New Music Video- Taylor Swift Parody- "I Knew You Were Stubble"

That Nashville Sound wishes all of our readers a safe and sound New Years celebration tonight. We'll end the year with a fun parody of Taylor Swift's "I Knew You Were Trouble." The folks over at Awesomeness TV did a Wierd-Al-ish version called "I Knew You Were Stubble." It's pretty cute.

The Curtain Falls On Many Country Music Voices in 2012

Andy Griffith

K.F. Raizor, author of the website Raizor's Edge and the book We Can't Sing and We Ain't Funny: The World of Homer and Jethro is our guest writer today on That Nashville Sound. She lists some of the musicians and singers we lost along the way in country music this year. 

The final curtain fell hard on country music in 2012.  Here are the losses we suffered:

Mike Auldridge (December 28, cancer, age 73):  the Dobro player for the legendary bluegrass band the Seldom Scene.

Doug Bounsall (September 1, car accident, age 61):  a former member of the Dillards.

Larry Butler (January 20, natural causes, age 69):  a man with many hats, including the songwriter of BJ Thomas' 1975 #1 country and pop hit "(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song."  Butler also produced numerous country music acts, but his work with Kenny Rogers brought them both phenomenal success.  In 1980 Butler became the first, and to date the only, country music producer to win the "producer of the year" Grammy award.

Tony Cianciola (January 25, aneurysm, age 87):  a Knoxville-based accordion player who followed his cousin onto the WNOX Midday Merry-Go-Round, where he performed with the likes of Chet Atkins, Archie Campbell, Don Gibson, and Johnnie & Jack.  Atkins was such a fan that he used Cianciola on some recording sessions.

Susanna Clark (June 27, illness, age 73):  the wife of legendary songwriter Guy Clark was a songwriter herself, co-writing the classic "Easy From Now On" with Carlene Carter.  She was also a gifted painter.  Her artwork adorned the cover of Willie Nelson's Stardust album.

Eddie Clerto (February 2, natural causes, age 93):  based on the west coast for most of his career, Clerto managed one minor hit, "Flying Saucer Boogie."  His band the Roundup Boys worked with numerous west coast country performers including Rose Maddox.

Charlie Collins (January 12, stroke, age 78):  A well-known east Tennessee performer in his early life, Collins joined Roy Acuff's Smoky Mountain Boys in 1966.  After Acuff's death in 1992 Collins remained on the Grand Ole Opry as part of the square dance band.

Al DeLory (February 5, unknown causes, age 82):  a session musician (the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds album) who had one hit on his own, his rendition of the theme song to M*A*S*H, DeLory was the Grammy-winning producer and arranger for Glen Campbell during Campbell's rise to superstardom.

Doug Dillard (May 16, lung infection, age 75):  Sheriff Andy Taylor's favorite band was the Darlings, and Doug Darling was their banjo player.  The Dillards, of course, were a legitimate bluegrass band, inducted into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame in 2010.  Aside from his work with the Dillards, Doug also teamed up with one-time Byrd member Gene Clark for the duo Dillard & Clark.

Jimmy Elledge (June 10, stroke, age 69):  the man who had the first huge (million-selling) version of the Willie Nelson composition "Funny How Time Slips Away."

Chris Ethridge (April 23, pancreatic cancer, age 65):  the bassist for Gram Parson's influential country-rock band the Flying Burrito Brothers.

Andy Griffith (July 3, heart attack, age 86):  the folksy sheriff of Mayberry was a good guitarist and singer, having a comedy hit with "What It Was, Was Football" and a string of successful gospel recordings.  Griffith was one of three people from his 1960s TV series to die this year (along with Doug Dillard and George Lindsey).

Levon Helm (April 19, cancer, age 71):  from playing Loretta Lynn's father in Coal Miner's Daughter to the backbone of The Band, Helm's talent and reach spanned genres and decades.  His strong ties to country music led The Band to record songs such as "The Long Black Veil" and later earned Helm Grammy awards for his solo projects Dirt Farmer and Ramble at the Ryman.

Walt Hensley (November 25, cancer, age 76):  the "Banjo Baron of Baltimore" played with many bluegrass bands including the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers and the Country Gentlemen.

Stephen Hill (August 5, heart attack, age 55):  gospel singer/songwriter who frequently appeared on the Gaither Homecoming shows and taught at the Stamps Baxter School of Music.

Billy Johnson (February 27, unknown cause, age 51):  session and touring guitarist for the likes of Billy Walker, Jim Ed Brown and Porter Wagoner.

Tim Johnson (October 21, cancer, age 52):  a board member of the Nashville Songwriters Association International and author of over 100 songs including "Thank God for Believers," "I Let Her Lie" and "Do You Believe Me Now."

Dick Kniss (January 27, pulmonary disease, age 74):  a one-time bassist for folk music icons Peter, Paul & Mary, he went on to work with John Denver, including co-writing "Sunshine on My Shoulder."

George Lindsey (May 6, illness, age 83):  "Goober" on The Andy Griffith Show later became a regular on Hee Haw.

Danny Morrison (February 14, heart attack, age unknown):  songwriter behind "Blaze of Glory" and "Is It Cold in Here."

Frank Peppiatt (November 6, bladder cancer, age 85):  one of the co-creators of Hee Haw.

Tom "Cat" Reeder (June 30, heart attack, age 78):  WAMU's bluegrass host and a Disc Jockey Hall of Fame member.

Earl Scruggs (March 28, natural causes, age 88):  the man for whom the banjo seemed to be invented, his three-finger style of playing revolutionized bluegrass music.

Dick Shelton (January 17, pneumonia, age 71):  Blake Shelton's father.

John Shuffler (December 21, illness/complications of a stroke, age 81):  the bass player in the Shuffler Family bluegrass band began his career playing with the Stanley Brothers.

