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Taylor Swift Hosts ‘SNL’; Dolly Parton & Jessica Simpson Have Big Breasts; Kristofferson Receives Inaugural Stephen Bruton Award
Watch the promo for this week’s Saturday Night Live, hosted by Taylor Swift.
Country California’s C.M. Wilcox reviewed the new album from Derek Hoke, Goodbye Rock N Roll, and maintained that Hoke has released one of the finest country debuts of 2009. (MySpace)
His gentle, unpretentious brand of throwback country often seems just a hiccup away from [...] -
Blake Shelton’s Defiant Attitude; Rascal Flatts Pluses; Carolwood Records Folds
Blake Shelton on his more defiant attitude of late:
“One thing we’re doing that we probably haven’t done is showcase the … ‘I don’t give a (expletive) if you like it or not’ attitude,” Shelton says. “It’s puzzled me why country artists have to be so politically correct. I mean I’m not a politician. If I’m [...]Continue reading "Blake Shelton’s Defiant Attitude; Rascal Flatts Pluses; Carolwood Records Folds"
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The George Strait & Reba McEntire Show; Carrie Underwood Released an Album Today
George Strait and Reba McEntire are going on tour together.
String Theory Media’s Craig Havighurst highlighted a NPR feature that argues that charts might be measuring the wrong thing, and because of that, they mean less today than they did in the past.
They’ve always been something of an illusion, a contrivance meant to serve the needs [...]Continue reading "The George Strait & Reba McEntire Show; Carrie Underwood Released an Album Today"
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October Mailbag: What Did Beyonce Think After Kenya Interrupted The Awards?
What did Beyonce think after Kenya interrupted the awards?
She figured the country’s government must still be bitter that Taylor Swift is only bringing her tour to the West coast of Africa. — Karlie
What subgenre is Taylor Swift?
Moody electropunk jazzbilly thrash metal with operatic overtones. Or just pop-country. — CMW
When will I be loved by John [...]Continue reading "October Mailbag: What Did Beyonce Think After Kenya Interrupted The Awards?"
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Album Review: Dolly Parton – Dolly
No pun intended, but Dolly Parton cuts a striking figure in country music. Growing up destitute in the mountains of West Tennessee, she showed a strong musical talent as a child and cut her first record before she was a teenager. Since then, she has recorded frequently and adventurously, surveying a wide swath of American [...]
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Drifting Cowboys Steel Guitarist Passed Away; New Releases; Bruce Robison Tour Diary; Free Sampler
Steel guitarist Robert D. Norred, who was a member of Hank Williams‘ Drifting Cowboys for a short period in the late ’40s, passed away on Sunday.
New releases for the week of October 27, 2009 include:
Bart Crow Band – Heartworn Tragedy
Amazon | iTunes | MySpaceDel McCoury Band – Family Circle
Amazon | iTunes | MySpaceDolly Parton – [...]
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John Rich and Wife Expecting; Brad Paisley and CW Network Team Up; All-Time Favorites
John Rich and his wife are expecting their first baby.
Brad Paisley signed on to create and co-produce a new drama on the CW Network about “an aspiring young female singer destined for stardom and a male songwriter whose career isn’t as certain.”
The Austin Chronicle’s Jim Caligiuri reviewed recent albums from Guy Clark and Robert Earl [...] -
U.S. House of Representatives Honors Country Music; New Releases; Awards Results
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution honoring country music for its contributions to America.
New releases for the week of October 20, 2009 include:
Bomshel – Fight Like a Girl
Amazon | iTunes | MySpaceFlatt & Scruggs – Foggy Mountain Banjo (Reissue)
Amazon | Collector’s Choice MusicGrasstowne – The Other Side of Towne
Amazon | iTunes | MySpaceJoe [...]
Continue reading "U.S. House of Representatives Honors Country Music; New Releases; Awards Results"
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Rusty Wier Passed Away; Garth Brooks Headed to Vegas; Teenage Stars
Rusty Wier, one of the innovators of the “Austin sound” in the ’70s and an Americana musician before there was such a thing, passed away Friday morning:
Hearing was Rusty Wier’s last sense to go, so although he was almost unresponsive when surrounded by relatives and friends, including Jerry Jeff Walker, at his son Coby’s house [...]Continue reading "Rusty Wier Passed Away; Garth Brooks Headed to Vegas; Teenage Stars"
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Friday Five: Pop Covers
Several The 9513 commenters have stated that much of today’s mainstream country music sounds like pop music from the 1970s and 80s. Today we’ll be looking at a handful of artists who’ve semi-recently covered pop hits of that era. Are these versions better or worse than the originals? That’s up to you.
5. “When Doves Cry” [...]
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- Razor X: When you chose to work with pop producers, the choice is pretty easy. Sellout. That's what makes the ...
- Razor X: I prefer that politics be kept out of songs except in general terms – I don’t mind it being ...
- Liz: I enjoyed the song and video. Nicely done!
- Jon: Unfairly stereotyped, sure. But there's a faulty premise there, Karlie: "Historically, country music ...has been built upon conservative and ...
- Leeann Ward: Couldn't have said it better than Paul.
- Paul W Dennis: I prefer that politics be kept out of songs except in general terms - I don't mind it being an ...
- Jon: Aah, the bracing sound of a rock guy dragging his attitude into the country realm.
- Steve M.: "Steve, You really should drop the “holler than thou” additude. Everything in this commerical; don’t act like you’re above that. Carrie ...
- estelle: I love it! From Cowboy Casanova to Play On, there's not a single track that I do not like. So ...
- highwayman3: Dan Milliken, thanks for that post, I wanted to comment on the Miranda comparison as well because its just silly ...

Is Dave Haywood going solo? This and many other of country music's most pressing questions answered in the September edition of The 9513's world famous Mailbag!
Caroline Herring likes to sing songs about life in the South. No, not exactly like Justin Moore and Jason Aldean...
The 9513's resident historian Paul W. Dennis sits down for a chat with country music legend Gene Watson.
As much as we love girl singers, we love songs about girl singers even more. Here's just a few of the many tribute songs out there.
Step away from the river and up to a jukebox, because heartbreak is only temporary, but a good song about drowning yourself—like a diamond—lasts forever.
What do you think about music labels "testing the waters" with a single before providing access to an artist's entire album?
What country artist, young or old, would you recommend as a must-listen artist to a newcomer on his/her journey through country music, and what would your essential song picks be?



