ACM Opens Voting For Entertainer of the Year
- Voting for the ACM Entertainer of the Year is now open to the fans. Nominees for the April 5 award show include Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, George Strait, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban.
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Album releases for the week of March 17, 2009 include:
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Anita Carter – Songbird (Compilation)
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Bucktown Kickback – Fiction
MySpace -
Randy Travis – I Told You So: The Ultimate Hits of Randy Travis (Compilation)
Amazon | iTunes -
Randy Travis – Three Wooden Crosses: The Inspirational Hits Of Randy Travis (Compilation)
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Tommy Gallagher – Always Something
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Zack Walther and the Cronkites – Ambition
Amazon | iTunes | MySpace
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- Several events at this week’s SXSW will pay tribute to the music of Doug Sahm and next week (March 24) co-producers Bill Bentley, Shawn Sahm and David Katznelson will release Keep Your Soul: A Tribute to Doug Sahm. Listen to several of Sahm’s songs at Austin360.
- For all of Eric Church’s outlaw bravado, Sarah Rodman says he “doesn’t ignore basic Music City rules about production; obvious singles like ‘Ain’t Killed Me Yet’ sound as bright as anything on contemporary pop-country radio. Thankfully, though, the singer-songwriter imbues his work with real soul…”
- In an effort to properly introduce Sugarland’s music to Britain, where the duo is currently on tour, their song “All I Want To Do” was remixed to remove a little of the twang.
- One No Depression blogger says the Joe Nick Patoski biography An Epic Life is not a Willie Nelson for Dummies, rather, it aims to please the Willieologist, and he boiled the book down to ten topics that readers learn about. And for his monumental undertaking, Patoski will pick up a TCU Texas Book Award on Thursday, which is given to the author of the best book about Texas.
- Martina McBride discusses the possibility of a gay mainstream country star in her interview with Out magazine.
- After a hiatus from performing, Gary Bennet, former singer and co-frontman of BR-549, now has a regular gig at on Wednesdays at the Full Moon Saloon in Nashville with his newly reformed band, the McNeills.
- Listen to Brad Paisley’s new single, “Then,” at CountryMusicIsLove before he debuts it on American Idol this week.
- BMI saluted Blake Shelton and songwriters Cory Batten and Jennifer Adan last Friday (March 13) at the No. 1 party for “She Wouldn’t Be Gone,” and Shelton shared the stories of his first two encounters with George Strait, who he’ll be going on tour with this year.
- In an article published yesterday, My Kind of Country’s J.R. Journey remembered the plane crash that took the lives of Reba McEntire’s band on March 16, 1991.
- Darius Rucker’s brand of country may do the trick for radio, but Joey Guerra says the former prince of frat-boy rock earned the biggest responses at RodeoHouston on Monday night when he reached into his back catalog.
- Toby Keith’s record label, Show Dog Nashville, signed singer and songwriter Mac McAnally.
- David Allan Coe wears close to 70 years of rough living on his face and had to be helped on stage at his gig in Port St. Lucie, Florida last week, but forum member Mike K. says the diverse crowd afforded the aging outlaw the respect and energy he deserved as he covered songs from Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson to John Prine and even Kid Rock.
- Daytrotter.com has six free downloads from a Justin Townes Earle session back in Septemeber ‘08. (via Hickory Wind)
- To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, list your favorite Irish-influenced country songs in the comments.
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Current Discussion
- Jon: What's the difference between "the vocal" and "her delivery?"
- Carlie: Why does it seem like even Carrie's biggest hits are never good according to the amateur, biased opinions on the ...
- Waddy: I think it bizarre that both Doc Watson and Ralph Stanley have received the National Medal of Arts, the highest ...
- Razor X: This almost sounds like a parody.
- Paul W Dennis: I hope subsequent singles are better as this one is brutal - it could be much better than this and ...
- Jon: Try to keep up, will you, Jim?
- Vicki: More will vote for Classic Country performers for Entertainter of the year, etc and on GAC and CMT Top 20.
- Michelle: It isn't old people only living out in rural areas. All age groups are living in rural areas. I bought ...
- stormy: I don't know that it will help country with its existing fans base, but it will help music in all ...
- mickey michael: A lengthy comment is necessary to make a small but important correction regarding the 1950's version of the song. ...
