New Music Video From Hank Williams, Jr. - "Jesus, Won't You Come By Here"

New Music Video From Hank Williams, Jr. - ".44 Special Blues"

Hank Williams, Jr., Marty Stuart and Dean Dillon Named As 2020 Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees

This morning, the CMA announced the 2020 inductees for the Country Music Hall of Fame – Dean Dillon, Marty Stuart and Hank Williams Jr.

Dillon will be inducted in the “Songwriter” category, which is awarded every third year in rotation with the “Recording and/or Touring Musician” and “Non-Performer” categories. Stuart will be inducted in the “Modern Era Artist” category and Williams will be inducted in the “Veterans Era Artist” category.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Dean, Marty and Hank Jr. into the unbroken circle and honor this revered milestone,” says Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “I’m sad we can’t toast this year’s class in person at the Country Music Hall of Fame, but I hope this news can bring some joy and cause for celebration during this time that our world has turned upside down. In particular, our hearts are with Hank and his family following the recent loss of his daughter, Katherine.”

“I was just speechless,” says Dillon. “Trying to soak in the words that I had just heard. My life flashed before my eyes. You could’ve knocked me over with a feather.”

“It is the ultimate honor in Country Music,” says Stuart. “I’m so honored to be included in this class and I’m honored to be included alongside Hank Jr. and Dean Dillon. I love those people. To be officially inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame is beyond words. I’m usually not at a loss for words.”

“Bocephus has been eyeing this one for awhile. It’s a bright spot during a difficult year,” says Williams. “I have been making Top 10 records for 56 years. I fell off a mountain and tried to reinvent myself as a truly individual artist and one who stepped out of the shadows of a very famous man…one of the greatest. I’ve got to thank all those rowdy friends who, year after year, still show up for me. It’s an honor to carry on this family tradition. It is much appreciated.”

“In this, the most exclusive of music halls of fame, we now have three new deserving members,” says Kyle Young, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Chief Executive Officer. “One is the son of one of American music’s greatest masters who became a self-made master of his own. One is a child of tough-town Mississippi who became a force for togetherness, inclusion and righteous musicality. And the third is an East Tennessee kid who triumphed over a hard youth to write words and melodies that have enriched us all. In a year of turmoil, strife and dissent, this announcement is something all of us can cheer.”

Historically, CMA hosts a press conference in the famed rotunda of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville to reveal the new class of inductees. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, CMA traveled to Dillon and Stuart to capture their reaction.

Details regarding a formal induction ceremony for Dillon, Stuart and Williams will be released as information is available. Since 2007, the Museum’s Medallion Ceremony, an annual reunion of the Hall of Fame membership, has served as the official rite of induction for new members.

Josh Turner To Release Country State of Mind On August 21

Artist: Josh Turner
Album: Country State of Mind
Label: MCA Nashville
Release date: August 21, 2020

Josh Turner describes the influences on his upcoming album, Country State of Mind, as the "Mount Rushmore of Country Music," and for good reason: The new project features cuts of some of his favorite all-time country tracks as well as guest spots from a few of his heroes singing beside him- including a landmark performance from Randy Travis. Country State of Mind includes Josh's take on Randy's 1987 classic, "Forever and Ever, Amen," and the legendary artist joined him on the new version of the song. It marks the first recording session for Randy since a devastating stroke severely hampered his ability to speak and sing in 2013.

"Randy has always been my hero. He was the reason I wanted to become a country singer," Josh explains. "He's an inspiring figure, not just to me but to a lot of people, so to have him sing on this record is pretty special."

But Randy isn't the only high-profile country act who helped Josh make his new album. Kris Kristofferson and John Anderson also lent their voices to the album, as did Chris Janson, Runaway June, Maddie & Tae and Allison Moorer.

In addition to collaborating with a diverse and impressive roster of collaborators, Josh shows off his country music history expertise with his solo performances on Country State of Mind. The track list features his renditions of Johnny Cash's 1959 gospel tune, "The Caretaker," as well as Hank Williams' 1955 original, "Alone and Forsaken." On Wednesday, Josh shared the album's title track, in which he and Chris duet on a Hank Williams Jr. classic.

Country State of Mind will drop in full on August 21.

Deep Cut Challenge Making The Rounds Around Country Music

Tim McGraw decided to create his own internet web challenge called the #DeepCutsChallenge. He first posted a video over the weekend explaining that all artists have a song they love to sing or jam out to when alone, even if it may not be a very popular song to perform. These songs are more commonly referred to as "deep cuts" or songs on an album that never made it to radio and are therefore not very well known or popular.

McGraw sang his favorite song "Take the Long Way Home" by John Schneider and then nominated Brad Paisley, Jason Aldean, and Kenny Chesney to sing one of their favorite "deep cuts" and post it to Instagram while tagging other artists to also participate. It's gone on to include the likes of Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs, Vince Gill & more.  Here's a collection of some of the performances and the songs they chose- click on the song title to watch/hear the performances. 

