Cindy Walker was one of the most important and prolific songwriters in country music history, penning some 500 recorded songs, and some 400 of them charting in the Top 40.
For some Austin music venues, there’s a sense of not “if,” but “when” the end will come, and along with it, all the history, memories, and sometimes friendships and family that is made at these magical spots.
For decades, if you wanted to not only bring skill, but class and prestige to your recording project, you wanted Dave Roe involved if at all possible. News came down on Saturday, September 16th that Dave Roe has passed away.
Throughout the 70s and 80s when so many others styles of music were all the rage, a group of dedicated rockabilly cats did everything they could to keep the sounds of Memphis and Sun Records alive in the present tense. Robert Gordon was at the very top of that class of revivalists.
The next major exhibit will also delve into the California influence in country, just later in the timeline. Called ‘Western Edge: The Roots and Reverberations of Los Angeles Country Rock,’ it will span from the 1960s to the 1980s, and will start with the original pioneers .
Reckless Kelly won’t be releasing a new record in 2020, they’ll be releasing two of them. American Girls and American Jackpot will both see the light of day via Thirty Tigers as a double album concept. “I’ve always wanted to write an America-themed record, but not in some super-political or ‘rah rah rah’ sort of way,” says Willy Braun.
The 6th Annual Ameripolitan Awards will be transpiring on Monday, February 25th, 2019, but with 50 acts playing over four total days involving six separate venues, it’s become like its own festival, with many opportunities to see your favorite performers with a prominent roots influence.
There’s talk about what to do about the adversity women are facing in country music, and then there’s action. A new organization called Rebelle Road is looking to expand support and touring opportunities for women in country music by banding together knowledge and resources, and putting together events and other opportunities with women as the […]
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.
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.
Voting opens for the 2016 Ameripolitan Awards on Thanksgiving, Thursday Nov. 26th., and can happen one of two ways. Founded by Dale Watson three years ago after the “Old Farts & Jackasses” comments of Blake Shelton, the Ameripolitan Awards was Dale’s answer to the concern that so many artists doing their best to keep roots traditions alive were going unrecognized by the rest of the country music industry.
Tuesday, February 17th, 2015 was the time, and the beautiful Paramount Theatre in downtown Austin was the place for the 2nd Annual Ameripolitan Music Awards. Socialites and artists from all over the United States, and a few from foreign lands made their way to the Texas capitol for the festivities.
Once again the Ameripolitan Awards, founded by Dale Watson, and championed by many hard working individuals and artists wanting to shine a spotlight on under-appreciated but highly-deserving roots music, was a rousing success. However one oversight that was completely predictable, and highly inappropriate was the appointment once again of SiriusXM DJ Mojo Nixon as the Master of Ceremonies.
Tuesday, February 18th was the inaugural Ameripolitan Music Awards at the Wyndham Garden Hotel in Austin, TX. To see a complete list of winners, a play by play account of the night, and more pictures, please check out the 2014 Ameripolitan Awards LIVE Blog. Here are some photographs of the night from photographer C. C. Ekström of the excellent website Almost Out Of Gas.
Welcome to Saving Country Music’s LIVE blog of the inaugural Ameripolitan Awards transpiring at the Wyndham Garden Hotel and Woodward Conference Center in Austin, TX! I’ll be feverishly working to bring you photos and keep you up-to-date on winners, and do my best to put you in the spirit of the moment with the idea that music is best when it’s shared.
Rosie Flores is rockabilly royalty. You can draw a direct line from Rose Maddox, to Wanda Jackson, to Rosie Flores, and she takes her role as the “Rockabilly Filly” seriously. Here she is releasing her 11th full length album “Working Girl’s Guitar” through Bloodshot Records on October 16th, a raucous and rebellious collection of songs.
For those that have never been to SXSW, the whole thing is broken down into showcases. A showcase can be put on by a record label, a booking agency, a publicity agency, a radio station, a blog, it doesn’t matter. And where doesn’t matter either. Wherever there is space in or near downtown Austin, there’s a band playing. Find yourself a space and make it happen!
Rosie Flores, The Rockabilly Filly, had a great fall recently and broke a wing (frown). Which means she’s not going to be able to go on an upcoming scheduled tour and make money (double frown). And she may have to have surgery and the med bills are rising (triple frown). And she has no insurance […]
During and after South by Southwest this last week, people kept asking me what my favorite show was. It’s probably a toss up between Slim Cessna’s Auto Club, and Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers. (Reviews coming, and also of the pre-SXSW Hank III show). But one of the cool things about SXSW is the random collaborations […]
I’ve had numerous people whose musical tastes I appreciate tell me that I need to review the new album by the Rockabilly Filly Rosie Flores. The album is called Girl of the Century, and it has just been released on Bloodshot Records. But to be perfectly honest, before I started hearing about this album, I […]