When you played banjo on Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” and “Jolene,” were a member of Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys and Porter Wagoner’s Wagon Masters, you did your part to keep the flame of country music burning.
There is only one artist in this history of country music whose singing is so revered, he’s referred to simply as “The Voice.” But the career of Vern Gosdin also may contain one of the most sinister secrets in the history of country music. Did Vern Gosdin really contract two men to murder?
Willie Nelson will release his triumphant 70th studio album called First Rose of Spring come April 24th via Sony’s Legacy imprint. Seceding much of the songwriting to others on this effort aside from a couple of tunes, the title track comes from the pen of Randy Houser, Allen Shamblin, Mark Beeson, and has been released ahead of the record.
Before we get too far into 2019, let take time to remember the country music great we lost along the way in 2018, from bona fide legends like Roy Clark, to those taken tragically too soon like Daryle Singletary, Red Dirt’s Brandon Jenkins, to George Strait drummer Mike Kennedy.
Country Music Hall of Famer, Grand Ole Opry member, and the man who introduced millions to the gift, beauty, and humor of country music, Roy Clark, has died. Clark passed away at his home in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Thursday (11-14) due to complications with pneumonia. He was 85-years-old.
Hee-Haw—the Roy Clark and Buck Owens-hosted show that ran for 30 years could soon be coming back to the airwaves with a brand new cast and fresh episodes. But don’t get your hopes up too high because it isn’t a done deal just yet.
The amount of older talent announced on the presentation so far is quite unprecedented. According to Saving Country Music’s calculations, of the announced performers so far, 16 performers who could be considered either country legends or artists whose careers started before or during the “Class of ’89.”
Prison and country music go together like peanut butter and jelly. No wonder a slew of country music albums have been actually recorded within prison walls—some for convicts, some by convicts, and some using convicts. And we’re not just talking about novelty releases either, but some iconic albums that have helped define country music over the years. Here are some of them.
Scott Borchetta’s Big Machine Label Group is now bigger by one, and adds a new branch on the Big Machine tree right beside the labels other imprints of Republic Records and Valory Music Group. Announced today, Scott Borchetta and Universal Music Group have resurrected the “Dot Records” label name—a legacy music brand that was first started in Gallatin, TN.