Joe South (September 5, heart attack, age 72):  while his recorded sound was more rock than country, his contributions to country music as a songwriter are numerous:  "Don't It Make You Wanna Go Home," "Games People Play," and "Rose Garden" are among the hits to come from his pen.

Rollin "Oscar" Sullivan (September 7, leukemia, age 93):  half of the Grand Ole Opry comedy duo Lonzo & Oscar, Sullivan was also a member of Eddy Arnold's band in the 1940s.  His mandolin work can be heard on Arnold's early recordings.

Doc Watson (May 29, complications from colon surgery and pneumonia, age 89):  one of the best friends a guitar could ever have.  His majestic playing thrilled audiences for decades, and his memorial to his late son, MerleFest, brought artists and fans together in North Carolina for a quarter of a century.

Kitty Wells (July 16, stroke, age 92):  in 1952 she kicked the door down for female country singers with "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels," rightfully earning her the title "Queen of Country Music."

Finally, a couple of deaths related to the 1982 film The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, which starred Dolly Parton.  On December 12 Lawrence King, the man who wrote the original 1973 article about the "chicken ranch" and later collaborated on the play, died from emphysema at the age of 83.  Twelve days later veteran character actor Charles Durning, who absolutely stole the film as the governor who would, as he sang, "dance a little sidestep," died of natural causes at the age of 89.

Farewell and thank you for the music.

TNS Video History- The Steeldrivers- "Where Rainbows Never Die"

Demi Lovato Releases Alabama Cover of "Angels Among Us"

Now something a little different... Disney pop star and The Voice star Demi Lovato released a cover of Alabama's Angels Among Us in honor of the victims of the Newtown shootings.

New Music Video From Mumford and Sons- "I Will Wait"

Dixie Chicks' Natalie Maines To Release Solo Album Mother On 5/7/13

Rumors have been going for some time about the Dixie Chicks' future, and lead singer Natalie Maines announcement via Twitter that she'll be releasing a solo album called Mother will not rest any of those.

On Wednesday, Natalie tweeted: "Happy Natalie Maines Finished Her Album Day everybody!" The next day, she tweeted: "Good news! I made some calls and had them push the end of the world to sometime after the release of my album, #Mother 5/7/13.You're welcome."


The album name comes from a Pink Floyd song by the same name in which you can hear her perform in video embedded below. She spent the summer on tour with rock/pop artist Ben Harper who is also producer on her new album. The song will be included in the documentary about the West Memphis Three, "West of Memphis: Voices of Justice." 

New Music Video From Brantley Gilbert- "More Than Miles"

A Family Christmas Prayer From Our Family To Yours

Each year on Christmas, I break from the country music news and reviews and share a little piece of our personal family experience. Going back to the 1950's, the Morton family has gathered together and my grandfather, my father and I have been in charge of saying the Christmas prayer. This year, we lost my cousin, a longtime Sacramento Sheriff, to a heart attack much too soon. So this year's prayer was in her honor and memory. From our family to yours, may this little message be a reminder to treasure each moment with your loved ones and not take any moments for granted. Merry Christmas. 


Dear Lord,

Our family Christmas dinner is a conflict of emotions this year. We celebrate your son’s birthday and the ability for this clan to all come together in remarkable numbers. We celebrate a new birth and a new marriage. And yet our heart aches for one magic light that’s missing from the room.

Lord, I ask you to continue to heal those hearts who ache this Christmas season and allow us all to slowly release the pain and questions that rest in our hearts. Please enable us through your grace to know you are listening -- and that you care. Come to those who grief as the Father of all comfort.

Let us turn our eyes to you as we seek to find the strength to trust in your faithfulness. Hearts are crushed, but let us know that we are not abandoned. We simply have an angel that is waiting for us to greet us all when we are called home to your kingdom. Though difficult to see past today, let us trust in your great love and great master plan.

May the eternal memory of those we miss remind us that the hustle and bustle of life makes it easy for us to be absent from life’s real blessings far too much. Sorrow makes it impossible for us to be absent, and so, blesses us with real presence. In the midst of our sorrows, distractions fall away, and we are there, raw and open, often confused, always vulnerable, little and great. May that love provide an indelible mark on us forever and open us up to a deeper relationship with you and those in this room.

While the world celebrates around us, let us remember Christmas celebrations of the past. Remind us through dual magical and melancholy memories that you sent your son to be with us in our deepest sorrows and I know that he is by our side, here with us, grieving with us, caring for us, loving us. Let our sorrow act as a navigational compass for us to realize the truly important things in this life and draw deeper meaning and compassion in our relationships.

Lord, our God, this year, you reminded us of the fragility of the human condition and the brevity of our lives on earth. But for those who believe in your love, death is not the end, nor does it destroy the bonds that you forge in our lives. It simply makes them eternal. For that, we give thanks. Eternally.

Amen.

Christmas Eve Video History- Emily West Sings "O Holy Night"

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TNS Video History- Waylon Jennings & Jessi Colter- "Silent Night"

New Music Video From Sierra Hull- "What Child Is This"

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New Music Video From Tim McGraw- "One Of Those Nights"

That Nashville Sound's Top 100 (and something) Songs of 2012

2012 was another fabulous year of country music. Traditional country, bluegrass, modern country and Americana were all represented well and this list proves that out.

Here are the rules by which this list was selected. It had to be released off an album that was released in 2012 or is an already-released single off a to-be-released album. If the album came out in 2011 or before, it couldn’t be included- even if it wasn't released as a single until 2012.

Let us hear what you think. Anything we missed? Without further ado, here is That Nashville Sound’s Top 100 (and something) Songs of 2012.

