Charlie Kirk, Jesse Welles, and the Freedom of Speech

But whether your Freedom of Speech hero is Charlie Kirk or Jesse Welles, it should be for all of us to protect our neighbor’s right to “say exactly what [they] mean all the time.”
But whether your Freedom of Speech hero is Charlie Kirk or Jesse Welles, it should be for all of us to protect our neighbor’s right to “say exactly what [they] mean all the time.”
Congratulations Eric Church fans, this is what you waited four years for—seven new songs and a Tom Waits cover spectacularly overproduced by Jay Joyce. “Evangeline vs. The Machine” is right…
Would we only get a wine and roses portrayal of the Opry, especially through the modern era? Or would it be willing to present the accurate history, warts and all? Luckily, the latter is the case.
We didn’t really know what to expect from the Grand Ole Opry’s 100th Anniversary celebration on NBC Wednesday night (3-19). We hoped it would be a cavalcade of actual country stars singing actual country music.
The music of Jamey Johnson doesn’t go anywhere fast. But when it arrives, heaven and earth succumb to its power as it vibrates and envelops every atom in its presence. That’s the experience of ‘Midnight Gasoline.’
Appreciate that those 100 ticket holders constituted about 12% of the people with RSVPs to get in, including “Honor Society” members of the Country Music Hall of Fame who pay five and six-figure annual fees for entry.
Ever since the release of Jamey Johnson’s last original album—2010’s The Guitar Song—fans have been eagerly awaiting new music from the 2-time CMA award-winning songwriter. It’s finally here.
It may not have formed the subgenre officially, but Lynyrd Skynyrd’s debut album (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd) released 50 years ago this week sent Southern rock into the stratosphere.
Toy Talmadge Caldwell Jr. is the name his parents gave him when he was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina on November 13th, 1947. Little did Toy Talmadge Caldwell Sr. or anyone else know at that time that they had brought one hell of a spitfire guitar player, singer, and lyricist into the world.
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.
Sometimes when the late Charlie Daniels spoke it was like hearing a shotgun go off in the woods. That voice, deep and searing, rounded by a lingering drawl—firing fast then settling over things, like buckshot scattering through the trees. That’s how he sounded when I picked up the phone in 2010.
It’s been since 2010’s The Guitar Song since we’ve had a new album of original material from traditional country star and songwriter Jamey Johnson, and it’s been since 2012’s Living for a Song, which was a tribute to Hank Cochran since we’ve had an album from Jamey Johnson at all. Not that it’s unusual for […]
“The Mrs. and I know Kenny,” Billy Cox said in a statement on Sunday (3-21). “We have traveled many miles together with Kenny, his band and his management. Lots of days and nights together in close quarters. The Mrs. even calls, Kenny and Noah (vocalist KWS Band) her ‘youngins.'”
As bad as 2020 has been for just about everything, believe it or not, country music got it worse than just about every other segment of music, entertainment, sports, etc. when it came to both the amount, and the major names that passed away in the last 12 months.
Among many other criticisms being lobbed at the 2020 CMA Awards broadcast on Wednesday (11-11), the lack of an In Memoriam segment, and specifically overlooking major deaths in country music such as John Prine, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Billy Joe Shaver have quite a few hopping mad.
The 2020 CMA Awards will transpire on Wednesday, November 11th (make sure to follow along with Saving Country Music’s LIVE blog), and this year it will be a tribute heavy affair. Tributes, remembrances, and the marking of anniversaries will be a big part of the presentation.
Also as part of the reopening, the Hall of Fame is planning a special live streaming event on October 28th, and one they hope will be one of their biggest fundraisers ever, called “Big Night (At The Museum)”. It will match legendary instruments with many of the legendary artists of today.
COVID-19 has caused a second wave of closures and cancellations throughout the country music heartland and sunbelt south, but the storied institution of the Grand Ole Opry endures on Saturday night as it has done since the very start of the pandemic, and for over 95 years. Vince Gill and Reba McEntire will take the stage Saturday night.
Country Music Hall of Famer Charlie Daniels died unexpectedly at the age of 83 on Monday, July 6th after suffering a hemorrhagic stroke. A titan of American music, after the passing of Charlie Daniels, he music experienced a spike in interest.
Country Music Hall of Famer and Southern rock icon Charlie Daniels passed away on Monday, July 6th at the Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, Tennessee after suffering a hemorrhagic stroke. He was 83-years-old. On Friday, July 10th, funeral services will be held at the World Outreach Church, and will be streamed online.
Country Music Hall of Famer and Southern rock icon Charlie Daniels has died. The 83-year-old passed away unexpectedly Monday morning (7-6) after suffering a hemorrhagic stroke. Daniels’ death has been confirmed by his publicist, Don Murry Grubbs.
There is no doubt that by any objective assessment, when it comes to the world of creative types in the realm of music or otherwise, their ranks tend to veer more towards liberal ideals when it comes to politics. But that in no way excludes the gift of creativity from people who happen to be more conservative or independent of mindset.
Undoubtedly, you could not tell the story of country music in the late 60’s and early 70’s without broaching the political upheaval and countercultural revolution roiling American society at the time. But the time spent on stories that were only proxies to country music bogged this episode down in stretches.
Outlaw country and Southern rock group Confederate Railroad has been removed from playing at the Illinois State Fair in Du Quoin this August due to the band’s name. Originally scheduled to perform with Restless Heart and Shenandoah under the banner “90s Country Reloaded Day” on August 27th, they have been removed from the bill.