By the second half of the 20th century, country music was big business. Radio, records, television and movies all played a part in its popularity, but its artists and its songs were still at the forefront, even as profits soared or slumped. The second half of Ken Burns’ Country Music begins in 1964 and runs through the mid-Nineties, exploring everything from the rise of the Bakersfield Sound to the pop-country explosion of the Seventies, right up to Garth Brooks’ unprecedented approach to superstardom. Rolling Stone Country looks at 10 key moments from...
- 9/22/2019
- by Stephen L. Betts
- Rollingstone.com
John Prine has released a new video in which he trades verses on his 1971 classic “Paradise” with Kentucky-raised country singer Kelsey Waldon.
The song will be released as a 7” vinyl single, with the B-side featuring a cover of the Merle Travis song “Kentucky Means Paradise.” The recording makes the first time Prine and Waldon, who has toured with Prine in recent years, recorded in a studio together.
“Paradise” has for years served as Prine’s encore, typically performed alongside whoever opened the show. “Pure, classic country, downright bluegrass in both lyric and melody,...
The song will be released as a 7” vinyl single, with the B-side featuring a cover of the Merle Travis song “Kentucky Means Paradise.” The recording makes the first time Prine and Waldon, who has toured with Prine in recent years, recorded in a studio together.
“Paradise” has for years served as Prine’s encore, typically performed alongside whoever opened the show. “Pure, classic country, downright bluegrass in both lyric and melody,...
- 9/19/2019
- by Jonathan Bernstein
- Rollingstone.com
Happy 73rd birthday to Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member Linda Ronstadt, born July 15th, 1946, in Tucson, Arizona. In addition to her mid-Seventies dominance as rock’s premier female artist, Ronstadt also delivered impassioned performances of country songs throughout, and beyond, that era, with crossover hits including the Everly Brothers’ “When Will I Be Loved,” Neil Young’s “Love Is a Rose,” and her Grammy-winning take on Hank Williams’ “I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still in Love With You).”
Also faithful to the origins of country music...
Also faithful to the origins of country music...
- 7/15/2019
- by Stephen L. Betts
- Rollingstone.com
From the rough, spontaneous energy of the rehearsals that open this box to the set’s barely-tamed-tornado climax, on stage in Montreal, Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue barely lasted a season: seven weeks in the frenzied autumn of 1975. And no song captures the distance and velocity of Dylan’s legendary touring phenomenon across these 14 CDs, between concept — a loose-limbed rock & roll medicine show — and its swinging vengeance on the road, better than “Isis.”
Written by Dylan in July, 1975 with his collaborator at the time, theater director Jacques Levy, and...
Written by Dylan in July, 1975 with his collaborator at the time, theater director Jacques Levy, and...
- 6/7/2019
- by David Fricke
- Rollingstone.com
Over his 70-plus years in the spotlight, singer and guitarist Mac Wiseman helped build bluegrass and modern country music from the ground up. He remained a valuable mentor and ambassador for both genres until his death on February 24th. He was 93.
Of the many accomplishments from Wiseman’s career, two best represent his longevity and influence. He was the final surviving member of Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs’ original Foggy Mountain Boys. That fact alone makes him a key figure in the commercial and musical development of 1940s bluegrass. He...
Of the many accomplishments from Wiseman’s career, two best represent his longevity and influence. He was the final surviving member of Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs’ original Foggy Mountain Boys. That fact alone makes him a key figure in the commercial and musical development of 1940s bluegrass. He...
- 2/25/2019
- by Bobby Moore
- Rollingstone.com
The story of former military man Kris Kristofferson piloting a helicopter onto Johnny Cash’s lawn to deliver his demo tapes to the Man in Black, while essentially true, has often been told without certain details present. Mainly that Kristofferson had already been working for two years as janitor at Columbia Records’ Nashville studios where Cash recorded, and had unsuccessfully pitched his songs to Cash’s bandmates during that time. Cash also added to the legend by insisting that Kris stumbled from the cockpit, a beer in one hand and...
- 1/28/2019
- by Stephen L. Betts
- Rollingstone.com
As their clever name, a tribute to two all-time greats, suggests, Earls of Leicester pay homage with a powerful bluegrass sound dedicated solely to the music of Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs and delivered by six of the genre’s modern masters. The supergroup of pickers — Jerry Douglas, Shawn Camp, Barry Bales, Charlie Cushman, Johnny Warren and Jeff White — will release their latest Rounder Records album, Live at the Cma Theater in the Country Music Hall of Fame, on September 28th.
Recorded over a two-night stand in Nashville, the LP...
Recorded over a two-night stand in Nashville, the LP...
