Author Archives: Shauna "WhiskeyChick" Castorena

About Shauna "WhiskeyChick" Castorena

Shauna "WhiskeyChick" Castorena is a freelance writer for both Country Music News and Country Music On Tour. Want to collab on some content? Email me. Want my rates for commercial promo work? Get them right here.

Grammy Committee Says Merle Haggard’s “The Bluegrass Sessions” Is Not Bluegrass

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Nashville, TN…McCoury Music, the artist-owned and operated label that released legendary singer/songwriter Merle Haggard‘s The Bluegrass Sessions on October 2nd, expressed its shock today at a National Academy Of Recording Arts & Sciences committee’s decision to exclude the acclaimed album from consideration for nomination in its “Best Bluegrass Album” Grammy category. The label, created by legendary bluegrass artist Del McCoury in 2004, earned its first bluegrass Grammy in 2005 with the Del McCoury Band‘s The Company We Keep. “Anyone who knows the bluegrass community knows that its members like to debate definitions,” McCoury Music’s General Manager Chris Harris said. “But this is an album that Merle and Del decided to call The Bluegrass Sessions, produced by a bluegrass musician with bluegrass musicians, recorded at a bluegrass studio, released on a bluegrass label, racked under bluegrass in record stores, aired on bluegrass radio, covered by the bluegrass press, and it’s currently in it’s fourth consecutive week at # 1 on Billboard’s Bluegrass chart. If that’s not enough, even The Washington Post wondered why ‘no one had thought to pair Merle and Bluegrass together before.’ “ McCoury, who holds nine International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Entertainer of the Year awards, expressed his disappointment personally. “Merle did everything in his power to make this record authentic except remove that unique Haggard sound–and that’s something he’s brought to every genre of music he’s ever visited,” McCoury said. “ Merle Haggard could make a polka record, and there’d be no mistaking it’s Merle Haggard.” Album producer Ronnie Reno, a bluegrass veteran who earned his spurs performing with two Bluegrass Hall of Fame artists–father Don Reno’s Reno & Smiley and the legendary Osborne Brothers–before spending some eight years in Haggard’s band, reacted in a more down to earth fashion: “that’s pure b******t.” Recorded at Ricky Skaggs‘ Hendersonville, TN studio, The Bluegrass Sessions features Haggard backed by an all-star–and all-bluegrass–cast of musicians that includes such IBMA award winners as fiddler Aubrey Haynie, dobro player Rob Ickes, guitarist and harmony singer Carl Jackson and Alison Krauss. As veteran mandolin player Marty Stuart, who got his own youthful career start with Hall of Famer Lester Flatt (Flatt & Scruggs) in the 1970s, wrote following the recording sessions, “Merle Haggard has put the blues back into bluegrass. I was honored to be there alongside of him when he did it.” On its release, The Bluegrass Sessions rocketed to the top of Billboard’s bluegrass album chart, racking up the legend’s highest first-week sales for a new release since 2000, and Merle‘s first #1 on any of Billboard’s charts since 1984. The Bluegrass Sessions is currently enjoying it’s 4th consecutive week at the top of the chart. There has been solid support from the Bluegrass media, from the monthly magazines to the increasingly popular Bluegrass Blog, the winner of this year’s IBMA Media Award, in addition to features in mainstream media such as TIME Magazine and major newspapers across the country, “When I contacted NARAS, they would not identify the committee, their Continue reading Grammy Committee Says Merle Haggard’s “The Bluegrass Sessions” Is Not Bluegrass→

Putting Family First

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How do Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw, Toby Keith and other stars balance home life and music? Country Weekly asked some of country’s top stars to share their secrets for keeping both their careers and families going strong. Alan Jackson reveals that it’s important to simply stay grounded. “[Wife] Denise and I started dating when we were in high school,” explains Alan, “so for the first 10 years of our marriage I was an ‘average guy.’ And Denise has reminded me over the years, ‘No one was throwing themselves at you when you worked second shift at the Kmart warehouse.’ That has been a good thing to remember.” Trace Adkins follows a similar path with his family. “My children have always kept me grounded, because to them, I’m just dad,” says Trace. “They’re not impressed by my celebrity, which keeps it in perspective.” Also featured in this cover story are Rodney Atkins and his family, Keith Urban and wife Nicole Kidman, and the families of Montgomery Gentry’s Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry. To read this story, pick up the Nov. 5 issue of Country Weekly, on newsstands now. ~Courtesy of Country WeeklyCountry Music Photo Gallery

