Taste of Country is streaming a new children’s song from DOLLY PARTON. It’s called “I Believe In You” and it encourages kids to believe they can accomplish anything. (Here’s the link. Like we said, it’s totally a kid’s song.)
KACEY MUSGRAVES will be performing at WILLIE NELSON’s annual New Year’s Eve shows, which are going down December 29th, 30th, and 31st in Austin, Texas. (ABC)
The Grand Ole Opry posted a video from last week when they gave BLAKE SHELTON a fifth of whiskey to celebrate his fifth year as an Opry member. It’s labeled “Blake Shelton’s Old #5 Grand Ole Opry Anniversary Whiskey.”
Why Doesn’t Asleep At The Wheel’s Ray Benson Like Luke Bryan?
RAY BENSON of ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL was asked for his thoughts on today’s country music. Their sound is pretty traditional, so you’ve probably already guessed that he came out swinging.
What’s surprising is that he called out one of today’s biggest stars. Quote, “You can relate to picking up girls, drinking beer, and hot pants. The thematic stuff is what bothers me. I don’t like LUKE BRYAN and those guys, because there’s no originality.
“Every song follows pretty much the same chord progression. There’s no melodic integrity and the words are just silly. You listen to Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, Patsy Cline, or Willie Nelson. None sound like the other.
“It’s individuality at its best. Patsy was a pop singer, but with country sensibilities.”
Ray knew he’d be making some enemies if he didn’t give himself an out, so he added, quote, “Let me qualify this by saying there’s great country music made today by lots of people, it’s just not getting on mainstream radio.”