Country Bites News snippets July 16 – July 20, 2012
Links/ Sources shown in RED
UK & IRISH News
Jimmy Buckley, Robert Mizzell and Patrick Feeney had their own following as solo performers. The three friends then came up with the idea of joining forces to do some concerts together under the name THE Three Amigos and it has proved to be very successful constantly packing in the crowds in recent years.
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| The Three Amigos |
Apart from their repertoire of songs spanning several styles, they also perform hilarious comedy sketches. Now, The Three Amigos have put their names in the hat to follow Jedward and become the next act to represent Ireland
They also put out the call asking all songwriters in Ireland
"We are deadly serious about representing Ireland
"Although I'm an American, I've lived here for over 20 years and it would be a great honour to represent the country in that event.
"The Eurovision is all about finding the right song. I have no doubt that, with all the talent in this country,we'll get a great song that suits us and the Eurovision." "What's really exciting is where we can go with The Three Amigos musically, as well as career-wise," he says.
Jimmy Buckley also sees The Three Amigos as an opportunity to do huge events like the Eurovision - "While I still enjoy doing what I do as a solo performer, The Three Amigos is an exciting project as it has the potential to give us an international career," he says.THE Three Amigos will perform for one night only over the coming months at the Hotel Kilmore, Cavan, Thursday, August 30.
KRIS Kristofferson has announced a second Dublin Belfast
Ballina singer Gerry Guthrie, has just released a new summer track, an old time waltz, called Give Me A Good Country Song.
Grammy winning “country trio” Lady Antebellum took a break from the European leg of their headlining OWN THE NIGHT 2012 WORLD TOUR on Saturday (July 14) to open for music icon Bruce Springsteen in London’s Hyde Park (photo). The trio continues their run of European dates this week with another show in London followed by stops in Birmingham , UK (7/17), Zurich , Switzerland (7/19), Frankfurt , Germany (7/20) and Munich and Germany
(Released 15 July) Teea Goans sophomore album THAT’S JUST ME on the Crosswind label – Amazon.uk MP3 Downloads – UK iTunes
Get to know Teea and her story here >> YouTube
Teea performs on "Bill Anderson's 50th Anniversary Celebration >> YouTube
(Released July 17) Billy Joe Shaver feat. Heart of Texas LIVE AT BILLY BOB’S TEXAS
AUSSIE NEWS
Glen Campbell has cancelled his tour of Australia and New Zealand
Doctors have advised the Wichita Lineman singer that travelling Down Under may be too much of a strain. The 76-year-old is battling Alzheimer's disease.
Campbell has been performing on a farewell tour since going public with his diagnosis last year and said he was "very disappointed" to let down his fans. A statement from the promoter reads: "Glen apologises and is very disappointed that he is unable to perform for his New Zealand Los Angeles
Jetty Road's latest hit Sweet Goodbye has taken over the top spot on this week's national Country Tracks Top 30 singles chart.
Carrie Underwood is up one to number two with Good Girl while Adam Harvey's number one from the last four weeks – Dig Two Graves – is at three and McAlister Kemp's Cool Beer Hot Women is at four.
CANADIAN NEWS
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| CCMA Logo |
The prestigious awards will be held this September in Saskatoon , SK.
"All of today's nominees deserve ample recognition for their excellence as well as their tremendous contribution to Canadian country music," said Don Green, Executive Director, CCMA. "This year's nominees reflect the depth of musical talent in Canada
The 2012 nominations see celebrated Canadian country sensation Johnny Reid leading the pack, he is nominated for a staggering total of eight Canadian Country Music Awards.
Dean Brody follows very closely behind Johnny Reid with seven nominations.
Securing six 2012 CCMA Award nominations is country star Gord Bamford.
Jason Blaine has been nominated for four CCMA Awards
Terri Clark (Fan's Choice, Album of the Year, Female Artist of the Year) has been nominated for three CCMA Awards so to have The Stellas and Hey Romeo. (CCMA Press) - 2012 CCMA Awards Nominees - Full Listing
NEWS
Kitty Wells, legendary "Queen of Country Music", passed away on July 16th, at the age of 92.
