The Grand Ole Opry Invites Shooter Jennings To Make His Debut

Brody Vercher | September 21st, 2007 Email Share

Bobby Bare talks about going back to Ohio and talking to people whose aunts and uncles he went to school with, but they’ve all died. He says it’s the sad part about the business he’s in.

“All of my friends abused themselves too terribly. But then there’s Shel. He was never heavy into drugs and drinking. He did yoga. He was the guy I figured would last forever. Chet, Waylon, you knew it was coming and had time to get ready for it. (In 1999) Shel got up in the middle of the night, and his head burst.

“That’s the one that knocked me down. It took me a long time to deal with that one.”

The Houston Chronicle also has a couple of sentences from Bobby Bare on Shel Silverstein, Willie Nelson, Townes Van Zandt, Billy Joe Shaver, Tom T. Hall, and Skeeter Davis. These are the kinds of things I could read all day long.
After a long hiatus the ladies of Search for the Last of the Hard-core Troubadours have returned with an amusing tirade about the state of country radio, and in the process end up linking to a Tim McGraw video done in the world of The Sims.
The Songwriters Hall of Fame is no longer just a virtual entity.
Jonathan Keefe from Slant Magazine dubs Jim Lauderdale’s recently released The Bluegrass Diaries “one of his finest albums, easily ranking among the standout releases in a very strong year for country music.” He gives Lauderdale 4/5 stars, while Alan Brown at PopMatters only had good things to say as well:

You’d really think that with such a prodigious output the occassional “grassed-up” rock classic or traditional number would be slipped in as filler but instead he brings a progressive country mind-set to the proceedings, which produces refreshing songs with a contemporary cross-over appeal. That they’re sung in his whisky-soaked, country tenor instead of trying to hit the high notes like Bill Monroe or slip in a Jimmie Rodgers-style yodel on occassion most likely goes towards keeping the eleven cuts here real.
Trent Summar, arguably the world’s first Farm Rockstar.
William Michael Smith writes, “Corb Lund and his crew sound like a jazz band that accidentally grazed in the loco-weed patch and tried to overcome the effects by drinking a bucket of coffee.” MySpace: Corb Lund
After writing “Murder on Music Row” back in 1999 “Larry Cordle celebrated the release of his new album, Took Down and Put Up by having a party on — you guessed it — Music Row!”
Robert Morast doesn’t think Willie Nelson’s Red Headed Stranger gets the respect that it deserves. (via Still is Still Moving)
I don’t have a membership to read the full thing (because you have to pay for it), but Texas Monthly has a feature on Miranda Lambert.
In his latest edition of “Nashville Skyline” Chet Flippo introduces a “compelling new boxed set” chock full of event songs. Titled People Take Warning! Murder Ballads & Disaster Songs 1913-1938, the album has 70 of the best songs written about true events.
Shooter Jennings has been invited to make his Grand Ole Opry debut next week and says that he hopes it kicks off a smoother relationship than what his father had with the Opry.

“I’m really excited,” said Jennings, who will release a new album, The Wolf, on Oct. 23. “I think the biggest wall I’m up against is the traditionalists understanding that my heart is in it.”

“I’d like to put together something special for the occasion, maybe pull out a cover, an old Jimmy Dickens song or something,” he said.

From what he has to say, his new album sounds exciting as well.
Brian T. Atkinson from Austin360 likes the new Steve Earle album, Washington Square Serenade, giving it 4 stars.
Country Universe has a YouTube video of Sugarland covering Beyonce’s “Irreplaceable” in concert. Check out the guys singing along between the 2:08 and 2:18 marks for some unintentional comedy.

11 Comments

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C. Eric Banister
September 21, 2007 at 8:38 am Permalink

Not that I am one to self promote, but I have interviews with both Corb Lund and Trent Summar in the archives over at americanaroots.com.

