George Strait Will Headline Debut Concert At New Dallas Cowboys Stadium
- Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys, selected George Strait to headline the debut concert of Dallas’ new $1.1 billion stadium on June 6. Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton and Julianne Hough will round out the lineup.
- Carrie Underwood isn’t as inconspicuous as she’d like to be, which makes for a funny video of her ducking out of the camera’s sight to avoid an appearance on the JumboTron at a hockey game, which leads to more exposure on the JumboTron.
- Everybody has their favorite singers, songs and albums, but Country California wants to know your favorite words or pronunciations in country songs.
Like Lefty Frizzell’s “al-way-ay-ays late.” Or the way Frizzell disciple Merle Haggard al-way-ay-ays pronounces worry as weary (see “That’s the Way Love Goes” or “It Makes No Difference Now” or “Farmer’s Blues”). Or the way George Jones’ voice rises on the word love in the line “he had underlined in red every single I love you.”
Good article. You should read it.
- Watch Willie Nelson and Ray Benson trade guitar solos during their performance of “Hesitation Blues” on the Late Show with David Letterman.
- Dierks Bentley’s “Sideways” will be the second single from his new album, Feel That Fire. It’s one of two songs that made the album that wasn’t on the initial product he turned in to the label. Capitol Records Nashville President Mike Dungan felt the album needed more energy, so Bentley wrote eight more songs, including “Sideways” and “Here She Comes.”
- Of all the records Craig Shelburne has listened to this year, he says the most musically diverse is the new self-titled album from Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, which includes the straight-up country song “Cigarettes and Wine” (listen on MySpace). As he was writing it, Isbell thought it’d be an alt-country song, but decided it’s just like an old honky-tonk song.
- Listen to a brief history of honky-tonk legend Johnny Bush from Texas music historian Gary Hartman.
- The University of Tennessee plans to grant Dolly Parton an honorary doctorate of humane and musical letters, which will be the second honorary degree ever granted by UT-Knoxville and the second honorary doctorate degree Dolly has received. (via NashvilleGab)
- Blake Shelton is challenging fans to a game of Guitar Hero World Tour on Xbox LIVE this Friday and he’s adopted a strict training regimen in preparation for the big day. (via press release)
- Chuck Wicks on his new partnership deal with Dr. Pepper: “I’m a huge fan of Dr Pepper. We share a similar fan base and the same passion for country music.” (via press release)
- Watch the video for an old parody of Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus Take the Wheel” by Tim Hawkins titled “Cletus Take the Wheel.”
- Rodney Crowell joined the Americana at the Bluebird lineup for Thursday’s show at the Bluebird Cafe with Jim Lauderdale, Leslie Satcher and Stephanie Chapman.
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According to Roots Music Report, the top ten states that produce and support independent music are:
- Texas
- California
- Tennessee
- New York
- Illinois
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- North Carolina
- Pennsylvania
- Free download: The full 10-song tribute album to Gary Floater, titled A Hero Never Learns and featuring country standards like “That’s When the Eagle Screams” and “Let Me Kiss You Where It Hurts,” is available for free download. (thanks to The 9513 reader Larry for the recommendation)
Ten years since his last major label release, a group of artists who have been moved by Gary’s works have joined together in a big public thank you to a man who made country music and did it his way.
The Floater Way.
- Country Universe’s “Country Quizzin’” expanded to 29 questions this week–all about songs whose titles mention the names of places.
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In each and every instance, the best country albums of the past ten years were built on the backs of songs -- stories about you and me from birth to death and stories that paint landscapes rooted in every region of America and beyond. These are the top country albums of the decade.Tagged In This Article
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22 Comments
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February 18, 2009 at 12:21 pm Permalink
Ooo, I really liked Willie’s guitar solo. Kinda picky, kinda strummy. Neato.
February 18, 2009 at 12:28 pm Permalink
Chuck Wicks and Dr. Pepper share a fanbase? Dr. Pepper has a passion for country music?
February 18, 2009 at 1:05 pm Permalink
Mike – ever seen the Garth Dr. Pepper commercials? I loved those as a kid!
February 18, 2009 at 1:11 pm Permalink
Chuck Wicks and Dr Pepper? Let’s see: artificial taste and loaded with sugar – a perfect match there.
