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Music Exec Donna Hilley Passes Away; Trisha Yearwood’s Cooking Show Renewed for Second Season; Tift Merritt Signs with Yep Roc
Retired music executive Donna Hilley passed away yesterday: Ms. Hilley, born in Birmingham, Ala., worked at Nashville radio station WKDA and at a public relations firm before joining music publisher Tree in 1973. She became Tree’s vice president and chief operating officer in 1978 and arranged Tree’s sale to CBA (which later became Sony Music [...]
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CMT Awards Performers Announced; Rosanne Cash Narrates BBC Radio Program About Bobbie Gentry; Album Releases
Stream Willie Nelson’s new album, Heroes and the collection Jail House Bound: John Lomax’s First Southern Prison Recordings, 1933. The Infamous Stringdusters have announced the lineup for their shindig, The Festy. This year’s performers will include Trampled By Turtles, Della Mae, Tony Trischka Territory, The Steel Wheels, and more. Tickets for The Festy, which will [...]
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Dirt Drifters Cancel All Upcoming Appearances; Chatham County Line Plans Live Album Release; Jewel to Play June Carter Cash in Lifetime Movie
The Ryman’s chief audio engineer, Les Banks, talks about the room’s sound with Mix Magazine: “There are so many reflective surfaces, and the biggest challenge is the absolutely phenomenal difference between the empty Ryman at soundcheck and a full house that night. It’s night-and-day different; to this day I get freaked out by how loud [...]
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New Music From Sara Watkins and Peter Cooper; Cracker Barrel Sponsors Josh Turner’s Tour; Dirt Daubers on BBC Radio
Farce the Music has a new batch of Photoshopped country album covers up for your amusement. Listen to “When It Pleases You,” the first single from Sara Watkins’ upcoming album, Sun Midnight Sun, due out May 8. Peter Cooper is offering two free, new songs for you to download. Saving Country Music’s Triggerman takes on [...]
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Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver Honored By Tennessee State Senate; Dixie Chicks Working on New Album; Free Mix From Blue Ridge Outdoors
For fans of Irish music, Compass Records is offering 25% off their Celtic CDs and DVDs until March 17. Martie Maguire says the Dixie Chicks are working on a new album: [t]he Austin-based fiddler and singer confirmed few details, but did allow that the group has co-written “about 40” new songs that they’re currently choosing [...]
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Reba Concert Special to Premiere on GAC; Stringdusters New Album Due in March; The Dos and Don’ts of Covering Dylan
Reba’s filmed a concert special called All the Woman I Am that is scheduled to premiere on GAC March 17. Noel Murray of the A.V. Club takes a look at the recent compilation Chimes of Freedom and delivers dos and don’ts of covering Bob Dylan. An excerpt: Maybe this is Rick Rubin and Johnny Cash’s [...]
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Radney Foster Helps Veterans; The Band Perry and Blake Shelton to Perform with Glen Campbell at Grammys; Bellamy Brothers Robbed
Here is a fine piece written by Chris Richards of the Washington Post about veterans healing through music with a little help from artists like Radney Foster and Darden Smith. Go get a free download of singer-songwriter-banjoman Kyle James Hauser’s folk-pop tune “Hopeless,” which also features cellist Ben Sollee. The Band Perry and Blake Shelton [...]
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Country Album Sales Increase in 2011; New Music From Emily West; Stream The Little Willies’ New Album
Stream For the Good Times, the upcoming album from The Little Willies, over at NPR’s music blog. Journey and Rascal Flatts are rumored to be doing a CMT Crossroads together in February. Bluegrass banjo player Shorty Eager passed away. He had played with Jimmy Martin’s Sunny Mountain Boys and several other bluegrass groups. Peter Cooper [...]
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Keith Urban to Undergo Throat Surgery; Larry Cordle Plans New Project; Give Me the Banjo Airs Tonight
Later this month, Keith Urban will undergo throat surgery to remove a polyp from his vocal cords. He’s planning on honoring pre-existing single song commitments, but other appearances and lengthier performances (including his All for the Hall fundraiser) will be postponed and rescheduled in 2012. Chet Flippo’s newest Nashville Skyline column is all about Vince [...]
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Roots Watch: Frets and Threats
No, that’s not a suggested name for the next big music magazine; Frets & Threats could have some real breadth and staying power, but I figure the magazine market is too threatened for a launch right now. I bring this up after a week at IBMA’s “World of Bluegrass,” 2011 edition, which was marked [...]
Current Discussion
- Rick: Why Leeann, I'm all for "charity" when I am the recipient! (lol)
- Rick: I'm glad to see Miss Leslie was able to raise enough funds to record a new album. I can't wait ...
- J.R. Journey: Congratulations to Trisha Yearwood and Little Big Town. They join Hank Williams Jr. in the country-stars-with-Emmy-awards category.
- Juli Thanki: They're no Tracy Jordan.
- Luckyoldsun: Here he is with Mr. Johnny Carson: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0L5QC9ZJkM8
- Blake Boldt: Trisha and LBT for the EGOT.
- Barry Mazor: I thought Luckyol was kidding--and he may have been. The Ames Bros charted dozens of times, and Ed Ames ...
- bob: Before going solo, Ed Ames was a member of the Ames Brothers. The brothers had some hits in the 50's ...
- Luckyoldsun: "My parents’ record collection consisted of Ed Ames, Perry Como..." Ed Ames made records? I did not know that. I thought ...
- Leeann Ward: Old Town, where Griffin is from, is just a few minutes away from me.
