Josh Kelley Previews Album with New EP; John Rich Still Mired in Lawsuits; Bonus Track From Marty Stuart
- Come Dec. 14, American Idol runner-up Crystal Bowersox will release her debut album Farmer’s Daughter, but does it stand a chance? Reality Rocks’ Lyndsey Parker says YES — if her label markets her as a country artist. Listen to some live performances at No Depression.
- John Rich‘s latest lawsuit claims that former Nashville Star contestant Jared Ashley and his label owner Chris Sevier, who Rich has been in disputes with since 2005, lodged false accusations against him in an attempt to aid Sevier’s federal case against Rich. (via The Boot)
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New releases for the week of November 30, 2010 include:
- The staff at CMT compiled a 10-song list of their favorite Tim McGraw hits.
- Country California: Quotable Country – 11/29/10 Edition
- Barry Mazor covered Asleep at the Wheel‘s 40th anniversary concert earlier this month. Here’s Ray Benson‘s take on the key to the band’s success:
“My best talent, really, is convincing really talented people to join this band, and a lot of people have been in it by now. They were all willing to put up with traveling, low pay—and my personality. I used to think I had to be as demanding a bandleader as James Brown, and some people who left no doubt had me as their reason. But all of them could really play the kind of music we wanted to play. What’s been continuing, through all the changes, has been playing music on the road that’s as American as can be, and is improvisational; that’s the key.”
- Farce the Music found a couple of keepers among some of the singles currently at radio.
- Alison Krauss has a new album slated for February.
- The Boot has an interview with Mandy Barnett about her new Christmas record for Cracker Barrel.
- Country Universe’s Kevin J. Coyne says the new Reba McEntire album, All the Women I Am, would make a pretty good Kellie Pickler album, but for the most part, she didn’t choose a lot of age-appropriate music.
- Songwriter Curly Putman, now 80 years old, released an album (Write ‘Em Sad — Sing ‘Em Lonesome) a few months ago on which he provides his take on a collection of his songs. My Kind of Country’s Occasional Hope gave it a high mark.
- Riders In the Sky walked away with trophies for outstanding entertainer-group of the year, album of the year, collaborative/composite album of the year at last week’s Western Music Association Awards show.
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Here’s a bonus track of “Lonesome Whistle Blues” from the recent Marty Stuart album, Ghost Train: The Studio B Sessions.
Stuart also has plans to release a documentary in 2011. Not many details have been given yet, but a short preview can be seen on Vimeo.
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November 30, 2010 at 11:26 am
I wonder if Bowersox’s label will market her as country. One thing is for sure: A title like “Farmer’s Daughter” just seems to have “country” written all over it.
November 30, 2010 at 11:44 am
I never watch American Idol but I will turn to the Fox channel for the show that comes on afterwards and will sometimes catch the “its time to vote” rehash with short performance snippets. When Crystal was competeing she seemed to me like a mix of the early Linda Ronstadt hippie vibe and Janis Joplin as well. If she wants to target the country market, well that’s just fine by me. I’ve still been waiting for Katherine McPhee to go country as well…
Hey, I got a mention in Rita Ballou’s latest blog entry! I’m famous! (lol) I’m the mystery person in California Rita mentions in the passage below about how much she loves Sunny Sweeney’s music:
“I know I have written about her when I first heard “A Table Away” and I am glad I did because one of my readers from California is also a Sunny fan and has hooked me up with SO much great music!”
I sent Rita the songs off Sunny’s new unreleased Republic Nashville album and some other music I thought she might like as well. Stuff like Lane Turner’s unreleased “Right On Time” album, Dierks Bentley’s “Don’t Leave Me In Love” debut (Rita is a huge Dierks fan), and Jamey Johnson’s “They Call Me Country” indie debut. I’m so glad to hear she likes the music!
November 30, 2010 at 12:08 pm
Ben Foster
November 30, 2010 at 11:26 am Permalink I wonder if Bowersox’s label will market her as country. One thing is for sure: A title like “Farmer’s Daughter” just seems to have “country” written all over
Don’t they market everyone as country sooner or later?
November 30, 2010 at 12:15 pm
Based off the songs on that No Depression link, I’ll be forced to break my practice of avoiding releases by former American Idol singers. Call ‘em country, pop or something else, those songs are just good.