Born Ellen Muriel Deason, Wells passed away peacefully with family by her side at her home Monday morning following complications from a stroke.Kitty Wells started her career with her late husband Johnnie Wright in 1937.
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| Kitty Wells Associated Press Image |
Kitty, born in Nashville
A shy, demure child, she grew up singing in the church choir. Having dropped out of school at 14 to work in a local shirt factory, Ellen teamed up with her sisters Mabel and Willie Mae and their cousin Bessie Choate to form the singing Deason Sisters. They were awarded a regular early morning programme on the Nashville
In 1952 she was the first female singer to reach No. 1 in the country charts with her song, "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels."
The very first female country super-celebrity of her time, she garnered 35 Billboard Top Ten records and 81 charted singles.
In 1976, she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame (photo). In 1991, she became the third country music artist, after Roy Acuff and Hank Williams, and the eighth woman to receive the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Dubbed as the "Queen of Country Music," Kitty Wells signature song, "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels," >> YouTube trailblazed the way for more Country female performers to come after her.
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| Kitty Wells Country Music Hall of Fame-1976 |
On May 3, 1952 Kitty Wells walked somewhat reluctantly into Castle Studios, accompanied by a band that featured her husband, Johnnie Wright, on a big, aluminum upright bass.By the time Wells walked out of the studio that day, she’d recorded two minutes and 33 seconds of material that would change the course of country music, make possible the careers of Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline and many others, and create a spot for Wells as one of the pioneering figures in country music.The tune which spent 15 weeks as the No. 1 Billboard country song was an "answer song" to Hank Thompson's hit "Wild Side of Life." Her lyrics flipped Thompson's lyrics from blaming a carousing woman for a man's sorrow into blaming men for "every heart that's ever broken." (Read more about Kitty Wells story at Tennessean.com)
“It wasn’t God who made honky tonk angels / As you said in the words of your song / Too many times married men think they’re still single / That has caused many a good girl to go wrong”
Kitty Wells Tributes:
Barbara Mandrell, a longtime friend of Kitty Wells, offers her comments on her mentor’s life and work:
“Kitty Wells was every female country music performer’s heroine. She lead the way for all of us and I feel very grateful and honored to have known her. She was always the most gracious, kind and lovely person to be around. I so appreciated her being a part of my life and a mentor to me.”
Emmylou Harris, said before Kitty Wells, it was considered unseemly for a woman to get on a bus with a bunch of men to tour. "She really paved the way for a lot of women to get on that bus and ride down the road."
"She was my hero," Loretta Lynn said in a written statement. "If I had never heard of Kitty Wells, I don't think I would have been a singer myself. I wanted to sound just like her, but as far as I am concerned, no one will ever be as great as Kitty Wells."
Lee Ann Womack told The Tennessean, "Country music lost an icon that we as females in country music hold up. She paved the way for generations after her and really made a mark for women in country. It's a tough business for women. She proved that she could sell records and tickets and have hits in a time when that hadn't been proven yet by female acts."
Gretchen Peters - "I was flying home to Nashville
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| Kitty Wells |
Kellie Pickler tweets “My heart cries over the loss of Ms Kitty Wells. She is and always will be the true Queen of Country Music”
Charlie Daniels Tweets “A Queen died today.The true Queen of country music, the lady who set the standard for all who followed . Rest in peace Kitty Wells “
Laura Cantrell – “Kitty Wells’ voice proved that country music made from an explicitly female point of view would resonate with all listeners”
Watch Laura's video tribute at www.thedailybeast.com
Watch Laura's video tribute at www.thedailybeast.com
Funeral services were held Friday 20th July at 1 p.m. at the Hendersonville Church of Christ. Burial will follow in Spring Hill Cemetery
Obituaries - Washington Post – NPR Remembers - musicrow.com - www.cmt.com
Sarah Buxton has unveiled her brand new band, Skyline Motel. Her new group is a collaborative effort that combines the talents of local artists Daniel Tashian, Kate York, and Ian Fitchuk along with Buxton. York has released three independent albums and has worked as an engineer and songwriter for over a decade in Nashville. Tashian has been a staff writer for Universal Music, Windswept Pacific/ Bug and is currently published by Big Yellow Dog Music in Nashville TN.
