Darius Rucker – Page 3 – Country Universe

Sunday Selections: January 29, 2017

January 29, 2017 Jonathan Keefe 3

Could it be we’re finally hearing what we’ve been hoping for?

Sunday Selections: October 30, 2016

October 30, 2016 Jonathan Keefe 5

We love the guy, but Sturgill Simpson sure can be a grumpy sumbitch at times.

Single Review: Brett Young, “Sleep Without You”

October 12, 2016 Kevin John Coyne 1

“Sleep Without You” sounds like it’s written about a real person.

Sunday Selections: September 11, 2016

September 11, 2016 Jonathan Keefe 8

It’s Trio Collection release week, y’all!

Sunday Selections: July 10, 2016

July 10, 2016 Jonathan Keefe 1

With so much to get caught up on, there’s no time for a snarky one-liner.

Single Review: Bret Michaels, “Girls on Bars”

July 7, 2015 Kevin John Coyne 12

“Girls on Bars” Bret Michaels Written by Luke Laird and Bret Michaels I’m a few years too young to have taken Poison seriously. Now, I always leaned more toward pop and country anyway, but I

Single Review: Darius Rucker, “Homegrown Honey”

February 28, 2015 Kevin John Coyne 18

“Homegrown Honey” Darius Rucker Written by Nathan Chapman, Charles Kelley, and Darius Rucker Darius Rucker still seems more committed to keeping the country elements present in his country music than all of his contemporaries that

2014 ACM Awards: Staff Picks & Predictions

April 4, 2014 Tara Seetharam 24

And they’re back: The 2014 ACM Awards air live on Sunday at 7 p.m. CST, hosted by Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan. They’re sure to be enraging or amusing, depending on your bro-country meter. In the meantime, we’ve picked and predicted the awards below – chime in with your thoughts!

Entertainer of the Year

Should Win

Luke Bryan
Miranda Lambert
Blake Shelton
George Strait – KJC, TS, BF
Taylor Swift

Will Win

Luke Bryan – KJC, TS, BF, JK
Miranda Lambert
Blake Shelton
George Strait
Taylor Swift

2014 Grammy Winners

January 26, 2014 Kevin John Coyne 13

This year’s Grammy winners will be posted here as they are announced.

Here are the awards, in the order of presentation:

Pre-Telecast Winners:

American Roots Song: Edie Brickell & Steve Martin, “Love Has Come For You”

Americana Album: Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell, Old Yellow Moon

Bluegrass Album: The Del McCoury Band, The Streets of Baltimore

Folk Album: Guy Clark, My Favorite Picture of You

Country Solo Performance: Darius Rucker, “Wagon Wheel”

Country Duo/Group Performance: The Civil Wars, “From This Valley”

Country Song: Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves, and Josh Osborne, “Merry Go ‘Round”

2014 Grammy Awards: Staff Picks & Predictions

January 23, 2014 Tara Seetharam 3

The Country Universe staff has picked and predicted the 2014 Grammy Awards below, strange bunch that they are. Chime in with your thoughts, and catch the show on Sunday at 7 p.m. CST.

Album of the Year

Should Win:

Sara Bareilles, The Blessed Unrest
Daft Punk, Random Access Memories – Kevin
Kendrick Lamar, good kid m.A.A.d. city – Jonathan
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, The Heist
Taylor Swift, Red

Will Win:

Sara Bareilles, The Blessed Unrest
Daft Punk, Random Access Memories – Kevin, Jonathan
Kendrick Lamar, good kid m.A.A.d. city
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, The Heist
Taylor Swift, Red

Kevin: With electronic music so mainstream now, it would be wise and timely for NARAS to acknowledge the excellent comeback of one of its pioneers, especially as the year’s best country albums (Brandy Clark, Kacey Musgraves, Ashley Monroe, etc.) and the year’s best rap album (Kanye West) didn’t score nominations in the top category.

Jonathan: Lamar and Daft Punk would both be worthy winners of an award that rarely seems to go to one. Hip-hop and R&B have notoriously struggled in the general field in recent years, so Daft Punk’s cachet with the rock contingent should give them the edge over Swift, who didn’t score the across-the-board support many were expecting from her this year. If the voters are feeling especially timid, though, watch out for “Brave” yelper Bareilles as a spoiler.