Nelson to Partake in Simpson Clunker-to-Be

Add this to your ever-increasing “Why Willie? Why?” files: Willie Nelson has just signed on to star in a movie with Jessica Simpson. Yes, again. In the new film, Blonde Ambition, a remake of the 1980s movie Working Girl, Nelson plays Simpson’s grandfather. In The Dukes of Hazzard, a remake of the 1980s TV show of the same name, Nelson played Simpson’s great-uncle. So, you see, it’s totally different.

More importantly, why does Jessica Simpson get to hang out with Dolly and Willie when I don’t?

Rockin’ Neocon New Year’s

Nothing to do on New Year’s?  No, I mean, really nothing?  Well, Fox News is airing the pre-taped “A Nashville New Year with Sean Hannity” (insert your own joke here) tomorrow night beginning at 10pm.  Canned performances from Hank Williams, Jr., Jo Dee Messina, Van Zant, Crystal Gayle, Heartland, Sammy Kershaw, Kentucky Headhunters, John Conlee, Aaron Tippin, John Stone, Collin Raye, and Josh Gracin will be aired.

Best Americana ‘06: The Willies Have It!

So I’ve decided to group the main musical foci of this blog (Country, Alt-country, Folk) into my Americana list. I’m sure this violates a sacred principal for some, but here it goes:

5. Brad Paisley feat. Dolly Parton “When I Get Where I’m Going”

4. Josh Ritter “Girl in the War”

3. Neko Case “Hold On, Hold On”

2. The Little Willies “Roll On”

1. Willie Nelson “Whatever Happened to Peace on Earth?”

Simpson Deleted from Kennedy Center Honors

Well, cancel that TiVo setting for Tuesday night, none of Jessica Simpson’s performances of “9 to 5″ will air on the telecast of the 2006 Kennedy Center Honors. After reviewing the tape of her second chance performance, Simpson (or, more likely, her dad) put the kibosh on the whole affair. Thus, Dolly Parton’s ode to the working girls will go un-honored. Look, Simpson is not even about to be humiliated on TV, okay?

Thanks, HelloLizT, for bringing this breaking story to my attention.

McMurtry: Coming to Your Town, Hating on Your Prez

Texas singer/songwriter/guitarist James McMurtry will be touring the US, promoting his album Childish Things with his band, the Heartless Bastards.

Some key dates:

2/2/07 NYC @ the Bowery Ballroom

2/8/07 Lafayette, IN @ the Lafayette Brewing Co.

2/9/07 Chicago @ Old Town School of Folk

McMurtry is sort of a folksinger’s folksinger, hating on the war, hanging with John Prine, appearing on the soundtrack for Falling from Grace, you know the type.

Tickets available here. More tour info available here.

Indie Rocks! (but don’t tell anyone…)

The list binge continues! Here are the best songs of indie rock in 2006:

5. Joanna Newsom “Emily”

4. The Knife “Silent Shout”

3. Tapes ‘n Tapes “10 Gallon Ascots”

2. Cat Power “The Greatest”

1. The Hold Steady “Stuck Between Stations”

Peanut gallery, it’s all yours…

Bob Wills to Receive Lifetime Achievement Grammy

Band leader and Western star Bob Wills will receive a posthumous lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy at the Grammy’s this February in Los Angeles. Wills, who died in 1975, is considered the grandfather of the Bakersfield sound, a type of country music popularized by Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, and, more recently, Dwight Yoakam.

Top of the Pop

I’ve succumbed to the blogger urge to create “best of” lists (second only to the blogger urge to comment on other “best of” lists). So here’s the top songs of pop music in 2006 according to moi:

5. Pink “Stupid Girls”

4. Rihanna “S.O.S”

3. Beyonce “Irreplaceable”

2 Shakira “Hips Don’t Lie”

1. Christina Aguilera “Ain’t No Other Man”

Hmm, I guess the ladies have it in 2k6. (Sorry, JT!) More genres to come…

Pitchfork Media: So Indie, They’re Mainstream (Meaning Indie)

Pitchfork Media has unrolled their Top 100 Tracks of 2006. Their #1? Justin Timberlake’s “My Love.” This is in keeping with new trend of Indie media outlets praising the uber-mainstream in order to show, you know, that they’re like really not just about image and stuff. I mean, who even cares? Oh wait, they totally do. Here’s the top 25 of the overwrought list:

25. “Trains To Brazil” - Guillemots
24. “The Orchids” - Califone
23. “Long Distance Call” - Phoenix
22. “Really Don’t Mind (Radio Edit)” - Luomo
21. “Pull Shapes” - The Pipettes
20. “Mr. Me Too” - Clipse [feat. Pharell]
19. “Shakey Dog” - Ghostface Killah
18. “The Funeral” - Band Of Horses
17. “Something Isn’t Right” - Herbert
16. “Over And Over” - Hot Chip
15. “Kick Push” - Lupe Fiasco
14. “We Share Our Mothers’ Health” - The Knife
13. “In The Morning” - Junior Boys [feat. Andi Toma]
12. “That’s Life” - Killer Mike
11. “Stuck Between Stations” - The Hold Steady
10. “Dream On” - Christian Falk [feat. Robyn & Ola Salo]
09. “Emily” - Joanna Newsom
08. “Apple Orchard” - Beach House
07. “Boy From School” - Hot Chip
06. “Trill” - Clipse
05. “Young Folks” - Peter Bjorn And John
04. “Wolf Like Me” - TV On The Radio
03. “What You Know” - T.I.
02. “Silent Shout” - The Knife
01. “My Love” - Justin Timberlake [feat. T.I.]

Indie medias’ attempt at street cred via praising hip-hop acts is as prominent as ever (best parodied here). This brings me to my next rant: when will they praise all the awesome bluegrass and alt-country acts that our out there to prove they’re really, really not concerned about image?  Yeah, I’m not holding my breath either.

Country Weekly Readers: Worse Than We Thought?

Country Weekly readers voted Toby Keith “Man of the Year” and Carrie Underwood “Woman of the Year”. And they even selected Keith as the “Star Who Should Run for President”. And then they were appropriately euthanized.

This edition hits newsstands today for all you bird cage lining needs.