Album Review: Anita Cochran – ‘Serenity’

Former Warner Brothers artist Anita Cochran achieved one #1 hit, ‘What If I Said’, in a duet with Steve Wariner, in 1997. None of her solo singles came anywhere near the top of the charts, and it’s not as if her label didn’t persevere – they released two albums and nine singles over a [...]

Week ending 11/7/09: #1 singles this week in country music history

1949: Slippin’ Around — Margaret Whiting & Jimmy Wakely (Capitol)
1959: The Three Bells — The Browns (RCA)
1969: To See My Angel Cry — Conway Twitty (Decca)
1979: You Decorated My Life – Kenny Rogers (United Artists)
1989: Ace In The Hole – George Strait (MCA)
1999: I Love You — Martina McBride (RCA)
2009: Toes – Zac Brown Band [...]

Spotlight Artist: Brooks & Dunn

In addition to hosting the show in 2004-2006, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn are also the two winningest artists in CMA Awards history. As a duo, they have collected 18 trophies, a tie with Vince Gill. But Ronnie Dunn’s solo win in 2006 for ‘Believe’ as Song of the Year tipped his total wins to [...]

Album Review: Patty Loveless – ‘Sleepless Nights’

Patty Loveless was dropped by Epic following disappointing sales and minimal airplay for her last album for the label, Dreamin’ My Dreams. She was in no hurry to make her next move, taking some time off the road to move down to Georgia, and dealing with family deaths and illness, but in 2008 she signed [...]

Album Review: George Strait – ‘Somewhere Down In Texas’

In 2005, twenty-four years into his hit-making career, George Strait released Somewhere Down In Texas, a collection of laid-back songs that contrasted 2003’s Honkytonkville’s hard honky-tonk sound.  The album landed at the top of the country albums chart as well as the all-genre Billboard 200 and was certified platinum.  It also provided Strait with another [...]

Album Review: Vern Gosdin – Late & Great: The Voice

When the great Vern Gosdin died earlier this year, I wasn’t expecting any posthumous material to emerge. Obviously, I was mistaken, as this CD on obscure indie label Sims Records has been released. The material is of somewhat murky origin; there is no mention of it on the official Vern Gosdin website, the [...]

Album Review: George Strait – ‘Livin’ It Up’

George Strait’s winning streak, which began in the 1980s, showed no signs of abating as the 1990s began. The Country Music Association named him Entertainer of the Year for the second year in a row in 1990, and that same year he released what went on to be the biggest hit single of his [...]

Week ending 9/5/09: #1 singles this week in country music history

1949: I’m Throwing Rice (At The Girl I Love) — Eddy Arnold (RCA)
1959: The Three Bells — The Browns (RCA)
1969: A Boy Named Sue — Johnny Cash (Columbia)
1979: I May Never Get To Heaven — Conway Twitty (MCA)
1989: I’m Still Crazy — Vern Gosdin (Columbia)
1999: Amazed – Lonestar (BNA)
2009: Big Green Tractor — Jason [...]

Classic Rewind: Conway Twitty – ‘Don’t Take It Away’

The Song Remembers When

Whether it’s a breakthrough hit for a newcomer or a song that finally makes us fans of an established act to whom we’ve previously not paid much attention, we can all remember that one song that made an impression on us and made us become fans of the artist.   Prior to 1980, I didn’t have [...]

Week ending 7/18/09: #1 this week in country music history

1949: One Kiss Too Many — Eddy Arnold (RCA)
1959: The Battle of New Orleans — Johnny Horton (Columbia)
1969: I Love You More Today — Conway Twitty (Decca)
1979: Shadows In The Moonlight — Anne Murray (Capitol)
1989: In A Letter To You — Eddy Raven (Universal)
1999: Amazed – Lonestar (BNA)
2009: I Run To You – Lady [...]

When two stars collide

Country music has a long history of two separate artists coming together to record a single or album together.  We’ve also seen our fair share of duos who sing and perform exclusively together.  In the 1970s it seemed like all the rage for two of country’s biggest stars to join forces.  The decade saw the [...]

Happy Independence Day

Here’s a selection of some of my favorite songs about America.  They’re not ‘God Bless the U.S.A.’, but they all make a statement about the state of our nation.  And though most of these tracks are 20 years old or more now, their message still rings true.   So Happy Independence Day and enjoy some [...]

Album Review: Tanya Tucker – ‘What Do I Do With Me’

Had she chosen to retire from the music business around 1990, Tanya Tucker could have done so knowing that she’d secured her musical legacy. By then she had been a presence on the country charts for nearly two decades, had released 20 studio albums, and secured 30 top 10 hits, including ten #1’s. [...]

Album Review: Tanya Tucker – ‘My Turn’

After seven long years, Tanya Tucker is finally back with My Turn , a collection of covers of classic country songs, recorded as a tribute to her late father and mentor, Beau Tucker. This album is different from anything Tanya has done in the past. We’ve never heard her sound so “retro” [...]

Remembering Conway Twitty (September 1, 1933 – June 5, 1993)

Conway Twitty’s untimely death on June 5, 1993 was a devastating loss to country music. On the 16th anniversary of his passing, we’d like to take a look back and pay homage to the man who was known as “the best friend a song ever had”:

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Create a covers album

There are some songs that are so closely associated with their original performers that they just sound foreign coming from the mouths of even the best singers. Covers albums can be a blessing or a curse for this reason. And in my opinion, some get it right and some don’t. Some artists make [...]

Classic Rewind: Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn – ‘Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man’

Recommendation: Songs about rain

It’s raining again today in southern Ohio, and it has been for the better part of a week now.  A couple days ago, during a particularly torrential downpour, I was sitting here listening to music and decided to search the word ‘rain’ in my media library.  And I have to say I was surprised at [...]

Album Review: Josh Logan – ‘I Am What I Am’

Kentucky-born Josh Logan was one of those artists who fell through the cracks of a major (or almost-major) label deal when he was signed to Curb in the late 80s. His excellent 1988 album Somebody Paints The Wall included the first version of the title track, later a big hit for Tracy Lawrence and also [...]