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Lee Ann Womack - “Last Call”
Songwriters: Erin Enderlin and Shane McAnally
Lee Ann Womack’s latest single, “Last Call,” about the conflict a woman goes through when ending an unfulfilling relationship is a good song, although it does suffer from a few problems. The production of the verses give the song a haunting feeling that sets it up for an internal […] -
Live Blog: Nashville Star, Season Six, Episode One
It seems a bit anti-climatic to be watching Nashville Star auditions when the finalists have already been announced, but NBC doubtless has some tricks in store to make the network debut of Nashville Star entertaining nonetheless. Tonight’s premiere will also feature a live performance by Taylor Swift, though I don’t know how NBC plans to […]
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Nashville Star: A New Beginning, an Uncertain Future
This is the first installment in a series of Nashville Star coverage on The 9513. Be sure to visit The9513.com at 8 p.m. central on Monday, June 9th as we live blog the Nashville Star premiere on NBC.
Nashville Star, long maligned as a poor man’s American Idol, has finally made it to the big time. […]
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Book Review: Sing Me Back Home: Love, Death, and Country Music by Dana Jennings
It begins with a fitting quote from Hank Williams, “You got to have smelt a lot of mule manure before you can sing like a hillbilly.” Part memoir, part history, part analysis, Dana Jennings sometimes waxes poetic about the country music he loves in Sing Me Back Home: Love, Death, and Country Music. Specifically, […]
Continue reading "Book Review: Sing Me Back Home: Love, Death, and Country Music by Dana Jennings"
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Keith Urban - “You Look Good In My Shirt”
Songwriters: Mark Nesler, Tony Martin, and Tom Shapiro
Back in 2004, Keith Urban was preparing to release a 5th single from his Golden Road album, but when “Days Go By” the single from his then upcoming Be Here album was ready, plans for the 5th single were dropped and “Days Go By” was released in […]Continue reading "Keith Urban - “You Look Good In My Shirt”"
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Album Review: Eleven Hundred Springs - Country Jam
In conversation, as well as in my writing, I’m often dismissive of current, corporate, country music radio, so it’s typical to field accusations of “elitism,” of trying to pigeonhole country music’s sound into an early 60’s George Jones mold for narrow-minded nostalgia’s sake, and of requiring that every song have the pretense of earth-shaking […]
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Willie Nelson - Spirit
One of my best friends once asked me “Hey Ben, I want to get some Willie Nelson albums and I wanted to find out which were the best ones.” I can’t tell you how grateful I was that he asked, and how excited I was to share my opinions on the subject.
After […] -
Adam Hood - “Different Groove”
Songwriters: Adam Hood
Adam Hood is an Alabama native adopted by Texas’ Red Dirt scene and he recorded his last album in California. He travels all over the South, playing nearly 300 shows a year, making the road his actual home; a modern-day troubador if there ever was one. He doesn’t fit within the confines […] -
Chris Cagle - “No Love Songs”
Songwriters: George Teren and Craig Wiseman
You know that song by BJ Thomas “Another somebody done somebody wrong song?” Despite it being kind of cheesy and heavy-handed, I love that song. Chris Cagle’s new tune, “No Love Songs”–not so much.
The song kicks off with silly production featuring shakers and zany “ooooh” chants but I was […] -
Rodney Atkins - “Invisibly Shaken”
Songwriters: Rodney Atkins and Bill Kirsch
Rodney Atkins’ latest single from his blockbuster album If You’re Going Through Hell is the somber piano ballad “Invisibly Shaken,” which Atkins co-wrote with Bill Kirsch. It tells the tale of a guy who is pretending to be ok with a breakup, but is in fact, “invisibly shaken, quietly […]
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LeAnn Rimes - “What I Cannot Change” When LeAnn Rimes enters a recording studio, she carries with her the most impressive instrument in the room.
Kellie Pickler - “Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful” Coming from Kellie Pickler, it’s like a rich man telling the beggar that his soul is rich and that’s better than all the money in the world.
Lee Ann Womack - “Last Call” It’s not her strongest song, but it’s well written with a good performance, and despite the dull internal conflict, it’s rife with emotional depth.
Brad Paisley - “Waitin’ On a Woman” Bizarrely, it took a song written by someone other than Brad Paisley for radio to hear what the Paisley style can truly accomplish.
Merle Haggard at the Ryman Auditorium: Of the Haggard classics, “Silver Wings,” “The Way I Am” and crowd-favorite “I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink” were performed with confident ease while “Kern River” was sung with inspired tenderness and “Back to Earth,” from 2007’s Last of the Breed, contained more than a trace of Willie’s nasally twang. 
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.
The two-time Dancing With The Stars champion, Julianne Hough, recently took some time to answer questions for The 9513 in this exclusive interview.
After cutting ties with Warner Bros. Records, Ray Scott decided to take the proverbial bull by the horns and form Jethropolitan Records, a place where he can get back to the blood and guts of what he terms “real country music,” the kind of stuff you don’t hear on radio anymore.
Catch up on Nashville Star through Matt C.'s live blog. Episode I | Episode II | Episode III | Episode IV
Sing Me Back Home: Love, Death, and Country Music by Dana Jennings When Jennings addresses modern country in the final chapter, he leaves you with the impression that it just can’t tap into the primal psyche the same way the classics that served as his nursery rhymes did.Current Discussion
- Jim Malec: I think Toby is one of the better recording artists in country music--but like s...
- Brian: Toby once made the comment that he was the "Barry Bonds of songwriting." After "...
- CRAIG R.: I must confess that Toby Keith has really not impressed me that much since " H...
- John Maglite: I agree. If you don't agree with D16, you are clearly naieve....
- D16: Telly, How can yoube so naieve. This is a great song...
- Sam G.: Didn't know there was going to be so many promising releases coming up in the ne...
- CF: Nice review. Imma check it out....
- Telly: I love, love, love Toby Keith, but that song is really bad. Just horribly bad. ...
- Kelly: "Watch what you say to someone with nothing, it's almost like having it all" ...
- Hollerin' Ben: I live under the illusion that one day I will write a long article that places T...