February 18, 2009 at 1:42 pm Permalink
I don’t think anyone is surprised that “Sideways” will be Dierks’ second single. I’ll put money on the fact that “Make You Close Your Eyes” will be the third. What does surprise me is that Mike Dugan is so afraid of Dierks. Or is it respect? It seems like a bit of a lopsided relationship there though.
February 18, 2009 at 2:23 pm Permalink
I don’t remember Garth Brooks in any Dr. Pepper commercials. But I do remember the one from a few years ago with Reba and LeAnn Rimes.
February 18, 2009 at 2:29 pm Permalink
Garth’s Dr. Pepper ad came out in 2001 to help promote Scarecrow and was filmed on the same set as the video for “Wrapped Up in You” with Garth singing a similar sounding song.
February 18, 2009 at 2:30 pm Permalink
I made a comment at Country California re: pronounciations and don’t think it was posted…what gives Ben?
February 18, 2009 at 2:36 pm Permalink
Loved the Dr. Pepper commercial with Reba and LeAnn!
February 18, 2009 at 2:47 pm Permalink
Nothing beats the Garth Brooks Target commercial spoofing Blair Witch Project. “Need a map?”
February 18, 2009 at 2:58 pm Permalink
N.C. made the indie music list, I’m impressed.
February 18, 2009 at 3:00 pm Permalink
I made a comment at Country California re: pronounciations and don’t think it was posted…what gives Ben?
I’m not Ben, but I am the Country California guy, so… No comments from you have come through, Peter. Checked the spam folder as well. Nothing.
Feel free to try reposting if you’d like. Don’t know what else to tell ya.
February 18, 2009 at 3:26 pm Permalink
sorry CMW – I realized that afterwards but couldn’t erase the above post….Odd – will try again :)
February 18, 2009 at 3:35 pm Permalink
You should take it as a compliment buddy!
seriously though, I’m taking that mix-up as a compliment.
February 18, 2009 at 4:21 pm Permalink
That Carrie Underwood video is a scream. Why should Carrie care if people see her in public at an event like that? Does she think her romance is a secret? Sheesh….
So it turns out that it wasn’t only most reviewers who felt Dierks’ new album needed a little more energy. Mike Dungan should have suggested creativity and inspiration as well while he was at it.
It seems Gary Floater has done for country music what Mr. Floatie has done for Canadian politics. Good show. They need to do a documentary on his life and call it “This Is Cow Manure”. (lol)
February 18, 2009 at 4:55 pm Permalink
Oh, and thanks for posting the link to Wille & Asleep at the Wheel. I fell asleep before Willie came on Letterman last night. It must have been the Matt Kenseth interview …
February 18, 2009 at 8:59 pm Permalink
Speaking of Willie and The Wheel, when do we find out the giveaway contest results? Five albums for 42 entrants is pretty good odds. Just wonderin….
Off Topic: It turns outs Julianne Hough’s music career isn’t the only one benefiting from being on “Dancing With The Stars”. Julianne’s dancing brother Derek is co-leader of a rock band which he originally joined while in England that is now based here in Los Angeles. Fortunately the band includes a pretty gal named Emily Grace, who plays keyboards and sings, which at least makes it interesting. The publicity value of having Derek Hough in the band cannot be over estimated.
Link: http://www.myspace.com/ballashoughband
February 18, 2009 at 9:39 pm Permalink
Chuck Winks + Dr. Pepper = “Good High Fructose High Comin’ On”
February 18, 2009 at 10:18 pm Permalink
Rick, the other dude in that “band” is also a DWTS dancer.
February 18, 2009 at 11:24 pm Permalink
“That Carrie Underwood video is a scream. Why should Carrie care if people see her in public at an event like that? Does she think her romance is a secret? Sheesh….”
In response Carrie posted today that she was being silly and if she didn’t want to be seen she wouldn’t have gone to the game.
February 19, 2009 at 1:57 am Permalink
“Capitol Records Nashville President Mike Dungan felt the album needed more energy, so Bentley wrote eight more songs, including Sideways and Here She Comes.”
And therein lies the problem. “Here She Comes” is far and away the worst track on the album… the worst in his last 2 or 3 albums probably. “Sideways” is tolerable I guess, but definitely not one of the the ones I was hoping for (“I Can’t Forget Her”, “I Wanna Make You Close Your Eyes”, and “Beautiful World”).
February 20, 2009 at 6:14 pm Permalink
Man, Chuck Wicks is going to be so disappointed when he learns that Dr. Pepper is not a real Doctor.
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