Country Universe – A Country Music Blog

CMA Awards: Entertainer of the Year (1967-2013)

Sunday, November 3rd, 2013

Since its inception, the top honor an artist could be given at the Country Music Association awards is this one: Entertainer of the Year.   Originally a revolving door of winners, the winner in early years was often not even nominated the following year.  In 1981, Barbara Mandrell became the first artist to win the award twice.   Alabama succeeded her with a three year run from 1982-1984.   Fourteen years later, Garth Brooks became the first artist two win four times, a feat later matched by Kenny Chesney in 2008.

Here’s a look back at the award from the very beginning, along with some facts and feats about the category and its nominees.

1967

• Bill Anderson
• Eddy Arnold
• Merle Haggard
• Sonny James
• Buck Owens

One year after being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Eddy Arnold was named the very first Entertainer of the Year at the inaugural CMA awards in 1967. Don’t assume it was a sympathy vote. Arnold had three #1 hits in the twelve months leading up to the ceremony, as he was in the middle of his impressive mid-sixties comeback, a period best defined by the 1965 classic, “Make the World Go Away.”  He remains the only member of the Hall of Fame to win this award after being inducted.

1968

• Eddy Arnold
• Glen Campbell
• Johnny Cash
  
• Merle Haggard
• Charley Pride

Glen Campbell was a big awards favorite in 1968, with “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” and “Gentle On My Mind” both dominating the Grammy awards earlier that year.   His win in this category foreshadowed bigger things, as he soon became a network variety star, while also scoring major country and pop hits with “Wichita Lineman” and “Galveston.”

 1969

• Glen Campbell
• Johnny Cash
  
• Roy Clark
• Merle Haggard
• Charley Pride

Johnny Cash’s career was rejuvenated on the strength of two live prison albums, the latter of which produced the massive Shel Silverstein-penned smash, “A Boy Named Sue.”   His victory came in a year that marked the beginning of his network variety show and had him dominating the country singles charts, spending ten combined weeks at #1 with “Sue” and “Daddy Sang Bass.”

1970

• Glen Campbell
• Johnny Cash
• Roy Clark
• Merle Haggard
  
• Charley Pride

Merle Haggard was a mainstay in this category from the beginning, nominated in each of the first seven years of the CMA Awards.  His victory in 1970 coincided with his commercial peak, with signature hits “The Fightin’ Side of Me” and “Okie From Muskogee” helping him secure his only win in this category.

1971

• Merle Haggard
• Loretta Lynn
• Charley Pride
• Jerry Reed
• Conway Twitty

The last of four consecutive years where the Male Vocalist winner matched the Entertainer winner, Charley Pride went home with both awards in 1971.   A winner on his fourth nomination, his popularity skyrocketed upon the release of “Kiss an Angel Good Morning,” which was climbing the charts at the time of the awards ceremony.

1972

• Merle Haggard
• Freddie Hart
• Loretta Lynn
• Charley Pride
• Jerry Reed
  

Instead of attending the awards show, Loretta Lynn’s husband Mooney went hunting.  He didn’t want to watch her lose, but he missed watching history unfold as she became the first woman to win Entertainer of the Year.  Lynn’s victory came on the heels of both solo hits like “One’s on the Way” and her popular duets with Conway Twitty.

1973

• Roy Clark
• Merle Haggard
• Tom T. Hall
• Loretta Lynn
• Charley Pride

Today he’s best known for Hee Haw, the country music variety show that he co-hosted, and it’s no coincidence that he won while the show was in its prime. Still, Clark is also one of country’s most admired legends, and his legacy goes far beyond the television show that showcased his extensive musical and comedic talents.

1974

• Roy Clark
• Mac Davis
• Loretta Lynn
• Olivia Newton-John
• Charlie Rich

The massive success of “The Most Beautiful Girl” and “Behind Closed Doors” helped Charlie Rich win this award.  It was a long time coming, as Rich toiled in obscurity despite critical acclaim for his work.   He would continue to score big hits on the country and pop charts over the next couple of years, at one point charting hits on different labels at the same time.

1975

• John Denver
• Waylon Jennings
• Loretta Lynn
• Ronnie Milsap
• Conway Twitty

John Denver’s victory in this race led to the most infamous moment in CMA history. Though he claimed it was due to medication later on, presenter Charlie Rich seemed to be making a furious statement against the pop crossover artists dominating country music when he opened the envelope, read it, and then lit a cigarette lighter and burned the envelope. The paper went up in flames as he derisively snarled the winner’s name, “My friend, Mister John Denver.” Poor John, accepting via satellite, was clueless to what was going on at the Opry house, and graciously accepted his award.

1976

• Waylon Jennings
• Ronnie Milsap
• Willie Nelson
• Dolly Parton
• Mel Tillis

This 2007 Hall of Fame inductee won this award just as he was changing labels.  Tillis first gained notoriety for his remarkable songwriting talent, but eventually he was scoring enough hits to earn a place in this category. He would go on to have several more big hits after winning this award, earning another nomination in this category two years later.

