I’m back with my regular feature on Country Music News Blog now, with my two cents on the problems with major country award shows, and more specifically the artists who should win and don’t.
I’m really interested to know what all of you think about my choices, my stance, and who you would like to see winning more country awards, be it CMAs, ACMs, ACAs or CMTs, so let me know in the comments, tweet me, or comment on the article I’ve linked. Enjoy!
‘Send Me Wings’ To Be Released To Country Radio In Coming Weeks
BGC Records/GMV Nashville artist Bobby Cyrus will release his debut album, ‘Homeplace’, on May 21 through all major digital retailers, including iTunes and Amazon. The album features 13 tracks, nine of which were written or co-written by the singer. Produced by renowned vocalist and Bluegrass musician, Don Rigsby, the album features special guest appearances by Bobby’s cousin Billy Ray Cyrus on ‘Milkman’s Eyes’, and Country legend Tom T. Hall on the track ‘A Rose For Marie’.
“Since the day I picked up my first guitar this is the music I have always wanted to create,” explained Cyrus. “I thank God for giving me the gift of rhythm and rhyme and a special thank you to all those who believed in me enough to help make this dream come true. I am truly a blessed man.”
The title of the release borrows its namesake from the Cyrus family abode in rural Kentucky. A well-loved dwelling and place of tenderness and growth for generations of Cyrus’. The home’s symbolism serves as ongoing inspiration to Cyrus and as a motif for the album. The final track of the record is a humble, warm-hearted poem. Written by Bobby’s father, Bob Cyrus, the story centers around the family life on their home in Louisa, KY. Until his passing, Bobby’s father performed the poem at the family’s annual get together, a duty that has been bestowed upon Bobby. Additionally, its familial sincerity serves as the essence behind the title track and a theme throughout the album.
In February, Cyrus became the official spokesperson of the National Walking Horse Association (NWHA). The singer will team up with the association, performing at select events across the country as part of his 2013 “NWHA Tour” and expressing his support for the associations cause. Founded in 1998, The National Walking Horse Association, located at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, is a group of dedicated horse owners and enthusiasts committed to preserving and promoting the naturally-gaited walking horse and its welfare. Cyrus is scheduled to appear at a series of public NWHA events in the coming months, meeting fans, signing merchandise and advocating his passion for walking horses.
A former heavy-machinery sales and management executive in the coal mining and construction industry of eastern Kentucky, Bobby Cyrus grew up immersed in the sounds of bluegrass and traditional Country music. Cyrus credits artists like Waylon Jennings, Ricky Skaggs, Larry Cordle, Kris Kristofferson, Keith Whitley and Tom T. Hall as some of the key influences that helped define his songwriting and musical style. Cyrus released ‘Milkman’s Eyes’ (featuring his cousin Billy Ray Cyrus) in November 2012. The video for ‘Milkman’s Eyes’, which premiered on GAC’s Daily Countdown, is currently in rotation on The Country Network and is also featured on CMT.com.
TRACK LISTING:
1. ‘Cut My Teeth On (Waylon And Willie)’ (B. Cyrus)
2. ‘Homeplace’ feat. Bobby’s Dad, Bob Cyrus (B.Cyrus)
3. ‘Milkman’s Eyes’ feat. Billy Ray Cyrus (Billy Ray Cyrus/Jim McKnight)
4. ‘Send Me Wings’ (B.Cyrus)
5. ‘Hillbilly Man’ (B. Cyrus/Jonathan McClanahan/Randy Wallin)
6. ‘A Rose For Marie’ feat. Tom T. Hall (Dixie Hall/Tom T. Hall)
7. ‘Daddy’s Home’ (B. Cyrus)
8. ‘Broke Down In Georgia’ (Mickey Cates/Tony Ramey)
9. ‘If I’da Wrote That Song’ (Larry Cordle/Larry Shell/Jim Silvers)
10. ‘Carved Our Names In Stone’ (B. Cyrus)
11. ‘Bodan’s Home’ (Jimmy Carr)
12. ‘Lucky Guy’ (B. Cyrus)
13. ‘Homeplace (The Poem)’
For more information, visit www.BobbyCyrusOfficial.com.
