14 people dead, over 140 injured, over 1750 structures destroyed or inhabitable - this the sad result of the Tennessee wildfires in Sevier County. Country singer Dolly Parton now announced that she will help displaced people with monthly payments and a telethon to help the victims is planed for next Tuesday (12/7). In the meantime two juveniles were arrested by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and charged with aggravated arson. They are suspected to be connected to the fires.
Dolly Parton who not only was born and grew up in the area, but the area is also where she has several entertainment businesses and restaurants, the main attraction being Dollywood. As you can see in the cover picture by Knoxville photographer Bruce McCamish the flames came pretty close to the DreamMore Resort, which is part of the Dollywood complex. As you can see on the interactive map from Sevier county (via Weather.com) below, the 4000 people town of Gatlinburg got hit really bad. Fortunately most of downtown was spared and the town will reopen for business this coming Friday. And while a visit and spending money in the region is a good thing, it can't be the only thing.
Dolly believes "that charity begins at home," and that many of the families being affected by the wildfires are "family." So Dolly, with some of her business entities came up with the My People Fund a home-based charity, through her non-profit Dollywood Foundation. 100 percent of the donations will go to the affected families and help is immediate - people who will register to be helped will be given a check on the day of their registration. (All the necessary information to help out can be found at the bottom of the blog.)
.
“My home in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee is some place special. Wildfires have affected many of the people—my people—who live in those beautiful mountains. We want to provide a hand up to those families who have lost everything in the fires. I know it has been a trying time for my people and this assistance will help get them back on their feet.”
Every family that lost their primary residence, as owners or renters, is eligible for $1000 a month support, until they get back on their feet again.
Dolly with a little help from some of her friends, Reba McEntire, Kenny Rogers and Alison Krauss will have a three hour telethon "Smoky Mountains Rise" to benefit the My People Fund on Tuesday, Dec 13 (7pm CST) on US TV station Great American Country. (GAC.) Besides being on TV, the event will also be simulcast through several on-air and digital radio platforms like IHeart Media, Cumulus Media's NASH Nights LIVE and others.
Additionally, other celebrities joining "Smoky Mountains Rise" will be announced in the coming days.
Here are the necessary links and contacts if you would like to help out:
To contribute to the My People Fund, visit dollywoodfoundation.org or send by mail to My People Fund, c/o Dollywood Foundation, 111 Dollywood Lane, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863.
During the telethon, you can call 1-866-CARE MORE to donate to the My People Fund.
You can share this with the following hashtags as well #MyPeopleFund and #someplacespecial.
Source: Webster PR, Bruce McCamish (flickr), Sevier Couny via weather.com (interactive map), gatlinburg.com
I met Holly Dunn in the early 90s, after a concert, where she was opening for Charlie Rich at the legendary Austin Opry House. Standing around, outside the tour bus and being joined by a young Paula Nelson (Willie's daughter) the three of us shot the breeze and exchanged stories.
Even though I knew since March that she was diagnosed with a rare, very malicious form of ovarian cancer, her passing took me rather by surprise. Holly was only 59 years old and spent the last decade or so, in New Mexico, where she painted as an artist and where she passed away on Monday (11/14).
During our conversation over 20 years ago, she told me how she wrote her signature song, which started her career, "Daddy's Hands" for her father, a minister, as a father's day gift. Even though the song "only" reached #7 in the Country Charts in November of 1986, she was nominated for two Grammys (Best Country Song & Best Country Vocal Performance, Female) because of it. An earlier version was recorded by family trio The Whites in 85. In April of '87 she was crowned "Top New Female Vocalist 1986" by the Academy of Country Music and in October of the same year won the Horizon Award by the Country Music Association.
Daddy's hands were soft and kind when I was cryin' Daddy's hands were hard as steel when I'd done wrong Daddy's hands weren't always gentle but I've come to understand There was always love in daddy's hands
Holly Suzette Dunn, born in San Antonio, on August 22nd, 1957 also told me, that their house was always open, with different musicians often coming by for a visit - Sonny James, Roy Orbison, Porter Wagoner - I recall her even telling Paula, that a young Willie used to show up too. But besides all the country music influences, she mentioned James Taylor, Carole King, The Beatles, and Barbara Streisand as influential to her music, and yes music was encouraged. Dunn already had a band during her high school years, called Freedom Folk. According to the "All Music Guide to Country," Freedom Folk was selected to represent Texas at the bicentennial celebration in 1976 at the White House. During her years at Abilene Christian University, she was also part of the USO-touring choir, the Hilltop Singers.
Move to Nashville & MTM years
Still in college, "Out of Sight, Not Out of Mind," a song she had written with her brother, Chris Waters was recorded by Cristy Lane on her "Love Lies" album. After graduating Holly decided to move to Nashville. Besides odd side jobs, she started singing demos and later writing songs for the same publisher, CBS Songs, as Chris. One of her songs, she co-wrote with her brother and Tom Shapiro, "I'm Not Through Loving You Yet" became a Top Ten Hit for Louise Mandrell, others were recorded by Marie Osmond, Sylvia, and lesser-known artists, some from Sweden and Canada. Often singing the demos, the trio wrote, Holly was still hoping for a singing career on her own.
In 1984 she got signed by Tommy West to MTM Records and released her debut "HOLLY DUNN" a year later - her first single (not available on any album) "Playing For Keeps" (Dunn, Waters, Shapiro) with a pop new-wave arrangement, stalled at #62 of the country charts, two other singles "My Heart Holds On" (#64 Hugh Prestwood) and "Two Too Many" (#39 Dunn) didn't leave much of an impact and then "Daddy's Hands" was released and gave her a first Top Ten Hit. In January of '87 a duet with Michael Martin Murphey, "A Face In The Crowd" (Karen Staley, Gary Harrison) from his "AMERICANA" album was released and not only gave her another Top Five hit (#4) but also another Grammy nomination in the duet category, which they both lost to Ronnie Milsap and Kenny Rogers.
Her second album "CORNERSTONE" gave her the Top Ten Singles "Love Someone Like Me" (Radney Foster, Dunn #2), "Only When I Love" (Waters, Shapiro, Dunn #4) and "Strangers Again" (Waters, Dunn #7). Her third and last album for MTM, the self-produced (with Waters & Warren Peterson) "ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE" had the hits "That's What Your Love Does To Me" (Chick Rains, Bill Caswell #5) and "(It's Always Gonna Be) Someday" (Waters, Shapiro, Dunn #11). After that parent company, MTM Enterprises was sold to a British TV conglomerate with the record label part being spun off, acquired, and embedded into RCA.
In 1989 Holly Dunn was added as a regular cast member of the Grand Ole Opry during the Opry's 64th birthday celebration.
Warner Brothers years
Being picked up by Warner Bros, with her old catalog going there too, Holly was able to finally celebrate her two #1 singles “Are You Ever Gonna Love Me” (8/26/89 - Dunn, Shapiro, Waters) and “You Really Had Me Going” (11/17/90 - Dunn, Shapiro, Waters) from "THE BLUE ROSE OF TEXAS" and "HEART FULL OF LOVE" respectively. "BLUE ROSE" also had the Joe Diffie (w/Lonnie Wilson, Wayne Perry) penned "There Goes My Heart Again" which hit the Top Five (#4) and on which Diffie sang background vocals. Dolly Parton did the same on her cover of "Must Of All, Why." The self-penned "Anniversary For Being A Fool" stalled at #63. while the title track of "HEART", a Kostas composition, reached the Top Twenty (#19), It was Holly's last Top Twenty hit.
