The Nashville pop-music artist billed as Owsley died Friday, April 30. Owsley’s 1999 self-titled debut solo album on Giant Records was nominated for a Grammy Award in the engineering field. His second, self-released, CD was titled The Hard Way. Earlier, he was in the Nashville pop-rock band The Semantics. Owsley was also noted as a […]
Did somebody suddenly crank up the quality on Music Row? I can’t remember the last time that so many singles vied for the top slot in one week. And in such a dazzling diversity of styles.
Elbert Hutchinson Carlock, known throughout the Nashville music community as “Hutch” Carlock, died Tuesday, April 20, at age 86. In 1953, Carlock founded Music City Record Distributors, Inc., one of the largest wholesalers of records, tapes, CDs and DVDs in the United States. The company also operated the Cat’s Records retail chain for many years. […]
Let’s hear it for the seniors. Merle Haggard, age 73, and Willie Nelson, who will be 77 next week, both released new albums on Tuesday. And both of them are showing the kiddies how to do country music correctly.
Noted Nashville instrumentalist and veteran radio and television broadcaster Norm Ray died Saturday, April 17, at age 73. He is perhaps best remembered for the wit and humor he displayed for 20 years on the Ralph Emery Morning Show, WSM’s The Waking Crew and for the 10 years he spent in the house band on […]
In a surprising and refreshing listening session, we were served a heaping helping of honest country sounds. Alan Jackson, Miss Leslie, Easton Corbin and Laura Dodd all turned in excellent efforts with nary a pop note in the bunch.
B-o-r-i-n-g. In general, that’s what this week’s listening session was. There is nothing in this stack of platters that will change your life. Indeed, most of these discs will barely rouse you from your spring slumbers. The most exciting thing here comes courtesy of our DisCovery Award winner. Kyle Park is a triple threat as a singer, writer and producer. Lend him your ears.
A memorial service will be held tomorrow, Saturday, April 3, for Pirates of the Mississippi’s Dean Townson. Townson died at age 50 on March 25. Kenneth Dean Townson was the bass player and harmony singer for the Pirates from 1990 to 1995. He sang on all of the group’s hits, including 1991’s “Feed Jake.” He […]
Widely beloved radio personality, songwriter and entertainer Charles “Peanut” Faircloth was buried yesterday [Sunday, March 21] in Chattanooga – he died Tuesday, March 16, at age 82. Born in Mitchell Country, Georgia, he had childhood polio which stunted his growth at 4’8.” This led to his nickname, “Peanut.” He began his radio career at WNEX […]
Vanderbilt University professor Richard “Pete” Peterson—one of the first sociologists to seriously study country music—has died at age 77. During his career, Peterson studied the Nashville music industry, popular culture, the definition of musical genres, the aging of the fine-arts audience and the impact of digital technology on music. In addition, he was a former […]