
The 1980s were the MTV years; as radio once helped spread country beyond its natural habitat, so did TV channels dedicated to broadcasting country music disseminate the new crop of stars. As importantly, for the first time since Jennings and Nelson attracted the attention of rock fans, some country singers, such as Earle and Yoakam, were acknowledged by the rock press. County, or at least some strands of it, was hip again. The rock press also rediscovered legends such as George Jones and Dolly Parton. So Parton's collaboration with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt was celebrated as a music event [...]
Photo courtesy of wandajackson.comWanda JacksonAhem. Perty little lo-ove song. Perty little lo-ove so-oh-ong. Perty little lo-ove song... bang bing bong. Take a second to learn the real lyr

In the four years I've been doing this blogging thing, I've mentioned Roy Rogers several times. I've written about how Roy was my favorite cowboy star, in a piece I called Saturday Matinees With The King Of The Cowboys , and as recently as last week I related how Western Swin g star Spade Cooley imagined that his wife was fooling around with the his friend Roy. (As if my boyhood hero would do such a thing, or that Dale Evans would allow it - or Trigger either, for that matter.) One of the [...]
Got back late last night from seeing Bonnie "Prince" Billy put on a great show at the El Rey. Much more personable on stage than I figured he would be having played his largest venue to date in LA that I have seen. (Check that, I do remember him playing the Hollywood Bowl opening for Bjork) I definitely recommend Beware, his latest album. Bill Callahan - My Friend From his soon to be released Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle LP. [...]