Don Williams was hospitalized last Thursdayevening (July 12) in Rhinelander WI prior to his concert with what has been diagnosed as a perforated ulcer. Don is making a good recovery and has been released from hospital and is now back home recuperating. (Sugarhill Records - Facebook)
Rock star turned Americana hero Robert Plant confirms the rumours of marriage to Band of Joy co-vocalist Patty Griffin with UK’s The Independent - "I eloped and ran off to Texas," is all he'll say, "So now I spend half my time there and half here." There, he lives in what he describes as 'an old crack house in Austin', a rented place infested with termites. "I tap my hand on the table and they fly out the walls in this huge cloud, like something from a Disney film."
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| Patty Griffin & Robert Plant (Credit Amy Price) |
Update: E! News received word from Plant’s U.K.-based manager that the couple is not married. According to the manager, Plant was “being cheeky” when he made the remarks.
“Robert has not married Patty Griffin. He was just referring to the fact that he’s been residing in Texas.” Griffin, 48, has had success as a songwriter and performer with hits recorded by the Dixie Chicks, Emmylou Harris, Miranda Lambert, Jessica Simpson and Kelly Clarkson. Plant, 63, was married to Maureen Wilson for 15 years before they divorced in 1983. They have three children together.
Texas country star Tracy Byrd and his wife Michele are among three people injured in a 2-car accident in Hardin County Tuesday afternoon.
Michele Byrd underwent two surgeries to her left foot due to the accident. She was in good spirits, taking to facebook around 8:30 p.m. thanking those who offered their condolences. She was inspired by a miracle and called herself blessed.
The accident happened shortly after 1 p.m. Tuesday on Highway 69 just north of Lumberton.
Department of Public Safety Trooper Stephanie Davis said Byrd and his wife were in a Ford Excursion (crash photo) on Highway 69 driving northbound when a woman driving a Toyota southbound turned left onto 327 and crossed into the path of the Excursion.
The two vehicles collided. The two from the Excursion and the driver of the Toyota were taken to the hospital for treatment. Davis said none of the three had injuries that were considered life threatening.
Davis said the driver of the Toyota was 64-year-old Jolliette Capo of Silsbee. She has been cited for failure to yield the right of way.
No other vehicles were involved in the accident.
Josh Thompson has exited the RCA roster, a label spokesman has confirmed. Thompson was signed to Columbia before moving to RCA in a corporate restructuring of Sony Music Nashville last year. Thompson released his debut album WAY OUT HERE for the label group in early 2010. His Top 40 hits include "Beer on the Table," "Way Out Here" and "Won't Be Lonely Long." His latest single, "Comin' Around," was intended to be the lead release from an upcoming album.
Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw’s Brothers of the Sun Tour is the highest-grossing summer tour, based on average box office gross per city, according to a recent report by Pollstar. The tour is grossing more than twice as much as tours by Roger Waters and Coldplay and has already sold nearly one million tickets.
Recent shows were loaded with guest appearances ranging from Ashton Kutcher, Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid and Steve Miller who joined Kenny on stage for renditions of his classics “Rock’n Me” and “The Joker” on Sunday at Oakland’s O.co Coliseum.
Adopted Celebrities: Did you Know....?
Mississippi native Faith Hill was adopted as an infant and raised along with her adoptive parents' two biological sons. In 1990, the country crooner began a search for her biological mother, Paula White, whom she eventually found and corresponded with until White's death in 2007. After getting in touch with her mother, Hill discovered that she has a half-brother and that her biological father was killed in a car crash when she was about 10 years old.
Country legend Willie Nelson was adopted by his paternal grandparents. Born during the Great Depression, Willie's mother abandoned her son soon after giving birth, while his father moved away and remarried. Willie himself has fathered seven children by multiple women.
