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Vote For the ACM Entertainer of the Year
- You can now vote for Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, George Strait, or Keith Urban as the ACM Entertainer of the Year.
- Jewel plans to hit the road with Brad Paisley on June 11, eight days after the release of her first country album, Perfectly Clear.
- After his Nashville house burned down in 1970, a depressed Willie Nelson moved to the Hill Country just outside of Austin, TX. A year later he recorded The Words Don’t Fit the Picture, an album that NPR’s Ed Ward describes as “so dark that it barely sold, and has never been reissued.”
- Another NPR posting has an outtake from a 1996 performance and interview with Willie Nelson. He talks about the holes in his guitar and releasing the song “Nightlife” under the name Hugh Nelson, then he goes on to perform and acoustic version of the song.
- Tim McGraw puts the metrosexual in country music…and USA Today says you’d almost expect his new fragrance to smell like a “saloon on Sunday morning, or perhaps old cowboy boots and a wet horse.”
- Alan and Denise Jackson spent a couple of hours on Tuesday signing more than 500 autographs in their hometown. Afterwards they headed to their induction ceremony for the Richard Brooks Visionary Award of Distinction, honoring those who have made significant contributions to the arts.
- Holly George-Warren, author of the biography Public Cowboy No. 1: The Life and Times of Gene Autry, won an award for best overall book on country music at the 25th annual International Country Music Conference. For their long-term commitment to linking books with country music the Country Music Hall of Fame Foundation and Library took home the Lifetime Achievement Award, and Beverly Keel and Barry McCloud won the Charlie Lamb Award given to outstanding country music journalists.
- One teenage guy is bothered that his girlfriend of eight months isn’t as obsessed with him as she is country music singers and needs advice on how to deal with the situation.
- Kelley Lovelace recalls the day he, Carrie Underwood and Ashley Gorley wrote the song “All-American Girl.”
- Despite current economic conditions and threatening weather, MerleFest 2008 attracted more than 76,000 fans.
- Chip Frazier calls Strange Invitation the breakout album for South Austin Jug Band and says they have established themselves as premier avant-garde acoustic musicians.
- When Merle Haggard presented his song “Hillary”–later renamed to “Let’s Put a Woman In Charge”–to Hillary Clinton, she liked the song and her campaign liked it as well. But, he says his feelings were hurt when somebody went to Nashville to get a bunch of other songwriters to write another song called “Hillary” and see how many could come up with something better.
- Trace Adkins tells Tony Sauro that even with other projects, music is still number one for him and talks about stretching the boundaries a little on his forthcoming eighth studio album. He also says maybe in 10 or 15 years he’ll settle down a little and get into local politics.
- Recalling a chorus class she was assigned to in high school, Kellie Pickler says:
“I was so mad when I went in and found out that I couldn’t sing country songs that I told them they had to change my schedule or I wouldn’t come to school. I didn’t want to sing if it wasn’t country music, so I left and went home.”
- One of the writers for the Romance Vagabonds blog reveals the the two qualities of country music that converted her to a fan–the genre’s strong narrative and its unabashed emotional appeal–and how country music connects to romance writing. For fans of Keith Urban, she mentions a particular song that helped inspire one of her scenes.
- Ashley Monroe has more new songs on her MySpace that she wrote with Trent Dabbs. They’re just rough mixes, but wants to know what her fans think.
Popular Stuff
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Miranda Lambert - “More Like Her” This kind of material, as opposed to her tough-chick-done-wrong romps like “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” and “Gunpowder and Lead,” is where her real promise lies
Joey Rory - “Cheater, Cheater” It’s actually downright frivolous, but that just makes it all the more fun. And really, are you allowed to say “ho” on country radio?
Josh Gracin - “Unbelievable (Ann Marie)” Despite initial marketing that touted the album as deep and personal, “Unbelievable (Ann Marie)” is anything but deep or personal.
Josh Turner - "Everything Is Fine" Turner is the rare example of an artist who records material that’s both quality and trademark.
Darryl Worley - "Tequila On Ice" A groovy mid-tempo that sways, a refreshing reprieve from the exhausting pace of a format that clamors for loud music and swelling choruses.
Blake Shelton - "She Wouldn't Be Gone" It’s all about nailing the melody rather than providing a legitimate interpretation that accentuates the lyrical content, although Shelton does do a pretty good job of injecting what limited emotion he can.
In Memory of Don Helms (1927 - 2008) Helms dated back to a time when an excellent four or five piece band and a good singer were all that were needed to make great country music. No drums, no light shows, no production tricks in the recording studio–just good music.
Don’t look now, but Darius Rucker, lead singer of 90s rock group Hootie & The Blowfish, has a country hit on his hands. What you probably haven’t heard is that Rucker is the first black artist to chart a single in the country top 20 since Charley Pride last did it in 1988.
News that former Sugarland member and co-founder Kristen Hall is suing her ex-mates, to the tune of $1.5 million, goes a long way towards providing a bit of context regarding the Atlanta singer/songwriter’s sudden departure from the group.
Forgotten Artist: Wynn Stewart Both Buck Owens and Merle Haggard have cited Wynn Stewart as a major influence on their careers, yet somehow, he was never able to translate his enormous talent into extended and consistent success for himself.
Forgotten Artist: David Rogers David Rogers (1936-1993) is proof of the adage that it’s great to be on a major label, but only if the label is truly behind you.
