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Bassist Chuck Goff Killed in Car Accident; Jason Eady Launches Kickstarter Campaign; New Courtney Jaye, Dirty Guv’nahs Videos
The “Gone But Not Forgotten” memorial festival, honoring Patsy Cline, Hawkshaw Hawkins, Cowboy Copas and Randy Hughes (2013 marks the 50th anniversary of their fatal plane crash), runs through March 2 in Camden, Tenn. Jason Eady has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to make his next album, which will be titled Daylight and [...]
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Mike Auldridge Passes Away; Free Bloodshot, Blue Ridge Outdoors & American Songwriter Samplers
Dobro whiz Mike Auldridge passed away on December 29, a day before his 74th birthday. Here are obituaries from the Washington Post, MusicRow.com, The New York Times, and Bluegrass Today (which also posted a career overview). Eric Brace remembers Auldridge. As does Peter Cooper. CMT’s Edward Morris lists the “notable country music deaths” of 2012. [...]
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FTC to Vote on Universal-EMI Merger; Gary Allan, Brad Paisley Plan New Albums; New Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard Video
European regulators approved Universal’s $1.9 billion takeover of EMI. The FTC votes on it today. This article about the Universal-EMI deal and the digital music market paints a grim picture. An excerpt: Major labels control so much of the world’s music catalog, however, that new providers have to ink deals with them before turning to [...]
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Chris Ethridge Passes Away; The Band Perry, Zac Brown Band & Kenny Chesney Join NBC Summer Concert Series; Album Releases
Chris Ethridge (Flying Burrito Brothers) passed away yesterday due to complications from pancreatic cancer. He was 65. Watch Abigail Washburn’s TED talk about building international relations with the help of a banjo. A quote from the video: “I see the power of music to connect cultures. I see it when I stand on a stage at [...]
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New Josh Turner Album Due June 12; Kathleen Edwards Cancels Shows Due to Vocal Strain; HoF Extends Chet Atkins Exhibit
Josh Turner’s new album, Punching Bag, is scheduled for a June 12 release. Kathleen Edwards had to postpone the rest of her North American tour due to “symptoms of vocal strain and burnout.” Chet Flippo on Willie Nelson’s new record, Heroes: Maybe his songwriting pen isn’t as frenetic as it once was, but he still [...]
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Pickathon Lineup Announced; Jerrod Niemann’s Bus Catches Fire; Friday Night Lights Actress Connie Britton to Star in ABC’s Nashville
This year’s Pickathon lineup was just announced: Whitey Morgan & The 78s, Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass, Abigail Washburn, and Cajun Country Revival are just a few of the acts slated to play the August festival. Brad Paisley announced a string of summer tour dates. Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall of Fame inducted Lyle Lovett, [...]
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The Ryman to Get a New Stage; Deana Carter Heads Back to the Studio; New Music Videos
The Ryman will soon get a new stage. Deana Carter launched a brand new website and gave a glimpse of her upcoming album: I have been writing SO much that it’s been hard to carve out time to get back in the studio for my own record, much less decide which songs to do! What [...]
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Steve Martin on Earl Scruggs; Merle Haggard Hospitalized; Taylor Swift Lands Vogue Cover
Steve Martin wrote a fine piece on Earl Scruggs for the New Yorker. An excerpt: The banjo lends itself to showing off: it’s often played fast and thrillingly, fingers flying up and down the neck, the right hand connecting to the left with seemingly impossible accuracy. But Earl always remembered his mother’s advice when he [...]
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Lyle Lovett Readies New Album; Miranda Lambert Announces New Single; Country Singers Celebrate First Amendment
The Country Music Association has pledged $10 million to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s expansion efforts. Lyle Lovett’s new album, Release Me, is set for release on February 28. James McMurtry’s Mountain Stage performance can be streamed here. The Del McCoury Band came in at #10 on PopMatters’ 2011 Artists of the [...]
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Patsi Bale Cox Passes Away; Dolly on Ice; New Music Videos
Music journalist Patsi Bale Cox passed away at the age of 66. She was credited with books on Loretta Lynn, Wynonna Judd, Ralph Emery, George Jones and more. A benefit concert being held by George Jones will fund the construction of a memorial in honor of country music star Tammy Wynette in Mississippi. It will [...]
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- KC: My picks seem to be doing ok without a label, but I would sign them even if it was just ...
- SCOOTER: Sturgill Simpson - fantastic artist Ashton Shepherd - I know she was recently dropped and a lot of people complain ...
- Daniel Mullins: Lee Ann Womack is a must. I would also sign Wyatt McCubbin. He was featured on The Music Inside: A Tribute ...
- Ken Morton, Jr.: BTW- Julie's been in the recording studio all this past week and will be unveiling something new soon.
- Ken Morton, Jr.: Jonathan, I actually had this exact conversation with Julie Roberts a couple weeks ago. She came out with Emily West, ...
- Jack Williams: The first name that came to my mind was electic bluesman Alvin Youngblood Hart. He hasn't released a proper ...
- bob: There was a survey by cmt.com dated 3/31/10 which showed more than 175 country act signed to major labels. I ...
- Jonathan Pappalardo: I would sign: 1) Trisha Yearwood - I don't believe she's affiliated with Big Machine Records anymore and a new CD ...
- Juli Thanki: Oh, good thinking with Hellbound Glory, Mike. Their music matured so much between Old Highs & New Lows and Damaged ...
- Mike Wimmer: 1. Jamey Johnson-I know he is technically with a label already, but they are in dispute over how he feels ...
