In The News - Merle's Tour Bus For Sale - Reba Hawking Chicken - Nashville Scene Winners

An old tour bus once owned by Merle Haggard goes on to the auction block in Texas; Reba McEntire got promoted to Colonel and is hawking Smoky Mountain BBQ chicken and weekly publication "Nashville Scene" asked over 90 country music critics for their best of 2017. 



Merle's Bus
Ever fancied on riding in a country music star's tour bus? What about owning one and taking it for a ride through the Texas Hill Country. On February, 10th Burley Auction Gallery in New Braunfels is putting a 2008 Motor Coach Industries (MCI) bus, once owned by Merle Haggard up on the block.

Besides the regular outfittings (master bedroom, bunks, lounge area) the bus also has some custom made features. The late Merle Haggard was a huge train buff, so the sides of the bus are adorned with Santa Fe Super Chief insignia and the bus, according to the Austin American Statesman even has a vintage train horn installed.

In 1969 Haggard released a tribute album to the "Singing Brakeman," Jimmie Rogers called "SAME TRAIN, A DIFFERENT TIME" and followed with another album lauding trains seven years later with "MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH TRAINS."
The cover of that album also depicts some of Merle's model trains and beside the Dolly Parton penned title track, contains Merle's lament about the disappearance of trains, "No More Trains to Ride".

The video below must have been filmed by the previous owner, it looks like they used Lago Vista airport outside of Austin for a backdrop.
Update: Today (1/29) I did get an update from Robb Burley from the Auction Gallery
 "The bus was ordered new by Merle in 2006 & was delivered in 2008. Merle toured in it until 2015 when he traded it in on a bus he only had a few months before he died on his birthday April 6, 2016. Photo of the original title to Merle is on the website. The bus has over 350,000 Merle miles on it. A custom seat has the armrest wear out there by Merle. Comes with a built-in authentic train whistle. The bus was acquired by the current owner & consignor of the bus when Merle traded it in. They tried unsuccessfully running it on eBay twice. Bidding will open at $100,000. It should land north of $200,000 easily even if it wasn’t owned by Merle. The bus shows road wear but is in excellent working order and in good condition. The custom tags were added when registered in Texas."
More info at Burley Auction Gallery




Colonel McEntire

Several firsts mark the new campaign for "Smoky Mountain BBQ" from Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC). For the first time, it's a music star and a woman who will play the role of grey-haired and mustached KFC founder Colonel Harland Sanders.

Beginning tomorrow (1/28) new ads featuring Reba McEntire will air on television and computer screens in the US to hawk KFC’s new Smoky Mountain BBQ line of fried chicken.

“With Reba’s southern roots and entrepreneurial spirit, she truly embodies the values of the Colonel and the crowd-pleasing flavor of our Smoky Mountain BBQ,” Andrea Zahumensky, Chief Marketing Officer for the fried chicken chain was quoted in the press release. ”

“I’ve held a lot of roles in my life – sort of like the Colonel himself – but this is certainly the most unique one yet,” McEntire iterated in the release.







Nashville Scene Country Music Critic’s Poll

For the 18th time, weekly publication "Nashville Scene" asked 94 guest music critics for their favorites of 2017. As no big surprise, most mainstream Nashville bubble artists got ignored, Jason Isbell and his 400 Unit came out as the big winner with "Best Album of the Year" for "The Nashville Sound," "Best Live Act," "Best Songwriter," and being "Artist of the Year." Isbell came in second behind Chris Stapleton as "Best Male Singer"  the female counterpart being Lee Ann Womack.

Midland was voted best new act in front of Tyler Childers and Carly Pearce; their Grammy-nominated song "Drinkin' Problem" also got the honors as "Single of the Year."  Little Big Town was the only mainstream winner in the Duo / Group category.

An interesting factoid mentioned in the publication is that "five of the top 20 singles on Billboard’s year-end chart (Kane Brown’s “What Ifs,” Dustin Lynch’s “Small Town Boy,” Dylan Scott’s “My Girl,” Florida Georgia Line’s “God, Your Mama and Me” and Jason Aldean’s “Any Ol’ Barstool”) failed to gain a vote from any critic."

For a full list of the winners, visit Nashville Scene's website.

