Little Jimmy Dickens to Celebrate 60th Opry Anniversary With Signature Show
- The Grand Ole Opry plans to honor Little Jimmy Dickens status as the longest standing member with a Signature Show celebrating his 60th Opry Anniversary on Nov. 1. Trace Adkins, George Jones, and Brad Paisley are among the artists that are scheduled to make appearances.
- In an interview with Craig Shelburne, Kellie Pickler talks about turning down reality show offers, keeping it real and her likeness to a snake.
- GAC’s Into the Circle is a new series that pairs up-and-coming artists with Opry members to learn valuable career advice, and on their third episode, set to air Oct. 4th, Ashton Shepherd joins up with Vince Gill and Patty Loveless.
- Speaking of Ashton Shepherd, she won the award for best new talent at the 6th Annual French Country Music Awards. Check out the rest of the results. (via NashvilleGab)
- The dawn of No Depression’s new online presence is nigh.
- Rounder Records released a digital album yesterday from Earl Scruggs titled The Ultimate Collection/Live at the Ryman. The 18-track recording captures Scruggs’ first time as a headliner at the Ryman Auditorium in 2007.
- As one of the promotion efforts for Roy Orbison’s new 4-CD box-set, Legacy Recordings put together a flash widget that allows you to enter an artist’s name and it’ll tell you how that artist is connected to Roy Orbison. For instance, if I input “Alan Jackson,” it tells me “Alan Jackson lists as a musical influence Hank Williams Jr.; Hank Williams, Jr lists one of his major influences is Johnny Cash.; Johnny Cash was good friends with Roy Orbison and helped start his career at Sun Records.” Play 6 Degrees of Roy Orbison.
- Visit Big O for mp3 downloads of several performances from Farm Aid 2008, including Willie Nelson. (via Still Is Still Moving)
- The Biggest Loser’s Dan Evans released his first country album, Goin’ All Out, yesterday, and he cites Keith Urban and Rascal Flatts as his inspirations. Listen to the title track on People.com.
- Like George Jones and Merle Haggard before him, Randy Travis knows that the day will come when radio stops playing his music and the music of George Strait.
“There’s no doubt about it,” he told The Cincinnati Enquirer. “How long that will be, I don’t know. I’m happy to see there are people like Josh Turner, for instance, and Brad Paisley and a few others coming along continuing to do that kind of traditional music. Josh Turner is a great singer, and I’m happy to see he’s in this business. But it’s going to continue to swing back and forth from pop to country.”
- Nashville At Night’s host, Ashlie Kolb, scored a spot on Nashville Lifestyles Magazine’s list of “25 Most Beautiful People In Music City.”
- Randy Rogers and Reckless Kelly’s Willy Braun explain the differences in the music scenes in Nashville and Texas.
- Kitty Wells reigned as country’s first, true female star and it was her recording of “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” that first propelled her into the spotlight. She relays the story behind that song to The Wallstreet Journal’s Barry Mazor, and how she had already decided to stick with being a housewife when the song came to her.
- Watch the new video for The Avett Brothers‘ “Murder In The City.”
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October 1, 2008 at 11:03 am Permalink
I hate to say it but the French are far better at recognizing new real country artists than the CMA, ACM, or CMT….. I’m looking forward to that GAC show featuring Ashton with Vince and Patty. They should have filmed it in Ashton’s “pickin’ shed” with each artist having a guitar in hand…
Craig Shelburne’s interview with Kellie Pickler is pretty wild stuff. Kellie describes herself as “crazy” a couple of times and her comments about her brain moving 40 different directions at once is a bit spooky. Kellie’s self-diagnosis of being ADD could be the just tip of the iceberg. I wonder if she’s ever tried Ritalin? Hmmm….
As far as WSM DJ Eddie Stubbs is concerned, Kitty Wells will forever be the true Queen of Country Music. Personally, I’d pick Loretta Lynn……..
October 1, 2008 at 11:08 am Permalink
I couldn’t stand Dan Evans when he was on the Biggest Loser. He sang a few time on the show and was horrible. He’d mentioned being a Keith Urban fan but expressed an interest in having a rock career. But once again country becomes the dumping ground for those who can’t make it in the pop and rock genres.
October 1, 2008 at 11:11 am Permalink
And once again we are treated to a glimpse of the brilliant intellect belonging to Kellie Pickler.
October 1, 2008 at 11:18 am Permalink
Who’s going to break the news to Randy Travis that radio has already stopped playing his music? Apparently he hasn’t noticed that his last two singles failed to chart.
October 1, 2008 at 1:12 pm Permalink
I’m excited about the Ashton, Vince and Patty GAC show.
October 1, 2008 at 2:19 pm Permalink
If she modeled her singing style just a tad more like Patty.. she’d be killer. (Yes, I am again referring to my over-singing complaint about her :P)
October 1, 2008 at 2:21 pm Permalink
Marc, what is wrong with oversinging, that means she has an enormous amount of talent just to do that.
October 1, 2008 at 2:52 pm Permalink
Dude
“what is wrong with oversinging, that means she has an enormous amount of talent just to do that.”
singing is not an athletic competition. It’s not about who can sing highest, fastest, loudest, etc. It’s about expression. Think more like dancing, less like gymnastics.
