When Moby came out with his new album "These Systems Are Failing" in October and had the single "Are You Lost In The World Like Me" released with a brilliant video, I wrote about it, here in a MMM - Music Blog "Moby - Lost In The World."
I also mentioned, that on October 23rd, he will have his only live performance of the year at his own vegan charity event, Circle V at the Fonda Teatre in Los Angeles benefiting animal rights organisation "Mercy For Animals." From that show he now released a rare 360° live video of his current single. (move your mouse to change the viewing angle.)
Kinda ironic (if you stay on the concert goers in the video) on how they use their smart phones to "capture the action." Not sure, if they actually got the true message of the song in its video.
Sources: Video (YouTube), Image - Moby at Decibel Festival 5 in 2013 (moby.com)
14 people dead, over 140 injured, over 1750 structures destroyed or inhabitable - this the sad result of the Tennessee wildfires in Sevier County. Country singer Dolly Parton now announced that she will help displaced people with monthly payments and a telethon to help the victims is planed for next Tuesday (12/7). In the meantime two juveniles were arrested by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and charged with aggravated arson. They are suspected to be connected to the fires.
Dolly Parton who not only was born and grew up in the area, but the area is also where she has several entertainment businesses and restaurants, the main attraction being Dollywood. As you can see in the cover picture by Knoxville photographer Bruce McCamish the flames came pretty close to the DreamMore Resort, which is part of the Dollywood complex. As you can see on the interactive map from Sevier county (via Weather.com) below, the 4000 people town of Gatlinburg got hit really bad. Fortunately most of downtown was spared and the town will reopen for business this coming Friday. And while a visit and spending money in the region is a good thing, it can't be the only thing.
Dolly believes "that charity begins at home," and that many of the families being affected by the wildfires are "family." So Dolly, with some of her business entities came up with the My People Fund a home-based charity, through her non-profit Dollywood Foundation. 100 percent of the donations will go to the affected families and help is immediate - people who will register to be helped will be given a check on the day of their registration. (All the necessary information to help out can be found at the bottom of the blog.)
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“My home in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee is some place special. Wildfires have affected many of the people—my people—who live in those beautiful mountains. We want to provide a hand up to those families who have lost everything in the fires. I know it has been a trying time for my people and this assistance will help get them back on their feet.”
Every family that lost their primary residence, as owners or renters, is eligible for $1000 a month support, until they get back on their feet again.
Dolly with a little help from some of her friends, Reba McEntire, Kenny Rogers and Alison Krauss will have a three hour telethon "Smoky Mountains Rise" to benefit the My People Fund on Tuesday, Dec 13 (7pm CST) on US TV station Great American Country. (GAC.) Besides being on TV, the event will also be simulcast through several on-air and digital radio platforms like IHeart Media, Cumulus Media's NASH Nights LIVE and others.
Additionally, other celebrities joining "Smoky Mountains Rise" will be announced in the coming days.
Here are the necessary links and contacts if you would like to help out:
To contribute to the My People Fund, visit dollywoodfoundation.org or send by mail to My People Fund, c/o Dollywood Foundation, 111 Dollywood Lane, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863.
During the telethon, you can call 1-866-CARE MORE to donate to the My People Fund.
You can share this with the following hashtags as well #MyPeopleFund and #someplacespecial.
Source: Webster PR, Bruce McCamish (flickr), Sevier Couny via weather.com (interactive map), gatlinburg.com
I met Holly Dunn in the early 90s, after a concert, where she was opening for Charlie Rich at the legendary Austin Opry House. Standing around, outside the tour bus and being joined by a young Paula Nelson (Willie's daughter) the three of us shot the breeze and exchanged stories.
Even though I knew since March that she was diagnosed with a rare, very malicious form of ovarian cancer, her passing took me rather by surprise. Holly was only 59 years old and spent the last decade or so, in New Mexico, where she painted as an artist and where she passed away on Monday (11/14).
During our conversation over 20 years ago, she told me how she wrote her signature song, which started her career, "Daddy's Hands" for her father, a minister, as a father's day gift. Even though the song "only" reached #7 in the Country Charts in November of 1986, she was nominated for two Grammys (Best Country Song & Best Country Vocal Performance, Female) because of it. An earlier version was recorded by family trio The Whites in 85. In April of '87 she was crowned "Top New Female Vocalist 1986" by the Academy of Country Music and in October of the same year won the Horizon Award by the Country Music Association.
Daddy's hands were soft and kind when I was cryin'
Daddy's hands were hard as steel when I'd done wrong
Daddy's hands weren't always gentle but I've come to understand
There was always love in daddy's hands
Holly Suzette Dunn, born in San Antonio, on August 22nd, 1957 also told me, that their house was always open, with different musicians often coming by for a visit - Sonny James, Roy Orbison, Porter Wagoner - I recall her even telling Paula, that a young Willie used to show up too. But besides all the country music influences, she mentioned James Taylor, Carole King, The Beatles, and Barbara Streisand as influential to her music, and yes music was encouraged. Dunn already had a band during her high school years, called Freedom Folk. According to the "All Music Guide to Country," Freedom Folk was selected to represent Texas at the bicentennial celebration in 1976 at the White House. During her years at Abilene Christian University, she was also part of the USO-touring choir, the Hilltop Singers.
Move to Nashville & MTM years
Still in college, "Out of Sight, Not Out of Mind," a song she had written with her brother, Chris Waters was recorded by Cristy Lane on her "Love Lies" album. After graduating Holly decided to move to Nashville. Besides odd side jobs, she started singing demos and later writing songs for the same publisher, CBS Songs, as Chris. One of her songs, she co-wrote with her brother and Tom Shapiro, "I'm Not Through Loving You Yet" became a Top Ten Hit for Louise Mandrell, others were recorded by Marie Osmond, Sylvia, and lesser-known artists, some from Sweden and Canada. Often singing the demos, the trio wrote, Holly was still hoping for a singing career on her own.
In 1984 she got signed by Tommy West to MTM Records and released her debut "HOLLY DUNN" a year later - her first single (not available on any album) "Playing For Keeps" (Dunn, Waters, Shapiro) with a pop new-wave arrangement, stalled at #62 of the country charts, two other singles "My Heart Holds On" (#64 Hugh Prestwood) and "Two Too Many" (#39 Dunn) didn't leave much of an impact and then "Daddy's Hands" was released and gave her a first Top Ten Hit. In January of '87 a duet with Michael Martin Murphey, "A Face In The Crowd" (Karen Staley, Gary Harrison) from his "AMERICANA" album was released and not only gave her another Top Five hit (#4) but also another Grammy nomination in the duet category, which they both lost to Ronnie Milsap and Kenny Rogers.