Tim McGraw - John Schneider's "Take The Long Way Home"

Vince Gill - Bob McDill's "Last Dance At The Old Texas Moon"

Luke Combs - Chris Stapleton's "What Are You Listening To?"

Morgan Wallen - Jason Aldean's "Water Tower"

Brad Paisley - Steve Wariner's "What I Didn't Do"

Darius Rucker - Foster and Lloyd's "You Can Come Cryin' To Me"

Charles Kelley - Temple of the Dog - "Call Me A Dog"

Russell Dickerson - Tim McGraw's "Seventeen"

Thomas Rhett - Hank Williams, Jr's "Blues Man"

And keep an eye on Faith Hill's Instagram account this week. She was the most recent to be nominated by Vince Gill... 

Chris Janson To Release Real Friends In October

Artist: Chris Janson
Album: Real Friends
Label: Warner Nashville
Release date: October 18, 2019

Grand Ole Opry member and country star Chris Janson announced this week that he will be releasing his next Warner Nashville album on October 18 and it will be titled Real Friends.

“Real Friends is my favorite album I’ve made yet, hands down,” Janson said. “I made Real Friends with actual real friends. I produced the album with real friends, wrote all the songs with real friends, took all the photos for the project with my best friend and wife, Kelly, and I also have a huge collaboration on this album with one of my favorite ‘Ole’ friends! I’m more excited about music now than I have been in all of my career. Thank you to my fans, who truly are my real friends and helped me get where I am today.”

Janson introduced Real Friends to the world earlier this year with his current single, “Good Vibes."

In the four years since the release of his debut album, the three-time CMA nominee has collected prestigious accolades that place him amongst country music greats, including two No. 1 singles. He most recently took home the trophy for ACM Video of the Year for his Gold-certified, inspiring hit song “Drunk Girl,” which also earned the Song of the Year title at the 2018 MusicRow Awards. His chart-topping, double-Platinum smash “Buy Me A Boat” was named the iHeartRadio Music Awards Country Song of the Year and declared one of the “Ten Songs I Wish I’d Written” by NSAI. Now its onto new music for Janson: “Good Vibes,” the flagship single from his forthcoming album Real Friends, due October 18, is approaching Top 20 at country radio. In addition to his own successes, the talented songwriter has lent his pen to industry peers including Tim McGraw (“Truck Yeah,” “How I’ll Always Be”), LOCASH (“I Love This Life”) and the legendary Hank Williams Jr. (“God Fearin’ Man,” “Those Days Are Gone”).

TNS Video History - Waylon Jennings with Hank Williams, Jr. - "The Conversation"

A Case For The Class of 2016 Country Music Hall of Fame Selection

Election to the Country Music Hall of Fame is country music's highest honor. The Country Music Association (CMA), the country music industry's trade organization, created the accolade to recognize significant contributions to the advancement of country music by individuals in both the creative and business communities. The first members-Jimmie Rodgers, Fred Rose, and Hank Williams-were inducted in 1961.

It’s also quite possibly one of the more debatable arguments in country music. Each time a column is posted here, omissions are complained about and oversights are pleaded. And as we turn the page, let’s start the debate on who will be selected for this year’s class- traditionally announced in early Spring.

In 2009, the Hall changed the way it categorizes its selectees. Three new members will continue to be inducted every year, with one each coming from the new categories, which will be renamed and defined as follows:

Modern Era: An artist becomes eligible for induction in this category 20 years after they first achieve national prominence. They will remain eligible for that category for the next 25 years. This replaces the former “Career Achieved National Prominence Between 1975 and the Present” category.

Veterans Era: An artist becomes eligible for induction in this category 45 years after they first achieve national prominence. This combines the former “Career Achieved National Prominence Between World War II and 1975″ (which was voted on annually) and “Career Achieved National Prominence Prior to World War II” (which was voted on every third year in rotation) categories into one.

Rotating Categories: The third slot will continue to be a rotating category, with each group in the spotlight every third year. The Recording and/or Touring Musician and Non Performer slots will remain, joined by a new Songwriter category. 2016’s selection will come from the non-performer category.

These are the ones that I believe should be inducted- and hopefully not posthumously for those still alive on this list.

10. John Denver- Might as well start with the most controversial first. In 1975, previous Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year Charlie Rich set fire to Denver’s winning envelope rather than announce the win. Some considered it a statement against country pop and the Music Row-controlled Nashville Sound. But looking closer, he was one of the top album sellers in the 70’s, won several country music awards, 2 Grammys, and his hits “Take Me Home”, “Rocky Mountain High” and “Thank God I’m A Country Boy” are sing-along standards.

