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Daily Top Five: Going Solo

May 22, 2015 Kevin John Coyne 10

Kristian Bush of Sugarland released his debut solo album this year, and the buzz on it has been good. Good enough, in fact, to inspire its own Daily Top Five! What are your favorite solo

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Daily Top Five: Tear Jerkers

May 16, 2015 Kevin John Coyne 22

From reader Kuzco, today’s Top Five is songs that made you cry. Here are my Top Five Tear Jerkers: Lori McKenna, “Still Down Here” Alan Jackson, “Blue Ridge Mountain Song” Collin Raye, “Love, Me” Reba

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2014 CMA Nominations

September 6, 2014 Kevin John Coyne 49

This year’s CMA nominees are the best in years, with multiple nominations for Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, and Brandy Clark.  Country radio may still be shunning women, but their embrace by CMA voters suggests that

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Single Review: Florida Georgia Line, “Stay”

December 8, 2013 Kevin John Coyne 18

Florida Georgia Line StayWhile I waiting for the YouTube video to load, they played a 30-second commercial for the Duck Dynasty Christmas album, which apparently has the reality show stars singing Christmas standards while ducks quack along with them. It sounded better than “Stay.”

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CMA Awards: Entertainer of the Year (1967-2013)

November 3, 2013 Kevin John Coyne 5

Since its inception, the top honor an artist could be given at the Country Music Association awards is this one: Entertainer of the Year. Originally a revolving door of winners, the winner in early years was often not even nominated the following year. In 1981, Barbara Mandrell became the first artist to win the award twice. Alabama succeeded her with a three year run from 1982-1984. Fourteen years later, Garth Brooks became the first artist two win four times, a feat later matched by Kenny Chesney in 2008.

Here’s a look back at the award from the very beginning, along with some facts and feats about the category and its nominees.

Eddy Arnold1967

  • Bill Anderson
  • Eddy Arnold
  • Merle Haggard
  • Sonny James
  • Buck Owens

One year after being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Eddy Arnold was named the very first Entertainer of the Year at the inaugural CMA awards in 1967. Don’t assume it was a sympathy vote. Arnold had three #1 hits in the twelve months leading up to the ceremony, as he was in the middle of his impressive mid-sixties comeback, a period best defined by the 1965 classic, “Make the World Go Away.” He remains the only member of the Hall of Fame to win this award after being inducted.

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