34 Comments
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March 17, 2009 at 11:18 am Permalink
Paisley’s new single is good =D yay
I love Martina after readin’ that interview =)
March 17, 2009 at 11:21 am Permalink
Its too bad the ACM ballot doesn’t include “None Of The Above”. Hmmm…
I became a fan of Doug Sahm starting with the hit singles from The Sir Douglas Quintet “She’s About a Mover” and “Mendocino” back during the 1960’s. Whether with the quintet or Texas Tornadoes (or solo), he sang a bevy of top notch songs.
I hope Mac McAnally has better luck with Show Dog than Trailer Choir, Carter’s Chord, Mica Roberts, and Flynnville Train. Toby’s own album sales have been the lone “Stimulus Package” to keep his label afloat thus far.
Irish stuff huh? I’d go with the folk song “Carrick Fergus” as performed by The Peasall Sisters or Allison Morrer with The Chieftains (among countless others). Just a flat out beautiful song.
March 17, 2009 at 11:24 am Permalink
“All I Want to Do” had twang in it?
March 17, 2009 at 11:26 am Permalink
I’m scared to see if the army of Carrie fans can actually win her this award.
I’ll give Paisley’s new song eight weeks to go number one.
March 17, 2009 at 11:33 am Permalink
I hope Mac McAnally has better luck with Show Dog than…..
Rick, I’m going to stop posting because you always say what I’m thinking! :-)
March 17, 2009 at 11:38 am Permalink
Love the Martina interview.
March 17, 2009 at 11:45 am Permalink
I have got to say that it really bothers me when artists like Sugarland feel they have to change who they are and how they sound to fit the audience. To me that says they are just manufactured products and not the genuine article. I lose respect for them. Do they use a southern accent in the south and not up north? Sounds to me like money rules.
March 17, 2009 at 11:47 am Permalink
Isn’t any song with a prominent fiddle kind of Irish?
March 17, 2009 at 11:48 am Permalink
If by “twang” they mean Jennifer Nettles fake, overexaggerated Southern accent, then they must have had her recut the vocal.
March 17, 2009 at 11:50 am Permalink
Charlie Robison – John O’ Riley
Steve Earle – Galway Girl
Reckless Kelly – Seven Nights in Eire
Those are good for any St. Pattys Day Playlist…
March 17, 2009 at 12:28 pm Permalink
Bap Kennedy had a great song on his Steve Earle produced first album Domestic Blues called “Ghosts of Belfast.” He and Steve also did a great duet of Dirty Old Town by The Pogues.
March 17, 2009 at 12:30 pm Permalink
Kelly named all mine.
March 17, 2009 at 12:35 pm Permalink
…oooh, and Johnny Come Lately by both Steve Earle w/ help from The Pogues and the Darryl Lee Rush version also….
Trailer – maybe we’re soul mates? maybe we should get matching gold bracelts or something??
March 17, 2009 at 12:46 pm Permalink
Kelly is in my head too, because he’s named the best of the ones I was considering. Pam Tillis’ “Melancholy Child” is a good one as well, as is any of the Chieftains’ collaborations with country artists (there are three albums in total, I believe).
For other music that might be considered Celtic and would appeal to country fans, I’d recommend The Clumsy Lovers out of Canada. They’re a great band and very fun in concert, and they blend bluegrass, Celtic, rock and even the occasional hint of reggae and other genres in their songs. (www.myspace.com/clumsylovers)
March 17, 2009 at 12:48 pm Permalink
I wish that Kimberly Williams-Paisley would have a fling and dump Brad so that he’ll stop being so insufferably happy. All of this “I love my wife and kids” music is getting old, and while Brad’s far from the only culprit, he’s at least demonstrated the ability to record a good country song.
March 17, 2009 at 12:57 pm Permalink
@Chris N. – It had Jennifer Nettles didn’t it? To be fair, the article says the song didn’t have much to begin with, but that was the only thing that was cited as changing for the remix.
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Good song suggestions, everybody. The only one I could think of was Garth Brooks’ “Ireland.” I clearly need more Irish/Celtic influence in my music diet.
March 17, 2009 at 1:00 pm Permalink
Kathy Mattea does a good amount of Irish influenced music.
I agree with Matt C. about Brad Paisley. I like Brad, but it’s time for him to get back to some straight up country themes rather than all the happy stuff.
March 17, 2009 at 1:03 pm Permalink
The Sara Evans songs “Restless” and “Supernatural” both have an instrumentation that sounds kinda Irish in my opinion
March 17, 2009 at 1:39 pm Permalink
Gloriana’s “Wild At Heart” is this week’s free iTunes download. New group, pop-country, Little Big Town setup, pretty fluffy.
