Willie Nelson Signs to Rounder; Country Music’s 50th Anniversary Celebration Coming To DVD; Sarah Buxton Engaged
- Rounder Records announced that they have signed Willie Nelson and will release his T Bone Burnett-produced album, Country Music, on April 13.
- Chet Flippo suspects genres will go the way of the album.
- Thanks to the work of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, four new DVDs (presented on two volumes) of Opry footage from 1978 will be released later this month. (via reader email)
For more than five months in 1978, many of country music’s greatest stars gathered at the Grand Ole Opry House for a special celebration. With cameras rolling, the festive occasion was the commemoration of country music’s 50th anniversary.
[...] Some seven hours of music and celebration were captured on film in an economical and democratic fashion. In an attempt to be both fair and topical, there was no primary host or central act. Instead, what was filmed was rotating interviewers and multiple groups selected, with the show designed to cover the entire scope of country music.
- GAC posted the first of a three part audio interview with Sara Evans on the subject of her new book.
- Sarah Buxton is engaged.
- Country California Fake News: George Strait Still Endlessly Amused by Puns Involving His Last Name
- Eleven Hundred Springs frontman Matt Hillyer shared five records that inspire him with Sounds Country.
- Toby Keith and Mark Wright shared a few more details about Show Dog-Universal Music. Keith will oversee much of the creative process while Wright tackles the business side.
“Mark makes his living being a record executive,” Keith said. “I don’t have a connection with this town. I don’t need it, but I’m not going to run a vanity label and sit over here and say those artists don’t deserve that. They do. If they want to do the awards shows and be in the political part of this, Mark’s better suited at rubbing shoulders with those guys. And I know I stand in the way.”
- In the first of a two part series, Country Universe listed the best country albums of 2009.
- Reba McEntire will release a live DVD, CMT Invitation Only: Reba, on Feb. 9.
- My Kind of Country is giving away the two-CD set Patsy Cline Gold and a DVD copy of the movie Sweet Dreams. To enter, leave a comment with the name of your favorite singer who’s been influenced by Patsy.
- Winners of the Gruene With Envy Awards have been announced.
- CMT posted a video of Will Hoge and his two cohorts performing “Winter Coat” acoustically from a recent visit.
- Country Haiku:
On the road again
Yep, that’s where that possum was
And now it’s roadkill - Talk about perpetuating a stereotype. (via That Nashville Sound)
- Lady Antebellum celebrated the success of its song “Need You Now” on Wednesday. Not only did the song hit No. 1, but label chief Mike Dungan noted that it has crossed over to the pop charts.
- The Crazy Heart soundtrack, Patty Griffin’s Downtown Church, and Ray Wylie Hubbard’s A. Enlightenment B. Endarkenment (Hint: There Is No C) all earned high marks from The Austin Chronicle.
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Doug Moreland // Eleven Hundred Springs // George Strait // Grand Ole Opry // Gruene With Envy Awards // Lady Antebellum // Mike Dungan // Patsy Cline // Patty Griffin // Ray Wylie Hubbard // Reba McEntire // Sara Evans // Sarah Buxton // Toby Keith // Will Hoge // Willie Nelson
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11 Comments
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January 15, 2010 at 11:43 am Permalink
My favorite quote above:
“Not only did Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now” hit No. 1, but label chief Mike Dungan noted that it has crossed over to the pop charts.” Like OMG that is like so totally unexpected and really cool! (lol)
Taylor Swift has opened the inter-dimensional portal between the “young country” and pop universes big time and like in the Fox series “Fringe” one of those realities will ultimately be destroyed! Uhoh, I’ve just realized Taylor Swift is a shape shifting cyborg super soldier from the parallel pop music universe! Egads! (lol)
Congratulations to Sarah Buxton on her engagement. After getting burned the first go round at marriage Sarah took it slow this time. I was kind of hoping it would be Jedd Hughes rather than long term boyfriend Tom Bukovac, but that’s the way it goes…
January 15, 2010 at 11:59 am Permalink
Didn’t Willie just start his own label a few months ago? Wasn’t his American Legends album the first release on it?
January 15, 2010 at 12:03 pm Permalink
BTW, the CMT link to the Chet Flippo article isn’t working. The correct link is:
http://www.cmt.com/news/nashville-skyline/1629745/nashville-skyline-why-the-term-country-music-may-disappear.jhtml
January 15, 2010 at 12:11 pm Permalink
Thanks Razor. I accidentally cut the “l” off the end of the link, but it should be working now.
January 15, 2010 at 12:25 pm Permalink
The whole “I’m an outlaw who doesn’t play Nashville’s games” schtick that Toby does grew stale years ago.
January 15, 2010 at 1:08 pm Permalink
Well, atleast the crossover #1 “Need You Now,” is a good song and not pop trash.
January 15, 2010 at 1:17 pm Permalink
I would say Toby doesn’t “play Nashville’s games” very much.
He doesn’t live in Nashville
He produces his own music
He started his own label
And doesn’t speak through a “Nashville” filter
Whether or not you like him, or his music.(or his politics Rick) ,I would say he is as independent as any major star in country music today.
January 15, 2010 at 1:43 pm Permalink
You’re right, T. Scott. Toby Keith has made a mint making Nashville music, but he doesn’t really do Nashville. And Nashville doesn’t seem to really do Toby. Mutually assured disregard, I guess.
January 15, 2010 at 2:25 pm Permalink
Razor, Willie has for a long time signed to labels for projects. His stint with Lost Highway was surprising in that he actually released more than one or two albums on that label.
January 15, 2010 at 4:59 pm Permalink
It’s never been clear what Keith means when he talks about Nashville “politics” and “games” other than that he resents that he hasn’t won as many awards as he thinks he deserves.
January 17, 2010 at 2:15 am Permalink
Toby lives to play that “I’m a rebel who doesn’t play by your rules” card, but in order to have as much commercial success as he’s had, you have to have been playing by the rules, to a great degree. Toby’s just very very bitter about the lack of awards. If he’d stop being angry, Nashville might be more receptive, and there’d be somewhat of a mutual admiration society. Just so much anger.
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