Music News Net

MAVERICKS Announce Stagecoach Reunion Appearance and Tour

MUSIC NEWS - The appropriately named Mavericks, whose trademark genre-busting country won them Grammys as well as Academy of Country and Country Music Association awards in the ’90s, along with critical acclaim and legions of fans, will reunite for the first time since their 2003 break up to appear at the 2012 Stagecoach Festival to be held April 27 thru 29, 2012 in Indio, CA.

After the Stagecoach appearance, original band members Raul Malo (vocals, guitar), Robert Reynolds (bass) and Paul Deakin (drums) will embark on a summer tour of North America and Europe. Lead singer Malo recently said; “I’m excited to get back together with the band. Stagecoach is obviously the perfect way to start a tour — for the band to be reintroduced to us as well as for us to refamiliarize ourselves with the fans. It’s one of the great music festivals of the world. This time out, we’ll get to do things right and finish what we started on our own terms — not subject to the powers that be.”

Emmylou Harris Drives a "Hard Bargain" With New Album

MUSIC NEWS- Hard Bargain, the new album from music icon Emmylou Harris, has been announced for an April 26 release on Nonesuch Records. It's her follow up the 2008 released, All I Intended to Be, which received widespread acclaim. The thriteen track Hard Bargain, (11 new songs by Harris and two covers) was produced by Jay Joyce (Cage the Elephant, Patty Griffin).  A deluxe edition of the album, which has a DVD featuring six performances interspersed with interviews, will also be released. In addition, Hard Bargain can be pre-ordered at nonesuch.com with an exclusive manuscript lyric sheet of the album's opening track, "The Road," a number of which will be autographed by Harris.

New JOHNNY CASH Set Releasing in February 2011

MUSIC NEWS -  Sony's Columbia/Legacy has issued word that more JOHNNY CASH recordings are on the way.  The label will release a two CD package;  Bootlegs 2: From Memphis to Hollywood on February 22, 2011. 

The two-CD set will focus on Cash's early career; disc one covers his time in Memphis, TN and included will be a radio broadcast hosted by the Man in Black, eleven previously unreleased demos and seven outtakes from his Sun Records days.  Disc # 2 offers up his Columbia Records time from 1958 to 1969 and includes non-album singles, B-sides and outtakes.

WILLIE NELSON Busted for Pot Possession In Texas

MUSIC NEWS- Country music legend, WILLIE NELSON was arrested on marijuana possession charges in Texas boder town on Friday, November 26 after police found drugs on his tour bus. 

Six ounces of pot were found on the bus at 9am (MST) in Sierra Blanca, TX, a US Border Patrol spokesperson reported to the El Paso Timesnewspaper. An officer had searched the bus after a vehicle stop and noticed an odor of pot.  The members of the entourage, including Nelson, were arrested.  He was held briefly, then paid a $2,500 bond and released.

No word on court appearance date but he could face up to 180 in jail.  Nelson's on a brief tour break,  with his next scheduled appearance on December 2 in Abilene, TX.

More @ WillieNelson.com

JOHNNY CASH Auction Announced in L.A.

MUSIC NEWS- Beverly Hills, CA auction house, Julien's Auctions has announced an auction of property from the life and career of Johnny Cash.  The auction will include items from Cash's military career, his life and partnership with June Carter Cash, into his time as a part of the Highwaymen with his friends through the end of his career. A portion (tbd) of the sale proceeds will benefit MusiCares.

Highlighted in the upcoming sale are lyrics personally writen by Cash. Lyrics include Cash's take on traditional songs, an alternate version of "Don't Take Your Guns To Town," (Est. $2,000/4,000) and many songs that he never got to record.

Also in the lot are three guitars from different periods in Cash's career;  a vintage 1951 Martin guitar used by Cash in studio that later became the designated tour bus guitar (Est. $20,000/ 30,000). Second guitar is a Grammer Johnny Cash model used extensively by Cash on The Johnny Cash Show and later inscribed by Cash, "To Richard,/ Play It Pretty/Johnny Cash"  ($30,000/40,000). Third up is a guitar, also a Martin, used by Cash in the 1980s and gifted to his friend Bill Miller, featured on the cover of his live album The Survivors. It was inscribed by Cash with the first four lines of "I Walk the Line." (Est. $20,000/30,000).

 

Lady Antebellum Borrowed from Alan Parsons Project ???

MUSIC NEWS - Not one to shy away from controversy, we have to bring this to your attention... It seems that questions have risen about the origins of Lady Antebellum's 'Need You Now' tune and the similarities to a 1982 Alan Parsons Project hit.

The NashvilleScene.com reports that they received a letter from a Lisa Marie Parsons who identified herself as the Executive Personal Assistant to the noted musician, producer, recording star Alan Parsons, saying  that many of Mr Parson's fans have been complaining that Lady Antebellum's country and country pop hit Need You Now sounds quite similar to the Alan Parsons Project's Eye in the Sky tune.

STAGECOACH 2011 Fest Line-up; Ticket News

MUSIC NEWS - 2011’s STAGECOACH music fest, booked for for Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1, 2011 will mark the annual music festival’s fifth consecutive year, it will also feature the return of some of country music’s top charting artists to the beautiful Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA.  Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts and Carrie Underwood  head a musical line-up that celebrates more than five decades of country and will include performances from Darius Rucker, Loretta Lynn, Josh Turner, Leon Russell, Easton Corbin, Gatlin Brothers, Jack Ingram, Mel Tillis, Rodney Crowell, Wanda Jackson, Rhonda Vincent and many more (the full line-up is below).

