Country Universe

Faith Hill, The Hits

October 7, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 4

Faith Hill The Hits As I’ve made the case before, a good compilation must have a strong focus and concept about what it is trying to accomplish. Is it trying to be a definitive collection

Brooks & Dunn, Cowboy Town

October 7, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 1

Brooks & Dunn Cowboy Town The time has come for Ronnie Dunn to step aside. Not from Brooks & Dunn, mind you, but as the default lead singer of the duo. For the past sixteen

Kenny Chesney, Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates

October 6, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 9

Kenny Chesney Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates What’s the difference between a signature style and an artistic rut? It’s a question that’s hard to avoid contemplating when listening to Kenny Chesney’s latest record,

Reba McEntire, Reba Duets

October 6, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 4

Reba McEntire Reba Duets Fans of Reba McEntire who have been following her for the past two decades or so know that two things are true. One, she’s an effortlessly outstanding vocalist, who stands

Kim Richey, Chinese Boxes

October 6, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 4

Kim Richey Chinese Boxes It’s been five years since Rise, Richey’s final major label studio album. That alone would make it notable, as this is the longest Richey has gone between projects. Throw

Say What? – Dolly Parton

October 3, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 3

Dolly Parton on starting her own label: I put it on my own label because many of the majors really didn’t want me because of my age, thinking I was over. But I feel different

Vince Gill, “How Lonely Looks”

September 29, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 1

Good Lord, this man is good. This year’s Hall of Fame inductee turns in his third straight stellar single from his four-disc opus These Days, and he’s never delved this deeply into the Eagles realm

Patty Griffin, “No Bad News”

September 29, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 1

So who the hell is Patty Griffin, anyway? If you’re asking that question, I highly recommend clicking through and hearing one of Americana’s most consistently interesting and incisive songwriters. Here, she emphatically rejects fear and

Trisha Yearwood, Greatest Hits

September 23, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 5

Trisha Yearwood Greatest Hits Just a little more than ten years ago, Trisha Yearwood released her first hits collection. Entitled Songbook, it was a massive hit, selling more than four million copies to date.

Steve Earle, “City of Immigrants”

September 22, 2007 Kevin John Coyne 6

“Living in a city of immigrants, I don’t need to go traveling.” Steve Earle has apparently become a New Yorker, and has taken it upon himself to celebrate everything that makes this city great. Celebrations