March 17, 2009 at 2:05 pm Permalink
For an authentic Irish song, try Hal Ketchum’s “Past The Point of Rescue”, which was written by Irish songwriter Mick Hanley. It was a huge hit in Ireland for Mary Black.
March 17, 2009 at 2:07 pm Permalink
Wow. I agree with Rick about something. Though I prefer Van Morrison’s version of Carrickfregus with the Chieftains :)
March 17, 2009 at 2:33 pm Permalink
i hope willie nelson wins!
March 17, 2009 at 3:27 pm Permalink
Ever wonder what kind of unsolicited demos record labels get? One anonymous country label has posted some of their best (worst?) demos. As a warning, some of this stuff will make you long for Adam Gregory’s new song.
http://wowdemoblog.tumblr.com/
March 17, 2009 at 3:51 pm Permalink
Sam, this day you have given me a gift.
March 17, 2009 at 5:08 pm Permalink
Wow, that cell phone song…
March 17, 2009 at 5:32 pm Permalink
I like Brad but not this song. I swear everytime someone rhymes “World” and “Girl”..I cringe.
March 17, 2009 at 7:33 pm Permalink
Thanks for mentioning my forum post, Brody. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the concert and was pleasantly surprised. Hearing an electrified “Coe”-ed up version of “Hello in There” was worth the price of admission.
March 17, 2009 at 8:40 pm Permalink
Martina became even more of a hero to me!!!!!
Hope Brad will win, but for some reason I feel Kenny or Carrie will somehow get it. :(
March 17, 2009 at 10:50 pm Permalink
SPeaking for me, I think its between Kenny and Brad, and for my taste its Brad hands down.
March 17, 2009 at 11:09 pm Permalink
I didn’t know that about the Hal Ketchum song, Razor. But I’m a big fan of the album ‘Past the Point of Rescue’ comes from. I think ‘Small Town Saturday Night’ is one of the most clever lyrics in modern country music. ‘I Know Where Love Lives’ is also a great song. I highly recommend the album.
As far as the ACM voting, I hate it that the Entertainer of the Year award is fan-voted. I think it robs the award of any prestige it used to have. It’s nothing but an internet popularity contest. And I predict Carrie Underwood to win too. Her fans are highly organized and can be scary sometimes. So they’ll be out in force – and none of the other acts have that kind of online fan base. The ACMs used to be my favorite of all the country awards show. I really wish they would re-think this practice – and fast.
March 18, 2009 at 5:41 am Permalink
I agree. I think it takes away from the honor when it’s fan voted. Everyone is going to expect Carrie but will she win? Honestly, last year I thought Rascal Flatts had more internet fans than Kenny but he still won.
They are all deserving but will this win give Kenny the most of anyone? If so, is he really that good? I admit, he plays to the most fans with his huge arena concerts but his concert schedule is not as long as some other ones. He also has several guests to make it more “party” like. He does have many hits to sing.
Brad and Keith are about on par with one another. Brad plays a long concert schedule and has a couple of current top new artists with him. The boy can sing, play guitar and has a variety of songs from funny to deadly serious. Plus he has all that video stuff to make it interesting. Keith is more music driven. A huge big screen behind him to see those cute blue eyes and amazing quick fingers on the guitar. He has a few guests. He gets the crowd going but it’s all Keith, his band and music.
George…well ’nuff said. The man is great. He doesn’t play a long concert schedule but man the #1 hits do not stop.
Carrie played last year from January to December. You could tell by the CMA’s that girl was exhausted and it showed when she did her Christmas at the Opry show with Martina and Julianne. Oh if only her voice was not going out that night! She also does all those TV performances in between, American Idol, Stand up for Cancer, People’s Choice and I believe she played more times at the Opry than Brad did this past year.
Besides the awards and #1’s that they all have, it is harder for a girl. They have to do all those magazine covers, that guys don’t do. You could say that doesn’t matter but yeah it does. Faith, Martina, Reba, Dolly, they all do it. It’s expected with women Country artists.
So they all are deserving but I do wish it was on what ever criteria they use to get nominated in the first place instead of fans.
March 18, 2009 at 8:15 am Permalink
The Martina interview was just weird. It felt contrived and opportunistic.
March 18, 2009 at 8:37 am Permalink
I want Keith Urban to win EOTY but I feel it will go to Brad. It’s not only fan voted, but the members of the academy too..right? I don’t think Kenny should have won last year!
March 20, 2009 at 7:07 am Permalink
I’m voting for Carrie. She worked her butt off and touring for a whole year non stop almost to the point of losing her voice.
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