9. Jerry Reed- The CMHOF has a history of inviting comedians and actors (Minnie Pearl) and Jerry Reed belongs in. Jerry Reed, was an country music singer, country guitarist, session musician, songwriter and actor who appeared in over a dozen films. As a singer, he may be best known for Amos Moses, and When You're Hot, You're Hot, for which he received a Grammy in 1972 and East Bound and Down, the theme song to the film Smokey and the Bandit in which he portrayed the "Snowman", Cledus Snow.

8. Kenny Chesney- It's hard to imagine that he's old enough to qualify for the Country Music Hall of Fame, but it was 20 years ago that Kenny Chesney released his first major label album with BNA. Chesney has been country music’s biggest and most-active stadium draw for the last decade or so, sold 30 million albums and has had over 30 Top 10 singles.

7. Charlie Daniels- The man who made southern country/rock a new genre, he should be in for his fiddling ability alone. “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” is quite possibly the most recognizable country song ever recorded- he’s been a music hero for close to 40 years.

6. The Judds- As one of the most successful acts in country music history, Wynonna and Naomi Judd won five Grammy Awards for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and eight Country Music Association awards. The duo also charted twenty-five singles on the country music charts between 1983 and 2000, fourteen of which went to Number One and six more of which made Top Ten on the same chart.

5. Randy Travis- Travis has recorded more than a dozen important studio albums and single-handedly started the neo-traditionalist movement in the 80’s. He charted more than thirty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, of which sixteen have reached Number One. He's gone through some significant health issues over the past couple of years which could influence the sentimental vote or mentally cause the voters to wait a couple more years as he continues to heal.

4. Dallas Frazier - Frazier is the songwriter’s songwriter. His tunes were recorded by George Jones (who recorded an entire album of Frazier's songs in 1968), Engelbert Humperdinck, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jack Greene, Connie Smith (who also recorded an entire album of Frazier's songs in 1972), Willie Nelson, Brenda Lee, Carola, Charley Pride, Merle Haggard, Gene Watson, Elvis Presley, Moe Bandy, Roy Head, Rodney Crowell, Dan McCafferty, and Ronnie Hawkins. Many of the songs became hits into the 1980s; examples include the Oak Ridge Boys cover of "Elvira" and Emmylou Harris's version of "Beneath Still Waters". Anne Murray with Glen Campbell, George Strait, Randy Travis, and Patty Loveless have all also recorded Frazier tunes.

3. Sydney Nathan - Who, you say? My friend, author and country music historian KF Raizor says it best:  "In the early 40's the hotbed of country music wasn't Nashville, it was Cincinnati.  While publishing companies and record labels pooh-poohed the idea of signing "hillbilly" singers or, worse, publishing their songs, Syd Nathan used his keen businessman's sense and noticed that "hillbilly" records were selling very, very well in his Cincinnati record store.  With a deep well of talent to draw from in the area (including future hall of famers Merle Travis, Grandpa Jones, Homer & Jethro, and the Delmore Brothers, and should-be hall of famers such as Moon Mullican and Cowboy Copas), Sydney Nathan founded the nation's first all-hillbilly music label in 1943, King Records.  Nathan has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the label's work with pioneering R&B acts such as James Brown, and into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame because of the presence of the Stanley Brothers and Reno & Smiley.  He did much more for country music than either of those genres, and yet he continues to be ignored by the genre of music he helped popularize thanks to easy access to recordings." With this being the non-performer category, it could be Nathan's turn.

2. Alan Jackson- An accomplished songwriter, Jackson wrote much of his first album, which remained on the U.S. country charts for more than a year. His next two albums, Don't Rock the Jukebox (1991) and A Lot About Livin' (and a Little 'Bout Love) (1992) were even bigger hits, spawning five No.1 singles each. Notable among these hits were "Love's Got a Hold on You," "Midnight in Montgomery" (Jackson's tribute to the legendary country star Hank Williams), and "Chattahoochee." With the 1994 release of his fifth album, Who I Am, Jackson's record sales reached a total of over 10 million. Throughout the course of his career, Jackson has been honored with over 45 awards from organizations like the Academy of Country Music (ACM) and the Country Music Association (CMA). He released his Greatest Hits album in 1995 and won eight major awards, including CMA Entertainer of the Year.

1. Hank Williams, Jr.- He is another long overdue selection. He had two careers, each of them probably worthy of induction. His early standards Eleven Roses are just as HOF-worthy as his later standards like Family Tradition. His discography consists of fifty-six studio albums and twenty-two compilation albums. He has released 106 singles and twenty-four music videos. Eleven of his singles have reached Number One in either the United States or Canada. Hank Williams Jr. has sold more than 70 million albums world-wide. Put him in with a plaque right next to his father.

Consideration should also be given to June Carter Cash, Dottie West, Dwight Yoakam, the Wilburn Brothers, Paul Overstreet, Linda Ronstadt, Larry Gatlin, the Stanley Brothers, Johnny Horton, Ricky Skaggs, Alison Krauss & Union Station (someday), Crystal Gayle, Charlie Rich, Rose Maddox, Tanya Tucker, Anne Murray, Crystal Gayle and Brooks and Dunn. Hopefully, all will eventually be elected.