1. Waylon Jennings – “I Do Believe” - Kris Kristofferson, who toured alongside Jennings in the Highwaymen said it best, “The pure beauty of Waylon's voice - unlike any other I ever heard - has the powerful honesty and heart of the man himself. Like his outlaw companions Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash, they broke the mold when they made him. I do believe ‘I Do Believe’ is the only one of these I've heard before, and I could listen to it forever."
2. Darrell Scott- “Someday”- Plaintive songwriting and emotional depth unlike any other tune this year are the hallmarks of this introspective piece of genius. 
3. Jason Eady- “AM Country Heaven”- Eady was rung through the Nashville country radio ringer and has come out the other side better for it. 
4. Jamey Johnson – “Would These Arms Be In Your Way”- Nearly every song on Johnson's dedication album to songwriter Hank Cochran is a duet or collaboration. The best track on the album is the one solo- highlighting the depth of Johnson's emotional delivery all on his own. 
5. Gord Bamford – “Leanin’ On a Lonesome Song”- Bamford's a Canadian for those not in the know. Here, he takes on a song that holds it's roots in great 70's country themes. 
6. Lori McKenna – “Sometimes He Does”- Few songwriters are currently singing about the stinging ups and downs of a relationship as well as McKenna. She shines on revealing the good, the bad and the ugly. 
7. Joe Walsh- “Analog Man”- Eagles member Walsh goes solo on this rocking set of tunes, led by this great track about the loss of our soul as we go digital in music. 
8. Chelle Rose – “Rufus Morgan (Preacher Man)”- Feeling as it was dug out of the Appalachian mountain lore, this wonderful story song is the epitome of Rose's great album- Americana at its very best. 
9. Marty Stuart – “The Lonely Kind”- Most of Stuart's album, which TNS ranked as the best of the year earlier this week, is rocking classic country. But this beautiful slow number really steals the show. 
10. Taylor Swift – “Begin Again”- As she’s done so well across the rest of the album, she pulls back the comforter on the intimacy of a relationship on “Begin Again.” This one is a first date where she exquisitely details out the intricacies of the nervousness that comes with it. She’s unsure she can put her heart out there again after having been burned before, “But on a Wednesday in a café, I watched it begin again.” In just under four minutes, she reveals what insecurities from her past relationship influence this new one, how this encounter shakes (some of) those fears, and how she is effectively putting the past behind her. Her breathless vocal stylings perfectly reflect that apprehensiveness. 
    
11. Ashley Monroe – “Like a Rose”
12. Live Wire – “What Makes You a Man”
13. Chris Stapleton – “Tennessee Whiskey”
14. Corb Lund – “Pour Em’ Kinda Strong”
15. Jason Eady – “Old Guitar and Me”
16. JT Hodges – “Sleepy Little Town”
17. Emily West – “Boys In The Morning”
18. Ray Wylie Hubbard – “Mother’s Blues”
19. Josh Thompson – “Comin’ Around”
20. Lee Brice – “A Woman Like You”
21. Tim O’Brien and Darrell Scott – “House of Gold”
22. Raylene Rankin – “Grim Cathedral”
23. Josh Turner – “Pallbearer”
24. Sam Palladio and Clare Bowen – “If I Didn’t Know Better”
25. Jamey Johnson and Alison Krauss – “Make the World Go Away”
26. Joey+Rory – “When I’m Gone”
27. Jack Ingram – “Right For You”
28. Marty Stuart – “Tear The Woodpile Down”
29. Bobby Bare – “Lookout Mountain”
30. Kacey Musgraves – “Merry Go’ Round”
31. Gary Allan – “Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain)”
32. Brett Eldredge – “One Mississippi”
33. Kellie Pickler – “Mother’s Day”
34. Coyote Grace – “Kansas”
35. Alan Jackson – “She Don’t Get High”
36. The Trishas – “One Down (Set Yourself On Fire)”
37. Corb Lund – “Dig Gravedigger Dig”
38. Iris Dement – “The Night I Learned Not To Pray”
39. Ricky Skaggs – “Nothing Beats A Family”
40. Linda Ortega – “Demons Don’t Get Me Down”
41. Bucky Covington – “A Father’s Love (The Only Way He Knew How)”
42. Gretchen Peters – “Idlewild”
43. Zac Brown Band – “Sweet Annie”
44. Dean Brody – “Leilah”
45. Julie Roberts – “Sweet Dreams”
46. Wade Hayes – “Hope Is Just Ahead”
47. Lindsey Lou and the Flatbellys – “The Power”
48. Kelly Clarkson and Vince Gill – “Don’t Rush”
49. The Time Jumpers – “On the Outskirts of Town”
50. RyLee Madison – “Run”
51. Eden’s Edge – “Liar”
52. Kip Moore – “Crazy One More Time”
53. Shooter Jennings – “Southern Family Anthem”
54. Amy Dalley – “Somebody Said It Rained”
55. Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard – “Horse Called Music”
56. Josh Abbott Band – “I’ll Sing About Mine”
57. Bruce Springsteen – “Wrecking Ball”
58. Lewi Longmire- “Vanport 1948”
59. Deric Ruttan – “Main Street, 1979”
60. Tom Skinner – “All You Can Do”
61. Bobby Bare – “Boll Weivel”
62. Joey+Rory – “A Bible and a Belt”
63. Don Williams and Alison Krauss – “I Just Come Here for the Music”
64. Lionel Richie and Little Big Town – “Deep River Woman”
65. Alan Jackson – “So You Don’t Have To Love Me Anymore”
66. Zac Brown Band – “Lance’s Song”
67. Lee Ann Womack – “Mama’s On A Roll”
68. Shooter Jennings – “Black Dog”
69. Marty Stuart – “Sun Down In Nashville”
70. Dierks Bentley – Home”
71. Carrie Underwood – “Two Black Cadillacs”
72. Love and Theft” – “Town Drunk”
73. Shellee Coley – “Cotton Dress”
74. Taylor Swift – “All Too Well”
75. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Hope Is Just Ahead”
76. Todd Fritsch – “Horses He Can’t Ride Anymore”
77. Emily West – “That’s Why The Boy Gets the Girl in the Movies”
78. Linda Ortega – “Murder of Crows”
79. Keith Urban – “For You”
80. The Grascals – “Still They Call Me Love”
81. Sarah Darling – “Blackbird”
82. Bruce Springsteen – “Death To My Hometown”
83. Emily West – “All My Fault”
84. Kellie Pickler – “The Letter (To Daddy)”
85. Ricky Skaggs and Barry Gibb – “Soldiers Son”
86. Dwight Yoakam – “Waterfall”
87. Elizabeth Cook – “If I Had My Way, I’d Tear This Building Down”
88. Jerry Douglas and Marc Cohn – “Right On Time”
89. Mary Chapin Carpenter – “Chasing What’s Already Gone”
90. Billy Dean – “Seed”
91. Toby Keith – “You Ain’t Alone”
92.  Kristen Kelly- “Ex-Old Man”
93.  Mindy Smith – “Sober”
94.  Julie Roberts – “I’ve Been Looking for Somebody”
95. Corb Lund and Hayes Carll– “Bible On The Dash”
96.  Kenny Chesney – “Sing Em’ Good My Friend”
97. Tim McGraw – “Die By My Own Hand”
98. Neal McCoy – “Real Good Feel Good”
99. Casey James – “Miss Your Fire”
100. Steep Canyon Rangers – “Ungrateful One”
101. Sugar and the Hi-Lows – “See It For Yourself”
102. Ray Wylie Hubbard – “Coricidin Bottle”
103. Randy Thompson – “Old ‘97”
104. Stetson & Cia – “Don’t Hide Your Love”
105. Kip Moore – “Reckless (Still Growing)”
106. Dierks Bentley – “Heart of a Lonely Girl”
107. Don Williams – “She’s a Natural”
108. Mary Chapin Carpenter – “What To Keep and What To Throw Away”
109. Sara Watkins – “be There”
110. Paul Thorn – “What the Hell is Going On?”
111. Don Wiliams – “And So It Goes”
112. Sarah Darling – “Home To Me”
113. Shellee Coley – “Home To You”
114. Jerry Douglas and Alison Krauss and Union Station – “Frozen Fields”
115. Kenny Chesney – “While He Still Knows Who I Am”
116. Kris Kristofferson – “My Father’s Advice”
117. The Bankesters – “First Minnesota”
118. Raylene Rankin – “Heartbroke”
119. The Trishas – “Strangers”
120. Easton Corbin – “A Thing For You”
121. Bucky Covington – “Sail On”
122. Ricky Skaggs – “What You Are Waiting For”
123. Jason Aldean – “Black Tears”
124. Bobby Bare – “The Devil and Billy Markham”
125. Dwight Yoakam’s Classic Covers – “Ring of Fire” and “To Love Somebody”