Her second album "CORNERSTONE" gave her the Top Ten Singles "Love Someone Like Me" (Radney Foster, Dunn #2), "Only When I Love" (Waters, Shapiro, Dunn #4) and "Strangers Again" (Waters, Dunn #7). Her third and last album for MTM, the self-produced (with Waters & Warren Peterson) "ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE" had the hits "That's What Your Love Does To Me" (Chick Rains, Bill Caswell #5) and "(It's Always Gonna Be) Someday" (Waters, Shapiro, Dunn #11). After that parent company, MTM Enterprises was sold to a British TV conglomerate with the record label part being spun off, acquired, and embedded into RCA.
In 1989 Holly Dunn was added as a regular cast member of the Grand Ole Opry during the Opry's 64th birthday celebration.
Warner Brothers years
Being picked up by Warner Bros, with her old catalog going there too, Holly was able to finally celebrate her two #1 singles “Are You Ever Gonna Love Me” (8/26/89 - Dunn, Shapiro, Waters) and “You Really Had Me Going” (11/17/90 - Dunn, Shapiro, Waters) from "THE BLUE ROSE OF TEXAS" and "HEART FULL OF LOVE" respectively. "BLUE ROSE" also had the Joe Diffie (w/Lonnie Wilson, Wayne Perry) penned "There Goes My Heart Again" which hit the Top Five (#4) and on which Diffie sang background vocals. Dolly Parton did the same on her cover of "Must Of All, Why." The self-penned "Anniversary For Being A Fool" stalled at #63. while the title track of "HEART", a Kostas composition, reached the Top Twenty (#19), It was Holly's last Top Twenty hit.
A duet she recorded with Kenny Rogers "Maybe" (Bill Rice, M. Sharon Rice) from his album "SOMETHING INSIDE SO STRONG" reached #25 in 1990.
With her career stalling, Warner Bros. decided to release "MILESTONES," a Greatest Hits compilation, combining her hits for MTM, with her chart singles for Warner Brothers. Talking about bad timing, the self-written single out of the collection, "Maybe I Mean Yes" came out right at the wrong time, when the subject of date rape and the outcry "No Means No" were gaining traction due to some prominent lawsuits. With its refrain stating "When I say no, I mean maybe, or maybe I mean yes" it caused controversy. The label and Holly had to pull the single of the radio market after it reached #48. Another single from the album, written by brother Chris "No One Takes The Train Anymore" failed to chart.
The last album for Warner Brothers, "GETTING IT DUNN" was released in June of 1992. Instead of co-producing, brother Chris Waters was replaced by guitarist/producer Paul Worley (later of Martina McBride, Dixie Chicks & Lady Antebellum fame). But none of the three singles "No Love Have I" (Mel Tillis #67), "As Long As You Belong To Me" (Dunn, Waters, Shapiro #68), and "Golden Years" (Sam Hogin, Gretchen Peters #51) cracked the Top 40 anymore, and Holly Dunn was let go.
In 1995 Dunn signed with River North Records and released "LIFE AND LOVE AND ALL THE STAGES" which yielded her last single cracking the charts "I Am Who I Am" (Dunn, Waters, Shapiro #56). "LEAVE ON BRIDGE STANDING" followed two years later and by that time Dunn had joined WWWW (W4 Country) in Detroit as morning disk-jockey co-host. 2001/02 she worked for The Nashville Network (TNN) sitting in for Bill Anderson on "Opry Backstage." In 2003 Dunn released a gospel album "FULL CIRCLE" for OMS and her own company Holly Dunn Enterprises. She also announced her retirement from the music business
“I left the business because it was clear that radio had moved on and wasn’t interested in anything new from me. Without radio’s support, it just gets harder and harder to keep the wheels turning in a music career. Hit records are the engine that drives the train,”
Dunn explained to Christian magazine "Hallels" in June. Her move to Central Texas and later to Albuquerque also got her expunged from the cast of the Grand Ole Opry, a move criticized by many fans. In an interview with "the 9513" blog, Holly Dunn was quoted:
"I knew they’d been adding people since I left. But it hurt. Because I loved the Opry. And I still love the Opry."
Living in New Mexico, she started to paint, inspired by her surroundings either the Southwest or her home state, Texas (as this ruby chested hummingbird visiting the state flower, the bluebonnet.) They were offered through the Pena-Dunn Gallery in Santa Fe.
According to the New York Times, she is survived by her wife, Melissa Taylor, and her three brothers, Chris, Jerry, and Rodney. Funeral services were held on Saturday (11/19) and Holly is to be buried at the Salado Cemetery in Central Texas.
Sources: Image (Publicity Shot), Painting - her Facebook Art Page, HollyDunn.com (unfortunately her facebook page and her website were immediately eliminated after her death), Hallels, Billboard, BMI, 9513, The New York Times, lpdiscography.com, opry.com,
A couple of days after the passing of Canadian master-poet singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen, (see my obituary), I stumbled upon Texas a cappella quintet Pentatonix'version of the Cohen penned and by now cult song "Hallelujah" from their second Christmas album, "A PENTATONIX CHRISTMAS" which was released on October 21st together with the video. As to the Billboard Chart of 11/26 the album is still in the Top Five of the 200 Best Selling Albums in the US,
It looks like the video was filmed on the Salt Flats of Utah, but that's just a wild guess and I couldn't find any references on the net. So with over 300 versions of the legendary classic, how does the quintet rate. Actually great - as they offer an a cappella (without instruments) version, it sounds new and not just as another remake. And I assume, that 50 Million people agree, who have watched Pentatonix version since it's release roughly 4 weeks ago. (If only one percent of these viewers discover the greatness of the late Leonard Cohen and Jeff Buckley, the quintet's version did in my opinion well.) Unfortunately, the song didn't too well as a single and on the radio, it entered strong into the Top 100 (Billboard) on #32 (11/12), but has since then been falling. Maybe it will get a second wind with the passing of Cohen.
★★★★(★)/★★★★★ (4½/5)
I guess it proves the point how timeless that song is, the original version by Cohen was released 32 years ago, in 1984 on his album "VARIOUS POSITIONS" but hardly got recognized. Seven years later, former Velvet Underground man, John Cale, recorded a first version with added piano track. This one inspired a cut by Jeff Buckley on his debut and only full studio album "GRACE" in 1994. Buckley pretty much made the song his own, and until now with roughly 100 Million views, is the most viewed version on the streaming platform YouTube.
A year and a half ago, Newsweek in an article "60 Versions of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah", Ranked" actually tried to put many of the versions in order. Their Top-Five (5-1): k.d. lang from "HYMNS OF THE 40TH PARALLEL" 2004, Regina Spektor (concert for the Jewish Heritage Festival, 2005 YouTube - no recorded version), Rufus Wainwright (OST - SHREK: Music from the Original Motion Picture, 2001), Jeff Buckley ("GRACE" 1994): and John Cale ("I'M YOUR FAN" 1991) on top.