Well, the CMAs are on Thursday (is it normal to be this excited?) so here is a reblog of an earlier post I made regarding my predictions! 😀
First of all, I want to discuss all the things I think are wrong with the nominations list (I am ever cheerful as you know), then we’ll assume I’m happy with everything I haven’t mentioned, and I’ll provide a list of who I want to win, and who I think will win for each category. I don’t usually pay attention to the awards and that, and I’m from the UK so not immersed in the country hub so it’s gonna be difficult. You have to buy me candy for every one I get right.
… Please?
Anyway. I don’t think Blake Shelton has done enough to warrant Entertainer of the Year. Sure, he’s had successful singles such as ‘Over’, and the co-write with Miranda on ‘Over You’, but I feel like the only reason he’s been nominated in this category is because he’s been on The Voice. Perhaps the CMA members feel that he’s bringing further commercial appeal to country music, but although I have no problem with The Voice or him being a judge on there, I just feel like such an honour as Entertainer is above his reach this year. I also might like to point out what I hope everyone is thinking in that KELLY CLARKSON?! WHAT THE-
As far as I am aware, her contributions to country so far have involved being from Texas, a duet with Jason Aldean, and a country mix on ‘Mr Know It All’. Not exactly Female Vocalist of the Year material, but there you go. Maybe I’m looking for different criteria, you know, like an actual country record.
Do you ever get the feeling that we’re lacking some new talent? Brantley Gilbert and Love and Theft are not new, they’ve been around a couple of years, in fact the latter had an album out in 2009 that was moderately successful. I’m sure there’s a lot newer talent out there with success, I think the CMA are just lazy.
Here’s my rant of the last few weeks – Keith Urban? Lady Antebellum? Taylor Swift? UGH. At least Keith Urban makes an effort to appear a bit country even though it’s essentially pop music, but Lady A and Ms. Swift? Give me strength. Name one country song they’ve released in the last year. Or the last 5 years. I mean honestly. I’m sick of seeing them appear in nominations list, particularly Lady A, whose songs make me feel nauseous, they are so cheesy and so un-country it hurts. They’re only in the genre for the market share and some staying power if the pop charts fall out of love with them, which they will in another couple of years. I feel like the CMA are only nominating them because they bring commercial success to country music and maybe a couple more fans than they would otherwise have done – but really those fans are only gonna buy the poppiest country music around and it will end up being detrimental for the genre itself. Oh and there’s a whole other rant there.
Sugarland? Do we not have any other country duos hanging around? I like Sugarland but they’ve done very little in the past year, less than any of the others nominated I think, so I don’t see why they should win an award for doing nothing. Where is the logic in that?
Then there are the Civil Wars. Their album’s great, I think they’re really talented, but I wouldn’t describe them as country and to my knowledge they have never gone out of their way to be labelled as such. They did a duet with Taylor Swift and suddenly they’re up for a CMA award? I see them as folk/Americana, as do most other people. I realise that country is a meta-genre, designed to incorporate all sorts of American music, but I feel it’s a little too much of a stretch at the moment. What about all the other people sounding like them? Where were their nods?
The Single of the Year category is a weak one and I believe there have been much better singles around this past year, it doesn’t really do it justice in my opinion.
In general this list gets a fair few right the way I see it, but on many occasions they seem to be at a loss as to who else to nominate. Perhaps the members should do some actual listening of country radio, go into actual venues and see some people live even if they’re unknown. I feel like it’s the same people each year being nominated mostly and it’s not always warranted.
