Engine 145 - A Roots Music Publication

The new Brad Paisley-LL Cool J collaboration, “Accidental Racist,” blew up across the internet yesterday afternoon. Here’s a USA Today interview with Paisley as well (warning: autoplay). Sunday night’s ACM Awards were watched by 15.38 million viewers, the highest ratings these awards have seen since 1998. The Avett Brothers will headline the 2013 Newport Folk Festival. Iris [...]

Continue reading "ACM Awards Post Biggest Ratings Since 1998; Avett Brothers to Headline Newport Folk Festival; Album Releases"

USA Today premiered a couple songs: Jason Ringenberg’s cover of “Texarkana Baby” from an upcoming Eddy Arnold tribute record due in May, and Lori McKenna’s “Salt,” from Massachusetts (out April 23). Booker T. Jones, Mavis Staples, The Alabama Shakes, and Charlie Musselwhite are a few of the artists participating in the “Memphis Soul” installment of the [...]

Continue reading "USA Today Premieres Lori McKenna, Jason Ringenberg Tracks; White House to Celebrate Memphis Soul; Scientists Study the Neurochemistry of Music"

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"

Elton John, Mumford and Sons, Mavis Staples, Zac Brown, T Bone Burnett, and Brittany Howard (Alabama Shakes) will take part in a tribute to Levon Helm at the Grammy Awards on Sunday. The Birthplace of Country Music Museum, currently under construction in Bristol, Tenn. recently got approved for funding. $600,000 will be paid in installments [...]

Continue reading "Mavis Staples, Zac Brown & More to Honor Levon Helm at Grammys; George Strait to Receive CRB Career Achievement Award; Birthplace of Country Music Museum Approved for Funding"

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"

Yesterday, Darius Rucker was invited by Brad Paisley to join the Grand Ole Opry. Rucker will be inducted on October 16. Remember that internet contest where people voted for the Horace Mann School for the Deaf to win a Taylor Swift concert? The school was removed from the contest because “of the way it got [...]

Continue reading "Darius Rucker Invited to Join Opry; Taylor Swift Donates $10,000 to School for the Deaf; Ron Block Previews New Song"

On October 3, Charley Pride will be honored by the Smithsonian’s new National Museum of African American History and Culture with a reception. Pride’s sending the museum his 1971 Country Male Vocalist of the Year Award, his 1972 Grammy, a guitar, and some ‘70s outfits for display at the museum, which is slated to open [...]

Continue reading "Charley Pride to be Honored by Smithsonian; Listen to a New Rodney Crowell Song; Album Releases"

Singer-songwriter Heather Roberts is missing. She was last seen in the Dallas area. Loretta Lynn talks about the new music she’s been working on: Well, I’ve got 60-something things cut already. I’ve got a Christmas album, two religious albums. I’m gonna put ‘em out and get ‘em on the radio.    Coming to the East [...]

Continue reading "“Love for Levon” Benefit Concert Planned; Loretta Lynn Works on New Music; The Real Cost of Free Downloads"

Susanna Clark, songwriter, artist, and wife of Guy Clark, passed away at the age of 73. Here’s a lovely remembrance from Terry Roland posted on No Depression. Iris DeMent talks about her new album, Sing the Delta (out Oct. 2), with Billboard, where you can also hear the title track. Kenny Chesney’s Welcome to the Fishbowl [...]

Continue reading "Susanna Clark Passes Away; Iris DeMent Returns; Kenny Chesney Debuts at No. 1"

If you’re fundamentally or primarily a fan of country music, or Americana, or bluegrass, as many reading these words will be, you might well not be familiar with the name “Janiva Magness.”  (For one thing, her first name’s pronounced JAN-i-vah, more like “Canada” than “Geneva.”)  This, separate genre worlds being what they are, despite the [...]

Continue reading "Roots Watch: Janiva Magness’ Americana Blues"