Opry Star Porter Wagoner Succumbs to Lung Cancer

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Grand Ole Opry legend Porter Wagoner passed away tonight at 8:25pm at Alive Hospice in Nashville, Tenn. Wagoner, 80 years old, had recently been diagnosed with lung cancer. He is survived by three children, Richard, Debra and Denise. “The Grand Ole Opry family is deeply saddened by the news of the passing of our dear friend, Porter Wagoner. His passion for the Opry and all of country music was truly immeasurable. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family at this difficult time,” says Pete Fisher, vice-president and general manager of The Grand Ole Opry. Porter‘s last appearance on the Opry, which he joined in 1957, was September 29. Born in West Plains, Missouri in 1927, Porter was first a local radio fixture on his way to becoming a pillar of the Grand Ole Opry, a hit recording artist, television icon, Country Music Hall of Fame member, and the very model of the quintessential country music star. Beginning in the early 50s, Porter had more than 80 charting singles, including more than 25 Top 10 hits. Hits including “Misery Loves Company,” “I’ve Enjoyed As Much of This As I Can Stand,” “The Cold Hard Facts of Life,” “The Carroll County Accident,” and “A Satisfied Mind” were all deeply rooted, hard-country classics. Other music such as “The Green, Green Grass of Home,” and one-of-a-kind concept albums are recognized today as being 20 and 30 years ahead of their time. Porter brought his songs, his resplendent wardrobe of flashy rhinestone suits, and country music as a whole, to a massive and often new audience through the most modern means then available – syndicated television. “The Porter Wagoner Show” ran for an amazing 21 years, beginning in 1961, and reached more than 100 TV markets. Like its namesake, it was one of the most influential forces in country music history. And it was on the show that Porter introduced fans to the talents of Dolly Parton. Their duets yielded hit after hit, winning a Grammy and three CMA Duo of the Year Awards. Porter‘s illness came after a comeback that saw him recording again and gaining new fans even as he reached his 80s. In May 2007 he celebrated his 50th year in the Opry. After years without a recording contract, he also signed with Anti Records records, a Los Angeles label known for alt-rock acts like Tom Waits, Nick Cave and Neko Case. His last CD, Wagonmaster, produced with Marty Stuart, was released in June 2007 and earned some of the best reviews of his career. Over the summer, he also was the opening act for the rock duo White Stripes at a sold-out show at New York’s Madison Square Garden. “I was thinking while on stage last night, ‘This is the biggest, most well-known arena in the country, and here I am performing at it,’” he said at the time. Tears came to his eyes as he recalled the crowd’s reaction. “The young people I met backstage, some of them Continue reading Opry Star Porter Wagoner Succumbs to Lung Cancer→

Brooks & Dunn Solo Projects in the Works

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Brooks & Dunn’s Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn plan to release solo albums in the near future, but that is not an indication that the award-winning duo is breaking up. “In the contract we are signing right now . . . we are allowed to release solo projects,” Ronnie tells Nashville’s daily newspaper The Tennessean. “That does not in any way mean the franchise is in danger.” Brooks & Dunn will be releasing their new CD, “Cowboy Town“, Oct. 2. ~Courtesy of Country Weekly Country Music Photo Gallery

Billy Currington Surprised by Success: Earns His First Platinum

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Billy Currington has a hot new single in “Tangled Up” and he’s just earned his first platinum album. At a recent party in Nashville celebrating the platinum status of Doin’ Something Right, he told Country Weekly that success snuck up on him.“I didn’t see it coming,” he says. “It was out of the blue, because we had the first album, and there were a lot of songs on there that didn’t make the radio, so it didn’t allow the record to get out there and sell and do what it needed to do. So at 200,000, it crashed, so it was like a heartbreak back then.” Billy says things got better when he released his next album Doin’ Something Right and the title song went gold. “I think, ‘Wow! We’re on our way to platinum,’ ” he says. “Then all of a sudden, sales just dropped for some strange reason, and I was told we had to move on to the next album. And that just crushed me. It broke my heart…when you’re a songwriter and you dream this big dream for years and years and it doesn’t happen.” Billy told his label, ‘Just put another song out there and I know it’ll go platinum.’ And they were so nice. My record label was so good to me. They were like, “All right, Billy. You want to put the turnip greens song out there, let’s put it out there.” And they did and they got behind it. And we’re sitting at platinum. It’s such a cool experience to see it happen like that.” Now Billy has learned to deal with the ups and downs of the business. “It always feels like you’ve just gotta keep working,” he says, “which is good for me, ’cause if I ain’t working it’s like my grandma said, ‘Idle time is the devil’s workshop’ and I’ll get in trouble. So, I’m just glad to be working. I’m glad to have a record deal. It’s very hard to come by.” ~Courtesy of GACTV Country Music Photo Gallery

Willie Nelson Sings for Marijuana Law Reform

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Willie Nelson and Asleep at the Wheel were among the performers who gathered Friday night (Aug. 10) in Austin, Texas, for Austin Freedom Fest, a benefit concert for four pro-marijuana groups, including the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and the Marijuana Policy Project. The event at the Backyard music venue was hosted by Mark Stepnoski, a former lineman for the Dallas Cowboys. In an interview with News 8 Austin, a cable news channel, Nelson said, “We would like to see [marijuana] put in the same category as cigarettes and alcohol … where we can take it out of the hands of the illegal drug dealers. Empty the cells of all the pot smokers and get them out of jail so you’ll have more room for the child molesters and pedophiles out there who they keep releasing to throw pot smokers in. … The law needs to be changed.” Nelson is co-chairman of NORML‘s advisory board. ~Courtesy of CMT Country Music Photo Gallery

More on Garth: Garth’s Return: Retail, Radio, Live Stage?

