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Mailbag: How Can I Get More Than A Memory?
What artist is switching to country music?
Snoop Dogg apparently has an Everlast country song on his new album, Jessica Simpson is from Texas and therefore undeniably country, and Bon Jovi and the Eagles tried on a pair of country music boots last year–so tell me, which artists aren’t switching to country music? - Brody
And most disturbing is the fact that out of all of the above, Snoop’s “My Medicine” may be the most country of the bunch. - Jim
Did Tim McGraw and Martina McBride sing “When You Say Nothing At All?”
No, but thanks to the magic of the studio, Alison Krauss recorded a posthumous duet with Keith Whitley. - Matt
How did Carrie Underwood get her career?
Toiling night after night in the less than stellar conditions of the cigarette-smoke infested skull orchard known as American Idol. - Brody
Is Miranda Lambert pregnant?
I dare ya to ask that to her face. No, really–I dare ya. - Jim
Does Taylor Swift make her own lyrics?
Yup. Sometimes she even co-makes them. - Brody
Why is Johnny Cash inspirational?
‘Cause he has the voice of God. That can be a pretty inspirational thing. - Brady
Who is the manufacturer of Kenny Chesney?
Joe Galante, Inc. - Matt
Why does John Rich call himself Cowboy Stevie Wonder?
Why does John Rich do anything that he does? He’s John Rich, baby. Some things should never be questioned. For instance, this next question: Why do firecrackers go pop and not boom? - Brody
Who sings that song with the lyrics “Find someone crazy like you?”
That would be Josh Grider’s song “Crazy Like You.” Give it a listen on his MySpace. - Brady
Who wrote Trisha Yearwood’s “Dreaming Fields?”
Jonathan Yudkin, Gary Harrison, and the impeccable Matraca Berg. - Jim
Who was the first black singer to appear on the Grand Ole Opry?
That would be DeFord Bailey, a harmonica whiz who was best known for his song “Pan American Blues.” Bailey first appeared on the Opry stage in 1927. - Jim
Is Josh Turner related to Tina Turner?
Can’t you see the resemblance? - Jim
How does Lori McKenna write, perform, and have 5 kids?
That doesn’t sound very safe, but I assume she’s mastered the art of multitasking. - Brody
How does Taylor Swift’s song “Our Song” make you feel?
It makes me feel like chewing bubble gum and hanging out at the mall. - Jim
Who originally sang “Travelin’ Soldier?”
Bruce Robison wrote and recorded the song on his impossible-to-find self-titled debut album and released it again on Long Way Home From Anywhere. Then the Dixie Chicks released it on 2002’s album Home. - Brody
Is it true that Joe Don Rooney is pregnant?
No, but bandmate Gary LeVox expects his new addition any day now. - Matt
What song did Johnny Cash sing with the word odie in it?
I’m not familiar with that one, but he has a song dedicated to the workin’ man titled “Oney.” Good song. you should check it out. - Brody
How to communicate with Kenny Chesney?
Speak verrrry slowly, and try to avoid making any sudden movements. - Jim
Why don’t they play Dale Watson on country music radio?
They’re clearly intimidated by his royal emperorship. More than likely though it’s his traditional sound and ties to country music’s rich heritage. That kind of stuff doesn’t fly with today’s radio. - Brody
Rascal Flatts, how does it feel to love some one when they don’t love you?
Just watch the guys’ faces as that CMA Entertainer of the Year Award slips away yet again. - Matt
How can I get more than a memory?
Amazon and Wal-Mart have pretty much everything these days, including the recent Garth Brooks hit “More Than A Memory,” which is only available on The Ultimate Hits. - Brody
How did Gram Parsons die?
He died from an overdose of drugs and alcohol in a hotel room in California. Before he was buried, his road manager, Phil Kaufman, stole the body and cremated it in the desert of Joshua Tree National Monument. Read up on it, it’s a crazy story.
Why do Carrie Underwood’s songs all sound the same?
Hey, you said it, not me. - Matt
Why didn’t Mindy McCready go to the CMA Awards?
Whoever sent this in forgot to include the punchline. - Jim
How should I know if the man loves me?
The man doesn’t love anyone. The man only cares about keeping you down. Power to the people! - Jim
Faith Hill screams when Tim McGraw gets grabbed.
