Natalie Maines Turns Wedding Singer…For A Day
- Howard Stern announced on his show that Dixie Chicks singer Natalie Maines has agreed to sing a song at his upcoming wedding.
- This whole Sugarland release, it’s kind of a big deal, and most everyone seems to be excited about the new music:
- CMT’ Craig Shelburne talks to the duo about their songwriting, spirituality and conditioning.
- USA Today’s Bran Mansfield explores the evolution of their sound and mentions that they tried to send the song “Steve Earle” to the singer/songwriter via his manager, however, they got a message back saying he wouldn’t listen to a song about himself, but did laugh when told the premise of the song.
- Roughstock’s Matt Bjorke praises the new album in his review, extolling: It’s a country record, it’s a pop record, and it’s everything I expected the album to be and more. Roughstock also posted Jennifer Nettles’ and Kristian Bush’s track by track explanation of the songs.
- Michael Dean Church joined us for last night’s Nashville Star live blog and asked what you guys think his next single should be. (MySpace)
- Did they boo, or did they not boo? The validity of stories reporting boos at Jessica Simpson’s first country concert are in question. Whether there were boos or not, Simpson is getting some free publicity out the whole deal. Boo.
- Alan Jackson earned the 33rd No. 1 hit of his career with “Good Time.”
- If you’re surprised that Miranda Lambert’s “Gunpowder and Lead” became her first top 10 hit, you’re not the only one. Lambert says it’s very shocking to her, too. “It’s the most controversial song I’ve put out so far and it gets to the top 10,” she says. “I thought it would be ‘Famous in a Small Town’ or something not so threatening.”
- Pam Tillis uploaded her take on “Ring of Fire” from the 2007 Shanachie release of The Greatest Country Love Songs to her MySpace.
- Despite Chris Gaffney’s passing, the band he helped found is continuing it’s tour as both a tribute to him and to keep the Hacienda Brothers (MySpace) alive in some form. Co-founder Dave Gonzales talks about the kind of person that Gaffney was in William Michael Smith’s article for the Houston Press.
When in honky-tonk mode, Gaffney nails swinging, steel guitar-driven covers like Carl Smith’s “I’ll Come Running” or “When You’re Tired of Breaking Other Hearts.” Even so, it’s Gaffney’s funky rendition of his own “Soul Mountain” that transcends the Haciendas’ country-soul oeuvre and paints an accurate picture of Gaffney, both as an artist and a man.
- Watch some behind the scenes footage for the making of Hal Ketchum’s upcoming album, Father Time. The band recorded the album live in the studio on 2-track, which basically means that what they played is exactly what you will hear; no tuning or overdubs. That in itself is special since, as Ketchum explains, “we live in an age where you can tune a fart.”
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Current Discussion
- bputt: WOW how old are you guys that are knockin the new upbeat country songs? if you dont like it go ...
- glasnost: Well Done! I Like it!
- Jon: *facepalm* By an reasonable way of understanding the term, Juli is a professional journalist. I don't know that I would ...
- john: I remember watching the night the Duke of whatever was inducted and was just amazed because i fully expected Webb ...
- Thomas: ...does "being better off in a pine box on freight train back to georgia" count a as burial instruction? doug ...
- Thomas: ...this is a hit song. there's tons of fools out there, who will recognise themselves in those lyrics. how do ...
- sam (sam): I think K was right to call the review "unprofessional." It was also "immature and juvenile," in my opinion. And ...
- K: "@K Agree with her assessment or not, there is absolutely nothing unprofessional about Juli’s review. OK, proffesional was probably the ...
- Laura: First, while I agree that Carrie's main strength is singing, she does show potential as a talented songwriter in Temporary ...
- Kim: Hey...I shop at vintage boutiques and I drink smoothies and I still don't like this.
25 Comments
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July 22, 2008 at 11:16 am Permalink
Brody, Thanks for the plug!
FYI both Kristian Bush and Jennifer Nettles have comments about the songs on the track by track.
July 22, 2008 at 11:21 am Permalink
Thanks for catching that, got it fixed to include both of them.
July 22, 2008 at 11:43 am Permalink
MSN had a nice quote from Del McCroury in their celebrity quotes today. http://movies.msn.com/movies/galleryfeature/quotes/?photoidx=18
Nice to see it breaking up the quotes from Riannon talking about her hair and that-guy-who-used-to-sleep-with-Sienna-Miller-for-a-week-once talking about sleeping with Sienna Miller for a week once.
July 22, 2008 at 11:51 am Permalink
RE: Jewel
From the most recent edition of Hazel’s Hot Dish:
The ever-busy Jewel recently made a Tuesday night appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Backstage, a gentleman walked up to meet her. Assuming he was a fan, she was ready to offer her autograph, but he handed her his card and said, “I am a forensic dentist and I can fix your teeth for you.” Folks, Jewel has no plans for any such dental work.
July 22, 2008 at 12:01 pm Permalink
Nice to hear Hal Ketchum has a new CD coming out. Maybe Curb Records will even release this one in the U.S., unlike his last album.
