He’s known as one of the hardest working artists in country music, and for good reason. Not only has he been releasing albums at a 2-per-year clip for years now, he tours harder than most anyone else. This will be the case once again in 2023 as Charley Crockett has just released a slew of new tour dates.
Now Central Oregon will have their own country and roots festival, and it may have one of the best lineups of any independent country event all year. Called the FairWell Festival, they have just announced their inaugural lineup for their July 21-23 festival at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds in Redmond.
For the last dozen years or so, one of the most contentious battles within the realm of commercial country music has centered around the incursion of hip-hop influences into the genre, and specifically the use of verses that are rapped as opposed to sung, and electronic beats replacing organic drums.
On July 1st and 2nd, NASCAR Cup Series will be holding their “Chicago Street Race” as part of the greater July 4th weekend, and have booked some major acts to play full sets as part of the festivities, including Miranda Lambert, The Black Crowes, The Chainsmokers, and yes, Charley Crockett.
Not all of us will end up making it to 90. But we’re all the beneficiaries of the fact that Willie Nelson (almost) has. On April 29th, Willie will officially turn 90 years old, and on that day and the next one, a massive cavalcade of stars will converge on the Hollywood Bowl in California.
Marcus King, Lainey Wilson, Charley Crockett, Charles Wesley Godwin, Ashland Craft, Chris Stapleton, The Black Pumas, The Steel Woods, Brit Taylor, Midland, Nikki Lane, Jake Worthington, Quaker City Nighthawks, Casey Donahew, and Jaime Wyatt are some of the cool names that have appeared in the Tulsa King soundtrack.
The Saving Country Music Artist of the Year is not about who sold the most tickets or left the biggest footprint, or who shattered the expectations and possibilities of independent artists that are not played on mainstream country radio. It’s about the artist who most embodied the spirit of of the idea…
Let’s highlight some of the bands on the brink, that probably should be headlining festivals and big events themselves, and very well may be in the coming years. These are the artists and bands you better get out to see before like many of your favorite headliners, they end up only playing arenas.
Alright, so we’ve already run down the most sad, sappy, and poetic songs of 2022 in the Song of the Year nominees. Now it’s time to crank it up a notch and to showcase the songs that are just so damn enjoyable to listen to, we can’t stop. These are the songs that burrow deep in your ears and won’t come out.
The Railbird Festival has been around for a few years now, mixing Kentucky horse racing culture and the state’s favorite spirit of bourbon with a diverse musical experience. But in 2023, Railbird is leaning more into the independent country side of music and their Kentucky roots.
Once again, Under The Big Sky Festival outside of Whitefish, Montana has wowed us all with their lineup announcement, and it underscores once again why this is arguably the premier event in independent country and Americana. With two stages, some 20,000 fans, and a curiously excellent curation of headliners…
This is 2022, and artists like Tyler Childers, Billy Strings, Zach Bryan, and the Turnpike Troubadours are exploding in popularity. Add on top of that then pent up demand due to the pandemic, and we’re living in an era when you’re favorite independent artists are arena stars.
What a year it has been for Charley Crockett, who has recently transitioned off the club circuit to full-blown theaters. And in country music, there is no bigger theater than the Mother Church of Country Music, the Ryman Auditorium.
The 2023 Grammy Award nominees were announced on Tuesday (11-15), with some big surprises, some worthy nominees, and a some disappointment in some categories as it seems the Recording Academy continues to be obsessed with nominating familiar names.
Consisting of 30 total dates, including a couple in the UK and some previously-announced festival appearances, it gives Tyler Childers fans the greatest set opportunities to see him in the last three years. Though there are some big venues and amphitheaters on this tour, these are not arenas.
From performers, to songwriters, to executives and producers, to the strong scene of bluegrass entertainers from New York that have gone on to define the very highest reaches of the discipline, these Jewish contributors deserve our recognition and appreciation.
The Saving Country Music Top 25 Playlist is built to keep you informed on all the best songs and albums coming out right here, right now in country and roots music. It’s available on most all streaming formats, or you can just use the song, artist, and album recommendations.
The Grammy Awards officially open the initial round of voting for nominees today, and due to the propensity for the Grammys to often overlook key contributors in the country music and roots space, here are some simple suggestions of what Grammy voters should make sure they don’t ignore for the 2023 awards.
The Saving Country Music Top 25 Playlist is built to keep you informed on all the best songs and albums coming out right here, right now in country and roots music. It’s available on most all streaming formats, or you can just use the song, artist, and album recommendations.
Like ferreting through your grandfather’s old belongings, and unearthing a rare collection of 78s representing a sumptuous cross-section of bygone American music that despite the dated verbiage and vintage styles, feels vibrant and fresh as ever as it hits your ears that have been rendered voracious.
A new Johnny Cash compilation, as well as a 10th year Anniversary/Deluxe Edition of the James Hand studio album ‘Mighty Lonesome Man’ is coming from the Austin, TX-based independent record label Hillgrass Bluebilly Records. The releases are part of a last hurrah and Grand Finale from the label after releasing multiple original albums, compilations, and reissues over the past 15 years.
The final months of 2022 are here, and just like the first portion of the year, it is jam packed in an increasingly cluttered environment for new releases. Instead of being overwhelmed, use this guide to help you navigate through the crush of titles, with the first 20 albums listed considered some of the top releases.
As reported by Saving Country Music in July, a new 6-part, 12-hour documentary named ‘They Called Us Outlaws: Cosmic Cowboys, Honky Tonk Heroes, and the Rise of Renegade Troubadours’ is on the way, featuring over 90 interviews and 75 live performances, with Jessi Colter executive producing.
Though the film means well, and is generally well-made with superb cinematography and high production value, the approach and information conveyed in the film is problematic to say the least, actively participating in erasing the legacy of Black country artists in a film that purports to be championing them.