The 50th CMA Awards are over, the Italian-made crystal obelisks are distributed and the hangover is real. Not so much on my part but probably on broadcaster ABC and host CMA - even though offering a stur-studded annual celebration of "Country Music" - the ratings were a disaster. There were more than 3 times as many viewers watching the all deciding game 7 of the Baseball World Series between the Cubs and Indians, than people tuning in to the Kumbaya Fest out of the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
So let's see how I did in my preview - published here in my blog Nothing New On The Western Front, when the nominations came out. Besides the winners below, Dolly Parton was awarded the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award and Kenny Chesney with the Pinnacle Award.
My predications who is winning (*), whom I want to win (amu) and who actually won.
I gotta have to think about that for a little while, Garth Brooks was the reason I left the CMA as a voting member, because I thought, that the trend where the music was going, was into BS-land (and I don't mean the Swiss state with that name). In retrospect, well at least compared to today's output over the last half decade, Garth was country. Writer and owner "Trigger" at "Saving Country Music" already wrote a wonderful piece about that - Time has been kind to the music of Garth Brooks,
Male Vocalist of the Year
Dierks Bentley
Eric Church (amu)
Tim McGraw
Chris Stapleton (*)
Keith Urban
Female Vocalist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert (*)
Maren Morris
Kacey Musgraves (amu)
Carrie Underwood
Album of the Year
Black, Dierks Bentley
Hero, Maren Morris
Mr. Misunderstood, Eric Church (amu)
Ripcord, Keith Urban
Storyteller, Carrie Underwood (*)
Single of the Year
"Die A Happy Man", Thomas Rhett
"Humble and Kind", Tim McGraw
"My Church", Maren Morris (*/amu)
"Nobody To Blame", Chris Stapleton
"Record Year", Eric Church
Song of the Year - this goes to the songwriters
"Burning House", Cam - Cam, Jeff Bhasker, Tyler Johnson (amu)
"Die A Happy Man", Thomas Rhett - Thomas Rhett, Sean Douglas, Joe Spargur
"Humble and Kind", Tim McGraw - Lori McKenna (*)
"My Church", Maren Morris - Maren Morris, busbee
"Record Year", Eric Church - Eric Church, Jeff Hyde
After "Girl Crush" last year, it's the second year in a row that Lori McKenna wins in the "Song of the Year" category.
Vocal Group of the Year
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town (*)
Old Dominion
Rascal Flatts
Zac Brown Band
whatever, besides Zac Brown Band mediocrity at best
Vocal Duo of the Year
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Joey + Rory (*/amu)
Maddie & Tae
Biggest surprise of the night was definitely the win by the Osborne Brothers, who annihilated not only the two douche-bags called Florida Georgia Line but I hope Bro-Country in general.
Not trying to diminish the Osborne Brothers' success, but I personally still think that Joey + Rory posthumously should have gotten an award, as they were never honored by the CMA. Surviving husband Rory attented yesterday's festivities with the parents and sisters of his late wife.
New Artist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Brothers Osborne (amu)
Maren Morris (*)
Old Dominion
Cole Swindell
Musical Event of the Year
"Different For Girls", Dierks Bentley/Elle King
"Home Alone Tonight", Luke Bryan/Karen Fairchild
"The Fighter", Keith Urban/Carrie Underwood (*)
"Think of You", Chris Young/Cassadee Pope
"You Are My Sunshine", Chris Stapleton/Morgane Stapleton (amu)
Music Video of the Year
"Burning House", Cam
"Fire Away", Chris Stapleton
"Humble and Kind", Tim McGraw
"Record Year", Eric Church
"Somewhere On A Beach", Dierks Bentley (*)
Musician of the Year
Jerry Douglas (*)
Paul Franklin
Dan Huff
Brett Mason
Derek Wells
So in my predictions I scored (4/12), in whom I wanted to win (1/9) as I didn't care in some categories to even put my vote in for a winner. The show itself was more country oriented than previous shows, which is very laudable. The Country Music Association (CMA) really tried hard to celebrate their 50th Anniversary Gala with a broad spectrum of old and new.
Actually I think there was too much old in the show - now don't get me wrong, all of these songs performed, are part of my all time favorites. But for some reason the whole thing was like a celebration of times gone bye - a documentation of how great country music was, instead of is. A commercial for the ultimate "Time" country collection you need to have. Somebody in my twitter feed actually said something like, imagine you could hear stuff like this on the radio. And no, you can't, only if you turn into an oldies or classic country music station. It would have been better if young artists would have had a chance to come out and present their take on the more traditional way with their own, new songs. And yes these artists are ready, waiting in the hallway to get on stage and show us how it can be done, obviously there is a market out there. I wanna see and hear Brandy Clark, Margo Price, Shelley Skidmore, William Michael Morgan, Jon Pardi, Jason James, Mo Pitney and everybody else that wants to take up real songs with real lyrics and real instrumentation. A step back doesn't mean we can't move forward.
There were some memorable performances and if you missed them, because of the game or the babysitter screwing with your TiVo, you can actually watch the whole show on abc.com by telling them who your TV provider is. For non-regular TV consumers, the show can be watched in it's entirety in a week's time. Already watchable are some clips, including the most talked about, Beyonce performing with the Dixie Chicks.
Russian enfant terrible and political regime critic Pussy Riot or in this instance, just Nadya Tolokonnikova, is at it again. To promote her new EP "XXX" out today (10/28), she released all three songs as a video trilogy this week: "Organs," "Straight Outta Vagina" and "Make America Great Again." Latter a dystopian view on how a Donald Trump totalitarian presidency would look like. She compares him to Putin and warns people in this country to support him.
Warning: The videos are graphic and not suited for a work environment.
To call her musically inclined, would be lying, what used to be punk screams made ways into a luscious electronica pop. But that's not the point, the anarcho punk collective tries to pillory patriarchy, excessive capitalism as well as the entanglement of politics and church. A by now well known spontaneous performance in a church, attacking how the Russian Orthodox Church and Vladimir Putin work hand in hand, led to three members of the collective, among them Nadya Tolokonnikova, being arrested, convicted and sentenced to two years in jail. Since then, the collective has distanced itself a long time ago from Tolokonnikova and accused her of selling out to corporate interests. She maintains that everybody can be part of the collective, it doesn't matter where and who you are, as long as you pick up the fight.
The western media seem to love it. The outing of charming dissidents with a pop culture approach is so much more convenient then reporting on Sergei Udaltsov or the brothers Navalny. Nadya by now on her own, jet sets between Moscow and Los Angeles and instead of a spontaneous guerilla release choose YouTube and from Rolling Stone to the Huffington Post, from Pitchfork to Time every major media organisation to promote her view.
