The 9513 - Country Music Blog

If you want to start a heated discussion among a bunch of devoted country music fans or music makers, no matter what stripe, style, or era of country music they call their own, bring up the question of today’s mainstream country radio. You’re certain to hear some railing from somebody about a longstanding set of [...]

Continue reading "Scanning the Countryside: Country Radio—Your Way"

Some of country’s less-heralded, less-promoted releases of the past year are not only very well worth hearing, they also introduced or re-introduced ideas which this writer, for whatever it’s worth, would like to see more artists and producers take up. Among the strongest 2010 releases was the only marginally noted Amber Digby & Justin Trevino [...]

Continue reading "Scanning the Countryside: Duos and Demos"

Photo courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum I was privileged to be on hand in August for all three of Buddy Miller’s Artist-in-Residence shows at the Country Music Hall of Fame’s Ford Theater, the first of which marked the theater’s reopening after its repair from damage in May’s Nashville flooding. These [...]

Continue reading "Scanning the Countryside: Country’s Buddy"

Tickets for Music City Keep on Playin’ – A Benefit for Flood Relief, the first nationally televised telethon for Nashville flood aid, went on sale today. The event includes Kellie Pickler, Will Hoge, Brad Paisley, Lady Antebellum, Dierks Bentley, Rodney Atkins and more, and will broadcast live on GAC next Sunday. Tim McGraw and Faith [...]

Continue reading "Upcoming Music Events Benefit Flood Relief; Gruene Hall Celebrates 35 Years; Ultimate Willie Nelson List"

The Americana Music Association raised more than $9,000 on Monday by auctioning handwritten, autographed lyrics of songs from the likes of Guy Clark, Dolly Parton, and John Hiatt. In between bids, Clark, Hiatt, Cowboy Jack Clement, Elizabeth Cook, Jim Lauderdale, Kix Brooks, Sam Bush, Mary Gauthier and Jeff Black all played and sang songs. The [...]

Continue reading "Americana Music Auction Raises $9,000; Garth Sues Hometown Hospital; Willie Schedules Picnic for Backyard"

Dierks Bentley and Darius Rucker opened for Brad Paisley when he rolled through Austin last Thursday, but it was Asleep at the Wheel’s Ray Benson that joined Paisley for a duet on “Miles And Miles of Texas” and Austin guitar legend Redd Volkaert who dueled with him during the encore performance of “Let The Good [...]

Continue reading "Special Guests Ray Benson and Redd Volkaert Joined Brad Paisley For Austin Concert"

Check out 2007′s Top 100 Albums according the Americana Airplay chart. Lucinda Williams, Ryan Adams, Kelly Willis, Son Volt, and Patty Griffin top the list. Jimmie Dale Gilmore generally prefers to interpret other songwriters’ songs, but is currently working on a CD of new, original songs for release in 2008. He reveals that The Flatlanders [...]

Continue reading "Americana Airplay Published Year-End Top 100"

In the New York Times Kelefa Senneh writes “It’s a yearly tradition: Summer ends, the fourth quarter looms (after a dismal first three), and the fragile hopes of record executives head south, to Nashville.” She then lists a few country artists who might be able to break out of the sales slump. The Sara Evans [...]

Continue reading "Hopes Of Record Executives Head To Nashville For Fourth Quarter"

Remember Chris LeDoux’s band, Western Underground? They’re still touring. At first they were going to do kind of a goodbye/tribute tour, but found out that the fans weren’t ready for them to go anywhere yet. Mark Cowling wrote an article about the band in which the members talk about how they got started with LeDoux [...]

Continue reading "Western Underground Remembers Chris LeDoux And Little Texas Records A New Album"