Darryl Worley Releases Country Christmas EP

With the unveiling of his Country Christmas EP this week, Darryl Worley has released his first ever Christmas album. Country Christmas is a 6-track download, with a bonus feature of Darryl reading the “Christmas Story”. The album consists of five holiday classics as well as one brand new original song called "Just Around the Corner."

“I never dreamed that making Christmas music would be this much fun. This project has forced me to slow down and think about the real meaning of Christmas,” stated Worley. “Reading the ‘Christmas Story’ was a very surreal occasion. It was as if no one was there and it was just God and I spending time together.

This album is very near and dear to Darryl’s heart; not just for his many fans, but for his wife and daughter.

“I couldn’t stop thinking of my beautiful wife and daughter during the recording sessions. It’s that time of year when you realize how wonderful the people are around you and how much you love them,” stated Worley. "I wanted the album's soul to match what we all enjoy about Christmas. I’m very proud of this album and excited for my fans to hear it!” concluded Darryl Worley.

The album purchase includes a membership to Worley's fan club at his website.

That Nashville Sound's Top Albums of 2012

That Nashville Sound is looking back on the year behind us and reminded that in the day of digital music, the amount of quality music available to the listener is near limitless. Our favorite 2007 album was the Alison Krauss & Robert Plant album Raising Sand, the top spot on our 2008 list went to Lee Ann Womack’s Call Me Crazy, 2009 went to Eric Church's Carolina, 2010 was  Zac Brown Band’s You Get What You Give, and last year was Pistol Annies' Hell on Heels. 

But 2012 had some terrific albums as well that will go down as some of my big music collection’s favorites. The fifteen albums are a wide variety of country genres from more contemporary country to traditional country. We present to you… That Nashville Sound’s Top Ten Albums of 2012…

