Merle Haggard Hospitalized; View Trailer for John Hartford Documentary; New Album Releases
- Elvis Presley died on this day in 1977. Do you remember where you were when you heard the news?
- Merle Haggard was hospitalized over the weekend and had to cancel his Saturday night show.
- Over the Rhine, Rosanne Cash, Kasey Anderson, Rhett Miller, and Jason Isbell make Paste‘s list of 50 Musicians Worth Following on Twitter.
- A copyright law provision that grants artist “termination rights” to their work after 35 years could give musicians like Loretta Lynn, Kris Kristofferson, Bruce Springsteen and more the chance to reclaim master recordings of their work.
- Ricardo Baca of the Denver Post looks at the impact of the O Brother, Where Art Thou soundtrack a decade later: The music that scored the Coen Brothers’ Depression-era adaptation of Homer’s “Odyssey” changed popular music in a big way, bringing old-timey mountain music back to the forefront of America’s pop market for the first time in multiple decades. And we’re still feeling the soundtrack’s influence. Would the masses have been ready for roots- minded crossover acts Mumford & Sons, Old Crow Medicine Show, the Civil Wars or the Avett Brothers had it not been for the brave, game-changing appeal of “O Brother”?
- Jewly Hight interviewed Tom T. Hall about his album Songs of Fox Hollow (for “children of all ages”), which has recently been re-recorded by artists like Patty Griffin, Buddy Miller, and Bobby Bare.
- On Monday, August 22, Elizabeth Cook will be appearing as an interview guest on The Late Show with David Letterman.
- Sugarland and their crew may have been saved thanks to their tour manager’s decision to hold the band backstage mere moments before the scaffolding collapsed.
- The October 2011 issue of Acoustic Guitar includes features on cover girl Sarah Jarosz (be sure to check out the videos of Jarosz and her band performing) and the Gibson Brothers.
- Chet Atkins’ family bestowed the “c.g.p.” (“certified guitar player”) on one last musician: Paul Yandell, Atkins’ bandleader of 30+ years.
- Peter Cooper wrote about Atkins and the new Hall of Fame exhibit for the Tennessean.
- Guest writer Bob Losche covers Suzy Bogguss for Country Universe’s Favorite Songs by Favorite Artists series.
- You might want to book your plane ticket now: Australian country music festival CMC Rocks the Hunter (held in March 2012) confirmed a lineup that includes Dierks Bentley, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Jim Lauderdale, and more. Tickets went on sale yesterday.
- Keith Urban surprised a Habitat for Humanity homeowner last week.
- Take part in the Pistol Annies’ scavenger hunt: you’ll get to hear songs from their upcoming album and have a chance to win a meet and greet with the band.
- Dierks Bentley announced new tour dates.
- Stream Nu-Blu’s newest record over at the Bluegrass Blog.
- Belmont students took part in a Music Row think tank to “focus on business solutions for the music industry, which has seen its sales cut in half over the past 10 years.”
- Kellie Pickler likes Angry Birds, sweatpants.
- GAC counted down their fan-voted list of Top 20 Tailgating Songs.
- Music City Roots is celebrating their second anniversary this fall. Check out the schedule here.
- Josh Kelley will be joining Lady Antebellum on their Own the Night 2011 tour, which kicks off in Knoxville on November 11. Next week he’ll join Taylor Swift’s tour.
- The Muse August Sampler from American Songwriter is full of good roots music. Also, it’s free.
- New album releases:
Rodney Dillard & The Dillard Band — Don’t Wait for the Hearse to Take You to Church
The Bottle Rockets — Not So Loud: An Acoustic Evening with the Bottle Rockets
Wagons — Rumble, Shake & Tumble
Candye Kane featuring Laura Chavez — Sister Vagabond
Kris Delmhorst — Cars (a Cars tribute album)
- Watch a six-minute trailer for an upcoming documentary on John Hartford.
Tagged In This Article
Bobby Bare // Bruce Springsteen // Buddy Miller // Chet Atkins // Dierks Bentley // Elizabeth Cook // Elvis Presley // Faith Hill // Jason Isbell // Jim Lauderdale // John Hartford // Josh Kelley // Kasey Anderson // Keith Urban // Kellie Pickler // Kris Kristofferson // Lady Antebellum // Loretta Lynn // Merle Haggard // Nu-Blu // Over the Rhine // Patty Griffin // Peter Cooper // Pistol Annies // Rhett Miller // Rosanne Cash // Sugarland // Suzy Bogguss // Taylor Swift // Tim McGraw // Tom T. Hall
Current Discussion
- Doug Gilliland: Can't say for sure if these artists are currently unsigned, but I would love to hear new material from Kathy ...
- Rick: Opry Alert! I'm guessing(?) tonight marks the end of the spring season of the Thursday Night Classic Country Opry shows ...
- bob: Thanks for the info on the PBS Carole King concert. It will be good to see Trisha Yearwood sing again.
- Jon: Nope.
- Luckyoldsun: Sounds good. Is she--or her husband--related to Dallas? (I'll assume not to Joe.)
- Luckyoldsun: R-- Sounds like you're expanding your palate. "60′s style California hippie vibe" sounds like something you'd have banned from your playlist.
- Rick: I like the production, the excellent guitar picking, and Rebecca has a nice voice with individuality, but the song structure ...
- Rick: That Buddy Emmons tribute album sounds kinda interesting. I just might have to give it a listen when it's available. Congratulations ...
