Country music from a fan's point of view since 2008
1957 (Sales):Singing the Blues — Marty Robbins (Columbia)
1957 (Jukebox): Singing the Blues — Marty Robbins (Columbia)
1957 (Disc Jockeys): Singing the Blues — Marty Robbins (Columbia)
1967: There Goes My Everything — Jack Greene (Decca)
1977: Sweet Dreams — Emmylou Harris (Reprise)
1987: Mind Your Own Business — Hank Williams Jr. ft. Reba McEntire, Tom Petty, Reverend Ike, & Willie Nelson (Warner Bros./Curb)
1997: One Way Ticket (Because I Can) — LeAnn Rimes (Curb)
2007: She’s Everything — Brad Paisley (Arista)
2017: Blue Ain’t Your Color — Keith Urban (Capitol)
2017 (Airplay): Wanna Be That Song — Brett Eldredge (Atlantic)
1956 (Sales):Singing the Blues — Marty Robbins (Columbia)
1956 (Jukebox): Singing the Blues — Marty Robbins (Columbia)
1956 (Disc Jockeys): Singing the Blues — Marty Robbins (Columbia)
1966: There Goes My Everything — Jack Greene (Decca)
1976: Sweet Dreams — Emmylou Harris (Reprise)
1986: Mind Your Own Business — Hank Williams Jr. ft. Reba McEntire, Tom Petty, Reverend Ike, & Willie Nelson (Warner Bros./Curb)
1996: One Way Ticket (Because I Can) — LeAnn Rimes (Curb)
2006: Want To — Sugarland (Mercury)
2016: Blue Ain’t Your Color — Keith Urban (Capitol)
2016 (Airplay): Wanna Be That Strong — Brett Eldredge (Atlantic)
The crop of Christmas albums has been hit or miss this year with big band affairs aptly showcasing Chris Young and Brett Eldridge’s vocal prowess and Kacey Musgraves’ continued decent into her own quirkiness. Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood had the most disappointing record, a haphazard affair unbecoming from an artist (Yearwood) with impeccable song sense who knows better.
Loretta Lynn has released the years most intriguing holiday record, White Christmas Blue, which comes a full fifty years since her Owen Bradley produced Country Christmas. The album is a full-on traditional affair and a delight at every turn.
I usually find fiddle and steel out of place on a Christmas album, but White Christmas Blue is changing that perception for me. The album is mostly comprised of holiday standards, with jovial renditions of “Frosty The Snowman” and “Jingle Bells” sitting comfortably along side “To Heck With Ole Santa Claus,” one of the album’s strongest cuts and a personal favorite of mine. “Blue Christmas,” a full-on honky-tonker in Lynn’s hands, is also excellent.
The ballads don’t hit as hard. It may be the starkness she brings to “Away In A Manger,” “Silent Night” and “Oh, Come All Ye Faithful” that didn’t do it for me or the fact I’ve heard them so often, in so may different versions, their simple beauty has begun to wear thin. “’Twas The Night Before Christmas” was a complete surprise, a perfect way to end the album.
White Christmas Blue also boasts two original numbers. “Country Christmas” is a rerecording of the title track from the last album and Lynn hasn’t lost any of the spunk she brought to the original. The other, the title track, is a rather somber affair, which finds Lynn with everything she wants – except her honey:
It’s Christmas Eve and I’m still all alone
It’ll be Christmas day when you come home
Icicles hanging from the eves, snow is glistenin’ from the trees
My Christmas time with you is over due
You turn into my white Christmas blue
You turn into my white Christmas blue
I should be saying ho ho ho instead of bu bu bu
Oh Santa Claus would no want you to break my heart in two
You turn into my white Christmas blue
I cannot recommend this album enough.
