Toby Keith Sets Record Low for No. 1 Debut; Billboard Touring Awards Finalists; Hank Williams Reinterpreted
- Kenny Chesney slipped to No. 2 on the Billboard 200 this week with his album Hemingway’s Whiskey, but for the second week in a row a country album topped the chart in its debut week. This time, it was Toby Keith‘s Bullets in the Gun with 71,000 copies sold. It’s his fourth No. 1 and set a new record for the lowest-selling debut No. 1 since SoundScan started powering the chart in May of 1991.
- Sugarland will stream a live online concert next Monday — the day before the release of The Incredible Machine — as part of American Express’ Unstaged music series.
- The Secret Sisters, consisting of Laura and Lydia Rogers, joined World Cafe host David Dye for a fairly in-depth interview about their background, particularly in the church. Fast forward to about the 16:18 mark to hear the sisters sing a portion of “Rock of Ages” a capella.
- GAC posted the track list for Tim McGraw‘s new compilation, Number One Hits.
- The categories in yesterday’s announcement of finalists for the Billboard Touring Awards mostly lack country stars, with the exception of the Top Package category, “which goes to the top-grossing tour with three or more artists on the bill throughout its run.” All three finalists belonged to country music and included:
Brad Paisley’s H2O tour, with such artists as Darius Rucker, Justin Moore, Easton Corbin, Steel Magnolia and Josh Thompson the bill; Tim McGraw’s Southern Voice tour, with Lady Antebellum, and Taylor Swift’s 2010 tour with Kellie Pickler and Gloriana on board.
- Watch Trace Adkins talk about his allergic reaction to alcohol and his candid thoughts on Blake Shelton in an interview on Chelsea Lately. (via CMT)
- The ninebullets.net bloggers and its readers listed their top five favorite truckin’ songs.
- Wanda Jackson on collaborating with Jack White for her new album of covers, The Party Is Over:
‘It has a good variety of the genres. I think he wanted to kind of showcase all the various types of music that I’ve done through the years — some country, some gospel, some rockabilly, some rock ‘n’ roll. It’s got all of that, and we threw in a Bob Dylan song, “Thunder On the Mountain,” just to be safe,’ laughs Jackson. ‘I had some reservations about doing the album at first, which is maybe surprising to some. But it was going to be very contemporary, and I was not quite sure that I could pull it off. [...] Jack knew exactly how to pull out what sound he wanted. He was relentless in making me sing it until he got it the way we needed it.’
- Donna Hughes interviewed The Secret Sisters for The Boot.
- Blake Shelton kicked off his first headlining tour last night in Denver, Colorado.
- Come Nov. 2, Sarah Jarosz will digitally release The New 45, which is new recordings of her song “My Muse” (YouTube) and the Bill Withers song “Grandma’s Hands” (YouTube). Her next full-length album will be released in the spring. (via Country Standard Time)
- Songs:Illinois posted a stream of “Covington Girl” from David Olney.
- In an interview with Peter Cooper, Shawn Camp talked about the emotion of having his sophomore album shelved 16 years ago:
“It’s kind of a mind trip to walk in here,” Camp said, looking around the brick building at 1815 Division St., the Warner company’s Nashville home in 1994. “Back then, well, it was a traumatic experience. You pour your heart into something, and it just lays on a shelf for years. [...] For years, I wouldn’t even listen to that music because it just broke my heart.”
- Little Big Town and Chris Young announced winners of the CMA Broadcast Awards.
- NPR published a backstage video interview with Justin Townes Earle from when he visited Mountain Stage, plus audio from his set and banjoist Laura Boosinger‘s set.
- Singer-songwriter Jeremy McComb has a starring role in a forthcoming web series called Big Country Blues.
A five-part country music web series that follows Grayson ‘Big Country Ricker’ – a poor country singer weighed down by his job, his dysfunctional family, and his small town life. But when Grayson gets the chance to try out for a country music reality show, he leaves Kentucky for the first time and heads to Nashville with his girlfriend and his buddy, Walt “Double Dubs” Wheeler.
