“It’s the music of what I do and how I live” - Michael Martin Murphey
- Roger Holland posted his in-depth “The Best Country Music of 2007″ list at PopMatters. These top ten lists are like finger prints, no two are exactly alike, but I learned a few interesting tidbits from Mr. Holland’s comments.
- As of December 4th, thirty-four of Anne Murray’s original recordings have been available digitally.
- Doug Freeman gives a brief rundown of Townes Van Zandt’s first four album reissues and 1978’s Flyin’ Shoes. I had the disadvantage of creating my Christmas list weeks ago, and unfortunately for me the lowest rated Townes album on Freeman’s gift guide was on my list.
- Good, short Q&A with Michael Martin Murphey about cowboy music and his symphonic show, Cowboy Christmas.
Is that realism what appeals to you most about cowboy music?
Honestly, it’s the music of my people and my culture — I grew up with it in Texas and I grew up around ranchers and veterinarians and I’ve lived the cowboy lifestyle all my life. … It’s the music of what I do and how I live. I think the reason it appeals to people outside of that is the connection to nature; it’s kind of a refreshing respite from the usual subject matter of country music, which is dysfunctional relationships, depression, drinking, divorce. (laughs) It’s a lot more fun to sing about a horse than it is to sing about that stuff.
- The five finalists for the Colgate Country Showdown will have a shot at $100,000 in January. LeAnn Rimes will host the 26th annual show at the Ryman Auditorium.
- Are you still searching for a gift for one of your country music loving friends or family members? Cindy Watts has you covered with more than a few suggestions.
- Nashville Skyline columnist Chet Flippo created a list of his Top 10 albums from 2007, too.
- According to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum 2007 calendar, on this day in 1961 Jimmy Dean’s “Big Bad John” became the first country single to be officially certified gold. (There’s no video, but you can hear the song on YouTube)
If you enjoyed this article, be sure to subscribe to our feed or receive updates via email.
Popular Stuff
Sponsor
In an attempt to discover and highlight the best music every month, We'll be publishing a list of the best songs released throughout that period. Here's Brady Vercher's picks for October.
For the second episode of The 9513 Country Music Podcast, your host Kelly Dearmore caught up with two seemingly different artists in Sarah Borges and Trent Willmon. Take a listen.
Free Music Downloads: If you’ve only recently come to country music, or have never delved past the genre’s surface and it’s most famous names, you may not have heard of Tom Russell. That’s a shame, and The 9513’s Free Music series is here to help set you down the right path.
Martina McBride - “Ride” Catchy, but a little low on cogency–not to mention originality. And it essentially resolves into the same kind of positive “message song” that has defined so much of McBride’s recent work.
Richie McDonald - “How Do I Just Stop” So gloriously simple and unequivocally lackluster that people of every political persuasion should rejoice in the opportunity to come together and have a hearty laugh at its expense.
Donnie Vondra - “If I Didn’t Love You” Combinining a golden trifecta of country music—steel guitar, fiddle and a strong, twangy vocal—"If I Didn't Love You" pulls together a sweet, toe-tapping ditty reminiscent of Marty Raybon-era Shenandoah.
Lance Miller - “Bacon Frying” A charming country song that is beautiful for its simplicity, a musical remnant from a time when songwriters understood that often the best thing to do is just get out of the song’s way.
John Rich - “Another You” For a guy who is supposed to be a genius songwriter, John Rich sure does seem to be running out of ideas. 
George Ducas - “Walk Through This World” Ducas banks on the success of recent artists’ pleasantly bland lyrics and agreeable instrumentation for his first release with WhiteStar Nashville.
In this exclusive interview for The 9513, Little Big Town’s Jimi Westbrook talks about life with the band, as well as A Place to Land, the group’s current album, which has charted in the top 10 of Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart on two separate occasions
Forgotten Artists: Cal Smith - When the Florida Sunshine Opry (Eustis, FL) booked its first “name” (non-local) act back in 1999, the act they chose was Cal Smith. No wonder, since Cal is an excellent singer, musician, storyteller and showman. | View more artists featured in Paul W. Dennis' recurring "Forgotten Artists" feature »
Tagged In This Article
Anne Murray // Colgate Country Showdown // Jimmy Dean // LeAnn Rimes // Michael Martin Murphey // Townes Van Zandt
Current Discussion
- Hollerin' Ben: Wow- by those standards there really hasn’t been an authentic mainstream country album released by anyone in at least 10-12 ...
- Razor X: "Wow- by those standards there really hasn’t been an authentic mainstream country album released by anyone in at least 10-12 ...
- Mike Parker: "I don’t consider much of what he did after that point to be authentic country" Wow- by those standards there really ...
- Mike Parker: I let the card slide because at least is seemed like something brothers would talk about. But yes, one ...
- Razor X: I have mixed feelings about Garth. I thought his first album was a masterpiece. I also liked the ...
- Jim Malec: Mike--I do agree with you about some of those nitpicky lyrical points, but I don't feel like they really undermine ...
- Kelly: Sorry, Matt. I see what you mean, but I still dont get how not only the American Recordings, but ...
- Mike Parker: Not liking Hank Jr. is perfectly okay with me. I think he recorded some really great material, but it's ...
- Hollerin' Ben: "However, if you think that Garth’s music is a perversion of the country form, as Baron and Robbie Fulks implied, ...
- Matt C.: Kelly: I said the American Recordings don’t change my assessment of Cash’s career and legacy. As opposed to a ...
4 Comments
RSS for comments on this post | Trackback URI for this post
December 14, 2007 at 3:41 pm Permalink
Mr. Holland’s Top 10 list at Pop matters includes my picks from Sunny Sweeney and Elizabeth Cook, the only list I’ve seen thus far to contain anything I really like! Well its comforting to know at least one other person out there has good taste in real country music….(lol)…(just kidding)
December 14, 2007 at 4:18 pm Permalink
Despite picking those albums (I thought they were good, just not Top 10 material), Mr. Holland’s list seems to be a bit off, with Gretchen Wilson, Toby Keith, and Carrie Underwood making appearances. Despite liking Joe Nichols, his last album wasn’t Top 10 material, either.
December 14, 2007 at 4:55 pm Permalink
Yes Brady, I thought that his list was good except for those picks. Another curious list on the same site is another author’s top 5 “pop-country” albums, which includes… Lucinda Williams and Kelly Willis?
December 14, 2007 at 5:12 pm Permalink
The Joe Nichols record was totally Top 10 material. Way underrated.
Leave a Comment