Saturday, June 11, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
Ricky Skaggs To Release Country Hits Bluegrass Style On 7/19
Both bluegrass and country lovers alike will enjoy the bluegrass instrumentation along with the impeccable tenor voice of Ricky Skaggs, the man who “single-handedly” saved country music in the early 80’s, according to renowned guitarist and producer, Chet Atkins. Ricky’s 8-time IBMA Instrumental Band of the Year, Kentucky Thunder, along with some of Ricky’s original award-winning country band alumni and special friends add to the magic of this album.
“We did such good music in the 1980s and early '90s that a lot of fans still shout out 'Honey (Open That Door),' and I felt like we needed to do those songs for them, too,” explained Skaggs. “For years now I’ve had fans come up and ask me to do a CD that would have my old country hits on it. So here it is, done a little different than the original recordings. These were done in more of a bluegrass style. Folks have loved it when we play them on the road. Sure hope you love them too.”
Skaggs’ first two country #1 singles and standouts on the new album, “Crying My Heart Out Over You” and “I Don’t Care,” are accompanied by eight more #1 country hits, such as “Cajun Moon” and “Highway 40 Blues.” Ricky’s superior guitar skills are showcased throughout this bluegrass rendition of his fan-favorite classic, “Country Boy.” Other songs include “Uncle Pen,” the first bluegrass tune ever to hit #1 on Billboard’s country chart, “Don’t Get Above Your Raising,” “He Was On To Something (So He Made You),” and “Somebody’s Prayin’.”
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Miranda Lambert And Blake Shelton Lead Winners In 2011 CMT Music Awards
The bad: No awards show has more of a inferiority complex with its own genre as the night was sprinkled with video wins by Justin Bieber, a hosting by rocker Kid Rock, The Band Perry singing Rihanna lines from Eminem songs, Lady Antebellum covering Prince and performances by Ludacris. Why can't a country music show be a country music show? Celebrate what you are.
Below is a listing of the winners:
Video of the year: Taylor Swift, "Mine."
Male video of the year: Blake Shelton, "Who Are You When I'm Not Looking."
Female video of the year: Miranda Lambert, "The House That Built Me."
Group video of the year: Lady Antebellum, "Hello World."
Duo video of the year: Sugarland, "Stuck Like Glue."
Breakthrough video of the year: The Band Perry, "If I Die Young."
Collaborative video of the year: Justin Bieber and Rascal Flatts, "That Should Be Me."
CMT performance video of the year: Jimmy Buffett and Zac Brown Band, "Margaritaville."
Best web video of the year: Blake Shelton, "Kiss My Country Ass."
Video director of the year: Trey Fanjoy, "The House That Built Me" and "Who Are You When I'm Not Looking."
Blue Mountain Mountain Music Singer Spencer Moore Passes Away
Born into a family of 11 children on February 7, 1919 in the northwestern corner of North Carolina, Spencer was introduced to old-time music early on. After the family moved across the mountains to Laurel Bloomery, the Moore family was exposed to more old-time music via their neighbor, the blind fiddler and singer, G.B. Grayson. Spencer’s father acquired a wind-up phonograph and records. Hearing records by the likes of Charlie Poole, Jimmie Rodgers, Riley Puckett and their neighbor, G.B. Grayson, stoked the fires of Spencer’s love of old-time music that much more. A few dollars bought him a guitar from Sears and Roebuck via the mail. In 1933, at age 14, Spencer attended the famous Whitetop Mountain Folk Festival. There he heard Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt sing “Three Little Babes,” an old British ballad also known as “The Wife of Usher’s Well.”
By the late 1930’s, Spencer and his brother Joe were performing publicly themselves as the Moore Brothers in the Delmore Brothers style. It was during this period that the Moores performed in a tent-show with the Carter Family.
