powder was immediately fired. Being an Outlaw was about being yourself, insisting on having creative control of your music, and moving country music forward while still respecting the roots of the genre and all the greats that came before.

Luke Bryan, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson

July 9, 2015

Which Country Chick Has The Best Ass? You Decide.

Trigger Random Notes 82 Comments

Seriously though, right? If some country music media outlet posted something like this, it would result in a shit storm of the highest proportions, especially with all the tomato talk going around after radio consultant Keith Hill’s comments. But when the shoe is on the other foot, apparently it is open season. So how could oogling at the butts and brawn of male country stars adversely affect the females?

Dallas Davidson, Dierks Bentley, Dolly Parton, Luke Bryan, shirtless

June 15, 2015

In The Moment with Chris Stapleton – An Interview on “Traveller”

Trigger Random Notes 28 Comments

It isn’t often that a musician achieves an illustrious 15-year career that includes five number one hits, Grammy Award nominations, feature film contributions, producer credits and the respect of his peers before he ever releases his first solo album. But Chris Stapleton isn’t your average musician. The near-universal critical acclaim that has been heaped upon his debut album “Traveller” has been nothing short of amazing.

Adele, Chris Stapleton, Darius Rucker, George Strait, interview, Jason Aldean, Josh Turner, Kenny Chesney, Luke Bryan, The Jompson Brothers, The Steeldrivers

June 13, 2015

Why We All Owe the Smoke Machine Guy at the Luke Bryan Show a Beer

Trigger Random Notes 37 Comments

Luke Bryan isn’t just the current king of the country music charts, he’s been the reigning MVP for epic stage fails over the last few years as well. Country music’s Gomer Pyle has taken not one, not two, but three major stage dives over the last couple of years during his arena concerts, but his latest stage fail might be the biggest “gas” yet.

Luke Bryan

June 11, 2015

So How Are All of Those Trend Chasing Country Songs Doing Anyway?

Trigger Random Notes 89 Comments

If you’re going to release a country music song that is likely to completely alienate the core of your fan base and cut against the grain of all of the long-standing principles of your career, it better be commercially successful. Otherwise you’ve angered the constituency that helped create your success in the first place, and you haven’t even added any new members to your fandom.

A Thousand Horses, Ashley Monroe, Blake Shelton, Cole Swindell, Eli Young Band, Eric Paslay, Florida Georgia Line, Gary Allan, Jerrod Niemann, Luke Bryan, Sam Hunt

May 20, 2015

Why Luke Bryan’s “Kick The Dust Up” Is More Than Just A Bad Song

Trigger Random Notes 273 Comments

So this is it. Right here, right now. Is Bro-Country going to be vanquished, or is it going to be given new life? Who holds the keys to country music? Is it radio programmers, the country music listening public, including many of Luke Bryan’s own fans, or is it Dallas Davidson and the purveyors of formulaic songwriting?

Dallas Davidson, Kick The Dust Up, Luke Bryan

April 28, 2015

Zac Brown Band’s “Beautiful Drug” (A semi-rant)

Trigger Down with Pop Country 235 Comments

“Beautiful Drug” is not the Zac Brown Band spreading their creative wings. “Beautiful Drug” is not Zac Brown asserting his freedom as an artist. “Beautiful Drug” is not the boys from Georgia “defying genre,” though these excuses and many more will be levied in their defense, and you, YOU the sainted country music and Zac Brown fan will be charged with a treasonous level of closed-mindedness….

Beautiful Drug, Jekyll + Hyde, Luke Bryan, Review, Sam Hunt, Zac Brown Band

April 25, 2015

Sam Hunt is Outmatched in Dwight Yoakam Duet & Other ACM Duet Pairings

Trigger Random Notes 82 Comments

A collective rolling of eyes ensued when the ACM’s announced earlier this month they would pair some of today’s country music spares with legends from the past as part of their “Party For a Cause” concert centered around the ACM’s 50th Anniversary. Punctuating the ridiculousness of the duet roster was the unfortunate marriage of country legend Dwight Yoakam and country/EDM star Sam Hunt.

ACM Awards, Alan Jackson, Cole Swindell, Dwight Yoakam, Eric Church, John Anderson, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Marty Stuart, Miranda Lambert, Patty Loveless, Ronnie Milsap, Sam Hunt, Superstar Duets

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