Working together with David Sitek (TV On The Radio) they released a first collaboration in February with "Chaika" accusing the current Russian General Prosecutor Yuri Chaika of widespread corruption. Their collaborative efforts also produced "Organs" and "Straight Outta Vagina."
In the first one, "Organs" she sings, soaking in a bathtub full of blood in her native Russian again about corruption, but also injustice, oppression of female sexuality and the constant fear of the powers that are, organ(s) in a wide sense of meaning police, FSB or political forces.
my president replaced his dick with an ICBM
freedom and bondage is the same shit now
but when instead of inserting cocks they insert tanks in my town
i refuse to be just a proton
the theatre is over, the wars began
i’m a grandma who has changed her sex and became a grandpa
fuck you, dear pigs
i reject you and your Putunist crap
i never know which one of my moves will become my last moan
In "Straight Outta Vagina," again produced by Sitek and featuring Desi Mo and Leikeli47 as guests, is feminism pure and uses the V-word like it's a victory to celebrate the consciousness not only of motherhood but of feminism in general, with it's Nursery Rhyme like refrain:
Don’t play stupid Don’t play dumb Vagina’s where you’re really from
The message in the whole song is rather upbeat and a testament to and for women what all can be reached and achieved. Seize the power of the pussy.
My pussy my pussy Is sweet just like a cookie It goes to work It makes the beats It’s CEO, no rookie From senator to bookie We run this shit, go lookie You can turn any page, any race, any age From Russia to the States
We tearing up the place
"Make America Great Again", is a collaboration with Ricky Reed and was directed by Jonas Akerlund (Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj) and. pretty much tackles the bull by the horns, warning of the neo-fascist tendencies Donald Trump and his movement are trying to implement in the USA.
According to Rolling Stone, it took her and Reed quite a while till they found the right tone for a more mass appealing video:
"Obviously we wanted to say, 'Fuck Trump,' and we were tempted to do that. But we decided at the end of the day we wanted to reach people who are undecided – undecided voters. So we were trying to write lyrics that were more or less making arguments for why Donald Trump is not good dude for [the] presidency." So instead of brandishing Trump as misogynist, diversity hater the lyrics simply ask what people want in their future. The video images on the other hand with it's stormtroopers, the branding iron to outcast "outsiders," "fat pigs" and "abortion" receivers paints a dark, totalitarian outlook if Trump is elected.
What do you want your world to look like? What do you want it to be? Do you know that a wall has two sides? And nobody is free? Did your mama come from Mexico Papa come from Palestine Sneaking all through Syria Crossing all the border lines Let other people in Listen to your women Stop killing black children Make America Great Again
Published with the hashtags #PussyGrabsBack and #NastyWoman it appeals to all women, "because YOU decide elections and if we get together, we could blow this shit up, take action and reverse this erosion of rights. Because fuck it."
In an oral opinion interview with the New York Times, Nadya reiterated that her place is in Russia, that she's obsessed with the Russian language and culture and will continue her fight for a more gender equal homeland. But that what she sees in her homeland, the oppression by Putin does not have to be repeated in the USA. Asked about the word pussy, as in the name of the collective as well as on Trump's now infamous tape, she said:
"You should treat pussy with love, not the way Donald Trump does it."
The triptych approach of Nadya's video releases this week works, even so released with the help of mass media. "Make America Great Again" should only be seen and commented on in it's trinity with the other videos "Organs" and "Straight Outta Vagina." The damnation of Putin, the rise of feminism and fight for gender-equality and therefore the negation of Donald Trump as a candidate for president is the whole storyline for a gentler world tomorrow, based on the true power women have. It also announces the beginning of the end of the patriarchy.
Sources: YouTube, Shorefire Media Press Release (all pictures), NY Times Oral Opinion Interview (10/28), Rolling Stone
An angry electronica artist Moby is back and just released his 14th studio album "These Systems Are Failing" on the 14th and is now doubling down with another (4th) single "Are You Lost In The World Like Me" from the LP. Even though still recording mostly by himself and only using the "choir" on two tracks, he calls his entity in reference to D.H. Lawrence, Moby & the Void Pacific Choir and names the new album a debut.
The outspoken environmentalist, vegan offers a eulogy to the present and paints a dark picture to the future, about our society, the way we are living and how we are abusing creation.
"These systems were supposed to protect us, to free us, but instead they've poisoned our air, killed the animals, butchered the land - and destroyed ourselves. We think we’ve conquered the problems of food production and wealth distribution, yet we’re more miserable than ever."
(from his YouTube manifesto for the release of "These Systems Are Failing.")
The album title is a recurring theme in his current single, "Are You Lost In The World Like Me?" which with its catchy chorus tries to unite all the lost souls out there, the ones who see that all "the systems are failing." A potent song of reflection and outcry especially considering the state of the election cycle this year in the USA.
Animation artist, London-based Steve Cutts, who like Moby condemns the excesses of our societies - watch his animation "Man" - made a new, absolutely powerful animated video for "Are You Lost In The World Like Me?" Known for his colorful cartoons, he took a black and white approach, inspired by the early animation of the depression era, including to Max Fleischer's "Betty Boop" (even so blond and big chested), a bit "Metropolis" by Fritz Lang and some Robert Crumb and painted an utopian nightmare, where every human interaction is forbidden by fine and only allowed via smartphone.
Besides touching themes like bullying, over excessive police force, an overloaded penal system and our way of meat consumption, it also depicts smartphone software that "photoshops" your selfies to a better you, takes potshots at Tinder (App) and YouTube's Schadenfreude (Fail) section or our fascination with Kim Kardashian's lower back.
Grimmer is the "phone video taping" of a suizid and no one tries to stop it and this leads to the tragic end, where the metaphor of the lemming "suicide" is used. Oblivious people staring at their smartphones simply walk off the cliff.
★★★★(★)/★★★★★ (4½/5)
Magnificent video with tons of little details and references. I hope this video will still have some virality to be entered for the Grammy Awards in February of 2018. It just came in a tad late, for the 2017 Grammys. Yes it is that good and that unique. In two days it already accrued over 1.1 Million views and made me a Steve Cutts fan.
By the way, next Sunday, October 23 Moby will be headlining his own vegan charity event, Circle V at the Fonda Teatre in Los Angeles benefitting animal rights organisation "Mercy For Animals." It will be Moby's only live performance this year.
I’m excited to kick off the #ForeverCountryCovers series with my version of Randy Travis' 1987 CMA Song of the Year, “Forever and Ever, Amen" in celebration of the #CMAAwards50.
With these words, Jon Pardi commented on the above picture on his website, that he recorded a cover of Randy Travis' hit single "Forever And Ever Amen," which he recorded in celebration of “The 50th Annual CMA Awards." This year's awards will be given away on November 2, 2016. (For more about this year's nominees also read my blog "Nothing New On The Western Front."
