Zac Brown & Rory Feek Pen New Collaboration- "This Song's For You"

This is one of my new favorites of the year...

TNS Video History- Dolly Parton- "Rockin' Years"

CD Reviews- Gretchen Wilson- I Got Your Country Right Here

The Background:
Gretchen Wilson first exploded onto the country scene in 2004 with her breakthrough hit, “Redneck Woman.” Her debut album, Here For The Party, was certified 5x Platinum, and featured four top 5 singles, including the aforementioned chart-topping “Redneck Woman.” Since then, she has followed up her record-breaking debut with 2005’s All Jacked Up and 2007’s One Of The Boys, which each slated tunes on the country charts consistently for Wilson.

Gretchen first introduced the true definition of the redneck woman, a rough and tough female vocalist with the sass and attitude of a true country artist. Since her emergence onto the scene 6+ years ago, dozens of up-and-coming female country artists have modeled their music and personas off of Wilson, but none have come close to matching her tenacity, perseverance, or success. Now after exiting Sony BMG Nashville in July 2009, Gretchen releases her latest album, I Got Your County Right Here, on her very own label, Redneck Records.

The Review:
Gretchen Wilson’s latest album offers a few surprises, a couple typical tunes, and even unleashes a new side to self-proclaimed “one of the boys.” Kicking off the disc with the title track, Wilson once again demonstrates her tough-girl persona, which is also the case on “The Earrings Song,” a tune about teaching a girl a lesson who’s been flirting with her man. While there has been a song similar to this on every one of Gretchen’s albums, most notably “Homewrecker” from her debut, the track is still effective, and you can’t help but tap your foot and sing along.

Surprisingly enough, the album’s lead single, “Work Hard, Play Harder,” is not the best track, nor will it be the most successful. While the beat is edgy and catchy enough, the lyrical content seems slightly generic. This is ironically not the case for another upbeat track on the disc, “Blue Collar Done Turned Red,” a tune which may never be released as a single, but is one of the top tunes on the album.

The strength of ‘I Got Your Country Right Here’ is that it exonerates exactly what Gretchen Wilson represents, and what she has been about since she first debuted on the country scene in 2004. It is mostly upbeat, with only a few select tracks that slow down the pace, but only temporarily. Because these drawn-down songs, which include “I’m Only Human” and “I’d Love To Be Your Last,” are exceptions to the norm of the record, this adds to their notoriety and effectiveness. That being said, slower ballads are definitely not Wilson’s strengths, but they serve as only a moderate decline in the overall quality of the album.

After a momentary absence during the release of her 2007 album One Of The Boys, Gretchen Wilson has returned to where she began with I’ve Got Your Country Right Here, which is exactly where she belongs. Welcome back, Gretchen.

Sounds Like:
Gretchen Wilson From 2004-2006

Track Highlights:
“I Got Your Country Right Here”
“The Earrings Song”
“Blue Collar Done Turned Red”

The Verdict:
Four Stars Out Of Five

Review by Chad Carlson. Chad is the Editor of SteelTownRock.com, Pittsburgh’s New Music Authority. To contact Chad, reach out to him at chad.carlson(at)steeltownrock.com

Lead Singer Chris Stapleton Parts Ways With The Steeldrivers

It has been confirmed by Rounder Records President Ken Irwin that The SteelDrivers' lead singer Chris Stapleton has parted ways with the band.

"Chris has left the band to focus more on writing and family," Irwin said in an email. "There will be an announcement of a replacement shortly after an appreciation of Chris," Irwin said.

"(The) SteelDrivers are very happy with new lead singer....he is a new singer and not a replacement for Chris.....good guitar player too," said Irwin, who added that he had not seen the new band yet.

Stapleton had been the lead vocalist for the band which put out a four and a half star album (according to That Nashville Sound) in January of 2008. The band continues with Richard Bailey - Banjo, Mike Fleming - Bass/Vocals, Mike Henderson - Mandolin/Vocals and and Tammy Rogers - Fiddle/Vocals

Dozens Of Big Names In Country Music Looking For New Labels

Over at CMT.com, their editorial team has finished a huge survey of signed and recently released acts- and there’s several big surprises on current unsigned acts.

Among the departures are Emerson Drive from Valory Music Co., Randy Owen from Broken Bow, Trace Adkins and Kenny Rogers from Capitol (Adkins has since signed to Show Dog-Universal) and the Bellamy Brothers, Hal Ketchum and Hank Williams Jr. from Curb. Also moving on are SHeDAISY, Jessica Andrews and Trent Tomlinson from Lyric Street, Kate & Kacey Coppola and Adam Gregory from Big Machine, Rhonda Vincent from Rounder, Jennifer Hanson, Kevin Costner and Shooter Jennings from Show Dog-Universal, Jason Michael Carroll from Arista, Crystal Shawanda from RCA Nashville, Pat Green from BNA, Keith Anderson, Caitlin & Will and Gretchen Wilson from Columbia Nashville (Wilson has since started her own label) and Shelby Lynne from Lost Highway.

