Country Universe

Lee Ann Womack, “Last Call”

June 7, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 12

One of Lee Ann Womack’s greatest strengths as an artist is picking adult material that resonates with both traditional and alternative country music fans. Her new single, “Last Call”, is reminiscent of her now-classic hit

100 Greatest Women, #25: Faith Hill

June 6, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 14

100 Greatest Women #25 Faith Hill The story of Faith Hill begins in the small town of Star, Mississippi. When she was only nine years old, she saw Elvis Presley in concert and knew immediately

100 Greatest Women, #26: Martina McBride

June 5, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 19

100 Greatest Women #26 Martina McBride With a big voice and a taste for topical material, Martina McBride has been one of the most consistently successful female country acts of the past fifteen years. She

Lady Antebellum, “Lookin’ For a Good Time”

June 5, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 5

I hate to dump on a new artist, particularly an act that shows such promise as Lady Antebellum. But to my ears, this sounds like a complete trainwreck. It’s novel having a mixed-gender group release

100 Greatest Women, #27: Kathy Mattea

June 4, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 7

100 Greatest Women #27 Kathy Mattea She was a gifted child who had been skipped a grade, who then dropped out of college and followed her songwriting boyfriend to Nashville. He had given up his

100 Greatest Women, #28: Anne Murray

June 3, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 7

100 Greatest Women #28 Anne Murray There may never have been a more unassuming female superstar than Anne Murray, who quietly built up an impressive run of hits that stretched two decades long. All this

100 Greatest Women, #29: Mary Chapin Carpenter

June 1, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 12

100 Greatest Women #29 Mary Chapin Carpenter The list of intelligent female singer-songwriters that have made it big in country music is fairly short. Brown-educated and world-traveled by the time she performed publicly, Mary Chapin

100 Greatest Women, #30: Lorrie Morgan

May 31, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 9

100 Greatest Women #30 Lorrie Morgan There are many second generation country stars that build on the legacy of the famous parent that came before them. Lorrie Morgan is one of the few that actually

Guest Commentary: Why I Love Country Music

May 31, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 16

Editor’s Note: This is the first guest commentary in the history of Country Universe. Please join me in welcoming Paul Edward, who e-mailed me this passage and graciously allowed me to share it here. –

100 Greatest Women, #31: Rose Maddox

May 31, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 13

100 Greatest Women #31 Rose Maddox She was only ten years old when her big brothers pulled her into their band, needing a female singer on the spot to land a regular performing gig on