A duet she recorded with Kenny Rogers "Maybe" (Bill Rice, M. Sharon Rice) from his album "SOMETHING INSIDE SO STRONG" reached #25 in 1990.
With her career stalling, Warner Bros. decided to release "MILESTONES," a Greatest Hits compilation, combining her hits for MTM, with her chart singles for Warner Brothers. Talking about bad timing, the self-written single out of the collection, "Maybe I Mean Yes" came out right at the wrong time, when the subject of date rape and the outcry "No Means No" were gaining traction due to some prominent lawsuits. With its refrain stating "When I say no, I mean maybe, or maybe I mean yes" it caused controversy. The label and Holly had to pull the single of the radio market after it reached #48. Another single from the album, written by brother Chris "No One Takes The Train Anymore" failed to chart.
The last album for Warner Brothers, "GETTING IT DUNN" was released in June of 1992. Instead of co-producing, brother Chris Waters was replaced by guitarist/producer Paul Worley (later of Martina McBride, Dixie Chicks & Lady Antebellum fame). But none of the three singles "No Love Have I" (Mel Tillis #67), "As Long As You Belong To Me" (Dunn, Waters, Shapiro #68), and "Golden Years" (Sam Hogin, Gretchen Peters #51) cracked the Top 40 anymore, and Holly Dunn was let go.
In 1995 Dunn signed with River North Records and released "LIFE AND LOVE AND ALL THE STAGES" which yielded her last single cracking the charts "I Am Who I Am" (Dunn, Waters, Shapiro #56). "LEAVE ON BRIDGE STANDING" followed two years later and by that time Dunn had joined WWWW (W4 Country) in Detroit as morning disk-jockey co-host. 2001/02 she worked for The Nashville Network (TNN) sitting in for Bill Anderson on "Opry Backstage." In 2003 Dunn released a gospel album "FULL CIRCLE" for OMS and her own company Holly Dunn Enterprises. She also announced her retirement from the music business
“I left the business because it was clear that radio had moved on and wasn’t interested in anything new from me. Without radio’s support, it just gets harder and harder to keep the wheels turning in a music career. Hit records are the engine that drives the train,”
Dunn explained to Christian magazine "Hallels" in June. Her move to Central Texas and later to Albuquerque also got her expunged from the cast of the Grand Ole Opry, a move criticized by many fans. In an interview with "the 9513" blog, Holly Dunn was quoted: "I knew they’d been adding people since I left. But it hurt. Because I loved the Opry. And I still love the Opry."
Living in New Mexico, she started to paint, inspired by her surroundings either the Southwest or her home state, Texas (as this ruby chested hummingbird visiting the state flower, the bluebonnet.) They were offered through the Pena-Dunn Gallery in Santa Fe.
According to the New York Times, she is survived by her wife, Melissa Taylor, and her three brothers, Chris, Jerry, and Rodney. Funeral services were held on Saturday (11/19) and Holly is to be buried at the Salado Cemetery in Central Texas.
Sources: Image (Publicity Shot), Painting - her Facebook Art Page, HollyDunn.com (unfortunately her facebook page and her website were immediately eliminated after her death), Hallels, Billboard, BMI, 9513, The New York Times, lpdiscography.com, opry.com,
The 50th CMA Awards are over, the Italian-made crystal obelisks are distributed and the hangover is real. Not so much on my part but probably on broadcaster ABC and host CMA - even though offering a stur-studded annual celebration of "Country Music" - the ratings were a disaster. There were more than 3 times as many viewers watching the all deciding game 7 of the Baseball World Series between the Cubs and Indians, than people tuning in to the Kumbaya Fest out of the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
So let's see how I did in my preview - published here in my blog Nothing New On The Western Front, when the nominations came out. Besides the winners below, Dolly Parton was awarded the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award and Kenny Chesney with the Pinnacle Award.
My predications who is winning (*), whom I want to win (amu) and who actually won.
Entertainer of the Year Garth Brooks
Luke Bryan
Chris Stapleton (amu)
Carrie Underwood (*)
Keith Urban
I gotta have to think about that for a little while, Garth Brooks was the reason I left the CMA as a voting member, because I thought, that the trend where the music was going, was into BS-land (and I don't mean the Swiss state with that name). In retrospect, well at least compared to today's output over the last half decade, Garth was country. Writer and owner "Trigger" at "Saving Country Music" already wrote a wonderful piece about that - Time has been kind to the music of Garth Brooks,
Male Vocalist of the Year
Dierks Bentley
Eric Church (amu)
Tim McGraw Chris Stapleton (*)
Keith Urban
Female Vocalist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert (*)
Maren Morris
Kacey Musgraves (amu) Carrie Underwood
Album of the Year
Black, Dierks Bentley
Hero, Maren Morris Mr. Misunderstood, Eric Church (amu)
Ripcord, Keith Urban
Storyteller, Carrie Underwood (*)
Single of the Year "Die A Happy Man", Thomas Rhett
"Humble and Kind", Tim McGraw
"My Church", Maren Morris (*/amu)
"Nobody To Blame", Chris Stapleton
"Record Year", Eric Church
Song of the Year - this goes to the songwriters
"Burning House", Cam - Cam, Jeff Bhasker, Tyler Johnson (amu)
"Die A Happy Man", Thomas Rhett - Thomas Rhett, Sean Douglas, Joe Spargur "Humble and Kind", Tim McGraw - Lori McKenna (*)
"My Church", Maren Morris - Maren Morris, busbee
"Record Year", Eric Church - Eric Church, Jeff Hyde
After "Girl Crush" last year, it's the second year in a row that Lori McKenna wins in the "Song of the Year" category.
Vocal Group of the Year
Lady Antebellum Little Big Town (*)
Old Dominion
Rascal Flatts
Zac Brown Band
whatever, besides Zac Brown Band mediocrity at best
Vocal Duo of the Year Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Joey + Rory (*/amu)
Maddie & Tae
Biggest surprise of the night was definitely the win by the Osborne Brothers, who annihilated not only the two douche-bags called Florida Georgia Line but I hope Bro-Country in general.
Not trying to diminish the Osborne Brothers' success, but I personally still think that Joey + Rory posthumously should have gotten an award, as they were never honored by the CMA. Surviving husband Rory attented yesterday's festivities with the parents and sisters of his late wife.
New Artist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Brothers Osborne (amu) Maren Morris (*)
Old Dominion
Cole Swindell
Musical Event of the Year "Different For Girls", Dierks Bentley/Elle King
"Home Alone Tonight", Luke Bryan/Karen Fairchild
"The Fighter", Keith Urban/Carrie Underwood (*)
"Think of You", Chris Young/Cassadee Pope
"You Are My Sunshine", Chris Stapleton/Morgane Stapleton (amu)
Music Video of the Year
"Burning House", Cam "Fire Away", Chris Stapleton
"Humble and Kind", Tim McGraw
"Record Year", Eric Church
"Somewhere On A Beach", Dierks Bentley (*)
Musician of the Year
Jerry Douglas (*)
Paul Franklin Dan Huff
Brett Mason
Derek Wells
So in my predictions I scored (4/12), in whom I wanted to win (1/9) as I didn't care in some categories to even put my vote in for a winner. The show itself was more country oriented than previous shows, which is very laudable. The Country Music Association (CMA) really tried hard to celebrate their 50th Anniversary Gala with a broad spectrum of old and new.
