Country Music Alive

Date: 15 May 2003 05:22:48 GMT
Newsgroups: rec.music.country.western
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Hi there everyone!
What a busy week I've had. If you haven't gotten your copy of Marcel's
feature, be sure to stop by the website and pick it up. It's available as a
download for you, or can you open it right from there. If any problems, let me
know! email-address-deleted The website is http://www.countrymusicalive.com and
click on features.
Big news! The album review section has been given a huge facelift. Please,
take the time visit it. Bookmark it and visit often. I will be posting all
the reviews I do there. Also, some that will not be featured in the newsletter
will be there as well. The grading system is different on the website as well. So, be sure to book mark it and visit often. Go to the website and click
album reviews.
By popular demand, the country music history portion is back in its normal
form. I was going to do it a bit differently, but people like it the way it
is. You will notice it is now one section now.
Special this week, I've included a concert review. I'm just getting back in
from seeing Mark Wills. Hope you enjoy! A downloaded copy is available at the
website under the features section.
Have you got your copy of Country Music Magazine yet? Vince Gill is on the
cover and Country Music Alive appears in the classified section. Be sure to
point it out and tell a friend that it is in there.
My run down of Billboard is changing this week too. I will also include the
top albums as well. I hope you enjoy.
If you are attending Fan Fair or any other major country event (concert) in the
near future, please e-mail so I can get you some promotional cards out to give
to the people around you at the event! Do your part to promote your number one
source for country music information!
Tell a friend! Do your part in supporting Country Music Alive. The more
members, the more I can do for you!
Ok, I have a lot to get to this week, so, you know the drill… let's get to
it!!
This Week In Country Music: (if just a name listed, it's a birthdate. Born
year and death year if applicable are in parenthesis)
5/15: Eddy Arnold (1918)
5/15: K.T. Olsin (1941)
5/15: Ricky Skaggs joined the Opry (1982)
5/16: Rick Trevino (1961)
5//16: George Strait debuted "Unwound" (1981)
5/16: Merle Haggard recorded "Workin' Man Blues" (1969)
5/16: Alabama debuted on RCA with "Tennessee River" (1980)
5/16: Red Smiley (1925-1972)
5/17: Ben Smathers (1928-1980)
5/17: Joe Bonsall, The Oak Ridge Boys, (1948)
5/18: George Strait (1952)
5/19: Lester Wilburn (1924)
5/20: Don Gibson joined the Opry (1958)
5/20: Hawkshaw Hawkins first recording session with RCA (1953)
Kirk's Top Picks of the Week:
"Three Mississippi" Terri Clark
"Speed" Montgomery Gentry
"Picture" Sheryl Crown and Kid Rock
Billboard Charts: (source: billboard.com)
Top 5 Tracks:
1. "Have You Forgotten" - Darryl Worley
2. "She's My Kind of Rain" - Tim McGraw
3. "Big Star" - Kenny Chesney
4. "Three Wooden Crosses" - Randy Travis
5. "I Believe" - Diamond Rio
Top 5 Albums:
1. Darryl Worley - Have You Forgotten (Dream Works Nashville))
2. Dixie Chicks - Home (Sony/Open Wide)
3. Toby Keith - Unleashed (Dream Works Nashville)
4. Shania Twain - Up! (Mercury-Nashville)
5. Tim McGraw - Tim McGraw and The Dancehall Doctors (Curb)
A special concert review… A downloaded copy is available on the website!
Mark Wills
May 14, 2003 Innsbrook After Hours
Richmond, Virginia
Mark Wills rocked on into the after hours party of the week in Richmond,
Virginia for an evening of pop-country in front of one of the largest crowds of
the season thus far.
Wills' is a performer with the ability to perform strong country lyric, however
does not apply that to his music. Wills catered to an almost exclusively female
front area with his pre-rehearsed Fan-Fair like movements, kneeling at stage
front shaking hands, and dressed in blue jeans and a striped like shirt. Not
only catering to the females in appearance, but also in song with his hits like
"I Do" and the songwriting of R&B artist of Brian McKnight in the crowd
pleasing "Back At One."
Wills did highlight a performer that is known for his country songs, especially
in his earlier music, Ronnie Milsap. A melody of Milsap's songs ( "Daydreams
About Night Things", "Smoky Mountain Rain", and "Stranger In My House") was a
very enjoyable moment in the midst of the pop-country that displayed Will's
vocal strength. Smiling faces swaying side to side with the adult beverage in
hand sang to his hits "Don't Laugh At Me" and "You Take Me Places. The sounds
of young teens barely born to know the references to the topics mentioned in
Wills' newest hit single "19 Somethin'" could be heard just over top of the
band in the rear at the outside open field venue.
Wills' did miss a opportunity to showcase real country music during the encore.
He mentioned his root influences like George Jones and Alabama as Wills began
performing a Georgia Satellite's cover "Keep Your Hands To Yourself" and ending
the hour and fifteen minute set with Bon Jovi's "Wanted."
The ability to perform was strong and did display a talent to perform through
out. The show was left with a few battle wounds from a country music
prospective due to such a pop-like atmosphere he created. However, the near
full crowd left seemingly satisfied on a cool crisp spring evening, but ready
to begin the after concert night-life that has become tradition.
