Joe Nichols 2011 CD, It's All Good. Photo courtesy of Universal Records South.

In many ways, It’s All Good is like the first page in the next chapter from the book of Joe Nichols. Just this past January, the 34-year-old Arkansas native released a greatest hits project that included chart-toppers like “Brokenheartsville” and “Gimmie That Girl.” Now with an empty canvas, Joe returns with his eighth studio album, a collection of 10 traditional-leaning tunes that display his natural everyman ease through lighthearted fun and moments of tight introspection.

5 Things You Don’t Know About Joe Nichols >>

Joe wastes no time on the front end of It’s All Good, jumping right into the swampy groove of lead single “Take It Off.” Against banjo and lightly distorted guitars, the message is one that whether it’s stress on the job, a bottle cap or clothes over a bikini – they all must go. You got a week-of-worries on your mind/ Go on do whatcha wanna do/ Soak you up a little sunshine, he sings with an easygoing southern drawl. Joe’s laid-back vocal delivery has always been engaging, and things are no different here. “This Ole Boy” (written by the trio of hit songwriters known as the “Peach Pickers,” Dallas Davidson, Rhett Akins and Ben Hayslip) features upbeat drums and an accessible fiddle hook, while Joe shows off some serious agility moving through quick lines like, She sweetens my tea and butters my biscuit/ I am who I am and brother she gets it, before slowing up to smoothly add, I ain’t gotta change a thing. [Incidentally, "This Ole Boy" was also recorded by Craig Morgan and is Craig's latest single.]

The record is more “country” than some of its contemporaries, and Joe shines on the more traditional pieces. The title cut “It’s All Good” features twin fiddles and a deep melody over bright production. I don’t get blue, I don’t get mad/ If I’ve learned one thing from the year I’ve had/ It’s even if it all goes bad/ It’s all good, he sings with tight phrasing. Self-examination and introspection are probably most evident on the standout track “Somebody’s Mama,” which takes on the subject of regret. Continue Reading

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Craig Morgan photo courtesy of Monarch Publicity.

Craig Morgan has been added to the lineup for the CMA Songwriters Series at Joe’s Pup in New York on October 7. Joining Craig will be host host Bob DiPiero, Scotty Emerick, David Lee Murphy and Josh Thompson. It is part of a two-night stand by the series at Joe’s Pub. The night before, Bob, Scotty and David Lee will be joined by Billy Currington.

“The CMA Songwriter’s Series is such a cool event,” Craig said. “I’m looking forward to returning to Joe’s Pub and joining Josh, Bob, David and Scotty for some great country music songwriting and storytelling.” Continue Reading

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GAC asked you, the fans, to help us pick the Top 50 Videos of the ’90s and all this week host Neal McCoy counted  them down! Here’s the final list — we hope each song title brings back lots of good memories! See the re-air times for the series HERE.  Check out the list below and leave us a comment to tell us about your favorite video from the ’90s.

GAC’s Top 50 Videos of the ’90s: Continue Reading

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Randy Houser photo courtesy of Universal South. Photo credit: Danny Clinch

Known for his hits “Anything Goes,” “Boots On,” and “Whistlin’ Dixie” which have landed him on Late Show with David Letterman, Good Morning America, and Jimmy Kimmel Live! among others, country music maverick Randy Houser returns to the airwaves with an emotion-evoking ballad “In God’s Time.”  The record will impact radio on April 25, but it is exclusively available on iTunes now through April 26. In addition, fans can download Houser’s latest album, They Call Me Cadillac, for $6.99 in recognition of the new single.

Houser, who penned “In God’s Time” with Shane Minor and David Lee Murphy, knew the message was special the moment he sang the opening line and the now title.  So special in fact that he debuted it for a live audience on the historic Ryman Auditorium stage in celebration of his ACM Nomination for New Solo Vocalist of the Year during GAC’s ACM Showcase televised special. The performance resulted in a standing ovation and an outpouring of requests from fans to make the song available for purchase.

