CMT Blog: The Lost Trailers

I was pleasantly surprised to hear the Randy Rogers Band receive an ACM nomination this morning (Feb. 11) for vocal group of the year. Their tough competition will be against Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, the Lost Trailers and reigning vocal group, Rascal Flatts. Their current self-titled album has spent 10 weeks on Billboard's country charts peaking at No. 3 and generating a little buzz with their latest single, "In My Arms Instead." Though the song was by no means a chart-topper, I'm happy to see this talented, rough-around-the-edges, rowdy group gaining headway in country music. "The goal setting, we do it every year," lead vocalist Randy Rogers told me last year. "We look back on it and see how far we've come. Our goals I don't think are anything different than they were the last record. I think it's just to tour and hopefully radio will turn its ear to us. I don't think we sound like anything out there and I think we're really proud of that."

The nominees for the 44th annual Academy of Country Music Awards were announced Wednesday morning (Feb. 11) at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. Leading the list were Brad Paisley (six nominations) and former Trick Pony vocalist Heidi Newfield (five).

Other artists receiving multiple nominations include Kenny Chesney, Jamey Johnson, George Strait, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Trace Adkins, Brooks & Dunn, Little Big Town, James Otto, Jake Owen, Taylor Swift and Sugarland.

The album of the year nominees will be announced in March. In the meantime, here's a complete list of the nominations so far:

Entertainer of the Year
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
George Strait
Keith Urban
Carrie Underwood

Read more...

I saw the Lost Trailers this weekend and was really impressed. But other than hearing their "Holler Back" and "How 'Bout You Don't" over and over and over on the radio, I don't know much about their back story. So I did a little research and discovered they debuted back in March 2006 at No. 53 with their first single, "Chicken Fried." Hmm. I think I know that song. In fact, I totally know that song. It's one of my favorites from the Zac Brown Band. So what up? It looks like that song is like the little slut of country music. First Zac Brown co-wrote her, recorded her in 2003, relinquished her to the Lost Trailers in 2006 and then took her back again. And now she and the Zac Brown Band are happy together, having spent some quality time at the very top of the charts. But it makes me wonder how many other singles have bounced around from artist to artist?

A friend of mine e-mailed me yesterday looking for some new music recommendations. Now, I should tell you that this is not some casual country fan. He used to work in country radio, so I had to think long and hard about what he might like. He's pretty much heard it all. I wanted to make sure my playlist had the kind of music that was fresh and new but still country enough to feel genuine. And this is the what I came up with, by browsing my iPhone's "Recently Added" playlist. Some may not be technically new, but they may be new to him. If you'd like to add to the list, feel free. The more country, the better. With enough good twangy vocals and steel guitars, maybe he'll realize what he's missing and come on back to country for good.

Read more...

Monday's (Oct. 13) International Entertainment Buyers Association's luncheon showcase featured Whitney Duncan and the Lost Trailers, but it was the Zac Brown Band that made the biggest impact. These showcases must be hard to do. You only get a few songs and a few words to impress the crowd, and somehow that's supposed to represent what you're all about. It must be even more difficult when that crowd is eagerly eating lunch and forced into cramped seating. Trust me, it's difficult to simultaneously listen to an act and shovel food into your mouth while squeezed into a small table. Here's what went down:

Read more...

There I was, surrounded by men. And it always ends up that way. Every time I am shooting pictures at a concert, I am the only woman in the photo pit. And for the life of me, I cannot figure out why.

Photography is the perfect career for a woman. We have a good eye for what looks nice. We can get in the contorted positions you need to get the right shot. We have balance. And steady hands. And we can work under pressure. (That last one comes in handy when the artist's management restricts you to completely arbitrary rules -- like "only shoot the first 30 seconds of the first two songs.")

Read more...

Ryder Lee and Stokes Nielson of the Lost Trailers talk about what it really means to "Holler Back." They say it's just about getting lost back in that holler, whatever than means. But they go on to revel in the coolness of hearing your song come on the radio as you drive from gig to gig. And they end it by talking up the power of country music. The interview alone kind of makes you want to shake your sassafras, so I can only imagine what their live shows are like.

When the nation celebrates its birthday on Friday, Nashville will be one of many cities across America shooting off fireworks, with Phil Vassar and the Lost Trailers taking part in a celebration expected to draw 100,000 people to Riverfront Park.

Another anniversary is coming up on Sunday that has its own impact on Music City and its creative community. Bob Mulloy was born 75 years ago in Nashville. The name won’t mean much to a lot of readers, but he’s had a huge impact on who works on Music Row and who records there. Bob created a Music Business program at then-tiny Belmont College in 1972. The school is located near the end of 16th Avenue, literally 1.1 miles from the first recording studio on the Row, where Marty Robbins cut “El Paso” and Johnny Cash did “Ring Of Fire.”

Read more...

No girl fights here. Taylor Swift defends Miley Cyrus to a reporter, and Carrie Underwood talks about how hard female artists have it. You go, girls.

The Huffington Post re-hashes the Dixie Chicks "incident" -- and claims that we should all be ashamed that George W. Bush is our President.

During one of his shows, Kenny Chesney lured The Lost Trailers from a photo shoot and pulled them onstage.

Is it a Western, a comedy, a crime story ... or a Westcrimedy? The 9513 tries to get to the bottom of Brooks & Dunn's new novel, The Adventures of Slim & Howdy.

While she's trying to stay in the limelight, Julianne Hough advises her brother to stay way out of it.