The 9513 - Country Music Blog

Last.fm Top Artists
The margin was a little closer this week, but Miranda Lambert is the Artist of the Week for the third straight week, with 28 listeners. Apparently, three weeks of listening to her pretty consistently required some people to take a little break and try out the rest of their music collection. George Strait [...]

Continue reading "The 9513 Last.fm Chart Update (10-18-09)"

Michael Martin Murphey signed a multi-album contract with Rural Rhythm Records during last week’s IBMA convention and will release his second set of bluegrass tunes, Buckaroo Blue Grass 2, next February. The first single is a remake of “Wildfire” as a duet with Carrie Hassler.

Continue reading "Michael Martin Murphey Inks Multi-Album Deal; Josh Turner’s Groovin’ Video; Corb Lund Acoustic"

Ashley Monroe has had an unlikely career so far. Signed to Sony as a teenager, she released two strong singles that went nowhere. Her debut album, Satisfied, was shelved, and she was eventually released from her contract. That spells doom for most artists, but Monroe has flourished since then: collaborating with Trent Dabbs and Brendan [...]

Continue reading "Despite Early Setbacks, Ashley Monroe is Satisfied With Career Track"

Peter Cooper recapped last night’s ACM Honors, which seemed to be the kind of event that should be televised in the place of the regular ACM Awards.
If Williams had attended, he probably would have enjoyed the musical performances, which included medleys of his hits by Jamey Johnson and The Grascals and a smashing version of [...]

Continue reading "Miranda Lambert Kisses Haggard; Tom Russell – Best Album of the Year?; Keen Listening Party"

Robert Earl Keen will release The Rose Hotel, his Lost Highway debut and first album since 2005, on Sept. 29.
Buddy Jewell is the first artist signed to the new label ALL Entertainment, and should have a new single next month.
NPR has an interview with Loudon Wainwright III and song selections from his newest album, High [...]

Continue reading "Lost Highway Debut Announced for Robert Earl Keen; Rounder Celebrates 40; Kenny Snatches Camera"

Barbara Mandrell, Roy Clark and Charlie McCoy became the newest members of the Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday in a ceremony that included tributes from Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, George Jones, Alison Krauss, Josh Turner, Michael McDonald, Rodney Crowell and others.
Reba McEntire is scheduled to sign autographs at CMA Fest for the first [...]

Continue reading "Barbara Mandrell, Roy Clark & Charlie McCoy Take Their Place In Hall of Fame"

Shawn Sahm led the surviving members of the Texas Tornados, Augie Meyers and Flaco Jiminez, in a six-song romp at Antone’s last night that was part of a two-hour tribute show to his father, the late Doug Sahm.
In addition to a documentary that’s being made about his father, Shaw Sahm also told the crowd that [...]

Continue reading "New Texas Tornados Album Will Include Freddy Fender"

A few interesting notes from a study of country music listeners by the Country Music Association:

Roughly two in five American adults ages 18-54 qualify as country music fans.
They’re predominantly Caucasian, more often female than male.
Forty percent of them make more than $50,000 year.
Roughly 5 percent of American adults aged 18-54 qualify as “countryphiles,” and they’re [...]

Continue reading "Study Finds ‘Countryphiles’ Shy Away From Digital Downloads"

Jo Dee Messina and her husband welcomed their first baby, Noah Roger Deffenbaugh, into the world at a Nashville-area hospital yesterday.
The folks from the Music Fog blog interviewed Bruce Robison and Sunny Sweeney at the Black Tie & Boots Inaugural Ball yesterday and posted videos of performances from Cross Canadian Ragweed, Jack Ingram, Gary P. [...]

Continue reading "Jo Dee Messina Welcomes Her First Child"

Ladies and gentlemen, after weeks of mulling over nearly every country album released last year, we’re proud to present The 9513’s Best Country Songs of 2008.
To be eligible, a song may not have appeared on 2007’s Top 50 list, and all significant covers have been excluded. Also, please note that a song need not [...]

Continue reading "The Best Country Songs Of 2008"