Country Mike Blog

Some country thoughts

Mike Sudhalter  |  October 19, 2007

I was glad to see the Boston Red Sox force a Game 6 in the American League Championship Series against the Cleveland Indians Thursday night in Ohio. And no, there's no conspiracy behind the fact that Danielle Peck sang the National Anthem at the game. For those of you who don't know, Peck dated Red Sox star pitcher (and Game 5 winner) Josh Beckett. Peck was filling in for Taylor Swift, who's also on the Big Machine Records roster. She also grew up in Ohio.

I recently bought an album by Chad Hammock, and it's a unique brand of country. Kind of acoustic with a little bit of an alternative feel. Hammock, who's involved in the Texas Country scene, does a great job with it. I think he'd be really popular if a national label picked it up.

Last Saturday, I watched Johnny D's Steel Horse Stampede, a Sacramento-based country band, perform. Before they took an intermission break, I wondered why a country band didn't have a fiddle in it. Much to my delight, they brought one out for the beginning of the next set and delved into "Louisiana Saturday Night."

Sara Evans begins her tour today with opening acts ranging from Josh Turner, Luke Bryan and George Ducas. It would be nice if they were all on the same bill for any of the 10 shows. Or if they ventured west of the Mississippi, because there are country-western fans on the other side of the big river.

John Rich of Big & Rich will be hosting a CMT show in January called "Gone Country" where entertainers like Bobby Brown, Carnie Wilson of Wilson Phillips and others try to "go country". Advice to Mr. Rich, maybe you should try "going country" yourself.

My prayers are with Porter Wagoner and his family as the country legend was hospitalized in Tennessee earlier this week. I was fortunate enough to see Mr. Wagoner perform on the Grand Ole Opry during my trip to Nashville last June. He's one of the classiest performers in country music and very much underrated. People always mention Cash, Haggard, Jones, Nelson, but Wagoner's name deserves to be among them. For us true country fans, it already is.