-
Stream Songs from Van Zandt, Willis & Robison; The Band Perry & Dierks Bentley to Pay Tribute to Johnny Cash; Peter Rowan Goes Old School
Listen to a track from the upcoming Townes Van Zandt collection Sunshine Boy: The Unheard Studio Sessions & Demos 1971-1972. Paste has a stream of “Drinking Coke and Eating Ice,” a cut from Drive-By Trucker Mike Cooley’s new solo record, The Fool on Every Corner, which drops December 11. Here’s an hour-long BBC documentary called The Joy [...]
-
The Cowboy Rides Away: Retiring or No, George Strait Announces Last Tour
It’d be too easy to be cynical given the way legendary country acts of the last 30 years – see the Judds eternal farewell tour or Alabama’s three trips through many markets final trek – have cried wolf about “last” tours. But something about iconic Hall of Famer George Strait – known to many as “King [...]
Continue reading "The Cowboy Rides Away: Retiring or No, George Strait Announces Last Tour"
-
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 [...]
-
Joe South Passes Away; CMA Award Nominations Announced; Music City Roots Launches Roots Radio
The CMA Awards nominations were announced yesterday. Eric Church led the field with five nominations, while Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton each got four. Read the full list of nominees here. Joe South, who wrote songs including “(I Never Promised You a) Rose Garden” and played on songs including Aretha Franklin’s “Chain of Fools,” passed away [...]
-
New Music from David Wax Museum and Catherine Irwin in September; Peter Rowan Pays Tribute to Doc Watson; Pistol Annies Start Henhouse Fan Community
All of us at Engine 145 were very saddened to hear of the unexpected passing of music journalist Chris Neal. Chris was a knowledgeable, talented writer whose work appeared in a number of places, including the Nashville Scene, M Music & Musicians Magazine (where he was Senior Editor), Country Weekly, and The 9513. Here are [...]
-
Carrie Underwood Speaks Out in Support of Gay Marriage; The Trishas’ Full-Length Debut Album Due Aug. 7; Album Releases
Carrie Underwood spoke out in support of gay marriage during an interview with The Independent. This week, the music video for Glen Campbell’s “A Better Place” will be released. It’ll “offer a retrospective look at Campbell’s career, and will feature a cameo by Queens of the Stone Age frontman Joshua Homme.” The producers of The [...]
-
George Strait Scores 59th Number One; Stream New Justin Townes Earle Record; Free Music From Bhi Bhiman
“Love’s Gonna Make It Alright” is George Strait’s 59th Number One single. Stream the new Justin Townes Earle record, Nothing’s Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now, here. NoiseTrade is offering a free album download from folksinger Bhi Bhiman. Vandaveer’s version of “Banks of the Ohio” is the newest entry in The 78 [...]
-
Four the Record Goes Gold; Emmylou Harris Speaks at Warren Hellman’s Memorial; Hank Thompson Vinyl Reissue
Emmylou Harris spoke and then performed at Warren Hellman’s memorial service. Give a listen. Taylor Swift has been offered the role of Eponine in a film adaptation of Les Miserables. If anyone’s looking to make a music-related field trip this winter, check out this cool feature, written by Terry Conway of the Philadelphia Inquirer, on [...]
-
Bruce Robison – “Heartache to Houston”
Bruce Robison’s new single “Heartache to Houston” from upcoming album From the Top is currently available as a free download on his website—it might just be the best non-purchase you make all week. “Heartache to Houston” begins like a slow burning fuse, with Robison coming to the harsh realization that “there’s nothing left worth saving” [...]
-
Friday Five: Songs About Answering Machines
The answering machine turns 75 this year. Though many of us have upgraded to cell phones and voicemail, let’s pay tribute to our old pal. References to answering machines abound in country music (Bruce Robison’s “Every Once in a While” is one of my favorites, but there are several others), and today we’ll be looking [...]
Continue reading "Friday Five: Songs About Answering Machines"
Current Discussion
- Rick: Rest in peace Chet. His columns were about the only thing I ever bothered to read at CMT.com and I'm ...
- Arlene: I also didn't always agree with everything Chet Flippo wrote, but I enjoyed disagreeing with him, if that makes any ...
- Luckyoldsun: I'm sorry ol' Slim passed, but he's one of those people who when you hear they died, you feel kind ...
- bruce: Although I do not know the exact number of Slim Whitman album sales, I think it might surprise some if ...
- Leeann Ward: Thanks to it being linked here in the original post, I paid the pretty penny for the Kasey Chambers, Papa ...
- Luckyoldsun: "Any ideas on who could play Possum?" Well, even if Nancy is controlling it, I think the movie will have to ...
- TX Music Jim: RIP Chet you have all of my respect ! Sad :(
- Sloane Spencer: Thank you so much for the inclusion of our conversation w/ Kevin Russell AKA Shinyribs. I've been wanting to talk with ...
- Leeann Ward: I didn't always agree with Flippo, but there's no doubt that music journalism has suffered a big loss today. As far ...
- Juli Thanki: UPDATE: Chet Flippo has passed away. http://www.musicrow.com/2013/06/respected-journalist-chet-flippo-passes/