Check out this powerful studio performance of “In God’s Time” Continue Reading

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Taylor Swift photo courtesy of Big Machine Records.

Taylor Swift couldn’t ask for much better timing. As she heads into the last week of promotion for her new album, Speak Now, she was named Songwriter/Artist of the Year Sunday night during the Nashville Songwriters Association International’s annual songwriter awards at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel.

Tom Douglas and Allen Shamblin took Song of the Year for penning the emotional Miranda Lambert hit “The House That Built Me,” and Chris DuBois earned Songwriter of the Year for his work as an author of Craig Morgan’s “This Ain’t Nothin’” and the Brad Paisley singles “Then” and “Welcome To The Future.”

The awards were part of a formal evening that saw four new members added to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and had 11 titles recognized by the songwriting community as the cream of the crop: Songs I Wish I’d Written. That list included “Need You Now,” “White Liar,” “Big Green Tractor” and Taylor’s “You Belong With Me.”

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The 48th Annual ASCAP Country Music Awards were handed out on September 14, 2010 at Nashville’s War Memorial Auditorium. Pictured (l-r): Dierks Bentley, Artist/Songwriter of the Year; Josh Kear Song of the Year for “Need You Now,”; Chris DuBois, Publisher of the Year, Sea Gayle Music ; Brett James, Songwriter of the Year and Tim DuBois, ASCAP vice-president and managing executive, Nashville. Photo by Kay Williams.

Dierks Bentley won Songwriter/Artist of the Year, Josh Kear took Song of the Year for co-writing “Need You Now” with Lady Antebellum, and Brett James walked off with Songwriter of the Year during the star-studded ASCAP Country Music Awards for songwriters Tuesday at Nashville’s War Memorial Auditorium.

Dierks picked up the Songwriter/Artist trophy after two of his songs — “Sideways” and “I Wanna Make You Close Your Eyes” — were recognized among the performing rights agency’s most performed songs of the year.

Dierks played a bluegrass version of “Sideways” during the two-hour presentation in which each of ASCAP’s Top 5 songs was rendered live. Chris Young sang “Gettin’ You Home (The Black Dress Song),” songwriter David Lee Murphy played “Big Green Tractor,” Darius Rucker offered “Alright” and Josh Kear teamed with Lady A for a dramatic acoustic version of “Need You Now.” Josh was cheered heavily by the songwriting community when he sang some of the lines that Charles Kelley usually sings — Josh proved he was an admirable singer in addition to being an ace songwriter.

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Kenny Edwards main photo by Gabriel Judet-Weinshel. Inset: Kenny with Linda Ronstadt. Photos courtesy of kennyedwards.com.

Bass player and guitarist Kenny Edwards, who worked extensively with Linda Ronstadt and played on a number of country hits in the 1980s and ‘90s, died Wednesday in California at age 64.

Kenny had a rare blood disorder and had been in chemotherapy for prostate cancer, according to the Los Angeles Times, yet he continued to tour with singer-songwriter Karla Bonoff. He collapsed in Denver earlier this month and, after reaching out to fans via his website, received funding to be airlifted back to a hospital in Santa Barbara, where he passed away.

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David Lee Murphy, writer of Jason Aldean's "Big Green Tractor," celebrates with Jason at the platinum party for his Wide Open CD. Photo by Chris Hollo, courtesy of The GreenRoom.

One of the biggest hits of 2009 was Jason Aldean’s “Big Green Tractor,” which went to No. 1 for four weeks in the fall and — combined with the power-packed previous single, “She’s Country” — launched his concert sales into a whole new stratosphere.

The song, written by 1990s hitmaker David Lee Murphy and Jim Collins, used the tractor as a literary vehicle for the escapism that a relationship can provide. But Jason’s not completely sure that the tractor itself wasn’t the attraction in the song.

“I told the writers if they have any more tractor songs, be sure to send them to me,” Jason told The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader.

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