Roots, Toots n' Hoots Blog

When people ask, "How did you get into country music?" I tell them my version of the truth. "I grew up in eastern Long Island (NY)." Now, for the uninitiated, that used to be farm country. So, of course, it'd be natural for a farm kind of boy to love country, right? Isn't it obvious?

Yeah, right.

I think of my love of country music as an interest that got out of control. It started for me in the late 1980's with folks like Steve Earle, Dwight Yoakam, Lyle Lovett and Nanci Griffith and mushroomed from there to learning about artists from the past to the up-and-coming. Eventually, that led to learning about bluegrass and later Americana/rootsy music.

With "free time" on my hand as a reporter at the Salem, Massschusetts Evening News, in 1993, I started Country Standard Time magazine, which was distributed in record stores and live music clubs throughout the U.S. We're now only on the web covering everything from major label to true independent artists. My posts will cover the facets of what countrystandardtime.com is about, which means all kinds of country, bluegrass and roots/Americana music.

Feel free to email me directly with your thoughts at countrystandardtime@gmail.com. Thanks a lot for reading.

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2024 ACMs - the blow by blow

Jeffrey Remz  |  May 16, 2024

Tonight is the 59th edition of the Academy of Country music Awards straight outta Frisco, Texas with Reba McEntire hosting for thet 17th time. 8:01 p.m. - Lainey Wilson, decked out in fed, gets started with Little Texas' "God Blessed Texas." She didn't sing the whole thing, but pretty much anything she sings works. She's not even wearing bellbottoms tonight. 8:03 p.m ...

The 57th Annual Country Music Awards

Jeffrey Remz  |  November 8, 2023

The 57th Annual Country Music Awards get underway... 8 p.m. - Jelly Roll gets the awards underway with "Need a Favor." Man, that guy has come a very long way quickly. He doesn't exactly look country, but hes more so than a lot of folks. Wynonna comes out to sing with Jelly Roll. She sounds great. It sure makes sense that she's out there with him. A Post Malone siting in ...

The 58th ACM Awards

Jeffrey Remz  |  May 11, 2023

Country Standard Time is covering the Academy of Country Music Awards tonight. It begins under a late breaking cloud today – charges of rape against Jimmie Allen. It will be interesting to see – but highly doubtful – if it would be referenced in any way. 8:01 p.m. – Keith Urban gets the night rolling with a song that's actually country, "Texas Time." Kind ...

The 56th CMA awards - the blow by blow

Jeffrey Remz  |  November 9, 2022

Tonight is the 56th annual Country Music Association awards. We'll give the blow by blow - at least how I see it. 8 p.m. - a video of the late Loretta Lynn winning an award kicks it off with a funny line about her regret that her husband wasn't there because he had gone hunting. With that, Carrie Underwood shows off her country bona fides with "You Ain't Woman Enough" ...

The ACMs live from Vegas: telling it like it is

Jeffrey Remz  |  March 7, 2022

8 p.m. - The Academy of Country Music Awards get underway with Dolly Parton talking it up and Jimmie Allen tearing into "Viva Las Vegas." He's hosting along with Gabby Barrett, who sings "Let's Go to Vegas." 8:06 or so p.m. - Eric Church plays a medley of his songs like "Desperate Man," "Round Here Buzz," "Springsteen," "A Helluva ...