1977

• Merle Haggard
• Waylon Jennings
• Ronnie Milsap
• Dolly Parton
• Kenny Rogers

Ronnie Milsap dominated the CMA Awards, becoming one of its most frequently honored performers during the formative years of the awards show.  He finally won the big prize on his third try, powered by the success of his classic hit, “It was Almost like a Song.”

1978

• Crystal Gayle
• Ronnie Milsap
• Dolly Parton
• Kenny Rogers
• Mel Tillis

Her famous quote – “I’m not leaving country. I’m taking it with me” – must have held some water with the Nashville establishment, as Parton won this award at the height of her pop crossover success with “Here You Come Again,” the title track of her first platinum album.  The front of her dress popped open before she went up to receive the trophy, prompting her to quip, “That’s what I get for trying to put fifty pounds of mud in a five pound bag.”

1979

• Crystal Gayle
• Barbara Mandrell
• Willie Nelson
• Kenny Rogers
• Statler Brothers

He never won Male Vocalist of the Year, but superstar Willie Nelson was given his due by the CMA in 1979 when they awarded him Entertainer of the Year.   While it wasn’t his biggest year on the charts, residual goodwill from Stardust and his collaborations with Waylon Jennings helped carry him to victory.

1980

• Charlie Daniels Band
• Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers
• Barbara Mandrell
  
• Willie Nelson
• Kenny Rogers

She had a few big hits in 1980, like “Crackers” and “The Best of Strangers.”  But it was her incredibly popular variety show with sisters Louise and Irlene that truly showcased her versatility as an entertainer, securing the first of two wins in this category.

1981

• Alabama
• George Jones
• Barbara Mandrell
  
• Oak Ridge Boys
• Kenny Rogers

Despite sharing the category with four artists who had never won this award, Barbara Mandrell became the first artist in CMA history to win Entertainer of the Year for the second time.  Credit the continued popularity of her television show and the biggest hit of her career, “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool”,  which featured a guest turn by fellow nominee George Jones.

1982

• Alabama
• Barbara Mandrell
• Willie Nelson
• Oak Ridge Boys
• Ricky Skaggs

The band that laid the groundwork for all other country bands that followed, Alabama set a new bar for commercial success in the early eighties.   The eligibility period included the release of their biggest-selling studio album, and also two of their signature hits: “Mountain Music” and “Love in the First Degree.”

1983

• Alabama
• Merle Haggard
• Barbara Mandrell
• Willie Nelson
• Ricky Skaggs

As their studio albums sold in the millions, every single Alabama released to radio was hitting #1, a stretch that would eventually include 21 consecutive chart-toppers.  They repeated in this category on the strength of hits like “Dixieland Delight” and “The Closer You Get.”

1984

• Alabama
• Lee Greenwood
• Barbara Mandrell
• Ronnie Milsap
• Oak Ridge Boys

A mere three years after Barbara Mandrell made history by being the first artist to win two Entertainer awards, Alabama went her one better and won three. They remain one of only two acts to win this award three years in a row, doing so as their hits “Roll On (Eighteen Wheeler)” and “If You’re Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)” dominated the airwaves.

1985

• Alabama
• Lee Greenwood
• Reba McEntire
• Ricky Skaggs
• George Strait

Few country artists command as much respect as Ricky Skaggs, a consummate singer and musician. Skaggs’ victory in this category signaled the resurgence of traditional country music, as he was the first winner since 1976 to not have achieved crossover hits on pop radio.

1986

• The Judds
• Reba McEntire
• Willie Nelson
• Ricky Skaggs
• George Strait

One of the most popular new traditionalists of the mid-eighties, McEntire achieved her commercial breakthrough with “Whoever’s in New England”, which was aided in popularity by her first of many high-concept music video clips.  McEntire would eventually become the most nominated woman in history, scoring ten nominations over eleven years.

1987

• The Judds
• Reba McEntire
• George Strait
• Randy Travis
• Hank Williams, Jr.

When Hank Williams, Jr. won the Music Video award the previous year, he reminded voters, “I make audio, too.”  They finally got around to acknowledging his meaningful contributions to the genre,  awarding him the first of two Entertainer trophies in 1987.

1988

• The Judds
• Reba McEntire
• George Strait
• Randy Travis
• Hank Williams, Jr.

Hank Jr. may have waited a long time for some CMA love, but once it came, it was in droves. He won Album of the Year the same night he repeated in this category.  His biggest hit of the year, “Young Country”, featured guest appearances by up and comers like Highway 101 and Marty Stuart.

1989

• Reba McEntire
• Ricky Van Shelton
• George Strait
• Randy Travis
• Hank Williams, Jr.

Three years after his most recent Male Vocalist trophy, megastar George Strait was named Entertainer of the Year. He would go on to have one of his biggest years at radio, with two multi-week #1 singles in the twelve months that followed his victory.

1990

• Clint Black
  
• Kathy Mattea
• Ricky Van Shelton
• George Strait
• Randy Travis

While Randy Travis dominated the Male Vocalist race, George Strait was given his due again in the Entertainer category.   He wore an Entertainer of the Year cowboy belt on the cover of Livin’ it Up, perhaps giving him good luck toward his second victory.  He remains the most nominated in this category, and is only the second Hall of Famer to receive a nomination after being inducted into the Hall.

