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Keith Urban to Host “All for the Hall” Benefit Show in April; Pickathon Lineup Announced; Son Volt Announces Tour Dates
Blues guitarist Magic Slim passed away yesterday at the age of 75. YouTube video views will be added to the formula that ranks Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Singer-songwriter Anne McCue wrote a pretty funny blog calling for a ban of assault guitars: A citizens’ action group called E.A.R.P.L.U.G.S. has started a petition to ban assault guitars [...]
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Engine 145′s Top Albums of 2012
It’s been a fantastic year for country and roots/Americana music, and it was no easy task for us to narrow down the list of albums released in 2012 to just a few favorites, but, after a few weeks of voting, here’s what we came up with. Honorable Mentions that missed the cut by just a [...]
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Ashley Monroe’s Album Release Postponed; Stream Caitlin Rose’s New Single; Bluegrass for the Rockaways Compilation Raises Funds for Sandy Relief
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will be closed to the public from January 22 to February 6 to “make needed improvements and accommodate expansion-related construction.” The release of Ashley Monroe’s Like a Rose has been pushed back to March 5. From the press release: “The great Vince Gill and I have written [...]
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CMT Names Artists of the Year; Keith Urban Receives Nashville Symphony Harmony Award; New Music Videos
Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood were named as 2012 CMT Artists of the Year. Rolling Stone announced their top country albums of 2012 and Kellie Pickler was at the top of the list: “American Idol also-ran Pickler is an unlikely trad-country heroine. But 100 Proof may [...]
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“I Have This Urge to Rebel”: An Exclusive Interview with Emily West
Three critically well-received singles that barely dented the country charts, a finished but never released album, and eight plus years of grinding on the country radio wheel were some of the keys of Emily West’s time on Capitol Records. After “Blue Sky,” her duet with Keith Urban, peaked at #38 in 2010, there was a [...]
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Grammy Nominations Announced; New Videos from Don Williams, Hunter Hayes; Chelle Rose, The Mavericks Added to SXSW Roster
The Grammy nominees were announced last night. Taylor Swift and Mumford and Sons were nominated for Record of the Year and Album of the Year, respectively. You can read the entire list of nominations here. Best Country Solo Performance Dierks Bentley, “Home” Eric Church, “Springsteen” Ronnie Dunn, “Cost of Livin’” Hunter Hayes, “Wanted” Blake Shelton, [...]
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Ken Burns Plans Country Music Documentary; Justin Moore Goes Gold; New Music Videos
The American Music Awards were held last night. Luke Bryan, Lady Antebellum, Carrie Underwood, and Taylor Swift took home trophies. Now that his Vegas run is over, Garth Brooks is planning a 2014 world tour. Paper Angels, the book co-written by Jimmy Wayne about the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Project, is going to be made into a [...]
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Album Review: Lori McKenna — Heart Shaped Bullet Hole
Lori McKenna doesn’t write so much as lay open a vein with each new lyric. It’s the reason A-list artists like Faith Hill, Keith Urban, and, on the bluegrass side, Alison Krauss, record her songs. New digital-only EP, Heart Shaped Bullet Hole, a follow up to last year’s excellent Lorraine, finds the Massachusetts-based singer-songwriter navigating [...]
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Aldean’s Night Train Sells 409K Units in First Week; More Performers Added to CMA Awards; Remembering Minnie Pearl
John McEuen talks about the 40th anniversary of landmark album Will the Circle be Unbroken in a video interview for Folk Alley. Jason Aldean’s Night Train sold over 409,000 copies in its first week. Taylor Swift’s Red is expected to sell a million units this week. Chely Wright remembers Sarah “Minnie Pearl” Cannon on what would [...]
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Brooks, Robbins, Smith Inducted Into HoF; Tim Johnson Passes Away; New Music Videos
Jana Kramer had an airplane scare yesterday. A couple of her tweets: “Terrified out of my mind. Emergency landing back in Miami without landing gear. #pray” “HOLY S**T that was NOT cool at all. Good news though. I’m on the ground. We made it. Thanks for the prayers #shaking” Songwriter Tim Johnson passed away from [...]
Current Discussion
- Luckyoldsun: Sounds good. Is she--or her husband--related to Dallas? (I'll assume not to Joe.)
- Luckyoldsun: R-- Sounds like you're expanding your palate. "60′s style California hippie vibe" sounds like something you'd have banned from your playlist.
- Rick: I like the production, the excellent guitar picking, and Rebecca has a nice voice with individuality, but the song structure ...
- Rick: That Buddy Emmons tribute album sounds kinda interesting. I just might have to give it a listen when it's available. Congratulations ...
- Jon: Jack Bernhardt is the bomb.
- Bruce: Good article on Rucker. I do not care for all his songs and he is far from my favorite. I ...
- Kelly D.: Dig the Whiskey Sisters and the write-up from ol' Jim C.
- Bruce: "Why do people talk about the authenticity and/or genuineness of others with whom they’ve had no direct, normal social interaction ...
- Luckyoldsun: Hank III says "Old Junior once said it best,"--Is that some sort of rapprochement in the Williams family soap opera? It's ...
- Joan Harrison: Hi, My husband and I really enjoy watching your show each week. You had a recipe on for pork ...
