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Kings of Country Music and the Future

editor — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:03:51 +0000

Taylor Swift

When a genre of music becomes popular it seems that it is distorted in every way possible so that everyone can fit into the genre and market it to the masses. This is what is happening now with country music as you had the success of Taylor Swift who is a mix of country, pop, and folk but she was definitely not the first country act to use a pop edge to make her point and gain new fans.

As country music came into the forefront in the early 90′s it had always before been seen as only something that those who lived in rural America could listen to and was seen as corny to many of the so called mainstream music fans. The early 90′s country music brought artists such as Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, and of course the funny but catchy Billy Ray Cyrus song “Achy Breaky Heart.” It only continued throughout the 90′s with over twenty pop influenced artists logging top ten hits.

There have been many artists who have started their careers before the country music pop revolution and still maintain relevancy. You could argue that these are the real artists of country music as they have not followed trends but instead stood up to the test of time and still create music that is as popular as ever. You cannot start mentioning these types of artists without talking about artists such as George Strait, Alan Jackson, and more. You also have newer country artists who are more traditional such as Brad Paisley who is selling out tour dates all over the country and has been for years now. To call Brad Paisley newer is a stretch as he has been in the music industry for almost two decades now but if you compare him to George Strait and others he is fairly young.

There are many new country music artists who have been popping up for a year or so and then fade into oblivion where you do not ever hear a mention of their names. There have been a few country artists as of late who seem to be in it for the long run such as Blake Shelton, Ashton Shepherd, Miranda Lambert, and others. It is tough in the music industry today to stay relevant and have a successful career. This is why Taylor Swift’s story is so intriguing because even though she is not completely country she still has many country values and a slight twang in some of her songs but yet still appeals to a massive fan base of mostly younger listeners. The lyrical content of country has not changed over the years as it is still about love, hard times, and family but that is something that will probably never change in country music.

Brandon Jonson is a writer for BusinessRaid.com a business and product review site that has an Instyler Review [http://businessraid.com/instyler-rotating-hair-iron-review], Ally Bank Review [http://businessraid.com/ally-bank-review], and more.

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We Are The World 25

editor — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 01:52:21 +0000

Pickler Gets In Shape

editor — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:24:27 +0000

Kellie Is In Shape

NASHVILLE, TN – After taking a few weeks off during the Christmas holiday, singer songwriter Kellie Pickler is already packing her bags for another eventful year which begins with her third USO Tour.

In preparation for the trip Pickler Tweeted, “Started packing for my USO Tour. Think I’m gonna leave the Red High Heels at home for this trip. It’s easier to jump in/out of helicopters in flats.”

Although details of the trip are kept secret, past tours have included visits to troops in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, Germany, and last year the other artists on the tour included Kid Rock and The Zac Brown Band. This year, in addition to Kellie, Jamey Johnson and Randy Houser will be on the Tour.

Pickler can be seen in the January issue of Shape Magazine where she’s featured on the “Healthy Hollywood” page, and she talks

USO Tour Bound

about eating healthy, hanging out with happy people and

surrounding herself with people that inspire her. She also talks about her Kindle and what she’s currently reading.

As her current hit single, “Didn’t You Know How Much I Loved You ,” continues to climb the country singles chart, it follows in the wake of her Top 10 single, “Best Days Of Your Life,” both from her current self-titled album. The music video was fan-voted one of the Top Ten videos of 2009 on GAC.

Lady A: Need You Now

editor — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:42:15 +0000

Cassanova Cowboy: Carrie’s New Song

admin — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:54:10 +0000

Redneck Out At Sony

admin — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 23:46:49 +0000

Gretchen Wilson

Here’s a shocker from Gretchen Wilson’s label (or former label) Sony Music’s Columbia Nashville:

“Gretchen Wilson and her longtime record label group, Sony Music Nashville, have mutually decided to part ways. The Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter and Best Selling author, who exploded on to the country music scene and the national spotlight in 2004 with her smash hit “Redneck Woman,” released three No. 1 albums with Here For The Party, All Jacked Up, and One Of The Boys. Though Wilson will no longer record with the label as a solo artist, both parties look forward to working together on future catalogue projects.”

Wilson has been struggling to find radio hits and thus sales success since der debut CD “Here For the Party.”

Dead On Arrival – Miranda’s New CD

admin — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:14:35 +0000

Miranda Lambert on Country Weekly

NASHVILLE, TN – With her new song, “Dead Flowers” taking root in Country radio’s Top 40, Miranda Lambert will unleash her third album, Revolution on September 29. The rave reviews continue to pour in on her self-penned, debut single including a “Hot Download” review in the current issue of People Magazine that proclaims Miranda “gets to the heart of the matter on the break up ballad, ‘Dead Flowers.’”

