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Vince Gill to Receive Frances William Preston Lifetime Music Achievement Award; Stream Kacey Musgraves’ Same Trailer Different Park; New Music Videos
A march on the CMA offices to protest the elimination of traditional country music from their objectives is being planned for April 17 and a petition is being circulated “to accomplish two things for the worldwide fans of traditional American country music. One to encourage record companies, producers, and recording artists to actually record more [...]
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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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Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum to Offer Free Admission 2/23; Stream New Drew Holcomb, Caitlin Rose Records; New Album Releases
Holly Gleason wrote about Mindy McCready for NPR’s music blog. Ashley Monroe’s duet with Blake Shelton, “You Ain’t Dolly (And You Ain’t Porter)” premiered on USA Today‘s website. Barry Mazor wrote a feature on Kelly Willis and Bruce Robison for The Wall Street Journal. This week’s episode of A Prairie Home Companion celebrates “all things banjo” [...]
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“Mommy, Where Do Records Come From?” Ashley Monroe Previews Like a Rose
In these days of loops and ProTools, where pitch correction and rhythmic smoothing define the process of “making music,” the notion of old school recording is an awkward proposition. Antiquated or authentic? Emblematic of talent or rigidly clinging to what was from fear of the future? Leave it to honey-blonde Ashley Monroe, an East Tennessee [...]
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Haters Gonna Hate: The Incredible Danger of Knowing What You Know
It happens every week. Every Wednesday, when I post my variation of “Gone Fishing” on my Facebook page, announcing I am M-I-A because I will be facedown in ABC’s primetime drama, Nashville, the comments start piling up. About how the writing sucks, the plot blows, but especially, how dreadful the music is. I laugh. I’m not watching the [...]
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Aldean, Swift & Underwood Among People’s Choice Award Nominees; Watch The King of Broken Hearts Trailer; Sara Watkins on Mountain Stage
Elizabeth Cook chats with actor Rainn Wilson in this entertaining video interview. Then they play “Ramblin’ Man.” Clint Black, Vince Gill, and Jana Kramer are “among the 125 signatories of an open letter opposing internet radio station Pandora’s Congressional request to lower its royalty payment rates.” Yesterday there was a news item about the Jim Lauderdale documentary, The [...]
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Pandora Sues ASCAP; Doc Watson’s Guitar Up for Auction; New Lindi Ortega Video
In non-internet life, our friend Kevin Coyne of Country Universe is an elementary school principal in the Rockaways, an area heavily hit by Hurricane Sandy. Many of his teachers, students, and staff were affected by the storm. Here’s how you can help if you’re so inclined. Thanks. Pandora sued ASCAP. Bloomberg.com reports: Pandora, which is [...]
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Outliers and the “Old Guard”: The 2012 CMA Awards
It’s been a long time since a genre’s experienced a shift like country did at this year’s Country Music Association Awards. With no Garth-like mandate, no behemoth sales figures a la Kenny Chesney’s ticket sales or Taylor Swift’s album numbers, the advent of a whole new guard descended in one three-hour primetime special. Suddenly, outliers [...]
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Nothing Much Goin’ on Around Here: Jason Aldean Makes Nowhere Big Business
He doesn’t sing about much. Not really. Back water towns with water towers, driving with no place to go, working with one’s hands, no real arc for what the future holds, needing to believe and finding little to put one’s faith in. An American Dream that’s faded, now torn and shrinking. The will to survive [...]
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Billboard Changes Chart Methodology; Birthplace of Country Music Museum Starts Construction 11/1; Stream New Holly Williams Song
Billboard changed the way they tabulate the Hot Country Songs chart (and a handful of other charts). Now it will “incorporate digital download sales (measured by Nielsen SoundScan) and streaming data (measured by Nielsen from Spotify, Muve, Slacker, Rhapsody, Rdio and Xbox Music) along with the BDS monitored airplay measurement. The new chart will also [...]
Current Discussion
- bll: Nice roundup today, Trisha singing and Jen Chapin too!
- Paul W Dennis: I guess my favorite would be George Hamilton IV's version of "Forever Young" and The Byrd's cover of Mr. Tambourine ...
- 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 ...