Celebrating 50 years of awards, the CMA came up with the moniker "Artists Of Then, Now & Forever" and started with a big bang - the collaborative recording with over 30 artists "Forever Country," which is a sound and video montage of three hits "Country Roads, Take Me Home," "I Will Always Love You" and "On The Road Again" already leapt to Number One on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart. Not only did the compilation recording doing surprisingly well on the radio, even though some radio PDs were kinda afraid to use "old" artists, but the numbers speak for itself: the single sold over 93'000 copies in its first week, coupled with millions of streaming and video hits, the song catapulted itself to the top. Extra bonus - the profits of the song all go to music education programs the CMA is sponsoring.
Besides the collaborative effort, the CMA for its anniversary also created the "Forever Country Covers" series, where artists cover songs which either got nominated several times or were winning several awards. Jon Pardi led the pack with his rendition of the Don Schlitz and Paul Overstreet penned hit "Forever and Ever, Amen" which was the Single and Song of the Year of 1987 for Randy Travis.
Pardi can't go as low as Travis' baritone (remember "It's Just a Matter of Time"), but he does an excellent job. I really like, how the whole arrangement is kept simple with just an acoustic and a resophonic guitar. Too bad there is no info to be found on who the excellent Dobro player and guitarist/harmony singers on this take are. Travis was all excited about it and tweeted congratulations to Jon Pardi.
Randy Travis who is still recovering from a stroke he suffered several years ago, and who made a non-singing cameo in the above mentioned CMA video "Forever Country" will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame this year, along with Charlie Daniels and producer, singer/songwriter and Monument record label founder Fred Foster.
In Jon Pardi news we can also add that his recent number one single, "Head Over Boots" was recently RIAA certified Platinum. His new single "Dirt On My Boots" was the most added single on country radio and got him with an audience impression of roughly 2 million already into the Top Fifty.
Tune in to “The 50th Annual CMA Awards,” LIVE Wednesday Nov 2 8|7c on ABC
Writing my blog "Keeping Score At The Double Ringer" about this cool Honky Tonk in Zuehl (about 25 miles northeast of San Antonio), I was reminded that Texas Honky Tonks are not only a dying breed, but that music itself, that is (was) played in these places seems to disappear as well. Where are the drinkin', laughin', cryin' and dancin' places and songs of old?
Honky Tonk singer, songwriter, and radioman (KEQX - Pure Country), Justin Trevino has a wonderful ode, "Texas Honky Tonk" of his 1998 debut album with the same title, to the places that should be on the endangered species list of every human being. Not only is there a community as in social network, but simply a place to forget all your sorrow, pain, and misery.
Justin grew up in Central Texas and started playing professionally when he was 13 years old, his father bringing him to gigs. After meeting Johnny Bush he became a Bandalero (member of Johnny's band) from 1994-2003. He also was playing bass for Don Walser, Cornell Hurd, and Darrell McCall and still maintaining his own band. By 1997 he started recording and producing his own albums as well as albums for some of his idols Bush, McCall, Curtis Potter as well as some newcomers like Amber Digby or Ron Williams, just to name a few. "Whiskey River" penned by Bush is still used by Willie Nelson to open his live shows.
Texas Honky Tonk
Written and recorded by Justin Trevino
The jukebox in the corner is playing Whiskey River
Good things come to those who wait. More traditional country fans were able to rejoice. "Head Over Boots" by Jon Pardi of his second album "CALIFORNIA SUNRISE" which was co-produced by the Northern Californian finally reached the top spot as the most played country single on the radio (Billboard) after a staggering 44 weeks on the charts by the end of August (8/27).
The song, an unusual shuffle (well at least in these times) with a slight rockabilly beat to it, sounds modern, even though it has a retro feel to it. It could have easily been done (in an even more traditional way) in the '60s by Conway, Ray, or Eddie.
Asked by trade magazine Billboard why he was using traditional instrumentation like a fiddle (Jenee Fleener) and steel guitar (Mike Johnson) on his recording - which is missing in today's country songs, Pardi was quoted:
Fiddle all day! There’s a lot of fiddle on this record. There are a lot of old sayings from the '90s and ‘00s: "Shuffles won’t work on country radio." "You can’t have a pedal steel lead on country radio." If someone says you can’t have a fiddle on county radio... this is what I grew up with. I’m helping country sound a little more country.
Playing the late Buck Owens Birthday Bash that weekend in Bakersfield, he received a signature Buck Owens guitar from local Bakersfield station KUZZ, as you can see in the picture above. Not only citing Buck but California country music in general, Pardi was quoted:
"This guitar represents CALIFORNIA, and I'm proud to help make people aware of BUCK's legacy."
Visiting his dad many, many moons ago in Central Texas, they visited Twin Sisters Dancehall (where they later also filmed the video) outside of Blanco together. That's where he got the inspiration for the song. Back in Nashville, he sat down with Luke Laird, and they co-wrote "Head Over Boots," both not really sure they had written a hit song.
And some radio DJs actually had to be twisted in their arms, as they were claiming that the song was too traditional for today's radio. Well UMGN, Capitol's parent company was able to convince the DJs with solid numbers. Pardi started selling the song digitally and outsold many other artists, who were way farther up in the charts, the song was certified Gold for over 635'000 downloads - and still sells about 9000 copies a week. He also did extremely well in "streaming" - his youTube views for the lyric and the conventional video added up for over 21 million streams, all streams combined (YouTube, Spotify, etc..) over 100 million streams. These are impressive numbers if you compare them to the terrible "Fix" #1 hit and Chris Lane (see SR: No "Fix" please - make Chris Lane disappear!) who has only around 7.5 million streams on YouTube.
★★★★(★)/★★★★★ (4½/5) (scroll down to read about his new single "Dirt On My Boots")
I was hoping that the record company would follow this number one single with the outstanding "She Ain't In It," a song that evokes the timeless superiority of George Strait he defined for over 35 years. Maybe that's gonna be single number three of "CALIFORNIA SUNRISE." First, the powers there are, wanna keep the momentum going with boots, well more specific with "Dirt On My Boots."
Unfortunately, musical-wise the song is a U-turn to stupid radio mediocrity. There may be Banjo, Fiddle, and Steel accents in it, but the modern production destroys the real country feel of the lyrics. Written by Rhett Akins, Ashley Gorley, and Jesse Frasure, the song was according to a radio interview in Pardi's words 'way out there':
“...like, it was a super hip-hop kind of style. But I loved the lyrics; the lyrics were so country. I just loved that; that’s what really appealed to me [...} So we took it and made it more country, and I think it kinda really made a cool sound.”
