Kevin John Coyne

Randy Travis and Carrie Underwood head to American Idol

March 12, 2009 Kevin John Coyne 35

Next Tuesday will be “Grand Ole Opry” week on American Idol, and they’re bringing out the big guns. The guest mentor will be country music legend Randy Travis, who will also perform on the show.

Fifteen, There’s Still Time For You.

March 11, 2009 Kevin John Coyne 14

Deep thoughts from the dentist’s chair tonight… Given that my dentist likes to keep the acoustic station on, I get a chance to hear a bit of reflective music during my visits. Sometimes there’s even

Aaron Tippin, In Overdrive

March 10, 2009 Kevin John Coyne 12

Aaron Tippin In Overdrive Amongst the glut of faux traditionalists that populated the country airwaves during the nineties, there was one voice that cut right through the clutter, such was its raw verve and unabashed

Pop Goes the Country, Part I

March 9, 2009 Kevin John Coyne 68

What follows is a guest piece from Country Universe reader VP exploring the latest wave of country artists who have crossed over to the pop charts. Part II, written by me, will follow later in

Requiem for the Compact Disc

March 9, 2009 Kevin John Coyne 30

Chet Flippo comes not to praise the compact disc, but to bury it and dance upon its grave: Well, it is time to write an obituary for the compact disc. It’s trying to hang on,

The Illumination of Film

March 8, 2009 Kevin John Coyne 15

I discovered most of my favorite country artists through music videos. Throughout the nineties, CMT played videos around the clock, giving equal weight to mainstream, veteran and Americana artists. Music videos feel like a quietly

A Conversation with Kathy Mattea

March 7, 2009 Kevin John Coyne 10

Kathy Mattea has long been a favorite for both the writers and readers of Country Universe. Earlier today, we had a chance to speak with Mattea about her current album, Coal, and covered many other

Dierks Bentley, “Sideways”

March 5, 2009 Kevin John Coyne 12

I’m about to write a sentence that I never thought I would: I wish this song had been recorded by Montgomery Gentry instead. Dierks Bentley is a solid songwriter and vocalist, but this is so

ACM Announces Album of the Year Nominees

March 5, 2009 Kevin John Coyne 28

This year’s nominees for ACM Album of the Year have been announced. The nominees are: Jamey Johnson, That Lonesome Song Montgomery Gentry, Back When I Knew it All George Strait, Troubadour Taylor Swift, Fearless Carrie

Say What? – Merle Haggard

March 5, 2009 Kevin John Coyne 9

Today’s Say What? comes courtesy of country music legend Merle Haggard, who recalled a salty conversation with a label executive in the 1980s. The memory was prompted by Emmylou Harris performing “Kern River”, a Haggard