She did, didn’t she? - Brady
Popular Stuff
Sponsor
Miranda Lambert - “More Like Her” This kind of material, as opposed to her tough-chick-done-wrong romps like “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” and “Gunpowder and Lead,” is where her real promise lies
Joey Rory - “Cheater, Cheater” It’s actually downright frivolous, but that just makes it all the more fun. And really, are you allowed to say “ho” on country radio?
Josh Gracin - “Unbelievable (Ann Marie)” Despite initial marketing that touted the album as deep and personal, “Unbelievable (Ann Marie)” is anything but deep or personal.
Josh Turner - "Everything Is Fine" Turner is the rare example of an artist who records material that’s both quality and trademark.
Darryl Worley - "Tequila On Ice" A groovy mid-tempo that sways, a refreshing reprieve from the exhausting pace of a format that clamors for loud music and swelling choruses.
Blake Shelton - "She Wouldn't Be Gone" It’s all about nailing the melody rather than providing a legitimate interpretation that accentuates the lyrical content, although Shelton does do a pretty good job of injecting what limited emotion he can.
In Memory of Don Helms (1927 - 2008) Helms dated back to a time when an excellent four or five piece band and a good singer were all that were needed to make great country music. No drums, no light shows, no production tricks in the recording studio–just good music.
Don’t look now, but Darius Rucker, lead singer of 90s rock group Hootie & The Blowfish, has a country hit on his hands. What you probably haven’t heard is that Rucker is the first black artist to chart a single in the country top 20 since Charley Pride last did it in 1988.
News that former Sugarland member and co-founder Kristen Hall is suing her ex-mates, to the tune of $1.5 million, goes a long way towards providing a bit of context regarding the Atlanta singer/songwriter’s sudden departure from the group.
Forgotten Artist: Wynn Stewart Both Buck Owens and Merle Haggard have cited Wynn Stewart as a major influence on their careers, yet somehow, he was never able to translate his enormous talent into extended and consistent success for himself.
Forgotten Artist: David Rogers David Rogers (1936-1993) is proof of the adage that it’s great to be on a major label, but only if the label is truly behind you.
In this exclusive interview with The 9513, the Show Dog Records trio talks about growing up around Waylon and Jessi Colter, and about how those experiences have helped shaped their music as they set off on their own country music journey.
One of an emerging wave of artists empowered by decreasing production costs and a rapidly changing distribution landscape, Kelleigh Bannen has taken a do-it-yourself approach to her debut album, Radio Skies.Tagged In This Article
Alison Krauss // American Idol // Bon Jovi // Bruce Robison // Carrie Underwood // CMA Awards // Country Music // Dale Watson // Dixie Chicks // Faith Hill // Garth Brooks // Gram Parsons // Grand Ole Opry // Jessica Simpson // Joe Don Rooney // John Rich // Johnny Cash // Josh Grider // Josh Turner // Keith Whitley // Kenny Chesney // Lori McKenna // Martina McBride // Matraca Berg // Mindy McCready // Miranda Lambert // MySpace // Rascal Flatts // Taylor Swift // Tim McGraw // Trisha Yearwood
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Trackback URI for this postMarch 29, 2008
[…] in the lyrics of a couple of recent single reviews was frowned upon. It’s a great question (see the latest mailbag for the other kind of question), so I decided to expand upon it and get feedback from The […]
17 Comments
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March 19, 2008 at 2:44 pm Permalink
Omg where do these questions come from? Do people actually mail you guys this stuff? It’s hillarious.
March 19, 2008 at 3:51 pm Permalink
Heh, these aren’t even the worst ones, Dave. These are the queries people type in search engines to find our site, but I’m thinking one of the mailbags in the future will feature actual emails that people sent us. Some of them are bizarre.
March 19, 2008 at 3:56 pm Permalink
After reading the Gram Parsons drug and alcohol-induced death story, it makes me wonder why anyone would think drugs and drinking to excess are cool.
March 19, 2008 at 4:47 pm Permalink
and the snoop dogg/everlast song is great. by far the most country of the bunch, and also the most well-written. believe it or not.
March 19, 2008 at 4:49 pm Permalink
Come on guys, you can’t say Snoop Dogg is the most country of the bunch, we haven’t even heard anything from Jessica Simpson yet…
March 19, 2008 at 5:00 pm Permalink
Jim, your Taylor Swift answer was the best of all! I couldn’t stop laughing! Great job with the mailbag, Guys.
