Category Archives: New Releases

Carlene Carter’s Stronger (Yep Rock) Gets Release Date

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Hard to believe it’s been a year since novelist Silas House wrote a feature in No Depression’s March-April 2007 issue heralding Carlene Carter’s first album in 13 years,  Stronger (Yep Rock.)  The album has finally been given a release date of March 4, 2008.

The album was recorded in 2006 at the Cash Family Cabin and produced by Carlene’s step-brother John Carter Cash.

Carter has released more than a dozen of her own albums from 1978 to 1995, as well as  several recent reissues and performances on tribute albums for her mother, Waylon Jennings, and Bob Dylan. Her songs have been covered by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash,  Emmylou Harris, Miranda Lambert, former husband Nick Lowe, and many others.

Legacy Recordings Readies Willie Box Set / #1s Compiliation

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Billboard.com reports that Legacy Recordings will celebrate Willie Nelson‘s 75th birthday (April 30) by rolling out a series of special projects. The first is the April 1 release “One Hell of a Ride,” a four-disc, 100-song boxed set.

The set bundles together music from Nelson’s stints with numerous record labels, beginning with tracks recorded in late 1954/early 1955 for KBOP radio in Pleasanton, Texas.

While the track list is still coming together, look for early 1960s takes on “Night Life,” “Funny How Time Slips Away” and “Crazy” plus iconic covers like Fred Neil’s “Everybody’s Talkin’,” Hoagy Carmichael’s “Stardust” and Fred Rose’s “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.”

Liner notes were penned by Joe Nick Patoski, whose Nelson biography, “An Epic Life,” will hit bookstores this spring via Little, Brown.

Meanwhile, on April 29, Legacy will issue “#1s,” a single-disc compilation of Nelson’s chart-topping pop and country hits.

And of course Nelson’s new studio album,the Kenny Chesney and Buddy Cannon co-produced “Moment of Forever,” is due Jan. 29 via Lost Highway.

Look for Willie on the road until the end of time.

(via 9513)

February 1: Mescalero, NM – Inn of the Mountain Gods
February 2: Albuquerque, NM – Route 66 Casino
February 3: Glendale, AZ – Super Bowl Tailgate Party
February 5: Sahuarita, AZ – Desert Diamond Casino
February 8: San Luis Obispo, CA – Madonna Inn Expo Center
February 9: Reno, NV – Peppermill Casino
February 10: Monterey, CA – Golden State Theatre
February 11: Santa Rosa, CA – Wells Fargo Center of the Arts
February 13: Los Angeles, CA – Nokia Theatre
February 15: Indio, CA – Fantasy Springs Casino
February 16: Flagstaff, AZ – Ardrey Auditorium
February 17: Farmington, NM – McGee Park Convention Center
March 4: Austin, TX – Travis County Expo Center
March 5: Dallas, TX – Meyerson Symphony Center
March 6: Dallas, TX – Meyerson Symphony Center
March 7: Dodge City, KS – Dodge City Civic Center
March 8: Norman, OK – Riverwind Casino
March 9: Topeka, KS – Kansas ExpoCentre Landon Arena
March 11: Abilene, TX – Abilene Civic Center
March 12: San Angelo, TX – San Angelo Coliseum
March 13: Waco, TX – Heart of Texas Coliseum Waco
March 14: Austin, TX – The Backyard
March 15: Austin, TX – The Backyard
March 18: Richmond, VA – The National
March 19: Norfolk, VA – The NorVa Theatre
March 20: Cherokee, NC – Harrah’s Cherokee Smokey Mount
March 21: Amsterdam, Netherlands – Melkweg
March 23: Esbjerg, Denmark – Musikhuset Esbjerg Centre
March 24: Randers, Denmark – Vaerket
March 25: Aalborg, Denmark – Aalborg Kongres & Kulturcenter
April 27: Malmo, Sweden – Baltiska Hallen
April 28: Stockholm, Sweden – Berns Salonger
April 29: Copenhagen, Denmark – Tivolis Concert Hall
May 1: Oslo, Norway – Oslo Concert Hall
May 2: Hamar, Norway – Hamar Ol Amfi
May 3: Halden, Norway – Halden Place D Armes
May 5: Lyngdal, Norway – Fibo Trespo Concert Hall
May 6: Aberdeen, Scotland – Music Hall
May 7: Dundee, Scotland – Caird Hall
May 8: Glasgow, Scotland – Clyde Auditorium
May 9: Glasgow, Scotland – Clyde Auditorium
May 11: Manchester, England – Manchester Apollo
May 13: London, England – Hammersmith Apollo
May 14: London, England – Hammersmith Apollo
May 15: Antwerp, Belgium – Queen Elizabeth Hall
May 16: Paris, France – Grand Rex Theatre
June 14: St. Louis, MO – Fox Theatre
June 21: Tama, IA – Meskwaki Bingo & Casino
June 22: Wisconsin Dells, WI – Crystal Grand Music Theatre
June 23: Oneida, WI – Oneida Ballroom
June 25: Milwaukee, WI – Northern Lights Theater
June 26: Bayfield, WI – Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua
June 27: Council Bluffs, IA – Harrah’s Casino

Willie Nelson – Gravedigger

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The fine folks at the 9513 have done a fine job of reviewing the new Willie Nelson cut “Gravedigger” from Willie’s forthcoming release “Moment of Forever” (Lost Highway – January 22nd) and I have to admit though a Dave Mathews penned and Kenny Chesney produced song doesn’t look promising to me on paper, I’ll be damned if the Texas Yoda doesn’t pull it off!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDgoHBxEJro[/youtube]

Jim White tp Release Transnormal Skiperoo – March 4

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Country music journeyman Jim White will be dropping his new release “Transnormal Skiperoo” on March 4th in the U.S. on David Byrne’s Luaka Bop label. It’s currently available in Europe. White has recruited the NYC based roots group Ollabelle to contribute a gospel vibe to his new song “A Town Called Amen.”