In 1959, famed folklorist Alan Lomax along with Shirley Collins came into the hills of southwest Virginia to collect Blue Ridge mountain music. Lomax recorded a number of pieces by Spencer including Jimmy Sutton and The Girl I Left Behind. The performances were released on Atlantic and Prestige Records. Lomax called him “as genuine as a rail fence.”
In a rustic mountain home perched on a green hillside of the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwest Virginia, Spencer Moore remained almost untouched by modernity. He provided his own entertainment on an acoustic guitar over a half century old. Knowing between 500-600 songs by heart, he could sing you most any old-time song known in that part of the Blue Ridge.
In 2007, Tompkins Square’s Josh Rosenthal returned to the same house that Lomax visited and recorded Spencer Moore’s solo, self-titled debut album.
We have lost one of the last links to early country music, and the true roots of Blue Ridge mountain music.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Country Music News Round-Up- CMT Awards, Opry, Milsap, Hubbard and Lady A
- The glitzy rock concert that doubles up as a country music video awards show- also known as the CMT (Country Music Television) Music Awards are tonight. Taylor Swift and Shania Twain teamed up to film a Thelma and Louise themed video earlier this week that is supposed to open up the show.
Toby Keith will make his 10th consecutive appearance on the fan-voted CMT Music Awards on June 8 in Nashville. That gives him the distinction of being the only artist to perform on the show every year since it began in 2002. The Zac Brown Band and Luke Bryan, who are past winners of the USA Today breakthrough artist award, have also been added to the lineup. In addition, Sheryl Crow will sing with host Kid Rock. Big & Rich will give their first TV performance together in more than three years. It's their first performance together at the CMT Music Awards since 2005. After pursuing solo projects, Big Kenny and John Rich have reunited to record a new song, "Fake I.D.," for the soundtrack of the upcoming film, Footloose. Jason Aldean, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts and Sugarland have been previously announced as performers.- The Grand Ole Opry has teamed up with Time Life and PBS and will be running a new series of television shows featuring performances in days gone past all this summer.The compilation of tapings at the Ryman Auditorium in the includes Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, George Jones, Ray Price, Tammy Wynette, Conway Twitty and many more.
- Hidden among Amazon.com's future upcoming country releases reveals some news on some of country biggest legends. First up, Ray Wylie Hubbard's most famous album release, Ray Wylie Hubbard and the Cowboy Twinkies is finally going to be re-released on CD on 7/26. Mmmmm, twinkies...
Ray Wylie Hubbard has sort of a cult following by his country fans. He has issued albums sparsely over the last three decades. His most sought after album is Ray Wylie Hubbard & The Cowboy Twinkies. Originally issued on Warner Brothers Records in 1975, fans have been screamin' for it to be issued on CD, so now, finally, it is making its worldwide CD debut.In addition, Guy Clark, Ronnie Milsap and Lady Antebellum each have listings for new releases- albeit some without much information attached to them. Clark has scheduled something called Songs & Stories for 8/16,Ronnie Milsap has new work called Country Again tagged for a 7/26 release, and Lady Antebellum has revealed the details behind their new album Own The Night for a September release.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
CD Album Review- Julie Roberts- Alive
Alive is Roberts third album and the first released independently after two critically lauded albums on the Mercury Nashville label. Roberts' self-titled debut record was certified gold, and garnered her a Top 20 hit "Break Down Here," as well as two prestigious Country Music Association (CMA) "Top New Artist" nominations. Men & Mascara opened up at #4 on the Hot Country Album Charts without ever charting a radio single. Five years removed from Men & Mascara, Roberts returns with new music.
The Review-
Julie Roberts is throwback. In a modern country world where Jason Aldean raps and acts eschew steel guitar and fiddle for layers of electric guitar, here sits Roberts as a reminder of all of the best parts of country music from decades past. From the minute she opens her mouth and lets loose with that soulful voice, you instantly get the feel that she was born in the shadow of the classics like Tammy Wynette and Lynn Anderson. Steel guitar and fiddle aren’t to decorate song bridges, they’re part of her soul.
