Country Music News
Dolly Parton Receives COVID-19 Vaccine That She Helped Fund
Dolly Parton has gotten a dose of her own medicine. On Tuesday, the beloved country singer received the first dose of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine — which she herself helped fund. Back in April, Parton contributed $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s research efforts for a vaccine. Vanderbilt’s research subsequently played a key role in developing Moderna’s vaccine. “My longtime friend Dr. Naji Abumrad, who’s been involved in research at Vanderbilt for many years, informed me that they were making some exciting advancements towards research of the coronavirus for a cure,” Parton said at the time of her donation. Fast forward 11 months, and Parton is reaping the rewards of her sizable charitable donation. That said, even though she was eligible due to her age, Parton...
Lady A Releases New Song “My Name Is All I Got” in Response to Lady A: Stream
Anita White, the Seattle blues singer best known as Lady A, has released a new song called “My Name Is All I Got”. The track was seemingly written in response to her ongoing legal battle with Lady A, aka the band formerly known as Lady Antebellum. Stream it below. “My Name Is All I Got” is a boisterous, heartening, blues number about standing tall and being proud of your identity. “Oh they tried to take my name, but my name is all I got,” she sings in the opening verse. Later on in the song, she thanks Margo Price for saying “the real Lady A” should be invited to play the Grand Ole Opry (“That’s what true allyship looks like,” sings White) and comends Chris Stapleton for saying “Black lives matter” in a CBS interview, notes Pitchfork. This is the latest in an ongoing tug-of-war between the...
Jimmy Carter Confirms Willie Nelson Smoked Out His Son on the White House Roof
It’s one of the most enduring legends in music history — and it turns out it’s all true. In his 1988 autobiography, Willie Nelson wrote that he once smoked a joint on the roof of the White House with one of President Jimmy Carter’s sons. Now, the former president himself has confirmed the country icon’s story. Carter shares the anecdote in the newly released documentary Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President. Directed and produced by Mary Wharton, the film examines how Carter embraced music alongside his politics. (Gosh, remember when that was something fun and not cause for legal action?). It highlights his friendships with the likes of Bob Dylan and Nelson, and when asked about the latter, Carter admits Nelson’s tale is true. “[Nelson] says that his companion was one of the servant...
John Prine’s Records on Atlantic and Asylum Remastered for New Box Set
Legendary songwriter John Prine passed away earlier this year from complications due to the coronavirus. Music fans everywhere are still processing his immense legacy, and now a new box set looks to become the definite collection of his early years. Crooked Piece of Time: The Atlantic & Asylum Albums (1971-1980) presents remastered CD versions of his first seven albums and will be available October 23rd. The collection puts all of the qualities that made Prine so beloved on display. It contains everything from his best known hits like the classic “Angel from Montgomery”, comical sketches like “Dear Abbey”, and philosophical reflections such as “Fish and Whistle”. Crooked Piece of Time takes its name from one of the highlights on Bruised Orange (1978), and the set also in...
Country Singer Blanco Brown Seriously Injured in Car Crash
Country-trap musician and producer Blanco Brown sustained “serious injuries” after being involved in a head-on collision on Monday. Brown’s record label BB Music Group said the crash occurred near Brown’s home in Atlanta. He was transported to a local hospital and underwent 12 hours of surgery “to address the traumas.” “Additional surgeries are expected as he currently rests in the ICU,” the label added. The 35-year-old Atlanta native is best known for his 2019 single “The Git Up”. Similar to Lil Nas X’s own smash “Old Town Road”, Brown’s “The Git Up” seamlessly meshed country and trap music, and rode a tidal wave of virality on TikTok all the way to a No. 1 spot on the Billboard country charts. To date, the song has also been streamed more than 200 million times on Spotify. Aside from his...
The Chicks Perform “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Democratic National Convention: Watch
This year’s Democratic National Convention turned into a star-studded virtual event thanks to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, unintentionally helping it draw more viewers than the 2016 DNC. The four-night ceremony saw everyone from Billie Eilish to John Legend perform, with The Chicks stepping onstage to kick off the final night’s festivities on Thursday evening. The trio of Natalie Maines, Martie Erwin Maguire, and Emily Strayer appeared remotely to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner”. The Chicks have long been politically outspoken musicians. Ever since their hey-day when they denounced President George W. Bush for invading Iraq and kicking of a never-ending war, the country trio have tried to use their platform for good — even going so far as to retire their Dixie Chicks moniker earl...
