Not surprisingly, Jewel will follow up her stint as the host of Nashville Star with her debut country album. Jewel says the new album will “run the gamut like any of my records. Some of it will be socially conscious, some of it totally personal.” Hasn’t she been talking about doing this for literally about 10 years? Anyway, it should be interesting.
Well the 2007 Weblog Awards Nominations are out and you can get your vote on now. Unfortunately, no country blogs made the Best Music Blog Category, but some quality blogs are up for your consideration:
Stereogum
3hive
You Ain’t No Picasso
Pitchfork
Yank Blog
When I initially read this list, I thought for sure my vote would go to Stereogum, a great indie rock blog that I read daily. However, when I clicked on Yank Blog, I learned that it is, in fact, a blog dedicated to Weird Al Yankovic. Yes folks, someone lives that dream. So I’m torn. However, I will be sick with blogger grief if Pitchfork wins because it’s not really a blog and it devotes a lot of energy to making fun of blogs.
Toby Keith has suddenly revealed that he’s always been against the war in Iraq. (Perhaps he realized this when he discovered that the majority of Americans no longer approve of the US’s occupation of Iraq?) While this story pretty much comments on itself, I will say that if Keith had announced that he changed his mind about the war, I could be okay with that. However, he’s just lying. Or, if he didn’t support the war in Iraq, he had a funny way of showing it. Maybe the tide turned when Keith learned that Iraqi prisoners were torturously forced to watch Broken Bridges.
I caught Dock Oscar and Chenango County Line last night at the Ace of Clubs and they had an amazing set. They aptly described themselves as a string band. Two guitars, a Dobro, a fiddle and a bass were played along Julie Smith’s vocals. They played an assortment of original material and covers (Steve Earl, etc). My favorite was the bluegrass song about Manhattan’s alphabet city. Oscar will be playing Johnny Cash’s birthday celebration on February 24th — check him out!
Kellie Pickler’s digital sales increased a whopping 1489% after her performance on The View. Hard copies of her album increased by 64%, according to Country Nation.
Go here.
The guest of honor will — most likely — be absent but that’s no excuse not celebrate the man in black’s 75th birthday at Southpaw in Brooklyn on Saturday, February 24th. Alex Battles’ Whisky Rebellion, Jersey City’s own The Lonesome Prairie Dogs, Louisiana Emily, Eli Smith, Jessica Rose, The Dock Oscar Gospel Quartet will get the party rockin’. Tickets ($10) here.
The NYC Opry will convene this Friday at the Ace of Clubs.
The line-up:
8:00 Dock Oscar & Chenango County Line
9:00 Lindy Loo & the Hobo Cats
10:00 Tennessee Hollow
11:00 Coppersonic
12:00 The New Heathens
That’s a whole lot for $8. Doors at 7:30.
John Mellencamp’s new country-inspired album Freedom Road is now available. Look for guests Little Big Town and Joan Baez on the record.
The fest that begot Stagecoach announced its line-up today. Willie Nelson and Neko Case (with the band The New Pornographers) appear to be playing both Indio, CA festivals. There are some good acts in this bunch, but somehow this year’s show doesn’t match the “wow” factor of the the other years. Maybe I’m just getting jaded (just from reading posters — I’ve never actually been).
The presale has begun. The password is “Roxanne” according to the word on the street (meaning other blogs).
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