New Music Video From Hank Williams, Jr. and Eric Church- "Are You Ready For The Country"

TNS Video History- Waylon Jennings and Hank Williams, Jr.- "The Conversation"

Originally, this song was one of the tracks featured on Hank Williams, Jr.'s 1979 Platinum selling album Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound. The track was included on Jennings' 1983 album Waylon and Company. A music video was made to promote the single, a rarity for country music at the time. The song reached number 15 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart

A Case For The Next 2014 Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees

Election to the Country Music Hall of Fame is country music's highest honor. The Country Music Association (CMA), the country music industry's trade organization, created the accolade to recognize significant contributions to the advancement of country music by individuals in both the creative and business communities. The first members-Jimmie Rodgers, Fred Rose, and Hank Williams-were inducted in 1961.

It’s also quite possibly one of the more debatable arguments in country music. Each time a column is posted here (or on sites such as The 9513 and Engine 145 that I contribute to as well), omissions are complained about and oversights are pleaded. And as we turn the page, let’s start the debate on who will be selected for this year’s class.

In 2009, the Hall changed the way it categorizes its selectees. Three new members will continue to be inducted every year, with one each coming from the new categories, which will be renamed and defined as follows:

Modern Era: An artist becomes eligible for induction in this category 20 years after they first achieve national prominence. They will remain eligible for that category for the next 25 years. This replaces the former “Career Achieved National Prominence Between 1975 and the Present” category.

Veterans Era: An artist becomes eligible for induction in this category 45 years after they first achieve national prominence. This combines the former “Career Achieved National Prominence Between World War II and 1975″ (which was voted on annually) and “Career Achieved National Prominence Prior to World War II” (which was voted on every third year in rotation) categories into one.

Rotating Categories: The third slot will continue to be a rotating category, with each group in the spotlight every third year. The Recording and/or Touring Musician and Non Performer slots will remain, joined by a new Songwriter category. 2014’s selection will come from the songwriter category.

These are the ones that we believe should be inducted- and hopefully not posthumously for those still alive on this list.

10. John Denver- Might as well start with the most controversial first. In 1975, previous Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year Charlie Rich set fire to Denver’s winning envelope rather than announce the win. Some considered it a statement against country pop and the Music Row-controlled Nashville Sound. But looking closer, he was one of the top album sellers in the 70’s, won several country music awards, 2 Grammys, and his hits “Take Me Home”, “Rocky Mountain High” and “Thank God I’m A Country Boy” are sing-along standards.

9. Jerry Reed- The CMHOF has a history of inviting comedians and actors (Minnie Pearl) and Jerry Reed belongs in. Jerry Reed, was an country music singer, country guitarist, session musician, songwriter and actor who appeared in over a dozen films. As a singer, he may be best known for Amos Moses, and When You're Hot, You're Hot, for which he received a Grammy in 1972 and East Bound and Down, the theme song to the film Smokey and the Bandit in which he portrayed the "Snowman", Cledus Snow.

8. Charlie Daniels- The man who made southern country/rock a new genre, he should be in for his fiddling ability alone. “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” is quite possibly the most recognizable country song ever recorded- he’s been a music hero for close to 40 years.

7. The Judds- As one of the most successful acts in country music history, Wynonna and Naomi Judd won five Grammy Awards for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and eight Country Music Association awards. The duo also charted twenty-five singles on the country music charts between 1983 and 2000, fourteen of which went to Number One and six more of which made Top Ten on the same chart.

6. Randy Travis- Travis has recorded more than a dozen important studio albums and single-handedly started the neo-traditionalist movement in the 80’s. He charted more than thirty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, of which sixteen have reached Number One.

5. Dallas Frazier (tie)- Frazier is the songwriter’s songwriter.His tunes were recorded by George Jones (who recorded an entire album of Frazier's songs in 1968), Engelbert Humperdinck, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jack Greene, Connie Smith (who also recorded an entire album of Frazier's songs in 1972), Willie Nelson, Brenda Lee, Carola, Charley Pride, Merle Haggard, Gene Watson, Elvis Presley, Moe Bandy, Roy Head, Rodney Crowell, Dan McCafferty, and Ronnie Hawkins. Many of the songs became hits into the 1980s; examples include the Oak Ridge Boys cover of "Elvira" and Emmylou Harris's version of "Beneath Still Waters". Anne Murray with Glen Campbell, George Strait, Randy Travis, and Patty Loveless have all also recorded Frazier tunes.

