Willie Nelson Goes Naked For New Album
- In the latest Rolling Stone, Vanessa Grigoriadis notes that aside from Willie Nelson’s project with Asleep at the Wheel, he has another album slated for early ‘09 titled Naked Willie. It’ll be produced by his harmonica player, Mickey Raphael, and consist of his RCA recordings from 1966 to 1970, without the strings and schmaltz. “For the album cover,” says Raphael, “Willie took a picture of himself with his iPhone while he was in the bubble bath, and sent it to me.” (via Still Is Still Moving)
- Joe Diffie’s wife organized a surprise birthday party for him last night and among the friends she invited were: Trace Adkins, George Jones, Linda Davis, Hal Ketchum, Opry stars Jack Greene and Jan Howard. Music City TV has pictures.
- The Houston Chronicle’s HandStamp blog published a list of the top Houston CDs of 2008 and it’s scattered with albums from Miss Leslie, Katie Armiger, Johnny Falstaff and Amber Digby.
- An unauthorized Keith Urban biography, Fortunate Son: The Unlikely Rise of Keith Urban, is scheduled for release in Australian bookstores next month. There’s no word on a U.S. release date, yet.
“The first biography of this movie-star-handsome country hero tells the unlikely story of how Urban followed and eventually fulfilled his dream of selling country music back to the Americans, the people who created it in the first place,” reads the book description on the Random House Australia website.
- Photocrap took a turn for the serious and posted a list of the top “mainstream” country albums from the past year.
- The third season of CMT’s reality show Gone Country airs next month, and at least one of it’s cast members is considering immersing herself into country music–pop singer Taylor Dayne. (via NashvilleGab)
“To me, I don’t call it country anymore,” she says of the genre’s broadening parameters. “If you are looking at the charts, there would be nothing better to cross over (into) as an artist because I’ve crossed over every other genre except hip-hop.”
- Fred Bartenstein, a long time bluegrass radio personality, historian and photographer, is offering several hundred vinyl LPs of bluegrass and country from his collection for sale online.
- John Carter Cash just finished producing an album for Wylie & the Wild West, has been working in the studio with Loretta Lynn, and in January, Johnny Cash Remixed will be released, an album that he co-executive produced. Obviously, he’s a busy dude, but CMT’s Edward Morris notes that his most recent project is titled Chapter & Verse, a repackaging of Johnny Cash’s 1990 reading of the entire New Testament onto a single DVD and an accompanying CD.
- The Dallas Observer music blog DC9 at Night published their top ten country albums of 2008.
- After unsuccessfully searching for an original recording of Buck Owens’ 1979 duet with Emmylou Harris, “Play Together Again Again,” the Whooping Llama blogger bought the original 45 online and made it available for your enjoyment.
- Melodic Sunburst published a review of Megan Munroe’s album One More Broken String and says that she’s gained traction with airplay in other countries and perhaps it’s time the United States caught up.
- Bluegrass Now has been published since December 1990, but earlier this year the publication ceased the print edition and moved operations online. Unfortunately, the downturn in the economy has brought an end to that as well.
- If you haven’t grabbed this Justin Townes Earle bootleg from Pickathon 2008 yet, why are you still here?
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Amber Digby // Asleep at the Wheel // Buck Owens // Emmylou Harris // George Jones // Hal Ketchum // Jack Greene // Jan Howard // Joe Diffie // John Carter Cash // Johnny Cash // Johnny Falstaff // Justin Townes Earle // Katie Armiger // Keith Urban // Loretta Lynn // Megan Munroe // Mickey Raphael // Miss Leslie // Taylor Dayne // Trace Adkins // Willie Nelson
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December 30, 2008 at 12:28 pm Permalink
Megan Munroe is seated ten feet down from my office and she’s thrilled for the mention. Very nice review from Melodic Sunburst.
December 30, 2008 at 12:36 pm Permalink
Well good. I have been waiting to see wha tthe next real, true and authentic country sensation will sound like. Now that “Gone Country” will be back, I should know soon enough…are we sure Hank didnt do it this way??
December 30, 2008 at 12:49 pm Permalink
Those Buck Owens songs are great, especially for a free download. The white noise from the vinyl makes it even better.
December 30, 2008 at 12:52 pm Permalink
“Johnny Cash Remixed”? What is that? I have a feeling it could be an awful idea. And yet another comment about current country’s lack of country qualities… *sigh*
December 30, 2008 at 12:53 pm Permalink
And aside from Reckless Kelly, that’s a great list by Photocrap… I’m glad to see Trent Willmon and Blake Shelton’s newest albums get some credit, as I thoroughly enjoy both.
December 30, 2008 at 1:02 pm Permalink
@Drew – There’s a fun discussion about Johnny Cash Remixed in the comments here.
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