That Nashville Soundbites- Josh Abbott Band- She's Like Texas

That Nashville Sound receives many different CD releases throughout the year from indie, bluegrass and artists just off the mainstream radar that we’re doing short mini CD reviews on. We call them That Nashville Soundbites- it’s a feature that will allow us to give some props to some albums and artists that deserve a spotlight on their work.

Release Date: February 2010
Music Label: Pretty Damn Tough Records
The Skinny: It’s the second release from the Texas based quintet and from the opening track of "Road Trippin", a good-ole-boy party anthem and rambunctious road trip tale, it's clear that Abbott and bandmates are about acoustic country rocking. The finest song on the album is the beautiful duet with fellow Texan Kelly Musgraves (who does her best Miranda Lambert impression.) The title track is a sweet dedication to both the Lone Star state and the girl of his dreams. (See the video below.) The album concludes with "Let My Tears Be Still," a spare and haunting piano-based song about an old, dying WWII/Korean War/Vietnam vet who is looking back at his life.
Sounds Like: A More Acoustic Eli Young Band
Standout Tracks: "Road Trippin”, “She's Like Texas”, “Oh, Tonight (featuring Kacey Musgraves)”, “Let My Tears Be Still”
The Verdict: Three & A Half Stars Out Of Five

New Dolly Parton Spiritual Collection To Hit Shelves Early May

Dolly Parton's spiritual devotion has been a constant theme throughout dozens of her albums over her career so it comes as no surprise that a collection of such songs is now hitting the market.

The ten songs of her 1971 album Golden Streets of Glory provide the foundation for Dolly's new collection of gospel songs with the release of Letter to Heaven: Songs of Faith and Inspiration.

'Letter to Heaven' includes 17 powerful songs of inspiration, including 'I Believe,' 'How Great Thou Art,' 'Wings of a Dove,' and 'Daddy Was an Old Time Preacher Man.' The bulk of the tracks were produced by Dolly's long-time RCA staff producer, the late Bob Ferguson, who was one of the pioneers of the famed 'Nashville Sound,' developed in the 1950s and '60s.

'Letter to Heaven' will be available at all physical and digital retail outlets starting May 4 through RCA Nashville/Legacy.

New Music Video From The Warren Brothers- "Dear Mr. God"

The Top Tens- 10 Alt-Country Musts For Your iPod

A term more for people who need terms, Alt-Country encompasses a wide and varied group of musicians who ride the line between Rock, Country, Roots, Bluegrass, Rockabilly and sometimes even punk rock (if not even just in spirit). Guest writer Tom Gates picks ten that might do your iPod well.

Uncle Tupelo “No Depression”

Most often seen as the pioneers of the movement, Uncle Tupelo’s run from 1987-1994 went largely unnoticed by the mainstream but stormed a trail for many bands, including the ones that would form out of this one’s ashes (that’d be Wilco and Son Volt). The title track from their 1990 album No Depression also became the title for a magazine which covered the scene from the years 1995-2008.

No Depression

Whiskeytown “Houses on the Hill”
Fronted by Ryan Adams, Whiskeytown made a name for themselves by playing gloriously loose and raucous shows. Always a bit of a soap opera, the band’s inner turmoil turned to electricity during gigs. “Houses on the Hill” features background vocals and violin by member Caitlin Cary, who greatly contributed to the band’s sound.

Houses On The Hill

Wilco “Passenger Side”
Hopefully by now you’re familiar with Wilco and their story. If not, grab a copy of the DVD I Am Trying To Break Your Heart and learn just how rough life can become for a rock band. “Passenger Side” is decidedly townie, a tale about mooching rides and calling shotgun. “You’re gonna make me spill my beer, if you don’t learn how to steer.”

Passenger Side

Old 97’s “Melt Show”
Old 97’s blew down the doors when they entered the scene, bringing a more rockabilly and punk aesthetic to their shows, which often found singer Rhett Miller shaking and quaking more than Elvis. Now pushing 40, Miller still writes excellent songs and The 97’s still make music together. “Melt Show” is probably the best studio recording to ever capture their live energy.

Melt Show (LP Version)

Blue Mountain “Wink”
Blue Mountain’s Dog Days is one of the best records you’ve probably never heard. Founded by a husband and wife duo (she also John Stirratt from Wilco’s twin sister), the band was never able to crack the big time. This album, chocked full of Mississippi heartbreak, endures as a lost classic.

Wink (Album Version)

Son Volt “Drown”
The “other post-Tupelo band”, Son Volt continues to tour and make great music. “Drown” shows the band’s distorted side but don’t be fooled. The soft stuff is just as powerful. Mark Death Cab For Cutie’s Ben Gibbard as a fan – he recently made an album and toured with SV’s main man, Jay Farrar.

Drown (LP Version)

The Jayhawks “Blue”
There was a moment where Alt Country nearly tipped into mainstream and The Jayhawks’ “Blue” was one of the songs that nearly took it around the corner. Imagine that this song was once played on radio stations that now blare Linkin Park and System of a Down. It’s also possibly one of the sweetest songs of all time.