5. Hank Cochran (tie)- This being a songwriter year category, another great candidate that should be considered for selection is the veritable everyman songwriter Hank Cochran. Eddy Arnold, Patsy Cline, Waylon Jennings, Natalie Cole, Elvis Costello, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Mickey Gilley, Vern Gosdin, Merle Haggard, Burl Ives, Jamey Johnson, George Jones, Norah Jones, Loretta Lynn, Henry Mancini, Dean Martin, Reba McEntire, Ronnie Milsap, Brad Paisley, Johnny Paycheck, Elvis Presley, Ray Price, Jim Reeves, Linda Ronstadt, Dinah Shore, Nancy Sinatra, George Strait, Hank Williams Jr, Lee Ann Womack, and Keith Whitley are just some of the artists who have cut Cochran-penned tunes. The only melancholy part of this selection would be that Cochran passed away back in 2010.

4. Oak Ridge Boys- While their history dates back much further, they had a run of twelve years from 1977 to 1989 where they were THE band until they gave way to Alabama. Can anyone NOT sing all the words to their biggest hit Elvira?

3. Alan Jackson- An accomplished songwriter, Jackson wrote much of his first album, which remained on the U.S. country charts for more than a year. His next two albums, Don't Rock the Jukebox (1991) and A Lot About Livin' (and a Little 'Bout Love) (1992) were even bigger hits, spawning five No.1 singles each. Notable among these hits were "Love's Got a Hold on You," "Midnight in Montgomery" (Jackson's tribute to the legendary country star Hank Williams), and "Chattahoochee." With the 1994 release of his fifth album, Who I Am, Jackson's record sales reached a total of over 10 million. Throughout the course of his career, Jackson has been honored with over 45 awards from organizations like the Academy of Country Music (ACM) and the Country Music Association (CMA). He released his Greatest Hits album in 1995 and won eight major awards, including CMA Entertainer of the Year.

2. Hank Williams, Jr.- He is another long overdue selection. He had two careers, each of them probably worthy of induction. His early standards Eleven Roses are just as HOF-worthy as his later standards like Family Tradition. Put him in with a plaque right next to his father.

1. Ronnie Milsap- One of the top recording artists of the 1970’s and 1980’s, Ronnie Milsap is credited with forty number-one songs on the country charts, third only to George Strait and Conway Twitty. 40. Amazing career.

Consideration should also be given to Jim Ed Brown and The Browns, Dwight Yoakam, the Wilburn Brothers, Paul Overstreet, Linda Ronstadt, Larry Gatlin, Ricky Skaggs, Alison Krauss & Union Station (someday), Crystal Gayle, Rose Maddox, Tanya Tucker, Anne Murray and Brooks and Dunn. Hopefully, all will eventually be elected.

Outlaw Music Hall of Fame Unveils Its First Class Of Inductees

The first inductees into the new Outlaw Music Hall of Fame were announced yesterday in conjunction with the 1st annual Outlaws and Icons Charity Ride and Concert held in Altamont, Tennessee. Founded in August of 2013 as a grassroots effort, The Outlaw Music Hall of Fame is dedicated to those musicians and songwriters whose work best exemplifies the qualities of the Outlaw country movement that first began in the 1970s. 17 inductees will go in on the inaugural class under two different categories: Pioneers/Innovators (Pre-1970), and Highwaymen (1970-1990). The new museum also announced a third category called the Guardian Award. This award isn't a Hall of Fame induction, but a one-year honor that identifies the artist or group's work, commitment to their music and that they honor the music and traditions that came before them. This third award will be fan-voted in coming years. The initial inductees are:
Pioneers/Innovators Pre-1970

• Hank Williams Sr.
• Loretta Lynn
• The Carter Family
• Bobby Bare
• Chris Gantry

Highwaymen (1970-1990)

• Willie Nelson
• Waylon Jennings
• David Allan Coe
• Kris Kristofferson
• Merle Haggard
• Johnny Cash
• Johnny Paycheck
• Sammi Smith
• Steve Young
• Jessi Coulter
• Hank Williams Jr.
• Billy Joe Shaver

Guardian Award

• Dallas Moore
• Wayne Mills
• Hank Williams III
• Jamey Johnson
• Whitey Morgan

The Hall of Fame will be dedicated to those artists, both musicians and songwriters, whose work best exemplifies the qualities of the Outlaw movement that first began in the 1970s and has gained renewed momentum as an alternative to the current Nashville pop country scene.  In doing so it will place the spotlight on music firmly attached to the roots of country.  Moreover, the Hall of Fame will educate the public about Outlaw country, memorialize founders of the genre—such as Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Jessi Colter—recognize current Outlaw artists, and provide a platform for them and for the independent record labels who currently have little if any voice in the industry. The facility encompasses more than 5,000 square feet and under the direction of architect Thomas Bartoo will feature a state-of-the-art layout, including interactive displays.  There will also be a studio to allow for live broadcasts to be streamed over the Internet.

Located right on the town square in Lynchburg, the Outlaw Music Hall of Fame will sponsor a concert series each April to November to showcase independent roots country artists. Along with the Hall of Fame, there will be established the Outlaw Music Association.  It will bring together independent artists, songwriters, and record executives to promote roots country.  It will also recognize accomplishments by each of these.