WTF, somebody please chase Jesse Frasure out of the Country realm, back to Nicki Minaj or Drake. As a songwriter he's responsible for some of the worst crap coming out of Nashville - "High Class" (Eric Paslay), "Fix" (Chris Lane), "Road Less Traveled" (Lauren Alaina), and "Like The Sound Of That" (Rascal Flatts) just to name a few.
“Dirt on My Boots” was produced by Pardi and his long-time demo producer Bart Butler. Lyrically the song actually can be referenced to the old country theme of going out on a Saturday night, like Lefty Frizzell did in his tune "Shine Shave Shower" - with its lyrics:
Gonna shine, shave, shower, and brush my teeth
Go out a dancing and forget my grief
Make all the nightclubs in this town
'Cause my sweet baby's gonna show me around
It basically is a hard-working blue-collar guy, who wants to go out and woo his gal dancing with her in his high heeled cowboy boots:
Been up since the crack of dawn
Just trying to be paid
Been hotter than a thousand suns
I can't find no shade
Just two more rows and I'm good to go
Yeah, I'm shutting this tractor down
Get me a half an hour for a shave and a shower
And I'll be outside your house
and in the refrain (excerpt)
Gonna hit the club, gonna cut a rug
Burn it up like neon lights
Might have a little dirt on my boots
But we're gonna dance the dust right off them tonight
Got a little dirt on my boots
As a gentleman he even promises to leave his dirty boots outside, if he should be invited for coffee after the dancing:
Baby, we can slip right out of that barroom door
And when I take you home, don't worry babe
I'm gonna kick them off on the porch
The discrepancy between the quality of music and lyrics is so high that I included two different numbers, added up and divided by two, they give the rating of "Dirt On My Boots" as 3 out of 5.
Currently finishing up their successful summer tour, "Black Out The Sun," Zac Brown Band released a video on their twitter account @zacbrownband on September 7, announcing a new album coming next year. Their latest album "JEKYLL + HYDE" was recently certified Platinum, while their debut album, 2008's "THE FOUNDATION" earned five times that honor for five million sold copies, just a couple of weeks earlier. No wonder then, that the band announced they want to go back to their "original" debut sound of "THE FOUNDATION."
The recording for the new, yet untitled album is supposed to take place during the slower winter, "Colder Weather" months. Always loved the harmonies on this track from their second major-label album "YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE"
Isn't it amazing that in a just 18 month long "career," Lubbock's most famous son, changed the future of rock'n'roll, music, well even how a band performs in general. His vast influence on everybody from The Beatles and Rolling Stones to the later emergence of Punk is well documented.
Two decades ago my former PD Jürg Hofer and I ventured to Lubbock to interview Buddy's brother Larry Holley (correct spelling of the last name). We met Larry at the second coming of the Hi-D-Ho, a reincarnation of the original downtown grill, where Buddy played to the people of Lubbock from the roof of the building. The original was also the place where Peggy Sue Gerron would hang around and listen to the "new" music. It was at the end of a cruisin' loop where the youth met and mingled and where Rock'n'Roll was tolerated. Later that day, we visited Larry at his home, where he showed us family pictures and some of Buddy's memorabilia. He also showered us with family recordings, including songs by his daughter (Buddy's niece) Sherry, who among other compositions recorded several odes to the old stomping grounds, like "Don't Say Hello, Say Hi-D-Ho."
Nashville had issued (Feb 1996) a somehow ill-made tribute "NOT FADE AWAY" to Holly for his 60th birthday with TV special and everything. But Nashville still didn't understood Holly 40 years after he started out in that town and left disgusted. They wouldn't even let him play his own guitar on his own recordings. So he went to Clovis, New Mexico and to New York to record. It was the typical riding the bandwagon scenario, there were a couple of decent tracks on that tribute, Waylon Jennings pairing with Mark Knopfler on a unfinished song fragment of Holly - "Learning The Game", the son of Bob (producer, friend and former duo partner with Buddy) Kevin Montgomery, who teamed up with Mary Chapin Carpenter to do "Wishing." Texas stand-outs Joe Ely and Todd Snider teamed up for quite a raunchy version and true the spirit of Buddy of "Oh Boy!."
But most of that record was dominated by big names and not enough energy recordings. It sounded like the put a governor on the bands while they were in the studio and therefore completely missing Buddy Holly's point.
Peggy Sue Gerron, who finished high school in California, but came back to Lubbock to be and even marry Cricket member Jerry Allison, got immortalized in one of the first world wide hits. Peggy Sue - upto this day - keeps a website, still soothing in her 15 minutes of fame.
Sources: YouTube, peggysueonline.com, personal recollections
Even so he grew up all around the world thanks to his colonel dad, Seth Ennis calls Valdosta, Georgia home.
The 23 year old is the newest signee by a major label, putting ink on a contract today (9/6/13) with Arista, which belongs to the Sony Music Nashville family and releasing a first official and thematically fitting single "Woke Up In Nashville."
According to a press release, Randy Goodman, Chairman & CEO of Arista parent Sony Music Nashville, is excited to sign the new talent: “He represents everything good about our format and its future; young, energetic, incredible songwriter and performer. He’s the whole package and the real deal!”
Seth tried for some time, after funding and releasing an EP "HOPE IS ALIVE" in 2012 through crowd-funding, he moved to Nashville a year later. He also came up with a first own promo video, introducing himself to Nashville and the world.
During the three years in Nashville, he was able to get a solid team (management, publishing and booking) behind him and was now awarded with a record contract.
Seth co-wrote his debut single "Woke Up In Nashville" with a couple of heavy-hitters, David Hodges former member of Evanescence and other groups and Blair Daily, who penned hits for Kip Moore - "Beer Money", Kelly Clarkson - "People Like Us", Rascal Flatts - "Stand" and Uncle Kracker "Smile". Fellow Georgian Corey Crowder, who writes for the same publishing company as Seth does, produced the debut single. Crowder had success as a producer with a top ten digital single for Jamie Lynn Spears "How Could I Want More" and is the featured songwriter on Eric Paslay's latest two singles.
"Woke Up In Nashville" is now available at all digital retailers and can also be heard on Apple Music and Spotify. Ennis who started playing piano, when he was 7 later added drums and guitar. On his new single he played all the instruments and sang all the vocals. Even though sounding quite generic like everything coming out of Nashville, he has a nice vocal range, between Pop, R'n'B and Country. (Whatever happened to just simply singing a song and setting the accents by voice modulation and not by over-singing and over-layering the vocal tracks.) The arrangement is definitely leaning more towards a piano driven Rhythm'n'Pop side.
