On Jason Aldean Abruptly Cancelling His Show in Hartford
110 CommentsOn Friday night, July 15th, Jason Aldean was playing a show at the Xfinity Theatre, and had to stop the performance down only 20 minutes in due to heat exhaustion. He’s now facing strong criticism.
The Top News Stories of 2015
22 CommentsIt was a busy year in country music, with lots of controversy, lots of legal issues, and even death surrounding country music artists. It was a tumultuous 2015 to say the least. Here are the top news stories of the year taking into consideration 1) Their importance to country music overall 2) The interest, or accumulated interest in the story if covered in multiple articles, based on traffic registered at Saving Country Music.
Vintage Album Review – “White Mansions” (Various Artists)
46 Comments“White Mansions” couldn’t be made today. That’s one of many reasons it’s so remarkable and such a country music treasure. It’s not that the production costs would be too high or the talent couldn’t be assembled. But you couldn’t put present day top-tier music talent on an album that someone might construe as harboring sympathies for the Civil War South without creating an uproar.
Ticket Sales for Dixie Chicks’ U.S. Tour Already Declared “HUGE!”
107 CommentsOn November 16th when the Dixie Chicks announced their first United States tour dates in nearly a decade, and after the 2003 fiasco that ensued after Natalie Maines’ comments about George Bush, the big question was if there would be enough interest to justify the expenditures and promotion of a full blown Dixie Chicks tour. Or, would the political acrimony still be so thick that it would foil tour plans once again.
On Chris Stapleton Playing The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon
62 CommentsThe song Stapleton chose to perform on Fallon was “Sometimes I Cry,” which was a fairly strange selection. The song takes a bit to get off the ground, ends abruptly, and isn’t particularly country whatsoever. But Chris knew his crowd. The Tonight Show demo is full of mainstream humans who need something easy to get into, and that’s what Stapleton gave them.
Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Cheap Trick Sign to Big Machine Records
35 CommentsTimed to coincide with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announcement was the Cheap Trick news that they have a new album on the way called Bang Zoom Crazy…Hello. It will be the band’s 17th total album, and their first album in over five years. And it will be released on country music’s fastest-growing major label—Big Machine Records.
Merle Haggard Says He Was “Nearly Dead” in Pneumonia Scare
18 CommentsMerle called into Willie’s Roadhouse on SiriusXM Thursday (12-17) to let fans know he was doing better, and to thank them for their prayers and support. The 78-year-old first was admitted to the hospital on December 2nd, unable to perform due to the illness. He eventually was forced to cancel the rest of his tour dates throughout December.
Shelli Coe Channels Personal Experience with Famous Father Into Universal Message in New Song
21 CommentsThe holidays are a joyous time for many, and for others it’s the time of year when familial strains are brought most to the forefront. David Allan Coe may be about the last person you would think of as a family man, but the history with his family is a lot more complex than one might imagine, and it’s something he’s addressed intimately in his music over the years to the tune of inspiring some of his best work.
Han Solo is Apparently a Huge Traditional Country Fan
24 CommentsWho hadn’t thought that when Han Solo was outrunning Imperial starships in the Millennium Falcon—not the local bulk-cruisers mind you, I’m talking about the big Corellian ships now—that he wasn’t booming a little Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, and Billy Joe Shaver? Remember, Han was a smuggler, so it’s only fitting he’d find a hankering for music that many a moonshine runner would blare.
Dave Cobb’s Upcoming “The Southern Family” Concept Album Includes Incredible List of Talent
48 CommentsThere’s something much interesting brewing that’s bigger than any one artist at the moment—an expansive concept record dealing with artists’ experiences growing up in the South. The project was first hinted at in April when the new Elektra deal was signed, and since then there’s been murmurings about Cobb’s concept record here and there, but now we’re finally beginning to piece together the details.
EXCLUSIVE: Blake Shelton’s Reason(s) For Not Hosting the ACM’s Revealed
58 CommentsOn Tuesday (12-15) it was officially revealed that Blake Shelton would no longer be co-hosting the ACM Awards with Luke Bryan. The ACM’s are scheduled to occur again next in April of 2016. It’s a position Shelton has held for many years. Blake will be replaced by the pilot of the drunken skies, Dierks Bentley. But the decision has left many wondering why Blake would pull out of such a prominent position.
Chris Stapleton’s “Traveller” Goes Gold, Continues #1 Streak
47 CommentsChris Stapleton’s Traveller is now a gold record, or it will be shortly, as soon as the RIAA gets off its duff and officially declares it so. Thanks to a sales bump after being awarded four Grammy nominations, including for Album of the Year, Traveller sold an additional 43,700 copies last week—good enough for #1 in all of country yet again, and putting Stapleton over the 500,000 mark.
Americana Music Association Releases the Top 100 Albums of 2015
12 CommentsThe Americana Music Association has compiled their year-end list of the Top 100 albums of 2015. Unlike many of the other lists you’re bludgeoned with this time of year, this one isn’t based off on anyone’s opinion. It’s based on the reporting to the Americana Airplay Chart during the period of December 2, 2014 through November 30, 2015. The list also a good tool to see what you may have missed in 2015.