The next category on this year’s Country Ballot is a wide open race this year. Usually, the award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals goes to the Dixie Chicks or
Craig Morgan That’s Why On Craig Morgan’s new album, That’s Why, life is about sitting in Cracker Barrel rockers, driving around the old town square and sipping on Boones Farm wine. No surprise, given that he’s earned steady radio
#16: Jeannie C. Riley “Harper Valley, P.T.A.” 1968 At the peak of her powers, Jeannie C. Riley was enjoying the success of her small-town story song “Harper Valley P.T.A.” in the fall of 1968. But her
The next category on the Country Ballot is Best Male Country Vocal Performance. There are more performances to choose from among the men, with 83 entries compared to 64 for the women. It’s a typically
What’s going on, Toby? Seriously, now: when one of the genre’s finest mainstream voices is stooping to tired numbers like this one, something is seriously up. “God Love Her” is an uptempo, Mellencampish toss-off about
#17: Kris Kristofferson Song of the Year win 1970 Mumbling but magnificent in its own unique way, the acceptance speech for Song of the Year in 1970 was an inarticulate message from an exceedingly eloquent
The following quote caught my eye recently in an online blog: It’s a funny thing I’ve noticed lately, listening to the “classic rock” stations that are now — unbelievably — broadcasting the soundtrack of my
Lee Ann Womack Call Me Crazy Few modern-day artists make country music hurt as good as Lee Ann Womack. A master of the sorrowful song, she has assembled an almost painfully sad collection in Call
The Grammy nominations are a little less surprising when you see the first ballot. The Grammys allow potential nominees to submit what they consider their best work of the year for consideration. After a panel
I went on a long road trip this summer up the west coast of the United States. To keep me company, I threw in a few books on disc, and a bunch of random CDs.
