Kevin John Coyne

100 Greatest Men: #39. Faron Young

August 12, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 1

As comfortable with a honky-tonk number as a pure pop melody, Faron Young was an influential performer that helped smooth country music’s trip uptown.

100 Greatest Men: #40. Hank Snow

August 12, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 2

100 Greatest Men: The Complete List

Long before Anne Murray and Shania Twain achieved worldwide fame, Hank Snow crossed over the Canadian border and became a country music superstar.

Single Review: Dierks Bentley, “Tip it on Back”

August 9, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 7

He’s been doing a lot of these songs lately, to the point that the law of diminishing returns is inevitable.

Recommend a Track: Pick the Next Single

August 8, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 45

Today, I’m bringing back an old Country Universe favorite: Recommend a Track.

We all like to play armchair record executive. So I’m asking readers to share what they think should be the next single from a current country album.

My Pick: Carrie Underwood, “Do You Think About Me”

Retro Single Review: Dolly Parton, “The Bargain Store”

August 7, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 4

1975 | Peak: #1

It’s somewhat amazing given the subject matter of many of her early RCA records, but “The Bargain Store” holds the distinction of being the first Dolly Parton record to be banned by several radio stations.

Retro Single Review: Tim McGraw, “Grown Men Don’t Cry”

August 6, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 14

2001 | Peak: #1

This is one of Tim McGraw’s most polarizing singles, with perhaps more falling down on the “hate it” than the “love it” side of things.

I love it. I really do. Part of that love is from a combination of the vivid imagery and McGraw’s plaintive vocal performance.

Single Review: Randy Rogers Band, "One More Sad Song"

August 5, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 13

One more bad song, really.

I get that all those eighties hair bands had the big guitars come in at the chorus when they tackled the ballads. I also realize that for them, impassioned yelling was how a rocker showed he truly felt what he was singing.

Retro Single Review: George Strait, "If You Ain't Lovin' (You Ain't Livin')"

August 2, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 7

1988 | Peak: #1

Strait’s fifteenth #1 single, and eighth in a row, was a cover of a #2 Faron Young hit from 1954.

100 Greatest Men: #41. Ronnie Milsap

August 1, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 10

100 Greatest Men: The Complete List

A first class musician with R&B roots, Ronnie Milsap brought contemporary pop sophistication to the country music of his time, and it made him a superstar.

Country Universe Turns Eight: An Introduction

July 31, 2012 Kevin John Coyne 12

Way back in July 2004, Country Universe went live on its original Blogspot home. This month marks its eighth anniversary. Today, our writers are sharing their thoughts about the site and some of their favorite posts from the past eight years.