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Hank Williams’ Steel Guitarist, Don Helms, Passed Away Today At 81
Steel guitarist Don Helms, who played on more than 100 Hank Williams recordings, passed away this morning at 81 from an apparent heart attack.
Mr. Helms was the last remaining link to the Drifting Cowboys. His guitar was heard on more than 100 of Williams’ recordings, including “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” “Cold, Cold Heart” and “I Can’t […]Continue reading "Hank Williams’ Steel Guitarist, Don Helms, Passed Away Today At 81"
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Texas Monthly Gets Naked For Special Willie Nelson Cover
Subscribers of Texas Monthly will receive a copy adorned with a portrait of Willie Nelson on the cover and no text. The preview is pretty flippin’ sweet.
Jewel is returning to Nashville Star to join John Rich as a judge and mentor to the contestants.
On July 8 George Jones will release Burn Your Playhouse Down (The […]Continue reading "Texas Monthly Gets Naked For Special Willie Nelson Cover"
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Riders In The Sky Picks Up Cowboy Spirit Award
Western music group Riders in the Sky and actor John Wayne are 2008’s recipients of the National Festival of the West Cowboy Spirit Award — recognizing those setting the example of Western heroes with the integrity, strength of spirit, and moral character depicted by the American cowboy.
The Dixie Chicks will be the first country act […]Continue reading "Riders In The Sky Picks Up Cowboy Spirit Award"
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Tim Hensley Opry Audience Surprised by Kenny Chesney Visit
Friday night’s Opry audience got a surprise when Kenny Chesney popped by to support his band member Tim Hensley, who has a new bluegrass album out. And the night before Clint Black made his own surprise appearance at Zanies Comedy Club in Nashville to rehearse for his part on Secret Talents of the Stars.
If there’s […]Continue reading "Tim Hensley Opry Audience Surprised by Kenny Chesney Visit"
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Songpluggers Reflect On Country Music Industry
Songwriters write songs. Performers perform those songs. But how do they get from the songwriters to the performers? Through songpluggers like Sherrill Blackman, Dale Dodson, Tom Luteran and Abbe Nameche. Randy Rudder says they gathered at CMA one morning to discuss their craft.
What, for you, are the best and/or worst aspects of the songplugger’s life?
Blackman: […]Continue reading "Songpluggers Reflect On Country Music Industry"
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Miranda Lambert: Budding Urban Bow Hunter
The latest edition of Field & Stream includes a short Q&A highlighting Miranda Lambert as a reader of the magazine. She enjoys hunting and recently got into bow hunting when Blake Shelton bought her a bow. Here’s a humorous excerpt:
New Pastime: Scaring urbanites. “I bring my bow on the road and practice a lot. I […]Continue reading "Miranda Lambert: Budding Urban Bow Hunter"
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Clint Black - “Long Cool Woman”
Songwriters: Allan Clarke, Roger Cook, and Roger Greenaway
What’s happening in a world when Clint Black releases only the second single of his career that wasn’t written himself and it follows the first? And when is he going to give his next album a title and release it? It seems like he’s grasping at […] -
Artists to Watch in 2008 (Part 2 of 5): The Comeback Kids
In yesterday’s installment of my five-part 2008 preview, I discussed six artists who are on the brink of fading into obscurity. Today, I’m bringing you the flip side–five artists who are poised to re-establish their careers in the new year.
Clint Black (Equity): Black’s late 2007 single “The Strong One” has been clawing its way slowly […]Continue reading "Artists to Watch in 2008 (Part 2 of 5): The Comeback Kids"
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Patty Griffin Scores Two Awards At AMAs
Merle Haggard’s latest album, The Bluegrass Sessions, “was produced by a bluegrass musician with bluegrass musicians, recorded at a bluegrass studio, released on a bluegrass label, racked under bluegrass in record stores, aired on bluegrass radio, covered by the bluegrass press, and it’s currently in it’s fourth consecutive week at # 1 on Billboard’s Bluegrass […]
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Has the Opry Lowered its Membership Standards?
Josh Turner is among my favorite contemporary radio artists and I cheered his invitation to join the Grand Ole Opry. It seemed to me that his induction was more or less inevitable after the success of Your Man and its descendent singles, but in the time leading up to and now succeeding his Opry invitation, […]
Continue reading "Has the Opry Lowered its Membership Standards?"
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Forgotten Artists: Bradley Kincaid In a manner similar to Alan Lomax, William Bradley “The Kentucky Mountain Boy” Kincaid was one of the great American musicologists and collectors of American folk, country and parlor songs.
Forgotten Artists: Goldie Hill Had Carl Smith and Goldie Hill been born 30 or 40 years later, they might have been like Faith Hill and Tim McGraw–the dominant married couple in country music.
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.
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.
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.Current Discussion
- Rick: Thanks for the links to the tunes by Elizabeth Cook and Sarah Buxton, two of my ...
- jana: That Susan Gibson album is pretty awesome....
- Rick: My favorite three cuts on "Heartbreakers Hall of Fame" are "Here Lately", "Laven...
- Rick: Just a comment regarding the old Davis Sisters song "I Forgot More Than You'll E...
- dallas: Peter.every concert we have been too .have been sell outs.that has to say somet...
- dallas: Kenny Chesney.he sells out all his concert.so he must have a real big fan base i...
- Courtney: Is she aiming to be hard to understand? Most of the words I don't understand. Bu...
- J MacAulay: I think he should release "The longer the waiting" as his next single as there i...
- dallas: Rascal Flatts is the best band in country music....
- RascalFlattsLover: gomlich my ass - I'm a card carrying AARP member. I hardly care about who the "...