Sources: Austin American Statesman, Burley Auction Gallery, YouTube, KFC Press Release, Nashville Scene

Mary Sarah - Comfortable Alone - "Without You" - Single Review

© Katie Kauss - Used by permission

Most people may know Mary Sarah as a  semi-finalist (finishing fifth) from the TV talent show "The Voice" from 2016. But the 22-year-old Texan wasn't a newcomer to music for that show; she actually already was able to look back on a career spanning over a decade. After her TV experience last year, she now just released her first single, "Without You." 

To completely understand who Mary Sarah is, we have to roll back the tape of life. Starting in church and with vocal lessons when she was about nine, she started performing regularly on what is called the Texas Opry circuit, smaller Opry venues in more rural environments. When she was 12 she ventured west for a development deal and got signed by Kidz Bop and an ensuing 6 months tour across the United States. Back in Texas, the late great singer/songwriter and producer Freddy Powers took her "under his wings." Having been Merle's neighbor on a houseboat and frequent co-author, Powers penned Haggard classics like "Natural High" and "A Friend In California." Some of his musical influences are definitely part of "Without You."

When she was 15 she released her debut album "CRAZY GOOD" and three years later doubled down with "BRIDGES," a heartfelt collection of well-known songs, done as duets with the original singers of the hits. Yes, Powers may have helped with introductions, but it was her sheer talent, that made it possible for her to record duets with everybody from the late Ray Price, Merle Haggard, Lynn Anderson and Powers to still living legends like Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, the Oak Ridge Boys, Ronnie Milsap, Vince Gill, Tanya Tucker and even Neil Sedaka.

Fast forward to #77seventeen, as her own hashtag proclaimed. As a gift to herself and to her fans, Mary Sarah released her first single "Without You" since "The Voice" on her birthday. Co-written with Gospel songwriter and producer David Garcia, Bart Butler (Jon Pardi's current single "Heartache On The Dancefloor") and former Dreamworks recording artist Mike Walker it easily bridges the old with the new.

Despite a low-profile, almost restraint jazz-bluesy arrangement (evoking Amy Winehouse) the prominent steel guitar sets traditional contra tones. The lyrics of the mid-tempo break-up song evolve from early hurt and tears to a resolute empowered woman, who is ready again to face the world and actually feels comfortable to be without her former partner. Written from experience, Mary Sarah was quoted:

“The beauty of the poetic words is that finding yourself through a broken relationship is a very empowering thing to do”. 

Her true delivery shows honesty and self-determination to move on. It's a remarkable effort and I know, Freddy Powers would be proud of his former "student." Now we just can wish that the powers that are in radioland share the song on their airwaves with a greater public so we all can enjoy the delights of that new single.

Lyrics:
You left a mark on my heart that I never thought would go away
I cried so hard in the dark I stained my pillow case
Mascara Black, wishin' you'd come back, but that was yesterday

But what a waste
Yeah I'd never thought I would, but baby I'm all good without you

I've got a move on, new song that I'm singing to
I've got a throwback, come back, step in my groove
I've got these going out paint the town red pair of shoes
You bet I do, jokes on you
No, you never thought I would, but baby I'm all good without you

Without you, I got room to breath
I'm finding who I am
I finally had time to see that you just ain't the man
That I thought you had seemed
You're just not all I cracked ya up to be
Yeah, I never thought I would, but baby I'm all good without you

I've got a move, on new song that I'm singing to
I've got a throwback, come back, step in my groove
I've got these going on, paint the town red pair of shoes
You bet I do, jokes on you
No, you never thought I would, but baby I'm all good without you

Yeah I never thought I would, but baby I'm all good without you

I've got a move on, new song that I'm singing to
I got a throwback, come back, step in my groove
I've got these going on, paint the town red pair of shoes
You bet I do
No, you never thought I would, but baby I'm all good without you

No, you never thought I would, but baby I'm all good without you

I'm good

***(*)/***** 3.5/5


Here's also a live version of the song, recorded on WSMV Channel 4 in Nashville



The track is now available at all digital outlets including iTunes and Google Music. Mary Sarah is managed by 144 Entertainment, PR by April Dickey -Bandwagon Publicity
Sources: marysarah.com, youTube, Spotify, Bandwagon Publicity,

Miranda Lambert Receives 1st ACM Merle Haggard Spirit Award

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."