- 9/20/2018
- by Stephen L. Betts
- Rollingstone.com
Happy 4th of July, my fellow Americans! Been a terrific six months for new music. Below are some of my favorite album releases that deserve early kudos at the half-way mark.
The War on Drugs: Lost in the Dream (Secretly Canadian)
Six months in and the Philly-based quartet The War on Drugs' third long player -- Lost in the Dream -- is their best and one of the best releases of 2014. Even with Kurt Vile leaving in 2011 for solo frontiers, Adam Granduciel soldiered on with his bandmates and crafted a superb album. Even with most of the songs clocking in over five minutes in length, and even with a rather pedestrian video (above), "Red Eyes" remains one of the catchiest indie rock tunes this side of New Order! The galloping guitar break is just sublime. Pick it up today!
tUnE-yArDs: Nikki Nack (4Ad)
The tribal drum groove is unmistakable and wildly infectious,...
The War on Drugs: Lost in the Dream (Secretly Canadian)
Six months in and the Philly-based quartet The War on Drugs' third long player -- Lost in the Dream -- is their best and one of the best releases of 2014. Even with Kurt Vile leaving in 2011 for solo frontiers, Adam Granduciel soldiered on with his bandmates and crafted a superb album. Even with most of the songs clocking in over five minutes in length, and even with a rather pedestrian video (above), "Red Eyes" remains one of the catchiest indie rock tunes this side of New Order! The galloping guitar break is just sublime. Pick it up today!
tUnE-yArDs: Nikki Nack (4Ad)
The tribal drum groove is unmistakable and wildly infectious,...
- 7/4/2014
- by Dusty Wright
- www.culturecatch.com
Half of the brilliant duo that transformed 1950s pop music
With his older brother Don, Phil Everly, who has died of pulmonary disease aged 74, formed one of pop music's greatest vocal partnerships. If it was Elvis Presley who became the most spectacular icon of 1950s rock'n'roll, the Everly Brothers created a musical legacy which was every bit as influential. Their unique vocal harmonies, coupled with ingenious guitar arrangements and timeless material, had a revolutionary impact on the Beatles, the Hollies, Simon & Garfunkel, the Beach Boys, the Byrds and Crosby Stills & Nash.
The Everly Brothers' breakthrough hit was Bye Bye Love (1957), still regarded as one of their most impressive creations. Up to that point, Don and Phil had been chipping away at the country music scene in Nashville, Tennessee, with limited success. Bye Bye Love topped the country charts, but more significantly soared to No 2 on the pop charts, just...
With his older brother Don, Phil Everly, who has died of pulmonary disease aged 74, formed one of pop music's greatest vocal partnerships. If it was Elvis Presley who became the most spectacular icon of 1950s rock'n'roll, the Everly Brothers created a musical legacy which was every bit as influential. Their unique vocal harmonies, coupled with ingenious guitar arrangements and timeless material, had a revolutionary impact on the Beatles, the Hollies, Simon & Garfunkel, the Beach Boys, the Byrds and Crosby Stills & Nash.
The Everly Brothers' breakthrough hit was Bye Bye Love (1957), still regarded as one of their most impressive creations. Up to that point, Don and Phil had been chipping away at the country music scene in Nashville, Tennessee, with limited success. Bye Bye Love topped the country charts, but more significantly soared to No 2 on the pop charts, just...
- 1/6/2014
- by Adam Sweeting
- The Guardian - Film News
To celebrate May 1st, otherwise known as May Day, also known as International Workers Day, I decided to round up 5 films from the Criterion Collection that you should all watch.
Class struggle and tension are found throughout the entire Criterion Collection, as they are filmmaking devices that we all relate to, whichever side we may fall on. From striking coal miners to door-to-door salesmen, the life of the lowly worker is often more compelling than the upper class, or royalty with their luxuries and quite petty inconveniences. The lower class are constantly working for their very survival, while at the same time finding great satisfaction in the little things in life.
Below you’ll find links and trailers to 5 films in the Criterion Collection that present the working class, so take the day off work, crack open a beer, and watch a great movie.
Add Days of Heven to your Netflix Queue.
Class struggle and tension are found throughout the entire Criterion Collection, as they are filmmaking devices that we all relate to, whichever side we may fall on. From striking coal miners to door-to-door salesmen, the life of the lowly worker is often more compelling than the upper class, or royalty with their luxuries and quite petty inconveniences. The lower class are constantly working for their very survival, while at the same time finding great satisfaction in the little things in life.
Below you’ll find links and trailers to 5 films in the Criterion Collection that present the working class, so take the day off work, crack open a beer, and watch a great movie.
Add Days of Heven to your Netflix Queue.
