One of Vince Gill’s #1 songs saw the nexus between quality writing, reverence for country’s past, and widespread appeal. Released 30 years ago today (July 26th, 1993), “One More Last Chance” was not only Vince Gill’s signature hit
Everybody wanted him, on their albums and on their tours. But only the lucky could get him because he was so high in demand. His name was Michael Rhodes, and he was the bass player for countless artists, sessions, and tours over a nearly 50-year span, playing on some 60 Gold and Platinum albums.
The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame announced their 2022 class last week, with Shania Twain, Steve Wariner, Hillary Lindsey, Gary Nicholson, and David Malloy all being named 2022 inductees. With Shania leading the way, this is the first time since 2009 that the Nashville institution has picked two women.
When they finally get around to opening a proper brick and mortar Red Dirt Music Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma, you can be assured it will be seeded with a bust of Stoney LaRue. Though many modern day artists love to cite Red Dirt as a sound and influence to their music, it’s only a select few who can say they’re founding members.
Few can claim direct involvement with the formation of Oklahoma’s distinct mix of country, rock, and roots music known affectionately as Red Dirt, and Stoney LaRue is one of them. Stoney LaRue has been a warrior of the Texas and Red Dirt touring circuit for nearly 20 years. Now he’s getting ready to release a new album called “Onward.”
September of 2012 was the last time well-respected country music songwriter and performer Chris Knight released new music in the form of his album ‘Little Victories,’ and in the years since, his devoted fans have been salivating for information on when something new might be coming.
“No way I could get out of doing this record,” Steve Earle says. “When I get to the other side, I didn’t want to run into Guy having made the ‘TOWNES’ record and not one about him … Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark were like Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg to me.”
Notch yet another #1 for Willie. 84 years of age, and Billboard’s new rules that register streaming data in the album tabulations can’t keep Willie Nelson from topping the charts this week with his first record of original material in three years, God’s Problem Child. Willie also notches another Top 10 on the all-genre Billboard 200.
One day, and maybe not too far off in the distant future, you will be bragging about how you lived in the time of Willie Nelson. Whether you’re an oldtimer and remember buying his records new on vinyl, or you discovered Willie in your college years as a back catalog artist, you lived on Planet Earth at the same time as Willie Nelson.
The 83-year-old Willie Nelson certainly isn’t slowing down for anything. In fact he’s been been releasing records a a pace quicker than one per year since signing with Sony’s Legacy Recordings, but those are not always recordings of original music. That will not be the case with his newest project called ‘God’s Problem Child.’
From crude videos taken on somebody’s phone, to full production videos with scripts and actors and sets, to animated shorts and everything in between, you never know what’s going to capture the imagination and become the perfect compliment to a song in the visual form. what breaks through the crush of visual material to be called the best in 2014?
The song “It Ain’t You” off of Ray Benson’s album A Little Piece continues this trend of offering both something unheard, but something wrought during the living era of a legendary artist, and paid forward with reverence and care by those still around who are inspired by their legacy. Originally written by Waylon Jennings with Gary Nicholson, “It Ain’t You” was never recorded.