CMT Blog: Songs

For years I've been curious about the CMA Songwriters Series in New York City and since it coincided with this trip, I caught the early show last night (Nov. 5) at Joe's Pub. The lineup was pretty remarkable: host Bob DiPiero, Jessi Alexander, Jon Randall and Mark D. Sanders. DiPiero opened with "Blue Clear Sky," co-written by Sanders and recorded by George Strait. On his next time through, he played "Southern Voice," the new single from Tim McGraw. Randall offered a new song he co-wrote with Brad Paisley and Bill Anderson, "If You Can't Make Money, Make Love," an incredibly catchy and fun tune. Sanders told the audience that songwriters always know they're onto something when the crowd sings along with a song they've never heard before, which is exactly what happened.

Read more...

The truth is, Jason Aldean is letting his followers see something before everyone else sees it. And it's his brand new video for "The Truth." You know, the song where he tells his ex that she should lie to everyone about his whereabouts because he's gone crazy, so just don't tell 'em all the truth? That song. The lies he's asking her to tell paint a picture of what the video could look like: He may be on the West Coast, Vegas, visiting friends or getting into something bad for him. But we won't really know until Nov. 10 when a sneak peek becomes available at twitter.com/jason_aldean and twitter.com/FollowCMT. But tomorrow (Nov. 6) you can at least see behind-the-scenes stuff from making the video on CMT.com. And if you miss the Twitter sneak peek, you'll have to wait until the video makes its world premiere on Nov. 12 on CMT.com.

Gosh, I've been singing Dolly Parton's "Here You Come Again" since before it was even appropriate for me to be singing such lyrics. There I was, an 8-year-old running around the house singing about an irresistible man looking better than a body had a right to. But I didn't know and, then again, I didn't care. I just knew I loved the music I was hearing. And I still do. So, if you enjoy Dolly as much as I do and didn't get the chance to see her perform this classic No. 1 hit live in London recently, pull up a chair, turn up the speakers and take a front seat. From the first notes, I bet you will be wrapped around her little finger. Oh, here I go again.

I'm in New York City for the next few days to catch some music, take some meetings and reconnect with some friends who have recently relocated here. I also decided that I'd come up as a reward for my diligent marathon training so I started my celebration at a cool venue called City Winery. One of my all-time favorite singer-songwriters, Shawn Colvin, was wrapping up a three-night stand there last night, so I savored a glass of house Zin and a few hours of acoustic music. Now that's what I like: wine, women and song. She sang "Trouble" early in the set, then quipped, "And this is the most uptempo stuff I've got." Colvin used to live in New York City so it was like a quiet homecoming for her. I was also able to catch an opening set from Matthew Perryman Jones, who just happened to be accompanied by the musician I wrote about yesterday, Peter Bradley Adams. Of course, jubilant celebrations ensued much later in the night when the Yankees won the World Series and I have a feeling that the city will be moving slow this morning relatively speaking. I'm venturing out now for coffee, so I'm about to find out.

Never send a boy to do a man's work -- that seems to be Greg Hanna's motto in his new video, "It's a Man's Job." And while many occupations will benefit from some fresh blood, there's one place where Hanna knows that experience will always trump youth. And no, it's not bed building (although having your "workspace" set up just the way you like it is a key to happy employment -- just another piece of knowledge that doesn't come over night). He says any kid can swing a hammer or walk the high steel, but loving his woman is something only a man (like him) can do.

Peter Bradley Adams writes music that relaxes me. He's one of those guys that I like to listen to in the late evenings, especially when he comes through Nashville on tour. I caught him last week when he played a reunion show with eastmountainsouth and lately I've been enjoying his new album, Traces. One of my favorite tracks from that album, "For You," was recently played on ABC Family's Make It or Break It -- a series that I'm not familiar with, but that clearly deserves some cool points. And I look forward to hearing "So Are You to Me" next month in the Robert DeNiro movie, Everybody's Fine. With his whispery vocals and subdued arrangements, he's already cultivated a strong following, considering that Traces debuted at No. 1 in the singer-songwriter category on iTunes. If you'd like new music for twilight time, here's a playlist from throughout his promising career to get you started.

Read more...

I was always a big fan of Julie Roberts, right from the get-go. She was cute, sweet and likeable. But she also had a badass edge to her voice that gave her music a little less perk and a lot more depth. Like on "Break Down Here." What a song that was: "Everything I own's in the back in a Hefty bag/I'm out of cigarettes and I'm down to my last drag." Sounds pretty desperate coming from her. But it sounds just as haunting coming from the tall drink of water that is Trace Adkins.

Read more...

Patty Loveless started off her show at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium Monday night (Nov. 2) by saying that it was good to be home. The Georgia resident did formerly live here in Middle Tennessee but I suspect the remark also had something to do with setting the audience up for a night of rootsy, down-home music. With the stage decorated with throw rugs, vintage lamps and acoustic instruments, she repeatedly referred to it as her living room and treated the crowd with the warm and friendly manner of a hostess being asked to sing for her guests. And they kept asking for about two hours, with Loveless reminding fans that they were "in it for the long-haul." Two hours may not seem that long, but with the emotional roller-coaster she took us on, I don't think a crowd could handle much more.

Read more...

Getting back to the basics of love (for the country music I remember as a kid), I put together this Waylon Jennings playlist, gathering the highlights from a few of my CD collections. Personally I'm drawn to his output in the 1970s -- even though he certainly had some signature songs before and after that period. Rather than assembling a "greatest hits," I compiled my favorite tracks from that decade, starting with "The Taker" (written by Kris Kristofferson and Shel Silverstein) through "I Ain't Living Long Like This" (by Rodney Crowell). And since I'm writing about Waylon in the 1970s, I couldn't pass up those classic duets with Willie Nelson -- in fact, "Mammas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" may be the first country song I learned to sing from start to finish.

Read more...

Toby Keith and the tag team match of Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins head up a batch of seven videos that were screened by the CMT New Music Video Evaluation Team. Joe Nichols says goodbye to a dear old friend of his. Bucky Covington takes a rock song live. Gene Watson and Rhonda Vincent look at a sad family situation. John Fogerty remembers the Everly Brothers. And you can meet the new sister group, the McClymonts.

Artist: Toby Keith
Video: "Cryin' for Me"
Director: Michael Salamon

Toby Keith has written a song and a video tribute to his late friend, basketball great and jazz bassist Wayman Tisdale. He says goodbye to his friend in a very personal way.

Panelists' comments: "Damn, that was sad." "But so sweet." "Amen ... what can you say." "I think he did a great job with it."

Read more...