Actually I think there was too much old in the show - now don't get me wrong, all of these songs performed, are part of my all time favorites. But for some reason the whole thing was like a celebration of times gone bye - a documentation of how great country music was, instead of is. A commercial for the ultimate "Time" country collection you need to have. Somebody in my twitter feed actually said something like, imagine you could hear stuff like this on the radio. And no, you can't, only if you turn into an oldies or classic country music station. It would have been better if young artists would have had a chance to come out and present their take on the more traditional way with their own, new songs. And yes these artists are ready, waiting in the hallway to get on stage and show us how it can be done, obviously there is a market out there. I wanna see and hear Brandy Clark, Margo Price, Shelley Skidmore, William Michael Morgan, Jon Pardi, Jason James, Mo Pitney and everybody else that wants to take up real songs with real lyrics and real instrumentation. A step back doesn't mean we can't move forward.
There were some memorable performances and if you missed them, because of the game or the babysitter screwing with your TiVo, you can actually watch the whole show on abc.com by telling them who your TV provider is. For non-regular TV consumers, the show can be watched in it's entirety in a week's time. Already watchable are some clips, including the most talked about, Beyonce performing with the Dixie Chicks.
I’m excited to kick off the #ForeverCountryCovers series with my version of Randy Travis' 1987 CMA Song of the Year, “Forever and Ever, Amen" in celebration of the #CMAAwards50.
With these words, Jon Pardi commented on the above picture on his website, that he recorded a cover of Randy Travis' hit single "Forever And Ever Amen," which he recorded in celebration of “The 50th Annual CMA Awards." This year's awards will be given away on November 2, 2016. (For more about this year's nominees also read my blog "Nothing New On The Western Front."
Celebrating 50 years of awards, the CMA came up with the moniker "Artists Of Then, Now & Forever" and started with a big bang - the collaborative recording with over 30 artists "Forever Country," which is a sound and video montage of three hits "Country Roads, Take Me Home," "I Will Always Love You" and "On The Road Again" already leapt to Number One on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart. Not only did the compilation recording doing surprisingly well on the radio, even though some radio PDs were kinda afraid to use "old" artists, but the numbers speak for itself: the single sold over 93'000 copies in its first week, coupled with millions of streaming and video hits, the song catapulted itself to the top. Extra bonus - the profits of the song all go to music education programs the CMA is sponsoring.
Besides the collaborative effort, the CMA for its anniversary also created the "Forever Country Covers" series, where artists cover songs which either got nominated several times or were winning several awards. Jon Pardi led the pack with his rendition of the Don Schlitz and Paul Overstreet penned hit "Forever and Ever, Amen" which was the Single and Song of the Year of 1987 for Randy Travis.
Pardi can't go as low as Travis' baritone (remember "It's Just a Matter of Time"), but he does an excellent job. I really like, how the whole arrangement is kept simple with just an acoustic and a resophonic guitar. Too bad there is no info to be found on who the excellent Dobro player and guitarist/harmony singers on this take are. Travis was all excited about it and tweeted congratulations to Jon Pardi.
Randy Travis who is still recovering from a stroke he suffered several years ago, and who made a non-singing cameo in the above mentioned CMA video "Forever Country" will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame this year, along with Charlie Daniels and producer, singer/songwriter and Monument record label founder Fred Foster.
In Jon Pardi news we can also add that his recent number one single, "Head Over Boots" was recently RIAA certified Platinum. His new single "Dirt On My Boots" was the most added single on country radio and got him with an audience impression of roughly 2 million already into the Top Fifty.
Tune in to “The 50th Annual CMA Awards,” LIVE Wednesday Nov 2 8|7c on ABC
Sources: JonPardi.com, YouTube, Billboard.com, Twitter
Writing my blog "Keeping Score At The Double Ringer" about this cool Honky Tonk in Zuehl (about 25 miles northeast of San Antonio), I was reminded that Texas Honky Tonks are not only a dying breed, but that music itself, that is (was) played in these places seems to disappear as well. Where are the drinkin', laughin', cryin' and dancin' places and songs of old?
Honky Tonk singer, songwriter, and radioman (KEQX - Pure Country), Justin Trevino has a wonderful ode, "Texas Honky Tonk" of his 1998 debut album with the same title, to the places that should be on the endangered species list of every human being. Not only is there a community as in social network, but simply a place to forget all your sorrow, pain, and misery.
Justin grew up in Central Texas and started playing professionally when he was 13 years old, his father bringing him to gigs. After meeting Johnny Bush he became a Bandalero (member of Johnny's band) from 1994-2003. He also was playing bass for Don Walser, Cornell Hurd, and Darrell McCall and still maintaining his own band. By 1997 he started recording and producing his own albums as well as albums for some of his idols Bush, McCall, Curtis Potter as well as some newcomers like Amber Digby or Ron Williams, just to name a few. "Whiskey River" penned by Bush is still used by Willie Nelson to open his live shows.
Texas Honky Tonk
Written and recorded by Justin Trevino
The jukebox in the corner is playing Whiskey River
The neon star shines bright, above the bar.
There's laughing, dancing, shootin' pool
Cryin', drinkin', Lonely Fools
And People who don't know where they are.
It's the kind of place to go to-
when you have no one to turn to-
to help you ease your pain and misery.
It's a hang-out for the losers
and a hideout for the boozers,
and the place to go for lonely fools like me.
It's just a honky tonk, a Texas honky tonk.
where the clicking of the tops
and the music never stops.
It's just a honky tonk, a Texas honky tonk.
but it's become my home since you've been gone.
I used to think that someday
we might get back together
I couldn't stand the thought of losing you.
But I must accept reality
that you're not coming back to me
you've found your happiness with someone new.
So I sit here in the same old chair.
pretending that I just don't care
trying to forget your love somehow.
So from the top of the world
to the bottom of a bottle
I've sunk too deep to ever pull out now.
It's just a honky tonk, a Texas honky tonk.
where the clicking of the tops
and the music never stops.
It's just a honky tonk, a Texas honky tonk.
but it's become my home since you've been gone.
Good things come to those who wait. More traditional country fans were able to rejoice. "Head Over Boots" by Jon Pardi of his second album "CALIFORNIA SUNRISE" which was co-produced by the Northern Californian finally reached the top spot as the most played country single on the radio (Billboard) after a staggering 44 weeks on the charts by the end of August (8/27).
The song, an unusual shuffle (well at least in these times) with a slight rockabilly beat to it, sounds modern, even though it has a retro feel to it. It could have easily been done (in an even more traditional way) in the '60s by Conway, Ray, or Eddie.
Asked by trade magazine Billboard why he was using traditional instrumentation like a fiddle (Jenee Fleener) and steel guitar (Mike Johnson) on his recording - which is missing in today's country songs, Pardi was quoted:
Fiddle all day! There’s a lot of fiddle on this record. There are a lot of old sayings from the '90s and ‘00s: "Shuffles won’t work on country radio." "You can’t have a pedal steel lead on country radio." If someone says you can’t have a fiddle on county radio... this is what I grew up with. I’m helping country sound a little more country.
Playing the late Buck Owens Birthday Bash that weekend in Bakersfield, he received a signature Buck Owens guitar from local Bakersfield station KUZZ, as you can see in the picture above. Not only citing Buck but California country music in general, Pardi was quoted:
"This guitar represents CALIFORNIA, and I'm proud to help make people aware of BUCK's legacy."
Visiting his dad many, many moons ago in Central Texas, they visited Twin Sisters Dancehall (where they later also filmed the video) outside of Blanco together. That's where he got the inspiration for the song. Back in Nashville, he sat down with Luke Laird, and they co-wrote "Head Over Boots," both not really sure they had written a hit song.
