Glitzy entertainmant industry parties in New York City are common (not that I’m invited, they do have some standards) but on the recent occasion of the Songwriters Hall of Fame induction it took “the pride of Butcher Holler, Kentucky” to give those jaded industry wonks something to talk about on the way out of the Marriott Marquis hotel in Times Square. Loretta Lynn brought down the house and left them wanting more.

Country Music Hall of Fame member in (1966) Eddy Arnold died on May 8, 2008, in Franklin, Tennessee, just one week short of his 90th birthday.

Arnold  brought country music into the 1940’s pop world then inhabited by crooners like Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby
was second only to George Jones in the number of individual hits on the country charts and is the all-time leader
in an overall ranking for hits and their time on the charts. From 1945 through 1983 he had 145 charted songs, including 28 number-one hits.

PopMatters.com has a nice review of George Strait’s newest release Troubadour. It’s another huge release from the gentleman mega star and PopMatters appears to agree.

If there’s something Troubadour is about, it’s songs. Strait performs them in an efficient, un-flashy way. His humble singing imparts more depth than is first apparent, but at the same time is utilitarian. The mission is communicating these songs to listeners.

PopMatters gives Joe Nick Patoski’s book Willie Nelson: An Epic Life a middling review of 5 out of 10. I’ve just started to book and will withhold judgment until finishing.