30 Years Ago: The Women of Country Make History
72 CommentsIt might have been one of the most important moments for women in country music in the genre’s history, and maybe one of the most important moments in country history, period. But you rarely hear mention of it.
Rolling Stone To Launch Million-Dollar Country Music Website
30 CommentsLegacy music and culture magazine Rolling Stone is taking a cue from some of the pop, rock, and cultural personalities it has covered over the years and is “going country” in the second quarter of 2014 with a dedicated country music website looking to employ a full time staff of 10 to 15 people, and put out 8 to 12 articles a day. Rolling Stone plans to spend $1 million on the site in the first year.
2013 Saving Country Music Song of the Year Nominees
96 CommentsWhen you sit down to assemble a list of candidates for Song of the Year, you almost start to tremble in the face of so much creativity, inspiration, and insight, and grow humbled by how fortunate we are to live in such a bountiful time for music. Candidates for Song of the Year can’t just be songs we enjoy, they are songs that make you change the way you see the world, or change the way you see yourself.
Clear Channel, CMT Deal Means More Homogenization
23 CommentsClear Channel, the largest radio provider in the US, just struck a massive deal with CMT, a division of Viacom, to create national country music programming to be distributed across 125 country radio stations owned by Clear Channel, as well as some digital and television platforms. The move is meant to match a similar national syndicated format created by the second-biggest radio provider in the US, Cumulus.
Eric Church Targets Taylor Swift in Outsiders Teaser (An Uber Rant)
215 CommentsIn the latest installment in a series of cryptic teaser videos Eric Church has released ahead of his new album The Outsiders, Church culls footage from the recent CMA Awards, and specifically Taylor Swift’s speech accepting the Pinnacle Award in a creepy, if not downright disturbing video full of obtuse connotations and veiled threats.
2013 Saving Country Music Album of the Year Nominees
160 Comments2013 has been self-proclaimed by Saving Country Music as the “Year of the Songwriter,” and this list of candidates for SCM’s Album of the Year reflect that dynamic of an elevated bar of songwriting excellence that these 8 artists have set. There is no arbitrary number of slots for candidates for this award. Nominees are chosen only if they have a legitimate chance of winning…
The Death of Wayne Mills 10 Days After (Update & Analysis)
62 CommentsTen days after, and still no arrest has been made, and no resolution to the death of Wayne Mills that Chris Ferrell, the owner of the Pitt & Barrel Bar and the man that fatally shot Wayne Mills, says happened in self-defense after an altercation erupted when Wayne was smoking in a non-smoking area. We update you on all of the current information, and include an in-depth legal analysis of the case.
Luke Bryan’s Drinking & Driving Speaks to Deeper Problem
38 CommentsCelebrity news site TMZ has posted pictures taken in July of country artist Luke Bryan drinking while driving his truck. In the pictures Luke can clearly be seen enjoying a can of Busch while behind the wheel, keys in the ignition. Three of the checkboxes on the requirement sheet of country’s current checklist songs are beer, trucks, and drinking beer while driving trucks….
NBC’s “The Voice” Censors ‘Lord’ Out Of “Will The Circle Be Unbroken?”
57 CommentsNBC’s hit reality singing competition The Voice is in hot water from country and gospel fans, people of faith, and general haters of censorship when on the Tuesday (Nov. 26th) installment of the show, they purposely censored the word ‘Lord’ out of the iconic country gospel song “Will The Circle Be Unbroken?” They also skipped verses mentioning ‘Savior’ and ‘Heaven.’
Daughter of Country Songwriter Ray Lawrence Jr. Missing – FOUND
10 CommentsCountry music songwriter and performer Ray Lawrence Jr. who gained recognition when Hank Williams III included two of Ray’s songs on his 2011 album Ghost to a Ghost has a daughter who has been missing since November 23rd in the Phoenix area. Rayanna Lynette Lawrence, aka “Anna” is 14-years-old female, with a date-of-birth of September 2nd, 1999, and stands 4’11” tall with blue eyes.
Garth Brooks Wants to Make Music “At a Level I’ve Never Seen Before”
58 CommentsWhen talking to the Associated Press on November 27th, Garth said, “Me and Miss Yearwood are free to do whatever it is we want to do. And I’ve got to tell you: Anything I do with that woman, I’m fine with. Any place that I am with that woman is home to me. But if I have my wishes, it’s going to be filled with music, and it’s going to be filled with music at a level I’ve never seen before.”
JB Beverley Talks “Stripped to the Root” & More
12 CommentsIt’s been nearly 5 years since songwriter, performing artist, and pioneer of underground country J.B. Beverley released his last album with the country band The Wayward Drifters, and now he’s finally back with a new record, but it’s not with The Wayward Drifters, or exclusively a country project. Since “Stripped to the Root” might lend to a little curiosity, we decided to place a call to J.B…..
Jamie Lynn Spears Surprises w/ “How Could I Want More”
49 CommentsThere still is a very long way to go here, and much more to be revealed. I still remain speculative of the platinum blonde hair and where Jamie Lynn’s heart truly lies, and how easy it would be for her to make the first single one that allows her to slide past the guard of the country music gatekeepers only to later spring a big pop surprise. But I’ll be damned if her first single “How Could I Want More” is not bad at all.