Engine 145 - A Roots Music Publication

Garth Brooks is being sued by ex-partner Lisa Sanderson, who alleges “that she was induced to work on his behalf with the promise of great rewards.” From the complaint: “Úsing his infectious charisma and the promise that they would ‘make millions’ together to manipulate Sanderson, Brooks lured Sanderson away from a successful and highly fulfilling [...]

Continue reading "George Beverly Shea Passes Away at 104; Garth Brooks Sued by Ex-Partner; The Bankesters Sign with Compass"

Listen to Kathy Mattea’s recent Mountain Stage performance. Darden Smith has signed with Compass Records. His next album, Love Calling, will be released August 27. Keith Urban, Kris Kristofferson, Loretta Lynn, Vince Gill, and more are performing at the “All for the Hall” benefit concert in Nashville tonight. NoiseTrade is offering music from Aoife O’Donovan  as [...]

Continue reading "USA Today Premieres New Slaid Cleaves Song; Faith Hill, Sunday Night Football Split; Album Releases"

Alice Gerrard launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund an album release. On May 21, Omnivore Recordings will reissue Townes Van Zandt albums The Late Great Townes Van Zandt and High, Low and In Between on CD and vinyl. Noah Berlatsky of The Atlantic on The Band Perry’s Pioneer: Calling it background music is almost an [...]

Continue reading "Omnivore to Reissue Two Townes Van Zandt Albums; Alice Gerrard Launches Kickstarter; SiriusXM to Broadcast Dwight Yoakam’s Ryman Show"

This month’s free Blue Ridge Outdoors Trail Mix features Gibson Brothers, Roger Knox, The Mavericks, and more. Download it here. Check out “The Feud,” a new Hellbound Glory single. Ain’t in It for My Health: A Film About Levon Helm will premiere at Cinema Village in New York on April 19 before showing in select [...]

Continue reading "Levon Helm Documentary to Premiere in NYC; Hellbound Glory Debuts New Single; Album Releases"

Global music sales increased last year for the first time since 1999. From The New York Times:  The increase, of 0.3 percent, was tiny, and the total revenue, $16.5 billion, was a far cry from the $38 billion that the industry took in at its peak more than a decade ago. Still, even if it [...]

Continue reading "Music Industry Sees Slight Revenue Increase; New Hot Club of Cowtown Album Due in May; Caitlin Rose Premieres New Video"

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” [...]

Continue reading "Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum to Offer Free Admission 2/23; Stream New Drew Holcomb, Caitlin Rose Records; New Album Releases"

Taylor Swift kicked off the Grammy Awards last night with a performance of “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” View the full list of award winners here. Album of the Year: Mumford and Sons – Babel Best Country Album: Zac Brown Band – Uncaged Best Country Song: “Blown Away,” written by Josh Kear & Chris [...]

Continue reading "2013 Grammy Winners; Steve Wariner Shares New Songs; New Music Videos"

Patti Page passed away on New Year’s Day at the age of 85. Here are obituaries from The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Washington Post. Topic Records is set to launch “The Great Big Digital Archive Project,” with 84 downloadable folk albums and digital booklets becoming available this month. Six to ten albums [...]

Continue reading "Patti Page Passes Away; Folk Archive Goes Digital; New Music from Blake Shelton"

George Jones announced several farewell tour dates. Out January 23 on Omnivore Records: Don Rich Sings George Jones and Buck Owens’ Honky Tonk Man, a collection of previously unreleased recordings. Flaco Jimenez played an NPR Tiny Desk Concert. Wanda Jackson’s got a new video for “Am I Even a Memory,” her duet with Justin Townes [...]

Continue reading "George Jones Announces Tour Dates; Real Gone Music to Reissue Two John Hartford Records; Album Releases"

September’s the month country and its cousins honor music and music makers that the Media Barons-That-Be don’t consider ripe for prime time—anything more than five minutes old, anything with specialized appeal, artists who don’t universally look like aspiring starlets or teen idols (sorry, Junior Sisk, Richard Thompson, and Billy Sherrill) and anybody at all besides [...]

Continue reading "Roots Watch: The Ryman Awards Show Season"