The lyrics are a bit syrupy but still better than a lot of what I've heard lately - the theme in it's widest sense actually has a big tradition. Boy is leaving hometown and girlfriend in search of new opportunities and success, chasing his dreams and encountering a lot of hardship and loneliness. It's no "Sunday Morning Coming Down," "Guitar Town" or "Detroit City" but it definitely has it's moments. Below are a couple of lines from different verses:
I loaded up the hand-me-down car
Went for broke, broke your heart
I woke up in Nashville
Cause those Broadway lights don't shine
The way that your eyes did
When they were staring back
Right back in mine
Been trying to live
With only half of my heart
Just sleep walking in the Tennessee dark
The song lives because of its strong lyrics, instrumentation and especially vocal over-production pull it some down, but overall it's quite a solid debut for a new artist. There is currently no word yet, if Arista will try to get the song into radio for airplay.
Austin journalist Michael Corcoran recently had a cool facebook post which sent me looking for a rather obscure TV show from 1966 that played a lot of Rhythm'n'Blues, Blues & Soul called "The !!!! Beat." Trying to find some footage of Freddie King to celebrate his birthday on September 3, he stumbled upon the series - but read for yourself:
Watching several shows on youTube I was hooked and watched all shows that were available, some wouldn't play, as they were taken down due to obvious copyright infringement. But bits and pieces, even single clips with some of the performances of the 26 episodes can be found all over the internet. Spending some time with Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown in 1980 in Bern, Switzerland, he was always a favorite of mine, glad to see him being the leader of the backing band, The Beat Boys, which also included saxophonist David "Fathead" Newman.
Through Dallas journalist Robert Wilonsky and his piece in the Dallas Observer, I later found that Dallas was chosen as a production hub, because Nashville at that point in time didn't had any color TV station / production yet. After the show disappeared, the tapes were thought lost, but as to Wilonsky, rumor has it that they were bought at one time by Willie Nelson:
... for decades the show was thought to be lost -- till, that is, Willie Nelson began going through and selling off his personal belongings when he had the taxman breathing down his neck in the early '90s. Rumor is, the entire collection was in his possession.
Bill "Hoss" Allen, originally a radio DJ out of the Tennessee area was one of the first DJs to spin black music on the radio, according to some sources as early as in the mid 1940s. Unfortunately the show didn't last but a year, and the story has it, that "Hoss" didn't take the end to lightly:
Allen hosted all but the final episode: Legend has it he was so distraught over its cancellation he fell into a bottle and couldn't make it to say farewell. Which is why Otis Redding is seen below hosting an episode -- the final one, which appears to have been shot in October '66. Yes, Otis Redding hosted a show taped at WFAA.
I also found out that prestigious German re-issue label Bear Family bought the whole series and released a 6-DVD set for the greater public in 2005 with extensive liner notes in the booklets accompanying the sets. A search revealed that the discs are currently on sale (and much cheaper than at amazon). Well, the whole set is now in my Christmas wishlist.
Sources: Michael Corcoran, www.bear-family.com, youTube, Robert Wilonsky,
Earlier this morning the CMA revealed the nominees for the 50th CMA Awards Show. Eric Church, Maren Morris and Chris Stapleton lead the pack of the nominees with five nominations each. The biggest losers for being stubbed are Sturgill Simpson with a #1 album, Jon Pardi and critic favorite Brandy Clark.
“I am very excited about this year’s list of nominees. We have artists who received their first CMA Awards nominations decades ago alongside first-timers; we have critically-acclaimed songwriters and artists who have reset the bar for Country Music. This is going to be an exciting year in addition to celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the CMA Awards.”
It may be exciting for the CEO of the CMA , Sarah Trahern but will not offer country music fans anything new. The 50th anniversary celebration will go down in the books as catering to the radio and label interests. But in general, there is not one nomination to be really excited about, not one!
Here's the list of the 2016 CMA Awards Nominees
* depicts who probably will win / amu my choice)
Entertainer of the Year
Garth Brooks
Luke Bryan
Chris Stapleton (amu)
Carrie Underwood (*)
Keith Urban
It's Carrie's first nomination in the Entertainer category and with the country music pie lacking a nice slice of female artists, I predict that Carrie will take this trophy home. I actually think the whole award show could revolve around her, she has been ignored for too long and she will again be hosting with Brad Paisley (for the ninth time).
Male Vocalist of the Year
Dierks Bentley
Eric Church (amu)
Tim McGraw
Chris Stapleton (*)
Keith Urban
Dierks & Keith released some of their worst albums of their respective careers, McGraw is a solid bet, but I think Stapleton can double down after last year's award. Personally I think Eric Church should be rewarded for "MR. MISUNDERSTOOD" and his own independant tour.
Female Vocalist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert (*)
Maren Morris
Kacey Musgraves (amu)
Carrie Underwood
Maybe with the Entertainer of the Year, Carrie may be able to snag the Female Vocalist Award as well - it would be a nice surprise as her first win dates 11 years back. But she will have stiff competition in Miranda Lambert, who won the last six times and probably will win again. I'm not sure the CMA is really ready for Kacey Musgraves, even though honoring her independency would look really good to the outside world of Nashville. Ballerini and Morris (even though nominated five times) are nothing but cannon fodder. Kelsea Ballerini simply can not sing, and Morris has only one good song "My Church" - the rest on "HERO' is all filler material.
Album of the Year
Black, Dierks Bentley
Hero, Maren Morris
Mr. Misunderstood, Eric Church (amu)
Ripcord, Keith Urban
Storyteller, Carrie Underwood (*)
I really think it could be Underwood's year - without a lot of bad headlines - she has built a solid career and "STORYTELLER" was an ok album. On the other hand "BLACK," "HERO" and "RIPCORD" are terrible albums with awful songs, excluding Morris's hit.
Single of the Year
"Die A Happy Man", Thomas Rhett
"Humble and Kind", Tim McGraw
"My Church", Maren Morris (*/amu)
"Nobody To Blame", Chris Stapleton
"Record Year", Eric Church
I hope either "Church" wins, Morris's song is the exception that proves the rule, yes you can actually have a bad album, but there is one gem of a song on it; "My Church" is that song and it fits the category perfectly as it was a huge hit, a breakout single and a song we will talk about in a decade from now. I think the biggest challenge will be to win against the Lori McKenna penned "Humble and Kind" sung by Tim McGraw. "Die A Happy Man" is the weakest of the five and should in my opinion not been nominated as a single of the year.
Song of the Year - this goes to the songwriters
"Burning House", Cam - Cam, Jeff Bhasker, Tyler Johnson (amu)
"Die A Happy Man", Thomas Rhett - Thomas Rhett, Sean Douglas, Joe Spargur
"Humble and Kind", Tim McGraw - Lori McKenna (*)
"My Church", Maren Morris - Maren Morris, busbee
"Record Year", Eric Church - Eric Church, Jeff Hyde
I love Cam's song, this is a career song and it should win her a trophy. I think Lori McKenna and Maren Morris & busbee may either other cancel out. But yes with all the press McKenna recently received for her new album, she may swing to the top.
