The 9513 - Country Music Blog

No other country music artist–past or present–has had a bigger impact on this reviewer than the Man in Black. With that said, I can’t help but share that there were some major fears and trepidations when it was announced that there would be a sixth release in the American series–particularly when it was reported to [...]

Continue reading "Album Review: Johnny Cash – American VI: Ain’t No Grave"

Jason Michael Carroll updated his Twitter account to let fans know that his label gave him the boot: “Unfortunately, Arista & I have decided to go our seperate ways! They called & said that they would be moving forward without me!” DFW.com’s Preston Jones and DC9 at Night’s Noah W. Bailey reviewed a recent Merle [...]

Continue reading "Jason Michael Carroll Leaves Record Label; Dove Awards Nominees Announced; Johnny Bush Celebrates 75 Years"

The story of Johnny Cash has been told and retold so many times and in so many forms over the past 15 years that it has accrued as much legend as fact. In two autobiographies, numerous histories and critical studies, a Hollywood biopic and even a graphic novel, the major events of his life become [...]

Continue reading "Johnny Cash: Years in the Wilderness"

Wynonna and Naomi Judd are reuniting for a 2010 tour. Country Haiku takes the literal approach to a country classic: I have to wonder Who is gonna fill their shoes They’re like size 14 On April 20, Jason Boland will release his first album since undergoing throat surgery. The live album, titled High In The [...]

Continue reading "The Judds Reunite For 2010 Tour; Gary Allan’s Dating Survey; Justin Townes Earle at Stubb’s"

It took three months, 10 voters and 300 nominated albums, but we’ve finally made it to the top of the mountain. These are The 9513′s Top 10 Country Albums of the Decade. From stark tales of life in the coal mine to slick-and-polished pop country to an outlaw savior, these 10 diverse albums–put forth by [...]

Continue reading "Top Country Albums of the Decade (#10-#1)"

The “comeback” effort from three Chicks, as well as Taylor Swift’s debut album, land near the mid-section of our countdown of the decade’s best country albums, but this 10-disc installment is best characterized by it’s Southwestern flair; Texans Kris Kristofferson, Amber Digby, Guy Clark and Dale Watson join the march across the halfway point as [...]

Continue reading "Top Country Albums of the Decade (#60-#51)"

With the halcyon days of multi-platinum records and even diamond records (for 10 million copies of an album sold), the music industry has run into economic struggles. Sales of CDs are down, music piracy is continuing to take its toll, and the industry’s seemingly reluctant embrace of digital music hasn’t done much to stop the [...]

Continue reading "Americana Music Association Executive Director Jed Hilly Is On A Mission"

Does anyone else wish Levon Helm was their grandfather? With his easygoing but deliberate way of telling a story, I’ve often thought about how cool it would be to just sit around and listen to him reminisce about his life experiences, his stories flavored with his vast repertoire of southern adages and homespun sayings. Without [...]

Continue reading "Levon Helm’s Electric Dirt a Worthy Companion to Cash’s American Recordings"

For the first installment of our brand new feature, The 9513’s Best Of… series, we’ve put our heads together and endured the harrowing process of paring down the entire Johnny Cash catalog to a list of his 15 most essential recordings. Neither a Greatest Hits list nor personal musings on our “favorite” tracks, this new [...]

Continue reading "The Best of Johnny Cash: The Man In Black’s 15 Most Essential Songs"

Edd Hurt talked with Dolly Parton about Porter Wagoner, her new album, and her legacy for a piece in American Songwriter. She says throughout her career songwriting is what she has enjoyed the most. Have you ever thought about making a record similar to Porter’s Wagonmaster or Charlie Louvin’s last record, using an outside producer [...]

Continue reading "Songwriting Is What Dolly Loves The Most"