On the new album Miranda said, “I think this record is truly the most artistic project I have ever done. I really put my entire being into the making of it. From the writing to the recording to finding the perfect mixture of things I wanted to say. The inspiration was easy to come by, because it’s a compilation of everything I have ever listened to and fell in love with. It’s not an album where you listen from song to song, it’s a state of mind, a way of life. I hope people have as much fun getting to know me through listening as I did getting to know myself in recording it. And maybe it will do just as its title says….start a REVOLUTION.”

Revolution, the follow-up to Miranda’s sophomore album Crazy Ex- Girlfriend which won the 2008 ACM Album of the Year Award, continues her evolution as an artist. She alone wrote three songs on the album and co-wrote a majority of the balance with a cross-section of writers including Blake Shelton, Ashley Monroe, Allen Shamblin and Lady Antebellum’s Dave Haywood and Charles Kelley who lends background vocals on “Love Song.”

A cornerstone of Miranda’s music is her independence and diversity and that is further illustrated with song credits by the legendary and Grammy winning John Prine and the highly revered Julie Miller. And, as always, the breadth of the album ranges from love and contentment to crime and transgression.

Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke return to produce Revolution and final touches are being made in preparation of the September 29 release date. The two-time Grammy nominee has seen both of her previous albums debut at Number One on the Country Album Chart. Miranda continues to tour the country with superstar Kenny Chesney and will help closeout The CMA Music Festival on Sunday night with a performance at LP Field.

Alan Jackson Hits Through Another Decade

admin — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 17:30:57 +0000

Arista Record's Alan Jackson

A Brief History of Country Music Legend Alan Jackson
By Brandon Jonson

Many consider him one of the kings of country music and others consider him a living legend in music period. Born in Newnan, Georgia in 1968, Alan Eugene Jackson would go on to sell over fifty million albums and growing as his career has spanned over three decades now.

Beginning in the 1980′s when influenced by the new type of country music that was considered new traditional at the time and now is considered just traditional country as the new modern country music is a more pop influenced sound. During the 80′s Alan Jackson influenced the whole country music scene being known for playing some of the top country dance music and being able to turn the next song into a slow story telling ballad. This is what has made Alan Jackson so versatile in his career and having the longevity that many never see. Even though Alan Jackson was always a very popular figure in country music he didn’t reach huge mainstream success until his song “Remember When” in which the music video for the song featured his wife, Denise, and their two daughters. As well Alan Jackson has named George Jones as a huge influence on his career.

During the 90′s Alan Jackson continued his success blending in modern country with his traditional style of honky-tonk. Through this time and into the 2000′s he has charted over fifty number one hits. In his career he has received or been nominated for numerous awards such as CMA, ASCAP, and won a Grammy Award for his song “When the World Stopped Turning” which was about the events on September, 11th. In a career that has spanned over twenty years with number one hits starting in 1990 and continuing with his latest number one hits in 2008 with “Country Boy” and the dance hit “Good Time.” Already a member of the country music hall of fame, Alan Jackson shows no sign of slowing down in his legendary career.

Alan Jackson of course still plays today with his last album charting just as many singles as those past. As well the song “Good Time” from his newest record not only set the world record for the longest line dance but also was named one of the top dance tracks of the year. Alan Jackson will go down as a legend in music history and shows no sign of stopping.

Brandon Jonson is a writer for the country music publication Nashville4U as well as freelances for various regional publications.

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People Names Hottest Country Stars

admin — Sat, 16 May 2009 02:13:30 +0000

On May 15, PEOPLE Country will publish its latest newsstand–only issue dedicated to the Country music scene and Country lifestyle. This edition, the second of five special Country issues to be published by PEOPLE in 2009, names “Country’s Hottest Guys” and explains why these 12 sexy men know how to turn up the heat and make female fans swoon. Country’s Hottest Guys, according to PEOPLE Country are, in alphabetical order:

Trace Adkins – The Roughneck Jake Owen – The Catch

Dierks Bentley – The Free Spirit Brad Paisley – The Charmer

Luke Bryan – The Smooth Talker Blake Shelton – The Joker

Kenny Chesney – The Heartbreaker Josh Turner – The Family Man

Jack Ingram – The Marathon Man Keith Urban – The Heartthrob

Tim McGraw – The Great Romantic Chuck Wicks – The Leading Man

Trace Adkins shares with PEOPLE Country his take on why the ladies love country boys: “It gets down to the caveman basics – women know a guy raised in the country can provide for her, feed her and shelter her no matter what the circumstances. That boy from the country is going to take care of you.”

Paisley Makes The List... and The Issue

Brad Paisley credits his sense of humor with helping him snag his wife of six years, actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley. “It’s probably 98 percent of why she’s with me,” he says. “Humor is the great equalizer, just like music. If you can make a woman laugh, you’ll get to talk to her longer. For me it was a vital thing, especially in my awkward high school years when I was 98 lbs. When I learned how to be funny, it was life-changing.”

