Kevin John Coyne

In Memoriam: Jerry Reed (1937-2008)

September 2, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 0

Country music suffered the loss of a legend yesterday. Jerry “The Guitar Man” Reed was a tremendously talented performer best known for his stunning instrumental prowess and bitingly funny hits like “Lord Mr. Ford”, “When

Discussion: Same Title, Different Song

September 1, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 0

A Billboard Chart Beat reader noted a current trend on the pop charts: Hi Fred, Thanks for an always informative and entertaining Chart Beat column! On the entertaining side, I made an observation this week

Classic Country Singles: Kathy Mattea, “Where’ve You Been”

August 31, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 26

“Where’ve You Been” Kathy Mattea 1990 Written by Don Henry and Jon Vezner Everybody loved the song, but nobody wanted to cut it. A slow and simple tale of an aging couple that ends with

Reba McEntire, For My Broken Heart

August 31, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 0

Reba McEntire For My Broken Heart 1991 Recorded in the aftermath of the tragic plane crash that killed her tour manager and most of her band, For My Broken Heart is Reba McEntire’s masterpiece, a

Mary Chapin Carpenter, Stones in the Road

August 31, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 12

Mary Chapin Carpenter Stones in the Road I believe the essence of God is reflected in the very best art. By that standard, Stones in the Road has been my gospel, the defining record that

Labor Day Discussion: Songs About Workers

August 30, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 0

While they’re not as common as they used to be in country music, sometimes good songs about workers still surface. Tim McGraw’s “I’m Workin’” on his most recent album was a highlight, and Trace Adkins’

Discussion: Carrie Underwood, Shania Twain and Gender in Country Music

August 29, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 103

I fear this post won’t quite live up to its ambitious title, and I realize that I’m stirring the tempest pot a bit by putting those two artists in the same sentence. But the tone

Favorite Songs by Favorite Artists: Todd Snider

August 29, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 12

908 miles. That’s the total distance, door-to-door, from my home in New York to the college I attended in Nashville, Tennessee. If you leave at a decent hour of the day, it’s going to take

Thursday: Recommend a Track

August 28, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 0

Don’t know why I’m so into kiss-off songs for this feature, as this is my third in a row. This week, I’m recommending “I’ll Be Gone”, a killer track off of Clint Black’s 1989 debut

Reader’s Choice: Favorite Album Artwork

August 28, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 2

Here are some of the favorite album artwork choices from our readers: Hard call, but I think my favorite art ever might be the one for Waylon Jennings’ Are You Ready For The Country. I’m