New Music Video From Kid Rock & Hank Williams, Jr.- "Redneck Paradise"

Redneck Paradise (Remix) - Kid Rock - Kid Rock Videos

Hilary Williams Extends The Williams Music Legacy With New EP

Her grandfather is Hank Williams. Her father is the legendary Hank Jr. Brother Hank III has two albums coming out this year and her sister Holly just released her critically-acclaimed third album this past month. Now it's Hilary Williams turn as she releases a brand new self-titled EP this week.

The story of Hilary Williams’ life is extraordinary in every sense of the word. Born into one of music’s most revered families as the daughter of Hank Williams, Jr. and the granddaughter of Hank Williams, Hilary inherited the family’s songwriting and singing gifts in spades. In fact, her father says, “She sings like a queen, like a star.” But that legacy is only part of what has come to define Hilary’s life and ultimately give her a story that is both inspiring and uniquely her own.

While driving to her grandfather’s funeral with sister Holly on March 15, 2006, Hilary lost control of her SUV on Mississippi’s historic Highway 61. The crash left both sisters in critical condition, but Hilary’s injuries would prove to be catastrophic. Hilary describes her injuries as she hovered between life and death at the scene: “I had broken too many bones to count. Both of my legs, my ankle, my back, collarbone, tailbone, pelvis, right femur, and three ribs were all broken. My hips were shattered. I had a ruptured colon and bruised lungs.”

Thanks to the work of talented EMT’s and a transfusion of an experimental blood substitute called PolyHeme at the crash site, Hilary survived the crash and air transfer to the Regional Medical Center in Memphis. She would spend the next month at that facility before being transferred to Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville.

Over the course of her recovery, Hilary went through 23 surgeries — an experience that tested Hilary’s resolve to its limit. Dealing with such a profound injury is a long, drawn out and excruciatingly painful ordeal that takes years, not months. Though her family and friends rallied around her throughout this process, there were extremely long bouts of solitude during the healing process. Hilary gives gripping insight into the physical and mental rigors she endured during the seemingly endless parade of surgeries and rehabilitation.

In the wake of her accident, Hilary carries on the “family tradition” writing songs and pursuing her own music career. The recent book she penned called Sign of Life closes with the story of Hilary’s return to the concert stage in Nashville. It only seems appropriate that the single "Sign of Life" is just the first step of Hilary Williams’ journey as she carves out her own place in her family’s storied legacy.

EP Track Listing:

1. Get Out of My Way
2. Casino
3. World Without Hope
4. West Hollywood Monday Mornings
5. Sign of Life

New Music Video From Hank Williams, Jr.- "That Ain't Good"

Get More: That Ain't Good, Hank Williams Jr., Hank Williams Jr. Videos

New Details On New Albums From Elizabeth Cook, Waylon Jennings and Hank Williams, Jr.

Three new projects are causing significant excitement around the That Nashville Sound office. Elizabeth Cook, Waylon Jennings and Hank Williams, Jr all have albums coming out within the next thirty days or so and new details have been released about each project.

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In 2011, Elizabeth Cook was asked to participate in Strawberry Music Festival’s Sunday morning gospel show. She reluctantly agreed, but by the time she was halfway through her set, she was surprised by how much she was moved by this music. Perhaps she shouldn’t have been; it reconnected her with music that was central to her Florida upbringing. She was moved enough to record a seven song EP of some of her favorite Southern Gospel songs (well, six Gospel songs and a cover of Velvet Underground’s “Jesus”). The EP, titled Gospel Plow, will be released on June 12th, the day before she appears on The Late Show with David Letterman.

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One of Nashville’s most anticipated albums continues to build a heady buzz as early tracks from Goin’ Down Rockin’: The Last Recordings of Waylon Jennings are previewed to longtime friends and fans of the outlaw country legend.  The songs have been met with bittersweet excitement and warmly embraced by those who knew him best.  Recorded shortly before his death in 2002, Goin’ Down Rockin’ will be available on September 11 (Saguaro Road Records).

Rosanne Cash marveled, “There was never an artist like Waylon Jennings. It's such a joy to hear his honest voice, his integrity and his quintessential badassness on this new record. What a great thing for posterity that these recordings exist and were finished by Robby Turner with such care and honor.”

Kris Kristofferson, who toured alongside Jennings in the Highwaymen, added, “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."

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Blaster Records, in association with Warner Music Nashville, announced the details of the upcoming Hank Williams, Jr. album set for release on July 10.  The twelve-song package will include a duet with Brad Paisley on “I’m Gonna Get Drunk And Play Hank Williams” as well as a new duet with the legendary Merle Haggard on his classic “I Think I’ll Just Sit Here and Drink.” Williams’ first single in several years, “That Ain’t Good”, has just been shipped to radio with a companion video being produced in coming weeks.

“I’m excited about this new album,” Hank said.  “I’m definitely ‘Old School’, and I am making music with ‘New Rules’.  People know I’m gonna say exactly what I think and this album is exactly that.”

