Tag Archives: Reba-McEntire

Choice Moments From The CMA Awards

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CMA Awards

I can’t remember the last time I sat through an entire broadcast and the 53rd CMA Awards was no exception. Besides the unnecessary exclusion of long-time host Brad Paisley (to, ironically, virtue signal inclusivity) there’s the typical celebration of mundane Music City product. I admit fully that I take a protective view of country music that this glitter-choked spectacle is fully willing to eject in pursuit of mass appeal and the riches that come with it.

But somebody running this circus must remember that it’s about the music because interspersed between the spectacle there are moments that are truly sublime.

Willie Nelson and Kacey Musgraves – “Rainbow Connection” – Willie sounded a bit worse for wear but given the Texas Yoda’s age (87) and grueling tour schedule, it’s a miracle that he can perform at all. This Muppets classic never fails to draw the waterworks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4juzFaW12j0

Reba McEntire – “Fancy.” Reba is pure fire and I’ll fight anyone that says otherwise!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsjw2g80gj8

Where’s Kris? The Country Music Association honored iconic songwriter Kris Kristofferson with the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. Kristofferson honored the CMAs by skipping their brazen attempt to grift credibility by throwing a shiny bone to the living legends by playing a previously booked gig at the Adler Theatre in Davenport, Iowa.

Father’s Day – Songs for Daddy

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For Father’s Day I rustled up some greats singing songs for their dads. I know it’s not an even 10 but I think you’ll like what I have. Share your favorites in the comments or just leave some memory or sentiment for your own dad. Thanks for all the great suggestion from my friends and followers in twitter.  This is dedicated to my own father Jerry Max Lane, and my daughter Isobel and my step-father Joe Herbert whose been more than a father to me in my life.

Jerry Max Lane – Swinging Doors – A snippet of a leaving and drinking song by my dad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QphvJhBKUho

Conway Twitty – ‘That’s My Job’- For such a macho genre Country Music has never been shy about it’s sentimentality. And nobody could deliver the heartstrings yanking goods like Mr. Conway Twitty.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGstAcxrl7I

George Strait – ‘Love Without End, Amen’ – King George gives Twitty a run for his money. Love Without End, Amen is Cat’s in the Cradle with a better ending.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrTidoW2Erc

Guy Clark – ‘Randall Knife’ – Storytelling get’s no better than Clark’s use of a battered knife as a metaphor for life and a conduit for letting go.

Loretta Lynn – ‘They Don’t Make ‘Em Like My Daddy Anymore’ – The ultimate daddy’s girl! The Coal Miners Daughters sings the praises and quiet grace of her daddy

Charlie Louvin – ‘See the Big Man Cry’ – The jaunty tone of Louvin’s famous “See the Big Man Cry” belies the heartache of a man that sees his boy while walking on the sidewalk on day but can’t approach him and his ex-wide due to court orders.

Reba McEntire – ‘The Greatest Man I Never Knew’ – The darker side of Loretta’s tune. A man’s quiet grace leads to isolation and alienation from his daughter.

Shooter Jennings – It Ain’t Easy – Shooter relays some wisdom on career and manhood handed down from his daddy.

Brad Paisley – ‘Anything Like Me’ – Brad Paisley is a cut above the typical Music City hat acts and his performance of this song on impending fatherhood shows as much.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZazrQYirYLs[/youtube]

Jamey Johnson – ‘The Dollar’ – Even early in his career and with all the production sheen Johnson is a great songwriter. This is a tale of a boy that saves his change to buy time with his overworked father. An anthem to family challenges in these tough economic times.

John Prine – My Old Man – Tell ’em you love ’em while they’re on this side of the ground.

Shooter Jennings and Jamey Johnson to Collaborate on CMT Crossroads

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  • Shooter Jennings and Jamey Johnson will collaborate on the next episode of CMT Crossroads, to be aired March 23.  The show will be taped in Nashville later this month before an invitation-only audience. CMT Crossroads pair country artists with musicians from other genres to great effect – Bonnie Raitt with Lyle Lovett and  Steve Earle with Rosanne Cash (which I had the good fortune to attend) come to mind. Sometimes they lead to a longer term effort like Robert Plant with Alison Krauss. It’d be interesting to see what a longer term partnership of  Jennings and Johnson might bring.
  • The Dallas Morning News’ Jeff Mosier reports that George Strait, along with Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton and Julianne Hough, will lead a lineup for June 6 concert to christen Dallas Cowboys’ new stadium in Arlington, TX.  Let’s hope some of that Strait mojo works some magic on Tony Romo’s arm and Terrell Owens’ ego.

Stagecoach Announces Festival Lineup

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The lineup for Stagecoach, California’s Country Music Festival has been announced. Along with the garden variety Nashville pop faire – Kenny Chesney, Reba McEntire and Brad Paisley – the festival will feature more harder edged and rootsier artists – Miranda Lambert, Earl Scruggs,  Jerry Jeff Walker, Ricky Skaggs, Ralph Stanley, Dale Watson, The Duhks, some pleasant surprises, Dallas’ own Reverend Horton Heat, and a few wanna-bes – Kid Rock, Darius Rucker.

Stagecoach will take place on April 26, 2009 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA. Tickets for go on sale Friday, November 14 at 10:00 AM (PT) at all Ticketmaster locations.

CMA / AMA Best Artists – My View

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So the Country Music Association and the Americana Music Association have recently released their nominees list for their respective awards and in an attempt to figure what passes for country music nowadays and what the heck “Americana” means I am going to compare a category they share…sort of.

CMA Entertainer of the Year
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
Rascal Flatts
George Strait
Keith Urban

CMA Male Vocalist of the Year
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
George Strait
Josh Turner
Keith Urban

CMA Female Vocalist of the Year
Alison Krauss
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Reba McEntire
Carrie Underwood

AMA Artist of the Year
Joe Ely
Lucinda Williams
Patty Griffin
Todd Snider

Being good, progressive minded folk the Americana place the boys and the girls in one “artist” category. The CMA naturally plays it like a broken record with Chesney and Rascal Flatts nominated for the millionth time. I have a question, to qualify for EOTY shouldn’t you be entertaining? And I don’t mean in a comedic sense. And what is the difference between “Entertainer of the year” and Vocalist of the year” I mean all the nominees are vocalists,that’s what they do to entertain, sing. Is the CMA rewarding acrobatics, ripped biceps and hair gel as a separate category?

I like George Strait and think his 07 release “It Just Comes Natural” is good but not great. I like Brad Paisley somewhat but think he’s choosing the corn-ball and schmaltz cuts that are beneath him and his fine guitar playing to chase the dollar. I think Miranda Lambert is the best thing to happen to country in a long time and she has the good sense to cover excellent songwriters like Gillian Welsh. Alison Krauss is the one crossover artist here but she had to soften her bluegrass roots and get a make-over to get acceptance by the CMA crowd. Britney 2…er..I mean Carrie Underwood has the pipes but not the soul or courage to be interseting.

Joe Ely is a Texas legend and should when in any category he’s in. And even though I love Lucinda, I think “West” was a weak effort and shows that moving to L.A. will kill even a dignified soul.

I will use the CMA boy/girl dichotomy and ignore the useless EOTY category and play nice and not add other deserving artists like Elizabeth Cook and Wayne Hancock into the mix, and say:

Male Artist of the Year: Joe Ely

Female Artist of the Year: Miranda Lambert