Joshua Hedley Announces New Western Swing Album “All Hat”
Mr. Jukebox. The Mayor of Lower Broadway. The Singin' Professor of Country & Western. Whatever you want to call him, Joshua Hedley has been a radical preservationist of actual country music for...
View Article40 Years Ago: Alabama Records Ode to The Fiddle & Texas
It's a bit ironic that it's a band from Alabama that most famously explained the importance of the fiddle to music from Texas, but few if anyone will complain how they did it, and 40 years ago today....
View ArticleThe Legendary Longhorn Ballroom Finally Sets Re-Opening
The Longhorn Ballroom was one of the most important venues in country music for many years. When it opened in 1950, it was known as Bob Wills' Ranch House, and was one of the major venues in Western...
View ArticleCountry Music Legends as a Deck of Cards
For years I've been thinking that a cool way to present the legends of country music would be to illustrate the genre's top artists through a deck of cards. Where to place what artist, what suit would...
View ArticleAustin’s Broken Spoke Moves Towards Historic Preservation
Many of the venues that once established Austin, Texas as the Live Music Capital of the World have been shuttered in recent years as the city deals with rapid growth and soaring real estate prices. But...
View ArticleAssessing Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Country Albums of All Time”
'Rolling Stone' published a list of the The 100 Greatest Country Albums of All Time this week, and as per usual, it has many arguing its merits, omissions, and inclusions. There was a time when...
View ArticleCompendium of Country Music Definitions, Subgenres, Terms, & Eras
Country music is country music, and the best definition of what country music is, is that you know it when you hear it. It's self-evident. But the genre has birthed many subgenres, many stylistic...
View ArticleThe 6 Major Label Albums of Stoney Edwards Finally Reissued
On April 5th, Saving Country Music honored pioneering country artist Stoney Edwards on the 25th Anniversary of his passing, concluding in part, "His music should also be repopulated here in the digital...
View Article25 Years Ago: Pioneering Black Country Artist Stoney Edwards Dies
Stoney's career may have not been Hall of Fame worthy, but releasing six albums on a major country music label, and scoring Top 20 hits dispels the idea that the contributions of black artists in...
View ArticleBrennen Leigh Goes Western Swing on “Obsessed with the West”
Delightfully old-fashioned and born 60 years too late, Brennen Leigh has always worked Western Swing influences into her music, and been chummy with the Asleep at the Wheel crowd in Austin. But now as...
View Article5 of 6 Turnpike Troubadours Reunite at the Corner of Easton & Main
For months folks were convinced that the show Saturday night, December 4th pairing up the side projects of Turnpike Troubadours fiddler Kyle Nix called the 38's, and bass player/songwriter RC Edwards...
View ArticleLegend & Johnny Cash Drummer W. S. “Fluke” Holland Has Died
Legendary American music drummer W.S. "Fluke" Holland has died. A titan and founder of drumming in popular music, W.S. Holland was Johnny Cash’s drummer for 40 years, and is considered by many as the...
View ArticleMerle Haggard Drummer Biff Adam Has Died
Another one of The Strangers has reunited with Merle Haggard in the big honky tonk in the sky. Biff Adam---the long-time drummer for Merle Haggard's backing band passed away in his sleep Saturday...
View ArticleReview – Episode 2 Of Ken Burns Country Music Film, “Hard Times”
The first episode of the Ken Burns Country Music documentary tasked itself to define what country music is by delving deep into its origins and original purveyors. The second episode called "Hard...
View ArticleLeon Rausch, The Voice of Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys, Has Died
Fans of country music most all recognize the name of Bob Wills as the King of Western Swing. But if you're listening to the music of Bob Wills, it's often Leon Rausch you hear singing. A fixture of...
View ArticleThink Horns Don’t Belong in Country? Then You Don’t Know Don Markham
For 40 years, Don Markham was the horn player in Merle Haggard's backing band, The Strangers. In fact he outlasted every other permanent member in the band, and aside from a few hiatuses throughout the...
View ArticleCountry Music’s Royal Court and Founding Family
If you're into country music and the history of it, you're probably used to hearing about the "King" of this, or the "Father" of that. Since the history of country music is so important to keeping the...
View ArticleHan Solo is Apparently a Huge Traditional Country Fan
Who hadn't thought that when Han Solo was outrunning Imperial starships in the Millennium Falcon---not the local bulk-cruisers mind you, I'm talking about the big Corellian ships now---that he wasn't...
View ArticleLegendary Texas Fiddle Player Johnny Gimble Has Passed Away
Texas Playboy, Million Dollar Band member, and legendary country and Western Swing fiddle player Johnny Gimble has passed away. Known best as one of the primary fiddle players in Bob Wills' Western...
View ArticleAfter 55 Years, The Louisiana Hayride Is Coming Back
The Louisiana Hayride is on its way back, and in a big way. Arguably the 2nd most influential music program in country music history, only rivaled in stature by The Grand Ole Opry, it's been an effort...
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