Grand Ole Opry Expected to Reopen in Oct.; Alan Jackson Sells Estate; Preview New Songs from Ryan Bingham
- The Grand Ole Opry is expected to reopen on October 1 after a $17 million renovation.
- Alan Jackson‘s 135-acre estate has sold for $28 million almost a year after he put it on the market. The original asking price was $38 million.
- On June 15, George Strait will re-issue George Strait Live on DVD, which features him backed by his Ace in the Hole Band, performing his greatest hits and fan favorites at the Dallas Reunion Arena on New Year’s night, 1986-1987. New fall tour dates have been announced, too.
- Paste magazine’s Andy Whitman has heard 25 of the new Jamey Johnson songs. Here’s his take:
So … there are two albums here, one called Black and one called White, both possibly part of a larger concept album called The Guitar Song. Apparently it’s still up in the air. Black is a song cycle of drinkin’, druggin’, cheatin’ and generally pissin’ life away, while White seems to offer some glimmers of hope. Take ‘em together and they tell a story of redemption. Take ‘em separately and there are about a dozen tunes here that deserve to be huge hits, and would considerably improve the fare heard over the radio.
- Taylor Swift plans to sign autographs for 13 hours straight on June 13th.
- San Antonio Express-News writer Jim Kiest describes Elizabeth Cook as “sounding like Dolly Parton dropped onto Copperhead Road.”
- Los Angeles Times‘ Randy Lewis covered the first of a handful of Desert Rose Band reunion gigs.
- Organizers for the Chicago Pride Parade say country music star Chely Wright will be grand marshal at the event later this month.
- Justin Townes Earle‘s next album, Harlem River Blues, reflects his relocation to Manhattan and features a lineup that includes former Drive-By Truckers guitarist Jason Isbell, Calexico’s Paul Niehaus on the pedal steel guitar, and Ketch Secor from Old Crow Medicine Show playing harmonica, along with Brian Owings on drums, and Earle’s longtime friend/piano player Skylar Wilson as co-producer. This time around Earle says he wanted to evoke the soulful sounds of Memphis, The Staple Singers, and Otis Redding, which is a departure from his two previous records.
- CMT has the new video for The Band Perry‘s song “If I Die Young.”
- The debut album from Lee Brice, Love Like Crazy, will be released next week. (via press release)
- Dolly Parton gave $250,000 to flood relief yesterday morning.
- Country California Fake News: Sans Stubble, New Country ‘Outlaw’ Looks 14 Years Old
Its embrace of questionable facial hair has long made country music the genre of choice for men equally incapable of shaving daily and growing a beard beyond that which might be sported by a barely-pubescent high school sophomore. Baby-faced Joe Nichols and ultra-beardy Jamey Johnson are exceptions to the rule proven by a slew of prickly posers that includes Jason Aldean, Jake Owen, Billy Currington, and Josh Thompson.
- Listen to Guy Clark perform “LA Freeway” from The Texas Union Ballroom a couple of years ago.
- In an interview with the National Post, Willie Nelson talks about the decision to cut his hair, which he did himself. (via NashvilleGab)
- Albany Herald’s Carlton Fletcher published a good interview with Robert Earl Keen about his career.
Country music today’s not what it was even a decade ago. You mentioned that you were a ‘died-in-the-wool country fan’ before. What do you think of country music today?
I stopped listening to country music, just turned the radio off, after Dwight Yoakam did ‘The Streets of Bakersfield’ with Buck Owens. It was such a great sound, everything after that was just flat. I have, though, become a fan of Jamey Johnson (who is also playing at BamaJam). I think it’s mainly because he’s channeling some of the old stuff. - Ryan Bingham‘s new, T Bone Burnett-produced album Junky Star isn’t due for release until the fall, but a couple of the tracks are already streaming on his website.
If you enjoyed this article, be sure to subscribe to our feed or receive updates via email.
Columns
- Barry Mazor's "Scanning the Countryside"
- Chris Neal's "Belly of the Beast"
- Drew Kennedy's Column
- On the Road
Categories
Sponsors
Tagged In This Article
Ace In The Hole Band // Alan Jackson // Billy Currington // Calexico // Chely Wright // Desert Rose Band // Dolly Parton // Dwight Yoakam // Elizabeth Cook // George Strait // Jake Owen // Jamey Johnson // Jason Aldean // Jason Isbell // Joe Nichols // Josh Thompson // Justin Townes Earle // Ketch Secor // Lee Brice // Old Crow Medicine Show // Robert Earl Keen // Ryan Bingham // Taylor Swift // The Band Perry // Willie Nelson
Current Discussion
- Jack Hanford: For those who are interested, there is a new 90-minute documentary video about Tompall & the Glaser Brothers on DVD ...
- joe morris: how come nobody mentions his fan club which started 1950 and was called the " the penny pushers " which ...
