George Jones, Johnny Paycheck Drummer Arnie Adams Dies
The Country Music world has lost an incredibly important and pioneering drummer. On August 28th, Roland “Arnie” Adams passed away at home, reportedly from a late-stage cancer.
Johnny Paycheck
Vince Gill & Paul Franklin Reunite to Toast an Old Friend
Vince Gill and Paul Franklin are reuniting once again, and this time to pay tribute to Ray Price and his legendary backing band The Cherokee Cowboys.
Charley Crockett Holds Court at a Sold Out Ryman
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.
“Queen of the House” Singer Jody Miller Has Died
Jody Miller passed away on October 6th in Blanchard, Oklahoma due to complications from Parkinson’s Disease. She was 80 years old. First signed to Capitol Records as a folk artist in 1962, Jody Miller’s contributions spanned multiple genres, including pop, folk, country, and eventually Gospel.
Remembering Joe Chambers: Founder, Fighter for Musicians Hall of Fame
For all of its other flaws as an industry, country music and Nashville have always tried to give songwriters their due, establishing the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970, and making sure songwriters share in awards. But until Joe Chambers came along, musicians continued to play a role as second fiddle.
2022 Country Music Hall of Fame Picks & Predictions
It’s that time of year again to consider who might be in the running for the precious few spots as the newest inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame. A secret committee commissioned by the CMA is going over their final ballots and whittling down the names.
Charley Crockett to Tribute Country Roots with “Jukebox Charley”
“Jukebox Charley” isn’t just the name of an old Johnny Paycheck song. It’s a good term of endearment for Charley Crockett since he’s quickly proving that that he and his backing band The Blue Drifters can light into just about any classic country song you can call out
George Jones & Johnny Paycheck Guitarist Gary Adams Dies
Country Music guitarist great Gary H. Adams died on January 7, 2022. He was 78 years old and had lived a full life as a musician, husband and father. Best known as a founding member of George Jones’s touring band, and also as a member of Johnny Paycheck’s touring band…
Gram Parsons / Austin Steel Guitarist Neil Flanz Has Died
There are few tours that are more legendary to the history of country music than the six-week tour that Gram Parsons embarked on in 1973 behind his album GP. Yes, there were certainly bigger tours with higher grossing receipts, or tours that featured a more scintillating lineup.
Mike and the Moonpies Blaze on New Song “Paycheck to Paycheck”
Out of nowhere, Mike and the Moonpies have unleashed a new single called “Paycheck to Paycheck,” and hold onto your hats fellas. It finds those boys from Texas in top form, and kicking country music ass as is their predilection, all while paying homage to their blue collar roots
Country Music Hall of Fame Picks & Predictions for 2021
It’s that time of year again to consider who might be in the running for the precious few spots as the newest inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame. A secret committee commissioned by the CMA is going over their final ballots and whittling down the names to the few who will make it.
Johnny PayCheck’s Son John Gets Back Into Family Business
With a wife and three daughters, and a life well lived already, Johnny Paycheck’s son Jonathan is not exactly looking for your adulation to help support a fledgling career as he couch surfs and cuts his teeth at open mics. Nonetheless, he’s here to leave his own mark on music.
Willie Nelson Covers Johnny Paycheck’s “Only Hell” for Mother’s Day
Willie Nelson’s latest album First Rose of Spring has been postponed until July 3rd due to Coronavirus concerns (it was supposed to be released April 24th), but he’s celebrating Mother’s Day by releasing his cover of Johnny Paycheck’s infamous song “I’m The Only Hell My Mama Ever Raised.”
Willie Nelson’s New Album and Song “First Rose of Spring”
Willie Nelson will release his triumphant 70th studio album called First Rose of Spring come April 24th via Sony’s Legacy imprint. Seceding much of the songwriting to others on this effort aside from a couple of tunes, the title track comes from the pen of Randy Houser, Allen Shamblin, Mark Beeson, and has been released ahead of the record.
Biggest Oversights in the Ken Burns Country Music Documentary
Not as a rebuke of the work of the documentary, but as an addendum for those who watched and might want to dig deeper into the history of country through some of its more important personalities not represented well in the film, here are some of the Country Music film’s biggest oversights.
Album Review – Charley Crockett’s “The Valley”
The music of Charley Crockett takes you back to a time and place when country rubbed up against other genres in a good way, and no matter what type of music you ran across, it included that touch of human emotion that didn’t get hung up in the cogs of the machines stamping out music as commercial product.
George Strait Shares Details of New Album “Honky Tonk Time Machine”
With little prospect for radio play, George Strait appears to just be doing what he wants to do on Honky Tonk Time Machine, which is traveling back in time to when country was country. “I’m really excited to have some new music coming out,” shares Strait. “It’s been about two years since I’ve released a record.”
“Colorado Kool-Aid” Songwriter Phil Thomas Passes Away
Beloved and influential country music songwriter Phil Thomas passed away Saturday, January 5th. With prominent songs recorded by artists such as Johnny Paycheck, George Strait, Randy Travis, Alabama, Barbara Mandrell, and more, his fingerprints are all over the sound and style of country from the late 70’s into the early 2000’s.
Vintage Album Review – “Willie and Family Live”
Pound for pound, if you’re looking the most enjoyable record of Willie Nelson’s career, the one that captures him at his creative apex the most, the one that birthed some of his most lasting contributions to recorded music, it’s not a studio record of his at all. It’s a double live album he recorded in April of 1978 at Harrah’s Casino in Lake Tahoe.
How Sweden Became A Surprising Enclave for Country and Roots Music
We’ve known for years that per capita, Europe is a better support center for independent country and roots music compared to the United States. But something is brewing in Sweden specifically that is helping to give rise to one of the strongest, most vibrant enclaves for country music outside of North America.
Saving Country Music’s 2018 Country Music Hall of Fame Picks & Prognostications
Once again as spring nears, it becomes time for the annual exercise to ponder who perhaps the CMA will deem worthy for induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. About this time the secret CMA-approved committee is going over their final ballots and whittling down the precious names to the few who will make it.
Yes! Details on Animated Country Series “Mike Judge Presents: Tales from the Tour Bus”
As first reported by Saving Country Music in January, a new animated series called ‘Mike Judge Presents: Tales from the Tour Bus’ covering real stories from country music’s past in animated form is on its way to television. Now, we finally get the details and an in-depth look at what country music fans can expect.
Think Horns Don’t Belong in Country? Then You Don’t Know Don Markham
For 40 years, Don Markham was the horn player in Merle Haggard’s backing band, The Strangers. In fact he outlasted every other permanent member in the band, and aside from a few hiatuses throughout the years, was the only constant member. He also played on every single Merle Haggard release since 1974, though you may have not noticed him.
Saving Country Music’s 2016 Country Music Hall of Fame Picks & Prognostications
As we get to mid February each year, it comes down to nut cutting time for deciding who the next class of inductees to the Country Music Hall of Fame will be. Though who gets to decide is a big secret kept by the Country Music Association, or CMA, we all should feel like we have a say so and voice our opinions and hope the right people listen.