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Chris Thile Wins MacArthur Foundation “Genius Grant”; Stream New Darrell Scott & Tim O’Brien Album; New Releases
Chris Thile is one of the 2012 winners of a MacArthur Foundation “genius grant.” Thile is considering using the $500,000 grant to fund “a chamber music project for a bluegrass quintet.” Blake Boldt interviewed Gretchen Peters. Darrell Scott and Tim O’Brien’s live album, We’re Usually a Lot Better Than This, is streaming at American Songwriter. Zac [...]
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Charley Pride to be Honored by Smithsonian; Listen to a New Rodney Crowell Song; Album Releases
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 [...]
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“It’s About a Great Song”: Kathy Mattea and the Music of the Mountains
Thomas Wolfe was wrong: you can go home again. At least if you’re West Virginian Kathy Mattea, who returned to the folk music of the Appalachians in 2008 with the release of critically-acclaimed roots album, Coal. New record Calling Me Home (out tomorrow on Sugar Hill Records) finds Mattea singing the music of her home state once more. [...]
Continue reading "“It’s About a Great Song”: Kathy Mattea and the Music of the Mountains"
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Willie Nelson Hospitalized; Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Names Four Inductees; New Music Videos
Willie Nelson canceled last night’s show in Denver and was hospitalized after suffering breathing problems due to the altitude and emphysema, KVET reports. He’s apparently doing better and planning to head back to Texas today. Tony Arata, Kim Williams, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Larry Henley will be inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame [...]
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Patsy Cline HoF Exhibit Opens Next Month; Kenny Chesney Added to Farm Aid Lineup; New Mavericks Album Slated for 9/25 Release
New exhibit Patsy Cline: Crazy for Loving You will open at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on August 24. The opening weekend festivities will include a panel discussion with Cline’s husband and daughter as well as Harold Bradley, Jan Howard and George Hamilton IV. The exhibit will run through June 10, 2013. [...]
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Hank Williams Concert Recordings Scheduled for October Release; Laurie Lewis & Del McCoury to Host IBMA Awards; Brantley Gilbert Announces First Headlining Tour
Hank Williams: The Lost Concerts Limited Collector’s Edition will be released on October 2. The collection features “the only two Hank concerts reputed to be recorded…the concerts were recorded only six weeks apart in 1952, less than a year before the songwriter’s death. At the time, tape recording was expensive and rarely done, but lucky [...]
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Zooey Deschanel to Play Loretta Lynn in “Coal Miner’s Daughter” Stage Adaptation; Kenny Rogers Signs with Warner Bros., Goat Rodeo Sessions Hit PBS
Zooey Deschanel will play Loretta Lynn in a stage adaptation of Coal Miner’s Daughter: Lynn announced the casting and musical during a performance at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on Thursday, where she was joined onstage by Deschanel. The two then sang the country music singer’s signature song, “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” “It’s a long way from [...]
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“Wagon Wheel” Goes Gold; Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson Return to the Studio; New Steep Canyon Rangers Video
Merle Haggard returned to play a show in Macon, where he was hospitalized with pneumonia and other health issues earlier this year: “I wound up here in the hospital several days with you. I forgot how many, they had me under some really good dope…Macon’s got the best dope in the hospital I’ve ever seen. [...]
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Friday Five: St. Patrick’s Day
St. Patrick’s Day is tomorrow, so for this Friday Five, we’re paying tribute to country songs about Ireland. There are countless country songs about, or influenced by, the Emerald Isle, but here are five currently in heavy rotation at my house. 5. Dolly Parton — “We Irish” This is a fun track from 2004′s Live & [...]
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Second Round of ACM Awards Performers Announced; Della Mae Selected for State Department’s American Music Abroad; Album Releases
Pam Tillis was a guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race last night. The full episode, called “Dragazines,” can be streamed here. Darrell Scott considers “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” “To Live’s to Fly,” and “Sunday Morning Coming Down” to be “perfect songs.” Here’s a feature on Echo Mountain, the Asheville, North Carolina recording studio [...]
Current Discussion
- 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' ...
- Jon: Interesting that folks are falling all over themselves to talk up Toby Keith's prospective benefit for Oklahoma tornado victims, while ...
- Luckyoldsun: For Dylan covers with impact, nothing surpasses the Byrds' "Mr. Tambourine Man." As far as obscure ones, I happened to like ...
