Album Review – Emily Ann Roberts – “Can’t Hide Country”
32 CommentsThe younger, more blonde, and more bombshell that a woman is in country music, the more pop their country music leans. This is the unfortunate stereotype that country music fans have been conditioned to believe over the last 15 years.
Blackberry Smoke Revives the Monster Southern Rock Anthem on “Find A Light”
58 CommentsScrew talk of saving country music, or even notions of “Southern rock.” With their latest album Find A Light, Blackberry Smoke prove they’re singlehandedly saving rock and roll and everything that stands for—Southern, countrified, and everything in between.
Song Review – Kenny Chesney’s “Get Along”
46 CommentsSongs like “Get Along” may not go far in solving society’s problems or to helping to save country music. But they also are not working against these goals. They’re a step in the right direction, and just like the songs say, we shouldn’t let our differences get the better of us, or allow us to not see the bigger picture.
Album Review – Sarah Shook’s “Years”
54 CommentsWhat ‘Years’ has that so many albums fail to capture is a trump card that supersedes all other concerns, benchmarks, and gradients. It’s the part of music you can never learn, never practice up, never teach or toil to capture. Either you have it, or you don’t. And Sarah Shook has it. She has it in spades.
Parmalee’s Last Dying Gasps At Relevancy, “Hotdamalama” (A Rant)
114 CommentsSpectacularly relevant to 2014, “Hotdamalama” from Parmalee is the Bro-Country mega hit that never was, served with ragingly misogynistic language and imagery that would get you fired from 95% of 2018 workplaces with no severance and a sexual harassment lawsuit trailing your decommissioned ass out the door.
The SteelDrivers Announce “Bonafide” Tour with Newest Member
10 CommentsFor 10 years now, The SteelDrivers have been a preeminent bluegrass band of the hard-charging variety and a proving ground of talent that includes Chris Stapleton as an alumni. After announcing the newest member to take what was once Stapleton’s spot in guitar player and singer Kelvin Damrell, the 5-piece outfit is ready to hit the road.
Randy Travis Playlist Does a 180 – Adds Cody Jinks, Joshua Hedley, +Others
41 CommentsWhether it was our vehement protestations, or simply patience revealing a more balanced perspective, the recent additions to the Randy Travis Spotify playlist have done a complete 180, and deserve recognition, if not outright praise.
Album Review – Lindi Ortega’s “Liberty”
30 CommentsThere is no more ambitious undertaking in the world of country music than to attempt to write and record the conceptualized Western murder album. This is what Canadian country songwriter and performer Lindi Ortega did when she chose to undertake her newest record, ‘Liberty.’
What’s Really Behind The Wal-Mart Hank Williams Yodeling Boy
54 CommentsYeah, you’ve probably seen the video already, and probably a few times after it popped up in one or many of your social media feeds. But the ultimate lesson from the Wal-Mart yodeling boy is that America truly is starving for traditional country music.
Eric Church Becomes Surprising Champion of Country Women
28 CommentsThere would be no mainstream country music career for Ashley McBryde if it weren’t for the help of Eric Church. Eric Church isn’t a guy you would expect to be a big champion of country music’s women on the surface. But quietly, Church has become a champion of many of country music’s most deserving women.
Jordan Davis and “Singles You Up” Give Kickass Beards a Bad Name
62 CommentsWho the hell is Jordan Davis you say? Well he’s that pop country guy; you know, the one with the beard. Because how the hell else would you tell him apart for the reams and reams of these generic pop country bros stacked up so thick up and down Music Row you need a cattle guard to get through them?
Alison Krauss & Willie Nelson Announce Co-Headlining Tour + More Krauss Dates
11 CommentsLegendary bluegrass fiddle player and singer Alison Krauss and country legend Willie Nelson have just announced a co-headlining tour for 2018 to go along with Willie’s already announced Outlaw Fest dates and annual 4th of July Picnic this summer, while a much more extensive touring schedule has been announced for Alison Krauss.
The Media Has Made a Mockery of Kacey Musgraves and “Golden Hour”
124 CommentsThe coverage of Kacey Musgraves’ ‘Golden Hour’ has displayed such an aberration of truths, perspective, knowledge of the country and roots realm, and in some instances even common sense, it illustrates a widespread embarrassment for the entire music media pool, and the journalism industry in general.