The 9513 - Country Music Blog

As remarkable as Eddy Arnold’s country music career was, Chet Flippo says, “his lasting legacy will be that he made the world safe for country pop music.” Flippo also pulled a snippet from a CMT interview where Arnold recalled one of the first times he recognized the split between pop and hillbilly music.
Peter Cooper says […]

Continue reading "Country Music Writers Remember Eddy Arnold"

The Stagecoach Musical Festival was a three day event that, on a grand scale, showcased what country music is today. It’s estimated that over the three day period 150,000 people showed up. I arrived on Friday with very little idea of what to expect.
As I walked into the festival, The Randy Rogers Band was playing […]

Continue reading "Stagecoach Music Festival ‘08: Day One"

In an effort to pump up awareness for Nashville Star John Rich attacked American Idol, saying the show infuriates him as an artist.
“You can tell when somebody’s comment was scripted. You can tell when they told an artist, ‘Wear this, and sing that, and do that.’ That’s not the way it’s going to work on […]

Continue reading "American Idol Infuriates John Rich"

A new children’s book, My Little Girl, penned by Tim McGraw and singer-songwriter Tom Douglas will hit bookshelves in October, with a forward foreword from Faith Hill.
Hal Bogerd gushes over Peter Cooper’s newest album, Mission Door, claiming “if the year keeps going like this my 2008 top ten list is going to get pretty crowded.”
Trisha […]

Continue reading "Tim McGraw Channels Inner Shel Silverstein for New Children’s Book"

Andrew Dansby of The Houston Chronicle sat down with Hayes Carll behind the Continental Club to “get some fresh air and smoke some cigarettes,” while he talked to the witty singer-songwriter about life, heroes, and his new album, Trouble In Mind.
“A lot of the songs on this album are about specific memories,” he says. “Living […]

Continue reading "Hayes Carll Releases Lost Highway Debut, Trouble In Mind"

What artist is switching to country music?
Snoop Dogg apparently has an Everlast country song on his new album, Jessica Simpson is from Texas and therefore undeniably country, and Bon Jovi and the Eagles tried on a pair of country music boots last year–so tell me, which artists aren’t switching to country music? - Brody
And most […]

Continue reading "Mailbag: How Can I Get More Than A Memory?"

Due to scheduling conflicts, Comedy Central had to postpone the highly-anticipated April 17th roasting of Willie Nelson. A new date has not been determined yet. (via ggcolumn)
Despite the numerous hits in Randy Travis’ repertoire, Shirley Jinkins of the Star-Telegram says one of his best performances Saturday night at Billy Bob’s was an unlikely one.
He turned […]

Continue reading "Comedy Central Postpones Willie Nelson Roast"

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"

I purchased Garth Brooks’ The Ultimate Hits two-CD and DVD package months ago but only recently had the chance to do something that I don’t think I’ve done for any other artist: sit down and watch all of the Garth’s major video releases from first to most recent. What I realized about Brooks’ career […]

Continue reading "The Music Video as an Indicator of Artistic Viability"

In a perfect world, The 9513 staff would select the ACM nominees and fans would not vote for Entertainer of the Year. Here in the real world, the Academy votes for the nominees, the fans vote for the Entertainer, and I make fun of both.
There are only two rules: as much as I’d like to, […]

Continue reading "43rd Annual ACM Awards: Who Should Have Been Nominated"