Brad Paisley and Kimberly Williams-Paisley’s baby boy has received a name: William Hucklebery Paisley, to be called “Will.” Man, I have been saying, like, forever how Huck would be an awesome name and now Paisley’s stolen my thunder. I now relate to George Costanza even more. (via GAC)
After publicly declaring her love for Dolly Parton on American Idol and The View, and, well, kinda stalking her idol in Tennessee, Kellie Pickler finally met Dolly, who wore red high heels for the occasion. The surprise was arranged by Sony BMG.
Pickler reportedly kept repeating “Are you real?” (You may remember that Pickler once followed a Dolly-impersonator around an airport bathroom, so better safe than sorry this time, I suppose.) Congrats to Kellie! We should all be so lucky. (via Country Nation)
Chet Atkins — A Life in Music, the documentary which details Atkins’ life and ascent in the music industry will be released on DVD tomorrow. The documentary features footage or interviews from Eddy Arnold, Randy Bachman (The Guess Who), Bobby Bare, George Benson, Suzy Bogguss, Bill Carlisle (The Carlisles), The Carter Family, June Carter Cash, Tommy Emmanuel, Don Everly (The Everly Brothers), John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival), Peter Frampton, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Steve Howe (Yes), Waylon Jennings, Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits), Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Les Paul and Charley Pride.
Looks like someone’s been reading my fan mail: Country Nation is reporting that Willie Nelson is writing a song with Mariah Carey for her new movie Tennessee in which she will play an aspiring songwriter. I sincerely hope this is true (the song part — I kind of hope the movie is a rumor) and I would love to be a fly on the wall for that writing session.
Any last minute picks for the Oscar for Best Original Song category?
The nominees are:
“I Need to Wake Up” Music and Lyric by Melissa Etheridge (An Inconvenient Truth)
“Our Town” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman (Cars)
“Listen” Music by Henry Krieger and Scott Cutler; Lyric by Anne Preven (performed by Beyonce in Dreamgirls)
“Love You I Do” Music by Henry Krieger; Lyric by Siedah Garrett (performed by Jennifer Hudson in Dreamgirls)
“Patience” Music by Henry Krieger; Lyric by Willie Reale (performed by Eddie Murphy in Dreamgirls)
Looking at these choices, I have to say I’m a bit underwhelmed. I’m not familiar with “Our Town,” but it doesn’t take much imagination to guess what a Randy Newman song sounds like; Furthermore, I can’t forgive the Cars soundtrack for giving us Rascal Flatts’ “Life is a Highway.”
I am a Dreamgirls fan (and some days it feels like there are so few of us), but these songs are pretty weak representatives of the film. For one thing, I thought “Patience” was supposed to be a joke even within the movie. (None of the original songs from the 1981 Broadway musical by Henry Krieger (music) and Tom Eyen (lyric and book) were eligible for nomination.)
I guess I’ll go out on a limb and predict Melissa Etheridge as the winner with “I Need to Wake Up,” assuming the Dreamgirls songs will cancel each other out and considering Newman’s traditional bad luck at the Oscars.
American Idol will feature not one, but three women in country this season. Former winner Carrie Underwood will perform on March 8; former contestant Kellie Pickler and Martina McBride, who will act as a coach to the contestants, will perform on dates to be determined.
Thanks to all the folks at Brooklyn Country Music and Southpaw for a great night of country music. Clinton McClung (whom you may recognize, if you’re also a Buffy fan, as the impresario of the Buffy Sing-a-Longs in NYC) started the night off with a lengthy video montage of Cash, including footage from his his own show in which he impersonated Elvis, the trailer to his 1950s noir film. and his duet with Stevie Wonder on “Get Rhythm.” The montage was excellent, though the audience response was restrained. (Where I come from when “City of New Orleans” plays, by god, you sing along.)
The Lonesome Prairie Dogs got the music started with “Country Boy,” “Get Rhythm,” while also playing their own tunes such as the audience-confusing “What is Peace Good For?” (hint: it was ironic). The LPDs closed with “Folsom Prison Blues,” the same song that Alex Battles’ (pictured above) and the Whiskey Rebellion began their set with. Battles also sang “I’ve Been Everywhere,” and “Big River” before dueting with several “June Carters” on songs like “Long-legged Guitar Pickin’ Man.”
The music was fantastic and it was great to see the love of country music in NYC (though it took some of you too long to start dancing — work on that).
Sad news in indie music media this week as Arthur magazine calls it quits. Arthur was an over-sized, free magazine available at hip record stores, coffee shops, etc., that focused on independent music, especially folk. It’s always a bummer to lose a music magazine that’s not covering the latest Fall Out Boy or Pussycat Dolls video. Luckily, in the modern age, we have blogs to fill the wide gaps that mainstream media leaves, but, even this blogger knows, it’s just not the same.
Celebrate Johnny Cash’s 75th birthday at Southpaw in Brooklyn tomorrow with fellow NYC country-enthusiasts.
Alex Battles’ Whisky Rebellion
Jersey City’s own The Lonesome Prairie Dogs
Louisiana Emily
Clinton McClung
Tickets ($10) here.
The 71-year-old country superstar tells the Wichita Eagle that she keeps touring despite her age for her fans:
“You owe it to them. They were there when you needed it — now it’s for them. You have to pick your dates. It’s hard. But I love it. This is the one thing I’ve really loved out of this whole thing — meeting people. They’re all the same. They’ve all got problems, all got good things going on in their life. I listen, and they tell me what’s going on. It’s been that way, really, since ‘61, when I started singing.”
She tours primarily in the South. Come to NYC, Loretta!
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