Dolly Parton Backs Black Lives Matter: “Do We Think Our Little White Asses Are the Only Ones That Matter?”
Dolly Parton has once again reminded us why we should all aspire to be more like Dolly Parton. In a new Billboard cover story, the country legend shared her support for Black Lives Matter and the recent uprisings against police brutality and white supremacy. She also spoke candidly about her own mortality and the importance of drawing up a will. On the topic of BLM, the 74-year-old proved that she’s definitely aligned with the times and fully onboard with the protests that have carried on since George Floyd’s murder at the hands of Minneapolis police. “I understand people having to make themselves known and felt and seen,” said Parton. “And of course, Black lives matter. Do we think our little white asses are the only ones that matter? No!” The Queen of Nashville has officially spoken...
Margo Price Covers Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s “WAP” on The Daily Show: Watch
Although Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s “WAP” may already be the song of the summer, it’s caused some predictable controversy amongst those with more conservative tastes. Everyone from congressional candidates to Tiger King stars have taken issue with the track, which begs the question: Is this yet another example of women — particularly Black women — facing a different level of public scrutiny? Exploring that thesis on The Daily Show on Thursday night, Margo Price recontextualized “WAP” as a beautiful country song. Would it be any less “offensive”? Price’s cover came as host Trevor Noah and remote correspondent Dulce Sloan examined the media’s sexist reaction to Kamala Harris being selected as presumptive democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s running mate. While arguing that...
Shania Twain Announces The Woman in Me: Diamond Edition
Shania Twain has announced a special 25th anniversary reissue of her star-making sophomore album The Woman in Me. The Diamond Edition will be available as an LP, or in two-CD or three-CD packages on October 2nd. Twain made her debut with an eponymous 1993 record. She didn’t write or co-write any of the tracks, and not coincidentally, it was something of a flop. But it did attract the interest of Robert John “Mutt” Lange, who at the time was best known for shepherding Def Leppard to their greatest commercial success on Hysteria. Together, Twain and Lange would embark on one of the great partnerships in country songwriting history, as well more than 16 years of marriage. The Woman in Me not only spawned Twain’s first number-one country hit, it produced three more songs th...
Woman Jumps on Stage, Coughs on Singer Clayton Gardner During Concert
On July 17th, country singer Clayton Gardner performed an outdoor concert for a small, socially-distanced audience in Las Colinas, Texas. During the show, Gardner was interrupted by a woman who jumped on stage, refused his polite requests to step back, and then apparently coughed in his face. Gardner is best known for his 2015 album Under the Lights and the song “Buy You a Drink”. Last Friday, he performed for “about 30 people,” and livestreamed the set for his fans on Facebook. Afterwards, he posted a video of his altercation with the unknown woman. As he explained, “About fifteen minutes into the show, this random lady walked around all of my gear to sneak up behind me.” Once on stage, she requested a song by another artist. In the clip, Gardner replied, “If you could do that from l...
The Chicks Unleash the Comeback Album Gaslighter: Stream
The Chicks, formerly the Dixie Chicks, have released their comeback album Gaslighter. Stream it below via Apple Music or Spotify. For a high-definition listening experience, you can sign up for a 60-day free trial of TIDAL HiFi. While The Chicks are no longer whistling dixie (they changed their name last month in the aftermath of Black Lives Matter protests) this is still the same trio that tore up country radio at the turn of millennium, and it’s the same group that ran smack into the W. Bush war propaganda machine. Lead singer Natalie Maines’ 2003 comments about the impending invasion of Iraq — “We do not want this war, this violence, and we’re ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas” — led to the most forceful music backlash in decades. Fans burned their ...
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Lady A, Formerly Lady Antebellum, Sue Black Singer Lady A Over Rights to Her Name [Updated]
Well, here’s a story that keeps getting worse. Lady A, formerly known as Lady Antebellum, is now suing Anita “Lady A” White, a Black blues singer who has been performing under the name for over 20 years, over the rights to her name. To recap, the country trio Lady A dropped the “ntebellum” from their name in June in response to the country’s ongoing reckoning with institutionalized and ingrained racism. Beyond the fact that the “A” essentially still stands for America’s pre-Civil War era, the switch drew criticism when it was revealed that White had been already been using the moniker for years. “For them to not even reach out is pure privilege,” the 61-year-old artist said at the time. A few days later, the band Lady A tweeted a picture of their video chat with the singer Lady A. “We are ...