And some radio DJs actually had to be twisted in their arms, as they were claiming that the song was too traditional for today's radio. Well UMGN, Capitol's parent company was able to convince the DJs with solid numbers. Pardi started selling the song digitally and outsold many other artists, who were way farther up in the charts, the song was certified Gold for over 635'000 downloads - and still sells about 9000 copies a week. He also did extremely well in "streaming" - his youTube views for the lyric and the conventional video added up for over 21 million streams, all streams combined (YouTube, Spotify, etc..) over 100 million streams. These are impressive numbers if you compare them to the terrible "Fix" #1 hit and Chris Lane (see SR: No "Fix" please - make Chris Lane disappear!) who has only around 7.5 million streams on YouTube.
★★★★(★)/★★★★★ (4½/5) (scroll down to read about his new single "Dirt On My Boots")
I was hoping that the record company would follow this number one single with the outstanding "She Ain't In It," a song that evokes the timeless superiority of George Strait he defined for over 35 years. Maybe that's gonna be single number three of "CALIFORNIA SUNRISE." First, the powers there are, wanna keep the momentum going with boots, well more specific with "Dirt On My Boots."
Unfortunately, musical-wise the song is a U-turn to stupid radio mediocrity. There may be Banjo, Fiddle, and Steel accents in it, but the modern production destroys the real country feel of the lyrics. Written by Rhett Akins, Ashley Gorley, and Jesse Frasure, the song was according to a radio interview in Pardi's words 'way out there': “...like, it was a super hip-hop kind of style. But I loved the lyrics; the lyrics were so country. I just loved that; that’s what really appealed to me [...} So we took it and made it more country, and I think it kinda really made a cool sound.”
WTF, somebody please chase Jesse Frasure out of the Country realm, back to Nicki Minaj or Drake. As a songwriter he's responsible for some of the worst crap coming out of Nashville - "High Class" (Eric Paslay), "Fix" (Chris Lane), "Road Less Traveled" (Lauren Alaina), and "Like The Sound Of That" (Rascal Flatts) just to name a few.
“Dirt on My Boots” was produced by Pardi and his long-time demo producer Bart Butler. Lyrically the song actually can be referenced to the old country theme of going out on a Saturday night, like Lefty Frizzell did in his tune "Shine Shave Shower" - with its lyrics:
Gonna shine, shave, shower, and brush my teeth
Go out a dancing and forget my grief
Make all the nightclubs in this town
'Cause my sweet baby's gonna show me around
It basically is a hard-working blue-collar guy, who wants to go out and woo his gal dancing with her in his high heeled cowboy boots:
Been up since the crack of dawn
Just trying to be paid
Been hotter than a thousand suns
I can't find no shade
Just two more rows and I'm good to go
Yeah, I'm shutting this tractor down
Get me a half an hour for a shave and a shower
And I'll be outside your house
and in the refrain (excerpt)
Gonna hit the club, gonna cut a rug
Burn it up like neon lights
Might have a little dirt on my boots
But we're gonna dance the dust right off them tonight
Got a little dirt on my boots
As a gentleman he even promises to leave his dirty boots outside, if he should be invited for coffee after the dancing:
Baby, we can slip right out of that barroom door
And when I take you home, don't worry babe
I'm gonna kick them off on the porch
The discrepancy between the quality of music and lyrics is so high that I included two different numbers, added up and divided by two, they give the rating of "Dirt On My Boots" as 3 out of 5.
Currently finishing up their successful summer tour, "Black Out The Sun," Zac Brown Band released a video on their twitter account @zacbrownband on September 7, announcing a new album coming next year. Their latest album "JEKYLL + HYDE" was recently certified Platinum, while their debut album, 2008's "THE FOUNDATION" earned five times that honor for five million sold copies, just a couple of weeks earlier. No wonder then, that the band announced they want to go back to their "original" debut sound of "THE FOUNDATION."
The recording for the new, yet untitled album is supposed to take place during the slower winter, "Colder Weather" months. Always loved the harmonies on this track from their second major-label album "YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE"
Even so he grew up all around the world thanks to his colonel dad, Seth Ennis calls Valdosta, Georgia home.
The 23 year old is the newest signee by a major label, putting ink on a contract today (9/6/13) with Arista, which belongs to the Sony Music Nashville family and releasing a first official and thematically fitting single "Woke Up In Nashville."
According to a press release, Randy Goodman, Chairman & CEO of Arista parent Sony Music Nashville, is excited to sign the new talent: “He represents everything good about our format and its future; young, energetic, incredible songwriter and performer. He’s the whole package and the real deal!”
Seth tried for some time, after funding and releasing an EP "HOPE IS ALIVE" in 2012 through crowd-funding, he moved to Nashville a year later. He also came up with a first own promo video, introducing himself to Nashville and the world.
During the three years in Nashville, he was able to get a solid team (management, publishing and booking) behind him and was now awarded with a record contract.
Seth co-wrote his debut single "Woke Up In Nashville" with a couple of heavy-hitters, David Hodges former member of Evanescence and other groups and Blair Daily, who penned hits for Kip Moore - "Beer Money", Kelly Clarkson - "People Like Us", Rascal Flatts - "Stand" and Uncle Kracker "Smile". Fellow Georgian Corey Crowder, who writes for the same publishing company as Seth does, produced the debut single. Crowder had success as a producer with a top ten digital single for Jamie Lynn Spears "How Could I Want More" and is the featured songwriter on Eric Paslay's latest two singles.
"Woke Up In Nashville" is now available at all digital retailers and can also be heard on Apple Music and Spotify. Ennis who started playing piano, when he was 7 later added drums and guitar. On his new single he played all the instruments and sang all the vocals. Even though sounding quite generic like everything coming out of Nashville, he has a nice vocal range, between Pop, R'n'B and Country. (Whatever happened to just simply singing a song and setting the accents by voice modulation and not by over-singing and over-layering the vocal tracks.) The arrangement is definitely leaning more towards a piano driven Rhythm'n'Pop side.
The lyrics are a bit syrupy but still better than a lot of what I've heard lately - the theme in it's widest sense actually has a big tradition. Boy is leaving hometown and girlfriend in search of new opportunities and success, chasing his dreams and encountering a lot of hardship and loneliness. It's no "Sunday Morning Coming Down," "Guitar Town" or "Detroit City" but it definitely has it's moments. Below are a couple of lines from different verses:
I loaded up the hand-me-down car Went for broke, broke your heart
I woke up in Nashville Cause those Broadway lights don't shine The way that your eyes did When they were staring back Right back in mine
Been trying to live With only half of my heart Just sleep walking in the Tennessee dark
The song lives because of its strong lyrics, instrumentation and especially vocal over-production pull it some down, but overall it's quite a solid debut for a new artist. There is currently no word yet, if Arista will try to get the song into radio for airplay.
Earlier this morning the CMA revealed the nominees for the 50th CMA Awards Show. Eric Church, Maren Morris and Chris Stapleton lead the pack of the nominees with five nominations each. The biggest losers for being stubbed are Sturgill Simpson with a #1 album, Jon Pardi and critic favorite Brandy Clark.
“I am very excited about this year’s list of nominees. We have artists who received their first CMA Awards nominations decades ago alongside first-timers; we have critically-acclaimed songwriters and artists who have reset the bar for Country Music. This is going to be an exciting year in addition to celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the CMA Awards.”
It may be exciting for the CEO of the CMA , Sarah Trahern but will not offer country music fans anything new. The 50th anniversary celebration will go down in the books as catering to the radio and label interests. But in general, there is not one nomination to be really excited about, not one!
