You don’t hire T Bone Burnett to produce a vanity project. Jeff Bridges won an Oscar for playing a ragged country singer in “Crazy Heart”, but his aspiration to do it for real is more than fantasy. His new album is credible, distinguished by talented players and songs from fine Americana music writers. It’s also uneven and not particularly interesting.…
Americana music by the book
I’ve never seen Americana Music Association Executive Director Jed Hilly so excited about a reference book. From the Americana Music Assocation website: “Merriam-Webster announced today, as reported by the Associated Press, the inclusion of the musical definition of the word Americana to its Collegiate Dictionary. Americana joins Tweet, m-commerce and around 100 other words whose use is now widely recognized…
Hiatt remains at number one; “Eleven Eleven” enters Americana Music top ten
John Hiatt stays on top of the Americana Music Association chart for another week, with Gillian Welch and “The Harrow and the Harvest” remaining at number two. The Jayhawks move up to number three with Mocking Bird Time. New to the Top 10: Dave Alvin’s “Eleven Eleven,” reviewed here. New to the chart: Slaid Cleaves’ “Sorrow & Smoke –…
Schuyler, Shamblin, Bettis, Brooks and Jackson to enter Nashville Songwriters’ Hall of Fame
The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Foundation announced today that Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, John Bettis, Tom Schuyler (pictured) and Allen Shamblin are its newest inductees. (Full disclosure: Sun209: Americana Music Journal editor Ken Paulson is on the hall’s board and cast a ballot for nominees.) The hall’s press release: The five new inductees will be welcomed into the elite…