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Ray Price Hospitalized for Severe Dehydration; New Dierks Bentley Record Due in Fall; Album Releases
Ray Price was hospitalized for severe dehydration. But, as he posted on his Facebook page, he’s receiving fluids and feeling better. Dierks Bentley’s next album, Riser, will be released this fall. Stream You Don’t Know Me: Rediscovering Eddy Arnold, a new tribute record featuring Pokey LaFarge, Mandy Barnett, Chuck Mead, and more. Lee Ann Womack, [...]
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Harris & Crowell to Tape Austin City Limits; Black Prairie on Mountain Stage; Steve Earle Writing Historical Fiction Novel
Patty Griffin’s “Ohio,” featuring Robert Plant, is The Key’s “Gotta Hear Song of the Week.” Here’s an interesting Nashville Scene feature on African-American brothers Tosh and Nioshi Jackson, who have made country music careers for themselves as the program director of KNTY and drummer/artist management representative, respectively. An excerpt from the article: Both Jacksons feel [...]
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Dawn Sears Diagnosed with Lung Cancer; Artists Added to George Jones’ Final Nashville Show; First Round of ACM Awards Performers Announced
Guitarist Alvin Lee passed away at the age of 68 due to “unforeseen consequences following a routine surgical procedure.” Please keep Dawn Sears (Time Jumpers), who has been diagnosed with Stage 3B lung cancer, in your thoughts. Sears is “currently undergoing treatment in Nashville, TN and plans to continue performing at the band’s regular Monday [...]
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Randy Travis, Joe Nichols Perform at Chris Kyle’s Memorial; CMT Edge Premieres New Wayne Hancock Song; Album Releases
Ray Price’s cancer remains in remission. Out May 14: Plowboy Records’ You Don’t Know Me: Rediscovering Eddy Arnold. The tribute record features performances by Chuck Mead, Alejandro Escovedo, Pokey LaFarge, Mandy Barnett, Chris Scruggs, Mary Gauthier, and more. Randy Travis and Joe Nichols performed at the memorial service for Chris Kyle, the former Navy [...]
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Randy Travis Gets Probation, Fine; Free Rambling Rooks Download; New Whiskey Shivers Video
Randy Travis pleaded guilty to DWI; he received “two years of probation, a $2,000 fine and a 180-day suspended jail sentence. If he doesn’t successfully complete the probation, he will face the jail time. He was ordered to spend at least 30 days at an alcohol treatment facility, complete 100 hours of community service and [...]
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Tony Douglas Passes Away; Blake Shelton Controversy Boils Over; Coen Brothers Release Trailer for New Folk Music Film
The Blake Shelton business mentioned in the Thursday morning roundup exploded yesterday afternoon. Ray Price took to his Facebook page and wrote It’s a shame that I have spend 63 years in this business trying to introduce music to a larger audience and to make it easier for the younger artists who are coming behind [...]
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Roots Watch: Nashville’s Eddie; Nashville’s Jack
Back a lifetime or two ago when I was an undergraduate at George Washington University in DC, I was a regular deejay on the campus radio station, with a show called “Heartbreak Hotel” that featured roots rock, country music and what would have been called “Americana” if there’d been a term for it; this was [...]
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Album Review: James Hand — Mighty Lonesome Man
James Hand spent most of his career as Texas’ best kept secret. These days, the 60-year old might be one of its best exports. New record Mighty Lonesome Man (his first in three years and first for Hillgrass Bluebilly Records) is another collection of traditional country that sounds as though it dates back decades. Hand, [...]
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Kellie Pickler Embarks on Sixth USO Tour; Ray Price, Willie Nelson Work on New Albums; Carrie Underwood Donates Concert Proceeds to Charity
Kellie Pickler embarked on her sixth USO Tour, entertaining service members in Afghanistan and aboard the USS John C. Stennis. Songs by Jerry Lee Lewis, Tom T. Hall, and Alejandro Escovedo made The A.V. Club’s list of “14 panicky works about growing older.” Vince Gill shows off his guitars in this video for Musician’s Friend. [...]
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Roots Watch: Looking Forward, Looking Back
Year’s end is all at once “make a list” time, “last chance to bring it up” time and “turn the page” time, so I thought I’d keep all of that in mind this column and point you towards some recent roots and country releases, reissues and re-visits in particular, that strike me as worthy of [...]
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Current Discussion
- bll: I'm happy to hear that Ronnie Dunn and Garth are going to do something together; they go way back, and ...
- Luckyoldsun: Jon, I think you should try re-watching the Conan video--you "missed" it the first time. If I may give my interpretation, ...
- BRUCE: Toby's generosity and philanthropic work is very expansive. His USO tours plus other works deserves praise, though I an sure ...
- Luckyoldsun: Arlene, That's another big one.
- Fervor Coulee: Sometimes I really think I live in a Stephen King bubble-town: 12 weeks at number one, and I've never heard ...
- 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' ...







