Elizabeth Cook Joins Cast of Conway Twitty Musical
- The folks behind the musical production Conway Twitty: The Man, The Music, The Legend, The Musical announced that Elizabeth Cook (MySpace) has been added to the cast to play the role of Joni Twitty, one of Conway’s daughters. (via press release)
- The New York Times‘ Jon Caramanica calls John Rich’s “Shuttin Detroit Down” the first great song of the bailout era.
- The Gobblers Knob Awesome Song Alert: “Ellis County” from Buddy & Julie Miller.
- Only eight months elapsed between the release of Justin Townes Earle’s The Good Life and the recent Midnight at the Movies, and he told CMT’s Chris Parton that his next record is already written, but he doesn’t want people to expect such a prolific output for his entire career.
- Fun fact: Today is the 60th anniversary of the 45 rpm, the first of which was Eddy Arnold’s Texarkana Baby, recorded in Nashville and released by RCA. (via email)
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New releases for the week of March 31, 2009 include:
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Bryan Clark – Gossip, Inspiration & Slander
Vol. 1: Acoustic – Amazon | iTunes
Vol. 2: Electric – Amazon | iTunes -
Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press – Bluegrass & Beyond
Amazon | iTunes -
Dailey & Vincent – Brothers from Different Mothers
Amazon | iTunes
As always, let me know if I missed any.
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- Steve Wariner is putting the finishing touches on a Chet Atkins tribute album that he hopes to release this summer.
- Wade Bowen walked away with awards for best vocal performance on an album and best album at the inaugural LoneStarMusic Awards on Sunday. Among the other winners were Brady Black for best musician, Randy Rogers for best songwriter and Jason Boland for writing the best song, “Comal County Blue.” Watch a video of Randy Rogers and Brady Black perform “Holding On To Letting Go,” a song Rogers wrote with Bruce Robison, from the awards.
- Hickory Wind’s Hal Bogerd describes The Man Of Somebody’s Dreams: A Tribute To The Songs Of Chris Gaffney as equal parts wake and celebration.
- The CMT New Video Evaluation Team weighed in on four new videos: Trace Adkins‘ “Marry For Money,” Kellie Pickler’s “Best Days of Your Life,” Dean Brody’s “Brothers” and Williams Riley’s “I’m Still Me.”
- Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent shared stories behind a couple of the songs from their new album, Brothers From Different Mothers, with The Bluegrass Blog.
- Canadian country trio Doc Walker (MySpace) scored a Juno Award for Country Recording of the Year for their album, Beautiful Life.
- SHeDAISY added three new songs to their MySpace from their forthcoming album, A Story to Tell. Look for “Mr. McLennen,” “Never Had You” and “Unsatisfied.” (via That Nashville Sound)
- Between Toby Keith’s good-ol’-boy flag-wavers and Rascal Flatts‘ power ballads, the Cleveland Scene’s Michael Gallucci says Nashville has a reputation for turning out crap. He notes that not all country music sucks though, and lists five Nashville artists who don’t suck: Gary Allan, Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley, Sugarland and Taylor Swift. (via The Boot)
- Don McLeese says the new album from The Flatlanders, Hills and Valleys, is a return to a truly collaborative project, unlike its predecessor, Wheels of Fortune, which was more along the lines of a song swap.
- Listen to a new song from Rascal Flatt’s new album Unstoppable each day this week on The Boot.
- The Doc Marshalls (MySpace), who are currently based out of New York and blend Bakersfield shuffles and honky-tonk with Louisiana grooves, are preparing for a Texas tour and lead man Nick Beaudoing distinguishes between the Texas and New York country music scenes in the most recent edition of Galleywinter’s “Off the Cuff.”
- The Houston Press‘ John Nova Lomax shared a humorous story about the demise of Townes Van Zandt’s rooster named Moe. (via Galleywinter tweet)
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Brad Paisley // Bruce Robison // Chet Atkins // Chris Gaffney // Conway Twitty // Darrin Vincent // Dean Brody // Doc Walker // Eddy Arnold // Elizabeth Cook // Gary Allan // Jamie Dailey // Jason Boland // John Rich // Julie Miller // Justin Townes Earle // Keith Urban // Kellie Pickler // Lonestar // Midnight At the Movies // Miranda Lambert // Randy Rogers // Rascal Flatts // Rodney Atkins // SHeDAISY // Steve Wariner // Sugarland // Taylor Swift // Toby Keith // Townes Van Zandt // Trace Adkins // Wade Bowen
Current Discussion
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March 31, 2009 at 11:56 am Permalink
I think Michael Gallucci ran out of inspiration for his list about half-way through and just turned to the Billboard charts to complete the story.
