Gene Watson photo courtesy of Tamara Saviano.

In celebration of 50 years in country music, Gene Watson has re-recorded 25 of his classic hits to sound like the originals. Best of the Best: 25 Greatest Hits will be released February 14 on Gene’s own record label, Fourteen Carat Music, and features legendary steel guitarist Sonny Garish along with a band of players that re-created the original arrangements.

“I wanted these to sound as close to the originals as could be done,” Gene said. “I had to work so hard to capture them the same way I did them originally. All of these songs are in the same keys. I just thank the good Lord above that He’s let me keep my voice intact. In fact, I can probably hit the notes better now than I could back then. Whenever there was a question when I was re-recording these, we went back and listened to the original recording.”

The Watson family, made up of seven children, grew up moving from shack to shack as their father took logging and crop-picking jobs to make ends meet. Home became a converted school bus and Gene dropped out of school in ninth grade to help his family. He settled in Houston, where he developed a local following on the club circuit. Capitol Records picked up “Love in the Hot Afternoon” for distribution after hearing him perform and it became the first of Gene’s two-dozen Top 10 hits in early 1975.

“Seems like my career just kind of happened accidentally,” Gene says. “It was purely unintentional. Music was just a sideline. I was going to be playing and singing no matter what line of work I was going to do. I never did really have any high expectations out of the music business. Even today, I never know what to expect from one day to the next.”

Gene Watson is a survivor. He quit drinking in 1980 and quit smoking in 1990. He underwent surgery and survived colon cancer in 2000-01. Through it all, he continued to record one critically applauded collection after another. He was inducted into the Texas Music Hall of Fame in 2002. Continue Reading

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Gene Watson photo courtesy of Tamara Saviano.

To celebrate his 50th anniversary in country music, Gene Watson will release Best of the Best: 25 Greatest Hits on his own Fourteen Carat Music label on February 14. He has re-recorded 25 of his classic hits to sound like the originals. Sonny Garish, legendary steel-guitar player, returns for the recordings and is joined by a group of players that recreate the original arrangements.

“My first recording ever was on a little ‘ol independent label that was started up just for this recording session, Sun Valley Records,” Gene said. “Maybe I thought I could sell them at my shows or something. I wrote the record, ‘If It Was That Easy.’ It was not any good, but, boy, I thought that was something. I had my own record.”

In the music business, a major-label artist usually pays for their recording sessions though the label owns the recording. Gene’s classics are owned by four different corporations and so by re-recording them to sound like the originals on his own label, he now ‘owns’ them all himself.

“I wanted these to sound as close to the originals as could be done,” he said. “I had to work so hard to capture them the same way I did them originally. All of these songs are in the same keys. I just thank the good Lord above that He’s let me keep my voice intact. In fact, I can probably hit the notes better now than I could back then. Whenever there was a question when I was re-recording these, we went back and listened to the original recording.

Gene’s performances of hits such as “Fourteen Carat Mind,” “Love in the Hot Afternoon,” “Farewell Party,” and “Memories to Burn” have earned him the reputation as a ‘Singer’s Singer.’ Joe Nichols, Brad Paisley, Trace Adkins, Vince Gill, Alan Jackson, Lee Ann Womack and Randy Travis all count him as one of their idols. Continue Reading

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Alan Jackson photo courtesy of Schmidt Relations.

Alan Jackson isn’t known for being talkative. In fact, the shy superstar rarely does interviews. That’s why you don’t want to miss our exclusive new special, Backstory: Alan Jackson, premiering this Thursday, Dec. 22 at 10/9c! Alan and his wife Denise sat down for a rare open and candid chat about his remarkable career, as well as their marriage and family.

The problems he and Denise experienced in their marriage in the ‘90s are well-documented. “God took our mess and made something wonderful out of it,” Denise said. “We have the marriage we always wanted and I don’t think we would’ve had we not gone through that separation.” Their love and strong commitment to one another got them through what was possibly the most difficult year of their lengthy union. In 2010, Denise was diagnosed with cancer, a diagnosis that shocked their family.

“I just couldn’t believe it, it was unreal,” said Alan.  “To see her go through that, it was the hardest thing I’ve ever been through. I’ve been taking care of her since she was 16, but I couldn’t do anything to help her. It was tough.”

“But there were blessings in it,” Denise says. “For my children to see my faith in a situation like this, I think it made a profound impact on them.”

A member of the now-famous country music new artist “Class of ’89″ (classmates included Garth Brooks and Clint Black), Alan has charted an amazing 35 No. 1 hits and wrote or co-wrote 24 of them. “It’s great to see an artist like Alan Jackson who knows who he is, who doesn’t waver based on what’s going on.  He just keeps being Alan,” says Lee Ann Womack.

Alan clearly knows what works and has always kept it simple.  “Most of the singers I admire – Gene Watson, Charley Pride – they just sing,” he says.  “They’re not out there doing anything crazy.”

Here’s a sneak peek of Backstory: Alan Jackson: Continue Reading

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Brad Paisley photo by Jim Shea, courtesy of Schmidt Relations.