Both of these guys make great music. Lund gets little attention mainly because he has done a lot in his native Canada, but is just breaking in here. Summar’s first album continues to be one I put on and listen to top to bottom. His newest is great and showcases a lot of the songs he has had cut by other artists. Not to mention Dan Baird rocks on it.
Brody Vercher
September 21, 2007 at 9:25 am Permalink

I’ve read the one with Trent Summar in the past, but I’ll have to check out the one on Lund. I’m not familiar with anything he has done, but a couple of his songs on MySpace struck my fancy.
Chris N.
September 21, 2007 at 9:29 am Permalink

Corb Lund has my seal of approval. Never buy Canadian country singer-songwriters without the Chris N. Seal of Approval.
Heidi
September 21, 2007 at 9:36 am Permalink

Corb Lund is only recently getting mainstream airplay here in Canada and I’m sad that I didn’t discover him earlier. He really is an excellent musician and I’m excited that he’s getting exposure in the States.
~Heidi in BC
Pierce
September 22, 2007 at 12:00 pm Permalink

Trent Summar is totally high energy. I saw him sing his heart out in front of about 30-40 people in a small bar in my hometown earlier this year.

Normally you’d think a guy with a decent following in Texas, would come to NC and just go through the motions. Not Trent…
Brody Vercher
September 23, 2007 at 3:35 pm Permalink

So Chris, are you a seasoned Canadian country singer-songwriter listening professional? If so, do you have any others that you’d recommend? :P

Heidi – Is there a strong, local country music scene in Canada?

Pierce – Thanks for sharing your Summar experience. I keep missing my chances to catch his live show, but now I’ll have some fodder to convince my girlfriend it’ll be worth it.
Will
September 24, 2007 at 8:09 am Permalink

Shooter isn’t good enough to wash Porter Wagoner’s car.
Matt
September 24, 2007 at 8:39 am Permalink

Brody, I actually should post an article on some of the Canadian country artists. The thing with Canadian artists is that they are usually more ‘progressive’ or ‘alternative’ than say nashville based artists. Still their bigger stars of the moment are Jason McCoy/Roadhammers (who as a group just got signed to Montage in Nashville), Doc Walker (a band), and a couple of names you’ll recogonize: George Canyon and Paul Brandt. Also Adam Gregory isn’t half bad and Aaron Lines is still kickin’ around and Johnny Reid is the co-writer of the current Emerson Drive single (”You Still Owe Me”) and it’s actually better by him because of his ‘raw’ vocal style. Also There’s Shane Yellowbird and of course Carolyn Dawn Johnson. I’m not from Canada but I follow it.
Brody Vercher
September 24, 2007 at 10:03 am Permalink

Thanks, Matt. I’m more of a traditional fan, but I do like some of the progressive and alternative stuff, so I’ll try and check out some of the artists you mentioned.
Matt
September 24, 2007 at 10:08 pm Permalink

I just realized how crazy that post was. It needs some serious editing. Just a few run on sentences there.
Heidi
September 25, 2007 at 1:41 pm Permalink

Well done Matt. You covered it pretty well. It should be noted that after three very successful albums Adam Gregory has set up camp in Nashville as well. I haven’t heard much about how it’s developing but that’s where he is.

As for a “strong local country music scene”? Yes. We have a lot of artists and radio and CMT Canada take pride in them and promote them heavily. I’d compare it to the Texas Red Dirt scene in that it exists, is active but is not generally recognized by the other 49 states.

In Vancouver, the major market station here lists their top thirty songs and eleven are by Canadian artists. (Including the Deric Ruttan/Dierks Bentley duet “Good Time”)

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Tagged In This Article

Bobby Bare // Corb Lund // Grand Ole Opry // Jim Lauderdale // Larry Cordle // Miranda Lambert // Shooter Jennings // Steve Earle // Sugarland // Tim McGraw // Trent Summar // Willie Nelson

Current Discussion

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 ...
Brian: Josh Kelley will be fine. At the very least it means Katherine Heigl may show up on country award shows regularly. ...
Razor X: Change may be inevitable but we aren't required to support it and if enough people boycott it, it doesn't last ...
Jon: "You can’t stop “progress”… We can if we try hard enough. Um, no. Not that I think "progress" is a good ...
Joe: When she moved from Mercury to BNA, I think we were all just allowed to think there'd be some grand ...
sam sam: Well, Suzie, maybe if I saw his live show I'd love him. But I'm not interested in attending concerts. Radio ...
JOHN: Personally Sherrie s voice is as pure as it gets to me. Just listened to her demo songs after reading ...
Suzie: What is all this hate for Bucky about anyway?? He has one of the best voices in country music ...

The Grand Ole Opry Invites Shooter Jennings To Make His Debut

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