- Jon: Jack Bernhardt is the bomb.
- Bruce: Good article on Rucker. I do not care for all his songs and he is far from my favorite. I ...
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August 16, 2011 at 12:57 pm
That piece on the O Brother anniversary is kind of sketchy in a number of places. On the other hand, where Baca argues that it was part of a larger stream of profile-raising roots music stuff, and not something sui generis, he’s right on.
August 16, 2011 at 2:47 pm
I’m interested in the John Hartford doc. I’ve just recently gotten into his music.
I’m enjoying the Jeff Bridges album.
August 16, 2011 at 4:58 pm
From the small snippet of the “O Brother” article shown here I do agree with the basic premise. That movie brought various types of old timey music back into the public consciousness in a big way and the soundtrack album sales opened that door even further. I’m both surprised and glad that the momentum it started is still evident in the Americana scene and even beyond that realm.
So Elizabeth Cook is going to be interviewed by David Letterman but she’s not going to get to sing a single song? What’s up with that?
The one Yankee who’s guaranteed to be in attendance at the Aussie “CMC Rocks The Hunter Valley” festival is Storme Warren from GAC who is a fixture every year. I do enjoy watching his reports from the festival each year on GAC.
I don’t remember where I was or what I was doing when I first heard Elvis had died, but it was mostly shocking because of his young age. I hadn’t really followed his career and wasn’t aware of the drug abuse or his poor general health. Since the rock and roll scene was so drugged out in the late 60′s, the overdose deaths of Janis Joplin, Jimmie Hendrix, and Jim Morrison were not surprising at all. The premature death of Elvis was another matter entirely.
August 16, 2011 at 6:31 pm
Opry Alert! Tonight’s Opry is a mixed bag featuring Randy Montana, Danny Gokey, Pam Tillis, Randy Houser, Ricky Skaggs and the Charlie Daniels Band. Something old, something new… Grade: B+
Schedule: http://www.opry.com/shows/ThisWeek.html
August 16, 2011 at 6:39 pm
When is the Opry not a “mixed bag?” It’s a variety show, for goodness’ sake.
August 16, 2011 at 7:19 pm
C’mon Jon, admit it, you like that I consistently give you something to gripe about here at engine145! (lol)
Hey Jon, how come you weren’t part of that “Music Row Think Tank”? If anyone can solve Music Row’s financial woes (or at least thinks they can), I’d guess it was you! (lol)
PS – That Music City Roots calendar is just chock full of interesting artists. I like the fact that on MCR, unlike The Opry, you don’t hear the same “over the hill gang” artists taking up two thirds of each program singing the same tired old songs! (Except for Tuesday nights thank goodness and the Thursday Night Oprys as well when in session.) Go Music City Roots!
August 16, 2011 at 8:47 pm
Since the Aussie CMC cable TV channel was mentioned today in reference to their annual music festival, here’s a new post from Catherine Britt’s website:
“Country Music Channel (CMC) today announced that the darling of Australian country music, CATHERINE BRITT, is joining the channel to present a new series of ALT COUNTRY, which sees her become the first person to ever host a video clip-based program on the channel.
ALT COUNTRY is dedicated to the best in Americana, Bluegrass, Roots and Alternative Country Music. Each week the three hour program celebrates the music of artists such as Corb Lund, Old Crow Medicine Show, The Mavericks, Jim Lauderdale, Kasey Chambers, Rodney Crowell, Alison Krauss, Justin Towns Earle and more. CATHERINE BRITT will make her debut as a CMC host on Sunday 4 September at 7.00pm. As host of ALT COUNTRY she will give insights that will take fans behind the music and artists featured in the show.”
August 17, 2011 at 9:40 am
Well surprise, surprise. The “young’uns” involved in the Music Row Think Tank came up with ways to market new bands using cost-cutting procedures. The current Music Row regime only believes in “spend, spend, spend,” dropping a million dollars to record a cd project in an era when cd purchases decrease with each year that passes. The faster we can get this greedy bastards out of town, the better off the fans will be.
August 17, 2011 at 1:22 pm
The current Music Row regime only believes in “spend, spend, spend,” dropping a million dollars to record a cd…
I hate to break it to you, but it’s 2011 now.
August 17, 2011 at 1:50 pm
I hate to break it to you, but it’s 2011 now.
Don’t tell me Jon, tell the majors.
August 17, 2011 at 6:21 pm
Which major label records do you believe cost $1,000,000 to record this year, and what makes you believe that? Last year? Whenever?
August 17, 2011 at 6:32 pm
Congratulations, Juli!
August 17, 2011 at 6:42 pm
Thanks, Jon! I don’t have a prayer against Ralph Berrier’s If Trouble Don’t Kill Me and the Tony Rice bio, but it’s an honor just to be nominated.
August 17, 2011 at 7:14 pm
Congrats, Juli (from sunny Chicago) on your nomination for IBMA Print Media Journalist of the year..
August 17, 2011 at 7:18 pm
Thanks, Barry!
August 17, 2011 at 7:27 pm
Congratulations Juli! I think this means you should feature a lot more bluegrassy stuff on the engine145! I stay away from The Bluegrass Blog because I’m afraid I might encounter Jon W. over there! Oh, wait a minute…(lol)
August 17, 2011 at 7:30 pm
Thanks, Rick! I think so too–stay tuned…
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