Old School, New Rules is the first album on Hank Williams, Jr.’s new label imprint, Bocephus Records, with a licensing deal with Blaster Records under a Warner Music Nashville distribution deal.

Track Listing:

1.     Takin’ Back The Country

2.     I’m Gonna Get Drunk And Play Hank Williams (with Brad Paisley)

3.     Three Day Trip

4.     Old School

5.     We Don’t Apologize for America

6.     You Win Again

7.     Cow Turd Blues

8.     Who’s Takin’ Care of Number One

9.     That Ain’t Good

10.  Keep The Change

11.  Stock Market Blues

12.  I Think I’ll Just Stay Here And Drink (with Merle Haggard)

Hank Jr. Announces June Album Release

Blaster Entertainment and award-winning country music recording artist Hank Williams, Jr. announced that they have entered into a worldwide exclusive three year licensing agreement. The new partnership comes only months before Williams’ new studio album release, which will hit retail in June.   The deal, which was signed this week, licenses Blaster Records, a division of Blaster Entertainment, to distribute Bocephus Records’ new release for the next three years.

“When I started Blaster Records a bit over five years ago, my goal was to create an entertainment company that became home to some of country music’s biggest stars,” said Tom Porter, CEO of Blaster Entertainment. “Hank Williams Jr. is a giant in the business and we are beyond excited to welcome him into the Blaster family.”

“I’m excited about this new album we’ve been working on,” Hank Williams Jr. said.  “When looking at labels, I had several choices.  When my team brought me the opportunity from Blaster and with the soon to be announced distribution deal, it was the best deal in town.  My fans will be able to find my music in places that common folks shop.  This is gonna be fun!”

Country Music Hall of Fame Class of 2012 To Be Announced Tomorrow- Who Should Get In?

Tomorrow is the day. Tomorrow is the announcement of what three artists will be the next inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame's Class of 2012. 


Reba McEntire, Bobby Braddock, and Jean Shepard were announced as the latest members to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame- the class of 2011.

Those three are extremely deserving and very worthy candidates. But there are others that should be in as well- and not posthumously.


While I have absolutely no say in the matter, I would like rerun a column that I wrote this past June- a list of the music acts I believe to the most deserving to be inducted into The Country Music Hall-Of-Fame.


10. John Denver- Might as well start with the most controversial first. In 1975, previous Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year Charlie Rich set fire to Denver’s winning envelope rather than announce the win. Some considered it a statement against country pop and the Music Row-controlled Nashville Sound. But looking closer, he was one of the top album sellers in the 70’s, won several country music awards, 2 Grammys, and his hits “Take Me Home”, “Rocky Mountain High” and “Thank God I’m A Country Boy” are sing-along standards.


9.Jerry Reed- The CMHOF has a history of inviting comedians and actors (Minnie Pearl) and Jerry Reed belongs in. Jerry Reed, was an country music singer, country guitarist, session musician, songwriter and actor who appeared in over a dozen filmsAs a singer, he may be best known for Amos Moses, and When You're Hot, You're Hot, for which he received a Grammy in 1972 and East Bound and Down, the theme song to the film Smokey and the Bandit in which he portrayed the "Snowman", Cledus Snow.


8. (tie) Charlie Daniels- The man who made southern country/rock a new genre, he should be in for his fiddling ability alone. “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” is quite possibly the most recognizable country song ever recorded- he’s been a music hero for close to 40 years.


8. (tie) The Judds- As one of the most successful acts in country music history, Wynonna and Naomi Judd won five Grammy Awards for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and eight Country Music Association awards. The duo also charted twenty-five singles on the country music charts between 1983 and 2000, fourteen of which went to Number One and six more of which made Top Ten on the same chart.


7. Randy Travis- Travis has recorded more than a dozen important studio albums and single-handedly started the neo-traditionalist movement in the 80’s. He charted more than thirty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, of which sixteen have reached Number One.


6. Dallas Frazier- Frazier is the songwriter’s songwriter.His tunes were recorded by George Jones (who recorded an entire album of Frazier's songs in 1968), Engelbert Humperdinck, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jack Greene, Connie Smith (who also recorded an entire album of Frazier's songs in 1972), Willie Nelson, Brenda Lee, Carola, Charley Pride, Merle Haggard, Gene Watson, Elvis Presley, Moe Bandy, Roy Head, Rodney Crowell, Dan McCafferty, and Ronnie Hawkins. Many of the songs became hits into the 1980s; examples include the Oak Ridge Boys cover of "Elvira" and Emmylou Harris's version of "Beneath Still Waters". Anne Murray with Glen Campbell, George Strait, Randy Travis, and Patty Loveless have all also recorded Frazier tunes.


5. (tie) Oak Ridge Boys- While their history dates back much further, they had a run of twelve years from 1977 to 1989 where they were THE band until they gave way to Alabama. Can anyone NOT sing all the words to their biggest hit Elvira?