November 30, 2010 at 12:19 pm
For Stormy: Country Music is the discount bin for those artist who do not make it in any other genre.
November 30, 2010 at 12:22 pm
I don’t have a problem with the theory of Crystal Bowersocks as country (she did manage to make a Shania Twain song sound country) but I do question her being allowed to make country.
November 30, 2010 at 12:57 pm
It’s a free country, Stormy.
The Alison album is definitely a Union Station project, and I would take that release date with a large grain of salt.
November 30, 2010 at 1:16 pm
Being allowed to make country? As in, “will her label will give her the chance to make headway in the country market”, or as in “she’s got to pass some sort of exam before she’s given her country music license”?
November 30, 2010 at 1:17 pm
Stuff like Lane Turner’s unreleased “Right On Time” album
Now THAT is some seriously good music! :-)
November 30, 2010 at 1:58 pm
The album’s already made.
November 30, 2010 at 2:43 pm
Sam G.
November 30, 2010 at 1:16 pm Permalink Being allowed to make country? As in, “will her label will give her the chance to make headway in the country market”, or as in “she’s got to pass some sort of exam before she’s given her country music license”?
As in she is signed to a pop oriented label that is likely not going to approve a bluegrass breakdown in the middle of their record.
November 30, 2010 at 3:41 pm
Hello, the album’s already made.
November 30, 2010 at 3:44 pm
Hey NUMBERONECOUNTRYFAN….AMEN!!!!
I love REAL country music…Not this BS put out by carpet baggers that couldn’t make it in their original chosen genre. The reason Music Row takes em all in, besides the money, is Music Row has always been the beaten step child of the music industry as a whole so the powers that be see it as justification…eventhough Nashville is still 10-15 behind the trends in other genres…That is why it ALL sounds like bad rock music now.
November 30, 2010 at 3:56 pm
Jon
November 30, 2010 at 3:41 pm Permalink Hello, the album’s already made.
And, how many bluegrass breakdowns does it feature?
November 30, 2010 at 4:39 pm
What do bluegrass breakdowns (sic) have to do with whether or not her record can and should be successfully marketed as a country record? The point of the story is that the album’s been made and its musical parameters already set – there’s a link to listen to live tracks (at No Depression – a country publication, no less), there’s a track-by-track at the linked Yahoo Music blog, it’s ready to go. The writer suggests that its best chance for success is to be promoted to the country music audience, and makes a reasonable case for why that’s so. Read the piece. Check out the clips. The argument that her record can’t (or won’t, or shouldn’t) be promoted as country because it can’t be country, or even country-related, simply by virtue of being on a pop label has nothing to do with anything specific; it’s purely generic.
November 30, 2010 at 6:32 pm
PaulaW said: “Stuff like Lane Turner’s unreleased “Right On Time” album. – Now THAT is some seriously good music! :-)”
I whole heartedly agree. And the other two albums are nothing to sneeze at either…
Last minute Opry Alert! Tonight’s Opry will feature Jimmy Wayne (can’t wait to hear “Sara Smile”…lol), those whoopin’ & hollerin’ Grascals, Justin “I Could Kick Your Ass” Moore, and Darryl “Have You Forgotten” Worley. Grade B-.
Scehdule: http://www.opry.com/shows/ThisWeek.html
What, no Taylor Swift article today! What’s going on around here anyway? (lol)
November 30, 2010 at 6:52 pm
If Jive were smart she’d be promoted to country, because it definatley sounds more country than anything I’ve heard in a long while. I was buying the album either way cause I loved her on the show.
November 30, 2010 at 7:04 pm
Here’s something I just noticed over at Country Aircheck (I haven’t visited CMT for awhile):
“History In The Making: CMT Artists Of The Year performers are Darius Rucker, British singer-songwriter Adele, Amos Lee, Maroon 5 and Aerosmith’s Joe Perry. Luke Bryan, Martin McBride, Kid Rock, Randy Travis, Alabama’s Randy Owen and Paramore’s Hayley Williams will present during the 90-minute telecast. The Kevin Costner-hosted special airs Dec. 3 at 8pm ET.”
I think CMT’s Viacom/MTV ownership roots keep showing more and more every day…
November 30, 2010 at 7:58 pm
People complained when the Byrds went country back in 1968. Mostly country fans!! But you can’t deny that “Sweetheart of the Rodeo” is a classic today.
Can we say that about any crossovers now?