Grade: A-
The Country Music Association has found a way of honoring their fiftieth anniversary – gather 30 of the genre’s biggest stars from the past, present and future for an unprecedented collaboration. The result is certainly buzzworthy and continues the tradition of the ‘all-star jam’ that saw its beginnings with the original 1972 recording of ‘Will The Circle Be Unbroken.’ The trend continued into the 1990s (Think “I Don’t Need Your Rocking Chair” and “One Heart At A Time”) before seemly dying off.
“Forever Country,” as the collaboration is called, blends three country standards – “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” “I Will Always Love You” and “On The Road Again” into a single song showcasing each of the artists involved with dedicated solos. The John Denver classic is the bedrock, with the others woven in.
The song succeeds because of Shane McAnally, who subtracts not distracts with his warm production values. He does a superb job of complimenting each artist with a sense of balance that allows each one to shine individually. While they also beautifully come together as a collective whole, it’s obvious that some do shine brighter than others, which is understandable in such a context.
It’s been a long time since the legacy of country music has been honored and I admire the Country Music Association for bringing their theme and mission alive in such a public way. To have all these artists in one place, on one track truly is astonishing. We’ve let history fall by the wayside in recent years as boom era veterans (the last artists to grow up on classic country music) have been pushed out in favor of younger artists who meet demographic needs but have little knowledge of or appreciation for what it took to make their careers possible. This pattern is cyclical and leaves behind those who refer to the past as ‘the good ole days’ when country music still had a soul.
Those unworthy younger performers, of which there are too many to mention, are nowhere to be found, which begs a question – are they subtly making the claim that no one, save Brett Eldridge (who adds is voice to the mix), is truly worthy of carrying the torch for the next generation? It also saves the track from coming off as a laughing stock.
“Forever Country” could’ve exercised a bit more imagination than having Dolly being Dolly at the end, there are legends missing I would’ve liked to have seen included and it’s odd to have Jason Aldean (who was shut out of the nominations entirely) figure so prominently. But the intention and heart of the project is carried out in execution, which is why “Forever Country” shines so brightly. It’s the gimmick that succeeds in not being gimmicky at all. It’s far from the greatest recording I’ve ever heard, but it is a welcomed surprise. I’ll take it.
Grade: A
1955 (Sales): Love, Love, Love/If You Were Me — Webb Pierce (Decca)
1955 (Jukebox): That Do Make It Nice/Just Call Me Lonesome — Eddy Arnold (RCA)
1955 (Disc Jockeys): I Don’t Care — Webb Pierce (Decca)
1965: Hello Vietnam — Johnnie Wright (Decca)
1975: Hope You’re Feelin’ Me (Like I’m Feelin’ You) — Charley Pride (RCA)
1985: You Make Me Want To Make You Mine — Juice Newton (RCA)
1995: She’s Every Woman — Garth Brooks (Capitol)
2005: Better Life — Keith Urban (Capitol)
2015: Strip It Down — Luke Bryan (Capitol)
2015 (Airplay): Lose My Mind — Brett Eldredge (Atlantic)
To celebrate their 50th anniversary, The Academy of Country Music Awards is being held at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, TX this Sunday on CBS. Blake Shelton is returning for his fifth year as host while Luke Bryan will co-host for the third consecutive time. Notable performers include George Strait, Reba McEntire, Garth Brooks, and Dierks Bentley along with the usual mainstream country suspects. Nick Jonas and Christina Aguilera will also take the stage as part of unique duets.
Along with the regular awards, the ACM will also be handing out specially designed 50th anniversary Milestone Awards to Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Brooks & Dunn, Reba McEntire, Garth Brooks and George Strait. (Swift is expected to accept in person despite distancing herself from the genre).
Check out the nominations, here.
Entertainer of the Year
Garth Brooks, who has six previous wins, is nominated for the first time since 2001 in a year that saw him break ticket sale records, but underwhelm with his Man Against Machine album. The absence of Taylor Swift, George Strait and Tim McGraw left the category open for some fresh blood, resulting in Florida Georgia Line’s first nomination.
Should Win: Garth Brooks – he continues to show how it’s done, twenty-five years after his debut.
