So, a lot has changed since 1984 when Kevin Bacon danced into America's hearts with "Footloose." Kenny Loggins recorded the soundtrack for that movie, and while it was set in a rural area, few would associate the iconic 1980's film with Country Music. I was actually more [...]

Continue reading "Memory Lane Mondays: Footloose remake goes country"

Granger Smith is a rising country star. Most Texas Music fans knows about him, but his potential is unlimited. He's unique in that he's got a sound that plays just as well in Nashville, as it does in Texas. His songs are catchy, too. Smith's current album is "Sleeping On The [...]

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Although he's had some good songs, Steve Holy never really grabbed my attention, over dozens of other artists on the radio. Until Wednesday. That's when I heard the Dallas native's "Heart of A Hero," which is a tribute to all types of heroes -- from soldiers to [...]

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You've got to think that just about every traditional country music artist would like to record at least one album that's a tribute to their roots. Sure, they've got to think about getting established first. There's the record companies, the Top 40 Country charts. The [...]

Continue reading "Traditional Tuesday's: Joe Diffie goes Bluegrass"

I still remember the first time hearing Darryl Worley. He was singing "When You Need My Love," and the song struck a chord with me back in 2000. At the time, I was dating and the song just made sense. "A Good Day To Run" was also on that CD, and it made me think about [...]

Continue reading "Memory Lane Mondays: Darryl Worley, Paul Overstreet"

OK, so it was one of those weeks where country music had to take a back seat in my world. The good news? I'm already looking forward to Memory Lane Monday and Traditional Tuesdays. Memory Lane Monday will focus on a couple of my favorites, Darryl Worley and Paul Overstreet. [...]

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We skipped this week's edition of "What's New? Wednesdays" and "Texas Thursdays." I spend most of Wednesday being ill, and the majority of Thursday, re-gaining my strength. Who's going to see the new "Footloose" movie? I think it's kind [...]

Continue reading "Blake Shelton and Footloose"

Loretta Lynn was a pioneer in country music. Her songs have become gold country standards, so it's no surprise that an eclectic group of artists -- everyone from Lee Ann Womack to Kid Rock -- covered her songs on "Coal Miner's Daughter: A Tribute to Loretta Lynn." Lynn fans [...]

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Finding recordings that came out previous to an artist's mainstream release are really cool. It's kind of like finding a box of old family photos for the first time. Alan Jackson is one of the few country artists who hasn't changed a whole from his 1989 debut, "Here In The [...]

Continue reading "Memory Lane Mondays: Alan Jackson's New Traditional"

Brandon Rhyder is one of the more interesting artists in the Texas Music/Red Dirt Scene. He doesn't sound too much like a country singer. His sound is more alternative, but many of the songs are thematically country. Recording a live album at Billy Bob's Texas, in the historic [...]

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