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Ed Christman, N.Y.; Ray Waddell and Ken Tucker, Nashville The Garth Brooks juggernaut is setting the table for a new release. And this time, Billboard has learned, you won’t find it only at Wal-Mart. After exclusively selling his music through that big-box merchant for the last two years, Brooks will once again make it available to all retailers. But in a surprise move, his Pearl Records imprint will apparently be self-distributed. Meanwhile, speculation regarding a live performance aspect to Brooks‘ resurfacing has been centered around an extended run in one market. According to retail sources, the country star will issue a three-disc boxed set, “The Ultimate Garth Brooks” that will street either Nov. 6 or 13. The set will contain a 34-track, two-CD greatest hits retrospective with four new songs, and a DVD with videos, many of them recently filmed, for all tracks on the CDs. In addition, Brooks is re-releasing his catalog titles, some of which have been on moratorium at general retail since 1998. Nashville-based Big Machine Records is involved with promoting the new cuts to radio; the first single is expected in September. One of the new cuts is reportedly a remake of Huey Lewis‘ 1982 hit “Workin’ for a Livin‘,” on which Lewis plays harmonica. Programmers from across the country, who have been given few details, have been invited to an Aug. 17-18 event in Nashville. Brooks has also scheduled an Aug. 18 press conference there. In 2005, Brooks split from Capitol Records and left with ownership of his catalog. Later that year, he issued a “Limited Series” boxed set exclusively through Wal-Mart, which contained three of his prior albums, a previously unreleased DVD and a disc of never-before-heard songs. In early 2006, Brooks rereleased his catalog exclusively at Wal-Mart and then, in time for Christmas 2006, he issued “The Entertainer“, a five-disc DVD package, solely at the giant merchant. On the live front, standing offers from promoters have apparently been on the table for Brooks since his retirement in 2000. Last time out, Brooks shattered country touring records with an outing centered around his 1998 Capitol release “Sevens“. The three-year extravaganza grossed more than $105 million (country’s first $100 million run) and drew close to 5.5 million people. Notably, Brooks charged a relatively paltry $20 per ticket when he likely could have demanded three times that amount. Since retiring, Brooks has made sporadic live appearances, including a Hurricane Katrina benefit, a Grand Ole Opry appearance in 2005 and a more recent performance at a Live Earth concert in Washington, D.C. He previously said he would not embark on a full-blown tour until his youngest daughter graduates from high school in 2015. ~Courtesy of Billboard.com Country Music Photo Gallery

Miley and Billy Ray join Frank and Nancy Sinatra

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Really cool news guys! Miley and her dad Billy Ray are joining Frank and Nancy Sinatra as the ONLY father and daughter combos EVER to be in the Billboard Top 200 Charts for different CDs at the same time. That’s right, this has only ever happened once before and with no less than the most famous father and daughter in history!!! Billy Ray‘s new CD “Home at Last” is doing great, and he’s now GAC‘s Artist of the Month, while Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus has just gone platinum! Congrats Miley and Billy Ray!!! ~Courtesy of MileyCyrus.comCountry Music Photo Gallery

New CD From Garth Brooks on the Way

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The Tennessean reports that Garth Brooks is releasing a new project on Big Machine Records, which recently signed his wife, Trisha Yearwood. It’ll reportedly include four new songs and 30 hits on two CDs, plus a DVD of 33 music videos. No release date has been announced yet. In related news, Garth will perform at New York’s Radio City Music Hall on September 18 as part of The Dream Concert to raise money for the completion of the Martin Luther King memorial in Washington, D.C. The Memorial Foundation has already raised $81 million of the $100 million needed to complete the Memorial, scheduled for 2008. Many of the top musicians in the country, including Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Carlos Santana, Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys and Joss Stone, as well as prominent figures from politics, sports and entertainment will be on hand to share the ideals of hope, love, democracy, and justice for which Dr. King stood. Tickets are priced at $250-$1,000 and are on sale at ticketmaster. For more information, log on to dreamconcert.com. ~Courtesy of GACTV.com Country Music Photo Gallery

Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks in Stealing Cars

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Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks will play a prison nurse in an upcoming movie, Stealing Cars. The film will start shooting in September and will be directed by Michael Skolnik, who cast her after seeing the Dixie Chicks documentary, Shut up and sing. Maines’ husband, Adrian Pasdar, stars in the NBC series, Heroes. The Dixie Chicks won five Grammys earlier this year for their album, Taking the long way, and single, “Not Ready to Make Nice.” ~Courtesy of CMT Country Music Photo Gallery