Country Music
“No Drama” CMA Awards Instantly Torn Apart by Drama
“No drama, just music.” Was that too much to ask? For its 54th annual awards extravaganza, the Country Music Association only wanted to ignore our tense elections, pretend the coronavirus doesn’t exist, and shove their fingers in their ears while yelling “la la la” whenever the real world interfered. They predicted the November 11th ceremony would have “no drama.” They were wrong. Via Stereogum and Vulture, the CMAs tweeted those fateful words on November 4th as part of a campaign advertising the “Top Reasons to Watch”. In big, bold letters, they listed No. 7 as “No drama, just music.” The ad explained, “It’s been a year, y’all. But for three hours next Wednesday on ABC, this is a no-drama zone.” And lo, the drama began. Americana-country singer Margo Price slammed the tweet, pointing...
R.I.P. Billy Joe Shaver, Pioneering Outlaw Country Songwriter Dead at 81
Outlaw country legend Billy Joe Shaver died Wednesday in Waco, Texas, after suffering a stroke. His friend Connie Nelson confirmed the news to Rolling Stone. He was 81 years old. Though not as well known for his own recordings, Shaver was a pioneer of the outlaw country movement thanks to his hard-lived songwriting. He penned 10 of the 11 songs on Honky Tonk Heroes, Waylon Jennings’ 1973 album seen as perhaps the seminal effort in the genre. Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Patty Loveless, and Bob Dylan all recorded his work, while Willie Nelson once dubbed him “the greatest living songwriter.” The Texas native had plenty of inspiration to draw on, from cutting off two of his fingers in a sawmill accident at the age of 21, to run-ins with the law, to years of personal t...
Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood Release Cover of “Shallow”: Stream
In an answer to the prayers of classic country music fans everywhere, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood have released a studio version of their “Shallow” cover. The husband-and-wife country duo first performed the A Star Is Born hit during a Facebook livestream early in the pandemic. They reprised their rendition as part of their Garth and Trish Live! special on CBS back in April. Now, they’ve finally taken the track into the studio, recording it for Brooks’ forthcoming new album, FUN. Oddly, the track is officially credited as “‘Shallow’ (the duet with Trisha Yearwood)”, as if the female vocal parts are a “featured” aspect and not the main attraction. Either way, Yearwood knocks Lady Gaga’s high notes out of the stadium in this faithful recreation of the blockbuster 2018 single. “From the ...
SNL Cancels Morgan Wallen as Musical Guest After He Was Seen Partying Without Mask
Saturday Night Live has pulled Morgan Wallen as this weekend’s musical guest after the country singer was seen partying without a face mask As The Washington Post points out, Wallen traveled to Tuscaloosa last weekend to attend a University of Alabama football game. He was later spotted partying with a large group of people inside of a bar. He was also seen posing for photos without a face mask, and kissed several women. In an Instagram video posted Wednesday, Wallen revealed that his appearance on SNL has since been canceled. “I got a call from the show letting me know that I will no longer be able to play and that’s because of COVID protocols, which I understand,” he said. “My actions from this past weekend were pretty short-sighted, and have obviously affected my long-term goals and my ...
R.I.P. Mac Davis, Songwriter and Elvis Collaborator Dies at 78
Veteran singer-songwriter Mac Davis has died at the age of 78 due to complications following heart surgery. Davis’ passing was announced by his longtime manager, Jim Morey. “Mac Davis has been my client for over 40 years, and more importantly, my best friend,” Morey said in a statement. “He was a music legend, but his most important work was that as a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend. I will miss laughing about our many adventures on the road and his insightful sense of humor.” A native of Lubbock, Texas, Davis caught his break after relocating to Atlanta and getting a job at Nancy Sinatra’s company, Boots Enterprises, Inc. Through Sinatra, Davis became connected with Elvis Presley, who recorded several of Davis’ songs, including “Memories”, “In the Ghetto”, “Don’t Cry D...
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 Speaks Out In Support Of Black Lives Matter
Source: Jim Dyson / Getty Dolly Parton is shaking the table for her fan base and has no remorse. During her interview with Billboard magazine, the country icon spoke out in support of Black Lives Matter, calling on her fans to show support for equality before noting the importance of everyone’s voices being heard and represented. “I understand people having to make themselves known and felt and seen,” Dolly Parton said. “And of course Black lives matter. Do we think our little white asses are the only ones that matter? No!” Country Music Queen also expounded on her decision to rename her “Dixie Stampede” dinner attraction in 2018, after it was called a “lily-white kitsch extravaganza that play-acts the Civil War but never once mentions slavery” in a 2017 Slate article. The Southern-th...
The Chicks’ Gaslighter Galvanizes The Trio’s Long-Awaited Return: Review
The Lowdown: The most infamous act in country music, The Chicks (formerly known as the Dixie Chicks), stopped releasing new music 14 years ago, after their seventh album, Taking the Long Way, netted five Grammys. These included Album of the Year, plus Record of the Year and Song of the Year for “Not Ready to Make Nice”, which settled any lingering questions about whether they regretted their 2003 criticism of George W. Bush (they did not). Gaslighter marks the trio’s official return, and a lot has changed, both in the surrounding world and in the sound of The Chicks’ music. But some crucial elements remain the same: their attention is firmly focused ahead of them and on the things they care for. In the songs that focus on deteriorating relationships, and notably lead singer Natalie Maines’...
The Chicks Perform “March March”, Talk Dropping “Dixie” on Colbert: Watch
When the pandemic hit and lockdown was initiated, Stephen Colbert was forced to abandon the iconic Ed Sullivan Theater. His last guests scheduled to appear at the New York City landmark were the then-named Dixie Chicks, but they were understandably bumped in favor of CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Sanjay Gupta. On Thursday night, the group now called just The Chicks were finally able to make up that missed appearance on The Late Show with a remote performance of “March March” and a discussion about their new moniker. Asked why they’d chosen now to drop “Dixie” from their name, lead singer Natalie Maines said a change was always in the works. “Well, it’s because of everything that’s going on in the world. It was about time; we’ve wanted to change it for a long time, actually,” she explaine...
Margo Price Premieres New Album That’s How Rumors Get Started: Stream
Country singer-songwriter Margo Price has released her third album, That’s How Rumors Get Started, on Loma Vista. You can 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. That’s How Rumors Get Started was initially slated for release on May 8th, though like many musicians, Price postponed the date due to the coronavirus pandemic. But fans can rest assured that the wait is worth it: in our album review, we called it a “valid look at what it means to make a country record in a modern landscape of country-pop,” making it feel expansive enough for everyday listening. It’s a theme that is evident in the LP’s previously released singles, “Letting Me Down,” “Stone Me,” and “Twinkle Twinkle”. T...
R.I.P. Charlie Daniels, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” Singer and Fiddle Player Dies at 83
Charlie Daniels, the Country Music Hall of Fame member best known for the hit single “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”, has died at the age of 83. According to The Tennessean, Daniels passed away Monday, June 6th, after suffering a hemorrhagic stroke. Having mastered guitar, fiddle, banjo, and mandolin by the age of 20, Daniels got his start in Nashville as a session musician. Notably, he played bass on three Bob Dylan albums, including 1969’s Nashville Skyline. He also worked alongside Leonard Cohen and Ringo Starr. In 1972, Charlie Daniels formed the Charlie Daniels Band and promptly achieved a string of country hits in “Uneasy Ride”, “The South’s Gonna Do It Again”, and “Long Haired Country Boy”. In 1979, Daniels composed what proved to be the definitive song of his caree...
