Preview “Close Up The Honky Tonks” From Dwight Sings Buck
- Think about the most exciting act you’ve ever seen perform live; who was it? Hazel Smith says for her it was Roy Acuff and the Smoky Mountain Boys.
Acuff would be twirling his fiddle bow as Bashful Brother Oswald bellowed a hee-haw as he made his Dobro scream. Onie Wheeler would honk that harmonica and belt out the whistling sound of a freight train while Howdy Forrester hit his fiddle with the bow to make it sound like a train hitting the rails. Jimmy Riddle would bounce on the piano stool as he clinked that keyboard.
- With the debut of Rascal Flatts’ cover of “Revolution” on the country music charts, Reuters takes a look at other successes Lennon and McCartney have had in the realm of country music. The most successful was “I Don’t Want to Spoil the Party” covered by Roseanne Cash in 1989, going all the way to No. 1.
- Meet The Steep Canyon Rangers. Lonesome Music gives a brief intro, describing them as “a glorious blend of bluegrass and honky town, with enough swing to get you jigging round the kitchen,” before providing a couple of mp3 files.
- Linda was taking her first-ever tour of Willie Nelson’s town (Luck, Texas) with her friends when the man himself pulled up in his truck and talked with the ladies for almost an hour. I suppose they don’t call it Luck for nothing.
- In a Q&A with the Texas/Red Dirt Music Scene blog, Cory Morrow says he is a “fanatical Led Zeppelin freak.”
- Listen: Check out Dwight Yoakam’s newly created MySpace and a preview of “Close Up the Honky Tonks” from his upcoming Dwight Sings Buck album. (via the always commendable Twang Nation)
- Big & Rich’s Between Raising Hell And Amazing Grace is officially certified gold. Big Kenny on the accomplishment:
“We can’t believe the impact ‘Lost In This Moment’ has had on our album sales. To sell over a half million records off one single, in only nine weeks, is outstanding. I think it was just time that we had that song in our set, the one that people can cuddle up to and dance together out there.”
Their second single off the album, “Between Raising Hell And Amazing Grace”, hits radio today.
- Singer-songwriter Steve Poltz, former boyfriend of Jewel, wrote a whole song based on one of the most recited Johnny Cash lyrics around–”I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die.” I get the feeling the song was written to capitalize on the free publicity that the strong emotional reaction from staunch Cash supporters is bound to cause, but maybe that’s just me.
- Kevin from Country Universe has another edition of Yesterday’s Songs, this time from August 12, 1995. The top song back then was Lorrie Morgan’s “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength” followed by Lee Roy Parnell’s “A Little Bit of You” and Alan Jackson’s “I Don’t Even Know Your Name”.
- Sidenote: August 12 is also the birthday of Porter Wagoner, Buck Owens, and The 9513’s very own Jenna Vercher. Destined for greatness, or merely a coincidence?
- Watch: Marty Robbins sans ’stache performing “El Paso”, one of the all-time great story songs.
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Tagged In This Article
Big & Rich // Cory Morrow // Dwight Yoakam // Marty Robbins // Rascal Flatts // Roseanne Cash // Roy Acuff // The Steep Canyon Rangers // Willie Nelson
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