No tracks exemplify this fact more than on the stunning ballad “Carolina from My Soul” or the nostalgic “Yesterday’s Blue.” On “Carolina” Roberts pays tribute to her native South Carolina that is contrasted beautifully with lyrics of a difficult relationship that sucks the light from her eyes. Her home state and upbringing remain the foundation by which she continues to survive through this difficult relationship, the ship that keeps her afloat. The well-documented story of how Julie and her mother escaped a bad situation in her younger years only adds to the autobiographical power to the song. “Yesterday’s Blue,” co-written with One Flew South’s Chris Roberts, is even a more intentional slice of nostalgia. She channels her best inner 50’s Patsy Cline on this track. Twin fiddles and steel guitar and playful lyrics bring out the best in Roberts’ style and vocals.
Roberts also soars on another classic ballad, "Whiskey and You." Roberts carefully compares and contrasts the differences between bourbon and a significant other- suggesting that getting over a whisky hangover is easier than a relationship. Her intimate vocals and delicate delivery of this tune draw comparisons to best of Patty Loveless and Pam Tillis ballads. This approach seems to work best on the songs with lyrical bite as “One for the Road” exemplifies another terrific heartbreak ballad. A couple has come down to the end of the relationship and have an opportunity for one last memory to hold on to before they part ways. She suggests that they spend one last night together making love as that memory. At once sultry and sad, it’s got lyrical teeth and music production that matches perfectly.
Of the uptempo numbers, the opening track, “Mama Said Don’t” and “You Got Me” are the strongest. “Mama,” tells of the story of a rebellious daughter who may always hears her mother, but doesn’t always listen. When her mom tells her not to get her dress wet by wading in the river, she simply slips off the whole thing and leaves it on the shore. It’s a cute opening track. “You Got Me” draws on the stylings that make Josh Turner’s songs fell like throwbacks and the simple little track turns out to be a great little innocent dance number.
Only the last track feels somewhat out of place. The twelve-track album closes with a commercial song written for racing’s largest organization called “NASCAR Party.” Imagine Hank Jr’s “Are You Ready For Some Football” or Faith Hill’s Sunday Night Football theme. On an album that never strays far off course from an approach that lines up well with the music from her first two albums, this particular track doesn’t fit with the others.
Roberts is a truly a gifted vocalist with a passion for the classic country she grew up on listening to in her mother’s pick-up truck. It shines through like a beacon on nearly every track. For the listener who appreciates that approach and that beautiful soulful southern twang voice, this is a treat for a music collection.
Suggested Tracks-
Yesterday’s Blues
You Got Me
Whiskey and You
Carolina from My Soul
One for the Road
Sounds Like-
Faith Hill’s early stuff playing on the AM dial
The Verdict-
Three and a half stars out of five
Monday, June 6, 2011
Hear It Here- Jack Ingram Sings The National Anthem At Game 3 Of The NBA Finals
Texas native represented Dallas well when he sang a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem Sunday night before the Dalls Mavericks and Miami Heat began game three of the NBA Championship Series.
New Music Video From Actress Kristin Chenoweth- "I Want Somebody (Bitch About)"
Most folks recognize Kristin Chenoweth either from her long career on Broadway with a dozen different productions including Wicked or from her work on television with shows such as Good Christian Belles or Pushing Daisies. Now they'll be able to recognize her from her burgeoning country music career. "I Want Somebody (Bitch About)" is the first single released from her upcoming September release album, Some Lessons Learned.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Songwriter Andrew Gold Passes Away
Gold was best known as a solo artist for his 1977 hit ‘Lonely Boy’ and 1978’s ‘Thank You For Being A Friend’, the later became the theme for the hit TV series The Golden Girls that ran from 1985-1992. Gold continued in TV writing the theme song for ‘Mad About You’ known as ‘Final Frontier’.
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