Here's the list of the 2016 CMA Awards Nominees
* depicts who probably will win / amu my choice) Entertainer of the Year
Garth Brooks
Luke Bryan
Chris Stapleton (amu)
Carrie Underwood (*)
Keith Urban
It's Carrie's first nomination in the Entertainer category and with the country music pie lacking a nice slice of female artists, I predict that Carrie will take this trophy home. I actually think the whole award show could revolve around her, she has been ignored for too long and she will again be hosting with Brad Paisley (for the ninth time).
Male Vocalist of the Year
Dierks Bentley
Eric Church (amu)
Tim McGraw
Chris Stapleton (*)
Keith Urban
Dierks & Keith released some of their worst albums of their respective careers, McGraw is a solid bet, but I think Stapleton can double down after last year's award. Personally I think Eric Church should be rewarded for "MR. MISUNDERSTOOD" and his own independant tour.
Female Vocalist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert (*)
Maren Morris
Kacey Musgraves (amu)
Carrie Underwood
Maybe with the Entertainer of the Year, Carrie may be able to snag the Female Vocalist Award as well - it would be a nice surprise as her first win dates 11 years back. But she will have stiff competition in Miranda Lambert, who won the last six times and probably will win again. I'm not sure the CMA is really ready for Kacey Musgraves, even though honoring her independency would look really good to the outside world of Nashville. Ballerini and Morris (even though nominated five times) are nothing but cannon fodder. Kelsea Ballerini simply can not sing, and Morris has only one good song "My Church" - the rest on "HERO' is all filler material.
Album of the Year
Black, Dierks Bentley
Hero, Maren Morris
Mr. Misunderstood, Eric Church (amu)
Ripcord, Keith Urban
Storyteller, Carrie Underwood (*)
I really think it could be Underwood's year - without a lot of bad headlines - she has built a solid career and "STORYTELLER" was an ok album. On the other hand "BLACK," "HERO" and "RIPCORD" are terrible albums with awful songs, excluding Morris's hit.
Single of the Year
"Die A Happy Man", Thomas Rhett
"Humble and Kind", Tim McGraw
"My Church", Maren Morris (*/amu)
"Nobody To Blame", Chris Stapleton
"Record Year", Eric Church
I hope either "Church" wins, Morris's song is the exception that proves the rule, yes you can actually have a bad album, but there is one gem of a song on it; "My Church" is that song and it fits the category perfectly as it was a huge hit, a breakout single and a song we will talk about in a decade from now. I think the biggest challenge will be to win against the Lori McKenna penned "Humble and Kind" sung by Tim McGraw. "Die A Happy Man" is the weakest of the five and should in my opinion not been nominated as a single of the year.
Song of the Year - this goes to the songwriters
"Burning House", Cam - Cam, Jeff Bhasker, Tyler Johnson (amu)
"Die A Happy Man", Thomas Rhett - Thomas Rhett, Sean Douglas, Joe Spargur
"Humble and Kind", Tim McGraw - Lori McKenna (*)
"My Church", Maren Morris - Maren Morris, busbee
"Record Year", Eric Church - Eric Church, Jeff Hyde
I love Cam's song, this is a career song and it should win her a trophy. I think Lori McKenna and Maren Morris & busbee may either other cancel out. But yes with all the press McKenna recently received for her new album, she may swing to the top.
Vocal Group of the Year
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town (*)
Old Dominion
Rascal Flatts
Zac Brown Band
I did not leave my favorite here, there is none. It's all crap. Zac Brown Band used to make really good music but since then have gone to Nashville hell and back. That category is one part why we don't listen to country music radio anymore.
Vocal Duo of the Year
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Joey + Rory (*/amu)
Maddie & Tae
There is no competition here, with the passing of Joey Martin Feek on March 4 of this year, and having been snubbed twice before, the CMA will honor the former duo posthumously and they should. Great way to ignore FGL and hoping that they will be digging carrots by next year.
New Artist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Brothers Osborne (amu)
Maren Morris (*)
Old Dominion
Cole Swindell
Where is Pardi, Simpson, Clark and the Kelsey, that can actually sing, Kelsey Waldon - also missing here is William Michael Morgan a true country artist in the vein of a George Strait. I only care about Brothers Osborne who currently start to stir the pot up with "21 Summer" a song that is half way decent. (And please somebody sends Ballerini to Never, Never Land where she belongs.)
Musical Event of the Year
"Different For Girls", Dierks Bentley/Elle King
"Home Alone Tonight", Luke Bryan/Karen Fairchild
"The Fighter", Keith Urban/Carrie Underwood (*)
"Think of You", Chris Young/Cassadee Pope
"You Are My Sunshine", Chris Stapleton/Morgane Stapleton (amu)
Whatever! The crap list goes one - "You Are My Sunshine" is the only thing I can listen too, without my ears actually going on strike; and they are not even unionized.
Music Video of the Year
"Burning House", Cam
"Fire Away", Chris Stapleton
"Humble and Kind", Tim McGraw
"Record Year", Eric Church
"Somewhere On A Beach", Dierks Bentley (*)
Video is a video is a video and creativity is limited. I mean how many freaking ways are there to put something around a song. Let's be honest, how many country videos can you remember because it was exceptionally filmed or had a nice storyline to it or something special - like the appearance of Hank with Hank Jr. in 1989's "There's A Tear In My Beer" or Johnny Cash beautifully portraying and making the Trent Raznor song "Hurt" his own, right before he passed away.
Musician of the Year
Jerry Douglas (*)
Paul Franklin
Dan Huff
Brett Mason
Derek Wells
They all deserve an award!
Hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, the 2016 CMA Awards will air live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday, Nov. 2 2016 in a three hour broadcast starting at 7pm (CST) on ABC.
Miranda Lambert is riding high, her current single "Vice" just entered the Top Twenty Country Airplay Charts (Billboard & Mediabase), already hit the #1 spot as a bestseller (Country Digital Song) and her official Vevo/YouTube video has racked up more than 4 Million views. To top all this, the Academy of Country Music (ACM) announced today that Miranda Lambert will be the first recipient of the newly created "Merle Haggard Spirit Award."
In the run-up since the announcement of the award and the naming of the winner a week later, a shitstorm went through Social Media, everybody plus their cousin asking who is really fit in deserving this prestigious award. The latest being Sturgill Simpson earlier this morning - before the ACM announced Lambert - going on an extensive rant. Besides attacking the ACM for leaving a bad taste in your mouth by creating this award he also went into a full broadside against "Garden & Gun" magazine.
Sturgill hit the nail on top, a quick brainstorm actually did not bring immediately an artist to my mind. Maybe Randy Travis for his seminal role in the country music revolution of 1986. None of the young (and some older) whippersnappers come even close to deserve that honor.
And yes he is right about the sell-out of both organisations, the Nashville-based CMA and the West Coast-based ACM, even though the latter deserves a couple of kudos for being more honest; especially in the earlier years.
"If the ACM wants to actually celebrate the legacy and music of Merle Haggard, they should drop all the formulaic cannon fodder bullshit they've been pumping down rural America's throat for the last 30 years along with all the high school pageantry, meat parade award show bullshit and start dedicating their programs to more actual Country Music." I can't say anything against this, he's dead on. I quit being a member of the CMA when Garth Brooks started screwing the whole industry up and left in protest. (or am I missing something?) Sturgill Simpson's attack against "Garden & Gun" magazine is understandable, it basically shows an editor-in-chief with no backbone.