1991

• Clint Black
• Garth Brooks
• Vince Gill
• Reba McEntire
• George Strait

A mere year after winning the Horizon award, Garth Brooks was the Entertainer of the Year at the CMA Awards. He was breaking every sales record in the book by that point.  Shortly before the ceremony, he became the first country artist to enter the overall album chart at #1, leading to a media frenzy that gained unprecedented exposure for both Garth and the genre he represented.

1992

• Garth Brooks
• Vince Gill
• Alan Jackson
• Reba McEntire
• Travis Tritt

Given that he was already the biggest-selling country artist the world had ever seen, it was no surprise that Garth Brooks won his second Entertainer of the Year trophy in 1992.  His continued popularity was fueled by sold out live shows that soon led to network specials showcasing his unique brand of arena country.

1993

• Brooks & Dunn
• Garth Brooks
• Vince Gill
• Alan Jackson
• Reba McEntire

Vince Gill capped off an amazing night at the 1993 CMA Awards with his first victory in this category. It was his fifth win of the night, as he also took home Male Vocalist, Song, Album and Vocal Event.   As he was also the show’s sole host, the collective exposure pushed him to multi-platinum sales.

1994

• Brooks & Dunn
• Garth Brooks
• Vince Gill
• Alan Jackson
• Reba McEntire

The soft-spoken Gill won for a second year, which was no big surprise given his widespread popularity in Music City. He also went home with Album and Male Vocalist the same night, giving him a stunning fourteen trophies in only five years.

1995

• Brooks & Dunn
• Garth Brooks
• Vince Gill
• Alan Jackson
• Reba McEntire

As one of the evening’s top nominees, Alan Jackson brought his parents as his special guests.  After losing in every other category, he expressed relief that he finally won something, as going home empty handed would’ve been embarrassing.   Jackson would eventually become one of the organization’s most awarded artists.

1996

• Brooks & Dunn
• Garth Brooks
• Vince Gill
• Alan Jackson
• George Strait

They were already winners of five CMA awards, due solely to their domination of the Vocal Duo category. But in 1996,  they finally won another race, and it was a big one. Brooks & Dunn remain the only duo to win this award, with The Judds and Sugarland being the only other duos to receive nominations.

1997

• Brooks & Dunn
• Garth Brooks
• Vince Gill
• Alan Jackson
• George Strait

In a year when all five nominees had won this award before, it was Garth Brooks who returned to the winner’s circle, tying Alabama’s long-standing record of three victories in this category.   Adding to the sense of déjà vu, this was the third year in a row where all five nominees were the same.

1998

• Brooks & Dunn
• Garth Brooks
• Vince Gill
• Tim McGraw
• George Strait
  

As hard as it is to believe that there were any records left for him to break by 1998, Garth Brooks shattered another one, becoming the first artist in the history of the CMA to win four Entertainer of the Year awards. By this time, Garth had already sold more than 60 million albums, and while he has yet to win this award again, he remains the top-selling solo artist of all time in the United States.

1999

• Garth Brooks
• Dixie Chicks
• Tim McGraw
• George Strait
• Shania Twain

The odds seemed against Shania Twain, as she had never won a CMA award before and the last woman to win was Reba McEntire thirteen years earlier.  Fittingly, McEntire was on hand to present the trophy to Twain, who won on the strength of Come On Over, which eventually became  top-selling country album of all time and the top selling album of the decade from any genre.

2000

• Dixie Chicks
• Faith Hill
• Alan Jackson
• Tim McGraw
• George Strait

The Dixie Chicks capped off a stunning three-year run at the CMA Awards with this victory, one of nine that they racked up since 1998.   Within those three years, their first two albums each sold over ten million copies, and the band was widely credited for championing country radio and traditionalism while other top acts were crossing over to pop radio.

2001

• Brooks & Dunn
• Dixie Chicks
• Alan Jackson
• Tim McGraw
• George Strait

After winning two Male Vocalist and two Album of the Year honors in the previous three years, Tim McGraw finally won the CMA’s top award. It was a satisfying acknowledgment of an artist who’d had his talent underestimated in the first few years of his stardom, but built up a reputation for his stellar taste in choosing material.

2002

• Brooks & Dunn
• Kenny Chesney
• Alan Jackson
• Toby Keith
• George Strait

Jackson’s win in 1995 came as he was reaching his commercial peak.  In the years that followed, Jackson remained a successful and well-respected artist that got less attention every year when it came time to hand out awards. Then came the one-two punch of “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)” and “Drive (For Daddy Gene)”, both of which were viewed as the very embodiment of all that makes country music unique and essential.   This was one of five awards he was honored with that night.

2003

• Brooks & Dunn
• Kenny Chesney
• Alan Jackson
• Toby Keith
• Tim McGraw

Although the ACM had chosen Toby Keith as their standard bearer a few months earlier, the CMA stuck with the previous year’s winner Alan Jackson. By 2003, Jackson had evolved into an elder statesman for the genre, but still managed to stay relevant with hits both clever (“It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere”) and poignant (“Remember When.”)

