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"

Larry Cordle has a new album, Pud Marcum’s Hangin’, scheduled for a March 15 release and three singles scheduled for release tomorrow. For country fans, Cordle offers his own expressive version of a song first recorded by country star Trace Adkins in 2008, “Sometimes a Man Takes a Drink.” The lighthearted “Uncle Bob Got Religion,” [...]

Continue reading "Larry Cordle Schedules New Album and Three Singles; Will, Wills and Willie; Introduction to the Westbound Rangers"

The first round of announced performers for the CMA Music Festival includes Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, Sheryl Crow, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts, Reba, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton and Keith Urban. “On the Banks of the Ohio” illustrated. (via Fresh Signals) Northwest native Rachel Harrington plans to release her [...]

Continue reading "CMA Fest Announces Performers; Shaver & Nelson Release “Wacko From Waco” Duet; Gretchen Wilson’s Favorite Grammy Winners"

Charlie Louvin‘s autobiography will be released later this year. Dierks Bentley describes the direction of his next album: “I’m going to use the term kick (butt) to describe it,” Bentley said of his new material. “Everyone is asking me, ‘Is it bluegrass or country?’ I think you’re asking the wrong guy because I thought the [...]

Continue reading "Charlie Louvin Autobiography In the Works; Ronnie Dunn’s New Single; Rodney Hayden Introduces Video Series"

Country music legend Charlie Louvin passed away early this morning at the age of 83. If you get a chance, check out his final recordings, released as a two-song project at the Country Music Hall of Fame. It contains “Alabama,” the first song ever recorded by The Louvin Brothers, and “Back When We Were Young,” [...]

Continue reading "Hall of Famer Charlie Louvin Passed Away Early This Morning at the Age of 83"

After 22 years together, Alan Jackson and Arista Nashville are parting ways. As for a future label home, Jackson’s manager says there’s currently three options that look really good, but doesn’t mention what they are. Our Country’s Chris Willman gets more into the specifics of what the split means. Something else to think about: Trace [...]

Continue reading "Alan Jackson Splits with Longtime Label; Bloodshot Signs Lydia Loveless; The Steep Canyon Rangers Celebrate 10 Years"

Have you ever thought to yourself that country radio needs more porno music? You know, like the cheesy, ’70s-style “bow chicka bow wow” that signifies impending sexytime? Trace Adkins’ new single—at #55 on the charts and climbing—is the song for you. It starts out promising, with a cool, plunky banjo intro and some country-rock guitars, [...]

Continue reading "Trace Adkins – “Brown Chicken Brown Cow”"

Chet Flippo on respect in country music: When some kind of a strange variety show on a network TV channel opens with a song titled “Kiss My Country Ass,” any possible respect for the country music tradition [...] is absolutely thrown under the bus. You want trashy music? You got it. You want some respect [...]

Continue reading "Sara Evans and Brad Paisley Schedule New Albums; Billboard’s Year-End Lists; Ray Wylie Hubbard Dissatisfied with Finished Movie"

There is country radio, and then there is Country Radio. When I first began covering the business a decade ago, I was at first annoyed to see the way that radio insiders insisted on referring to their milieu as “Country Radio” in every casual mention (see here)—but I eventually became grateful for the useful distinction. [...]

Continue reading "The C Word"

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"