Sarah McLachlan was adopted in Nova Scotia, Canada, by Jack and Dorice McLachlan and raised with the couple's two other adopted sons, Ian and Stewart. She was 9 years old when her parents told her they were not her biological mom and dad. Later in life, the singer met her birth mother, who was a 19-year-old artist when she became pregnant. McLachlan has given birth to two daughters of her own, whom she is now raising as a single mum.
SINGLE / ALBUM NEWS
Jason Aldean "Take A Little Ride With You"
On the heels of five consecutive No. one singles, Jason Aldean released the driving lead single “Take A Little Ride” from his upcoming fifth studio album on July 16th. The track is now available for purchase at US iTunes, and physical singles will be sold at Walmart stores in America
“Everyone has been asking if the new album is going to be different from the ‘My Kinda Party’ album,” said Aldean. “I tried to find the best songs that I could and also ones that fit what I do in my live show. There’s a little bit of everything, including some more traditional country stuff and some songs that might raise a few eyebrows. I thought this would be a great lead single to come with after ‘Fly Over States’…it’s about grabbing your girl and getting lost in the country. Sounds like a pretty good Friday night to me!”
“Take A Little Ride,” written by Dylan Altman, Rodney Clawson and Jim McCormick, carries Aldean’s distinct electric sound to a carefree summer night spent driving down country roads with a summer love and a six-pack.
Jason Aldean flew up the iTunes all-genre Singles chart this week to claim the No. one spot with the single. “We’ve never come out of the box and gone to No. one so quickly,” said Aldean. “I added the song into my set this weekend on the road for the first time, and everything is feeling really great out there. I couldn’t have asked for a better kick off for this new album…my fans are unbelievable.”
Unofficial Lyric Video - Take a Little Ride Lyrics >> YouTube
Rocker Bret Michaels, frontman of The Poison has recruited some big names for his next album a solo effort. He has teamed up with nearly a dozen well-known rockers and country musicians. Ranging from country legend Loretta Lynn to Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd to Rascal Flatts‘ Jay DeMarcus. The album ‘Bret Michaels and Friends: Get You Rock On.’ will drop in September.
On September 21, 2012 Bear Family Records are to release a Merle Haggard 4-CD box set (LP-format) with 68-page hardcover book, 111 tracks, total playing time approx. 6 hrs 38 mns. Merle Haggard's overlooked and underappreciated MCA recordings capture the great country singer-songwriter reemerging from his mid-career crossroads. 111 tracks spanning from 1976 to 1981, covering eight LPs plus the 'lost' album later sold to CBS. Four unissued songs, including the recently discovered original recording of 'Troubadour'. Three songs never on album, including 'The Bull And The Beaver', his #8 country duet with Leona Williams. (More Details)
The trio The Farm, which is comprised of Nick Hoffman (vocals, fiddle), Damien Horne (vocals, keyboard, guitar) and Krista Marie (vocals, guitar), released their self-titled album on Tuesday (7/17). The album release party took place at Nashville 's Fontanel Mansion
The Farm Inc. (Sounds Like: Zac Brown Band, Love and Theft and Jon Bon Jovi?)
Listen in Full to the album at music.aol.com
Credit Beck with shaping the sound of Dwight Yoakam's new album. The casual acquaintances finally got together in the studio after a few years of talking about it, and the two songs they did together helped point Yoakam along the way to 3 PEARS," his first album of original material since 2005.
"It really acted as a springboard I think for how I approached the execution of recording the rest of the album," Yoakam said in a phone interview.
"We kept it very simple in terms of offense, just myself, a drummer and a bass player — three of us laying the basic track down. I was doing what might be a scratch electric guitar and ended up in many cases being kept or being overdubbed by me to fully realize the emotional intent in how I was playing."
"We kept it very simple in terms of offense, just myself, a drummer and a bass player — three of us laying the basic track down. I was doing what might be a scratch electric guitar and ended up in many cases being kept or being overdubbed by me to fully realize the emotional intent in how I was playing."
