Benefit Album for Evan Phillips to Be Released

  • NineBullets.net has some good things to say about the new Scott H Biram’s Blooshot Records release Something’s Wrong / Lost Forever.
  • Kelly Dearmore at Twangville.com (no relation) praises the new The Dexateens release Singlewide.
  • A new Magnolia Electric co. album josephine will be released by secretly canadian on july 21st, 2009. Get a free mp3 of the title track over in the Magnolia Electric co.web site. In support the record they’ll head out july 10th on a month long tour crossing the U.S followed by a few weeks of full-band touring in Europe.
  • An benefit album to help Evan Phillips, – the principle songwriter for acclaimed Alaskan alt.country rock band The Whipsaws – pay medical costs associated with a debilitating chronic injury he sustained 7 years ago climbing is tentatively scheduled to release in Alaska and online on June 15. The album features acclaimed roots and alt.country artists like T, Nile, Matt Hopper, Aaron Lee Tasjan, The Devil Whales, Marty Jones and more all covering Phillips songs. Check the official MySpace site for more information and to listen to cuts from featured artists.

Scott H. Biram Breaks His Damn Leg!

  • Chris Knight has posted a MySpace bulletin that he and his band will be playing a show to benefit the 8th grade class at Slaughters Elementary in his hometown of Slaughters, Kentucky.The show will take place this Saturday, March 7, 2009 @ Webster County High- 1922 US HWY 41 A South, Dixon, KY 7:00 PM — $20.00 – For tickets call (270) 635-5519 or (270) 871-2507
  • Rachel Brooke has a posted a new demo on her MySpace page entitled City Of Shame. Brook writes that the song will most likely be on her upcoming new album.
  • Our thoughts go out to Texas’ own ‘Dirty Old One Man Band’ Scott H Biram who after his last show in Europe suffered a compound fracture in the leg he uses on the his stomp board during performance. He is currently in a French hospital after surgery to implant yet another titanium rod in his leg (where another already exists due to a run in with a Semi a few years back.) It looks like he will be put on a plane home Saturday and can then heal in the good ole USA where its home but where insurance and reasonably priced medical care aren’t available to musicians. Go help the boy out and but some of his CDs and swag!

Dolly Parton to Play Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon for Charity

No Depression’s Lloyd Sachs looks for reasons for Americana/Roots leaning folks to tune into the Grammy Awards on February 9. Maybe it’s reasons not to tune in…either way it’s pretty darn funny.

Americana music blog Music Fog posted interviews and performances by Cross Canadian Ragweed, Jack Ingram, Gary P. Nunn, Dale Watson and Sunny Sweeney. (via the 9513)

On February 2nd Country music legend Dolly Parton will play a charity show at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon to benefit the W.O. Smith Nashville Community Music School.  Other Sony BMG artists will also perform – Ronnie Dunn, Kellie Pickler and Keith Anderson. Tickets are only $45 for this general admission event.  (via Music City TV)

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville is partnering with Ford Motor Company Fund for the second consecutive year to offer free admission to the Hall on Saturday, Jan. 24. (via Country Weekly)

Pitchform.com‘s  Stephen M. Deusner really, really does not like the newly released Johnny Cash Remixed.

The Charlie Daniels Band To Perform Christmas For Kids Benefit Concert

The Charlie Daniels Band will perform at the Mother Church of Country Music – Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium – for the 12th Christmas For Kids benefit concert with Montgomery Gentry, Phil Vassar, Rodney Atkins, and Heidi Newfield. The concert is November 24th and will begin at 7:00 PM and proceeds from the event will go to the Christmas for Kids organization, which funds holiday shopping excursions for underprivileged children.

Prior to the show (5:30PM) Charlie Daniels will meet fans and sign autographs in celebration of his recent DVD release, Preachin’, Prayin’, and Singin’ (Blue Hat/Koch Records) at The Charlie Daniels Museum (110 Second Avenue North, Nashville, Tennessee.)

Concert For The (Texas) Coast

This goes out to my home state: Concert For The Coast is a Texas-wide event on Oct. 26, 2008, featuring 10 venues in 10 cities with over 100 artists ( like Band of Heathens, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Gary P Nunn, Rodney Parker and many others), with both acoustic and full band performances, coming together for one cause, to help the recovery process of the millions hit hard by Hurricane Ike.

All events have a suggested donation of $10 per person to enter.  Each event will also feature raffles as well as auctions
of artist merchandise, autographed memorabilia and other items donated by local merchants.  There will also be an online auction concurrent with the events.