Here's the timeline - May '15 Chris Stapleton releases "Traveller" - photoshoot of Merle Haggard & Sturgill is in October. In November Chris wins big at the CMA awards and it looks like he will win big at the ACM Awards on 4/3/16 as well. Sturgill's album is not out till 4/15 and nobody in February/March knows what that album is going to hold up to. So the douchebag editor chooses to go with a secure hand (Stapleton), instead of raising the odds (Sturgill & Merle). Not only would they have had the artist with the #1 album at the time the magazine came out, but they also would have had Merle who died on his birthday 4/6 on the cover. The editor just didn't play right.
So how does the ACM define the new Merle Haggard Spirit Award?
If the ACM lives up to this credo and honors only artists with "uncompromising integrity" AND have a "singular vision in carving an indelible path" we're gonna run out of awardees pretty soon if they don't start giving this award posthumously.
So did Miranda deserve it, in my honest opinion yes. And here is my reasoning, she wrote most of her own hits, from the first song "Me And Charlie Talkin'" to the current single "Vice" entering the charts. And yes she created some iconic songs "Gunpowder & Lead", "Kerosene" or "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" doing that. Her having a side project with Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley as Pistol Annie's gives her some more cogency. And by standing tall and basically being the only "country" female artist still being played on the radio, she does leave a lasting mark. And yes she and Merle did have an understanding, she actually presented him with the last award he received from the ACM.
But I'm quite open to discussion - leave a comment and also mention who may deserve next year's award.
Sturgill came back later in the afternoon and had to clarify some points, one making clear, that he posted his rant before the announcement of Miranda being the winner. He also wrote:
" I know that Merle liked and respected her so it's good to see there is at least some blue sky in all of this. I don't know Miranda nor have I ever met her but something tells me that in her heart, she knows I'm dead on." Probably true too - he then continues with his rant against Nashville and the current forces that rule. Even though being considered for a CMA award this fall, he already announced that he will not attend the festivities, not out of a mean spirit, but he has a sold-out concert scheduled that night. He also denounces the factitiousness of the whole establishment about:
"claiming to uphold and hold dear the original values and integrity of Country music's legacy. Yet these are just hollow words...merely empty semantics. One needs only to look glancingly at the majority of the music that they, along with the CMA's, predominantly choose to recognize and promote at their award shows."
He concludes with a love epithet towards the city on the banks of the Cumberland and promises to move away. I'm sure Austin would embrace him with open arms.
The awards show is tomorrow (8/30) night at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville and will be televised in a TV special on CBS September 9th at 8pm CDT. Below is Miranda with the Merle Haggard cover "The Bottle Let Me Down."
Who would have thought! Almost 30 years ago, instead of reviewing Dolly's first album for Columbia titled "RAINBOW", I played Frisbee with it. It didn't matter that I shelled out quite many Francs to buy the import, as it was not available yet from the local distributor in Switzerland. That album was simply that bad, Dolly had sold out to mediocrity, I missed songs of meaning and true story-telling. So my propane burner shaped the black vinyl round into a flying disc.
So fast forward to 2016 and I'm glad to say that her latest offering, her 43rd album "PURE & SIMPLE" will make my year-end list as one of the best country albums of the year.
No frills, no modern electronica (c)rap fuss; actually the title sums it up: simplicity, no over-production, let the pure songs - all of them written by her - speak for themselves and let her vocals shine. Dolly was also at the helm and self-produced "PURE & SIMPLE" with the help of her touring musicians and frequent collaborators Richard Dennison and Tom Rutledge.
The septuagenarian is in fine form, the range is still here and she's still Dolly, sensual and passionate. Married for over 50 years to Carl Dean, a renewal of their vows took place earlier this year, it's only fitting that Dolly releases an album consisting mostly of love songs.
Two of the ten songs are remakes of old Top Ten Country Singles hits Dolly had together with Porter Wagoner "Tomorrow Is Forever" (#9/1970) from "PORTER WAYNE & DOLLY REBECCA" and the title track from her 12th duet album with her early mentor "Say Forever You'll Be Mine" (#5/1975). The latter one is a pure delight, just simply Dolly's voice, a guitar (Rutledge), and Jimmy Mattingly's fiddle. Other country or roots instrumentation include Mandolin (Mattingly), banjo (Rutledge), and master Paul Franklin on five songs playing wonderful steel guitar.
The opener and title track "Pure & Simple" with its arrangement of mandolin and steel guitar reminds me a bit of the Trio sessions Dolly did together with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt in 1987. (A remastered 3CD set, with unreleased and alternate versions of these and the 1999 sessions will be available September 9.)
Funny to hear Dolly Parton in "Never Not Love You" with its subtle banjo picking, sing:
I might not be in fashion, might not be all that smart; Might not be that good lookin’, not someone set apart."
As she is quoted for a long time, it "takes a lot of money to look that cheap," yes it may, but behind this blonde rags-to-riches Tennessee gal, is a savvy businesswoman with a huge heart for charities. "Kiss It (And Make It All Better)" is a cool duet with Richard Dennison, as kisses helped heal scratches when we were little kids, they now fix a broken heart.
That's where the album takes a break from love songs and offers two love gone wrong or cheating tunes. "Can't Be That Wrong" references in lyrics only, to two old hits, the Peter Yarrow (Peter, Paul & Mary) penned "Torn Between Two Lovers" - a #1-hit for Mary McGregor - and"I Don’t Want To Be Right If Lovin’ You Is Wrong” written by Homer Banks, Carl Hampton and Raymond Jackson, a hit for Luther Ingram but recorded by everybody from Bobby Blue Bland to Barbara Mandrell. The songwriting is superb and reflects the old dichotomy between sin or temptation and salvation which was always a central theme in traditional country music writing: "To Hell with Heaven if it means I’ll lose you, Anything that feels this right can’t be that wrong. It just can’t be."
While in "Outside Your Door" the cheating part is only mentioned in one line "Might not be the right thing to do, But I swear it doesn’t feel wrong" it deals with the same theme, but has an uptempo almost frolic feel to it and the "sinner" is drawn back again and again to his/her lover.
Age is only a number and when you're in love you can feel like a teenager again, observes Dolly in the fun, groovy romp "I'm Sixteen." And Dolly does take us back to the old "golden" but also cliched days with pop culture references to the almost all by now gone drive-ins and the disappearing Tastee Freez restaurants; as well as with a line out of the Beach Boys 1964 top ten hit "Fun, Fun, Fun" "till the daddy takes the T-Bird away." The young innocence of having a little hump on the backseat of a car or to go skinny-dipping in the millpond off the town, just adds up to the fun Dolly is spreading. "Head Over High Heels" is probably the most "modern" sounding track and a true barnstormer for love. A lot subtler, but to a certain degree kitschy comes with the closer "Forever Love" and its lush strings.
As a summary - I miss some of Dolly's stronger songwriting and storytelling - "Can't Be That Wrong" and "I'm Sixteen" being the exception. Best tracks include the title track, the remake of "Say Forever You'll Be Mine," while "Head Over High Heels" and "I'm Sixteen" should get some wishful airplay on the radio. Basically, it's over half an hour of good to great country music and will not only delight hardcore Dolly Parton fans.
The album is available in several packages, which may make it hard for a true DP fan to decide which version to buy: there is the regular 10 song album, which is available on all the usual retailer websites (itunes, amazon). Besides the regular CD, Walmart also offers an exclusive package with two extra tracks "Mama" and "Lovin' You" on "PURE & SIMPLE" and a compilation disc containing 10 of her most popular hits. Home-cooking restaurant Cracker Barrel has its own special release, besides an extensive booklet the CD comes with two of her biggest hits "Jolene" and "9 To 5" recorded live in the UK at the Glastonbury Festival where she performed in front of over 100'000 people two years ago and consequently sold her previous album "BLUE SMOKE" to platinum honors. By the way, Cracker Barrel also has a 12 track compilation CD of Dolly's early material with Porter Wagoner.
