Country California

Click the bullet after each quote to visit the original source.

This song, and what we’ve finished of the new album so far, is all about passion. There’s a real sense of urgency and fire, almost like a spark has reignited us creatively in the studio. ●
- – Dave Haywood talks about rekindling the fire that first brought Lady Antebellum together so many years ago, back in 2006. I don’t know how they’ve kept going so long.

Joe West and Dave Pahanish, who authored Jimmy Wayne’s 2008 hit “Do You Believe Me Now,” were responsible for “American Ride.” ●
- – Well, I guess that’s two strikes, then.

She’s gorgeous. She can sing. She’s smart. And I’ll be damned, Carrie Underwood has got some web savvy, too. Her Web site has had a bit of a makeover, and now you can do things like buy the “Cowboy Casanova” video, shop for CDs and digital music. ●
- – That Carrie Underwood and her web savvy! I hear she coded all the Flash herself.

The pros to being a solo [artist] would be, let’s see, you get to do whatever you want whenever you want. Then you have the con, which is all of it lies on you. All the failure. Not all the success, really. But mostly all the failure falls on your shoulders. The success is you and your team. (laughs) ●
- – Amanda Shires, whose singer/songwriter debut West Cross Timbers is worth checking out if you like fiddle and slightly Dolly-esque voices.

There are a few artists that are always throwing out a curveball, and when you hear they’re coming out with something new, you don’t know what it’s going to sound like. I would like to keep on making decisions that cement me in people’s minds as someone who is not going to make the same musical decisions over and over again. As my life changes, so will my music. ●
- – Taylor Swift eases the transition to her upcoming album of Appalachian murder ballads.

Friday’s concert in Rosemont illustrated the intense connection between Swift and her fans. The crowd was 90 percent female, and many fans wore homemade T-shirts, including a trio of young women whose clothing bore the printed message, “Kuck Fanye.” ●
- – But it’s not what you think: they were just celebrating Swift’s flair for twisting classic literature by offering their own misspelling of “Huck Finn.” H looks like K through the teary eyes of a heartbroken teen.

H.RES.650: Recognizing that country music has made a tremendous contribution to American life and culture and declaring country music to be a uniquely American art form. ●
- – If you’re wondering what the House of Representatives has been up to of late, they devoted a 40 minute session to debating this resolution before passing it unanimously last week. I feel much safer knowing that Congress has taken the bold stance of recognizing country music as a “uniquely American art form.”

“We represent … what you hear, rather than what you see,” he told a nearly sellout crowd of 4,640 on Thursday night at Salem Civic Center. “We’re proud to be ugly and ready to rock your face off.” ●
- – You have to admit that Zac Brown seems like a pretty cool guy.

In the Americana world, some of my stuff is too slick. A lot of it is heavily, heavily, heavily influenced by Steve Earle, to the point where it sounds like somebody is trying to sound like Steve Earle. That’s a testament to how great he is, but at the same time, it’s like, “Why would I want to listen to someone sound like Steve Earle, when I can just put on a Steve Earle record and listen to the master?” ●
- – Will Kimbrough is shockingly (almost self-sabotagingly) candid about his influences.

Sunny Delight Beverages Holdings LLC announced it has landed a 2010 celebrity endorsement by Martina McBride… SunnyD’s partnership with Martina will include her appearance in SunnyD TV advertising and sampling vans, and a contest in which the winner will be able to sing onstage with McBride. ●
- – Can’t make this stuff up. Martina McBride is teaming with a company whose name is a combination of the words SUNNY and DELIGHT. That must be the most optimistic brand name ever. Talk about a perfect match.

So that rowdy little “Bonfire” that Craig Morgan sings about in his latest tune? It could actually be the culprit. Maybe that’s why he teamed up with another celeb, Smokey Bear, to teach radio listeners how to put those fires out once the party’s over. ●
- – Speaking of celebrity endorsement deals, anyone find this one oddly forced? As though if Morgan didn’t team with Smokey, we’d assume that his mild party anthem was actually a call to burn down forests?

The new information shows nearly half of country listeners are male (47 percent). Country music is also the third most popular format for teens and the No. 1 format for adults ages 18-24, 25-34 and 35-44. ●
- – 18-24, 25-34 and 35-44? Let’s just say 18-44, then… for the love of God.