Also new this week is “Lost Channels” from Canadian folkish group Great Lake Swimmers. The whole album is streaming on their Myspace page, http://www.myspace.com/greatlakeswimmers.
March 31, 2009 at 11:58 am Permalink
“five Nashville artists who don’t suck: Gary Allan, Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley, Sugarland and Taylor Swift”
Well, four out of five isn’t bad.
March 31, 2009 at 12:36 pm Permalink
You wouldn’t know Sugarland doesn’t suck from their last 3 single releases.
Definitely agree about “Shuttin’ Detroit Down”, probably the best thing on the charts right now.
Fairly satisfied with both Urban and Atkins new albums… some duds for sure on both of them, but at least decent musical material, which is about all I expect from the current crop of artists.
March 31, 2009 at 12:37 pm Permalink
And is Elizabeth Cook the cleavage host from Nashville Star? Or who was that?
March 31, 2009 at 12:58 pm Permalink
Elizabeth Cook has a much more compelling voice than Twitty’s daughter.
March 31, 2009 at 1:45 pm Permalink
Drew, you are thinking about CMT hostess Katie Cook. Its great to hear that Elizabeth is getting a steady gig like that which will introduce her to a new audience. Personally I think Elizabeth would make a great “Louise” character on the revival of “Always Patsy Cline”.
Speaking of Justin Townes Earle, he will be performing here in Los Angeles this Thursday night at the Spaceland Club in Silverlake (northwest of Echo Park) along with Jason Isbell. That same night I’ll be heading down to the Anaheim House of Blues to see Kate & Kacey Coppola perform at a KKGO sponsored “ACM Kick-Off Concert”. When its a choice between real talent and pretty girls, well you know…
March 31, 2009 at 2:34 pm Permalink
Drew, do yourself a favor and check out Cook’s MySpace. Her best material isn’t in the player, but you should get a good feel for her music.
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Sidenote: I added Caitlin & Will’s EP to the list of releases.
March 31, 2009 at 2:41 pm Permalink
“He notes that not all country music sucks though, and lists five Nashville artists who don’t suck: Gary Allan, Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley, Sugarland and Taylor Swift”
Amazingly, I too agree with him on 4 of these 5 (though Allan just barely makes this list, his material is way way questionable at times).
But once we dismiss Brad Paisley from the list, who is a suitable fifth?
I’m thinking Joey + Rory or Leann Womack (though, like Allan, they both merely reach mediocre status imo. Though sadly that is quite the accomplishment in Nashville these days).
March 31, 2009 at 3:23 pm Permalink
Elizabeth and Katie should not be confused
March 31, 2009 at 3:59 pm Permalink
Yep yep, I have her album on my computer, just forgot. I liked most of it, except the title track.
March 31, 2009 at 4:51 pm Permalink
Elizabeth is rarely confused. Katie, I don’t know.
Drew, she has a bunch of albums. They are pretty remarkable, taken all together.
March 31, 2009 at 5:39 pm Permalink
I have to say, I really like the SHeDAISY songs- especially “Unsatisfied”.
April 1, 2009 at 1:33 am Permalink
Rick’s Random Tidbits:
Here’s more om Elizabeth Cook joinging the Twitty musical cast:
http://www.countrystandardtime.com/news/newsitem.asp?xid=2749
PS – If anyone has doubts about King Kenny’s position at the top of the Top 40 country heap, check out the top 5 new single station adds this week at reporting stations:
“The MediaBase Most-Added Country Tunes:
1) Kenny Chesney/Out Last Night (69 Adds)
2) Brad Paisley/Then (25 Adds)
3) Keith Urban/Kiss A Girl (18 Adds)
4) Toby Keith/Lost You Anyway (16 Adds)
5) Jack Ingram/Barefoot And Crazy (13 Adds)
(Each week when I see these lists it reminds me why I lost interest in mainstream country radio….)
April 1, 2009 at 3:41 pm Permalink
Good to see you haven’t lost interest in trashing it. Every post you can….
April 1, 2009 at 7:10 pm Permalink
Only eight months elapsed between the release of Justin Townes Earle’s The Good Life and the recent Midnight at the Movies, and he told CMT’s Chris Parton that his next record is already written, but he doesn’t want people to expect such a prolific output for his entire career.
Ryan Adams–you have a sucessor.
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