Billy Joe Shaver, the outlaw country music pioneer who wrote some of the genre’s greatest songs, died Wednesday in Waco, Texas, after suffering a stroke. He was 81. Connie Nelson, a friend of Shaver’s, confirmed his death to Rolling Stone.
Country music and southern rock legend Charlie Daniels has passed. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Grand Ole Opry member died this morning at Summit Medical Center in Hermitage, Tennessee. Doctors determined the cause of death was a hemorrhagic stroke. He was 83.
Funeral arrangements will be announced in the coming days.
Kenny Rogers, whose legendary music career spanned nearly six decades, has passed at the age of 81.
GRAMMY® winning, Country Music Hall of Fame and Grand Ole Opry members The Oak Ridge Boys have kicked off the new year strong with “The Oak Ridge Boys 20/20 Tour.” This tour will see the legendary band crisscross the country from Florida to Nevada and just about everywhere in between. With nearly sixty concerts in over twenty states announced already, The Oak Ridge Boys have 20/20 vision when it comes to hitting the road this year!
GRAMMY® Award-winning country legends Larry, Steve and Rudy: The Gatlin Brothers are hitting the road to celebrate six and a half decades of music. The brothers’ “65th Anniversary Tour” takes place throughout 2020 with more than 60 live concerts by the year’s end. Today, the brothers announced the first leg of the tour that includes stops in Kansas City, MO; Arlington, TX; Deadwood, SD; Chandler, AZ; Bremen, GA; Fort Wayne, IN; Sandusky, OH; Irvine, CA; Council Bluffs, IA, and more.
Rolling Stone reports on the nominees for the 62nd Grammy Awards that were announced Wednesday morning, with Tanya Tucker leading among country performers and Eric Church, Ashley McBryde, and Dan + Shay all picking up multiple nominations in the country categories.
Samuel Hunt (Photo: Metro Nashville Police Department)
The Tennessean in Nashville reports that country music singer Sam Hunt was arrested in Nashville on Thursday morning (November 21, 2019) on DUI charges.
Two-time CMA Female Vocalist of the Year Janie Fricke is celebrating the 35th anniversary of three #1 hits including “Let’s Stop Talking About It,” Your Heart’s Not In It” and “A Place To Fall Apart” with Merle Haggard. Throughout the course of 1984, “Let’s Stop Talking About It,” written by Deborah Allen, Rafe Van Hoy and Rory Bourke was released in January, “Your Heart’s Not In It,” written by Tom Shapiro, Michael Garvin and Bucky Jones was released in August and “A Place To Fall Apart,” Written by Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson and Freddy Powers was released in October. All three of these songs spent a week at the top of Billboard’s Hot Country Chart, adding to her total of 28 Top 40 hits.
The decorated and prolific country music icon Willie Nelson will headline the 10th anniversary outing of the famous Outlaws & Legends Music Fest March 20-21 at the Back Porch of Texas, just north of Abilene. The event is billed as the “largest one-stage country music event in Texas.”
Pictured L-R: Mark Johnson (bass), Billy Sanford (fmr. guitarist), Mike Noble (guitar & band leader), Jesse Benfield (editor & playback), Keith Urban (curator), John Gardner (drums), Chris Knoll (keyboards & accordion), Steve Peavey (guitar).
Photo by Jeremy Westby / 2911 Media
Over a three-day period, country music history was made as Don Williams: Music & Memories of The Gentle Giant premiered at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center with the Nashville Symphony, original members of Don’s band and never before seen video footage of Don Williams live in concert from around the world.