1. Marty Stuart- Nashville Volume 1- Tear The Woodpile Down- Stuart is the flag-bearer for keeping traditional country alive in Nashville. As Little Jimmy Dickens slows downs in his 90’s, Stuart is also becoming the face of the Opry. Here, he delivers a foot-stomping, barn-raising, jam-session collection of great songs that reminds that he’s still at the very top of his game.
2. Jason Eady- AM Country Heaven- Jason Eady took Johnny Cash’s advice: he’s been everywhere. He took the Mississippi blues he was born in, applied the Nashville songwriting sensibilities he gained chasing his mainstream country dream, and then applied the grit and perspective he gained from touring the Texas barroom scene for nearly a decade. On this new album, he combines all with a smart and classic perspective on what his perfect mix of country should be.
3. Kellie Pickler- 100 Proof- Since her last album, Pickler married fellow singer/songwriter Kyle Jacobs. Perhaps, now more content and secure in her own personal life, Pickler has found the strength to stick to her guns and choose tracks and production she felt more represented her as an artist. Settling down doesn't mean settling as an artist. By staying true to her country roots, she's delivered a personal and authentic album that will hopefully be a career-cementer for Pickler.
4. Emily West – I Hate You, I Love You – It’s probably unusual to have a six song EP near the top of the list of best albums of the year, but this short little album packs more emotion and vocal delivery than anything we’ve heard on any other album in years.
5. Waylon Jennings- Going Down Rockin’-- Posthumous albums can be hit or miss things. The Johnny Cash albums released after his death, while fragile emotional powerhouses, showcase a frail and weak Cash that many find off-putting. (This reviewer does not necessarily share that some viewpoint by the way.)  During his last years of life, Jennings recorded several tracks along with his bassist Robby Turner. The recordings consisted on twelve songs that Jennings considered that expressed his feelings and reflections at the time. Featuring vocals and guitar playing by Jennings, with the accompaniment of Turner on the bass, further instrumentation was planned to be added, but the project was stopped when Jennings died in 2002. Ten years later, Turner gathered along with Reggie Young, Richie Albright and Tony Joe White, members of Jennings' band, The Waylors, to complete the tracks. It's as if Jennings is alive again. Despite some serious health issues going on a the time, he sounds strong, independent and uniquely rebellious Waylon. His recovered track "I Do Believe" is a transcendent track that works before and after his death, with him contemplating the meaning of life and death. It's one of the best tracks of the year. Being as it's sung by one of country's all-time best legends well after we thought we'd heard the last of him, it's a gift for the ages. When he sings about "Goin' Down Rockin'," it's proof he did just that.
6. Corb Lund- Cabin Fever- With one foot embedded in some genius tongue-in-cheek comedic genius and the other firmly rooted in appreciative classic country, one of this year's best albums is from Alberta's Corb Lund in Cabin Fever. He's got a dedication to the beauty of gothic-dressed girls, crazy survivalists, a tribute to bovines, and deaths from antique pistols. Sound quirky? You bet. It's also genius. Lund’s fantastic songwriting covers it all. Even the production styles range from rockabilly to Western swing, cowboy balladry to country-rock. He even throws in a yodel at some point in there. The highlights of the album include the Hayes Carll co-write and story-song duet "Bible on the Dash." A permanently borrowed Gideon's Bible gets the duo out of more than one scrape with the law. And if Marty Robbins-type western tales are your thing, "Pour 'Em Kinda Strong" is a must download.
7. Little Big Town- Tornado- LBT just might have gotten over the commercial hump with this outstanding album. In their newest record, the four-person tag team creates a beautiful country album- blended small town gospel with deep, rich resounding tones that resonate with alternately meaningful deep songs with ear candy you can't get out of your head. 
8. Don Williams- And So It Goes- My good friend, Juli Thanki, said it best over at Engine 145: "Of the ten tracks on And So It Goes, Williams co-wrote two, including the title track, a clear-eyed look back at a relationship that’s fizzled out: “And so it goes/While we were busy with the details of our lives/Every day thinking time was on our side/I turned around and you were gone/And I’m left here with the words I never got around to saying/I don’t know why/I guess I never thought our time could pass us by.” There isn’t a bum track on the record; they’re all as sure and steady as Williams’ baritone, which hasn’t aged a bit since its days atop the Billboard charts. And when he’s joined by some of Nashville’s best vocalists – including Vince Gill, who sings harmony on “Heart of Hearts” and Alison Krauss on the tender dancehall duet “I Just Come Here for the Music” – the results are sublime."
9. Zac Brown Band- Uncaged- While not quite as strong as their sophomore effort, ZBB reminds us that they are at the head of the class when it comes to instrumentalization in country music on Uncaged. The highlights are many, but the most revealing is "Lance's Song," a dedication to a fallen music brother. 
10. Joey+Rory- His and Hers- For the first time in their recording history, Joey Martin and Rory Feek share the lead singing duties, alternating between each other in fine form. Feek's storytelling and songwriting would be the star here if only Martin's vocals weren't so amazingly sublime.
11. Linda Ortega- Cigarettes and Truck Stops- An amazing combination of blues and country. If Elvis, Gary Allen and BB King shared adoption of a musically inclined kid, Lindi Ortega would be it. The album was reportedly inspired by a biography of Hank Williams in which Ortega discovered Williams' mentor Rufus “Tee-Tot” Payne, the street performer who taught Williams to play guitar. This sparked Ortega’s interest in the influence of blues on early country—a fascination that comes through strongly on the record. Her ethereal voice is highlighted with some unique vocal production and the album includes two phenomenal tracks in "Murder of Crows" and "Demos Don't Get Me Down."
12. Ray Wylie Hubbard- The Grifter’s Hymnal- If Ray Wylie Hubbard sounds like he's been aged in the bottom of a whisky barrel, it’s probably because he just may have. His sandpapery voice delivers a raspy series of poetry set to gritty Americana, full of emotion and life lessons.
13. Raylene Rankin- All The Diamonds- For her last recording before her tragic death this year, Rankin has selected a beautiful and unique cross section of material. There is a traditional Gaelic number, some Celtic-infused country/bluegrass songs and some AC standards- all tied together by that beautiful full voice.  The stand-out track on the album is an incredible song revisiting the 9/11 tragedy written by David Francey called “Grim Cathedral.” Hauntingly arranged and poetically sung, the song recalls the grief that overwhelmed Rankin when she watched the towers fall. The descriptions of paper falling against the blue sky frame the event in incredible detail and the emotional toil for anyone who watched it in real time comes to the surface. It is handled with incredible care- never exploited- and outside of Alan Jackson’s “Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)”, is the finest piece of music I’ve ever heard surrounding the awful incident.
14. JT Hodges- JT Hodges- Hodges has a musical swagger on this debut album and has a couple tracks with some teeth on them. While "Goodbyes Made You Mine" made some small waves at radio, it's the rest of the album that reminds of Seger and The Eagles that stick to the ribs later on. 
15. Alan Jackson- Thirty Miles West - Classic Jackson. Understated. Simple. Elegant. Rich. Meaningful. And hopefully... Country Music Hall of Fame worthy some day. 
16. Honorable Mentions- Bobby Bare- Darker Than Light, Taylor Swift- Red, Lionel Ritchie- Tuskegee, Chelle Rose- The Ghost of Browder Holle, Shellee Cole- Where It Began, Aaron Lewis- The Road and Shooter Jennings- Family Man