Will Win: Luke Bryan – he’ll ride his CMA momentum all the way to the finish line, scoring his second win in three nominations.
Male Vocalist of the Year
Despite eight previous nominations with five wins, it’s not shocking to see Brad Paisley included here. But after such an underwhelming year, it’s still surprising to see him included in a six-way tie. Dierks Bentley scores his second nomination in ten years, while half of the remaining four consist of previous winners. Jason Aldean has taken home this award for the past two years.
Should Win: Dierks Bentley – His only previous nomination came in 2005, while he was still in the promotional cycle for his sophomore album. His stature has only risen in the years since, with critical acclaim and consistent support from country radio, making him long overdue for his turn in the spotlight.
Will Win: Luke Bryan – He’s arguably the biggest male artist in country music right now, eclipsing Aldean, Eric Church, and Blake Shelton with his stadium show, fast rising singles, and immense popularity. There’s little chance he’ll walk away empty handed, taking home his first win on his third consecutive nomination.
1955 (Sales): In The Jailhouse Now — Webb Pierce (Decca)
1955 (Jukebox): In The Jailhouse Now — Webb Pierce (Decca)
1955 (Disc Jockeys): In The Jailhouse Now — Webb Pierce (Decca)
1965: King of the Road — Roger Miller (Smash)
1975: Before The Next Teardrop Falls — Freddy Fender (ABC/Dot)
1985: Seven Spanish Angels — Willie Nelson with Ray Charles (Columbia)
1995: This Woman And This Man — Clay Walker (Giant)
2005: That’s What I Love About Sunday — Craig Morgan (Broken Bow)
2015: Take Your Time — Sam Hunt (MCA)
2015 (Airplay): Mean To Me — Brett Eldredge (Atlantic)
1954 (Sales): I Don’t Hurt Anymore — Hank Snow (RCA)
1954 (Jukebox): Slowly — Webb Pierce (Decca)
1954 (Disc Jockeys): I Don’t Hurt Anymore — Hank Snow (RCA)
1964: My Heart Skips A Beat — Buck Owens (Capitol)
1974: This Time — Waylon Jennings (RCA)
1984: When We Make Love — Alabama (RCA)
1994: Wink — Neal McCoy (Atlantic)
2004: Redneck Woman — Gretchen Wilson (Epic)
2014: This Is How We Roll — Florida Georgia Line ft. Luke Bryan (Republic Nashville)
2014 (Airplay): Beat of the Music — Brett Eldredge (Atlantic)
1953 (Sales): A Dear John Letter — Jean Shepard & Ferlin Husky (Capitol)
1953 (Jukebox): Rub-A-Dub-Dub — Hank Thompson (Capitol)
1953 (Disc Jockeys): It’s Been So Long — Webb Pierce (Decca)
1963: Ring of Fire — Johnny Cash (Columbia)
1973: Everybody’s Had The Blues — Merle Haggard (Capitol)
1983: You’re Gonna Ruin My Bad Reputation — Ronnie McDowell (Epic)
1993: Can’t Break It To My Heart — Tracy Lawrence (Atlantic)
2003: It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere — Alan Jackson with Jimmy Buffett (Arista)
2013: That’s My Kind Of Night — Luke Bryan (Capitol)
2013 (Airplay): Don’t Ya — Brett Eldredge (Atlantic)
1953 (Sales): Hey Joe!— Carl Smith (Columbia)
1953 (Jukebox): It’s Been So Long — Webb Pierce (Decca)
1953 (Disc Jockeys): It’s Been So Long — Webb Pierce (Decca)
1963: Ring of Fire — Johnny Cash (Columbia)
1973: Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man — Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn (MCA)
1983: Love Song — The Oak Ridge Boys (MCA)
1993: Why Didn’t I Think Of That — Doug Stone (Epic)
2003: It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere — Alan Jackson with Jimmy Buffett (Arista)
2013: Cruise — Florida Georgia Line (Republic Nashville)
2013 (Airplay): Don’t Ya — Brett Eldredge (Atlantic)
The newest country-themed film, Country Strong is due out next January, with an early release just before Christmas in Nashville and LA. The music is much more mainstream than it was in Crazy Heart, the last such movie, and indeed two singles are currently in the lower reaches of the country charts. The tracks are all new recordings, some from actors in the film, others from a selection of country artists. A variety of producers have been used, and the music ranges from traditional to pop country.
