The 9513 - Country Music Blog

Steel Magnolia took a decidedly modern media approach to breaking into the country music business. A victory on the second season of CMT’s Can You Duet–a reality show that also helped launch the career of Joey + Rory–helped land them a record deal and launch their first single onto country radio. But it is the [...]

Continue reading "A Conversation with Steel Magnolia’s Meghan Linsey"

For Sunny Sweeney, being a country music artist comes with some baggage… the good kind. Sweeney clearly believes that she holds a responsibility to the sound and music that inspired her as a child. Names such as Haggard, Lynn, and Parton are names she owes her own brief legacy to and wherever that career may [...]

Continue reading "Merle Haggard Is Pretty Much Sunny Sweeney’s Hero"

With his fourth album, Mission Bell, folk-pop singer-songwriter Amos Lee has been propelled into the national consciousness. The album, defined by his raspy, soulful voice, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 earlier this month. It was an impressive feat for an artist who until this year hadn’t shed the journeyman tag despite his [...]

Continue reading "Amos Lee: Respecting the Sanctity of the Song"

Editor’s Note: The following transcript contains explicit language. “There’s a fuckload of squirrels out there!” exclaims a surprised Todd Snider out of nowhere. He’s speaking to The 9513 from his home in East Nashville, which is apparently under siege “They’re having a meeting. Holy shit, here they come! Get help!” This is the sort of [...]

Continue reading "Under Attack By Squirrels: Interview with Todd Snider"

On her first radio tour in two years, momentum has been interrupted by the monster winter storm that hit most of the lower 48 states. Country artist Star De Azlan got turned around in Philly, barely catching a flight, and came back home to Texas to wait it out–only to be affected once again by [...]

Continue reading "Star De Azlan: First and Foremost a Country Singer"

Singer/songwriter Lori McKenna likes to think of herself as a housewife first. Married to her husband for 22 years (she has known him since third grade), mother of five children, and life-long citizen of small town Stoughton, Massachusetts, she takes pride in her home and family more than anything else. At age 27, she began [...]

Continue reading "It’s Got To Be Honest: Interview with Lori McKenna"

In the press release for his new album, James Otto is quoted as saying that he’s the symbolic “love child of Ronnie Milsap and Barry White.” Barry White’s deep soulful baritone became synonymous with groovy love-making songs in R&B and if there was ever an album that tried hard to be the soundtrack to getting [...]

Continue reading "James Otto Talks About His Place In Country Soul"

With musical influences that include jazz, country, classic, pop, swing and bluegrass, it’s not very easy to quickly describe The Belleville Outfit. It’s extremely easy to get hooked by their music, however. The young sextet plays with both virtuosity and energy and is quickly becoming known for a live act that’s won them fans across [...]

Continue reading "The Belleville Outfit’s Big Future"

It was supposed to be a simple, fun band that would get together every week and pick a few bluegrass chestnuts. Along the way though, The SteelDrivers found a distinctive sound, landed a record deal and released a stunning debut album that garnered them a loyal following and multiple award nominations. The band’s second album, [...]

Continue reading "A Hobby Band Spoiled: Talking with Mike Henderson of The SteelDrivers"

No doubt Dean Brody is a gifted storyteller. The rising Canadian country music star proved his singing and songwriting readiness last year with three hit songs off his self-titled debut album on Broken Bow Records–all three broke the Top 10 at Canadian country radio. His smash “Brothers” peaked at #26 on the U.S. charts and [...]

Continue reading "Dean Brody: It’s Become Bigger Than Just Him"