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Toby Keith wrote all kinds of country songs. His legacy might be post-9/11 American anger
Read full article: Toby Keith wrote all kinds of country songs. His legacy might be post-9/11 American angerCountry music fans are celebrating Toby Keith's rich collection of songs in the wake of his death from stomach cancer.
New Jersey comes West to kick off Grammy weekend with native sons Jon Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen
Read full article: New Jersey comes West to kick off Grammy weekend with native sons Jon Bon Jovi and Bruce SpringsteenNew Jersey was front and center in Los Angeles two nights before the Grammy Awards.
Musicians fight threat of Tennessee anti-LGBTQ, drag bills
Read full article: Musicians fight threat of Tennessee anti-LGBTQ, drag billsTennessee has long championed its musical and creative communities, but some musicians and artists feel threatened by its new laws targeting trans youth and drag performances.
Brandi Carlile, Yola, Allison Russell lead Americana noms
Read full article: Brandi Carlile, Yola, Allison Russell lead Americana nomsBrandi Carlile, Allison Russell and Yola are the leading nominees for the 2022 Americana Honors and Awards, with each one up for album of the year, artist of the year and song of the year.
Morgan Wallen tells fans not to defend his racist language
Read full article: Morgan Wallen tells fans not to defend his racist languageFILE - Morgan Wallen arrives at the 54th annual Academy of Country Music Awards on April 7, 2019, in Las Vegas. Wallen fans are buying up his latest album after he appeared on a video shouting a racial slur. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Country star Morgan Wallen asked fans not to downplay the racist language he was caught saying on camera and said that he accepted the punishments he faced. TMZ posted a video last week of Wallen saying a racial slur and Wallen apologized at the time. It is the first country album to spend four weeks atop the Billboard 200 chart since 2003, when Shania Twain’s album “Up!” spent five weeks at the top.
Critics slam country artists for playing for unmasked crowds
Read full article: Critics slam country artists for playing for unmasked crowdsMusicians and fans alike are criticizing country artists like Janson and Rice who performed at outdoor concerts this weekend where social media pictures showed large crowds without masks. Rice performed in front of a large crowd in Tennessee and Janson performed at an outdoor festival in Idaho. (AP Photo)NASHVILLE, Tenn. Fellow musicians and fans alike are criticizing country artists who performed at outdoor concerts this weekend where social media pictures showed large, tight crowds without masks, even as COVID-19 cases resurge in the United States. Country star Kelsea Ballerini called Rice selfish for risking people's health by playing in front of a large crowd. But the owner of the venue where Rice played said the concert was approved by both city and county officials.
Summertime, and the living is uneasy for Jason Isbell
Read full article: Summertime, and the living is uneasy for Jason IsbellFILE - This July 15, 2018 file photo shows Jason Isbell, of Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit, performing at Forecastle Music Festival in Louisville, Ky. Isbell is king of the Americana genre, but he's ambitious for more. The 2013 breakthrough album Southeastern established Isbell as an important new voice and two vibrant follow-ups proved that wasn't a fluke. With Lucinda Williams and t he late John Prine, Isbell formed a holy trinity for fans of Americana music. But Isbell wanted production touches that could help the disc Reunions appeal to people who might not listen to Americana music. Isbell, a progressive with no interest in seeing Trump re-elected, will likely face those issues himself in an election year.