- jane: I'm reading this article in 2013 and I've yet to hear anything from the album played on the radio.....
- Catwandy: I guess Matt C. is eating his well-deserved crow 'bout now. Critics....gotta love 'em , bless their little hearts.
- Ed McClendon: Saw the brothers in Greeley CO on the occasion of Tompall's 50th birthday. The show wasn't well promoted and there ...
- Roby Fox: I'm sure no one else will know, or even care about this little tidbit of trivia. "Keep Your Change" was ...
- kate wonders: Roni Stoneman is still on Hee Haw every Sunday night on RFD channel.
- Marsha Blades: Tommy, You were so kind to me during a tough time in my life and I don't think I ever ...
- Leona Jones: I seen Chris at the Grand Ole Opry last week.. First time I have heard of him.. He rocked the ...
- Sonicjar Music: Agree with Lucas, But one thing is certain, for a song to come to existence, so many things have to ...
39 Comments
RSS for comments on this post
June 3, 2010 at 11:08 am
Erm, that would be the Grand Ole Opry HOUSE will reopen in October; I don’t believe that the Opry missed even one show.
June 3, 2010 at 11:15 am
Not gonna lie, glad to hear JTE is departing from the sounds of his two preivious albums…
June 3, 2010 at 11:35 am
Ugh Chely Wright is starting to just annoy me. This whole thing stinks of a big publicity stunt more and more. The interviews (print, radio, and TV), the “specials” regarding it, the book, and now being some sort of spokesman in a parade. I don’t have a problem with her being gay, or even her coming out with it, but when’s she going to stop promoting it?
June 3, 2010 at 11:38 am
Alan Jackson’s 135-acre estate has sold for $28 million almost a year after he put it on the market. The original asking price was $38 million.
Considering that it’s only appraised at around 10 million ……….
June 3, 2010 at 11:45 am
Really excited about the new Jamey Johnson stuff!!
June 3, 2010 at 11:57 am
@Drew You want her coming out, but not coming out of the closet?
A “publicity stunt” is something made up – faked, so to speak – for the purpose of obtaining publicity. It would be a publicity stunt if she were claiming to be coming out as a lesbian but was actually heterosexual. Do you think that’s the case here? Because if not, I don’t see where there’s anything stunt-like involved.
June 3, 2010 at 12:44 pm
Chely Wright was put through a life of turmoil and finally feels like she can be accepted, so anything that comes out of it doesn’t seem to me like for the sake of “publicity” as much as it is for the sake of “healing”
June 3, 2010 at 1:11 pm
Not gonna lie, SAD to hear JTE is departing from the sounds of his two previous albums.
June 3, 2010 at 1:37 pm
I’m sad too, but still interested in what’s next. The second album was significantly different from the first. At first I didn’t think it was as good, but I’ve come to really like it now. So, it’s very possible that the same will happen with the next album.
June 3, 2010 at 2:53 pm
Well, I’ve tried to see what everyone else sees in JTE’s first two albums and I just havent. I dont hate them, far from it, but I havent adored them the way that so many have, either.
The two new Bingham songs were pretty solid. Glad to see there isnt any real change of direction there, with those songs, at least.
June 3, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Drew,
Wright has always been known in Nashville circles for these types of things. However, I don’t believe she is lying about what she is. But she will definitely try to market it. She is a one-hit and couple of minor-hits wonder who is still trying to matter.
June 3, 2010 at 4:21 pm
Chely is just being Chely. She was asked to be the “Grand Marshall” of that parade, she didn’t actively seek it out. This whole ‘event’ as some would call it, wasn’t done with the intent to be a book or movie. She decided to be who she was and not hide that side from anyone.
June 3, 2010 at 4:35 pm
Although I’m not a fan of Chely’s music, I am glad she came out and I hope that more country singers come out in the future.
June 3, 2010 at 4:56 pm
Can’t wait to hear Jamey’s new stuff. I hope it’s not to loud and stays true country. The Eric Church “outlaw” article was hilarious
June 3, 2010 at 6:37 pm
I guess its safe to surmise PaulaW works in the real estate field! (lol)
I would prefer if Elizabeth Cook went back to sounding like Dolly Parton dropped right in the middle of Butcher Holler.
Chely’s “coming out” in the mainstream country music realm makes her a new cause celeb among the mostly city dwelling G/L/T/WTF(?) crowd who consider the country music audience to be a bunch of homophobic rednecks. Chely should enjoy the notoriety while it lasts as the novelty factor will wear off soon enough.
The Gaylord Opry House can re-open just in time for the fall/winter season slowdown when the Opry ordinarily moves to the Ryman until spring! Actually its just nice they have the insurance funds available to do it at all. I wonder if they are going to go for water repellant/resistant seats, stage, and wall structures this go round? Hmm…
June 4, 2010 at 1:35 am
Whenever I hear the words “new music” and “Jamey Johnson” in the same sentence I find myself with a little kick in my step.