5. (tie) Connie Smith- Still possessing one of Nashville’s most beautiful voices to this day, Smith’s recording of “Once A Day” became the first debut single in country music history by a female artist to reach number one, a record that Smith maintained for the next 25 years. She was a fixture on country radio in the second half of the 60’s and most of the 70’s.


4. Hank Williams Jr.- He is another long overdue selection. He had two careers, each of them probably worthy of induction. His early standards Eleven Roses are just as HOF-worthy as his later standards like Family Tradition. Put him in with a plaque right next to his father.


3. Garth Brooks- He’s the youngest of the bunch but has done more single-handedly to raise the popularity of country music more than any other artist since Johnny Cash. And that’s pretty good company. With more albums sold than any other artist EVER, he’s a no-brainer.


2. Ronnie Milsap- One of the top recording artists of the 1970’s and 1980’s, Ronnie Milsap is credited with forty number-one songs on the country charts, third only to George Strait and Conway Twitty. 40. Amazing career.

1. Kenny Rogers- I’ve already made my case here at That Nashville Sound. They’ve waited too long already for The Gambler.


Consideration should also given to Jim Ed Brown and The Browns,  the Wilburn Brothers, Paul Overstreet, Alison Krauss & Union Station (someday), Crystal Gayle, Rose Maddox, Tanya Tucker, Anne Murray, Alan Jackson and Brooks and Dunn. Hopefully, all will eventually be elected.

New Hank Williams, Jr. Best Of Collection Hits March 27

Fans of Hank Williams, Jr. can kick the wintertime blues with the announcement from Curb Records of the March 27 release of a retrospective collection of signature hits from the iconic superstar. The package will feature 22 of Hank Jr.’s best songs that span decades of his high octane music making career, that includes high points such as Family Tradition, A Country Boy Can Survive, All My Rowdy Friends Are Comin’ Over Tonight, and Whiskey Bent And Hell Bound.

In the history of recorded music, perhaps no ‘second generation’ heir to a musical dynasty has surpassed superstar status to become a true American icon as boldly as Hank Williams, Jr.  With stacks of gold and platinum lining his walls amid Grammys and Emmys and the reflection of the nearby crowns of Entertainer of the Year resting comfortably on his mantle, Jr. has carved a giant niche in the annals of the record industry.  Stepping from the shadows of the greatness of Hank Sr. the current incarnation of family greatness is unique in Hank Jr’s relevance and the amazing influence of his music and image as part of America’s pop culture.   He is by any definition a 21st century pop culture force to be reckoned with.
 
Along the way, as witnessed by the new Curb package, Hank Jr.’s music has become rooted as a unique creative barometer consistently reflecting both our nation’s challenges and the resilience of human nature in general—and Hank’s creative finger on the pulse of culture in particular. From the familiar shout of "Are You Ready For Some Football" to the brooding country patriotism of "A Country Boy Can Survive,"  Hank is seemingly permanently woven in the midst of America’s daily soundtrack of life--from football, to politics, to his latest reincarnation of the Williams family’s traditional way with a song.
 
 Tracks include:"Family Tradition"           
"Whiskey Bent And Hell Bound"
"Women I've Never Had"                       
"Outlaw Women"
"Kaw-Liga"
"Old Habits"           
"Dinosaur"
"The Blues Man"
"Texas Women"
"Dixie On My Mind"
"All My Rowdy Friends (Have Settled Down)"
"A Country Boy Can Survive"
"If Heaven Ain't A Lot Like Dixie"
"The Conversation"
"All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight"
"Country State Of Mind"
"Born To Boogie"
"If The South Woulda Won"
"There's A Tear In My Beer" (with Hank Williams)
"Red, White, & Pink-Slip Blues"
"Bartender Song (Sittin’ At The Bar)" (with Rehab)
"All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming For Monday Night Football"

Country Music News Round-Up- Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Mallary Hope & More

• The salvos that Hank Williams, Jr. and ABC/ESPN have been firing back and forth all week long over Williams interview comment comparing President Obama to Hitler finally came to a conclusion yesterday. There will be no more partnership after two decades of utilizing Williams’ song as the theme song for Monday Night Football.
•  Mark November 9^th as Faith Hill’s comeback night. The Country Music Association has announced that Mrs. Tim McGraw will premier her brand new single “Come Home” off of her upcoming 2012 album that night at the CMA Awards.
• Mallary Hope had not one, but two big announcements this week. First of all, her song, “Georgia Peaches,” was announced as the second single to be released by American Idol runner-up Lauren Alaina. And Hope has released her next single as a solo artist called “Illusion.” You can listen to it HERE.
• A possible freedom date has been set for Tim McGraw. A November 29 court hearing here will decide whether country music star McGraw can record any new albums during an ongoing legal dispute with Curb Records.
• New music from Crystal Shawanda called “You Belong To Me.”