Yoakam's first album in his return to Warner Bros. Records comes out Sept. 18. He's been working on the 12 songs for "3 Pears" since 2008 and jokingly describes the process as "reaaall reaaaallllll sloooww."
He started recording the album at Beck's home studio in California
"He said, 'You and I both know five guys we could call right now who would play circles around this maybe, but it won't be THAT,'" Yoakam recalled.
Yoakam said the recordings reflected the emotion in the song, rather than the precision of the notes, which was key. The entire album is full of emotion and offers Yoakam's first love songs in 25 years. (CBS NEWS)
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of his acclaimed album Del Rio, TX, 1959, singer-songwriter Radney Foster will release Del Rio, Texas, Revisited: Unplugged and Lonesome on his own Devil’s River Records on Aug. 14.
Foster’s new Del Rio, TX Revisited: Unplugged and Lonesome reinvents his hallmark solo debut.
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| Radney Foster Album artwork |
“This time everyone was in the same room, with live takes with no fixes and no headphones,” says Steve Fishell, who produced the original Del Rio and played guitars on Revisited. “We have all new tempos and new grooves. Imagine the original version of Eric Clapton’s ‘Layla’ compared to his 1992 live unplugged version and you’ll get the idea.”
Gloriously transformed high watermarks include “Don’t Say Goodbye,” “A Fine Line” and “Went For A Ride.” Elsewhere are timeless favorites (“Old Silver”) and new bonus additions (“Me and John R.”). The album was recorded with musicians Dixie Chick Martie McGuire (fiddle), Jon Randall Stewart (guitar), Glenn Fukunaga (doghouse bass), Michael Ramos (keyboard) and Fishell at Austin’s Cedar Creek Recording. (Source radneyfoster.com )
Little Big Town will release their fifth studio album entitled TORNADO September 11, 2012. The album was recorded in Nashville, TN with producer Jay Joyce (Wallflowers/Eric Church/Cage The Elephant) and features hit single “Pontoon.”
“I am so excited for people to hear this new record,” said Jimi Westbrook. “We worked with Jay Joyce and he really pushed us to be in the moment. There was such an amazing energy between all of us in the studio and I think you can feel it
Source/Track Listing/ Writers - www.littlebigtown.com
ARTICLES
After the Gold Rush country veterans who are teaming up with indie labels.
Artist manager Marc Dottore knows how hard it can be to sell a recording artist on taking this sort of leap. "You were hungry," he says. "You worked really hard. You got a record deal. You got a hit. Things got good. You made money. You were playing stadiums. You got a nice house. When you're [used to] making six-figure records and getting big advances and all the sudden somebody like me walks up and says, 'You should make a $30,000, down-and-dirty record and put it out with Sugar Hill [Records],' [you're] like 'What?!' "……Read Full Article
INTERVIEWS
Gloriana’s lovely Rachel Reinert was interviewed with MSN’s Wonderwall. An excerpt:
WW: How have things changed for you since the success of your debut album?
Rachel Reinert: Pretty much everything has totally changed for us. We were very green when we started this whole thing, to be out on the road. And not to mention the fact that basically our first big tour was right out the gate with Taylor Swift. I think, basically, that kind of really skewed our whole idea of what road life is like, because we got so spoiled getting to play in front of sold-out crowds every single day. [We went] from that to really having to pay our dues, as far as playing some harder shows and having to figure out how to win a crowd over, but then also sprinkling in getting to play with a ton of other artists and see how they do things and get really inspired by that
WW: How will your upcoming album, "A Thousand Miles Left Behind," be different from the last album?
RR: [We've] changed a lot musically. We really wanted to get out and make much more organic-sounding records and to really be able to tell our stories. It's personal to us and we're very proud of it. This record just really displays a lot of that growth from over the last few years
WATCH
Released on July 9 on Render Records here is the brand new video for the single "Car That Runs" from Castaic, CA
Lisa describes her music as “country with a little soul and a bluesy feel"...If Bonnie Raitt invited Trisha Yearwood to join her onstage, you'd get a little feel of Lisa's music.