Tickets for STAGECOACH…CALIFORNIA’S COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL  will go on sale Friday, November 5 at 10:00 AM at all Ticketmaster locations and Stagecoachfestival.com.   

STAGECOACH Country Music Festival Announced for 2011

MUSIC NEWS- Organizers of the annual Stagecoach music fest have confirmed Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1, 2011 as the dates for next year’s STAGECOACH: CALIFORNIA'S COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL.  It'll be the fifth annual music event; which has every year featured an impressive array of artists from the genres of mainstream country, bluegrass, folk, roots rock, country rock and alt-country, and will again take place at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA. 

LYNYRD SKYNYRD Tribute Album Announced

MUSIC NEWS- A LYNYRD SKYNYRD Tribute CD has been announced for a summer 2010 release (July 20 exclusively at WalMart) with some of country music's top artist paying to the legendary southern rock band and their enduring legacy with Sweet Home Alabama – The Country Music Tribute To Lynyrd Skynyrd.

With a balance of bedrock Southern Rock and Outlaw Country roots, the new CD will represent a distinct collection of many of the band's most iconic tracks by the genre's brightest stars, including Eric Church, Randy Houser, Shooter Jennings, Jamey Johnson, Uncle Kracker, Randy Montana, Ashley Ray and Eli Young Band.

JIMMY BUFFET Assembles Gulf Coast Benefit Concert

MUSIC NEWS - Jimmy Buffett and some of his friends will be appearing at a Gulf Coast benefit concert on July 1.  The special Gulf Shores, AL beach concert will aid Gulf Coast residents affected by the April Gulf of Mexico oil spill will feature Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band, Zac Brown Band, Kenny Chesney, Jesse Winchester, Sonny Landreth and Allen Toussaint.  The show will air live on the CMT network from 8-9:30pm EDT.

It's a free show, but the idea is to raise money, so pick up one of the t-shirt specially designed for the event.  It'll be sold online as well as at the event siteshow and you can expect other opportunities to help.

Additional details (more acts?) will be announced soon. More info Buffett’s website, here .

Jimmy Buffett Tickets

Country Music Legend (and Breakfast Meat King) JIMMY DEAN Dead at 81

MUSIC NEWS - Country music Hall of Famer, TV show host and country singer Jimmy Dean, best known for his hit 'Big Bad John', died on Sunday at his home in Henrico County, Virginia reports his wife,  Donna Meade Dean.  She said to the Associated Press that Mr Dean had some health problems but was still functioning well, and his death came as a shock. She said he was eating in front of the tv and left the room for a time.  When she returned to the room he was unresponsive. Dean was pronounced dead at 7:54PM.

His big hit, the tune, 'Big Bad John' was released in 1961, and later covered by Johnny Cash and Sammy Davis Jr.  Dean later began The Jimmy Dean Meat Company in 1969, selling the company in 1984 to the Sarah Lee corportation, but stayed on as their chairman and TV spokesperson (until 1983 when they dumped him). 

Texas born Dean should also be foundly remembered as giving The Muppets one of their early big breaks. He introduced Jim Henson to the public through the piano playing dog Rowlf who he featured regularly on his 1950s TV show.

Ingrid Michaelson and Mat Kearney Team Up for 2010 Tour

MUSIC NEWS - Singer/songwriters Mat Kearney and Ingrid Michaelson hae announced plans to team up and co-headline one of the top anticipated tours of 2010.

 

Ingrid Michaelson arrive with fanfare with her 2007 debut album Girls and Boys,that featured the hit, "The Way I Am".  Her latestrelease, Everybody, led by the infectious first single "Maybe," shot to #1 on the iTunes sales chart when it was released.   Remaining true to her indie roots, Michaelson's music is released on the label she founded, Cabin 24 Records.

 

Mr Kearney has spent the last five years traveling the country and establishing himself as a new artist with his first release, Nothing Left To Lose.  Mat Kearney has more recently put down roots into his new hometown of Nashville, TN, and cultivated the tracks for City of Black & White, released in May 2009 on Aware/Columbia Records. 

 

T Bone Burnett to Produce New Willie Nelson Rounder Records Release

MUSIC NEWS- T-Bone Burnett has announced he's on board with legend Willie Nelson for the new album,  "Country Music" the first release by Willie as part of his new deal with Boston, MA based Rounder Records.

The constantly touring Nelson, who regularly is out 200+ days a year touring, has said he'll include songs from the album at shows on his current tour. "Country Music" will feature musicians such as banjo player Riley Baugus, double bassist Dennis Crouch and Burnett himself, all veterans of the sessions for "Raising Sand", the award winner and popular album by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss.

LOVE AND THEFT, New Album & Contest

     MUSIC NEWS - To celebrate the release of their World Wide Open album, Nashville country rockers,  Love and Theft have teamed up with CMT for a cool giveaway. One L&T fan will get a chance to bring 7 of their friends along for a tour bus ride to one of the band’s upcoming concerts (who doesn't love a tour bus ride) !  Released last week, World Wide Open features the single, “Runaway” which the group recently completed a video for, with Kristen Barlowe (view it below).  Enter for your chance to win the contest here.