CMA Announces Plans To Build Retirement Community for Musicians
- The CMA has plans to offer a retirement community specifically for musicians, songwriters and those who made a career in the music industry but don’t have the fame or money of more prominent country stars. Mitchel Kline reports that the proposed community could feature recording studios, performance halls and an amphitheater.
- A new six-disc boxed set from Bear Family Records, titled Let Me Be Your Sidetrack: The Influence of Jimmie Rodgers, attempts to explore the influence of Jimmie Rodgers through recordings of his songs from the likes of Bob Dylan, Merle Haggard, Harry Belafonte, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, King Oliver and Pete Seeger. Robert Hilburn has the details, plus introduces another new release from the Bear Family–Lefty Frizzell’s Steppin’ Out. Frizzell’s entire recording output is available on the label, but this new 35-track CD focuses on his high-energy side.
- In an effort to ramp up even more anticipation for her upcoming album, Taylor Swift will be releasing four tracks via iTunes from Fearless on a staggered schedule, starting Oct. 14 with the title track. When the album is released on Nov. 11, iTunes users will be able to utilize the “Complete My Album” feature to discount the cost of the album based on the number of songs they already own.
- Alan Jackson needs your help creating the video for his current single, “Country Boy.” Dust off your video cameras and film yourself and your friends doing country things. Upload the video to YouTube and you’ll have a chance to win an 8GB iPod Nano, an autographed copy of Good Time and ten of the best videos will be spliced together to be included in the official “Country Boy” video.
- Mike Crowley, Hayes Carll’s manager, says Carll is devastated about the complete destruction of Crystal Beach by Hurricane Ike.
Carll hosts the Stingaree Music Festival on Crystal Beach each April. His Highway 87 label is named after the road that takes you to the seaside town, “where the cops all know your number and the bars all know your name.” Carll’s three albums are inhabited by the roughhewn characters, the shrimpers and oil workers and beach bums he met while playing at places like Bob’s, which are no longer there.
Now, virtually all that’s left of Crystal Beach are those songs.
Word has it that the Wrecks Bell owned Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe in Galveston didn’t make it through the storm, either.
- Willie Nelson scored a spot on the Guitar Hero 4: World Tour video game with his recording of “On the Road Again.”
- Jimmie Rodgers is widely considered the father of country music, but if it weren’t for Ernest V. Stoneman, who was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame earlier this year, the famous sessions at Bristol might not have taken place. Stoneman recorded songs in Bristol along with Rodgers and The Carter Family, but he’s also the guy who informed Ralph Peer that Bristol was the place that he needed to be in order to reach the largest audience of musicians. David A. Maurer gives a synopsis of Stoneman’s importance to country music history and introduces a two-CD set due out on Sep. 23 titled Ernest V. Stoneman: The UnsungFather of Country Music 1925-1934.
- Lost Highway is hosting a listening party for the new Lucinda Williams album, Little Honey, due out on Oct. 14. (via The Gobblers Knob)
- On top of her Little Honey CD, there’s news that she’ll be releasing a digital EP of protest songs as well on Oct. 28.
- Daily Trivia: This day in 1923 marked the birth of one of country music’s most heralded artists, Hank Williams (read the story behind his first No. 1 hit, “Lovesick Blues”). Also on this day, but in 1955, Elvis Presley’s “I Forgot to Remember to Forget” entered the charts and went on to become his first No. 1, and five years later to the day, Loretta Lynn made her debut appearance on the Opry.
Popular Stuff
Sponsor
Tagged In This Article
Alan Jackson // Bristol // Elvis Presley // Ernest V. "Pop" Stoneman // Hank Williams // Hayes Carll // Jimmie Rodgers // Lefty Frizzell // Loretta Lynn // Lucinda Williams // Taylor Swift // The Carter Family // Willie Nelson
Current Discussion
- todd: Miranda Lambert, Jamey Johnson, and Ashston Shepherd
- K: Carrie Underwood, Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban, Miranda Lambert, Darius Rucker, and Little Big Town. I'd love to hear Carrie ...
- Rick: Ashley Monroe, Sunny Sweeney, Elizabeth Cook, Megan Mullins, The Wrights, Amber Dotson, Lane Turner, Amy Dalley, Susan Haynes, The Jenkins, ...
- Jo Jo: Brooks & Dunn, Carrie Underwood, Reba McEntire
- highwayman3: George Strait, Reba, and Lee Ann Womack, oh wait, that's already happening, too bad they aren't coming anywhere near driving ...
- Mayor JoBob: Or Alan Jackson, Rodney Crowell and Marty Stuart with guest appearance by Jimmy Buffett!
- JCH: Jamey Johnson, Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert. No idea where the heck that came from.
- Mayor JoBob: Brad Paisley, David Ball and Highway 101!!!!!!
- Noeller: Jamey Johnson, Randy Houser, Eric Church and Zac Brown Band. It's the Bearded Saviours of Country Tour - would ...
- Sparkles: OMG - have you seen this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYENOUcaAsM I LOVE DOLLY!!!!

Is Dave Haywood going solo? This and many other of country music's most pressing questions answered in the September edition of The 9513's world famous Mailbag!
Caroline Herring likes to sing songs about life in the South. No, not exactly like Justin Moore and Jason Aldean...
The 9513's resident historian Paul W. Dennis sits down for a chat with country music legend Gene Watson.
As much as we love girl singers, we love songs about girl singers even more. Here's just a few of the many tribute songs out there.
Step away from the river and up to a jukebox, because heartbreak is only temporary, but a good song about drowning yourself—like a diamond—lasts forever.
