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Retro Single Review: Dolly Parton, “My Blue Tears”

November 14, 2011 Ben Foster 3

1971 | #17

The title track got most of the love, and deservedly so, but the first single from Parton’s Coat of Many Colors album is a strong effort in its own right. Backed by Appalachian-flavored acoustic instrumentation, Parton mourns her lost love while expressing a desire for nothing more than solitude. To the bluebird singing a sad song, she says “Spread your blue wings, and I’ll shed my blue tears.” To the bright sunshine, she says “Waste not your warmth on the coldness in here…. Go light your blue sky, and I’ll shed my blue tears.” The song’s brisk tempo belies its sad lyrics as Parton sings with an emotive quiver in her voice.

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Veterans Day Six Pack

November 11, 2011 Kevin John Coyne 6

If history had played out the way Woodrow Wilson planned, we’d be celebrating the 92nd Armistice Day today. When first proclaimed a national holiday, Wilson declared the following:

To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations.

If the Great War had been the last war, we wouldn’t be celebrating what is now known as Veterans Day. We also wouldn’t have an incredible legacy of songs about soldiers in the annals of country music.

Here are five classics that celebrate those who have served our country and the ones who love them, along with one tale that has a returned soldier that’s not being loved quite enough.

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CMA Live Blog 2011

November 9, 2011 Ben Foster 59

THE WINNERS

Entertainer: Taylor Swift

Female Vocalist: Miranda Lambert

Male Vocalist: Blake Shelton

New Artist: The Band Perry

Vocal Group: Lady Antebellum

Vocal Duo: Sugarland

Song: “If I Die Young” – Kimberly Perry

Single: The Band Perry, “If I Die Young”

Music Video: Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter, “You and Tequila”

Musical Event: Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson, “Don’t You Wanna Stay”

Musician: Mac McAnally

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2011 CMA Awards: Staff Picks and Predictions

November 7, 2011 Ben Foster 28

It’s that time of year again! The time when we all dutifully tune in to the CMA Awards show, raise our eyebrows at the “What the heck are they doing here?” award presenters, and afterwards complain about how totally un-country the whole show was. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I can’t wait.

We’re pleased to share the Country Universe staff picks for this year’s CMA Awards, as well as our predictions of who the winners will be. This year we have some highly competitive categories in which predicting the winners is quite difficult, leading to some significantly divergent picks among our writing staff. Agree? Disagree? Join in the discussion in the comment thread below, and let us know.

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100 Greatest Men: #76. Keith Urban

November 1, 2011 Kevin John Coyne 14

100 Greatest Men: The Complete List

Australia’s had its own country music scene for generations. With Keith Urban, they scored their biggest export to date.

Urban began singing and playing guitar from an early age. Though born in New Zealand, he moved to Australia as a small child. By age eight, he’d already won talent contests. As he got older, his exposure throughout the country increased. He appeared on various television programs and soon landed a recording contract.

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