Photo - Lisa Torres (Facebook)
COUNTRY GOSSIP
Jennifer Nettles duet partner, J. Rome won ‘Duets’ on the American Reality ABC TV Show. Jennifer says her pregnancy cravings include spicy Mexican food and vinegar.
Ronnie Dunn parted ways with his label, he’s using Facebook to vent writing, “wanna know the music business game? The people in power want their bonus and nothing will stand in the way. Your record starts falling down the chart and you have trouble getting paid. That's the game powerful people play.”
Keith Urban’s nickname in Australia years ago was, “Nicole Kidman’s handbag.”
Sara Evans told Fitness magazine besides walking her dog she tries to play tennis daily and says after 2 hours you don’t even realize you’re exercising it’s so much fun. On music, Sara says if she could collaborate with any artist, any genre, it would be Eminem. Read full story at www.fitnessmagazine.com
It’s officially summer vacation and Martina McBride and her family are soaking up the sun. “We are moving to Los Angeles for the next few weeks!” she wrote in her blog. “My middle daughter, Emma, has always wanted to try her hand at acting and so we have enrolled her in a couple of acting classes and workshops in LA this month so that she can see if it’s something she wants to pursue.”
Martina promised to keep fans updated on everything happening with her and her family throughout the summer. “I have a feeling something really magical is going to happen, not only for Emma, but for all of us,” she wrote. “Stay tuned.”
COUNTRY OLYMPICS
The 2012 Country Music Version of the London Olympics
Charlie Cook predicts which Country Music artists would win specific events. Example
Shooting
Gold: Craig Morgan (Photo) -
Silver: Miranda Lambert
Bronze: Rodney Atkins
"Already established that these three people are armed and are good shots" Read rest of his predictions here
CountryRoutesBlog pick for:
Team US “Country Style” :)
John “Still Carrying A Flame” Miller
Jamey “Flying Silver Eagle ”Johnson
Claire “Silver & Gold” Lynch
Beach Volleyball Dream Team:
Carrie Underwood, Kellie Pickler, Laura Bell Bundy, LeAnn Rimes, Grace Potter and Dolly Parton!
4 x 100 Relay team - Lady "I Run To You" Antebullum + Darryl “A Good Day To Run” Worley or Garth “Calling Baton Rouge” Brooks
Triple Jump - Skip Ewing
Hammer - Alan “Hard Hat & A Hammer” Jackson
Marathon - Buddy “I’d Run” Jewell
Men's 50km Race Walk - Clay Walker, Jerry Jeff Walker
Swimming - Sammy “If You're Gonna Walk, I'm Gonna Crawl” Kershaw
Boxing - Josh “Punching Bag” Turner, Jerry “The Boxer” Douglas
Archery – Broken Bow recording artist Jason Aldean
Shooting – Shooter Jennings, Trace “Til The Last Shot's Fired” Adkins, The Pistol Annies
Rowing - Amy “Row Row Row” Speace, George “Neon Row” Strait
Sailing - Claire “Be Ready To Sail” Lynch, Ashton “Beer On A Boat” Shepherd
Cycling - Jo De “Biker Chick” Messina, Jana Kramer
Weightlifting – Susie McEntire (See photo!)
Equestrian - Toby “Beer For My Horses” Keith
Did You Know? - Nathalie Péchalat and Fabian Bourzat skated to American country music at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games Photo
TWEETS
Blake Shelton’s in the studio recording a Christmas record tweeted “wish y’all could be here, we’re recording the orchestra for my Christmas album!”
Shania tweeted news of the commercial to her fans on Thursday evening: Check out my new commercial for my shows @CaesarsPalace ! It has a horse, a tiger, and Celine Dion. Fierce. >> YouTube
PHOTO
CBS RADIO Country KILT/HOUSTON hosted its 1st annual GIRLS WITH GUITARS concert, at the ARENA THEATRE, with 2,000 listeners on hand. The G-W-G all female lineup featured a combination of talented singer/song-writers both from NASHVILLE
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