Comments on: Sweeney, Musgraves Among ACM Newcomer Award Nominees; Gill, Harris to Play “All for the Hall” Concert in NYC; Son Volt Announces New Album

By: Rick

Rick — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 00:42:50 +0000

I will definitely have to check out Amber Digby’s new album. That gal’s voice can literally soar at times but she usually keeps it far too reigned in. I do wish she would hook up with a better duet partner than Justin Trevino, who’s voice definitely has it’s share of “technical shortcomings”! (lol)

I’d like to vote for both Sunny Sweeney and Kacey Musgraves in that ACM Newcomer category but know they will both get beat by Jana Kramer by a pop-country mile. Truth be told I’d actually rather vote for Clare Bowen if she were on the list! Go Scarlett! (lol)

Any genre of music can always look back to its roots for creative inspiration and possible new directions to follow. Now that so much of the current Top 40 Airhead Country radio pablum is rooted in 1980′s hair metal rock, I think a little backward gazing towards traditional country would be a welcome respite and greatly appreciated!

It sounds like that “International Country Music Marketing Conference” location was chosen mostly for reasons other than anything to do with the music! I hope all the participants have a great vacation at Disneyland Paris during the “Summit”! (lol)

By: Arlene

Arlene — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 20:16:38 +0000

I was going to comment that it would be odd for Sunny Sweeney to receive an ACM newcomer’s award in 2013, seven years after her first album was released, but then I remembered that Shelby Lynne received a Best New Artist grammy in 2001, twelve years after the release of her first album….

By: Jon

Jon — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 18:04:48 +0000

Whew, where do I start? With the list of “most-anticipated bluegrass records” that, by its writer’s own admission, barely contains any bluegrass? With Dave Heaton’s depressingly, yet unsurprisingly superficial take on country music tradition (here’s a clue, pal: what the most clueless of fans have to say about artists’ music is not necessarily the same as what those artists might have to say about it).

Oh, well. On the bright side, Amber Digby’s album is very fine, indeed. Plenty of fine songs, and no need to apologize for any “technical” (whatever the hell that means) shortcomings in the vocals, either.

By: Saving Country Music

Saving Country Music — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 17:47:43 +0000

To the Pop Matters piece, I think the artist that find the right balance between respecting the roots of the music and evolving progressively and responsibly will be the ones that will ultimately prosper, and will help the genre prosper. This type of balance is what was found in Eric Church’s “Chief” and is one of the reasons the album did well both commercially, and was named the CMA “Album of the Year.” Don;t particularly care for Eric Church the man and am luke warm on his music at best, but that balance is what he achieved, and it paid off for him.