Sources: Billboard.com, acmcountry.com, mirandalambert.com, Sturgill Simpson facebook,

Wanna Sell Weed For Willie Nelson? // FarmAid Line Up

When I tell friends that I did Willie two favors in spring of 1988 in Switzerland, their first question always is: "Did you get Willie some pot and what was the other thing you did?" 

No I didn't get him any smoke, even though I would have had the resources to get him some of the best Black Afghan hash, that was circulating in the air about that time. Which is bragging, that stuff was everywhere at that time and a short tram ride to a street park less than a mile away would have fulfilled his unsaid wishes.

But no, Willie just wanted to put the sweats on and go for a work out. and I organized him a gym where he could go incognito and be not bothered by other patron's of the fitness studio.
My first cover shot on a that day's major newspaper "The Sonntagszeitung" with a Willie  interview I penned with the guy who got me into the paper did it's magic too.

And while all that may have gotten me some perks from Willie and his Family (actually the late Poodie, Willie's longtime road manager)  over the years to go see some of his shows and hang on the bus, it may prevent me from applying for a job for Willie's new endeavor of selling "Willie Reserve" - yes they are currently hiring - for not being connected enough in the smoking business anymore. My THC free lifestyle for over a decade, well almost free, one or two joints a year don't really leave a piss mark on the scale, may take me out for qualifying. And then there are some other hurdles: "This position is open to Colorado state residents who currently hold or are qualified to hold a Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED) Badge."

So if you live in CO and have the required MED badge, you may apply for one of the five jobs being offered: Compliance Officer, Bookkeeper/ Admin / Office Assistant, Production Manager, Sales Director or Extractor. I just hope the bookkeeper will be a bit more spot-on with crunching the numbers and less in a haze then the former accountant that left Willie (and some of his friends) financially in the dust and in debt to the I.R.S.

Smoking "Willie Weed" as it is slangy re(e)ferred to in Austin, may get you into trouble and you may besides screwing your math up, miss out on a party you are invited to hang with basketball great Charles Barkley, as Toby had to confess to "True Country TV" in an interview . The good thing about it is though, Toby came up with a funny song, he co-wrote with his hit supplier Scotty Emerick "I Will Never Smoke Weed With Willie Nelson Again," which they presented to him on his 70th Birthday TV show special.

Toby Keith - Interview




And when all is said and done, just "Roll Me Up And Smoke Me." Below is a live encore version from FarmAid 2014.
Talking about FarmAid, Willie also just announced the newest incarnation of the by now over 30 year old benefit event. It will take place September, 17 in Bristow, Vrigina with the following line up. Besides Willie, there will be the three other directors of the non-profit organisation performing: Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews with Tim Reynolds. Other acts include Alabama Shakes, Sturgill Simpson, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Jamey Johnson, Margo Price, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Carlene Carter and Insects Vs Robots. Pre-sale tickets went on the market yesterday and if you want to look at the complete lineup a video stream - you can click on - introduces you to all artists.

The late Merle Haggard was part of the inaugural farm aid concert in Champaign, Illinois on September 22, 1985, so I had to include him in this story too. Roughly a year ago, the two (Merle & Willie) topped the country chart with their duet album "DJANGO AND JIMMIE" their homage to jazz gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt and country music father Jimmie Rodgers. It was their second hit Nr. 1 together, the first one being "PANCHO & LEFTY" 32 years earlier. Watch below for the fun Willie and Merle had in recording "It's All Going To Pot," a song written by "DJANGO & JIMMIE" producer Buddy Cannon, together with Jamey Johnson and Larry Shell. But first a live version of another smoking classic by now - "Roll Me Up And Smoke Me When I Die" where Buddy Cannon and Willie Nelson were joined by the original tunesmiths Rich Alves (Pirates of the Mississippi), John Colgin and Mike McQuerry.

Roll Me Up - LIve FarmAid 2014


It's All Going To Pot




Sources: Willie's Reserve, FarmAid.org, YouTube, Recollections

Kenny Chesney's "Noise" debuts in Rolling Stone

Kenny Chesney - Live                                 © Jill Turnell (courtesy EBMedia)

For once it's not pina coladas, sandy beaches and cladly dressed dancer babes in bikinis. It's neither a jocose
singer reminiscing about the quietude at a lovely hidden oasis where he shares a longneck with his honey on the back of a pickup truck while strummin' on his guitar.

