A Country Fan Appreciates the Catalog of Neil Diamond
Neil Diamond. The Jewish Elvis Presley as some have referred to him over the years. But country? That’s probably not what you think of when you think Neil Diamond.
Neil Diamond. The Jewish Elvis Presley as some have referred to him over the years. But country? That’s probably not what you think of when you think Neil Diamond.
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.
Beloved and accomplished singer, songwriter, and performer Hal Ketchum has died due to complications from Dementia. He passed away Monday evening, November 23rd according to his wife Andrea. “With great sadness and grief we announce that Hal passed away peacefully last night.”
A pioneer of Austin’s progressive country scene, as well as respected songwriter and country music personality Doak Snead has passed on. A member of the duo Tom and Billy, and later the leader of the Doak Snead Band, he was a staple and regular opener at Austin’s legendary Armadillo World Headquarters.
Jan Howard’s death was marked with obituaries enumerating her many accomplishments in country music, including her hits, her collaborations with John Anderson, and her long tenure at the Grand Ole Opry. But when it comes to Jan Howard, it was just as much about the work she did off the stage, and out of the spotlight.
As tax season approaches and we get the opportunity to tie a bow around the doings of 2019, it’s always interesting to look back on the year at the Grand Ole Opry to see which performing members are paying their proper dues to country music’s most historic institution, and which one’s aren’t.
Beloved and accomplished singer, songwriter, and performer Hal Ketchum is suffering from Alzheimer’s and Dementia, and has officially retired from touring. This was the news that was confirmed by Ketchum’s wife, Andrea on Sunday (4-14) afternoon.
We’ve all heard of the “Class of ’89” in country music, right? That was the year that Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, Clint Black, Travis Tritt, and others came to power. Well have you ever heard of the “Class of ’87”? That was the year Todd Snider, James McMurtry, Bruce Robison, Hal Ketchum, and Terri Hendrix all played regularly at an old wooden music venue in San Marcos, Texas called the Cheatham Street Warehouse.
Many of your favorite Austin, TX musicians who list their hometown as Austin actually live in a small community south and west of the city in the panoramic Texas Hill Country called Wimberley. About a 45-minute drive from Austin, the small town of less than 3,000 sits on the banks of the Blanco River, and is a favorite day trip for many central Texas residents.
The music spirit in Hal Ketchum has surfaced once again, and working with Austin, TX-based label Music Road Records, the 61-year-old singer is set to release his first album in six years called “I’m The Troubadour” on October 7th. “I came to the realization that I had gotten to this deep level of depression, and I finally said to myself, ‘I can still do this. I can still write.’ “