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In Memory of Jim and Jon Hager
The recent death of Jon Hager (January 9, 2009) reminds me of just how unfair the fickle finger of fate can be. Hager and his twin brother, Jim (August 30, 1941–May 8, 2008), were two of the greatest showmen to ever grace a country music stage. While they never had any really big hits, and [...]
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The Year In Review: Top 20 Country Music News Stories Of 2008
20. Joey + Rory Rising: A Talent Competition Actually Finds Talent
Outside of American Idol winner Carrie Underwood and Nashville Star castoff Miranda Lambert, the spate of talent competitions that we’ve endured since the advent of reality TV has produced few artists who could be said to possess a level of talent that aligns them with [...]Continue reading "The Year In Review: Top 20 Country Music News Stories Of 2008"
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“Long Black Veil” Songwriter Danny Dill Passed Away at 83
Danny Dill, one of the songwriters behind Lefty Frizzell’s “Long Black Veil” and Bobby Bare’s “Detroit City,” passed away on Thursday at the age of 83. If you’re not familiar with “Long Black Veil,” read the story behind the song in Stop Cutting Hits: The Story of Lefty Frizzell’s “The Long Black Veil.”
PopMatters‘ Joseph Carver [...]Continue reading "“Long Black Veil” Songwriter Danny Dill Passed Away at 83"
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CMA Announces Plans To Build Retirement Community for Musicians
The CMA has plans to offer a retirement community specifically for musicians, songwriters and those who made a career in the music industry but don’t have the fame or money of more prominent country stars. Mitchel Kline reports that the proposed community could feature recording studios, performance halls and an amphitheater.
A new six-disc boxed set [...]Continue reading "CMA Announces Plans To Build Retirement Community for Musicians"
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Hank Williams’ Steel Guitarist, Don Helms, Passed Away Today At 81
Steel guitarist Don Helms, who played on more than 100 Hank Williams recordings, passed away this morning at 81 from an apparent heart attack.
Mr. Helms was the last remaining link to the Drifting Cowboys. His guitar was heard on more than 100 of Williams’ recordings, including “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” “Cold, Cold Heart” and “I Can’t [...]Continue reading "Hank Williams’ Steel Guitarist, Don Helms, Passed Away Today At 81"
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Stop Cutting Hits: The Story of Lefty Frizzell’s “The Long Black Veil”
Lefty Frizzell rivaled and might have been bigger than Hank Williams in 1951, placing four songs in the top ten at the same time, a feat that’s never been matched. Like Williams, he led a turbulent life, mostly due to his own bad habits, but it was his friend Hank who was immortalized by an [...]
Continue reading "Stop Cutting Hits: The Story of Lefty Frizzell’s “The Long Black Veil”"
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Julio Iglesias, Jr. – “The Way I Want You”
You knew it was coming–the winner of Gone Country was bound to release the promised single and it has arrived. Julio Iglesias, Jr. was the winner and judging by comments made by the show’s judge, John Rich, he was chosen based on his ethnicity and sex appeal. If Rich had listened to a little [...]
Continue reading "Julio Iglesias, Jr. – “The Way I Want You”"
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Jason Boland and Aaron Watson Team Up for Texas Tour
Score 1 for the traditional country fans in Texas. Jason Boland and Aaron Watson announced they’ll be joining forces for a tour across the Lone Star State starting in April.
While discussing past magazine ideas, No Depression’s Grant Alden mentions the issue with Miranda Lambert on the cover was, to the best of his knowledge, [...]Continue reading "Jason Boland and Aaron Watson Team Up for Texas Tour"
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Country Singer/Songwriters Are Hot Investments
When someone starts talking about IPOs and investing my eyes gloss over, but if you have some money to blow, I mean invest, then country music is apparently a hot commodity. And by “some money,” I mean a minimum of $500,000.
Country singer/songwriters are the single hottest investment property you can find in 2008. A new [...]Continue reading "Country Singer/Songwriters Are Hot Investments"
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The 9513 Mother’s Day Playlist
We’ve come up with a playlist to help you add a more personal touch to that expensive gift that we know you’re lavishing on your mom this upcoming Mother’s Day. Mother’s play a special role in the lives of their children and each one of the following songs pays tribute to that bond between mother [...]
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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?Current Discussion
- Thomas: dwight yoakam, julie roberts and joe nichols dwight and julie doing "things change" together could be fun to listen to and ...
- Erik: Patty Loveless, Reba, Trisha Yearwood, and Wynonna.
- Ron: Too many possibilities...Johnny Cash and Bruce Springsteen would be great.
- Paul W Dennis: Merle Haggard, Pete Seeger, Tom Paxton & Willie Nelson
- Vicki: Or Alison Krauss and Union Station, Ricky Skaggs, Patty Loveless and Vince Gill
- Vicki: The Beatles, Carrie Underwood, Jamey Johnson and Josh Groban.
- Matt: I'm glad you chose to review this as opposed to the new Joe Nichols album. Instead of complaining about bad ...
- Terry Ridont: I think its cool. Thats what I like about indy rock artists, everything isn't the same high budget packaging and ...
- Stormy: Jon: The problem is that the progressive country music is now being called Americana. And why is it ...
- Razor X: Maybe his brother did talk him into it but what’s to say he hasn’t ‘always loved’ and ‘wanted’ to ...