TNS Video History- Kenny Rogers & Rebecca Lynn Howard- "Joy To The World"

New Music Video From Kid Rock- "Happy New Year"

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New Music Video From Taylor Swift- "I Knew You Were Trouble"

New Music Video From Kenny Loggins and Blue Sky Riders- "O Holy Night"

Hear It Here- New Christmas Single From Terry Bradshaw

Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw has a new country Christmas single out called "Lights of Louisiana" and it celebrates his youth.

"I especially love the levee line -- from New Orleans to Baton Rouge. It has my grandmother and grandfather in there. It's a flashback song that makes you think about your home, and when I do, I think happy thoughts. It's a real melancholy song, puts you in a mood to sip on some hot chocolate, and not say much, just think and reflect."

"As you get older, your past is so much greater to you than when you are younger, and you're trying to accomplish things, and set the path for your life. I traveled that path, and my journey is still going, but I'm walking much slower now than I did. I'm not a look-back person - I don't like to do that because it saddens me. But, when Jerry wrote the song and played it for me, I just fell in love with it. One thing that is nice about Christmas is that it comes around every year, and for my state, it will be around forever. My girls have heard it, and they love it. I'm doing it for them, so they better like it."

New Music Video From Sweetwater Rain- "Starshine"

Emerging group Sweetwater Rain, signed to Curb Records, make their debut on, "Starshine," a track full of stirring harmonies and visuals that play loosely on the children's classic, Where The Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak.

New Music Video From Kix Brooks- "Moonshine Road"

New Music Video From Brad Paisley- "Southern Comfort Zone"

Jewel's Greatest Hits To Included Pistol Annies and Kelly Clarkson Duets

Jewel went to YouTube this past week and unveiled a video that includes some studio footage of two new collaborations that will be featured on her upcoming Greatest Hits album that at this point, does not have a release date associated with hit. The two collaborations are revisits of some of her biggest two hits with both the Pistol Annies and Jewel. But here it from Jewel herself below:

Actor John Corbett Announces New Album Leaving Nothin' Behind in 2013

John Corbett's new CD "Leaving Nothin' Behind" will be released in early 2013 it was announced. The collection was produced by Jon Randall Stewart and Gary Paczosa.

Corbett is best known for playing Chris Stevens on Northern Exposure from 1990 to 1995 and Aidan, Carrie Bradshaw's boyfriend, on Sex and the City and reprised this role for the series movie sequel Sex and the City 2. He also played the leading male role opposite Nia Vardalos in Vardalos's hit film, My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002). He starred in United States of Tara as Max Gregson, and has appeared on NBC dramedy Parenthood as Seth Holt.

It has also been announced that Corbett is the new spokesperson for GAC Living Country, the network's branding campaign. Corbett will be featured in a series of television commercials promoting GAC programming. "We were looking for a brand spokesperson that lives and can speak to the country lifestyle and has national appeal," says GAC SVP/GM Sarah Trahern. "That's John Corbett."

This will be Corbett's second country album following his 2006 self-titled album that charted the single "Good To Go."

New Music Video From Hunter Hayes- "Somebody's Heartbreak"

Somebody's Heartbreak - Hunter Hayes - Hunter Hayes Videos

New Music Video From Martina McBride- "Please Home For Christmas"

TNS Video History- Johnny Cash- "Little Drummer Boy"

That Nashville Sound’s Best Duets/Music Collaborations of 2012

This marks the first of several year-end lists that you’ll see from That Nashville Sound including a best-of song list that’s well over 100 songs deep. But first, we’ll cover one that isn’t normally seen across the blogosphere. Count down with us the top ten duets and music collaborations in country music for 2012.

1. Tim O’Brien and Darrell Scott – “House of Gold”
So we know that this was originally on their 2000 album, Real Time. We also know that it was reissued again in 2005. But this haunting version a cappela version of Hank Williams, Sr.’s gospel number is stunning. Recorded during two separate concerts at the Grey Eagle in Asheville, N.C. in 2005 and 2006, the song is on the album We’re Usually A Lot Better Than This which is comprised of performances that were benefit shows for the Arthur Morgan School, where both had children attending as students at the time. It says true to Williams’ version while giving new life without a single instrument. It’s classic country gospel revisited. Listen HERE.

2. Sam Palladio and Clare Bowen – “If I Didn’t Know Better”
This is another incredible cover song… with a twist. Actor Sam Palladio and actress Clare Bowen take this not-too-old Civil Wars song and bring it down to an acoustic whisper of sorts, giving it an intimacy and romanticism that even exceeds the original version. Featured prominently in an early episode of ABC’s Nashville, it showed right away that showed music director T Bone Burnett’s music chops and excellence in choosing the right music for the right scene. Listen HERE.

3. Jamey Johnson and Alison Krauss – “Make the World Go Away”
A third song on the list and a third cover... Notice a trend? Jamey Johnson idolized his friend and mentor Hank Cochran and chose to dedicate an entire album to him this year with Living For a Song: A Tribute to Hank Cochran. All but one of the tracks are collaborations with artists that Johnson appreciates and none were finer than this gorgeous duet with the ethereal voiced Alison Krauss. What results is a beautiful rendition of a classic song. Listen HERE.