There are also a few people snubbed. Kellie Pickler in particular had a fantastic album out at the beginning of this year, but perhaps due to her record company failing to promote it (a large reason for Kellie and 19 parting ways earlier this year) her singles didn’t really chart and she’s been ignored. Should the CMAs reward people with commercial success or good music (regardless of commercial success)? Arguably the two go hand in hand but it’s not always the case, although obviously aesthetics such as whether music is good or not or country or not is subjective. Kip Moore is another big one who has been missed off the list. I listened to his album a few times and found it to be average (not bad, just very similar to other people), but he’s been doing well on radio and in sales so I’m still not sure whether the CMA is going for good music or commercial success.
Despite the fact that Carrie Underwood falls under the ‘countrypop’ category I was surprised to see her not on the Entertainer of the Year list as she had a hugely successful album out this year, it was far better than her last one and I quite like it. So that’s a strange one. Then there’s Jana Kramer, who had a Sara Evans-style debut, her single’s been doing well and the album stands up to her contemporaries, it’s a good record. She could easily have taken the place of Love and Theft on the list. Another huge snub I noticed was Tim McGraw – his album Emotional Traffic reached number 1 on the country charts and number 2 on the Billboard Top 200, so for me he’s an obvious choice. Perhaps it’s an age thing and that the CMA just don’t consider him to be one of the major players anymore. A shame, because ‘Truck Yeah’ was a big hit and again, there are inconsistencies with their criteria.
Finally I’m disappointed that there are no Pistol Annies because Takin’ Pills was a fantastic song and video but I suppose they’d have to sound like Taylor Swift to get the CMAs to take any notice of them. Ironic, huh.
So here’s my list of wants and wills, I hope you enjoy, please do comment with your own wants and wills, I’d really love to read them and see where you’re all coming from.
Entertainer:
Want: Brad Paisley
Will: Taylor Swift
Brad hasn’t had an album out since 2011 but he’s been amazing as always and I don’t think anyone should take this away from him. But Taylor Swift, well, yeah.
Female Vocalist:
Want: Miranda Lambert
Will: Carrie Underwood
I love Miranda as you’ve probably gathered, but Carrie without an award? She’ll win this one I’m sure of it.
Male Vocalist:
Want: Luke Bryan
Will: Eric Church
Ahh, Luke. Sorry what were you saying? It’s a difficult one for me to decide who will actually win so I’m not really sure on what I’ve picked, it could go to about 3 of them.
New Artist:
Want: Brantley Gilbert
Will: Brantley Gilbert
Good album, he’s been around a while but he’s a dead cert.
Vocal Group:
Want: Little Big Town
Will: Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town’s just-dropped album ‘Tornado’ is great and has a huge variety of songs on it, but Lady Antebellum seem to have this magical knack of winning everything they don’t deserve.
Vocal Duo:
Want: The Civil Wars
Will: Sugarland
It would be nice for the Civil Wars to achieve some recognition despite their ‘countryness’ being called into question, but I think Sugarland not doing much will take this one.
Single:
Want: Springsteen – Eric Church
Will: Springsteen – Eric Church
Huge hit song and I love it, ashamedly, despite my reservations about Eric Church as a person.
Album:
Want: Four The Record – Miranda Lambert
Will: Four The Record – Miranda Lambert
Miranda has a history of winning stuff like this, album was amazing, I think it’s her year.
Song:
Want: Over You – Miranda Lambert & Blake Shelton
Will: Over You – Miranda Lambert & Blake Shelton
It was a huge song, loads of people related to it and I think it’s a dead-set.
Musical Event:
Want: Safe & Sound – Taylor Swift & The Civil Wars
Will: Feel Like A Rock Star – Kenny Chesney & Tim McGraw
Although I have my issues with Taylor and it wasn’t a country song this song I believe was good enough to win the award, although so is Kenny and Tim’s effort.
Music Video:
Want: Over You – Miranda Lambert
Will: Red Solo Cup – Toby Keith
Fantastic really emotional and moving video (particularly at the end) from Miranda but the comedy of Toby Keith will probably ride this one out.
So here you have it. I really hope you have some opinions of your own because I’d love to hear them 🙂
[Got comments?]
For The Country Record 