October 1, 2008 at 3:27 pm Permalink
Dude. Please sir, can you give me some kinda of idea about your age/location/years listening to music and/or country music?
I ask because someone who is fascinated with say, American Idol, but doesn’t understand too much about music, might be inclined to think that singing = trailing the last syllable of the last word of any line/sentence. Obviously, this isn’t the case. But there are a couple of occasions where Miss Ashton does just this. It’s a bit grating to me, and I say that fully admitting that I enjoy her voice and her music. It’s my one complaint about her, though she’s by NO MEANS the only one that does it.
So, please take no insult my my original question, but I’m trying to figure out what group you may belong to and how, if needed, we can help you understand some of these concepts.
That said.. Hollerin’ Ben.. have you heard Scandinavian death metal? Talk about aerobic. Yikes. (no, that’s not my bag!)
October 1, 2008 at 3:39 pm Permalink
Marc, I live in the backwoods of N.C, I am in high school and have been listening to country music all my life and enjoy Bluegrass and Traditional country (though I am open to all country music). I hate American Idol and believe the best way to make it in music is the hard way, demo cd’s and long nights and mornings at cafes and bars. I hope this gives you a glimpse at who I am.
October 1, 2008 at 3:49 pm Permalink
Well, at least you held back before you got to what you were wearing :)
October 1, 2008 at 3:52 pm Permalink
Does that help you on who I am ,yes or no. if y’all want to explain stuff to me, go ahead. I don’t mind, just makes me smarter about the country music industry.
October 1, 2008 at 3:55 pm Permalink
If you go to nodepression.net you get the “coming soon” message. If you go to nodepression.com, the site is up and running now. No idea they they didn’t fix the .net address at the same time, simply domain switch.
October 1, 2008 at 4:35 pm Permalink
Didn’t y’alls mommas ever teach y’all any manners?Kelly Pickler seems like a down home , sweet , southern girl whose momma left her when she was little, and y’all are gonna judge her??! On what grounds? Have you ever walked a day in her shoes?? Well then!!!! Thou, shalt not judge until such an event occurs. As far as Randy Travis, Merle Haggard and George Jones…. The day you take them out of country music is the day it ALL goes to HELL!!!! Without them and many other old timers there wouldn’t be country music. Show some RESPECT!!!!
October 1, 2008 at 4:38 pm Permalink
I’m going to judge Kellie Pickler on the grounds of her music.
October 1, 2008 at 4:54 pm Permalink
@Mandy Geaux Tigers: I love Kellie Pickler! <3
October 1, 2008 at 4:55 pm Permalink
“As far as Randy Travis, Merle Haggard and George Jones…. The day you take them out of country music is the day it ALL goes to HELL!!!! Without them and many other old timers there wouldn’t be country music. Show some RESPECT!!!!”
That day came and went a long time ago. And who is showing disrespect to Travis, Haggard and Jones?
October 1, 2008 at 5:30 pm Permalink
Mandy Geaux Tigers. This is an country music review site, they judge based on music, not personality or past. Jones, Haggard and Travis are still in country music but are now in the latter stages of their careers. They have already passed the torch, to who, I don’t know, but that day came a while ago. As for you, you need to think before before you act. Congats Jimmy Dickens on 60 years in the opry.
October 1, 2008 at 5:34 pm Permalink
I do believe that “Mandy”’s comment was sarcasm. No one really talks that way do they? *ducks*
October 1, 2008 at 5:53 pm Permalink
I really like Ashton Shepherd’s vocal style and do not consider it “over singing”. I would readily apply that description to female artists like Carrie Underwood, Reba McIntire, and Sara Evans at times, but not Ashton. Since Taylor Swift has trouble staying on pitch and her voice tends to warble, I’d call her vocal style “under singing” or maybe “sub-prime”….
As for judging Kellie Pickler, I’d like to see what a psychiatrist or psychologist would make of her interview comments with Craig Shelburne. I would now guess her scatter brained persona is actually rooted in a mild form of organic brain dysfunction of some sort, ie a neurotransmitter chemical imbalance…..
October 1, 2008 at 7:05 pm Permalink
“I would now guess her scatter brained persona is actually rooted in a mild form of organic brain dysfunction of some sort, ie a neurotransmitter chemical imbalance…..”
Is that what used to be known as dumb?
October 1, 2008 at 8:04 pm Permalink
Razor: Yes.
Rick: Do you consider the over extension of the last word of each line for the pure sake of extending the word, singing? Country?
October 1, 2008 at 8:23 pm Permalink
Marc, I just like to leave things open ended as my comments are often whimsical in nature. Either that or it may have something to do with my short attention span….(lol)
October 1, 2008 at 8:42 pm Permalink
We know for sure that Pete Fisher isn’t planning to put Jimmie Dickins to sleep then tell us he is on a farm chasing rabbits, right? RIGHT?!
October 1, 2008 at 9:01 pm Permalink
Rick, your comment needs more cowbell.
October 1, 2008 at 9:26 pm Permalink
Marc puts on his pants the same ways as everybody else – one leg at a time. But when his pants are on, he makes golden comments…
October 2, 2008 at 10:55 am Permalink
No comments about the “Earl Scruggs Ultimate Collection/Live at the Ryman”? If you haven’t already done so, you guys should go listen to this. It’s great stuff!
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