★★★★/★★★★★ (4/5)
DOLLY PARTON PURE & SIMPLE TOUR:
The iconic singer is currently on a promo tour promoting her new release, she actually visited the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on 8/23 and performed the title track of her new album.
[Update 022121: The video link got removed by the Tonight Show]
She will pick up the last leg of her 60-city "Pure & Simple" tour in September - her first in 25 years - first in Canada, then on to the West Coast before coming into Texas and Oklahoma. The tour not only carries the name of the album but also offers the same experience, a stripped-down show, Dolly playing everything from piano to sax, from autoharp to dulcimer.
I hope I have a chance to see her in Thackerville, OK in December - that would be an awesome Christmas gift.
Sept. 09 Molson Canadian Amphitheatre - Toronto, ON, Canada
Sept. 10 Foley Fair Grounds - Seguin, ON, Canada
Sept. 12 MTS Centre - Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Sept. 13 Mosaic Place - Moose Jaw, SK, Canada
Sept. 16 Scotiabank Saddledome - Calgary, AB, Canada
Sept. 17 Rogers Place - Edmonton, AB, Canada
Sept. 19 Rogers Arena - Vancouver, BC, Canada
Sept. 21 ShoWare Center - Kent, Wash. SOLD OUT
Sept. 22 Northern Quest Casino - Airway Heights, Wash.
Sept. 24 Shoreline Amphitheatre - Mountain View, Calif.
Sept. 25 Santa Barbara Bowl - Santa Barbara, Calif.
Sept. 27 Valley View Casino - San Diego, Calif.
Sept. 28 Vina Robles Amphitheatre - Paso Robles, Calif.
Sept. 30 Laughlin Amphitheatre - Laughlin, Nev.
Oct. 01 Hollywood Bowl - Los Angeles, Calif.
Oct. 02 Hollywood Bowl - Los Angeles, Calif.
Nov. 15 Pigeon Forge Convention Center - Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
Dec. 06 Frank Erwin Center - Austin, TX
Dec. 09 Global Event Center at WinStar World Casino and Resort - Thackerville, Okla.
Dec. 10 Global Event Center at WinStar World Casino and Resort - Thackerville, Okla.
Sources: Sony Music Entertainment, Kirt Webster PR, NBC Jimmy Fallon, dollyparton.com, websites of the retailers, Cracker Barrel
Chris Lane - Obviously celebrating his first #1 - Instagram
There are so many definitions in the dictionary that explain what fix is or may be, but it needs an addendum:
"Fix" - (song) - worst ditty to hit the top of the Country Airplay Charts by Billboard magazine and by IHeartMedia's mediabase in the summer of 2016.
During the tracking period to reach the top spot, the song got over 8100 spins, reaching and leaving an almost 56 million weekly audience impression. And you wonder why this country is in such a mess.
So it's time for celebration:
- a new artist, Chris Lane
- first charted single (others beforehand didn't scratch the top 40)
- new record label: Big Loud Records
- seasoned songwriters and producer
STOP - let's shine a light behind the curtain and we suddenly realize that we just stepped in a big fresh stinky turd.
- behind the record label, Big Loud Records is the Big Loud Mountain team that also handles douche-bags Florida Georgia Line, even though they put their shit out on Republic Records. Add to this, the president of Big Loud Records, Clay Honeycutt and that's where the incest begins
- Honeycutt was for over 15 years a "yes man" (not my words but his colleagues in comments on trade website AllAccess) in the IHeartMedia (formerly known as Clear Channel Communications) operations. So he leaves the sinking ship, IHeart is struggling to get rid of $6 Billion in debt, and becomes the president of a record label after being in command for over a decade over more than 850 radio stations.
- the single that didn't chart in the Top Forty was "Broken Windshield View" a rather lame bro-country song, even though co-written by David Lee Murphy ("Dust On The Bottle"). During the production of an initial EP, producer Joey Moi discovered that Lane actually has a falsetto mode when singing and voilà , they found a new niche for the 31 year old singer from North Carolina and started re-vamping him.
- all revamped as a blue-eyed wanna-be R&B singer, his producer Moi passed him "Fix" to record.
- "Fix" could actually fly in a decent R&B arrangement, written by Abe Stoklasa (see his performance to prove my point for a decent production), Sarah Buxton and Jesse Frasure, latter being also responsible for that horrendous "High Class" single done by Eric Paslay,
- Producer Joey Moi, who won a CMA Award as a producer for Florida Georgia Line's "Cruise," the Single of the Year in 2013 pretty much stays true to his ear-numbing, over-top one dimensional productions. He may have caught Lane's falsetto but the whole production is missing depth, it's just a plain cacophony. It's bad enough that he is associated with Nickelback, Daughtry and the above mentioned Douche-Bags, but this guy gotta go home back north to Canada before he produces an other turd.
A quick listen through his new album "GIRL PROBLEMS" that was released last Friday, does not reveal anything promising. I will review the whole album later, when I have recovered from "Fix."
And a note to radio stations - if you force feed us this song 94 ! times in a week, like IHeartMedia owned KBEB-FM in Sacramento (92.5 FM) did, please don't start to wonder why we're all wandering away to streaming media and our own programming.
(★)/★★★★★ (½/5)
Sources: http://iamchrislane.com/, AllAccess, Billboard
Pete Mitchell passed away last Saturday (7/23) at the age of 74 due to cancer. Originally born in Canada as Peter Michaud, he came to the US, after playing the scene in Toronto where the Hawks (who later became The Band) played the same clubs in the early 60s.
Immigrating to the States, he Americanized his name to Mitchell, played with Wynn Stewart, Cal Smith, Ray Price and Waylon Jennings, who later adopted the leather-casing for his electrical guitar.
In the mid 70's while living in the Fort Worth area, he got picked up by Ernest Tubb and so became a Texas Troubadour. Mitchell or the "little man from Canada" as E.T. called him played with Tubb until his death in 1984. Pete wasn't just a touring musician, but also appeared on E.T.'s recordings - sometimes with his given name, Michaud. You will also find him on other recordings, e.g. John Anderson's "EYE OF THE HURRICANCE."
After Tubb's passing Pete stayed in Nashville as a session player and toured with several artists. Some times he would sit in with his former Texas Troubadour, steel guitarist Lynn Owsley. In the video below the two share the stage with one of the fathers of the modern Steel Guitar, Jimmy Day.
Jimmy Day & Lynn Owsley - Steel Guitar; Pete Mitchell - Guitar
When Jimmy Day passed away in 1999, Pete came to Austin to pay his respect and was re-introduced to Jimmy's sister-in-law, Paula. It was love at first sight, and a little time later, Pete moved from Nashville to Buda (outskirts of Austin) got married and settled down in Texas. As a sideman he would play with local people like the Troubadillos, James Hand, James White and Alvin Crow's Hardcore Country band as wel as with Lost John Casner. He played his last gig during Christmas week (2015) with Glen Collins at Watterson Hall in Red Rock. During the music fair SXSW he would was often a hired gun for musicians passing through Austin, needing a solid picker to make them shine.
As producer and steel guitarist Tommy Detamore put it: "Pete was such a treasure. I feel so lucky I got to make record with him. Only problem was I kept halting the progress to ask him to show me how he did something! His approach to guitar was so cool and innovative. Some of those bends he did...man..three string bends....index finger bends...so fluid."
And Pete did it with a lot of charm and always a smile on his face.