In his new video "Noise," the lead-off single of his new album "Some Town Somewhere" which ships July 8th, Kenny Chesney actually inculpates all the white noise, the cacophony, the constant sound bytes, the tech overload around us.

Wrecking balls, downtown construction
Bottles breaking, jukebox buzzing
Cardboard sign says ‘The Lord Is Coming’
Tick tick tock
Rumors turn the mills back home
Parking lot kids with the speakers blown
We didn’t turn it on
but we can’t turn it off, off, off …”

While this topic is quite popular in pop and rock music, it's rather rare in country music to sing songs being critical of society or at least critical of part of society. "Atomic Power" by the Louvin Brothers, "Okie From Muskogee" by Merle Haggard come to mind. In order to convey this new message to an audience who would listen, Chesney's team didn't select the regular outlets like CMT, Vevo or a country music magazine, but choose RollingStone.com to premiere his chaotic video.

“They have been the cultural and societal touchstone since I was a kid,” Chesney explains in his press release, why he choose the music magazine as an outlet “and that gives them the gravitas to reflect what [director] Shaun [Silva] and I were trying to capture in the song. This is not political, so much as social... if you want to get people to take it all in, to step back and really reflect, let’s put the video at the heart of where people who sort those things are.”

The visual manifestation of the song is clear: distorted images changing in a fast cut, timely mentioning in passing, not only the current US election cycle, but also the daily overload of sound or video bytes that is thrown at us, basically a wall of noise imprisoning us. And even though everybody seems to communicate, there are no messages reaching the listener:

Twenty-four hour television,
get so loud that no one listens
Sex and money and politicians talk, talk, talk
But there really ain't no conversation
Ain't nothing left to the imagination
Trapped in our phones and we can't make it stop, stop, stop

Watch Kenny Chesney's Chaotic 'Noise' Video

As Rolling Stone knows: "Kenny Chesney already had the first single from his upcoming "Some Town Somewhere" album picked out when a bunch of talking - make that, yelling - heads on television threw a curveball..."

He was on the phone with Nashville tunesmith Shane McAnally on a way to a marketing meeting with his manager, when the idea of "Noise" came up. Two days later he went into the studio and recorded the song, which besides McAnally was written by Ross Copperman and Jon Nite.

But Chesney doesn't see himself as a messenger, as he told RollingStone.com "We're not preaching to anyone, we’re just making a statement about the way we live. The message is to try to be mindful of it. If you love someone, tell them you love them. Don’t text it to them! There is so much life to be lived outside our phones.”

Summary: A great move for the fluffy 8-time entertainer of the year, away from "Bro" country to an actual meaningful song. The other songs on "Some Town Somewhere" will have to prove the new thoughtfulness of Kenny Chesney. An ethereal follow up will render "Noise" as meaning less.

Sources: RollingStone.com, Essential Broadcast Media,

Strait Return To Stage Sold Out

© Ethan Miller - Getty Images - courtesy EBMedia

After a two year absence from the stage, the King of Country rode back in to town and a record-setting, sold-out crowd of 19'222 people came on April, 22nd to the new T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas to see George Strait in his opening show of his "Strait To Vegas" concert series.

“I’ve missed you guys and I’m looking forward to being here a few more nights this year,” Strait told the crowd early on in the night before performing for over two hours, according to a press release by Essential Broadcast Media. Besides playing a selection of several of his #1 hits, Strait also took a moment to pay tribute to Merle Haggard who was not only an icon for Strait but also a friend. “We’ll never get to hear Merle play live again, but his music will live on forever,” Strait said before performing a medley.


YouTube user vegastrojan posted a decent quality video of George Strait doing the Merle Haggard Tribute during his concert.



Kacey Musgraves who opened for George this last weekend and will for his other 2016 dates, walked into the arena with a pony. (Picture from her Instagram feed @spaceykacey) - you may also want to check out her great version of the Lee Hazlewood penned cover "These Boots Are Made For Walking," orginally made famous by Nancy Sinatra  (look on her twitter feed +Kacey Musgraves.


Strait will be back at the arena in September (9 & 10) and December (2 & 3) of this year and has a weekend planned in February (17 & 18) of 2017. The brand new $ 375 million indoor arena opened this spring and will host a variety of events. Boxing and fighting matches will compete with entertainment events. The Billboard Music Awards, Garth Brooks and the Dixie Chicks are all scheduled to play T-Mobile Arena.

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