Country Mike Blog

Hello, country music fans near and far. My name is Mike Sudhalter and I've been a dedicated country music journalist, fan and observer since the mid 1990s. I hail from suburban Boston (Sharon, Mass.) where I took a lot of ribbing from friends and classmates over the twang.

I wrote my first article for Country Standard Time in the summer of 1998 (reviewing a Lee Ann Womack concert at Indian Ranch) and have since written for several publications, both local, regional and national.

I look forward to sharing my thoughts and opinions on trends, developments and events in the world of country music. Feel free to email me your thoughts and feedback.

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A musical journey with George Strait

Mike Sudhalter  |  March 19, 2013

Music, like so many other hobbies, gives you the opportunity to look at where you were in life at various moments. That's been true with my George Strait concert experiences, which have numbered eight across four states and ranged from age 17 to age 33. As many of you know, I caught the country music bug in 1996, during the spring of my sophomore year in high school. I was listening ...

A unique show with The Trishas...

Mike Sudhalter  |  March 17, 2013

Somewhere between Houston and the Gulf of Mexico, one of country music's most talented quartets played St. Joseph's, one of the oldest churches in Texas. It was built in 1859 and deconsecrated in the 1960's, so attendees were allowed to drink complementary beer and wine in the pews. The Trishas, however, created the real buzz with a selection of songs from their first two ...

George Strait, country's greatest singer, to ride away in Houston

Mike Sudhalter  |  March 15, 2013

"All night, love all night, practices makes perfect, gonna get it right...gonna get it right, one night at a time." It's the lyrics of one of the dozens of hits songs by George Harvey Strait, but it's also indicative of how he built his career. Little by little. Lots of consistency. He doesn't fly from ceilings or run around the stage. It's simplicity in a way ...

Like A Rose highlights Ashley Monroe as a solo artist

Mike Sudhalter  |  March 10, 2013

Ashley Monroe is one of the best kept secrets in Nashville, and her sophomore album, "Like A Rose," came out last week. The title track talks about overcoming problems, and leaving North Dakota. When's the last time a country singer mentioned North Dakota in a tune? Her voice is inviting and reminiscent of a time gone by in country music. "Two Weeks Late" is a ...

Raelynn's got a great sound!

Mike Sudhalter  |  February 11, 2013

Call it a 21st Century version of Dolly Parton's "Jolene," but it's very confident and a well-written song. Her cover of Tom Petty's "Free Fallin'" is very interesting as well. It's always interesting to see how contestants from music television shows will parlay that success into commercial success. A native of the Houston area, Raelynn could ...