4. Kelly Clarkson and Vince Gill – “Don’t Rush”
Clarkson makes no genre-related apologies for her music. Pop? Country? She chooses to cross lines as her muse decides where to go. While this track isn’t straight-forward country by any means, her soulful delivery and Gill’s impeccable and unmistakable harmony on chorus make it one of the most enjoyable listens off of Clarkson’s Greatest Hits - Chapter One album. Listen HERE.

5. Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard – “Horse Called Music”
Nelson originally released this track on a 1989 album of the same name. But when it came to picking out a track for he and friend Haggard to sing together on this year’s Heroes album. , this great track cut in the vein of “Pancho and Lefty” and the great old Marty Robbins themes was an easy choice. Soundalike son Lukas Nelson helps out as well. Listen HERE.

6. Don Williams and Alison Krauss – “I Just Come Here for the Music”
Eight years went by between Williams’ last album and this year’s And So It Goes. As the Country Music Hall of Famer has been doing since 1973, he provides an elegant simplicity in song that imparts more story and emotion than nearly anything else on the radio today. Krauss’ vocals just put it over the top and give it that much more magic.  Listen HERE.

7. Lionel Richie and Little Big Town – “Deep River Woman”
This marks the fifth (and last) cover of this year’s Top Ten Duets list. Originally sung with Richie and the country supergroup Alabama, Richie utilized the incredible vocal talents of Little Big Town to beautiful effect this time around for Tuskegee. Listen HERE.

8. Ricky Skaggs and Barry Gibb – “Soldiers Son”
Longtime country radio stalwart and now bluegrass leader Ricky Skaggs and Bee Gee’s lead singer Barry Gibb might seem an awkward pairing. But this track written by Gibb and featured on Skaggs’ album Music To My Ears is… well… music to my ears. Here’s to hoping we’ll hear more Gibb recorded material in country music in the future.  Listen HERE.

9. Jerry Douglas and Marc Cohn – “Right On Time”
Douglas is best known for his incredible dobro work with Alison Krauss and Union Station while Marc Cohn for “Walking in Memphis.” This soulful song on Douglas’ album Traveler draws on bluesy influences and grinds out a beautiful groove. Listen HERE.

10. Corb Lund and Hayes Carll– “Bible On The Dash”
One of the many highlights of Lund’s Cabin Fever album include the Hayes Carll co-write and story-song duet "Bible on the Dash." A permanently borrowed Gideon's Bible gets the duo out of more than one scrape with the law. Listen HERE.

New Music Video From Donna Ulisse- "He Is Here"

Gretchen Wilson Plans Two Different EP's in 2013

Gretchen Wilson sat down with Billboard Magazine and unveiled not one, but two different EP projects that are going to be released in the new year. The first will be a six-song of classic rock cover songs pulled from 1970's. The second will be a more country album of original material.

Says Wilson:

"We just finished up mixing on the first of two six-packs I'm going to be releasing. We decided to do something that would be really fun and familiar, and a project of originals. One of the six-packs is of classic rock cover songs, and the other is all originals."

"All the songs are from the 70s, which is my favorite classic rock era. We did 'Stay With Me' from Faces, 'Funk #49' by the James Gang, and also covered Bad Company and Van Morrison.

"I've decided that moving forward, I'm going to try to give songs to my audience that move me. I'm not going to pay as much attention to whether it has a fiddle or a steel guitar in it. If it's a piano based song - even if it's not what I'm used to, but the song is that good, then that's what I am going to do. I've got a huge variety of musical influences - country, a lot of rock and roll, but also some stuff like Billie Holiday. I think you can never learn too much, when it comes to music. If you're closed minded, and only listen to one style of music, your creativity will suffer in the long run."

New Music Video From Gary Allan- "Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain)"

Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood Lead Grammy Award Nominees

Taylor Swift, who received three nominations, led the way for country acts when Grammy Award nominations were announced yesterday. Not only did she host the Grammy Nominations Concert with LL Cool J, the 22-year-old singer found out she is up for Record of the Year for her hit song “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” and Best Country Duo/Group Performance and Best Song Written for Visual Media for “Safe & Sound."

The 55th annual Grammy Awards air Sunday, February 10, on CBS. Here are country and Americana award nominations below:


Best Country Duo/Group Performance

■“Even If It Breaks Your Heart” – Eli Young Band [Republic Nashville]
■“Pontoon” – Little Big Town [Capitol Records Nashville]
■“Safe & Sound” – Taylor Swift & The Civil Wars [Big Machine Records/Universal Republic]
■“On The Outskirts Of Town” – The Time Jumpers [Rounder]
■“I Just Come Here For The Music” – Don Williams Featuring Alison Krauss [Sugar Hill Records]

Best Country Song

■“Blown Away” – Josh Kear & Chris Tompkins, songwriters (Carrie Underwood)
[19 Recordings Limited/Arista Nashville; Publishers: Global Dog Music/Lunalight Music, Big Loud Songs/Angel River Songs]
■“Cost Of Livin’” – Phillip Coleman & Ronnie Dunn, songwriters (Ronnie Dunn)
[Arista Nashville; Publishers: Tractor Radio Songs, Sony/ATV Tree Publishing/Showbilly Music]
■“Even If It Breaks Your Heart” – Will Hoge & Eric Paslay, songwriters (Eli Young Band)
[Republic Nashville]
■“So You Don’t Have To Love Me Anymore” – Jay Knowles & Adam Wright, songwriters (Alan Jackson)
[EMI Records Nashville/ACR Records; Publishers: Alrighty Den Music, Dean-Parnell Music, Acme Nashville]
■“Springsteen” – Eric Church, Jeff Hyde & Ryan Tyndell, songwriters (Eric Church)
[EMI Records Nashville; Publishers: Sony/ATV Tree Publishing/Sinnerlina Music/Purple Cape Music, Bug Music/Mamma's Cornbread Music]

