There is a great article on Deadwood’s place in American media and it’s brilliance as revisionist Western at PopMatters.com. It still pisses me off that HBO has decided to pull the plug on this great show and is behaving more like the tradional network TV it has grown to surpass.
Category Archives: News
Merle Haggard in Newsweek
Newsweek features a pretty sweet interview with Merle Haggard. Hag talks about touring with Dylan and the Stones, the Dixie Chicks fracas and going back in the studio with George Jones for only the second time in 25 years.
an Excert: You had a duet out this year with Gretchen Wilson called “Politically Uncorrect.” The lyrics go, “Nothing wrong with the Bible, nothing wrong with the flag, nothing wrong with the working man.” That doesn’t seem to be particularly controversial or politically incorrect.
Yeah, but what is nowadays? Everybody’s twisted around. Freedom ain’t free no more. What America was and what America is is a totally absolutely different country.
It’s a different country now compared to when and what?
Fifty years ago there was as much freedom in San Quentin as there is in the streets of New York today, with obvious exceptions. You’re just as likely to have a police officer throw down on you with a .30-30 [rifle] in New York as you are in San Quentin.
Golden Smog Announce 2 Shows
To support their July 18th Lost Highway release, “Another Fine Day”, Minneapolis alt-country ubbergroup Golden Smog will take to the stage for two shows this summer.
July 23 – First Avanue – Minneapolis
July 26 – Bowery Ballroom – New York
While “Another Fine Day” features contributions from Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, Soul Asylum’s Dan Murphy, Big Star’s Jody Stephens and the Jayhawks Gary Louris, Marc Perlman and Kraig Johnson it’s undetermined which artists will show up for the two shows.
The band has been virtually silent since wrapping up a 1998 tou in support of “Wierd Tales”, but last year Louris,Murphy, Perlman and Johnson played a handful of Golden Smog dates (sans Tweedy). Lost Highway states more shows are possible but not confirmed.
Of course the Bowery show sold out before I was able to score tickets! DRATS!
McMurtry, Cash, Crowell Top Americana Nominees
from Billboard – June 16, 2006, 10:45 AM ET
Phyllis Stark, Nashville
tops the nominees for the fifth annual Americana Honors & Awards, announced yesterday (June 15) in Nashville. McMurtry earned three nominations for album, artist and song of the year.
Rosanne Cash, Rodney Crowell and Marty Stuart each earned two nominations. Cash and Crowell were separately nominated for both artist and song of the year and Stuart got nods for artist and album of the year, the latter for his “Soul’s Chapel” set (Superlatone/Universal South).
The nominees were announced by recording artists Steve Earle and Allison Moorer at a reception hosted by BMI. Other nominees include the Dixie Chicks, Delbert McClinton and Neil Young.
The Americana Honors and Awards show is set for Sept. 22 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. It will be hosted once again by artist Jim Lauderdale and will feature an all-star house band led by Buddy Miller.
The show will air on both Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio, as well as on BBC Radio 2 and Voice of America around the world.
Here is a complete list of nominees:
Artist of the Year:
Rosanne Cash
James McMurtry
Marty Stuart
Neil Young
Album of the Year:
“Childish Things,” James McMurtry (Compadre)
“Cost of Living,” Delbert McClinton (New West)
“Souls’ Chapel,” Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives (Superlatone/Universal South)
“The Outsider,” Rodney Crowell (Columbia)
Duo/Group of the Year:
Caitlin Cary & Thad Cockrell
The Drive-By Truckers
Kieran Kane, Kevin Welch & Fats Kaplin
Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez
Instrumentalist of the Year:
Jerry Douglas
Tim O’Brien
Bryan Sutton
Kenny Vaughan
New/Emerging Artist of the Year:
The Greencards
James Hunter
Robinella
Uncle Earl
Song of the Year (presented to songwriter):
“Black Cadillac,” Rosanne Cash; appears on “Black Cadillac” by Rosanne Cash (Capitol)
“Don’t Get Me Started,” Rodney Crowell; appears on “The Outsider” by Rodney Crowell (Columbia)
“Not Ready To Make Nice,” Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines, Emily Robison and Dan Wilson; appears on “Taking The Long Way” by the Dixie Chicks (Open Wide/Columbia)
“We Can’t Make It Here,” James McMurtry; appears on “Childish Things” by James McMurtry (Compadre)
Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic
It’s that time again. Time for bbq, fireworks, sunburns and Willie’s picnic. This 4th of July, get yourself to the Fort Worth Stockyards in Fort Worth, Texas. Advance tickets will be available for $30; otherwise, they’ll cost $35 at the door.
