George Jones musical career is being honored with his induction in the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame. He's being honored alongside Al Dexter and Ray Winkler. Mel Tillis will perform as part of the event. Jones launched his recording career in East Texas in the early 1950s. And, he's still going at it.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Ryan Adams "embarassed" by reports of Dio-inspired album
Ryan Adams has posted a Facebook message (now deleted) clarifying that his new album is not inspired by the passing of Ronnie James Dio. The message last weekend said that the new songs are not musings on the death of the rock icon. Instead, Adams says, the songs just happen to have been written in the days following Dio's memorial
"I am very embarrassed by the reports that I am writing a ‘Dio’ inspired album. I never said that... I had written some tunes a few days after his memorial. He was a great man... I would NEVER use his passing as a way to promote my own endeavors... I am sorry this happened and I apologize to DIO fans everywhere.”
LINK: Ryan Adams recording two new solo albums
LINK: Update of original story
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Wilco recording new album, done with major labels
This one comes right from the horse's mouth. Wilco founder Jeff Tweedy, one of the pioneers of alt.county from his days with Uncle Tupelo, tells Billboard Magazine that Wilco will hit the studio soon for work on a new album. Don't expect any response from the major lables, though. Tweedy says the lack of interest is mutual
"...there wasn't that much interest in promoting Wilco. we learned how to do it with what we had available to us... We've practically gone door to door... we did have that option [to start our own label] back then, but the way people were consuming music wasn't quite there yet... we (decided) to stream our record and continue to tour at the time because we mostly wanted people to hear our new songs and be excited about them..."
LINK: Wilco recording new album
Friday, July 9, 2010
Steve Earle nominated for Emmy
Steve Earle has recieved an Emmy nomination for his song "This City." The song was featured in the season finale of the HBO series "Treme." The show tells of life and the struggles people face in post-Katrina New Orleans.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Great Article: Where's the Righteous Fury?
The older I get the more fun it is to partake in self-righteous fits of disgust. I wish I had written this piece... maybe I'm just on the rag tonight but I get scornful of the sugar-coated pap that passes for social commentary in music anymore. It comes from Grant Alden's page on the No Depression website.
"...No matter your politics, there's plenty to be pissed off about right now. So where are the songs to fit that mood? And why is the music I'm hearing so placid? ...Are we faced with a curious case of survivor's blindness? ...Have we been taught so much compromise that we now comfortably settle -- even in our art -- for voicing only the most placid, most presentable, most likely to be placed on a network TV show credits soundbed lyrics?..."
LINK: Where has all the righteous fury gone?
Saturday, July 3, 2010
American Thoughts and American Songs
Hello, world...
With Independence Day upon us, here are a few thoughts and a few songs about the greatest country in the world. I don't give a damn if you call yourself Republican, Democrat, independent, conservative, liberal, populist, tea party, keg party, uninterested party or party of the first part.
Quote whomever you want, Charlie Daniels "We'll all stick together and you can take to the bank. That's the cowboys and the hippies and the rebels and the yanks" (In America) or James Brown "Black and white, we may fight. But the enemy comes, we'll get together and run him out of sight." (America Is My Home) We are Americans. God bless us all.
The American In Me - Steve Forbert
If there were true justice to be found in the music industry, Steve Forbert would be a household name. But there isn't; he isn't; and that just makes him all the more special. This video of the title song from his 1992 album features scores of vintage cars from the early decades of America's love affair with the automobile.
An American Tune - Paul Simon
"An American Tune" was on Paul Simon's 1973 multi-Grammy-winning album "There Goes Rhymin' Simon." The song did not achieve the chart success of other songs on that LP, such as "Kodachrome" and "Loves Me Like A Rock." Yet it stil holds a timeless place, striking a note of the American courage that brings endless optimism in the face of adversity. Simon sang it on the first post-9/11 episode of Saturday Night Live, and it fit perfectly. This 1975 performance is from the BBC's "Parkinson" talk show Red White and Blue - Lynyrd Skynyrd
Like any Southern boy, I grew up worshiping at the altar of Lynyrd Skynyrd. They have always been "one of us," and always will. This live clip is from a 2003 Nashville concert.
American Storm - Bob Seger
Call this a matter of timing. This gem was the lead track on Bob Seger's "Like A Rock" CD, and was used as the brand for his 'American Storm' tour in 1986 and '87. It has been mostly forgotten by all but Seger purists. Had it been released a few years later, during the patriotic fervor of war, it easily could have been an anthem to our troops.
("It's like a full force gale... atop a mountain of coal... you tell your story again and again... and it never gets old... you face a wall of mirrors... you charge tham at full speed... you cover up, you hear the shattering glass... but you never bleed... it's like a full force gale... an American storm...") Though not written about battle, the lyrics fit like a glove.
America, F**k Yeah! - Team America: World Police
LANGUAGE WARNING: Not for the easily offended
This is from the sountrack of the 2004 movie Team America: World Police. Like the video says, it's a parody. If you're not in the mood for a loud, vulgar, in-yer-face joke, just skip it. But those things aside, it's still a great song to crank down the windows and sing/yell/chant at the top of your voice. F**k Yeah!
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