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Don DeVito Passes Away; Jennifer Nettles Weds; Lonesome River Band Plans 30-Year Retrospective
Jennifer Nettles got married last Saturday to boyfriend Justin Miller. Producer and Columbia Records A&R rep Don DeVito passed away on Friday at the age of 72. He was instrumental in the careers of Bob Dylan, The Byrds, and more. Songwriter Virginia Mae Stauffer passed away earlier this month. Did a group called The Speek [...]
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Kinky Friedman and Lady Antebellum Announce Tour Dates; Listen to Upcoming John Prine Release; Justin Townes Earle’s Year of Recovery
John Carter Cash talks about Johnny Cash and new book House of Cash. This Good Morning America piece includes clips of a few home videos. Ann Powers on Americana: The highlight of this year’s Americana Music Awards ceremony — and, some would say, of the entire Nashville conference and festival devoted to celebrating and debating [...]
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Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter to Perform at CMA Awards; Audie Blaylock & Redline Will Perform Free Show; New Song From Gretchen Peters and Rodney Crowell
Gillian Welch and David Rawlings stopped by Good Day L.A. to play a couple songs. Scotty McCreery debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 and Top Country Albums charts with Clear As Day, making him the youngest male in history to open at the top of the all-genre chart with a debut release. [...]
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Radney Foster Revisits Del Rio, Texas 1959; AKUS to Play Hometown Benefit Shows; Album Releases
On January 27-28, Radney Foster will celebrate the 20th anniversary of his album Del Rio, Texas 1959 by performing the album from top to bottom with his band, along with other hits and a new song. The subsequent live album, Del Rio Revisited: Live At the Paul Poag Theater, will be released in Spring 2012. [...]
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Album Review: Various Artists — The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams
Completing unfinished Hank Williams songs is a bit like taking a Sharpie to unearthed Da Vinci sketches. The quality of The Lost Notebooks aside, the album’s very existence raises a question of ethics: Is it acceptable to complete a dead artist’s work when we don’t know what his intentions were with those fragments of lyrics? [...]
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Brad Paisley Pens Diary of a Player; Chris Thile & Michael Daves Thrill at Ellnora; New Songs from Emily West
Jim Lauderdale interviewed Kenny Vaughan about his new record in a video for American Songwriter. The Professional Bull Riders are teaming up with The McClymonts, hosting a contest in which people can enter for a chance to win a trip to Australia. The McClymonts will also be performing during the 2011 PBR World Finals in [...]
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Friday Five: Songs About Hank Williams
Tomorrow is Hank Williams’ birthday. He’d be 88. Though he’s been dead twice as long as he was alive, he remains a central figure in the country music consciousness, perhaps due to his mysterious death as much as the masterful lyrics he penned during his too-short career. Unsurprisingly, more than a few songwriters have [...]
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Americana Added to Dictionary; Lady Antebellum Goes Unplugged; Ray Price Fills in for Loretta Lynn
Jonny Corndawg is offering a free download of “Chevy Beretta” from his upcoming album. Also be sure to check out this Corndawg-centric short film. Chet Flippo discusses The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams and cites Country California in his newest column. Country California picked their favorite songs from records released in July. Next year marks [...]
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Album Review: The Grascals – The Grascals & Friends
One of the best elements of a Grascals album is their choice in covers, which have included their own versions of songs made famous by Jennings, Jones, and Haggard–just to name a few. The sextet’s blend of bluegrass and classic country makes them one of the most entertaining, most consistent bands in roots music. The [...]
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Friday Five: Country Singer Shilling Food Products
Whether it’s George Jones hawking his own brand of country sausage, Martha White’s longtime sponsorship of bluegrass acts, or Darius Rucker singing about the Tendercrisp Bacon Cheddar Ranch, country singers and food endorsements go together like biscuits and gravy. Here are a few old school commercials that I hope you get a kick out of, [...]
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Current Discussion
- Luckyoldsun: "I love it when a bloviating pronouncement is not only unnecessary and pointless (did anyone ask about “impact?” but arguably ...
- Jack Williams: Speaking of Chris Smither, he did a nice version of Visions of Johanna. Other favorites: Neville Brothers - The Ballad of Hollis ...
- Leeann Ward: I think benefit concerts and telethons are great and needed, but I'm also impressed by Underwood's generous donation.
- Arlene: Ummm? "For impact, nothing surpasses The Byrd's cover of "Mr. Tamborine Man?"" How about Peter, Paul and Mary singing "Blowin' ...
- Jon: Interesting that folks are falling all over themselves to talk up Toby Keith's prospective benefit for Oklahoma tornado victims, while ...
- Luckyoldsun: For Dylan covers with impact, nothing surpasses the Byrds' "Mr. Tambourine Man." As far as obscure ones, I happened to like ...
- Leeann Ward: Happy to see the Randy Travis and Sara Jarosz covers, but another fave is Rodney Crowell/Emmylou Harris, "Shelter from the ...
- Luckyoldsun: "Among duos, 'Cruise' surpasses Carl Butler & Pearl's 11 weeks at No. 1 with "Don't Let Me "Cross Over" in ...
- Bruce: Good to read a Chestnut update. I liked Conan's comments about Swift's song. Kudo's for Toby's plans for Oklahoma. The ...
- Andrew: Ronnie Dunn has been saying on his Facebook page that he and Toby Keith are working on putting together a ...
