Posted: June 30th, 2008 at 6:07 pm| By: Edward Morris
The recent induction of Tom T. Hall and the Statler Brothers into the Country Music Hall of Fame is a long overdue recognition of two of the format’s most innovative acts. Hall is the most literary writer in country music — not in any pompous, allusive, name-dropping way but in his instinctive mastery of narration and character. His best songs are as emotionally complete as the finest short stories. Like an imagist poet, he gives you all the salient details and lets you make of them what you will.
Posted: June 30th, 2008 at 2:54 pm| By: Chris Parton
Lately I’ve been listening to this duo from Mexico, Rodrigo y Gabriela. They started out playing guitar together in Mexico City, and eventually made their way to Dublin, where their signature sound started to take shape. Playing house parties, pubs and street corners all over Europe, they earned their reputation as great live performers, and picked up something of a cult following on the World Music circuit. But if some would call them a novelty act, their self-titled CD will attest to their musicianship. It was all recorded with live takes, with the exception of some overdubs on “Orion.” This video for “Diablo Rojo” was picked up by VH1 in May.
The things Phil Vassar does with his grand piano are not the things you learn in lessons as a kid. I doubt piano teachers are encouraging kids to stand up while playing, to play their own harmonicas for accompaniment, or to jump up on top of the piano at the end of a song. Somehow, though, those are exactly the kinds of things that make a Vassar concert so damn cool.
And maybe because he didn’t learn to play with traditional after-school lessons, he taught himself a hipper way of playing. (He taught himself how to play The Commodores‘ “Easy” when he found his aunt’s old piano being stored in his basement during high school.) Read more…
Words can not describe the experience we had on our Paid Vacation from CMT! We had the time of our lives. We had no idea what to expect, there were surprises the whole trip. The first day our emotions were very high from the unexpected win to packing and traveling with four children on a private jet. If someone told us we would have to pack for the entire family in an hour we would have said “yeah right.” Read more…
Posted: June 27th, 2008 at 1:52 pm| By: Chet Flippo
The venerable actor and comedian Andy Griffith makes a guest appearance with Brad Paisley in one of this week’s new music videos, as viewed and evaluated by CMT’s video team. Paisley also appears in a new video by the rapper Snoop Dogg, and it sparked a fairly intense discussion. Singer-songwriter Marcel returns with a new outing. And, from Can You Duet, Kate and Kacey Coppola try to get the last word.
Posted: June 27th, 2008 at 1:29 pm| By: Whitney Self
It’s funny how I’ll take my perfectly fine photos and convert them into black-and-white images. My nice digital camera that takes clear, color and crisp photos will never be fully utilized. It’s equipped with all the “must-have” irrelevant features like taking videos that will never be taken and underwater capabilities that will never leave land. All the money I’ve spent on “special” features to then turn around and transform my flawless color photos into early 19th century masterpieces, my special moments diluted to colorless illustrations.
Posted: June 27th, 2008 at 1:21 pm| By: Emilee Warner
It doesn’t get much better than hearing live bluegrass, sitting under the sun, camping out, and maybe hitting up a nearby river for a dip. If work commitments and travel expenses didn’t exist, here’s how I’d spend July.
Grey Fox Bluegrass — (July 17-20 in Oak Hill, N.Y.) How I wish I could go this year! Hot Rize will be performing, celebrating a 30-year anniversary. I could really go for some “Coleen Malone” right about now. And for you hardcore Hot Rize fans, there will even be a set by Red Knuckles & The Trailblazers. Seeing Bryan Sutton dressed in true Trailblazer attire while playing some intense bluegrass is an incredible sighting, let me tell ya. All-girl old-time string band Uncle Earl will also make one of their few appearances of 2008 here, and so will the Infamous Stringdusters.
This week marks the one-year anniversary of the CMT Blog. I can’t speak for my co-bloggers, but I have learned during the past 12 months. Namely, that country fans are a passionate bunch. If it was my job to blog about, say, children’s theater, I don’t know that I’d see such heated discussions and get such tremendous feedback. Good and bad.
I’ve learned a handful of specific lessons that will likely stay with me for years to come. And these are my Top 10:
1. Never say anything remotely negative about Dolly Parton. Ever. Or at least be prepared for the hailstorm of flak from her fans.
The recent induction of Tom T. Hall and the Statler Brothers into the Country Music Hall of Fame is a long overdue recognition of two of the format’s most innovative acts. Hall is the most literary writer in country music — not in any pompous, allusive, name-dropping way but in his instinctive mastery of narration and character. His best songs are as emotionally complete as the finest short stories. Like an imagist poet, he gives you all the salient details and lets you make of them what you will.
The things 
The Deas family was featured in an episode of 
The venerable actor and comedian 
It doesn’t get much better than hearing live bluegrass, sitting under the sun, camping out, and maybe hitting up a nearby river for a dip. If work commitments and travel expenses didn’t exist, here’s how I’d spend July.
This week marks the one-year anniversary of the CMT Blog. I can’t speak for my co-bloggers, but I have learned during the past 12 months. Namely, that country fans are a passionate bunch. If it was my job to blog about, say, children’s theater, I don’t know that I’d see such heated discussions and get such tremendous feedback. Good and bad.
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