The 9513 - Country Music Blog

Craig Morgan has left the building, uhh, I mean BNA Records, making him the latest in a line of artists to leave the Sony Music Nashville umbrella. Despite interest from several teams, Canadian hockey team Ottawa Senators prioritized the trade of Mike Fisher to the Nashville Predators with the hope that he would be able [...]

Continue reading "Craig Morgan Parts with BNA Records; Canadian Station Bans Carrie Underwood Music; New Artists Stump For ACM Votes"

Dailey & Vincent were the big winners during Sunday’s SPBGMA Awards, pulling in a combined total of seven trophies in categories like entertaining group and album of the year, but other winners included Rhonda Vincent, who won a couple of categories herself, Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice for song of the year, and Tom T. [...]

Continue reading "Dailey & Vincent Win Big at SPBGMA Awards; New Album Releases; Chris Young Sends Third Song to the Top"

It’s official: John Rich will be on the upcoming season of Celebrity Apprentice. Austin Music Source’s Michael Corcoran on Friday night’s George Strait/Reba McEntire/Lee Ann Womack show, which set a record for the Erwin Center: Though this seemed like a double headlined show on paper, Strait and his aptly named Ace In the Hole Band, [...]

Continue reading "John Rich Makes ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ Cast; The Steel Wheels Ask Fans For Help; Eric Brace/Peter Cooper Produce Tom T. Hall Tribute"

Reba McEntire opened 2010 with the first No. 1 single and she’ll close the year with the last as well. Despite Julianne Hough‘s claims to the contrary, CMT did not ban her latest video for being too provocative. [...] the reason the network is shying away from the video is because of contract negotiation problems, [...]

Continue reading "Reba Bookends 2010 with No. 1 Singles; Eddie Montgomery Recovering After Successful Surgery"

Tim McGraw on his relationship with his label, Curb Records: Pressed on why 20 years was too long, Tim caught himself and pulled a few of his punches while answering. “Look, I think there comes a time when you’ve gotten everything out of each other that you can … When a relationship doesn’t work mutually [...]

Continue reading "Tim McGraw Nears the End of His Record Contract; Joe Nichols Readies Hits; Taylor Swift at Ed Sullivan Theater"

From three to two, Love and Theft loses a member. Trace Adkins on John Rich‘s Celebrity Apprentice appearance: “After that first season, they came to me and said, ‘Who in country music should we go after?’ He was the first name that I told ‘em. I said, ‘You gotta get John Rich.’ He’s like a [...]

Continue reading "Love and Theft Drops to Duo Status; Billboard Adds Social 50 Chart; Edgar Loudermilk Releases Duet with Rhonda Vincent"

Come Dec. 14, American Idol runner-up Crystal Bowersox will release her debut album Farmer’s Daughter, but does it stand a chance? Reality Rocks’ Lyndsey Parker says YES — if her label markets her as a country artist. Listen to some live performances at No Depression. John Rich‘s latest lawsuit claims that former Nashville Star contestant [...]

Continue reading "Josh Kelley Previews Album with New EP; John Rich Still Mired in Lawsuits; Bonus Track From Marty Stuart"

Garth Brooks announced this morning that he’s hosting a benefit concert for flood victims at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Dec. 17. “If you come to Vegas, you’ll see Garth Brooks with a guitar,” he said. “When you come to Nashville this Christmas, you’re gonna see the band that you know, you’ll see the light rig [...]

Continue reading "Garth Brooks Announces Date for Nashville Concert; Billy Ray Cyrus Headed for Divorce; ACL to Close Studio 6A with Lyle Lovett"

Cadillac Sky lead singer and mandolin player Bryan Simpson announced his departure from the band, but promises that his replacement is extremely gifted and will not disappoint. Several stars plan to get together the day after the CMA Awards to record a Christmas special for ABC. Listen to The SteelDrivers with new lead singer Gary [...]

Continue reading "Lead Singer Leaves Cadillac Sky; New Releases; Dierks Bentley Raises $250,000; Track-by-Track Taylor Swift Breakdown"

You’ve probably noticed the tremendous amount of energy and verbiage being expended online these days, in all sorts of places, by people who feel attached to some ongoing or even, often, some abandoned recording format. The conventionally-sized CD album, regularly derided for years—not less in country than in other musical genres— as often an over-priced [...]

Continue reading "Scanning the Countryside: Right-Size Me"