Best Country Album

■Uncaged – Zac Brown Band [Southern Ground/Atlantic]
■Hunter Hayes – Hunter Hayes [Atlantic]
■Living For A Song: A Tribute To Hank Cochran – Jamey Johnson [Mercury Records]
■Four The Record – Miranda Lambert [The RCA Records Label Nashville]
■The Time Jumpers – The Time Jumpers [Rounder]

Best Americana Album

■The Carpenter – The Avett Brothers [Universal Republic]
■From The Ground Up – John Fullbright [Blue Dirt Records]
■The Lumineers – The Lumineers [Dualtone Music Group]
■Babel – Mumford & Sons [Glassnote]
■Slipstream – Bonnie Raitt [Redwing Records]

Best Bluegrass Album

■The Gospel Side Of – Dailey & Vincent [Rounder]
■Life Finds A Way – The Grascals [Mountain Home Music Company]
■Beat The Devil And Carry A Rail – Noam Pikelny [Compass Records]
■Scratch Gravel Road – Special Consensus [Compass Records]
■Nobody Knows You – Steep Canyon Rangers [Rounder]

Best Folk Album

■Leaving Eden – Carolina Chocolate Drops [Nonesuch]
■Election Special – Ry Cooder [Perro Verde/Nonesuch]
■Hambone’s Meditations – Luther Dickinson [Songs Of The South]
■The Goat Rodeo Sessions – Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile [Sony Classical]
■This One’s For Him: A Tribute To Guy Clark – Various Artists, produced by Shawn Camp & Tamara Saviano [Icehouse Music]

New Music Video From Jana Kramer- "Whiskey"

New Music Video From Don Wiliams- "Imagine That"

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New Music Video From The Band Perry- "Better Dig Two"

Randy Houser To Release How Country Feels In Late January

Randy Houser soulful country pipes will hit the store shelves on January 22 when his brand new album named after his current radio hit, "How Country Feels," will be released by Stoney Creek Records.

Houser has written seven of the new tracks and one of the tracks, "Wherever Love Goes," will be a duet with his label-mate Kristy Lee Cook. The title track is the soulful singer's fastest-climbing song to date.

"The first time I heard [the song] go, 'hair down, hair down,' I was like, 'Bam! I've got to have that.' I thought it was a hit," Randy tells The Boot. "I loved it; it was hip and cool. It's very relatable, too, because everybody who listens to country music is not in the country. One thing we have to remember as songwriters is that we have to consider that country music is the country's music. That doesn't mean that everybody's rural."

How Country Feels Track Listing:
1. "Runnin' Outta Moonlight"
2. "Growin' Younger"
3. "Top of the World"
4. "The Singer"
5. "Power of a Song"
6. "Absolutely Nothing"
7. "Wherever Love Goes" (with Kristy Lee Cook)
8. "Like a Cowboy"
9. "How Country Feels"
10. "Along for the Ride"
11. "Sunshine on the Line"
12. "Goodnight Kiss"
13. "Let's Not Let It"
14. "Shine"
15. "Route 3 Box 250 D"

New Music Video From Lee Brice- "I Drive Your Truck"

Former One Flew South Member Eddie Bush Releases Solo Album Calloused Hands

Former One Flew South singer/songwriter/guitarist Eddie Bush has released a brand new album titled Calloused Hands this week. The Charleston, South Carolina native lost his brother to a drunk driver two years ago and the project became a labor love and dedication to Alex's memory.

"Two quick years have gone by in the effort to put together the release of Calloused Hands, and it is now going to be available within a week – ironically more as a tribute to my brother Alex who had so much impact on the songs we chose, than simply another collection of songs I wanted to record and release. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it!"

In 2005, Eddie released the self-titled Eddie Bush, which featured "Hard to Stop a Train," Eddie’s first Billboard charting single. "Hard to Stop a Train" and its accompanying video were featured frequently on GAC (Great American Country) and CMT (Country Music Television). The national success of "Hard to Stop a Train" led to a fortuitous introduction to Grammy winning songwriter Marcus Hummon.

Having attended one of Eddie’s live performances in Nashville, Hummon was impressed by Eddie’s guitar-slinging talents and breadth of vocal range. Looking for the perfect artist to round out a trio he was creating, Hummon invited Eddie to meet with Chris Roberts and Royal Reed in Nashville. Roberts said, “From the first moment the three of us sang together it felt like home.” Reed added, “There was something about the way that we all came together. Musically, it all just fell into place; it just felt right.”

In August 2005, Eddie, Chris and Royal formed the trio One Flew South and they were quickly signed by Decca/Universal in New York. One Flew South’s debut album Last of the Good Guys included their Billboard Hot Country single My Kind of Beautiful and the album included collaborations by award-winning songwriters Marcus Hummon, Darrell Scott and JD Souther.

“I live my life in and around music, and it’s all I’ve ever known. The biggest reward is the energy I receive from all the effort that goes in to each project and performance. Music is an evolution; it’s all about the journey! I’ve met very talented and amazing people along the way and I look forward to that continued journey. The path isn’t always planned, but it is always straight ahead!”

Calloused Hands track listing:
Calloused Hands
She Goes 18
Shameless
Trouble
Gonna Be A Good Day
Broken Wheel
Roller Coaster Ride
The Urge of Sleep
We Shared Time
Over The Moon
Dream Vacation
When I Grow Up
Still In The Wind
Life In The City
When This Month Is Over