All posts tagged "Dolly Parton"

Dierks Bentley photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

Even before Dierks Bentley had his first hit, he made it a point to pay homage to his roots. He made a passionate plea to take part in a bluegrass tribute album, and his enthusiasm won out: Even though he was unknown, Dierks showed up alongside Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton and Marty Stuart on Livin’, Lovin’, Losin’: The Songs Of The Louvin Brothers.

Seven years later, Dierks is playing up his musical influences again in several different efforts. He debuts his own one-hour radio show Monday afternoon on classic-country WSM, the station that introduced the Grand Ole Opry. He’s got a roots-referencing album, Up On The Ridge, coming out this summer. And next month he launches a 30-date Up On The Ridge Tour with a couple of appropriate opening acts: bluegrass icons the Del McCoury Band and award-winning Americana singer-songwriter Hayes Carll.

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Toby Keith photo courtesy of Show Dog Nashville.

One of the benefits of earning acclaim in country music is the ability to attract extra income through business deals that build on an artist’s fame even though those deals are not directly related to music.

Artists probably turn down a lot more opportunities than they accept, but a few acts — including Toby Keith, Dolly Parton and Trisha Yearwood — have some ancilliary projects earning attention this week. Grand openings, a book release and — in the case of newcomer Danny Gokey — an endorsement deal are all part of the mix.

Here’s some of the non-musical business currently going down in country music:

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Tammy Wynette photo courtesy of tammywynette.com.

Albums. Concerts. Books. Movies.

Creating entertainment in all its forms is/was the central tenet of such major stars as Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette, and numerous members of the Country Music Hall of Fame have had their names in the headlines in recent days for essentially doing what they do. Or for contemplating what they do and how they do it.

You can add Willie Nelson, Vince Gill and Merle Haggard to that list. Here’s what country’s Hall of Famers have had on tap:

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The 2010 Country Music Hall of Fame inductees, clockwise from upper right: Don Williams, Ferlin Husky, Billy Sherrill and Jimmy Dean. Photos courtesy of the CMA.

Don Williams, Jimmy Dean, Ferlin Husky and record producer Billy Sherrill are the latest additions to the Country Music Hall of Fame. The Country Music Association announced the honor Tuesday via press release, with a formal induction ceremony promised later this year.

“I thought I was already in there!” Jimmy joked. “Seriously, it brought a huge grin to my face. I am honored.”

Each of the four has contributed significantly to the genre. Jimmy, whose name is synonymous with a line of sausage, gave country music plenty of TV exposure as the host of several different programs, most notably “The Jimmy Dean Show,” a 1960s ABC variety series. He often featured the likes of Roger Miller, Buck Owens or Faron Young. One 1964 episode aired live from the Grand Ole Opry, while a 1965 installment captured Eddy Arnold’s recording session for “Make The World Go Away.” The CMA also used “The Jimmy Dean Show” as a vehicle to announce the Hall of Fame inductees in 1966. As a recording artist, Jimmy is best known for “Big Bad John,” a recitation about a coal-mining accident that sold a million copies after crossing into the pop charts.

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Norah Jones photo courtesy of norahjones.com

In 2002, at a time when many singers were trying to see who could fit the most notes into a one-syllable word, singer-songwriter Norah Jones debuted with a Grammy-winning CD, Come Away With Me, blending contemporary jazz and pop with an understated singing style. She gained many fans, including country legend Dolly Parton, who sang a duet with Norah on her 2005 CD, Feels Like Home.

Recently, Norah sang a duet with Willie Nelson on his latest CD, American Classic. The experience only fueled her desire to sing more country music. She tells the World Entertainment News Network, “I love country music. If I listen to Willie Nelson or Hank Williams I feel at home all of a sudden. I’d love to make a full-on country record.”

What do you think about Norah making a country CD? Which other non-country artists would you like to see “go country”? Let us know in the comments section below!

Kenny Rogers photo courtesy of Capitol Records.

He knows when to hold ‘em, and there’s no need to fold ‘em: The man they call The Gambler hopes to pull an ace out of his sleeve with a television special, “Kenny Rogers: The First 50 Years.”

Kenny hasn’t found a TV home for it yet, but he has got a date and place for the shoot: April 10 at the Foxwoods Resort Casino’s MGM Grand Theater in Mashantucket, Conn. He also has a bunch of friends lined up to help out: Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie, Alison Krauss, Wynonna and the Oak Ridge Boys.