If you go back and check out our inaugural podcast, McComb played a couple of acoustic songs for host Kelly Dearmore (performance starts at about the 30:38 mark).
-
Here’s a non-country reinterpretation of the Hank Williams classic “I Saw the Light” from Erin McCarley, who collaborated with Stetson for the video shoot and recording. (via The Squawker)
If you enjoyed this article, be sure to subscribe to our feed or receive updates via email.
Columns
- Barry Mazor's "Scanning the Countryside"
- Chris Neal's "Belly of the Beast"
- Drew Kennedy's Column
- On the Road
Categories
Sponsors
Tagged In This Article
Blake Shelton // Bob Dylan // Brad Paisley // Chris Young // Darius Rucker // David Olney // Easton Corbin // Gloriana // Hank Williams // Jack White // Jeremy McComb // Josh Thompson // Justin Moore // Justin Townes Earle // Kellie Pickler // Kenny Chesney // Lady Antebellum // Little Big Town // Lydia Rogers // Sarah Jarosz // Shawn Camp // Steel Magnolia // Sugarland // Taylor Swift // The Secret Sisters // Tim McGraw // Toby Keith // Trace Adkins // Wanda Jackson
Current Discussion
- Jack Hanford: For those who are interested, there is a new 90-minute documentary video about Tompall & the Glaser Brothers on DVD ...
- joe morris: how come nobody mentions his fan club which started 1950 and was called the " the penny pushers " which ...
- jane: I'm reading this article in 2013 and I've yet to hear anything from the album played on the radio.....
- Catwandy: I guess Matt C. is eating his well-deserved crow 'bout now. Critics....gotta love 'em , bless their little hearts.
- Ed McClendon: Saw the brothers in Greeley CO on the occasion of Tompall's 50th birthday. The show wasn't well promoted and there ...
- Roby Fox: I'm sure no one else will know, or even care about this little tidbit of trivia. "Keep Your Change" was ...
- kate wonders: Roni Stoneman is still on Hee Haw every Sunday night on RFD channel.
- Marsha Blades: Tommy, You were so kind to me during a tough time in my life and I don't think I ever ...
- Leona Jones: I seen Chris at the Grand Ole Opry last week.. First time I have heard of him.. He rocked the ...
- Sonicjar Music: Agree with Lucas, But one thing is certain, for a song to come to existence, so many things have to ...
15 Comments
RSS for comments on this post
October 14, 2010 at 11:14 am
Toby Keith: the worst of the best :)
October 14, 2010 at 11:42 am
Fun, sort of, to watch the gears of the hype machine grind away for the Secret Sisters – not (that’s N-O-T) because they’re lacking in talent or general appeal, but because it’s just kind of random. I mean, they’re fine and all, but I could point out twenty rootsy country artists with just as much talent displayed on pretty much just as new releases who aren’t getting 1/20th of the attention. I’ve had friends who’ve been overlooked, and friends who’ve gotten the Big Noise treatment, and most of the time, aside from perhaps a financial booster somewhere who got the wheels of the machine greased, it’s really hard to see why any particular one winds up in one category instead of the other.
October 14, 2010 at 11:49 am
Well, as Jon knows, that’s life–who gets what backing and how–and there’s no predicting. (It’s also not over till it’s over. Sometimes there ARE second chances or more.)
Going back to the Great Credibility Scare days of the mid-80s–there was not that huge a difference between what The Mavericks were building up to be, and the Derailers . Both fine bands of a type–the former gets signed by MCA< the latter doesn't, and so they wind up, for a while, a leading light in alt.country, which meant playing on a different sort of field, smaller, and with less demands for hugeness. But the most basic difference, to begin with, was simply who said yes to whom-um.
So it goes.
October 14, 2010 at 11:57 am
I suspect that the T-Bone Burnett connection has a lot to do with the amount of attention that The Secret Sisters are receiving.