June 4, 2010 at 1:54 am
I don’t think the country music audience is just “a bunch of homophobic rednecks” and I do think it is a shame that some people think that. However, Rick’s post, especially the part about “mostly city dwelling G/L/T/WTF(?) crowd” is very unlikely to dispel any stereotypes about ignorant redneck country music listeners. If anything it is likely to provide ammunition to those who wish to stereotype country fans as backward or ignorant.
June 4, 2010 at 9:24 am
I get all this news and yet no mention of Skynyrd being at the CMA Music Festival!? Shame, shame…
June 4, 2010 at 12:16 pm
It’s because Skynyrd displays the flag and, gasp, mentions country, guns, and God. Very unwelcome topics to “some” here. Much the same with Toby Keith and others of the same stripe. and shall I say, stars.
Keith raised over $500,000 recently for non-profit causes, but I am still waiting on the mention.
June 4, 2010 at 12:46 pm
Or possibly because Skynard isn’t country.
June 4, 2010 at 1:18 pm
The one explanation seems about as likely as the other.
June 4, 2010 at 2:17 pm
I’d be more than happy to pass the news off to any of you asshats who think you can do a better job.
June 4, 2010 at 2:17 pm
Waynoe–You know, people can love the flag, America, the 2nd Amendment and God, yet still disagree with a lot of what you believe in. Part of the idea of America is we debate and dissent and disagree with each other, and we don’t have to fall lock-step behind what you or anyone else may think.
June 4, 2010 at 3:07 pm
No, Brody, you do an awesome job! No offense to anyone else who substitutes for you, but I definitely notice the difference.
June 4, 2010 at 5:09 pm
Just to be clear Waynoe, you’re referring to Toby Keith the Barack Obama-voting registered democrat, right?
June 4, 2010 at 5:34 pm
Brody,
I agree with LeeAnn, you do a fine job. I have done similar posts at Roughstock and know exactly how much work they take.
June 4, 2010 at 5:35 pm
Hmm, I thought TK re-registered as an Independent and voted for McCain. I could be wrong, but that’s what I thought he had said.
June 4, 2010 at 6:10 pm
Kyle: Toby only voted for Bill Clinton. By the time 2007 rolled around Toby thought Palin was the trend to ride.
June 4, 2010 at 7:10 pm
Kyle,
Huh?
June 4, 2010 at 7:32 pm
I don’t care how an artist votes. I just want them to be respectful of other people’s voting choices and also to not be too political in their music.
June 4, 2010 at 8:17 pm
I don’t care how an artist votes, but when they vote for Bill Clinton one year, release a song that contains the line “we’ll put a boot in your ass, its the American way” the next year, whine about what a famous band said about your song while ignoring what less famous singers say, release American solider the next year, make sure to assure everyone that all your pro-war posturing of the past few years doesn’t mean that you support the war in Iraq, make a public annoucement of changing parties but only change to Independent and then vote for the party getting the most buzz, it makes it really hard for me to take anything that artist says or writes as anything other than a marketing ploy.
June 4, 2010 at 8:26 pm
Michelle, you’re right, my mistake. Keith was a longtime Democrat before then, and called Obama “the best democratic candidate since Clinton, and that’s coming from a democrat”, so I just assumed. I just googled around and his apparent 180 after that was, ahh, quite sudden, I guess you’d say.
Stormy, I agree with you for the most part… although I’m not sure coming out as a democrat would ever be a good marketing ploy for a country artist.
June 4, 2010 at 8:41 pm
Kyle: Tim McGraw is a well publicized democrat.
June 4, 2010 at 8:51 pm
Stormy: I agree. Please correct me if I am wrong, but wasn’t be planning to eventually run for Governor of Tennessee with the Democrats at some point?
June 4, 2010 at 9:40 pm
Sorry
June 4, 2010 at 9:45 pm
Sorry Brody,
I couldn’t take the pay cut. My main contribution to this world is helping people and not merely being a critic. And yes, I really do help people.
If I or someone else would have posted a message similar to yours, it probably would have been deleted. Obama free-press in action again.
Kyle,
You are showing your immaturity. It’s old news that Toby Keith has identified himself as a conservative Democrat; however he doesn’t vote party line.
June 4, 2010 at 10:11 pm
Stormy: I agree. Please correct me if I am wrong, but wasn’t be planning to eventually run for Governor of Tennessee with the Democrats at some point?
It was Louisiana.
June 4, 2010 at 11:15 pm
Toby Keith does vote the party line–unfortunately its the TMZ party.
June 5, 2010 at 3:12 pm
hell yeah new Bingham & JTE awesome i live in the town that host bamajam & heard jamey johnson & robert earl keen johnson was boring & keen was awesome