2004

• Brooks & Dunn
• Kenny Chesney
• Alan Jackson
• Toby Keith
• Tim McGraw

Chesney’s long dry spell at the CMA’s came to a satisfying end as the superstar collected both Entertainer and Album of the Year trophies. He had been charting for eleven years before finally winning his first CMA award.

2005

• Kenny Chesney
• Alan Jackson
• Toby Keith
• Brad Paisley
• Keith Urban
  

One of the most surprising and endearing wins in the history of this category, a shocked and humbled Urban accepted this award in New York City. He couldn’t have picked a better night to bring his Australian parents to the ceremony.

2006

• Brooks & Dunn
• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• Rascal Flatts
• Keith Urban

It’s pretty rare to come back and win this award for a second time, as most multiple wins have been consecutive in this category. But Kenny Chesney joined Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson as the only other artists to pull it off when he won in 2006, a club that would later be joined by Taylor Swift.

2007

• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• Rascal Flatts
• George Strait
• Keith Urban

Chesney entered the elite company of Garth Brooks, Alabama, and Alan Jackson with his third victory in this category. Rascal Flatts, meanwhile, became the first group since the Dixie Chicks to score back-to-back nominations, a feat also accomplished by Alabama and the Oak Ridge Boys.

2008

• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• George Strait
• Sugarland
• Keith Urban

As Sugarland became only the third duo in history to receive a nomination and George Strait extended his record number of nominations to sixteen, Kenny Chesney tied Garth Brooks for the most wins in this category with his fourth victory.  His popularity at radio and retail was remarkable, but it was Chesney’s highly attended summer stadium tours that earned him these wins.

2009

• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• George Strait
• Taylor Swift
• Keith Urban

Taylor Swift both made history and prevented it with her win in this category.  She simultaneously became the youngest artist ever and the first female solo artist in ten years to take home the prize. She also kept Kenny Chesney from becoming the sole all-time champion in this category, as he remains tied with Garth Brooks with four wins to date.

2010

• Lady Antebellum
• Miranda Lambert
• Brad Paisley
• Keith Urban
• Zac Brown Band

2010 shook up the category, with three first-time contenders in the running for the crown for the first time since 1981. Despite all the new blood, sixth time proved to be the charm for Brad Paisley, who finally won this award after five consecutive losses.  Paisley’s persistent popularity helped him earn the nod in a year where the two previous winners weren’t even nominated.

2011

• Jason Aldean
• Brad Paisley
• Blake Shelton
• Taylor Swift
• Keith Urban

Thirty years after Barbara Mandrell became the first woman to win this award twice, Swift became the second to do so.  She won the award on the strength of her third set, Speak Now, which showcased her growing maturity as a songwriter and her growing appeal beyond her teenage and young adult fan base.

2012

• Jason Aldean
• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• Blake Shelton
• Taylor Swift

One of the most surprising wins in CMA history, few saw Blake Shelton’s victory coming.  But it isn’t too surprising when you consider the number of artists who parlayed network television exposure into a win in this category.  Perhaps in this new era of media saturation and minimal album sales, television may once again become a deciding factor when choosing the genre’s top star every year.

2013

• Jason Aldean
• Luke Bryan
• Blake Shelton
• George Strait
• Taylor Swift

George Strait’s farewell tour helped return him to the category for the first time since 2009, earning him a record-extending  eighteenth career nomination.  Strait joins previous winners Taylor Swift (2009, 2011) and Blake Shelton (2012) in attempting a return to the winner’s circle.   Luke Bryan earns his first nomination, just months after winning the ACM trophy.  Jason Aldean, meanwhile, is hoping to get lucky the third time around.

Facts & Feats

Multiple Wins:

• (4) – Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney
• (3) – Alabama, Alan Jackson
• (2) –Vince Gill, Barbara Mandrell, George Strait, Taylor Swift, Hank Williams, Jr.

Most Consecutive Wins:

• (3) – Alabama (1982-1984), Kenny Chesney (2006-2008)
• (2) – Garth Brooks (1991-1992, 1997-1998), Vince Gill (1993-1994), Barbara Mandrell (1980-1981), George Strait (1989-1990), Hank Williams, Jr. (1987-1988)

Most Nominations:

• (18) – George Strait
• (12) – Alan Jackson
• (11) – Brooks & Dunn
• (10) – Reba McEntire
• (9) -  Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney
• (8) -  Vince Gill, Merle Haggard, Brad Paisley
• (7) – Keith Urban
• (6) – Barbara Mandrell, Tim McGraw, Willie Nelson, Brad Paisley, Charley Pride, Keith Urban
• (5) – Alabama, Loretta Lynn, Ronnie Milsap, Kenny Rogers

Most Nominations Without a Win:

• (5) – Kenny Rogers
• (4) – Toby Keith, Randy Travis
• (3) – Jason Aldean, Waylon Jennings, The Judds, Oak Ridge Boys

