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.
Mel Tillis
Finally! Tanya Tucker to Be Inducted to Country Music Hall of Fame
Tanya Tucker’s life has been like a country song. That’s how she can sing them with such a convincing attitude, and conviction. And though it feels like she’s lived many lifetimes in her career, at 62, Tanya still has time to enjoy this accolade, and add to what now can be called a Hall of Fame career.
Album Review – Willie Nelson’s “I Don’t Know a Thing About Love”
Willie Nelson will turn 90 on April 29th, and has shown no signs of slowing down, either on the road, or in the studio. His last album called “A Beautiful Time” was released last year on his birthday and went on to win the Grammy Award for Best Country Album, and earned it entirely on the merit of the music.
Paul Franklin’s Been Nominated for CMAs 30 Times. He’s Never Won.
Susan Lucci is the name people love to cite when it comes to someone who’s accrued a long string of nominations for a certain award without ever actually winning it. But legendary country music steel guitarist Paul Franklin actually has Susan Lucci beat, and by more than a decade.
Album Review – The Broken Spokes – “Where I Went Wrong”
Congratulations, you have just stumbled upon your next favorite country band, and your next favorite country album. From Houston, TX, The Broken Spokes are a beloved local and regional traditional country outfit with a name synonymous with country due to the famous honky tonk in Austin…
Nudie Cohn: The Ukrainian Refugee Who Created the Image of Country Music
It was 1913, and ethnic Jews living in the Ukraine region of the Russian Empire were regularly subjected to brutal, mob-like massacres, known as pogroms. Just two years after a young boy named Nuta Kotlyarenko (Нута Котляренко) was born in Kiev on December 15th, 1902.
Album Review – Brock Gonyea’s “Where My Heart Is”
Here comes this surprise EP from upstart country artist Brock Gonyea that will deliver you and your country-loving heart smack dab into 1950’s country music bliss, warming your cockles about the prospects for the future of the country genre.
Country History X: John Prine & the Perfect Country & Western Song
Many know the “perfect Country & Western song” is “You Never Even Called Me By My Name” performed by David Allan Coe, and written by Steve Goodman. Or at least, that’s how David Allan Coe and Steve Goodman presented it. But what many don’t know is that John Prine was a co-writer of the song.
Album Review – Pam Tillis – “Looking For A Feeling”
The first solo effort from Pam Tillis in some 12 years deserves the serious attention of a true comeback record. It finds the 62-year-old and Grand Ole Opry member looking for a spark of inspiration, and finding it in reigniting her zest for music by adding a splash of soul and classic rock to the country mix.
Pam Tillis Shares Details of 1st Solo Album in 12 Years
Pam Tillis will be back in a solo capacity for the first time in a dozen years when she releases her eleventh studio record ‘Looking for a Feeling.’ Influenced not just by her country roots that run deep from her performing father and songwriter Mel Tillis, Pam is also looking to bring her classic rock and soul influences to the table
Pam Tillis Signs Deal, To Release 1st Solo Album in 12 Years
It’s been over 12 years since Grand Ole Opry member and (potential) future Country Music Hall of Famer Pam Tillis released a solo studio record, but that will all be changing soon as she has announced a new deal, with a new solo record in the works. The 2nd-generation country star was one of the most successful women throughout the 90’s.
Review – Ken Burns Country Music Documentary, Ep. 1 “The Rub”
Over seven years of full-time labor on the part of numerous people, over 101 interviews conducted, countless hours of archival work digging up old photographs, audio, video, and other vintage material, and an elongated year-long promotional effort finally culminated in the broadcast of the debut episode for the Ken Burns Country Music epic.
Burt Reynolds Helped Prove That Country Music Was Cool
By the bullet points on the resume, Burt Reynolds had little to do with country music. Not since Gram Parsons did a figure in American pop culture act like a bigger bridge to country music, and proved how it could be cool. For most famous humans, the myth precedes them. But with Burt Reynolds, the myth really was the man.
In Memoriam – Country Music’s Fallen Greats of 2017
As the end of the year draws near, it comes time to reflect on all the country music greats big and small, superstars and sidemen, session players and songwriters, who passed away in the past year, and pay our respects to the contributions they made to country music, and to us as fans through the music they shared.
How Whataburger Helped Mel Tillis Overcome His Stutter, And Start a National Conversation
Mel Tillis was known for many accomplishments in music, but he’s also known to a generation as being one of the most famous people with the speech impediment known as stuttering. In the 80’s, Whataburger decided to take the initiative with their famous stammering spokesperson to make a point and inspire people.
Country Legend Mel Tillis Has Passed Away
Mel Tillis, beloved for #1 country hits such as “Southern Rains,” “Good Woman Blues,” “Heart Healer,” and more died Sunday morning (11-19) at the Munroe Regional Medical Center in Ocala, Florida. Tillis had been battling intestinal issues since early 2016 which resulted in his hospitalization, and he never fully recovered.
How Should a Country Music Purist Regard the Musical Legacy of Glen Campbell?
How should a country purist regard the legacy of Glen Campbell? That should be a really easy question to answer: with class, respect, and appreciation for a man that was an incredible ambassador for the genre through multiple avenues, and a timeless contributor to the country music canon.
Merle Haggard Still Recovering from Double Pneumonia – Prayers Asked for Mel Tillis
Once again the 78-year-old Merle Haggard is suffering from serious heath issues that have resulted in him canceling upcoming shows. Scheduled to perform in New Mexico at the Inn of the Mountain Gods and the Farmington Civic Center on January 30th and 31st, Haggard has canceled both dates due to a double pneumonia. The news was confirmed on Thursday (1-28) by Haggard’s son and guitar player Ben Haggard.
The Oldest Living Links to Country Music’s Golden Past
With the passing of the 94-year-old “Little” Jimmy Dickens at the beginning of 2015, it’s a reminder for us to cherish the final living links to country music’s most legendary past who can still tell stories of how country music once was. The amount of performers who were important in forming the very foundation of country music are quickly fading away.