Blue

Lucinda Williams “Drunken Angel”
With a drawl all her own, Lucinda’s Car Wheels On A Gravel Road has sold nearly a million copies and earned her a Grammy. The whole album’s a corker.

Drunken Angel

Scud Mountain Boys “Grudge”
A band that formed sitting around a table, Scud Mountain Boys hit the nail on the head with their 1996 album Massachusetts. A song about a breakup and the stalking that follows, “Grudge” features the honest hook, “I would give anything to make it with you just one more time.”

Grudge

The Avett Brothers “I And Love And You”
The Avett Brothers are one of many bands to take Alt Country’s torch and run with it. They’ll surely be one of 2010’s biggest breakouts, already pulling in big crowds and making them The Band To Watch at this year’s Bonnaroo Music Festival.

I And Love And You (single)

By Tom Gates- Tom is a writer for Matador Nights and a constant traveler, having spent most of the past two years wandering Earth with his Macbook. He is also pretending to be a third person right now and is obviously writing his own bio. He knows that you knew that, despite the deft maneuvering of pronouns. (photo of Lucinda Williams by jcbehm)

That Nashville Soundbites- Lathan Moore- Love In Your Life

That Nashville Sound receives many different CD releases throughout the year from indie and new artists that we’re doing short mini CD reviews on. We call them That Nashville Soundbites- it’s a feature that will allow us to give some props to some albums and artists that deserve a spotlight on their work.

Release Date: January 2010
Music Label: Blue Steel
The Skinny: With a healthy dose of twang and a compliment of steel guitar, Moore raises the flag for traditional country and does a fine job on this, his first album. Standout tracks include "Beautiful Girl" in which, like me, he "married up" out of his league as well as the thoughtful "Cornfield Cadillac" in which he recalls using an old Cadillac up on cinderblocks as his childhood playroom. It "took them around the world parked in Paris, Tennessee."
Sounds Like: Joe Diffie & Wade Hayes
Standout Tracks: "Beautiful Girl”, “Cornfield Cadillac”
The Verdict: Three Stars Out Of Five

Randy Houser Channels His Inner Waylon Jennings

Randy Houser in the studio prepping to record Waylon Jennings' "Ramblin Man" with members from Waylon's original band. The track is being recorded for a special upcoming Waylon Jennings project, which Randy also sang "Just To Satisfy You", featuring Sheryl Crow. Here is your sneak peek!

Tim McGraw Talks About A Duets Album With Faith Hill

Tim McGraw talked about a potential duets project with his wife, Faith Hill, with the Vancouver Sun earlier this week.

"It's just a matter of time," says country music mega-star Tim McGraw in a phone interview to advance his North American tour that kicked off in Vancouver on Thursday night.

McGraw and Hill have been married since 1996, having met on The Spontaneous Combustion Tour, which he headlined. They have enjoyed hits with "Let's Make Love", "I Need You" and "It's Your Love". They also toured on the Soul2Soul tour twice.

When asked about timing, McGraw said, "You know, (it's) labels and all these things," he says. "Once we clear the woods a little bit, we'll (record an album), for sure."

Curb fell out of favor with McGraw by releasing a third greatest-hits package in 2008, against the singer's wishes. That dispute then held up the release of McGraw's latest album, Southern Voice, which finally hit stores in October of last year.

"I don't want to get into all that stuff, but in the history of the music business, artists and labels have not gotten along incredibly well, because there's a financial way to do things and there's an artistic way," McGraw says. "There's just other things I would like to do, and I think the best part of my career is ahead of me."

"I don't know; I'm just gonna see what's best for me," he says. "The music business, there's no formula to it. You sort of have to find your own way. It's a changing industry, and it's not gonna be the way it was before. Labels do need to figure out how they're going to operate in the future, if they're going to operate."

Esquire Magazine Giving Free Download Of Exclusive Dierks Bentley Song

For the April issue of Esquire Magazine (on newsstands now), they asked five of their favorite musicians — Dierks Bentley, Charlie Mars, Bob Schneider, Griffin House, and Ben Kweller — to come to the Shack-Up Inn in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and take part in a two-day fashion shoot with world-famous photographer Danny Clinch. And to make things interesting, they also asked each of the musicians to take the Esquire Songwriting Challenge: write, perform, and record an original song with lyrics that include the phrase "Somewhere in Mississippi." For some of them, this became the title of their song and they used it time and again; for others, they used the phrase once before heading in another direction. The results are five songs as unique and entertaining as the men who created them.

Beginning today, they're making each musician's song available right HERE as a free download for one day only. They'll also debut exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of each guy performing his song. Here are the different download dates:

Dierks Bentley- today (3/29/10)
Charlie Mars- Tuesday (3/30/10)
Ben Kweller- Wednesday (3/31/10)
Griffin House- Thursday (4/1/10)
Bob Schneider- Friday (4/2/10)
All five of the artists- Monday (4/5/10)

Read more: http://www.esquire.com/the-side/music/miss#ixzz0id19O19Z

TNS Video History- Bryan White- "You're Still Beautiful To Me"