Does music and politics make strange bedfellows? Apparently not for Mick Huckabee. CMT.com reported earlier this week that former Arkansas Governor, Presidential candidate and now Fox news Huckabee is recording a country disc. CMT said that Huckabee was in Music City to record "with [...]

Continue reading "What about the day job, Mick Huckabee?"

Seeing Vince Gill in concert is always pure joy. After at least half a dozen shows over the years (hard to remember how many at this point), Gill is money in the bank. His voice remains excellent. His guitar playing is superb without ever overdoing it, and, of course, with a lot of history under [...]

Continue reading "Vince Gill deserves a whole lot better"

Remember how in my last blog posting, I wondered about Taylor Swift spreading herself too thin? It seems like she's going to get a big thinner. At least that's what Forbes reported late Sunday night. In its web site, Forbes.com said as of Monday, Swift would appear in a 30-second ad [...]

Continue reading "Yet more exposure for Taylor Swift"

If you just can't get enough of Taylor Swift , fear not. That's because the 20-year-old country star is going to be out with a comic book in July, "Fame: Taylor Swift." The 32-page biographical epic will sell for $3.99. Swift is living up to her name - that is for sure. [...]

Continue reading "Taylor Swift, the new comic book super hero"

There was no doubt about who the big winners were at the Academy of Country music Awards Sunday night - Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert and Lady Antebellum. Underwood won only one award - she was nominated for five - but the one award was the biggest one handed out in Las Vegas, [...]

Continue reading "A great night for Underwood, Lambert, Lady Antebellum"

10:58 p.m. Ok, I don't get this. ACMs already give out Entertainer of the year to Underwood and THEN Darius Rucker sings? Does a good job on Forever Road, but why is he singing when it's all over in effect? 10:55 p.m. Entertainer of the Year: Carrier Underwood!! She won it last year [...]

Continue reading "Academy of Country Music Awards blog - the view from Roots Toots n' Hoots"

It's with regret that I write about the sale of Rounder Records. The well-respected indie label has been around for 40 years, and was extremely important to the type of music we write and care about. Bluegrass always was part of the mix for Rounder from J.D. Crowe on. Of course, they [...]

Continue reading "For Rounder Records, the end of an era"

The idea of an artist having longevity these days is a rare bird indeed. All too often, a singer or band is here today, gone tomorrow or maybe even the same day. The bottom line is all important, and record labels are scrambling to figure out a way to make money whether it's ringtones or [...]

Continue reading "Long live George Strait, the king of country"

When the list of Pulitzer Prize winners was announced today by Columbia University, some of the usual suspects were there - the Washington Post and the New York Times. But there was one name that stood out like a sore thumb. I can't say that I ever thought of Hank Williams as being part of [...]

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Dierks Bentley is releasing a new album, "Up on the Ridge," in June, his fourth disc for Capitol Nashville. But it's not going to be like this other discs. I liked his music from the get go as he doesn't mess around (too much) with putting a rock sheen on his brand of country [...]

Continue reading "Dierks Bentley rides high on bluegrass"

It's rather hard to believe that Mindy McCready can once again be the subject of negative news, but here she is, just days after the release of her first album in eight years, appropriately titled "I'm Still Here," and what happens? Vivid Entertainment, that purveyor of [...]

Continue reading "Mindy McCready does it all the time"