March 19, 2008 at 5:18 pm Permalink
My favorite is the answer to the question about “the man” that invokes the spirit of the late 1960’s in all its twisted glory, or more recently Barak Obama’s “former” pastor…..
Its too bad that the tragic demise of Gram Parsons at the Joshua Tree Motel in the early 1970’s was trivialized by the creators of the crappy film “Grand Theft Parsons” which starred Johnny Knoxville and included fictitious characters created to fill out the plot. Gram deserved far better…….
About Joe Don Rooney not being pregnant, his wife Tiffany Fallon, a former “Playmate of the Year”, is pregnant. She was featured on this season’s “Donald Trump’s Celebrity Apprentice” but got voted off the first night. Country fans will remember her as the interloping freeloader on Toby Keith’s “Who’s Your Daddy” music video.
March 19, 2008 at 6:20 pm Permalink
That video is funny. Guess you can take the girl out of the trailer park but you can’t take the trailer park out of the girl. Yeah, like nobody but her has ever touched McGraw’s balls. Hell, I’ve even done it!
And about Obama and his “former pastor.” I suggest you read the text of Obama’s speech before you make up your mind. If you are going by the 3 sentences you’ll hear over and over again on talk radio and Fox TV, you are missing 95% of what is one of the great oratories of the past ten years. This election is for a lot of marbles. I hope we all get serious and off our duffs and get educated. Fox television and talk radio won’t do it. Read. Please. You can find it here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/18/obama-race-speech-read-t_n_92077.html
March 19, 2008 at 6:23 pm Permalink
I really hope many will read the text or listen to the speech but for those who do not, let me give the complete paragraph of the snippet often quoted by right-leaning pundants. Note the MISSING words:
“I have already condemned, in unequivocal terms, the statements of Reverend Wright that have caused such controversy. For some, nagging questions remain. Did I know him to be an occasionally fierce critic of American domestic and foreign policy? Of course. Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in church? Yes. Did I strongly disagree with many of his political views? Absolutely - just as I’m sure many of you have heard remarks from your pastors, priests, or rabbis with which you strongly disagreed. “
March 19, 2008 at 6:35 pm Permalink
I thought “the Man” answer was hillarious, though not for the same reasons as Rick.
March 20, 2008 at 5:00 am Permalink
One correction, Johnny Cash IS God.
March 20, 2008 at 10:30 am Permalink
Johnny would never want someone to blaspheme using his name.
March 20, 2008 at 3:14 pm Permalink
Where did the Krauss/Whitley duet on “When You Say Nothing At All” appear? The version I know from her greatest hits collection is just Alison and Union Station. I know she initially recorded it for a Whitley tribute album, since Keith recorded the song first, but I don’t remember his voice on it.
March 20, 2008 at 3:33 pm Permalink
Also, on Gram Parsons:
I think the story is that Kaufman and a friend stole the casket from the runway of an airport. I don’t think he’d been buried and exhumed by them.
For me, the fine documentary on Parsons, “Fallen Angel,” made the Kaufman escapade seem a lot less romantic than it’s often painted. After taking the casket to Joshua Tree, Kaufman used gasoline and lit a match and threw it in the opened coffin. Only the body didn’t burn well. He kept trying, but eventually ran out of gas, and the body was only partially burned, at best. Kaufman gave up and left it like that.
For the family, who didn’t get a proper burial, and then had to deal with the trauma of the body disappearing and then coming back to them in such a horridly disfigured fashion, it was a truly disgusting turn to a sad event.
March 20, 2008 at 8:48 pm Permalink
MC: The Krauss/Whitley “duet” is not available commercially. When Alison had a hit with “When You Say Nothing At All,” a DJ from Milwaukee spliced audio from Keith into her version creating a pseudo-duet. The creation has not been included on a commercial collection and was never officially sent to radio but did create somewhat of a national splash and I still hear it on the radio occasionally . It’s rather well done.
March 26, 2008 at 4:45 pm Permalink
I would ask Miranda Lambert if she was pregnant. That “I am gonna kick your ass act” is so 2006. Texas women do need to be put in their place from time to time. ;)
March 26, 2008 at 4:52 pm Permalink
How can I get more than a memory?
You could take a picture.
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