What do you think about music labels "testing the waters" with a single before providing access to an artist's entire album?
What country artist, young or old, would you recommend as a must-listen artist to a newcomer on his/her journey through country music, and what would your essential song picks be?


24 Comments
RSS for comments on this post | Trackback URI for this post
September 17, 2008 at 11:39 am Permalink
I thought they already named the retirement community Parkview?
September 17, 2008 at 1:05 pm Permalink
Brady,
Parkview is the name of a mental institution in the Nashville area.
September 17, 2008 at 1:08 pm Permalink
I know, I was just a jokin’ because of the Cash/Wagoner song “Committed to Parkview.” It made it sound like a place for old, senile musicians.
September 17, 2008 at 2:50 pm Permalink
“The CMA has plans to offer a retirement community specifically for musicians”
uhhh.. hello? branson?
September 17, 2008 at 2:56 pm Permalink
yeah, branson and time-life music infomercials that air at 3am…
September 17, 2008 at 2:57 pm Permalink
dude, those time-life infomercials are freakin’ rad. Don’t hate.
September 17, 2008 at 3:13 pm Permalink
This staggered release thing is really starting to become annoying. First, it was just singles that were released digitally, followed by the album sometime later. Then, it was a single, then the album, and then each additional single as it’s own package. Now we’re going to have pieces and parts and singles and artwork and….
Such a pain. I was on Avril Lavine’s Zune page (please, please, please, don’t ask why) and her first 10 or so selections were all variations of her latest album. Remixes, overseas releases, karaoke, singles… make it stop.
September 17, 2008 at 4:14 pm Permalink
I listen to the songs on Jessica Simpson new cd and was very surprised. I really like two of her songs “Remember that” and “Still don’t stop me”
September 17, 2008 at 6:02 pm Permalink
“On top of her Little Honey CD, there’s news that Lucinda Williams will be releasing a digital EP of protest songs as well on Oct. 28.” Can I assume these songs will be protesting “W”, the war in Iraq, and other Bushie policies right before the Presidential election? One of the main reasons I don’t give a rat’s ass about the non-traditional artists that populate the “Americana / Alt. Country” realm is that so many of them are left wingers and are vocal about their political positions. Liberals may embrace these artists, but they make me queasy…
Hayes Carll needs to find another little waterfront town full of characters that’s still standing. Maybe somewhere over in Louisiana where he can add alligators, swamps, and bayous into his songs…..
September 17, 2008 at 6:57 pm Permalink
Did Alan provide a list of cliches that qualify as “country things?”
September 17, 2008 at 7:19 pm Permalink
Whoa, let’s not rag on Alan Jackson. At least he’s COUNTRY! You can close your eyes and throw a dart and hit one of the countless ’slicked up” acts that
deserve the worst we can say about them!
September 17, 2008 at 7:22 pm Permalink
so tired of people talking bout if a singer is country or not
September 17, 2008 at 8:51 pm Permalink
Ha, Stormy! I wondered where you’ve been.
Since the song is so obviously pandering, why not create a video to match it?
September 17, 2008 at 8:53 pm Permalink
Troy, I understand (though I believe it’s kinda relevant), but I really don’t think anyone is disputing Alan Jackson’s country-ness here.
September 17, 2008 at 8:57 pm Permalink
I am tired of having to scratch my butt on a stump while chawin on baccy and juggling a breast feeding baby in a pair of flip flops for some LA transplat Nashville exec to think that its “country.” One of the biggest country things you can do is read books, but I doubt that would make the video.
September 17, 2008 at 9:02 pm Permalink
Hey Leeann (did I ever tell you that’s my middle name?)
I got a new job that is crazy, crazy, crazy, (I now manage 40 people) so I have not been on as much. I have also been on the forums.
September 17, 2008 at 9:02 pm Permalink
I understand that no one dispute Alan Jackson country-ness but they are talking about other country singers and how they are not country.
September 17, 2008 at 9:29 pm Permalink
Troy,
I haven’t read all of the comments here lately, but have we done that on this particular thread?
Stormy,
Nice middle name, I must say. You should have a job like mine where you can fit in some internet time on down time…but it sounds like you don’t get any down time. And don’t try to tempt me with talk of the forum!:)
September 17, 2008 at 9:32 pm Permalink
Patrick said
At least he’s COUNTRY! You can close your eyes and throw a dart and hit one of the countless ’slicked up” acts that deserve the worst we can say about them!
September 17, 2008 at 9:34 pm Permalink
Leeann: What are a downtime?
September 17, 2008 at 10:31 pm Permalink
Stormy,
Oh yeah, congratulations on your new job! Don’t forget why we work. To get money to spend on music, of course! Okay, to pay the bills too, I suppose.
September 18, 2008 at 6:47 am Permalink
Have you seen that TimeLife commercial for Flower Power? I swear they’ve secretly replaced Peter Fonda with a wax covered robot…. that’s melting.
September 18, 2008 at 8:52 am Permalink
The new Lucinda songs are pretty cool. I especially like the “Jailhouse Tears” duet with Elvis Costello. “If Wishes Were Horses” is pretty, as well.
Liberals get Lucinda, Reckless Kelly and James McMurtry, to name a few, and conservatives get John Rich and Aaron Tippin. We may not win every election, but our CD collection is way cooler, at least.
September 20, 2008 at 9:26 am Permalink
very interesting concept sam – take a look at your music collection and find about where you stand when it comes to your political position.
kind of cool way to clarify things for those, who are still undecided.
Leave a Comment