country music

Holding on to Hag: Remembering Merle Haggard 1937-2016

Holding on to Hag: Remembering Merle Haggard 1937-2016

Merle Haggard died at age 79, leaving behind a legacy of authentic country music.
Country Comes to Town: The Music Industry and the Transformation of Nashville

Country Comes to Town: The Music Industry and the Transformation of Nashville

While some might think of country music as a repository of nostalgia, Hill argues that the genre is successful because its songs and its people address social and cultural issues as well as geographic change.

Alan Jackson: Genuine: The Alan Jackson Story

Alan Jackson: Genuine: The Alan Jackson Story

You probably know most of the material here, but taken all together we're reminded why Alan Jackson remains one of country music's greatest singers.
Turnpike Troubadours Return with Intimate New Album and Talk with PopMatters

Turnpike Troubadours Return with Intimate New Album and Talk with PopMatters

Recorded at former chicken farm north of San Francisco, the new release from Turnpike Troubadours seems like the one that will finally solidify the group's reputation as the best of its kind. And one member says it all comes down to getting what you deserve.
George Strait: Cold Beer Conversation

George Strait: Cold Beer Conversation

It's hard to believe that the veteran singer is still hitting the post after all these years but, really, could we expect anything less?
Alabama: Southern Drawl

Alabama: Southern Drawl

Disappointing showing from veteran country act with some pretty good--and maybe even one great--ballads and several abysmal rockers.
Let Us Now Praise Dale Watson, American Treasure

Let Us Now Praise Dale Watson, American Treasure

Dale Watson wants to secede from country music and all we can do is hope that this is one rebellion that comes to a happy end.
Ashley Monroe Is on Her Biggest Winning Streak Yet

Ashley Monroe Is on Her Biggest Winning Streak Yet

Country music star Ashley Monroe gets up close and personal, discussing the emotional rollercoaster that went into creating her latest release, The Blade along with her creative process and her role within the music business.
The Best Country Music of 2014

The Best Country Music of 2014

Take more than a quick glance at country music in 2014 and you'll see a varied landscape -- in terms of gender, age, experience and song content.
‘Producing Country’ Is Great Oral History

‘Producing Country’ Is Great Oral History

This is an exceptional read on how records get made. We learn how producers coaxed great performances, made power deals, and generally had a good time.
Risa Binder: Nashville EP

Risa Binder: Nashville EP

They say that beauty is only skin deep, and that’s pretty much true of Binder’s five song Nashville EP.
A Yarn-Spinning Tale about Country Music Legend Merle Haggard

A Yarn-Spinning Tale about Country Music Legend Merle Haggard

David Cantwell writes from the heart and the results are, like the subject, highly unconventional and completely memorable.