In this exclusive interview with The 9513, the Show Dog Records trio talks about growing up around Waylon and Jessi Colter, and about how those experiences have helped shaped their music as they set off on their own country music journey.
One of an emerging wave of artists empowered by decreasing production costs and a rapidly changing distribution landscape, Kelleigh Bannen has taken a do-it-yourself approach to her debut album, Radio Skies.Tagged In This Article
Alan Jackson // Ashley Monroe // Brad Paisley // Carrie Underwood // Gene Autry // George Strait // Jewel // Keith Urban // Kellie Pickler // Kenny Chesney // Merle Haggard // Rascal Flatts // Tim McGraw // Trace Adkins // Willie Nelson
Current Discussion
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- Peter Kohan: I think Stephen H.'s reading of Toby's statement is correct... but I also think ...
- Hollerin' Ben: Stormy, when are you going to learn that women's place in popular music is t...
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- Stormy: My problem with the Kellie Pickler cover is that it so desperate screams: "This...
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11 Comments
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May 1, 2008 at 10:45 am Permalink
Ashley Monroe’s boyfriend used to be guitar ace Keith Gattis (who was about 14 years older than her), but it seems Trent Dabbs may have replaced him recently. This is just speculation on my part, but when Keith disappeared from her favorite “Friends” section on her MySpace and Trent was placed in the # 1 spot I figured that was a pretty good sign…..
9513 participant Mike Parker wrote that great song recently that totally sums up how I feel about Hillary Clinton: “I Think I’m Gonna Puke”. Merle’s song about Hillary has to rate as the biggest musical meadow muffin he’s ever written…
May 1, 2008 at 12:08 pm Permalink
Over the last two years, I’ve been lucky enough to see all of the nominees for ACM entertainer of the year: Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, George Strait, or Keith Urban.
Not even a close race: Keith Urban gave the best performance. In fact, he was the only one who I thought left it all out there on the stage. He worked his backside off to give the crowd what he has, which is all you want with a performer as talented as he is.
When I went to the voting website, there was avideo where he described his philosophy about concerts and the words he said is exactly what I felt going on during his show. I saw the vid months after the show so it’s not a matter of me seeing what I want in his performance. In fact, I wouldn’t even call me a fan before I saw him live but now, I have tremendous respect. Here is the link to the vid where he talks about what he’s trying to do.
http://www.cbs.com/specials/43acma/vote/index.php?cid=713522090&pid=U6mHzHhpj_PIHTNphh7hVmShjMPRVOXX&play=true&cc=0
May 1, 2008 at 12:46 pm Permalink
I do agree that KU puts on a great show but think all of the nominees give their fans what they want. KU and Chesney just do a ‘better’ job of giving more than they expect.
May 1, 2008 at 1:20 pm Permalink
Man, I wish I knew somebody that could produce a “rough mix” that well! All my MySpace stuff is self-produced (horribly by the way), poor guitar playing, recorded while I was sick back in November, and done with absolutely no knowledge of my recording equipment. In Ashley Monroe’s case, the production beats the songs. She has the voice, somebody give her the lyrics and tune!
Brad Paisley got my vote, hands down. Seen George, loved it, but Brad’s underrated.
Jewel, don’t even get me started…
As far as that kid with the girlfriend goes, where do you find this stuff? Ha.
Tim’s not so much a metrosexual as much as a hipster. Yes, there is a difference.
I’d say I’d vote for Trace, but I can’t say that if I don’t know the issues!
May 1, 2008 at 1:55 pm Permalink
I thought that the new songs that Ashley Monroe debuted in her Studio330 Sessions were pretty good, but those songs that she wrote with Trent Dabbs are awful, not to mention extremely radio-unfriendly. I think it’s most likely that she lands on a major Americana/alt-country label in the next year. If she keeps writing dreck like her latest output, she’ll have no choice but to go Alt-country.
May 1, 2008 at 4:00 pm Permalink
Trace Adkins… talks about stretching the boundaries a little on his forthcoming eighth studio album.
What, to body parts beyond the badonkadonk? Push that envelope, Trace.
May 1, 2008 at 5:37 pm Permalink
I am sitting here listening to the new Ashley stuff and I love it — it sounds great, very like her older stuff, but a little more mature. I love her voice, I am so glad that I have her original CD.
May 2, 2008 at 5:34 am Permalink
If Trace is only looking to “stretch the boundaries” does that mean that he will be scaling back from the absurd and way beyond any country boundaries that was Badonkadonk (and many of his recent hits that are anything but country)? Excuse me while I swing batter and get my game on….
May 2, 2008 at 11:59 pm Permalink
Hillary Clinton is dumb as $hit. Doggin’ the Hag! Vote Obama 2008!
May 5, 2008 at 10:44 am Permalink
You can now purchase Ashley’s new songs directly from her myspace page — and as someone posted on her album review, get her album from Amazon –
May 6, 2008 at 8:11 am Permalink
IMO, Brad is “overrated” and is boring as my front door! George has a great voice and great songs but does nothing for me live. Kenny is wild and “party hardy”, however seems mechanical and rehearsed! I like Tim, sorta! But if I wanted to go to a Great Concert and definitely get my money’s worth, it would be Keith Urban’s! He is a natural entertainer. He loves people and entertaining them and it shows and he gives and gives and leaves you wanting more and more! His talents are many and he still is as humble as a newcomer!
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