Album Reviews:
"Live"
Charlie Robison
Columbia, Sony-Nashville Records
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000093FJD/countrymusica-20
Strap yourself in and get ready for a rocket ride to Texas for a live concert
with Charlie Robison. This album is nothing less than a fun throughout the
whole hour and fifteen minutes. This is country, Texas style. Texas style at
its modern day finest, in which just makes you want to get out of your chair
and dance. I challenge you to stay in your seat or not to sing along with this
one. If you do, well, check your country music pulse.
"Poor Man's Son" opens the album and then slows just a bit with "You're The
Best." The highlights of the album are to come later in the album, but the
album maintains a high quality of Texas finest sound throughout. "Tonight You
Shook Me All Night Long" is a bit long for sure. The track is over 11 minutes
long, 4 minutes of introduction to the song, but that is fine with me since
that's how a live show is. Some live albums cut out a lot of the "live stuff"
like the talking and the crowd responses, this does not.
Robison's "Barlight", "The Life of The Party, and the final track before the
encore "John O'Reily" highlight the album. Other notables that give it a live
flair are the cover melodies leading into Robison's songs. "You Can't Always
Get What You Want" (Rolling Stones) leading into "Sunset Boulevard", and the
Texas style melody of "The Joker" (Steve Miller Band), "Three Little Birds"
(yes, reggae's Bob Marley), and "Luckenbach, Texas" (Waylon Jennings) leading
in to "My Hometown" is superb, believe it or not.
If a fan of live albums and mostly of good Texas style country music, done at
its finest, pick this one up, now.
Grade: A
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000093FJD/countrymusica-20
"The Legend Lives On: A Tribute TO Bill Monroe"
Various Bluegrass Artists
Audium Records
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000086ESO/countrymusica-20
Some tribute albums are done by artists that are in other styles of music to
show tribute to their indirect influences. This tribute to bluegrass's most
loved and truly the father of the style is not that way. Bill Monroe will
never be forgotten for his contribution to the sound. The artists on this two
CD set, were directly influenced, perform his music still today, and many of
them were good friends of Monroe.
On a collection like this, it is hard to pick just a few to highlight. What
can you say about songs like "John Henry" performed by The Del McCoury Band,
"Walkin In Jerusalem" by Connie Smith and the Whites, "Orange Blossom Festival"
by Charlie Daniels, "Rabbit In The Log" by Marty Stuart, "Swing Low Sweet
Chariot" by Bill Carlisle are just a few of the songs you will find on this
tribute album recorded at the Ryman Auditorium in 1997.
Ok, their 2 highlights among all the amazing tribute to Monore. At the end of
each of the 2 CDs, all the artists that have performed on the album are
together on what may be Monore's two most known songs. "I'll Fly Away" and
"Will The Circle Be Unbroken", these 2 songs along performed in this way, are
priceless.
Tribute. What else can be said, this is an album that all should have in their
collection to remember and cherish the sounds of the father of bluegrass, Bill
Monroe.
Grade: A
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000086ESO/countrymusica-20
New Releases This Week: (If available, a direct link to buy it below the
title!)
John Hiatt - Beneath This Gruff Exterior
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00008N6NH/countrymusica-20
Todd Snider - Near Truths and Hotel Rooms
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000950X6/countrymusica-20
Marcel - You, Me, And The Windshield
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000095J3W/countrymusica-20
In The News:
June Carter Cash remains in critical condition, reportedly very near death. I
will keep you posted of course with any additional information when available.
Look for Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder on NBC's "Today Weekend" this
Saturday. It airs from 7-9am EST. Also, Billy Gillman and Mattie J. T.
Stepanek will be on "The Today Show" on May 14 promoting their new album,
"Heartsongs."
The great Hank Snow's widow, Minnie died this week at the age of 89.
Billy Jewell has been added to the Sony-Nashville showcase at Fan Fair this
year.
Cledus T. Judd has a new album out, 6 songs, for under $10. Check it out and a
review may be coming soon!
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000093FJE/countrymusica-20
The Sons of the Desert are heading to court in a lawsuit they filed against
MCA-Nashville for breach of contract for not allowing them to release the
second album that they were allegedly under contract to do. LeAnn Rimes apparently has had enough of Los Angeles, California. She has
moved back to Nashville, Tennessee.
Kenny Chesney has rescheduled his tour date in Birmingham, Alabama after when
stormed out on May 8, 2003 for July 3, 2003. The storms that gave havoc to the
mid-west also did some tree damage to Kix Brooks' home.
George Strait's next album will be out June 10. It has been moved up 2 weeks.
Rick Trevino had an early birthday gift by being signed to Warner
Brothers-Nashville.
Look for Grand Ole Opry star Jeanie Seely to release a new album this fall.
Well, that does it! Take care everyone and remember to check out all the good
stuff on the website and tell a friend. You, the member, are the best
promotion I've got. Keep it up!
As Always, Keeping Country Music Alive
Kirk Fitzgerald
Kirk Fitzgerald
Author, Country Music Alive!
http://www.countrymusicalive.com
email-address-deleted