The 9513 - Country Music Blog

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"

Vernell Hackett recapped last night’s “Revolution at the Ryman” for The Boot.
After tearing through all 15 songs on ‘Revolution,’ Miranda cautioned the band, “Don’t go away, we’ll be right back!” Minutes later the she returned to the stage with her guitar. “Merle Haggard was a tremendous influence on me, so you can’t play the Ryman [...]

Continue reading "Revolution at the Ryman; George Strait’s Roots; Vince Vaughn Loves Country Music"

We’ve got to go all the way back to the very end of May to find a female artist at the top of The 9513 charts, and that was Jennifer Nettles as one-half of Sugarland. This week, we’ve got three of them at #1, courtesy of the Dixie Chicks. Unlike some of the artists who [...]

Continue reading "The 9513 Last.fm Chart Update (8-2-09)"

Disclaimer: Expect no objectivity at all from me with this article. Along with Webb Pierce and Merle Haggard, Ernest Tubb is one of my all-time favorite country artists. Yes, I know he started out most songs a quarter tone flat and worked his way flatter from there, and yes, I know that 80% of The [...]

Continue reading "Forgotten Artists: Ernest Tubb (1914-1984)"

If anyone in Country Music can truly be said to be a “renaissance man” that person would be Billy Edd Wheeler. Poet, playwright, author, songwriter, singer, artist, lecturer and ecologist would be but a few of the hats that accurately (and comfortably) fit onto his head.
Billy Edd Wheeler fits into the realm between folk music, [...]

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You gaze at that guitar on your knee
In a way that you never look at me
This love affair of yours has gone too far
And I’m tired of playing second fiddle to an old guitar
From “Second Fiddle (To an Old Guitar),” Capitol Records, 1964

Kitty Wells may have been the reigning Queen of Country Music during the [...]

Continue reading "Forgotten Artists: Jean Shepard"

Willie Nelson, George Strait and Lyle Lovett are recognized as three of the 30 most stylish Texans of all time by Texas Monthly.
Legend has it that when [George Strait] showed up for his first Texas Monthly cover shoot, in 1988, he honored the photographer’s request that he bring a couple different outfits by packing two [...]

Continue reading "Nelson, Strait and Lovett Recognized For Their Sense of Style"

Miranda Lambert told Billboard’s Gary Graff that she’s worked on about four songs for her new album, which is scheduled for a September release. She’s mixing some of her own songs and including submissions from other writers.
“What’s fun is the more success you have, the better the songs are that you’re pitched,” she notes. “The [...]

Continue reading "Miranda Lambert’s New Album Is Slated For September"

Jon Hager, who performed as one-half of The Hager Twins with his brother Jim in the original cast of Hee-Haw, passed away last week at the age of 67. Sam Lovullo, a producer of Hee-Haw and friend of the Hagers, said Jon had been in poor health and was depressed since Jim had died in [...]

Continue reading "Jon Hager of Hee-Haw’s The Hager Twins Found Dead"

Bobby Bare Jr. says Shel Silverstein critiqued every song he wrote until he died and says he was his father’s best friend. In that respect, it’s only fitting that Bare Sr. and Jr. are collaborating on a tribute album to the late children’s author, artist, poet and songwriter. Scheduled for release sometime next year, the [...]

Continue reading "The Bobby Bares Are Collaborating on Tribute To Shel Silverstein"