Winners in First Year of Nomination:
Eddy Arnold (1967), Garth Brooks (1991), Glen Campbell (1968), John Denver (1975), Charlie Rich (1974), Taylor Swift (2009), Mel Tillis (1976), Shania Twain (1999), Keith Urban (2004), Hank Williams, Jr. (1987)

CMA Entertainers of the Year Who Have Never Won the ACM Award:
Eddy Arnold, Johnny Cash, Glen Campbell, Roy Clark, John Denver, Vince Gill, Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw, Ronnie Milsap, Brad Paisley, Charlie Rich, Blake Shelton, Ricky Skaggs, Taylor Swift, Mel Tillis, Keith Urban

ACM Entertainers of the Year Who Have Never Won the CMA Award:
Luke Bryan, Mac Davis, Mickey Gilley, Freddie Hart, Toby Keith, Kenny Rogers, Carrie Underwood

Album Review: Tammy Wynette, The Essential Tammy Wynette

Wednesday, August 28th, 2013

Tammy Wynette
The Essential Tammy Wynette

The legendary First Lady of Country Music is the subject of a generous new forty-track double-disc career retrospective in Legacy Recordings’ Essential series.

The Essential Tammy Wynette opens with her 1966 debut single “Apartment No. 9,” which set the tone for the many heartbreak-themed hits that would follow it, going on to enter the annals of country music classics despite charting at only #44. From there, the album checks off Wynette’s biggest and best-loved hits in chronological order. All 29 of her Billboard Top 10 solo hits are included, with essential classics such as her signature “Stand by Your Man,” heart breakers such as “D-I-V-O-R-C-E” and “‘Til I Can Make it On My Own,” and toe tappers such as “Your Good Girl’s Gonna Go Bad” and “He Loves Me All the Way” all present and accounted for.

Of Wynette’s ten Top 10 duet hits, only four are included – her chart-topping 1967 David Houston duet “My Elusive Dreams,” two of her duets with George Jones (“Take Me” and “Golden Ring”), and her 1985 Mark Gray duet version of “Sometimes When We Touch” -Wynette’s final Top 10 hit, previously a pop hit for songwriter Dan Hill. “Two Story House” is a particularly puzzling exclusion – a classic hit which ranks among Wynette’s best work. The Essential Tammy Wynette might have benefited to some degree by including a few more of her most essential duets at the expense of some of the lesser hits included on the album.

Still, the album remains a remarkably thorough overview of Wynette’s outstanding career, and one which, in addition to the big hits, includes a few less-expected cuts such as her final pair of Top 20 hits, 1987′s “Your Love” and “Talkin’ to Myself Again.” An especially pleasant surprise is album closer “That’s the Way it Could Have Been,” a beautiful self-written cut which Wynette recorded with Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton for their stunning 1993 collaborative effort Honky Tonk Angels. It offers an enticing hint at all the great songs that Wynette might still have written had her voice not been silenced by untimely death at the age of 55.

The Essential Tammy Wynette is a thoroughly enjoyable collection which impresses both in content and in effectively summing up the career of one of country music’s most important women. It will likely be more than enough to satisfy the casual fan, and it’s an ideal starting point for listeners who are just beginning to delve into the rich musical legacy of Tammy Wynette.

Track listing: (Disc 1) 1. Apartment #9 2. Your Good Girl’s Gonna Go Bad 3. My Elusive Dreams (with David Houston) 4. I Don’t Wanna Play House 5. Take Me to Your World 6. D-I-V-O-R-C-E 7. Stand by Your Man 8. Singing My Song 9. Too Far Gone 10. The Ways to Love a Man 11. I’ll See Him Through 12. He Loves Me All the Way 13. Run, Woman, Run 14. The Wonders You Perform 15. We Sure Can Love Each Other 16. Good Lovin’ (Makes it Right) 17. Take Me (with George Jones) 18. Bedtime Story 19. Reach Out Your Hand 20. My Man (Understands)

(Disc 2) 1. ‘Til I Get it Right 2. Kids Say the Darndest Things 3. Another Lonely Song 4. Woman to Woman 5. (You Make Me Want to Be) A Mother 6. I Still Believe in Fairy Tales 7. ’Til I Can Make it On My Own 8. Golden Ring (with George Jones) 9. You and Me 10. Let’s Get Together (One Last Time) 11. One of a Kind 12. Womanhood 13. They Call it Making Love 14. No One Else in the World 15. Crying in the Rain 16. Another Chance 17. Sometimes When We Touch (with Mark Gray) 18. Your Love 19. Talkin’ to Myself Again 20. That’s the Way it Could Have Been (with Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton)

CU Archives: Linda Ronstadt

Sunday, August 25th, 2013

We at Country Universe were very saddened to hear of Linda Ronstadt’s recent announcement that she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease eight months ago, and that the disease has resulted in the total loss of her ability to sing.

Though Linda Ronstadt never took up exclusive residence in country territory (or in any one genre for that matter), she had remarkable successes in the country field, including the now-classic Trio project with Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris, and she served as an important influence for women such as Pam Tillis, Martina McBride and Trisha Yearwood. She has also been the subject of several excellent Country Universe features that are well worth revisiting.