So far, the following artists are on board: Willie Nelson & Family, Kris Kristofferson, Stoney Larue, Shooter Jennings, Del Castillo, Pauline Reese, Noel Haggard, Titty Bingo, James Hand, Jimmy Lee Jones, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Johnny Bush, The Geezinslaw Brothers, Ray Price, No Justice, Randy Rogers Band, Billy Joe Shaver, The Mother Truckers, Mike Graham, Leon Russell, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, David Allan Coe, Freddy Powers, Bonnie Bishop, Bill McDavid, and Heather Myles.
Loretta Lynn has shoulder surgery
From Reuters – NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Reuters) – Country singer Loretta Lynn underwent successful shoulder replacement surgery on Thursday after injuring herself in a fall, her agent said.Lynn, 71, has canceled nine concerts scheduled for this month and next month since falling as she tried to get into a chair at her home in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee on Sunday.
“The surgery went very well,” said her agent, William Smithson, adding that she will be released from the hospital next week.
Lynn, a legend in country music, is best known for her song, “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” and has rebounded from a career slump following the death of her husband, Mooney. Her latest album, “Van Lear Rose,” was produced by White Stripes frontman Jack White.
Two New Johnny Cash Songs
Isn’t it great that even from the grave that the Man In Black is being sold using cool technology.
From Lost Highway Records – These songs are from the July 4th release “American V: A Hundred Highways” produced by Rick Rubin. These songs were recorded by Johnny just prior to his death in the summer of 2003. One of the songs, “Like The 309,” is the last song that Johnny wrote before his death. These are great songs – enjoy!
The Cash Myspace page is at: http://www.myspace.com/johnnycash
Neko Case on Letterman 6/14th
Neko Case and the band will be taping The Late Show with David Letterman on June 14th. Check out your local listings for show time, etc… The taping will help kick off Neko’s west coast tour which begins with an appearance at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival on June 15th.
Deadwood News
I really would prefer that this series would last forever (at least another 2 years), but I’ll settle with a couple of two hour specials over nothing. From the New York Times – “Deadwood” is a counterintuitive western; instead of wide open spaces and men of few words, the town where it is set is a cramped, muddy ghetto peopled by gabby merchants and jabbering prospectors. Everyone spews obscenities, but even the humblest characters do so in declamations that have a Shakespearean ring. And all that prolixity reaches new heights as the town delves into the electoral process.The series’ end is near; its creator, David Milch, has reached an agreement with HBO to bring “Deadwood” to a close with a four-hour, two-part finale. As it lurches to its conclusion, the politics of “Deadwood” keep growing more dense and colorful, and that magnificent obsession crowds out other primal forces. Death is still common in “Deadwood.” It is sex that has taken a holiday.
Interview with Allison Moorer
PopMatters features a nice interview with alt-country chanteuse (and Steve Earl’s main squeeze) Allison Moorer. An excert:
How do you feel about mainstream country?
I don’t know. What’s happening there? I have no idea. I don’t keep up just because I don’t belong there. I never did. It’s unfortunate that I didn’t because, truly, when I started making records I hoped that I did belong there because I really love traditional country. It’s a really great thing when it’s done with heart. I just don’t keep up with it anymore because I don’t live there, hardly. Steve and I have a place there, but we spend most of our time in New York. I just can’t put up with it because most of it is just so cheesy it makes me want to run for the hills.