News Round-Up: Hayes Carll and Ryan Bingham Leave Lost Highway

  • The latest news from the wasted trailer-park that is music industry; Hayes Carll and Ryan Bingham have parted ways with their label the Universal Americana imprint Lost Highway. Mike Crowley, Carll’s manager, said in response to Carlls’ departure “Being part of Universal Music, we’ve watched as the corporation has tightened the reins on Lost Highway…The requirements that Universal imposes just make less and less sense for artists like Hayes and Ryan, who are never going to be something that can be marketed like Lady Gaga.”
  • Johnnie Wright, Country Singer, Bandleader, manager and husband of Kitty Wells, had died at the age of 97. (New York Times)
  • The current King of Country, George Strait, has been added to an already stellar lineup for the Fire Relief:
    The Concert for Central Texas event, which already booked Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, the Dixie Chicks and
    Asleep at the Wheel, Eric Johnson, Steve Miller, Joe Satriani, Shawn Colvin, the Texas Tornados and the Court Yard Hounds will make guest appearances, and Turk Pipkin and ‘Friday Night Lights’ star Kyle Chandler will host the event.. The benefit show, which is slated for October 17 at the Frank Erwin Center in the capitol city of Austin, Texas, will raise money to help replace the estimated $250 million loss in damages.   Tickets range from $25-$250, with the higher end being VIP tickets that allow concert-goers close access to the stage as well as an exclusive lounge area.
  • Looking forward to seeing Merle Haggard today ay Hardly Strictly Bluegrass with that youngster Kris Kristofferson. Here is the The Hag discussing his recent bout with cancer and his take on the current political climate. Here’s a hint, he recently penned a anti-government cut entitled “Shut It Down.” Take that Steve Earle.

:happy trails

News Round Up: Pickathon Line-Up Announced

  • Pickathon has announced an impressive lineup for for 12th year. Bonnie Prince Billy, Heartless Bastards, Billy Joe Shaver. Langhorne Slim, Frazey Ford, The Cave Singers, T-Model Ford, Roadside Graves, Chatham County Line and many many more. Pickathon will take place on August 6-8 at Pendarvis Farm near Portland, Oregan.
  • The New York Times follows the long road of Crazy Heart from Thomas Cobb’s 1987 novel to Academy Awards nominated movie that was nearly straight to DVD. and the post-modernist writer that was the inspiration for Bad Blake. (Bad Blake, Post-Modernist Country Crooner?)
  • The Court Yard Hounds (Dixie Chicks sisters Emily Robison and Martie Maguire) are taking pre-orders for their new album (Standard and Deluxe edition with extra goodies) on their web site.  Folks ponying up for pre-orders will gain immediate access 4-song download and and get first crack at tickets for their upcoming tour. The tou will include a atop at SXSW for their first live concert as Court Yard Hounds. The sisters will take the also take the stage during the Americana Music Association showcase at Antone’s on Thursday March 18th and will go on to do a string of intimate shows across the country. The CD will be released on Columbia Records, on shelves May 4, 2010.
  • In more new release news Gothic-country punkers Th ‘ Legendary Shack Shackers will release their seventh full-length album, Agridustrial, on April 13th on their own Colonel Knowledge label. Get the first single from the release below.

Th ‘ Legendary Shack Shackers – Sin Eater