First of all, be sure to check out Kevin’s feature on Ronstadt from the 100 Greatest Women countdown, in which she placed at No. 21.

Then take a look at our reader Erik North’s rundown of his 25 favorite Linda Ronstadt songs from Country Universe’s Favorite Songs by Favorite Artists series.

Finally, see Kevin’s reviews of her classic 1975 album Prisoner in Disguise and of her 2006 compilation The Best of Linda Ronstadt:  The Capitol Years.

Below is a selection of videos of Ronstadt in her prime performing some of her best-loved songs. Without a doubt, she will always be remembered as one of the greatest voices in music history, even if she can no longer use that voice today. Please share your own favorite Linda Ronstadt songs and performances in the comments section.

In Memoriam: Cowboy Jack Clement, 1931-2013

Friday, August 9th, 2013

The long list of country music greats lost in 2013 continues with the passing of Cowboy Jack Clement, who succumbed to liver cancer yesterday morning at the age of 82.

Few have done so much to shape country music from behind the scenes as this legendary songwriter and producer.  In addition to writing some of the genre’s best-loved songs, he produced classic records such as “Ring of Fire” and “Dreaming My Dreams with You,” as well as Bobby Bare’s concept album A Bird Named Yesterday.  He also played an instrumental role in launching the careers of icons such a Roy Orbison and Jerry Lee Lewis, while helping the now-legendary Charley Pride become one of the first major African-American country stars.  He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1973 and is one of this year’s inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Be sure to check out this fine in-depth tribute by the always reliable Peter Cooper, as well as some personal remembrances by his good friends Kris Kristofferson and Marty Stuart.

Finally, enjoy the following performances of some of Clement’s most beloved compositions.  We at Country Universe are saddened to hear of Clement’s passing, and we extend our condolences to his family, friends, and fans.

Single Review: Pam Tillis & Lorrie Morgan, “I Know What You Did Last Night”

Tuesday, June 11th, 2013

Great singers. Great title. Great song.

Would you expect anything less from a collaboration between Pam Tillis and Lorrie Morgan, especially one that has them officially being billed as Grits & Glamour?

Much like both ladies were known for doing in their chart-topping days, “I Know What You Did Last Night” weds traditional country structures with the contemporary female experience.  It’s one of those classic conversational duets, with both singers alternating lines and talking as much as singing at certain points.  They don’t quite break the fourth wall, but they push up against it, much like Loretta & Conway and Porter & Dolly would do on their album cuts.

But the girls night out spirit is completely modern, without even a hint of apology for their rowdiness.   If anything, it’s a friendly competition for who did the most partying down, with the details grounded enough in reality that it never becomes a caricature.

Pam and Lorrie toured together for a bit in the nineties, but they’ve been pairing up regularly for a couple of years now, and that helps the collaboration feel natural, not forced.  Grits & Glamour, the tour moniker, has taken on a sound that has elements of both artists but is uniquely its own.   They have more than a few classic recordings between them, with Tillis being especially strong as an albums artist, but I don’t remember either of them having so much pure fun on a studio recording.

In a year that has seen some incredible collaborations already, it looks like Pam Tillis and Lorrie Morgan are still quite capable of hanging in the big leagues.   I cannot wait to hear the rest of their album.

Written by Al Anderson and Karyn Rochelle

Grade: A

Listen:  I Know What You Did Last Night

Single Review: Jana Kramer, “I Hope it Rains”

Sunday, May 26th, 2013

The coolest thing “I Hope it Rains” has going for it is a piano melody that is mildly reminiscent of Bonnie Tyler’s cover of “Have You Ever Seen the Rain.”

As for the rest of it, Jana Kramer’s newest effort is mediocre and suffers from being not quite enough of everything it’s trying to be.  It’s twangy, but not twangy enough to suggest an authentic country pedigree.   It’s adolescent, but not adolescent enough to rank among even the lesser Taylor Swift “I’m done with you now wait until the next song about the next guy I’m done with” kiss-off numbers.  It’s a vindictive fantasy, but nothing nearly as vindictive as what Jaron and the Long Road to Love would pray for.

All in all, Kramer would’ve been better off just covering Dolly Parton’s “I Don’t Want to Throw Rice.”  She would’ve accomplished all three tasks in one fell swoop.

Written by Jerry Flowers, Kelley Lovelace, and Rachel Proctor

Grade: C

Listen:

 

Single Review: Wynonna, "Something You Can't Live Without"

Saturday, April 13th, 2013

It’s been thirty years since the world was introduced to the voice of Wynonna Judd, a simple guitar strum being nothing close to enough preparation for the otherworldly voice that opened the debut Judds single, “Had a Dream (For the Heart)”:

Thirty years later, after about a decade of Judds music and another two decades of solo work, that voice is still that voice.  Wynonna has the ability to harness a true force of nature, having incredible depth and soul that remains under her complete control.

Less under control is her firebrand personality, an increasingly dramatic public image that has been overshadowing her music in recent years, but that’s mostly because she hasn’t been making nearly enough music.   Really, once she sings two or three notes, who really cares about her public image?

But what happens when that image starts to dictate the music? What happens when producers convince themselves that they have to be

just as loud and dazzling as the lady behind the mic?