July 22, 2008 at 12:03 pm Permalink
Jessica Simpson getting booed at Country Thunder was even mentioned in a “news” segment on the mellow rock oldies radio station (K-Earth) I was listening to last night! (lol)
I’ll be so glad when the Sugarland Hypefest has passed. If you want to hear an album that covers a decent stylistic spectrum and shows some uniqueness, then review Jypsi’s self-titled debut! Here’s what Becky Schlegel had to say about Jypsi’s album in her Roughstock interview with Matt: “You know, who I really like is Jypsi. I think they’re really fantastic, I love that 3-part harmony.” Apart from the painfully slow cover of the old rock song “House of the Rising Sun” its a fun album, and Jypsi could sure use the promotion a whole lot more than Sugarland. I’ll take “I Do What I Want” over Sugarland’s current single any day of the week…..
July 22, 2008 at 12:11 pm Permalink
A forensic dentist? Come on, Jewel’s teeth aren’t that far gone. Hazel, are you sure that’s not a cosmetic dentist?
July 22, 2008 at 12:36 pm Permalink
I agree with you about Jypsi. I purchased their digital CD on a whim and fell in love with their sound. I made my first trip to Nashville back in April this year, just after I had bought the album, and I knew pretty much nothing about them. As luck would have it, I went to Layla’s Bluegrass Inn one afternoon and a band was warming up, getting ready to perform. A few minutes later Jypsi was playing and I just about freaked out. I had no idea it was them until one of the girls said Amber Dawn, and I was like oh my gosh, that’s Jypsi. I was ecstatic and enjoyed a free show for over an hour. They were so sweet too. Come to find out, they play there a lot and have for several years.
I hope they don’t get ignored. I think they are very talented and would love to hear them on the radio.
July 22, 2008 at 1:28 pm Permalink
Forensic dentist? What, did someone murder Jewel and forget to tell her still-growing breasts?
July 22, 2008 at 1:37 pm Permalink
Could people leave Jewel’s teeth alone? Who really cares? Are we that friggin’ shallow?
July 22, 2008 at 2:23 pm Permalink
Speaking only for myself, yes.
July 22, 2008 at 3:20 pm Permalink
Sugarland is one of the few Nash-vegas acts I can stomach and including a song entitled “Steve Earle” intrigues me, I am looking forward to the new release.
July 22, 2008 at 3:25 pm Permalink
Jewel has teeth?
July 22, 2008 at 3:31 pm Permalink
Jewel has teeth, it’s her country music that doesn’t.
July 22, 2008 at 4:23 pm Permalink
Very goood, Ben. Very good.
July 22, 2008 at 5:59 pm Permalink
Rick,
That’s the 2nd time you’ve quoted the Becky Schlegel interview on my site. Thanks, dude.
July 22, 2008 at 7:19 pm Permalink
If Natalie Maines is now available for weddings, I think I’ll renew my vows. I’m sure it’ll be a night to remember for Howard Stern. What a lucky, lucky man.
July 22, 2008 at 9:39 pm Permalink
When I went through the article, I noticed onething and I agree with you about Jypsi. A few minutes later Jypsi was playing and I just about freaked out. It is wondered that Natalie Maines lastly agreed to sing a wedding song. The whole article is telling how Natalie Maines becomes a wedding singer. Good post!
July 22, 2008 at 11:07 pm Permalink
Funny thing, I was just thinking of getting married in Ireland, but I couldn’t find a limousine.
July 23, 2008 at 12:46 am Permalink
The new “Father Time” CD from Hal Ketchum is amazing—this “old” recording method is the “new” sound of country!
July 23, 2008 at 8:58 am Permalink
Personally, I don’t think Miranda’s song is skyrocketing because of the song itself. I think the added attention and legitimacy since her CMA win has done most of the work. “Famous in a Small Town” should have been her first #1 song if judged on the song alone. (In the “angry” vein, “Kerosene” was her best song.)
I’m not a Howard Stern fan, but I did love his interview with the Chicks. It was a good girlfriend gabfest and really interesting. When the two couples met for the first time on vacation, I recall they discussed chess…lol.
Finally, I hope Jewel doesn’t change her teeth. It may not be the prettiest thing, but it’s a trademark and it keeps her from being just another Barbie blonde. Like it or not, it gives her character and a little credibility.
July 23, 2008 at 9:43 am Permalink
wow, i know that a wide array of topics gets discussed on here, and I love that. but i cant believe Jewel’s friggin teeth are getting so much play. if the TEETH of any artist has anything to do with the “credibility” of said artist, then that artist most likely does not have any cred and most likely will never get any.
July 23, 2008 at 11:04 am Permalink
Plus, messing with Jewel’s teeth could potentially mess with her singing. Apparently it works that way. Whatever, as long as she’s happy, I don’t care.
July 23, 2008 at 9:18 pm Permalink
1. Will Natalie be singing “White trash Wedding?”
2. Ben – killer criticism of jewel
3. Re: Jesica Simpson – were they shouting “boo” or “boobs?”
July 23, 2008 at 10:57 pm Permalink
Jypsi Jypsi Jypsi! I’m freaking out because that’s a stupid name for a band.
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