- 5/1/2010
- by Ryan Gallagher
- CriterionCast
(We're reposting our Moon review from the Sundance Film Festival in advance of the film's theatrical release this weekend)
By: James Rocchi
"You haul 16 tons, and what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt.
St. Peter, don't you call me 'cause I can't go;
I owe my soul to the company store. ..."
-- "Sixteen Tons," Merle Travis
Know thyself. -- Solon of Athens
Moon, the directorial debut of Duncan Jones, opens with a bright, breezy bit of corporate propaganda explaining how, in the film's near-future, clean energy is provided by fusion fueled by hydrogen wrenched from lunar mineral deposits on the dark side of the Moon. Sam Rockwell is Sam Bell, who runs a fuel-harvesting station, aided only by the base's A.I., Gerty (given voice by Kevin Spacey). Sam is nearing the end of his three-year contract, and it's been a lonely stint; he's got only two weeks left,...
By: James Rocchi
"You haul 16 tons, and what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt.
St. Peter, don't you call me 'cause I can't go;
I owe my soul to the company store. ..."
-- "Sixteen Tons," Merle Travis
Know thyself. -- Solon of Athens
Moon, the directorial debut of Duncan Jones, opens with a bright, breezy bit of corporate propaganda explaining how, in the film's near-future, clean energy is provided by fusion fueled by hydrogen wrenched from lunar mineral deposits on the dark side of the Moon. Sam Rockwell is Sam Bell, who runs a fuel-harvesting station, aided only by the base's A.I., Gerty (given voice by Kevin Spacey). Sam is nearing the end of his three-year contract, and it's been a lonely stint; he's got only two weeks left,...
- 6/13/2009
- by Cinematical staff
- Cinematical
"You haul 16 tons, and what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt.
St. Peter, don't you call me 'cause I can't go;
I owe my soul to the company store. ..."
-- "Sixteen Tons," Merle Travis
Know thyself. -- Solon of Athens
Moon, the directorial debut of Duncan Jones, opens with a bright, breezy bit of corporate propaganda explaining how, in the film's near-future, clean energy is provided by fusion fueled by hydrogen wrenched from lunar mineral deposits on the dark side of the Moon. Sam Rockwell is Sam Bell, who runs a fuel-harvesting station, aided only by the base's A.I., Gerty (given voice by Kevin Spacey). Sam is nearing the end of his three-year contract, and it's been a lonely stint; he's got only two weeks left, but he's on the thin edge. The communications satellite is down, so Sam can't talk to Earth -- his bosses,...
Another day older and deeper in debt.
St. Peter, don't you call me 'cause I can't go;
I owe my soul to the company store. ..."
-- "Sixteen Tons," Merle Travis
Know thyself. -- Solon of Athens
Moon, the directorial debut of Duncan Jones, opens with a bright, breezy bit of corporate propaganda explaining how, in the film's near-future, clean energy is provided by fusion fueled by hydrogen wrenched from lunar mineral deposits on the dark side of the Moon. Sam Rockwell is Sam Bell, who runs a fuel-harvesting station, aided only by the base's A.I., Gerty (given voice by Kevin Spacey). Sam is nearing the end of his three-year contract, and it's been a lonely stint; he's got only two weeks left, but he's on the thin edge. The communications satellite is down, so Sam can't talk to Earth -- his bosses,...
- 1/17/2009
- by James Rocchi
- Cinematical
Smoke, smoke, smoke that cigarette / Puff, puff, puff until you smoke yourself to death. / Tell St. Peter at the Golden Gate / That you hate to make him wait, / but you just gotta have another cigarette. – Merle Travis
I was getting ready to leave the office and walk over to NBC, where I planned to tape a reply to someone who had accused Batman of being in league with the Big Tobacco. It seems that in one panel Batman is standing on a roof, and in the background, on another roof, there was a billboard with a fragment of what might have been a cigarette ad visible. Our accuser said that putting Batman proximate to a cigarette image amounted to Batman – and his creators – endorsing tobacco products and advocating their use to children.
Well, no. Had I kept my rendezvous with the microphones and cameras, I would have probably observed that...
I was getting ready to leave the office and walk over to NBC, where I planned to tape a reply to someone who had accused Batman of being in league with the Big Tobacco. It seems that in one panel Batman is standing on a roof, and in the background, on another roof, there was a billboard with a fragment of what might have been a cigarette ad visible. Our accuser said that putting Batman proximate to a cigarette image amounted to Batman – and his creators – endorsing tobacco products and advocating their use to children.
Well, no. Had I kept my rendezvous with the microphones and cameras, I would have probably observed that...
- 10/7/2008
- by Dennis O'Neil
- Comicmix.com
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