Johnny Cash Is Going Back on Tour … Sort Of
49 CommentsNo, the real Johnny Cash has not been resurrected to save country music. If that was the case, then we would really have a story. Nor has his essence been reconstituted in a fictional form to slay vampires or anything.
Song Review – Keith Urban’s “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16”
104 CommentsWell that’s it folks. If we weren’t starring at the moment when any and all vestiges of the roots of country music had been completely eradicated from the mainstream before, then we are certainly doing so right now. It’s no longer a narrative about trying to hold onto the last little pieces of what made country music different from other genres.
The Turnpike Troubadours to Release New, Self-Titled Album
44 CommentsFans of the hard-charging sound and weighty songwriting of the Oklahoma-based Texas country band The Turnpike Troubadours will have their wishes answered when the band releases their latest, self-titled album. The release follows their highly-acclaimed 2012 offering Goodbye Normal Street, and will surely be one of the most welcomed releases of 2015 in Texas country and beyond.
“So This Is Life” – An Interview with Courtney Patton
14 CommentsBut like a diamond, true talent has a tendency to shine through the darkness and Patton’s skill as a singer-songwriter has done just that. She is quickly becoming a driving force within the Red Dirt and Texas music scenes. Patton married fellow musician Jason Eady in March of last year and released So This Is Life today (6-9).
Ft. Worth Zoo Names New Giraffe Brothers “Willie & Waylon”
16 CommentsThe Ft. Worth Zoo is considered one of the Top 5 zoos in the United States, and the best zoo in Texas. And to show off a little bit of their Texas spirit, the zoo has decided to name two new arrivals after a couple of Texas musicians known for standing tall over the competition. After some careful consideration the Ft. Worth Zoo decided to name the brothers “Willie” and “Waylon” respectively.
Saving Country Music’s WORST Songs of 2015 So Far
164 CommentsI know the sense is that music is always getting worse and there will never be any improvement, but the end of 2014 had some promising signs with the decline of Bro-Country. Unfortunately though, where Bro-Country ended, Metro-Politan began, and now we have a new generation of artists and songs to contend with in the effort to saving country music.
91 Arrested at Brad Paisley Concert in Southern California
24 CommentsThe summer concert season in country music has only just begun, and already were beginning to see concerning stories about how this year could be just as bad or worse than last year for concert behavior. The 91 arrests beg the question if we are truly seeing worse behavior than previous years at country concerts, or if it is a symptom of better reporting, and more aggressive enforcement at concerts.
Darci Carlson Impresses with Debut “Release Me” EP
36 CommentsWritten solely by Carlson, the 5-song Release Me EP is a throwback, honky-tonkin, foot-stompin’ true country affair that lays full throttle on the twang and layers in the steel guitar hard and heavy. But this isn’t just all about styling and posturing to prove how country it is. Darci crafts some really smart songs and has an understanding of chords and arrangement and songwriting that separates her from the crowd.
Rick Perry? Freaking HUGE Country Rap Fan.
78 CommentsAt Gov. Rick Perry’s formal announcement that he will be seeking the Republican nomination for a 2016 Presidential bid, he debuted a new customized version of the Colt Ford country rap song featuring some loser named J.J. Lawhorn called “Answer to No One.” Some of the lines were changed to specifically cater to the Rick Perry campaign.
The Good & the Bad of the Mickey Guyton EP
60 CommentsThe only thing I conclusively walked away with from this new Mickey Guyton EP is that Capitol Records Nashville has absolutely no idea what to do with this young lady. And that’s about par for the course for just about any up-and-coming female country artist at this moment. Mickey Guyton already released a 4-song EP in March of 2014. So what’s the deal?
Jon Hensley Remembered As He’s Laid to Rest
13 CommentsDavid Macias is the President of Thirty Tigers: the marketing and distribution company. Jon Hensley, the manager for Shooter Jennings and Wanda Jackson who unexpectedly passed away on Monday June 1st, was a former employee of Thirty Tigers. David reached out to Saving Country Music to post a remembrance of Jon as he travels to Kentucky to attend his funeral.
Album Review – Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard’s “Django & Jimmie”
29 CommentsYou look at these two guys, and it is living history right in front of you. But they aren’t living history museum pieces. They are lucid, active participants in the music community, still writing and singing songs, still with the fire inside them to contribute to the genre they helped create, and pay country music forward to yet another generation of loyal and appreciative fans.
Logan Brill Talks New Album “Shuteye”
14 CommentsThere’s been much ado about country artists of the fairer sex over the last couple of weeks. For Logan Brill, whose Carnival Records album Shuteye came out on June 2, that debate is all just noise. Sure, she’ll righteously stand up for women artists and songwriters. But for Brill, music is pursued for the passion of good quality songwriting and the artistry of storytelling—everything else comes secondary.