Brad Paisley was named Songwriter/Artist of the Year and Ben Hayslip was honored as Songwriter of the Year at ASCAP’s 49th Annual Country Music Awards held November 6 in Nashville. Other big winners of the night were “The House That Built Me,” written by Allen Shamblin, for Country Song of the Year and Sea Gayle Music as Publisher of the Year. The ASCAP Awards honored the writers of country music’s most performed songs from April 2010 to March 2011 as well as Don Williams and The Civil Wars, who both received special ASCAP awards.

A total of 36 songs were honored as the most played on country radio and the writers of the Top 5 most performed songs gave performances throughout the show. Those performances included “All Over Me,” by Ben Hayslip and Josh Turner, “Gimmie That Girl,” by Ben Hayslip, Rhett Akins and Dallas Davidson, “The House That Built Me,” by Allen Shamblin, “The Man I Want To Be,” by Brett James, Tim Nichols and Chris Young and “Roll With It,” by Tony Lane and Johnny Park. Dierks Bentley, last  year’s ASCAP Songwriter/Artist of the Year, opened the show with a performance of his current single, “Home.”

The night also included a special musical tribute to Don Williams.  Keith Urban and Little Big Town paired for “We’ve Got a Good Fire Goin,’” while Lee Ann Womack performed “Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good.” Don surprised the audience with a performance as well before being honored with ASCAP’s Golden Note Award, which is presented to songwriters, composers and artists who have achieved extraordinary career milestones. Continue Reading

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Kellie Pickler photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

Kellie Pickler will release her third album, 100 Proof, on January 24, 2012. Kellie worked with producers Frank Liddell (Miranda Lambert and Lee Ann Womack) and Luke Wooten to make a traditional, yet fresh-sounding, country album that includes her current single, “Tough.” “I’m just happy to be making country music,” Kellie said. “I hope everyone enjoys the new music as much as I’ve enjoyed making it!”

The first track on the album, “Where’s Tammy Wynette,” serves to set the tone of 100 Proof with a raw and unconventional sound. Kellie co-wrote six of the 11 songs on her upcoming album, including “Long As I Never See You Again” which she co-wrote with Dean Dillon and Dale Dodson.

Watch Kellie’s Fan Q&A >>

Continue Reading

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The last day of October is more than just an excuse to put on a funny costume. As it turns out, the date has been quite an important one for country music. Here’s a list of some notable events that happened on Halloween, courtesy of RolandNote.com, the ultimate country music database! For more country music and Halloween, check out our Halloween section with pumpkin carving templates, fright night memories from the stars and more!

Oct 31, 1912 – Dale Evans born in Uvalde, Texas. In December 1947, she marries Roy Rogers, with whom she stars on radio and TV. She also writes their classic closing theme “Happy Trails”

Oct 31, 1921—Malissa Monroe dies at the family home near Rosine, Kentucky. No one bothers to tell her son, 10-year-old Bill Monroe, that she’s dead until after she’s already been buried

Oct 31, 1931 – Lester Flatt marries Gladys Stacy at the courthouse in Cookeville, Tennessee

Oct 31, 1934 – At a Halloween party in Halifax, Hank Snow meets his future wife, Minnie Aalders

Oct 31, 1947 — Promoter Connie B. Gay books Eddy Arnold for the first-ever country show at Washington, D.C.’s Constitution Hall. Also on the bill are comedians Minnie Pearl and Rod Brasfield

Oct 31, 1952 – Hank Williams checks into a Shreveport hospital with acute intoxication

Oct 31, 1954 – When Eddy Arnold plays Memphis’ Ellis Auditorium, a young Elvis Presley finds his way backstage. Presley meets Arnold and The Jordanaires, and spots–though he does not talk to–Colonel Tom Parker

Oct 31, 1960 – Elvis Presley records “Crying In The Chapel” at Nashville’s RCA Studio B. The single goes unreleased, however, for more than four years

Oct 31, 1964 – Darryl Worley born in Savannah, Tennessee. Noted for the strong traditional influence on his music, the lanky singer builds a solid career after his 2000 debut, striking a major chord for patriotism with his 2003 release “Have You Forgotten?”

Oct 31, 1966 – Decca releases Loretta Lynn‘s “Don’t Come Home A’Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ On Your Mind)”

Oct 31, 1974 – Emmylou Harris records “If I Could Only Win Your Love” and her first single, “Too Far Gone”

Oct 31, 1983 – Lee Greenwood tapes the syndicated “Solid Gold” in Los Angeles, then visits the home of MCA chairman Irving Azoff to present him a tape of “God Bless The U.S.A.”