Sources: YouTube, LynnOwsley.com, converstations with Pete
In 2013 as Ray Price knew he was dying, he went back into the studio to record his last album "BEAUTY IS..." hiring producer and this year's"Country Music Hall of Fame"-inductee, Fred Foster as well as string arranger/conductor Bergen D. White.
Foster was quoted about Ray and the recordings: "He called me in 2012 and said, 'I think I have one album left in me; I’m not well, you know. I want to do one last one, and I want you to do it with me.’" Foster was influential in Ray Price's early career and got him to sing in his own style instead of trying to imitate Hank Williams. Shortly thereafter Ray came up with his own signature song, the country 4/4 shuffle. Vince Gill was asked by Ray to sing harmony on two of the tracks. The album, which was released by AmeriMonte Records four months after Ray's passing, also contained a track written by Ray's old pal, Willie Nelson. The whole project was recorded in a converted church, at Ocean Way Nashville Recording.
Ray Price with Willie Nelson on bass and Jimmy Day on steel guitar
Fast-forward to today, not only is today Fred Foster's 85th Birthday (7/26) but it was also announced that Willie will release "FOR THE GOOD TIMES: A TRIBUTE TO RAY PRICE" on September, 16. And yes, Willie went into the same studio, got Fred and Bergen as producer and arranger and invited Vince Gill and his traditional Country/Western Swing Outfit "The Time Jumpers" to be the backing band on the more country-heavy half of the dozen tracks. The whole project doesn't come as a big surprise, Willie as an aspiring songwriter used to work for Ray Price's publishing company and for a short time in 1961 was even playing bass behind Price as a Cherokee Cowboy. Ray also recorded several songs written by Willie, 'Night Life", "I'm Still Not Over You" and "It Always Will Be" are included here. Besides Willie's songs, there are two by Hank Cochran, one by Bill Anderson, Roger Miller, Harlan Howard, the Bob Wills classic "Faded Love," the Ralph Mooney/Charles Seals classic "Crazy Arms," Kristofferson's "For The Good Times" and the Ray Price/Rusty Gabbard shuffle "I’ll Be There (If You Ever Want Me)."
Over the years Willie and Ray recorded several projects together, as examples Willie's "SAN ANTONIO ROSE" or the concept album "LAST OF THE BREED" which was also produced by Foster and featured Merle Haggard. This is a great album showcasing the deep friendship between Willie and his former boss.
Balanced by honky tonk heavy fiddles (Kenny Sears) and pedal steel (Paul Franklin) to the string arrangements for the countrypolitan sound that Ray also created, the tribute covers a wide variety. Also worth mentioning is the art work of the album - basically it looks like Ray's "NIGHT LIFE" album from 1963.
Tracklist for Willie Nelson's For the Good Times: A Tribute to Ray Price:
"Title" (Songwriters) and chart placing 1. "Heartaches by the Number" (featuring the Time Jumpers) (Harlan Howard) #2 1959
2. "I’ll Be There (If You Ever Want Me)" (featuring the Time Jumpers) (Rusty Gabbard; Ray Price) #2 1954
3. "Faded Love" (Bob Wills; John Wills; Billy Jack Wills) #3 1980
4. "It Always Will Be" (Willie Nelson)
5. "City Lights" (featuring the Time Jumpers) (Bill Anderson) 1958 #1
6. "Don’t You Ever Get Tired of Hurting Me" (featuring the Time Jumpers) (Hank Cochran) #11 1965
7. "Make the World Go Away" (Hank Cochran) #2 1963
8. "I’m Still Not Over You" (Willie Nelson) #6 1967
9. "Night Life" (Walt Breeland, Paul Buskirk, Willie Nelson) #28 1963
10. "Crazy Arms" (featuring the Time Jumpers) (Ralph Mooney; Charles Seals) #1 1956
11. "Invitation to the Blues" (featuring the Time Jumpers) (Roger Miller) #3 1958
12. "For the Good Times" (Kris Kristofferson) #1 1970
Sources: WillieNelson.com, BMI, Billboard, YouTube, Rolling Stone, Bear Family Ray Price Box Set
What a nice surprise - Toby Keith just entered the Country Charts this last weekend at #51 with his new single "A Few More Cowboys," a song which became recently a staple during his life shows on his 2016 Interstates & Tailgates Tour.
A surprise as he haven't had a Number-One-Hit in five years since "Made In America," and he wasn't able to crack the Top-30 of the Hot Country Songs charts since his 2013 title track "Drinks After Work."
What's really nice, is that besides some raunchy guitar, the tune is actually quite country and reminds me of some of his stuff he did in the late 90's early 00's. The message of the song is quite laudable too - with "A Few More Cowboys" - gallantry would still be around and with more "Yes Ma'am" and less boot licking "Yes Men" the world would be a better place.
Keith wrote the song and it is actually an old-time full story-song, with monster songwriters Dean Dillon, who was recognized by the ACM with the "Poet's Award - Living" for songs recorded by George Jones, Keith Whitley, Toby and most of all George Strait and the almost two decades younger Bobby Pinson, who is a regular contributor with Keith. The duo actually wrote eight out of eleven songs on Keith's "THAT DON'T MAKE ME A BAD GUY."
Government (with a White House in Texas), legalization of marijuana, crime but also job-outsourcing are topics mentioned - in somehow a humorous way - in the song, basically it also ask to go back to a simpler time. In the video below - Toby told IHeart Radio, what "A Few More Cowboys" is all about
"I think people can apply this song to their life because it just kind of sums it up . Everything in the world right now is looked at under a microscope and everything is critiqued. The little stuff becomes the biggest stuff, and the biggest stuff gets forgotten about. Maybe the cowboys had a simpler way of life and dealing with things that needed to be dealt with."
If the White House was in Texas, man, we'd get a straighter answer
If they'd let us smoke what we want, we'd have a lot less cancer
There'd be a bunch more daddies, sons could be proud of
We'd have half the crime, we'd have twice the fun
With a few more cowboys, be a lot less outlaws
With a few more amens, be a lot less bad calls
With a few more yes ma'ams and a lot less yes man
This world would be a better place to live in
With a few more cowboys
If we did it with a handshake, we'd save a lot of paper
That'd save a lot of trees we're shippin' overseas to make her
If we stood by our word, took care of our own
Bought it made in the USA, we'd keep it here at home
With a few more cowboys, be a lot less outlaws
With a few more amens, be a lot less bad calls
With a few more yes ma'ams and a lot less yes man
This world would be a better place to live in
With a few more cowboys
If we had a little more grit, less politics, and more fist fights
Met 'em at high noon, hell, it's about high time
We looked 'em in the eye, got our head out of the sand
Hit 'em with a big John Wayne, by God they'd understand
With a few more cowboys, be a lot less outlaws
With a few more amens, be a lot less bad calls
With a few more yes ma'ams and a lot less yes man
This world would be a better place to live in
With a few more cowboys
All in all we'd have a better world
With a few more cowboys
We'd have a few more cowgirls
With a few more cowboys
If the White House was in Texas, man
We'd get a straighter answer
They'd let us smoke what we want
Be a lot less cancer
★★★★/★★★★★ (4/5)
Sources: Vevo, IHeart Radio, TobyKeith.com, Billboard
Dolly believes "that charity begins at home," and that many of the families being affected by the wildfires are "family." So Dolly, with some of her business entities came up with the My People Fund a home-based charity, through her non-profit Dollywood Foundation. 100 percent of the donations will go to the affected families and help is immediate - people who will register to be helped will be given a check on the day of their registration. (All the necessary information to help out can be found at the bottom of the blog.)