Many are struggling without the basic necessities of food, water and shelter. Radio Free Texas has proven that it is a community that cares.  In this spirit, the idea for Concert For The Coast was born.  Radio Free Texas has partnered with others in the Texas Music community to bring a multi city, multi venue benefit event that will help bring much needed relief to the coastal communities and those that call it home.

For more information about the Concert For The Coast benefit event, please contact Nate Smith by calling 512-912-6082 or emailing at nate@tx-live.com

Poco Drummer Fundraiser

George Grantham, drummer, vocalist and founding member of the seminal 70’s West Coast country-rock band Poco  (“Crazy Love,”  “Heart of the Night”), recently suffered a severe stroke.  The stroke took him off the road permanently–making him incapable of enjoying or continuing his music career.

John McEuen from the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Timothy Schmit, Kentucky Headhunters, Scotty Moore, Steve Wariner, DJ Fontana, Don Henley, Richie Furay, Chris Hillman, Graham Nash, the band Orleans ands others have all joined Grantham’s daughter Gracie to begin a campaign Putting Heads Together to raise money for her father by contributing items for an eBay auction and to establish a fund to pay for George’s medical and living expenses.

For the latest news, to donate cash, something to sell or want to buy something from the auction visit the Putting Heads Together  site.

Big State Festival – October 13 & 14 – Bryan-College Station, Texas

The good folks at the country music blog 9513.com are giving away tickets to the Big State Festival. Now I lived in Texas most of my life and never heard of the Big State Festival. Well turns out this is the first year it’s being put on.

The Festival is held on October 13 & 14 at the Texas World Speedway; Bryan-College Station, Texas (Gig ’em!) and will have more than 50 country music stars on 5 stages over 2 days as well as stock car racing as (this is my favorite part) a Barbecue Showdown. The performers will include Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett and his Large Band, Drive-By Truckers, Leon Russell, Billy Joe Shaver, Charlie Louvin , Gary Allan, Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert, Bruce and Charlie Robison, Luke Bryan, Kelly Willis, Sunny Sweeney and more. Head over to the official Big State Festival website to see a full lineup.

The festival will benefit the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation.

Austin Freedom Fest at The Backyard – 8/10/07

If you find yourself in Austin this Friday and want to make a statement against the so-called drug war and the political idiocy and the abuse of the our countries’ legal system that has resulted from it, then mosey on over to the Austin Freedom Fest at The Backyard. The concert will benefit MPP, NORML and WAMM, and will feature Willie Nelson, Asleep at the Wheel, Jackie “The Jokeman” Martling, Carolyn Wonderland, Paula Nelson, Mark Stepnoski and others to be announced.

Austin’s Mean Eyed Cat needs your help

Thanks to the 9513 for putting this on my radar. Inspired by the Johnny Cash song of the same name, Austin’s one-of-a-kind Mean Eyed Cat bar is facing possible closure.

The property that the bar occupies is zoned as a retail space and thus is required to earn 51 percent of its revenue from food sales – The space has no kitchen so that’spretty much out of the question.

Owner Chris Marsh has taken the issue to the city council to ask that the property be rezoned. The council is set to vote on June 21.

Go to the Mean Eyed Cat and spend your hard-earned cash.

Go here to support the rezoning.

Nelson, Mellencamp Bring Farm Aid To New York

Billboard reports that Willie Nelson (the Texas Yoda) is hauling his do-gooding music festival to New York’s Randall’s Island.

Unlike Willie holding his 4th of July picnic outside the Lone Star (heresy!) Farm Aid has moved around since it’s birth 22 years ago, but having it on Randall’s Island is nice since it’s a subway ride away!

From Billboard: Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp joined New York mayor Michael Bloomberg and a host of local farmers today (June 11) amid the Union Square Green Market to announce a Sept. 9 date for the annual Farm Aid benefit at Randall’s Island. As usual, the artists will be joined by fellow Farm Aid board members Neil Young and Dave Matthews at the event.

“This will be the first Farm Aid that provides 100% homegrown food at the concert,” Mellencamp said proudly. Acknowledging the organic market just a few hundred feet away, Nelson said, “This is a great example of what can be done in the big cities.”

Farm Aid, which is now in its 22nd year, will dovetail with a new biofuel initiative in New York. Beginning next summer, 30% of the city’s heating oil purchases will be required to contain 5% biofuel, with a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030.  Â