“Something You Can’t Live Without” is what happens.

You’ve got Wynonna singing a great song that clearly means a lot to her.  She turns in a ferocious performance.   All the musicians need to do is give her a bit of support while mostly staying out of her way.

Instead, not only is the backing music way too loud, there is a cardinal sin committed that is simply unforgivable.  They actually put a digital effect on her voice.

You do that for bad singers. You do that for mediocre singers.  Sometimes, you even do that for good singers.  But to do it to one of the strongest vocalists popular music has ever seen is an insult.

I really like this record overall, simply because I can hear all that great Wynonna underneath the muck.  But much like those synthesizer-drenched Dolly Parton songs from the eighties, it’s just bewildering that the muck is there in the first place.

Such natural, God-given talent needs organic music to back her up.  I don’t care if it’s Memphis blues instead of Nashville country.  Just let her surroundings be as real as she is, and save all the artifice for the reality show circuit.

Written by Cactus Moser and Wynonna

Grade: B

 

 

A Conversation with Amber Hayes

Thursday, January 24th, 2013

Independent country artist Amber Hayes released her first EP C’mon in the summer of 2010, and has since been covering all media ground, building up a solid fan following without the support of a major label.  She had already added “theater performer” to her resume back in 2008, when she was cast as Kathy in the Conway Twitty musical.  The year 2012 brought about the release of her second EP Any Day Is a Good Day, as well as her screen debut in the film Cowgirls ‘n Angels.  Amber Hayes recently spoke with Country Universe to discuss her accomplishments over the past year.

Ben Foster:  How would you describe what your journey has been like in the two years since you released the C’mon EP, and how is that reflected on Any Day Is a Good Day?

Amber Hayes:  I think it definitely reflects in the song “Any Day Is a Good Day,” because I just feel so blessed for all the opportunities I’ve gotten over the last two years.  I’ve gotten to perform overseas and be in a movie and sing the National Anthem at two NFL games.  It’s just been really exciting, and I’ve been really blessed.

What kind of lyrical themes do you deal with on this record?

I think it’s pretty diverse.  I’ve got “Somewhere Out West” which is a story song about a girl trying to find her father.  When I was on WSM the other morning, Bill Cody said “I see ‘Somewhere Out West’ as not just a story song about a little girl.”  “Somewhere Out West” is like what they’re looking for in their life, so I think it definitely doesn’t just have to be about that storyline.  “Suspicious” is just fun – kind of a laid-back feel to it.  “Built This Wall” is more like in your face,  independent.  Then we have “Far Far Away,” and it’s definitely towards the love side of it all – a little vulnerable.  So I think it definitely shows different sides.

What can you tell about your inspiration for writing the title track “Any Day Is a Good Day”?

I wish I could tell you exactly what it was, but when we got into the room that day, we just started talking and throwing out some ideas, and nothing was really going anywhere.  Somebody just said something about it being a good day, and wanting to write a positive song, and so we just kind of came up with that.  But what’s cool about that is one of the co-writers with me, he’s blind.  He has a different outlook on “Any Day Is a Good Day” because his day compared to ours is a little bit harder.  I think when we got done writing that song, it was pretty cool because he sang the work tape, and we were like ‘Oh my gosh, you know this is pretty awesome.’  Our day compared to his is so much easier, but his outlook on it is just like ‘I’m not going to worry about it.  If I can wake up, it’s a good day.’

What kind of experience was it for you being involved in the Cowgirls N’ Angels film?

It was so fun.  Sometimes I have to pinch myself because people will say ‘You were in a movie,’ and it’s like almost kind of hard to believe a little bit, but it was definitely a really cool experience – something I had never been around.  I had done theater, but had never done any kind of movie or TV or anything like that.  It was pretty cool.  The scene that I’m in is a bar scene, and I am the girl singing in the bar, so it kind of made sense.  But I got to sing two of my songs from the C’mon EP, and the stars actually line danced to “C’mon,” so it’s very cool.

What was it like working with Richie McDonald?

He’s very nice.  He’s so nice.  When we wrote this song ["Always There for Me"], and we were trying to decide who to sing it with, he came to mind because I love his voice.  It’s soothing, plus it commands, and I thought it sounds like a dad.  He was just very easy to work with, and so nice.  It’s pretty cool.  He’s done so many great things in his career.  That I got to record with him and perform with him was awesome.

You’ve also branched into television with having four of your songs selected for use in The CW’s Heart of Dixie.  How did that feel?

I’ve been a fan of Heart of Dixie since it actually started coming on TV.  I’ve just always loved the show because it reminds me of where I grew up, and I just always knew that they had a lot of great country music in there, and I kind of in the back of my mind thought “Wouldn’t it be cool if I actually got some music on that show?”  Then we did, and it was really awesome.  I was watching the first season a couple of weekends ago, and all of the placements we got are in the first season, so it really cool to watch that, and then it’s like “Oh gosh, there’s the song!”  So it was neat!

What can you tell us about your contribution to Liam Sullivan’s new book Making the Scene:  Nashville?

