One of the main spots for tourists to stop in Nashville is the White Horse Saloon. If you happen to stop Friday December 20,2007. You would catch Tanya Tucker and The Imperials take part in the “Tucker Family Christmas Show”. Tucker and The Imperials will be performing not only their greatest hits, but a slew of chrismtas carols. This is going to be an amazing show.
George Strait is no slouch. The Texas native has been performing the same untainted traditional country music for the last 25 years, and reaping the benefits. His 50 Number Ones album has hit the enourmous amount of 7 million albums sold. What is amazing about George Strait, is that throughout his career he hasn’t changed his style, and is still keeping up with the newcomers as well. He has not compromised his integrity with the banality of top 40 country music.
If Willie was a shut-in he would still record and sing from his own bed. But since he gets around better than I do, I don’t think we will have anything to worry about for quite some time. Nelson’s new album is due out in January. The album will feature songs written by Kris Kristofferson, Big Kenny from Big & Rich, Guy Clark, his two sons from much talked band, the Big 40, and Willie himself. The only thing about the album that leaves me feeling wary is that it was produced by Kenny Chesney. I hope that he just lets Willie be himself. Willie always sounds best when he is just raw and little underproduced. We Red Headed Stranger Willie, not smoke and mirrors Willie.
I had the amazing opportunity to go watch a legend at the Sommet Center here in Nashville. It was Stevie Wonder Now don’t get me wrong, I love country music, but I got to watch the artist who penned and sang, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered.” He sounded just as good as he did when he first started during the 1960’s. However, after the song was over, he perfromed a country version of the same song, and it worked just as well. It worked perfectly as a country song. Also, I don’t know if he did this just for Nashville, but during a playful medley of standards, he slipped in Ernest Tubb’s “Walkin’ the Floor Over You.” It would be really something if he could pull off a country album. But it would probably be compared too much to Ray Charles’ Modern Sounds in Country and Western. But I still think he should try it.
Singers are a dime a dozen. The one thing that separates good singers from great singers is energy. When some one can add that extra lift to their voice, and make it sound like they are actually having fun singing, you know you have a vocalist that can stand the test of time. Add that to a great song, and you have nostalgia. If anyone doubts this formula, they should listen to the song “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee. The addition of Brenda Lee’s gutsy voice to this great song made history. Not only was it a huge hit for Lee, but even right now the song is sitting at #1 on Billboards Hot Holiday Songs Chart.
Lee was floored by this news. She has always known that it is a great song, but she had no idea that it would have a shelf life that might stand the test of time.
If age is only how you feel, then Mel Tillis must still be in his twenties. The 75 year old country music artist is still averaging about 100 shows a year and not only starring in a western called Palo Pinto Gold, but is finishing up a comedic novel titled Acting Sheriff. He is also working on a comedic album that will be story driven. It will be comparable to that of the standup of Bill Cosby with Music accompaniment.
Has anyboyd paid attention to the current grammy nominations? Whose names were missing? O.k., some of the country acts that are among the nominations are Vince Gill(best album of the year), Taylor Swift(top new artist), Carrie Underwood(song of the year). Still no guess? Willie Nelson, Ray Price, and Merle Haggard. I mean that album was so retrospective and nostalgic, it should have made it to the nomination. But, No!, these hacks(I am not calling Vince Gill a hack, I’m just trying to make a point) get the nod. Were they not even considered?
Bob Dylan has always had strong ties to country music. He was friends with Johnny Cash, Shel Silverstein, and still good friends with Kris Kristofferson. Dylan has gotten his hands on the last songs written by Hank Williams Sr. The songs were found in Hank’s briefcase, the day he died. Dylan is selecting pop, rock, and country artists to record these lost treasures. Alan Jackson, Lucinda Williams, Norah Jones, Willie Nelson, and Jack White(from the band, The Whitestripes) are among the artists that have been selected to record the album. This album sounds promising, but then again I would taken anything other that the superfluous crap that is on the radio today.