Beloved Randy Travis Lighting Director Murdered by Wife
16 CommentsFriends, family, co-workers, and country music artists are mourning the death of 68-year-old Thomas “Thom” Roberts, who was shot and killed by his wife on Sunday evening, July 9th, in Nashville.
Study Finds the Dislike for Country Music Growing, While Other Genres Are Becoming More Likable
62 CommentsYou can’t get away from artists and labels in country music these days telling you that the appeal for country music is greater than ever, and it’s because country is branching out to other genres and simpler themes to appeal to everyone. But in a new study, researchers found that the dislike of country music is is what is growing.
Lord Have Mercy on the Boy From Down in the Boondocks: Billy Joe Royal Passes Away
8 CommentsOne of the most revered and recognizable voices in American pop and country music has passed away. The “boy from down in the boondocks,” Billy Joe Royal, died on Tuesday, October 6th at his home in Marietta, North Carolina. The Valdosta, Georgia native and world renown singer was 73-years-old. According to reports, he passed away quietly in his sleep.
Couple Responsible for Assault on Producer Dave Brainard Surrenders to Police
15 CommentsThe brutal assault against country music producer Dave Brainard that occurred in the early morning hours Sunday, September 27th on Demonbreun Street in Nashville near Music Row, has finally been solved. After over a week of searching for the responsible couple, 30-year-old Dustin Carl Hargrove and Nichole M. Hargrove from Columbia, TN turned themselves into police detectives on Tuesday (10-6).
Joe Nichols Sings From Both Sides of His Mouth in “Freaks Like Me”
51 CommentsJoe Nichols is fed up with all of the country music that doesn’t sound country and says the same things over and over dammit, and he’s aiming to do something about it. You know . . . like release a song that references the same things all the others songs he’s complaining about do.
Don Henley and George Strait Top the Charts with New Albums
38 CommentsThere was another big battle at the top of the country albums charts last week, and once again the good guys won. Despite the perception by so many in the mainstream country business that radio play and youth is the key to success, two guys in their 60’s with no mainstream radio love topped the charts, and not just from statistical anomalies based on weak numbers, or on an off week for releases.
Man Bites Dog: Hank Williams Jr. to Open the CMA Awards with a Waylon Jennings Song
51 CommentsAnnounced today in press release fashion, the 49th Annual, 2015 CMA Awards will be opened by newly-signed NASH Icon recording artist Hank Williams Jr. singing Waylon’s interpretation of Neil Young’s “Are You Ready For the Country?” first released on an album of the same name by Waylon in 1976. Hank Jr. will be joined by Eric Church in the rendition.
Forget The Headliners, The 2015 Stagecoach Lineup is a Great Study in Who to Watch in Country
46 CommentsSome independent country fans love to harp on whose name is in the biggest font in the headliner positions, but the names Stagecoach invites each year to fill out the roster gives you great hope for the future of country, and tells you who to look out for in the coming months and years, this year especially.
Song Review – “The Driver” by Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum
64 CommentsThe only thing good that could come from Charles Kelley releasing solo material is that it hints that maybe Lady Antebellum is on the rocks. And since the word is that this is not the case and the band is just taking a short hiatus, not even this can be celebrated as a positive development.
Raul Malo of The Mavericks Barks Down Aggressive Security at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass
50 CommentsIn San Francisco this weekend, the massive Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival is going on, and The Mavericks took to the Banjo Stage on Friday afternoon for their set. For whatever reason, the security decided to be extra vigilant, and wasn’t allowing folks to dance some ten feet in front of the already apportioned-off area in front of the stage. But frontman Raul Malo was having none of it.
Album Review – Mike and the Moonpies’ “Mockingbird”
14 CommentsWho knows what goes into deciding what bands and artists launch into the stratosphere. and which ones are destined to slag it out on a slow build spending umpteen hours in a smelly tour van. All I know is I’ve seen Mike and the Moonpies get name checked by Sturgill Simpson and open for the Turnpike Troubadours on numerous occasions, and never did their music strike me as second class.
The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Hands Out 2015 Awards
7 CommentsThe 2015 installment of the International Bluegrass Music Awards transpired Thursday night (10-1) at the Duke Energy Center in Raleigh, NC as part of the organization’s annual conference, and the Jerry Douglas-anchored bluegrass supergroup The Earls of Leicester seized the night, taking six of the 17 major trophies, including Entertainer of the Year, Instrumental Group of the Year, and Album of the Year.
Rapper Nelly Pretty Much Just Schooled Mainstream Country in How to Approach Genre
36 Comments“I love country music. I respect country music so much that I would never think that I can sit down and just as easy do a country album. That’s not it. That’s just like some country artist saying, ‘Hell, I’m just gonna do a rap album.'”