Kimberly Perry Comes Back to Life with “If I Die Young Pt. 2”
44 CommentsKimberly Perry of The Band Perry is back, and it’s almost like she never left. The opening salvo of her solo career after splitting with her brothers is a reworking of the family band’s first #1 song.
Karen Jonas Stuns with “Oklahoma Lottery” Debut
14 CommentsKaren Jonas, whether she knew it or not, heeded the advice of the great Ray Wylie Hubbard to all songwriters: don’t just listen to The Ghost of Tom Joad, read The Grapes of Wrath. How do we know this? It’s not just from the wisdom interwoven in the lyrics, it’s from the amount of pain Ms. Jonas is able to capture in her performance.
iHeartRadio Country Festival Caused Major Conflict with ACM Awards
7 CommentsOn March 29th, Clear Channel Radio threw their inaugural iHeartRadio Country Festival in Austin with many of the genre’s biggest mainstream acts performing, including Carrie Underwood, Jason Aldean, and Luke Bryan. Apparently behind-the-scenes, the festival caused a big stir with artists, managers, and the Academy of Country Music.
New Study Proves Why Radio Still Matters
29 Commentsthe simple fact remains, radio is still the most widely used format for music listeners, confirmed by a new study by Edison Research. And even more importantly, radio is where listeners go to discover new music. 75% of listeners use radio to keep up-to-date with music, while only 20% use SiriusXM, and only 18% use Spotify. Radio’s days might be numbered, but right now, it still rules the roost.
Johnny Cash’s “Out Among The Stars” Tops Charts at #1
41 CommentsJohnny Cash is once again the big man in music as his recently-released “lost” album Out Among The Stars has come in at #1 on the Country Albums chart, and #3 on the all-encompassing album sales chart according to Mediabase, with a total of 54,000 copies sold. The sales success will likely result in Cash also cresting Billboard’s country chart…
Sundy Best Blows Up with “Bring Up The Sun”
12 CommentsSundy Best ended up being just crazy enough to work; a unique approach that struck a chord in this very time and place to help define what is relevant instead of trying to follow it. And similarly with other bands of young men out to have a good time first and letting the business of music follow, the honest, good time and heartfelt approach to their music is quite infectious with their fans.
Justin Moore Responds to ACM Eligibility Controversy
16 CommentsOne of the big stories leading up to the Academy of Country Music Awards on Sunday April 6th has been the ineligibility of Justin Moore for the New Artist of the Year award that he’s nominated for, and is considered a front runner to win. Now Justin Moore has responded to the concerns, and the issue has gone all the way to making the front page of Fox News.
Song Review – “Medicine” by Shakira feat. Blake Shelton
40 CommentsShakira isn’t just releasing this song in her home genre of pop. It has entered the Country Airplay charts this week at #57. “Medicine” is Shakira’s “gone country” moment. All that said, “Medicine” as a song is not all that bad … for a pop song. In fact if you compared it with many of the top songs in country right now it is downright refreshing.
16 Great Sons & Daughters of Country Music Greats
52 CommentsCountry music isn’t just a genre of music, it is a musical religion, a way of life, a cultural lineage passed down from generation to generation and preserved through the blood and bond of its performers and fans. That’s why it seems country music performers so very often tend to turn out to be the parents of country music performers themselves.
Dale Watson to Star in Upcoming “Yellow Rose” Movie
12 CommentsAs if Dale Watson didn’t already have enough on his plate, it has been announced that he will be co-starring in a movie called Yellow Rose that is currently in casting and pre-production. Dale will also be contributing original music to the soundtrack of the film. Watson is slotted to play Jimmy Redburn, a washed up country legend that befriends a 15-year-old Filipina-American runaway….
Austin City Limits Announces ACL Hall of Fame
3 CommentsAustin City Limits, the 40-year-old Texas music and public television institution, has announced the formation of a Hall of Fame in conjunction with their 40th Anniversary, with an inaugural induction ceremony to be held on April 26th at the shows original home, KLRU’s legendary Studio 6A on the University of Texas campus. Inaugural inductees to the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame include…
Garth Brooks Finally Coming to iTunes – Updated
33 CommentsThe greatest-selling country music artist of all time, and one of the very last artists to resist releasing his music digitally, is finally succumbing to the digital music revolution. Garth Brooks says his albums are coming to iTunes Tuesday, April 1st, including your ability to purchase individual songs. For excited Garth Brooks fans, hopefully this is no April Fools joke.
Blues Revue: Stream Left Lane Cruiser’s 1st Album “Slingshot”
8 CommentsBefore they were melting the faces of appreciative crowds, before they were being featured on Breaking Bad and being touted beside bands like The Black Keys as one of best blues power duos of our generation, and before they were signed to powerhouse label Alive Records, Ft. Wayne, Indiana’s smash blues maestros Left Lane Cruiser put out a raw, unfettered debut album called Slingshot.