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The Statler Brothers and Tom T. Hall Enshrined In Hall of Fame
The first song ever recorded by The Statler Brothers was a tune by the name of “The Ballad of Billy Christian,” written by Tom T. Hall. In that regard, it was only fitting that both were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame at the Ford Theater on Sunday night.
Last week Rick drew our […]Continue reading "The Statler Brothers and Tom T. Hall Enshrined In Hall of Fame"
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Loretta’s Songwriters HoF Performance Sparked Impromptu Encore
Lee Ann Womack kicked off the Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony last Thursday with a note-perfect rendition of Loretta Lynn’s “You Ain’t Woman Enough,” and Blake Shelton performed a countrier-than-the-original version of Albert Hammond’s “To All The Girls I’ve Loved Before,” but Jim Allen says nothing compared to Lynn’s performance of her own “Coal […]
Continue reading "Loretta’s Songwriters HoF Performance Sparked Impromptu Encore"
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Man Claims He Is The Son of Late Eddy Arnold; Wants Paternity Test
A man claiming to be the illegitimate son of the late Eddy Arnold filed a petition last Wednesday to establish paternity. The man, Christopher Edward Tanner, says he will do what is necessary to “make things right,” even if that means exhuming Arnold’s body for DNA testing.
Danny Davis, the man who pioneered the use of […]Continue reading "Man Claims He Is The Son of Late Eddy Arnold; Wants Paternity Test"
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Former Hee Haw Star Jim Hager Passed Away From Aparent Heart Attack
Jim Hager, one half of the Hagers duo, died on Thursday from an apparent heart attack. Jim and his twin brother Jon rose to fame after joining the cast of Hee Haw in 1969.
Taylor Swift (sans makeup) and Carrie Underwood both made People magazine’s “100 Most Beautiful People” list. And so did Barbara Mandrell, which […]Continue reading "Former Hee Haw Star Jim Hager Passed Away From Aparent Heart Attack"
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Songpluggers Reflect On Country Music Industry
Songwriters write songs. Performers perform those songs. But how do they get from the songwriters to the performers? Through songpluggers like Sherrill Blackman, Dale Dodson, Tom Luteran and Abbe Nameche. Randy Rudder says they gathered at CMA one morning to discuss their craft.
What, for you, are the best and/or worst aspects of the songplugger’s life?
Blackman: […]Continue reading "Songpluggers Reflect On Country Music Industry"
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Songs About Prisoners Waitin’ Around To Die
Country Music is concerned with topics like life and death, sin and salvation, and the experience of the outsider and the lower classes. It should come as no surprise then that many fine country songs feature prisoners waiting to die. Here are 10 of the finest.
10. “They’re Hanging Me Tonight” - Johnny […]
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82 Year-Old Ray Price Not Slowing Down
Andrew Dansby has a fantastic profile on Ray Price. He’s currently 82 years-old, performed around 88 shows last year, hopes to do close to 100 this year, and is working on two albums. One is a collaboration with Johnny Bush, Willie Nelson, and the late Calvin Owens due in June. The other is called My […]
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The Cyrus Virus: Billy Ray Tapped To Host Nashville Star
Billy Ray Cyrus announced he’ll be hosting the sixth-season of Nashville Star.
“This year it is all about the dream, about the music, about persistence and never giving up faith,” Billy Ray told Leno. “You know, I’ve been to the fair, and I’ve seen the bear, and I’m really excited.”Calvin Gilbert on the CMT blog: “At […]
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Your Take: Visionary Collaborations
Collaboration between established artists has created some interesting and successful pairings throughout country music’s lifetime. Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty, Emmylou Harris and Gram Parsons, Alan Jackson and George Strait, and with the advent of technology, Alison Krauss & Keith Whitley, and Hank Williams and Bocephus. Last year, Raising […]
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Keith Urban T-Shirts Now Made With Recycled Plastic
Keith Urban has partnered with a company to help make his t-shirts more environmentally-friendly by being partially made from recycled plastic bottles. At the same time, Kenny Chesney says his tour requires 55 trucks and 28 buses to make everything work.
Who didn’t see this one coming years ago? Dolly Parton postponed her tour, citing […]Continue reading "Keith Urban T-Shirts Now Made With Recycled Plastic"
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LeAnn Rimes - “What I Cannot Change” When LeAnn Rimes enters a recording studio, she carries with her the most impressive instrument in the room.
Kellie Pickler - “Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful” Coming from Kellie Pickler, it’s like a rich man telling the beggar that his soul is rich and that’s better than all the money in the world.
Lee Ann Womack - “Last Call” It’s not her strongest song, but it’s well written with a good performance, and despite the dull internal conflict, it’s rife with emotional depth.
Brad Paisley - “Waitin’ On a Woman” Bizarrely, it took a song written by someone other than Brad Paisley for radio to hear what the Paisley style can truly accomplish.
Merle Haggard at the Ryman Auditorium: Of the Haggard classics, “Silver Wings,” “The Way I Am” and crowd-favorite “I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink” were performed with confident ease while “Kern River” was sung with inspired tenderness and “Back to Earth,” from 2007’s Last of the Breed, contained more than a trace of Willie’s nasally twang. 
One of an emerging wave of artists empowered by decreasing production costs and a rapidly changing distribution landscape, Kelleigh Bannen has taken a do-it-yourself approach to her debut album, Radio Skies.
The two-time Dancing With The Stars champion, Julianne Hough, recently took some time to answer questions for The 9513 in this exclusive interview.
After cutting ties with Warner Bros. Records, Ray Scott decided to take the proverbial bull by the horns and form Jethropolitan Records, a place where he can get back to the blood and guts of what he terms “real country music,” the kind of stuff you don’t hear on radio anymore.
Catch up on Nashville Star through Matt C.'s live blog. Episode I | Episode II | Episode III | Episode IV
Sing Me Back Home: Love, Death, and Country Music by Dana Jennings When Jennings addresses modern country in the final chapter, he leaves you with the impression that it just can’t tap into the primal psyche the same way the classics that served as his nursery rhymes did.Current Discussion
- CRAIG R.: Jim that is an excellent point....
- Jim Malec: I think Toby is one of the better recording artists in country music--but like s...
- Brian: Toby once made the comment that he was the "Barry Bonds of songwriting." After "...
- CRAIG R.: I must confess that Toby Keith has really not impressed me that much since " H...
- John Maglite: I agree. If you don't agree with D16, you are clearly naieve....
- D16: Telly, How can yoube so naieve. This is a great song...
- Sam G.: Didn't know there was going to be so many promising releases coming up in the ne...
- CF: Nice review. Imma check it out....
- Telly: I love, love, love Toby Keith, but that song is really bad. Just horribly bad. ...
- Kelly: "Watch what you say to someone with nothing, it's almost like having it all" ...