PEOPLE Country asked Keith Urban’s female colleagues to sum up his sex appeal. Sarah Buxton says that “Keith walks that fine line between bad boy, risk taker and family man.” Heidi Newfield adds, “He’s got an edgy, organic, rock-and-roll vibe to him. He walks onstage and my eye is drawn to him. He’s just hot!” Single at 27, Jake Owen is still looking for the one. “When I find the right girl…the woman that I marry, I’m going to make her the happiest person ever. She deserves to be,” says Owen.

Tune-in to PEOPLE Country on CMT for a 30-minute CMT special that will bring the pages of PEOPLE Country to life, with exclusive, behind-the-scenes footage of photo shoots and interviews (Brad Paisley, Kellie Pickler, Paula Deen and Chuck Wicks). The special premieres Friday, May 15at 1:30 p.m. ET/PT, and will encore on Saturday, May 16 at 1:30 p.m. ET/PT and Sunday, May 17 at 11:00 a.m. ET/PT.

Pop Goes The Country: Darius, Kid Rock, Jessica Simpson and Jewel CD Releases

admin — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 02:22:00 +0000

Looks like there is a cross over class of 2008 brewing in country music. Unlike more recent years the flow is coming over to country instead of the other way around (ala Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift, and Carrie Underwood). Seems four former pop chart toppers are trying to break into the country set. Jewel, Jessica Simpson, Darius Rucker and Kid Rock have all released singles to radio’s number one format. Each with differing levels of success.

Country radio has always been fickle to pop. On one hand they love being associated with the hip and now. On the other hand what the audience tends to really embrace is the traditional hat acts.

History has allowed a few special songs to sneak through and blossom in country. In 1974 Olivia Newton John broke through with a string of top tens including “I Honestly Love You” and “Have You Never Been Mellow.” Ray Charles leveraged great songs and duets with country stars for a few hits in 1985. And The Bellamy Brothers started with a pop number one in 1976 (Let Your Love Flow) before putting out ten Billboard country number ones. In more recent years the pop invasion has been in the form of duets (‘NSync with Alabama in 1999) with “God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You, and Jennifer Nettles with Bon Jovi with the number one “Who Says You Can’t Go Home.”

However few artists, if any, that have been able to maintain much of a streak. However in the last few months it looks like there’s a couple of rockers that may have a shot. A few other pop beauties are hitting and missing.

Jewel released her debut country single to critical success but radio was relatively cautious with the song “Stronger Woman” on the album “Perfectly Clear.” The album debuted at #1 on the Country Album charts and the single stalled out at #13.

Jessica Simpson is facing a similar response, Although first week sales have yet to be released for her country album “Do You Know” the lead single has also stalled in the teens. To make things more difficult there are disputed reports of her being booed by country fans in Wisconsin and rumors of a show business feud with country music’s darling Carrie Underwood.

Amazingly there are two artists breaking through the noise with pure hit songs. Kid Rock finds himself with the 2008 song of the summer and country radio has jumped on the bandwagon for the ride on a heavily sampled homage to Skynyrd and Warren Zevon with “All Summer Long.” Most country programmers will admit the song if far from traditional country but is so fun it gets a pass. It doesn’t hurt that Kid Rock already has 2003’s hit “Picture” in rotation on many stations. That song (with Sheryl Crow) was a major pop smash that only charted at 21 in Billboard and ended up having much more longevity than ever expected. Don’t expect another country song any time soon from Rock but he’s now chalked up two biggies.

Now comes a country debut from Hootie and The Blowfish front man Darius Rucker. “Learn to Live” is a fantastic, mainstream country sounding, batch of solid music. The project (he swears this is not just a “project” but a “career change”) has not been over sold. “The label and I agreed we were not going to over hype this we were just going to put it out there.” He says. The lead single “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It” is now on the cusp of becoming an unlikely number one that should stick around after it’s peak. Almost all of the album’s 12 tracks are co-written by Rucker and some of Nashville’s finest. Seven of the cuts could easily become top hits on the radio where playlists are often cherry picked by middle aged dudes that probably were into The Blowfish to begin with.

Expect the single “All I Want” to follow “Don’t Think” and have similar success. The fun song wisely features Brad Paisley’s picking and screams the answer to the question “can he have more than one?” Yes! It will be interesting to hear that song when Rucker join’s Paisley on Tour in the coming months.

Other potential number ones include “It Won’t be Like This For Long” (a “daddy” song that’s already getting some prerelease tributes on YouTube), the inspirational singalong “While I Still Have The Time” and a new twist on the country drinkin’ song called “Drinkin’ and Dialin’.” Rucker has a strong break through and it’s all on the merits of getting it all right: great vocals, solid country production, and hit song writing. All that and it’s nice to note he’s breaking through as the first African American to crack country’s top ten since Charley Pride in the 80’s.

My Grades:
Rucker: A Country with potential longevity
Simpson: C- Country’s core wants something real.
Jewel: C OK, but not embraced.
Kid Rock: B+ for the Big hit.
Don’t Miss: “ I Hope They Get To Me In Time” a brilliantly written (the only track on the CD not penned by Rucker) life flashes before your eyes surprise that will be a dark favorite for some.