Forever And Ever, Amen - Jon Pardi Covers Randy Travis

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

Ode To Texas Honky Tonks

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.

Justin Trevino

Sources: YouTube, KEQX, justintrevino.com, amu communications photo

SR: Jon Pardi "Head Over Boots" #1 & "Dirt On My Boots"

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.

Music: ★(★) 1½ - Lyrics: ★★★★(★) 4½                                                   ★★★/★★★★★ (3/5)



Sources: Billboard, Mediabase, Roughstock, Vevo, BMI

Zac Brown Band Going Back To Foundation Of Success

Zac Brown Band - Kansas City Mo - 5/27/16                                                 © ZBB (from their website)

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."

https://t.co/XcBsKgnP3F

— Zac Brown Band (@zacbrownband) September 7, 2016

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"



Sources: Twitter, RIAA, ZacBrownBand.com,

Newcomer Seth Ennis - "Woke Up In Nashville" - Single Review

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.


Seth Ennis from Lucas Hicks on Vimeo.

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.

★★★/★★★★★ (3/5)



Sources: Press Release SMN, http://sethennis.com/, Vevo, Vimeo,

Nothing New On The Western Front

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.

Sources: cmaworld.com

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,