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Laura Bell Bundy photo courtesy of UMG Nashville.

Legends Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire made it in country music and then headed north to Broadway. New artist Laura Bell Bundy followed that same path — but in reverse. Laura Bell – whose debut major-label country CD, Achin’ & Shakin’ comes out this spring, first gained fans as the star of some well-known Broadway shows. She originated the lead role of Elle Woods in the Broadway musical, “Legally Blonde” (for which she received a Tony Award nomination). She also originated the role of Amber Von Tussle in the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, “Hairspray,” and played Glinda in the musical, ”Wicked.”

But even with these accomplishments, this Kentucky-born singer/songwriter always had her eye on the prize — to make a country record. At age 18, she moved to New York City and formed a country duo with roommate Amber Rhodes. The two played in various clubs around the Big Apple. Continue Reading

Miranda Lambert photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

Like it or not, Valentine’s Day is almost here. We gave you our list of the Top 20 Country Love Songs – but life isn’t always moonlight and roses, is it? So after we dried our eyes and pulled ourselves together, we came up with a list of our favorite anti-love songs. Are you breaking up with your boyfriend/girlfriend? Your spouse? Your job? Did you find out your sweetheart’s been less than faithful? Whatever the heartbreak occasion, there’s usually a country song that’s a perfect fit.

By no means is this a definitive list, so please, tell us what other songs you’d add! Put your suggestions in the comments section below.

Top 20 Country Breakup Songs (in no particular order):

• “Lonely And Gone” – Montgomery Gentry
• “I’m Moving On” – Rascal Flatts
• “White Liar” – Miranda Lambert
• “I Will Always Love You” – Dolly Parton
• “The Most Beautiful Girl” – Charlie Rich
• “There Is No Arizona” – Jamie O’Neal
• “Today My World Slipped Away” – Vern Gosdin/George Strait
• “Whiskey Lullaby” – Brad Paisley & Alison Krauss
• “Kiss This” – Aaron Tippin
• “Take This Job & Shove It” – Johnny Paycheck
• “Before He Cheats” – Carrie Underwood
• “Consider Me Gone” – Reba McEntire
• “Blame It On Your Heart” – Patty Loveless
• “Unwound” – George Strait
• “You’ll Think Of Me” – Keith Urban
• “By The Time I Get To Phoenix” – Glen Campbell
• “Cheatin’” – Sara Evans
• “Goodbye Says It All” – BlackHawk
• “Should’ve Said No” – Taylor Swift
• “Brokenheartsville” – Joe Nichols

Clint Black with wife, Lisa Hartman Black.

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, causing single people to gnash their teeth, men to pony up for flowers and women to get positively squishy about romance.

For kicks, we’ve endeavored to come up with the Top 20 country love songs of all-time, and only two people — Clint Black and John Michael Montgomery — are two-timers on that list. Clint’s “Something That We Do” and “When I Said I Do,” the latter recorded with his wife, Lisa Hartman Black, are well thought-out expressions of the work involved in making a relationship last. John Michael’s “I Swear” and “I Can Love You Like That” lean toward the age-old pop approach of giving love a fairytale stamp. “I Can Love You Like That,” in fact, makes a Cinderella reference; and it’s no coincidence that both songs were simultaneously pop hits at the time John Michael had them on the charts.

The following list is partially subjective but not entirely. It’s mostly a reflection of success on the charts and at awards shows — and in a title’s ability to wear well over time.

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Reba McEntire photo by Russ Harrington, courtesy of the Valory Music Co.

As the cameras clicked and flashed about her in the lobby of her Starstruck Entertainment building on Music Row Monday, Reba McEntire jokingly sang a couple lines from Lady Gaga’s recent chart-topping single “Paparazzi.”

Wrong genre. Wrong artist. But right sentiment. Reba was the center attraction in a No. 1 party that honored her success with “Consider Me Gone,” which spent four weeks atop the Billboard country singles chart to become the best-charting release in her career. Dating back to her first No. 1 single, the 1982 release “Can’t Even Get The Blues,” it also gives her at least one No. 1 in four different decades. A cursory glance suggests the only other acts to have done that are Dolly Parton (‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s and 2000s), Johnny Cash (‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s) and George Jones (‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s).

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