Jim White will be appearing at New York city at Joe’s Pub on Tue Feb 26 ’08 (7:30)
A Town Called Amen

Justin Townes Earle Live Performance on XM Radio!

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Justin Townes Earle’s Bloodshot debut “The Good Life” hits stores March 25th, but XM listeners can get a taster this month when the “From the Living Room to the Loft” show airs a pre-recorded concert Justin performed supporting Malcolm Holcombe at The Living Room. The show begins airing on January 20th and will be played for two weeks at the following times: Sundays at 6 PM ET, Tuesdays at 11 PM ET, and Thursdays at 3 AM ET.

New James McMurtry album on April 15, 2008 – ‘Just Us Kids’

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James McMurtry is one of my favorite performers and I’m really looking forward to this release!

AUSTIN, Texas — Lightning Rod Records will release singer/songwriter James McMurtry’s new CD, titled Just Us Kids, on April 15, 2008. McMurtry’s ninth album, which features 12 new songs, is a follow-up to 2005’s critically acclaimed and award-winning project, Childish Things.

McMurtry has long been known as fine storyteller, but he has lately received nationwide attention for his role as a musical activist. On Just Us Kids, McMurtry picks up where he left off with his controversial anthem “We Can’t Make It Here.” On “Cheney’s Toy,” McMurtry once again reminds us that the war in Iraq is still going on, with veiled references to Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib and the stark image of a soldier who returned from the conflict, blind and brain damaged. The lyrics of “God Bless America” call out the corporate profiteering and cronyism of the heads of state who led the country to war. McMurtry’s songs introduce the listener to characters that exist on the fringes of society. Drug addicts, murderers, crooked politicians, and other unsavory folks all play a part on Just Us Kids.

The self-produced album shows that McMurtry has developed a skill as producer that matches his songcraft. The songs on Just Us Kids vary widely in texture and instrumentation. The Faces’ Ian McLagan’s piano playing is all over the album while Timbuk3’s pat mAcdonald’s harmonica peppers several tracks. Austin singer/songwriter John Dee Graham contributes a wailing guitar solo to “Fireline Road.” Grammy-nominated Louisiana rocker, C.C. Adcock, adds a swampy guitar part to the album opener, “Bayou Tortous.” The rhythm section is McMurtry’s longtime road band, Daren Hess and Ronnie Johnson.

Just Us Kids will be the first release for Nashville-based Lightning Rod Records, distributed by Thirty Tigers/RED. Label president Logan Rogers previously worked as director of A&R for Compadre Records on the release of McMurtry’s last two albums. “Working with James McMurtry has been a career highlight for me. He is a phenomenal artist with tremendous integrity, and I can think of no better debut release for Lightning Rod Records,” said Rogers.

Author Stephen King described Ft. Worth native McMurtry as “the truest, fiercest songwriter of his generation” in Entertainment Weekly. The son of acclaimed author Larry McMurtry (Lonesome Dove, Terms of Endearment), James grew up on a steady diet of Johnny Cash and Roy Acuff records. His first album, released in 1989, was produced by John Mellencamp and marked the beginning of a series of acclaimed projects for Columbia and Sugar Hill. In 2003, McMurtry released the universally lauded Live in Aught-Three (Compadre Records). 2005’s Childish Things garnered some of the highest critical praise of McMurtry’s career and spent six weeks at number one on R&R’s Americana Music Radio Chart in 2005 and 2006. In September 2006, Childish Things and “We Can’t Make It Here” won the Americana Music Awards for album and song of the year, respectively.

In 2007, McMurtry performed on PBS’ long running music program, “Austin City Limits,” for the second time in his career. This year, McMurtry and his band will launch a national tour in support of Just Us Kids.

Drive By Truckers Pre-Order Contest

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The new release from the Drive By Truckers “Brighter Than Creation’s Dark” drops in a couple of weeks, but you can head over to the DBT site and get a bonus when you pre-order.

You will be entered in a drawing for one of 2 grand prizes to include a signed poster, a gift certificate for $100 of merchandise from the official Drive-By Truckers store and 2 tickets to an upcoming headlining Drive-By Truckers show of your choice. In addition, the first 100 people to purchase the Brighter Than Creations Dark CD & T-shirt bundle will also receive a signed tour poster from the Drive-By Truckers.

Contest ends January 22nd.

Willie, Still on the Road

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Willie Nelson joined his big sister and the rest of the family band on a two-night stand at the House of Blues in New Orleans as they begin their typically daunting tour schedule, playing two weeks a month from now through Thanksgiving 2008.

Bobbie Nelson just recently released her own CD “Audiobiography” (Justice Records) which traces her life back to her early years in Abbott, Texas when she and  Willie would play at thier home for family and playing solo gigs in piano bars, supper clubs and hotels.

PopMatters Best of Americana 2007

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Adding to their earlier list of country, pop-country  and singer-songwriter albums of 2007, PopMatters.com adds their list of 2007’s best Americana music. Or as I like to call it, the stuff that doesn’t fit the narrow country mold cast by Nashville and usually kicks that woeful genres ass. Where else could the likes of Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers (who once opened for Plant on tour) and Bettye LaVette be found on the same list? Like America herself, this is a big tent. Look for Twang Nation’s list of the best of 2997 next week.