Oct 31, 1987 – Dolly Parton opens a restaurant in Honolulu, the Dockside Plantation

Oct 31, 1991 – Randy Travis accepts a unique Halloween treat: a gold album for “High Lonesome”

Oct 31, 1993 – Actor River Phoenix dies of a drug overdose outside the Viper Room in Los Angeles. His final picture was “The Thing Called Love,” based on Nashville’s famed listening room, The Bluebird Café

Oct 31, 1995 – Bryan White, Derek George and John Tirro write “So Much For Pretending” on Halloween, distracted periodically by trick-or-treaters

Oct 31, 1998 – Lari White blows out the speakers when she sings the national anthem before the Miami Hurricanes’ football game against Boston College

Oct 31, 2000 – “I Hope You Dance” becomes Lee Ann Womack‘s second platinum album

Oct 31, 2005 – “Inside TV” lists the Top 10 TV witches of all-time, ranking Lisa Hartman Black at #9 for her portrayal of Samantha Stevens’ grown-up daughter in the late-’70s series “Tabitha”

Oct 31, 2006 – During a Tuesday edition of the Grand Ole Opry, Jeff Bates gets down on one knee at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium to propose to Kelly Vaughn. She nods yes

Oct 31, 2007 – Taylor Swift goes trick-or-treating in Hendersonville, Tennessee, disguised as the hairy “Star Wars” character Chewbacca

Oct 31, 2010 – Trace Adkins performs for U.S. soldiers in Basra, Iraq, near the outset of a USO tour

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Reba McEntire photo courtesy of Valory Music Co. Taylor Swift photo courtesy of Big Machine Records.

Artists, music industry elite and country music fans turned out for the Academy of Country Music’s 5th Annual ACM Honors, an evening dedicated to recognizing special honorees and off-camera category winners from the 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards on September 19. Hosted by Joe Nichols, the event was held at the historic Ryman Auditorium which was awarded with the ACM for Venue of the Year.

The evening was a mix of live music, historical video retrospectives and current video tributes and interviews. Garth Brooks, the late Hank Cochran, John Dorris, Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers, Tom T. Hall, Reba, Taylor Swift and the film Country Strong were the Special Award recipients of the night. The winners of the Musician, Bandleader, Instrumentalist (MBI) categories and Industry Awards were also honored.

Several performances honored artists during the event. Rodney Atkins and Jerrod Niemann honored Garth by each performing a song of his each. Brett Eldredge performed his current single “It Ain’t Gotta Be Love” which is featured in Country Strong while The Isaacs honored Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers with a medley of their hits. Dean Dillon, Jamey Johnson and Joe Nichols paid tribute to Hank Cochran while Montgomery Gentry and The Whites honored John Dorris. Buddy Miller and Lee Ann Womack honored Tom T. Hall. Randy Houser, Thompson Square, Jack Ingram and Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers, with Romain Virgo, also performed.

Presenters included Ronnie Dunn, Ralph Emery, John Michael Montgomery, The Oak Ridge Boys and the Academy’s Bob Romeo. Robin Meade presented Industry awards while Laura Bell Bundy handed out MBI awards. Continue Reading

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Clay Walker photo courtesy of Curb Nashville.

Clay Walker and  GAC’s own Nan Kelley will host this year’s Holiday Notes From Home Christmas concert at the Grand Ole Opry on October 6. The annual concert will feature performances from Lee Ann Womack and Little Big Town. Outlaw country artist Adam Fisher will also be on hand to play a pre-show set before the 7pm taping begins.

Members of the United States Air Force and Air Force Reserve, service members from Fort Campbell, KY, and the Tennessee Army & Air National Guard will be special guests at the event. They, along with participating artists, will be able to send their holiday greetings to our soldiers and their families serving our country around the world. The show will air numerous times throughout the Christmas season on the Armed Forces Radio and Television Network. Continue Reading

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The Oak Ridge Boys Photo Credit: Jarrett Gaza

The Oak Ridge Boys, Brett Eldredge and Robin Meade have been added to the lineup for the 5^th Annual ACM Honors. Joe Nichols is set to host the event and will also perform. ACM Honors is an evening dedicated to recognizing special honorees and off-camera winners from the 46^th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. This year’s event will be held at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on September 19.

Artists previously announced include Ronnie Dunn, Rodney Atkins, Randy Houser, Jack Ingram, Jamey Johnson, Montgomery Gentry, Jerrod Niemann, Thompson Square, Lee Ann Womack, Dean Dillon, Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers, The Isaacs, The Whites, Laura Bell Bundy, Ralph Emery, John Michael Montgomery and songwriter/producer Buddy Cannon. Continue Reading

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Lee Ann Womack & Alan Jackson performing during Opry member George Jones' 80th birthday party. Photo by Chris Hollo, courtesy of Schmidt Relations.

Country music’s most famous show is returning to television. The Grand Ole Opry_® will return to GAC: Great American Country for six star-packed “Opry Live” episodes to begin airing Tuesday, Oct. 4. The first show scheduled to air, an 80^th birthday salute to country legend George Jones, was filmed last night and will feature performances by Alan Jackson, Jamey Johnson, The Oak Ridge Boys, Lee Ann Womack, and more.

Shows airing on Saturdays, Sundays, and Tuesdays in subsequent weeks will feature a who’s who of new stars, superstars, and legends of country music, including: Trace Adkins, Lauren Alaina, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, Sara Evans, Martina McBride, Ronnie Dunn, Scotty McCreery, Kellie Pickler, Rascal Flatts, LeAnn Rimes, Randy Travis, Josh Turner, Carrie Underwood and more. Airdates will be announced at Opry.com and GACTV.com. Continue Reading

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