Country Universe

Review: Steve Azar, “You’re My Life”

August 28, 2008 Guest Contributor 6

Life as a singer-songwriter has run the gamut from major-league success to disappointing failure for Steve Azar. Azar first signed a record deal in 1995, and his most notable single “I Don’t Have To Be

Reader’s Choice: Favorite Album Artwork

August 28, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 2

Here are some of the favorite album artwork choices from our readers: Hard call, but I think my favorite art ever might be the one for Waylon Jennings’ Are You Ready For The Country. I’m

Reader’s Choice: Favorite Album Artwork

August 28, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 2

Here are some of the favorite album artwork choices from our readers: Hard call, but I think my favorite art ever might be the one for Waylon Jennings’ Are You Ready For The Country. I’m

Discussion: Retro Album Artwork

August 27, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 25

I’m surprised by the amount of discussion on yesterday’s open thread, but apparently bad album artwork gets people talking. The criticism of the Lee Ann Womack cover got me thinking about her well-received album artwork

Open Thread

August 26, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 52

Update: Brady from The 9513 passed this one on in the comments. This is some truly unfortunate cover art for the upcoming Lee Ann Womack album. Call me crazy, indeed. Since covers of upcoming albums

George Strait, “Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven”

August 26, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 12

MCA has decided to release George Strait’s “Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven” as a digital single. Originally an outtake from the Troubadour sessions, the song is already a top twenty hit for Kenny Chesney.

Patty Loveless, <em>When Fallen Angels Fly</em>

August 26, 2008 Guest Contributor 12

Patty Loveless When Fallen Angels Fly Patty Loveless returned from potentially career-ending throat surgery with the soulful Only What I Feel in 1993. Its follow-up album When Fallen Angels Fly, is a wonderfully-rendered collection that

Classic Country Singles: Kenny Rogers, “The Gambler”

August 26, 2008 Guest Contributor 3

The Gambler Kenny Rogers 1978 Written by Don Schlitz Although responsible for one of country music’s most famous lines (“You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em…”), Don Schlitz’s premier

Monday Discussion: Pop Songs that Country Artists Should Cover

August 25, 2008 Kevin John Coyne 0

While we’re all fans of country music here, many of us enjoy other styles as well, be it rock, rap, jazz, classical or R&B. Sometimes, the songs from those genres would be perfect fits for

Mark Chesnutt, “(Come On In) The Whiskey’s Fine”

August 25, 2008 Leeann Ward 5

As has been noted countless times before, Mark Chesnutt has one of the most defined traditional voices in modern country music. He can sing a love song to melt the hardest heart or he can