Well, Liam came to my album release show that we did with WSM at Station Inn.  I met him then, and he asked if he could interview me for this book, so we just sat down and talked, and I just kind of told him my story like an interview type thing.  I kind of just forgot about it, and then when I found out it came out, I just started looking into it, and come to find out I actually made the book, so it was really cool.  So it’s a great book about Nashville, what you should do when you come to town, and great places to go – even if you’re not into the music industry, but just visiting.

Let’s talk about some of your musical heroes.  In what ways do you endeavor to carry on the musical legacy of the women in country music who have inspired you?

My biggest influences are Reba and Dolly and Barbara Mandrell probably, but I love people like Jeannie Seely and Jean Shephard, and I’ve also had the big honor of knowing both of those women and working with them.  I just am so grateful to people like them who still to this day get to go on the Opry every week and sing country music, and they’re so proud to represent country music in such a great way.  They’re so classy.  I think that’s the deal with all these people that I love.  If I could say one word that sums them up, it’s class.  They’re great entertainers.  I think that every single one of those women, when they walk out onstage, they have you right in the palm of their hand.  Of course, Dolly and Reba and Barbara Mandrell have all done a little bit of everything, and that’s what I want to be, and that’s what I want to do.  I definitely want my fans to go away from a show

thinking ‘Wow, this was so fun’ and ‘She puts on a great show,’ and I can’t wait to go back again.

You pay tribute to one of your heroes with the song “Me and Loretta.”  How did that song come about?

Well, I wrote that song with Brian Eckert and Brady Seals, and Brady is a huge traditional country music fan.  He said “You know, we should write a song about your love for country music, or somebody that you love.”  He loves Loretta, and he knows Loretta and has worked with her in the past.  He said “You know, every song of Loretta’s that you hear you’ve gone through, somebody has lived.  Let’s just make it where you’re like talking to her, or in the car with her or something,” and we came out with “Me and Loretta.”  I think it’s a pretty cool story.  I think it’s just kind of like with “Somewhere Out West.”  Loretta can be whoever you want it to be, but to me it’s just Loretta.  Every one of her songs is just so real, and like I said, you’ve lived it at some point in your life.

What’s next for Amber Hayes?

“Any Day Is a Good Day” is the single, and we’ll see what happens with that.  Just booking stuff for 2013, and I don’t know.  I guess I’ll just see what happens!  I’m just so excited to get new music out, just because it’s been two years, and I’ve done a lot since then.  I feel like I’ve really built up a lot of new fans, and old fans that need to hear some new music, so it’s exciting!

Official website:  www.amberhayesmusic.com 

Retro Single Reviews: Dolly Parton, 1975-1976

Saturday, January 19th, 2013

Today is Dolly Parton’s 67th birthday.  What better time to revisit and relaunch our ongoing feature that reviews every single that she’s released in her illustrious career?

This post will look at her four singles from late 1975 through the end of 1976.  Three were solo efforts, while the fourth was her final release of the decade that was a collaboration with Porter Wagoner.

“We Used To”
1975
Peak: #9

Written by Dolly Parton

It was clear by this point that Parton had designs on the pop market, but she hadn’t yet found the right way to make her style work in that format. So we get overlong pop ballads like this, which ramble on forever because Parton’s restraining her vocal trademarks that would make the record too identifiably country.

Grade: B-

“Hey, Lucky Lady”
1976
Peak: #19

Written by Dolly Parton

Then again, even when she was being proudly country at this period, the material still wasn’t always up to snuff. It’s a shame that “Shattered Image” wasn’t sent to radio as the lead single from All I Can Do instead of of this endlessly repetitive ditty. This probably held the record for the most times a title was repeated in one song until Little Texas released “My Love” two decades later.

Grade: C

“Is Forever Longer than Always” (with Porter Wagoner)
1976
Peak: #8

Written by Frank Dycus and Porter Wagoner

There is something poetic about this being their final duet together, aside from some unreleased tracks that would surface in 1980 after a prolonged legal battle.  They went out on a high note, perhaps because of the palpable sadness that permeates the proceedings.

Grade: B+

“All I Can Do”
1976
Peak: #3

Written by Dolly Parton

Another ditty, which is surprising given the heaviness of the

album as a whole.   It has a nice groove, but the lyrics are so forgettable that it’s little more than a footnote, residing in the brief valley between her country glory days and her pop superstardom.

Grade: B-

Next: 1977-1978

Previous:   Say Forever You’ll Be Mine (with Porter Wagoner)

Retro Single Review: Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton, "Say Forever You'll Be Mine"

Monday, October 1st, 2012

1975 | Peak: #5

 

“Forever is the love,” they sing, “that is true and undemanding.”

Which just goes to show that what makes for a great love doesn’t necessarily make for a great song.

As they were reaching the end of their professional partnership, “Say Forever You’ll Be Mine” was as true to their original sound as it could be, but the song is so undemanding of their combined talent and energy that what we’re left with is as sterile as it is yawningly predictable.

They’re just going through the

motions. The thrill is gone.

Written by Dolly Parton

Grade: C

Next: 1975-1976

Previous: The Seeker