Vocal Group of the Year
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town (*)
Old Dominion
Rascal Flatts
Zac Brown Band
I did not leave my favorite here, there is none. It's all crap. Zac Brown Band used to make really good music but since then have gone to Nashville hell and back. That category is one part why we don't listen to country music radio anymore.
Vocal Duo of the Year
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Joey + Rory (*/amu)
Maddie & Tae
There is no competition here, with the passing of Joey Martin Feek on March 4 of this year, and having been snubbed twice before, the CMA will honor the former duo posthumously and they should. Great way to ignore FGL and hoping that they will be digging carrots by next year.
New Artist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Brothers Osborne (amu)
Maren Morris (*)
Old Dominion
Cole Swindell
Where is Pardi, Simpson, Clark and the Kelsey, that can actually sing, Kelsey Waldon - also missing here is William Michael Morgan a true country artist in the vein of a George Strait. I only care about Brothers Osborne who currently start to stir the pot up with "21 Summer" a song that is half way decent. (And please somebody sends Ballerini to Never, Never Land where she belongs.)
Musical Event of the Year
"Different For Girls", Dierks Bentley/Elle King
"Home Alone Tonight", Luke Bryan/Karen Fairchild
"The Fighter", Keith Urban/Carrie Underwood (*)
"Think of You", Chris Young/Cassadee Pope
"You Are My Sunshine", Chris Stapleton/Morgane Stapleton (amu)
Whatever! The crap list goes one - "You Are My Sunshine" is the only thing I can listen too, without my ears actually going on strike; and they are not even unionized.
Music Video of the Year
"Burning House", Cam
"Fire Away", Chris Stapleton
"Humble and Kind", Tim McGraw
"Record Year", Eric Church
"Somewhere On A Beach", Dierks Bentley (*)
Video is a video is a video and creativity is limited. I mean how many freaking ways are there to put something around a song. Let's be honest, how many country videos can you remember because it was exceptionally filmed or had a nice storyline to it or something special - like the appearance of Hank with Hank Jr. in 1989's "There's A Tear In My Beer" or Johnny Cash beautifully portraying and making the Trent Raznor song "Hurt" his own, right before he passed away.
Musician of the Year
Jerry Douglas (*)
Paul Franklin
Dan Huff
Brett Mason
Derek Wells
They all deserve an award!
Hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, the 2016 CMA Awards will air live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday, Nov. 2 2016 in a three hour broadcast starting at 7pm (CST) on ABC.
Miranda Lambert is riding high, her current single "Vice" just entered the Top Twenty Country Airplay Charts (Billboard & Mediabase), already hit the #1 spot as a bestseller (Country Digital Song) and her official Vevo/YouTube video has racked up more than 4 Million views. To top all this, the Academy of Country Music (ACM) announced today that Miranda Lambert will be the first recipient of the newly created "Merle Haggard Spirit Award."
In the run-up since the announcement of the award and the naming of the winner a week later, a shitstorm went through Social Media, everybody plus their cousin asking who is really fit in deserving this prestigious award. The latest being Sturgill Simpson earlier this morning - before the ACM announced Lambert - going on an extensive rant. Besides attacking the ACM for leaving a bad taste in your mouth by creating this award he also went into a full broadside against "Garden & Gun" magazine.
Sturgill hit the nail on top, a quick brainstorm actually did not bring immediately an artist to my mind. Maybe Randy Travis for his seminal role in the country music revolution of 1986. None of the young (and some older) whippersnappers come even close to deserve that honor.
And yes he is right about the sell-out of both organisations, the Nashville-based CMA and the West Coast-based ACM, even though the latter deserves a couple of kudos for being more honest; especially in the earlier years.
"If the ACM wants to actually celebrate the legacy and music of Merle Haggard, they should drop all the formulaic cannon fodder bullshit they've been pumping down rural America's throat for the last 30 years along with all the high school pageantry, meat parade award show bullshit and start dedicating their programs to more actual Country Music."
I can't say anything against this, he's dead on. I quit being a member of the CMA when Garth Brooks started screwing the whole industry up and left in protest. (or am I missing something?) Sturgill Simpson's attack against "Garden & Gun" magazine is understandable, it basically shows an editor-in-chief with no backbone.
Here's the timeline - May '15 Chris Stapleton releases "Traveller" - photoshoot of Merle Haggard & Sturgill is in October. In November Chris wins big at the CMA awards and it looks like he will win big at the ACM Awards on 4/3/16 as well. Sturgill's album is not out till 4/15 and nobody in February/March knows what that album is going to hold up to. So the douchebag editor chooses to go with a secure hand (Stapleton), instead of raising the odds (Sturgill & Merle). Not only would they have had the artist with the #1 album at the time the magazine came out, but they also would have had Merle who died on his birthday 4/6 on the cover. The editor just didn't play right.
So how does the ACM define the new Merle Haggard Spirit Award?
If the ACM lives up to this credo and honors only artists with "uncompromising integrity" AND have a "singular vision in carving an indelible path" we're gonna run out of awardees pretty soon if they don't start giving this award posthumously.
So did Miranda deserve it, in my honest opinion yes. And here is my reasoning, she wrote most of her own hits, from the first song "Me And Charlie Talkin'" to the current single "Vice" entering the charts. And yes she created some iconic songs "Gunpowder & Lead", "Kerosene" or "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" doing that. Her having a side project with Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley as Pistol Annie's gives her some more cogency. And by standing tall and basically being the only "country" female artist still being played on the radio, she does leave a lasting mark. And yes she and Merle did have an understanding, she actually presented him with the last award he received from the ACM.
But I'm quite open to discussion - leave a comment and also mention who may deserve next year's award.
Sturgill came back later in the afternoon and had to clarify some points, one making clear, that he posted his rant before the announcement of Miranda being the winner. He also wrote:
" I know that Merle liked and respected her so it's good to see there is at least some blue sky in all of this. I don't know Miranda nor have I ever met her but something tells me that in her heart, she knows I'm dead on."
Probably true too - he then continues with his rant against Nashville and the current forces that rule. Even though being considered for a CMA award this fall, he already announced that he will not attend the festivities, not out of a mean spirit, but he has a sold-out concert scheduled that night. He also denounces the factitiousness of the whole establishment about:
"claiming to uphold and hold dear the original values and integrity of Country music's legacy. Yet these are just hollow words...merely empty semantics. One needs only to look glancingly at the majority of the music that they, along with the CMA's, predominantly choose to recognize and promote at their award shows."
He concludes with a love epithet towards the city on the banks of the Cumberland and promises to move away. I'm sure Austin would embrace him with open arms.
The awards show is tomorrow (8/30) night at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville and will be televised in a TV special on CBS September 9th at 8pm CDT. Below is Miranda with the Merle Haggard cover "The Bottle Let Me Down."