(Also, FWIW, at HSB, I was struck that both Emmylou Harris and Elvis Costello were standing on the side of the stage very loudly and demonstrably cheering them on.)
October 14, 2010 at 12:10 pm
Why would Stetson finance that Erin McCarly video? (Well okay, Erin is at least as country as Taylor Swift.) That short bit with her in the hat near the end isn’t much of a market plug. Yesterday it was the all female punk band “Girl In A Coma” featured on American Twang singing “Walkin’ After Midnight”! Crikey, is this some kind of trend? Well, anything that introduces these great old country classics to a new, young, hipster audience is alright by me as long as they keep the quality at a decent level. (PS to Erin – The Pippi Longstocking hairstyles really don’t work on you!)
Opry Alert! Tonight’s “Classic Country” Opry will feature Elizabeth Cook, Gail Davies and her son Chris Scruggs (formerly of BR5-49), The Gatlin Brothers, Steve Wariner, and someone named Wislon Fairchild(?). The Whites are the ONLY Opry Legend types scheduled this week which is some kind of record! Yay! When Gail and Chris show up they tend to sing songs off the “Caught In The Webb” album Gail produced. Grade: A++
Opry Schedule: http://www.opry.com/shows/ThisWeek.html
I think the sisters from 3 Fox Drive should do a record made up mostly of acoustic cover versions of older country classics! Maybe then they could get media buzz like The Secret Sisters because those Fox gals can sure sing a whole lot better! Talk about a grossly under-appreciated group! Sheesh.
October 14, 2010 at 12:11 pm
This is Blake’s first time headlining a tour? Funny, as hot he’s been in the past few years, I’d have thought he would have headlined several tours by now.
October 14, 2010 at 12:16 pm
Jon: Have your friends thought about sending an album to Jack White?
October 14, 2010 at 12:51 pm
That Hank Williams cover is actually pretty neat. Totally changed the song, and aren’t claiming to be country with it at all. Turned a country classic into what I’d guess could be a pretty successful pop ditty.
October 14, 2010 at 2:28 pm
Adkins? Country star? Allergic to ALCOHOL?!!! Well…I…Never! >D
This just proves once and for all Trace Adkins is NOT country! (eye roll)
October 14, 2010 at 2:33 pm
Since this is Blake’s first headlining tour, it is inconceivable that he could get the nod for male vocalist of the year at the CMA’s.
Also can’t believe, using the current list, how Josh Turner isn’t nominated. His “dance” song is the most played this year and he just scored his second #1 this year and is one of the very few acts that have had two #1′s this year.
Oh well, don’t you love the politics?
October 14, 2010 at 3:22 pm
Noah–Trace Adkins rather publicly went into rehab several years ago over issues with his drinking, including a DUI and other highly visible incidents. I know you’re just cracking wise, but just so you know.
And whatever you think of his music, Adkins’ background and general approach to life are about as country as it gets.
October 14, 2010 at 4:41 pm
Rick-
Wilson Fairchild are Wil and Langdon Reid, sons of Harold and Don Reid of the Statler Brothers. They used to tour as Grandstaff, but now are using their middle names. http://www.grandstaff.net/index2.html is the link for their site.
October 14, 2010 at 5:26 pm
Thanks for the info BLL as I had no idea who this act is! I think they should sing their pappy’s songs “Flowers On The Wall” and “More Than A Name Upon A Wall” tonight!
October 14, 2010 at 6:14 pm
I’ve seen those Reid cousins, and they can sound pretty good. They do a song dedicated to and about the Statlers; they performed it on the Bill Cody WSM morning show this morning..
October 24, 2010 at 4:55 pm
Are those touring awards nods for real?
Why is Taylor even nominated? Touring for less than half of the year shouldn’t earn her a nod. I can understand Brad & Tim being nominated, but why her? Are associations literally trying to fit this girl into every freaking category possible, deserving or not? It’s really annoying, and rather sickening.
In all fairness, George/Reba tour should be in the nominations list, as well as Carrie’s tour.