When Toby Keith first rode into Nashville in the early 1990s, no one paid any attention. After trying and failing to win a record deal, he cut his losses and headed home. But then a flight attendant and fan of his handed a copy of his demo to Harold Shedd at Mercury during a flight….
Blackberry Smoke is a rock band that was formed in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2000. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Charlie Starr, vocalist and bassist Richard Turner, drummer Brit Turner, keyboardist Brandon Still, and Pall Jackson on guitar and backing vocals. Although this is the main lineup when recording music, there are additional…
In 1999 the American country music band known as Rascal Flatts started out at the Fiddle and Steel Guitar Bar in Nashville, Tennessee. Founders Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus, James Otto, and Michael English each came from their own musical backgrounds that include contemporary gospel and country. At the time DeMarcus was with another band, Chely…
Texas-born and raised Gene Watson officially began his music career in 1962, performing in local clubs at night while working at an auto body shop during the day. The start of his recording career saw a few regional releases until he was signed with Capitol Records in 1975. Now at a national success level, Watson…
In 1985, singer-songwriter Andy Bell teamed up with Vince Clarke of Depeche Mode to form the synth-pop duo, Erasure. After a couple of false starts, they hit the big time with their fourth single, Sometimes. From that point on, they became firm fixtures on the UK charts, dominating the airwaves throughout the 80s and 90s…
Many people will find themselves alone at some stage in their lives or experience loneliness. Therefore, it is a topic with which people can connect, and that is why it is a theme chosen by many artists and songwriters in their music. It is a subject used across the decades and in many music genres,…
Together with Merle Haggard, Buck Owens pioneered the Bakersfield sound (or, as he preferred to call it “American Music”), an electrified, rock-influenced style of honky tonk that came to dominate the charts in the ’60s. By the time the decade ended, he’d become one of country’s most popular artists, with a staggering 15 consecutive number…
Run DMC was an American rap group from Hollis Queens, New York City. It was founded in 1983 by Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell. Thanks to its first album, “Run DMC,” in 1984, it became the first group to gain a gold record. This ranking of all the Run DMC Studio Albums will…
In 2024, Rolling Stone Magazine compiled a list called 200 Greatest Country Songs of All Time. Number three on the tabulation is “Crazy” from Patsy Cline. The second spot features Johnny Cash’s “I Walk the Line.” Coming in at number one, “Jolene” by Dolly Parton. Released in October of 1973, “Jolene” was a tremendous…