
Asleep at the Wheel with Huey Lewis : Hubbin' It [ purchase ] I couldn't let this week's theme go by without sharing some western swing with y'all. And I can't think of a better way to do that than to feature Asleep at the Wheel paying tribute to Bob Wills. Huey Lewis, (Really? That Huey Lewis? Really!) is just a bonus. Western swing is a hybrid of country music and big band swing. It arose in the 1930s and 40s. Milton Brown and his Musical Brownies are the [...]

Christmas and country music go together like peas and carrots. It's that time of year where Santa corrals up his steeds, puts on his spurs, and delivers presents to all of the good little cowpokes who have never heard of, much less seen, snow. Don't mind that flask of shine that Santa has stashed in his leather vest. It's hard work delivering present all over the world! And if you are an extra good little rocker, Santa may bring you a new steel gee-tar for Christmas. Yeee-Haw! Brenda Lee - I'm Gonna Lasso [...]

Thanks in large part to country-influenced acts like The Byrds, The Grateful Dead and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, rock fans were starting to dig the country scene — not Nashville's crooners or John Denver, of course, but the Outlaws, Gram Parsons and some of the old pioneers. Some of California rock's great names had their roots in playing bluegrass; people like Eagles co-founder and Flying Burrito Brother Bernie Leadon, the Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia and the singer-songwriter J.D. Souther, who wrote for the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt, the Texan "Queen of Rock" who made her start as a country [...]
Somehow I got picked to write the Top 5 that drops on the first day of ACL (who makes these schedules, anyways?). The wonderful writers here at the ATH have already provided an abundance of great recommendations , interviews and previews that are better than anything I could ever do, so I'll talk about the only thing that hasn't been covered . Music with a kick of country. If you find yourself wandering near the Austin Ventures stage with some time to kill in-between the Brontosauras Flag [...]
Nicholson has crafted a tight, highly professional, well-executed album with the added virtue of not taking itself too seriously.
Gary Nicholson releases a new album from deep in the heart of Texas.
Last night a little after midnight, Austin City Limits, or ACL as the kids call it, dropped their 10th anniversary lineup for this year's festival. No real surprises as the major headliners were either already announced or revealed by the scratch off tickets, but still you have got Kanye and Arcade Fire in here as well as music legend Stevie Wonder, not a bad little lineup. There are also a ton of great mid-level bands in here, so check out the full lineup below. As of right now, all 3-day passes for this festival are sold out, [...]

Neil Sedaka - "The First Noel" Asleep At The Wheel - "Santa Loves To Boogie" Click to view slideshow.

I've had so much fun compiling list this week that I decided to do it again except with Christmas/Holiday songs. I could go out and find my favorites and then share them individually, but this way all the songs and playlist are in one little post, like a wrapped up package for you. Like I've said before, I hate the incessant playing of christmas carols for a month straight on the radio, or walking down the street, or when waiting in line for a coffee, it drives me crazy. The 98% of the songs are auto tuned crap that make [...]

Looks like I'll be drinking Christmas dinner alone again this year. These songs are for the those of us who think that Christmas is the saddest, loneliest, most depressing time of year. This mix will make you cry. Consider yourself warned. Zippo! 1. Elvis Presley - Blue Christmas.mp3 Buy : It's Christmas Time (2000, orig. 1957) Gotta start off with a classic. 2. [...]
Action Packed Thrill Lucas says, "We're celebrating the release this Thursday at the final Hot Congress Residency show at the Meadowlark. Fingers of the Sun, Night of Joy, and Ken Arkind with Patrick Kelly will also be playing/poeticizing - you should come (with friends!)" [Audio clip: view full post to listen] [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Hot Congress Related articles Hot Congress Residency at the Meadowlark in November! (godonnybrook.com)

Asleep at the Wheel : Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens [ purchase ] It's always a pleasure to share some western swing from Asleep at the Wheel. The band was inspired by the pioneers of western swing music, especially Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys. It was not unusual for those bands to adapt swing tunes to their style, and Asleep at the Wheel follows suit here. Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens was originally made popular by Louis Jordan.
My recent misadventure on the highway got me to thinking about my history of auto ownership. My current vehicle is actually pretty dependable, and the recent mishap is probably attributable to the fact that it's getting some age on it - not unlike its owner. As I think back over the many cars I've had through the years, it seems that most of them have given reasonably good service. And even though it would be impossible to list them in any meaningful order, there is one that could certainly have been described as special, because one [...]

Since forming in 1970 by way of a union between Ray Benson, Lucky Oceans, and Leroy Preston, Asleep At The Wheel have steadfastly championed country western swing music while racking up nine Grammys over the course of 20 albums and 40 years. ATTW and the last of the great Texas Playboys, Leon Rausch, have teamed up on a smooth new album, It's a Good Day , featuring a song with the legendary Willie Nelson. LimeWire Store caught up with Ray Benson to EXCLUSIVELY chat about the new release and what it was like to jam with President [...]

Since forming in 1970 by way of a union between Ray Benson, Lucky Oceans, and Leroy Preston, Asleep At The Wheel have steadfastly championed country western swing music while racking up nine Grammys over the course of 20 albums and 40 years. ATTW and the last of the great Texas Playboys, Leon Rausch, have teamed up on a smooth new album, It's a Good Day , featuring a song with the legendary Willie Nelson. LimeWire Store caught up with Ray Benson to EXCLUSIVELY chat about the new release and what it was like to jam with President [...]

Willie Nelson and Asleep at the Wheel Jerry Wexler Executive Producer of Concept Album 'Willie & The Wheel' out 7th June on Proper Records Proper Records and Bismeaux Records are very pleased to announce the UK release of Willie & The Wheel , an album collaboration between Willie Nelson and Asleep at the Wheel on June 7, 2010. Buy CDs, MP3s, more: [...]
In my house, the movie Cars is a great favorite with six year old son, and therefore the rest of the family knows the movie well. Fortunately, it's a good one. There are two versions of the song Route 66 on the soundtrack. The one by Chuck Berry is not his best work; he even gets two of the town names wrong. And John Mayer is an artist I enjoy, but his version doesn't do it for me either. But the connection between the movie and Route 66 does not end there. The town of Radiator Springs is an amalgam [...]

Tonight's the big BCS Championship Game pitting the University of Texas against the other team from Alabama. The Longhorns' lackluster performance in the Big 12 Championship Game against Nebraska has many "experts" picking the Crimson Tide to roll. Whether they do or not is up for debate, however, I can guarantee you that our cheerleaders will be hotter. Kickoff at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena is set for 7 p.m. CST. Hook 'Em. MP3: "The Eyes of Texas" by the University of Texas Longhorn Band MP3: [...]

As promised, a repost of last year's alt country-ish/indie rock-ish Xmas comp. I switched up a few of the songs from last year's post. And I tried not to post too many that my main man at A Truer Sound hasn't already posted. But let's face it, some of these songs are so damn good that they have to be posted twice. I also want to take this time to remind you to donate to your favorite charity this season. Since I like animals more than I like humans, I usually donate to the [...]

Tonight is the night... The Americana Music Association Honors & Awards Show takes place tonight at The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. It is a night designed to celebrate the best Americana music has to offer, and I can almost promise that Kanye West will not charge the stage at any time during the ceremonies. I've already run through all of the nominees for this year's awards. Today, I'd like to briefly spotlight three artists who will honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards tonight. First is virtuoso mandolin/fiddle [...]