Dierks Bentley Digs Up His Roots in Bluegrass

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:30:02 -0500

I always knew I loved Dierks Bentley's music. From the very first time I heard "What Was I Thinkin'," I was pretty much hooked. I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was about his music that I was digging, I just knew I liked it. A couple tracks and a few concerts later, [...]

Taylor Swift's Fans Belong With Free iPhone App

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:43:35 -0500

For celebrities, iPhone apps can be a blessing and a curse. They promise all kinds of up-to-the minute info right at your fingertips, but they are not without their flaws. Sometimes they are just slow to load. Other times they cost a few bucks for the exact same technology that you can get on the [...]

Here's a Toast to the Oak Ridge Boys at Bagelfest

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:33:31 -0500

Growing up in the "Bagel Capital of the World," also known as Mattoon, Ill., the annual Bagelfest is a pretty big deal in my hometown. Not only is there a plethora of bagels and cream cheese, but the nightly entertainment is always country music. When I saw that 28 years ago this week, "Elvira" went [...]

Sun Studio Glows With Memphis' Music History

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:30:07 -0500

Even though the building itself is fairly modest, a visit to the landmark Sun Studio in Memphis can be an overwhelming experience. After all, this is the place where an 18-year-old Elvis Presley asked a secretary if he could record a song for his mother's birthday. When our tour paused in the actual studio, our [...]

Jack Rose's Old-Time Music Sounds Progressive

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:32:36 -0500

Since "Lick Mountain Ramble" was featured on NPR Music's Song of the Day, I wanted to talk about guitarist Jack Rose. On first listen, his music just seemed genuinely happy -- not like every song was about rainbows, but like he was truly happy to be playing it -- and that made me want to [...]

Easton Corbin Hides Music Under His Old Hats

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:46:03 -0500

All the buzz about Easton Corbin (“A Little More Country Than That”) has been that he’s the new George Strait. And he really does sound a lot like Strait. His voice, the guitars and his songwriting all echo King George's style. But I just played this online shell game -- only with Corbin’s baseball caps [...]

Keith Urban Joins Handsome Men's Club

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:41:01 -0500

Keith Urban has joined the Handsome Men's Club. Well, maybe he didn't technically join, because maybe it isn't technically a club. But he was there, in a conference room wearing a navy sport coat and college-stripe tie, looking very official. It was all part of a Jimmy Kimmel skit that will make your day if [...]

Why I Didn't See Crazy Heart … And Why I Will

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:41:44 -0500

At an Oscar party last night, my friends were stunned to learn that I had not seen Crazy Heart yet. "It's about everything you love," they said. Country music! Smoky little bars! Scotch! Colin Farrell! Journalism! Now that Jeff Bridges won an Oscar for this role as the hard-living country singer Bad Blake, I've been [...]

What Do You Really Know About Taylor Swift?

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:01:44 -0500

Because she has become such a household name and she exudes that girl-next-door vibe every time she's out and about, it may seem like the whole world knows everything about Taylor Swift. But the latest Elle magazine wants to know exactly how deep your Swift knowledge goes. Like, you may know that she's about to [...]

Eric Church Cleans Up for "Hell on the Heart"

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:39:42 -0500

By his own admission Eric Church likes things a bit gritty, but he can also clean up when he needs to. For his "Hell on the Heart" video, he and his band get decked out in matching suits and ties to play the song from a bright red heart-shaped stage. To me he seems a [...]