Actress Gwyneth Paltrow, who plays a successful country singer in the movie, sings four of the songs. Her singing is perfectly competent, if a little colorless; it’s hard to say without seeing the film whether this is in character with the part she’s playing. The theme tune is one of the two radio singles. It’s a pleasant enough generic contemporary song, produced by Byron Gallimore, which makes it perfectly convincing as a hit single. Vince Gill and Patty Loveless sing backing vocals but are too far back in the mix to be heard. ‘Coming Home’ is a rather boring and awkwardly phrased pop-country ballad written by Bob DiPiero, Tom Douglas, Hillary Lindsey and Troy Verges, and drowned in strings. Gwyneth rocks out Gretchen Wilson-style in ‘Shake That Thing’ (written by Mark Irwin, Josh Kear and Chris Tompkins), and while this is yelled and tuneless, it should be pretty convincing in the context of the movie. She duets with Tim McGraw (who also has a role in the film) on the breakup-themed rock ballad ‘Me And Tennessee’, written by Paltrow’s real-life rock star husband Chris Martin, who also plays acoustic guitar on the track.
Oddly, McGraw does not get any solo cuts here; maybe Curb wouldn’t allow it. Starlet Leighton Meester (best known for her TV role in Gossip Girl) covers a Rascal Flatts song, ‘Words I Couldn’t Say’, which is less histrionic than the original, but not particularly interesting, and Leighton’s vocals sound rather processed and like a slightly more tuneful Taylor Swift. The best of the actors’ songs is the gruff-voiced Garrett Hedlund who is very effective on ‘Chances Are’, a very good song written by Nathan Chapman, Lori McKenna and Liz Rose, and produced by Frank Liddell and Luke Wooten. I understand Hedlund’s role is as a singer-songwriter, and he certainly sounds the part here on this drawled, half-rueful confession of a man’s inadequacies:
I used to give a damn
I used to try real hard but I’ll give in tonight, chances are
One foot on the narrow way and one foot on the ledge
Sifting through the devil’s lies for what the Good Book says
If I’m going anywhere
I’ll probably go too far
Probably away from you, chances are
This track was the real surprise package on this record.
Country fans will be most interested in the new tracks from established artists. We’ve already heard Sara Evans’ latest single, ‘A Little Bit Stronger’, a pleasant but rather bland positive ballad about coping with adversity, which has grown on me since it was first released as the lead single for both this album and Sara’s long-awaited next solo album (said to be entitled Stronger and possibly now due early next year). Her voice at least sounds lovely on this Tony Brown-produced and Luke Laird/Hillary Lindsey/Hillary Scott-penned number. Like Sara, Faith Hill has been silent for some time, and returns here with a forgettable AC-leaning ballad, ‘Give In To Me’, produced by Jay Joyce, which is soothing and sounds as though it will be background music for a love scene, and goes on a bit too long.
Chris Young and Patty Loveless team up on a duet written by Marv Green and Troy Olsen, and was produced by James Stroud, which must have been the original theme song. ‘Love Don’t Let Me Down’ was the original title for the movie, and it is a decent song, but not a particularly memorable one. It feels like a waste of this pairing of two of the best voices in country music. Trace Adkins reminds us he really can sing well on the reflective Natalie Hemby/Troy Jones song ‘Timing Is Everything’. Nicely produced by Kenny Beard with some lovely fiddle from Larry Franklin, this fine song about the role of chance in our lives is sensitively interpreted by Trace, and rather better than most of the material on his current album.
My Kind of Country 