In 2005, Toby Keith released “As Good As I Once Was” as the second single off his album Honkytonk University. It has since become one of his signature songs – as well as one of his most successful pieces. The song ranked atop Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart for six straight weeks – making it … Read more
With his smooth, warm baritone voice, Jim Reeves emerged as one of the distinctive and successful singers in country music. Jim Reeves songs did not only achieve commercial success in the United States but as well as in Britain, South Africa, Scandinavia, and much more – giving the genre a worldwide market. From 1955 through … Read more
While Dolly Parton may be a country artist at heart, she has actually dipped her toe into the rock genre. In 2002, she surprised her fans when she closed her album, Halos & Horns, with an incredible cover of Led Zeppelin’s iconic hit, “Stairway To Heaven.” Parton said she seems like “walking on sacred ground” … Read more
You may not have known it, but you have been singing Jamey Johnson songs without realizing it. The Alabama native has actually penned major hits for various country legends such as Merle Haggard, George Strait, and Trace Adkins. This makes him one of the most highly respected songwriters in country music today. Of course, he … Read more
Ernest Tubb was country music’s biggest star back in 1941. His song “Walkin’ the Floor Over You” was his first country hit and rightfully so. It was said that he wrote the song right after he had a misunderstanding with his wife about their finances. Thus, you can hear the sound of a plea from … Read more
Josh Turner definitely knows how to convey even the deepest of emotions. Singing the iconic ballad “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” the country music singer captivated his audience as he took them on a journey of endless love, at the same time, an unbearable heartbreak. Fans all remained silent as Turner’s voice soared throughout the … Read more
In 1962, Jim Reeves released a gospel album called “We Thank Thee.” The record contains twelve tracks that are a combination of gospel favorites and original Jim Reeves songs. This includes “Take My Hand, Precious Lord,” “I’d Rather Have Jesus,” “Oh, Gentle Shepherd,” and, of course, the album‘s title track which Reeves wrote himself. Thanking … Read more
In 1974, George Jones recorded a version of “Why Me Lord” for his fifth collection of spiritual music, In a Gospel Way. Jones’ love for gospel songs dated back to his childhood when he learned his first chords and songs at church, where his mother Clara played piano. Even if he achieved country superstardom years … Read more
Ever since “How Great Thou Art” was published in 1949, it quickly became a worldwide sensation. Countless artists have covered the popular hymn throughout the century – this includes The Statler Brothers. In 1969, the country music group included “How Great Thou Art” on their album The Statler Brothers Sing Oh Happy Day. The joy … Read more
Being born into a musical family from Kirksville, Missouri, playing music has been as natural as breathing air to Rhonda Vincent. Fans have hailed her the Queen of Bluegrass – which she deservedly so! Rhonda Vincent songs have helped her bagged eight nominations from Grammy Awards, where she won Best Bluegrass Album in 2017. Three … Read more
Through the years, there has been a lot of Elvis Presley impersonators scattered around the world. Moreover, some of them are fans but others just want to be famous in impersonating the king. Anyway, this has been a big issue as well with Elvis’ wife Priscilla who said: “Elvis is a fine specimen of a … Read more
Many remember the great Chris LeDoux as someone who rose to fame in the 1990s. He is the father of Ned LeDoux, a budding artist in the music industry. He was a multi-faceted artist who enjoyed his career as a singer-songwriter, bronze sculptor, and hall of fame rodeo champion. For over 30 years in the … Read more
In 2006, Alan Jackson graced the gospel music scene when he released his first gospel record. Billed as Precious Memories, the album contained recordings of some of Jackson’s favorite hymns – including “Blessed Assurance,” which has been around for centuries. It was originally written in 1873 by blind hymn writer Fanny Crosby to which her … Read more
Ever since Patty Loveless graced the country music scene with the release of her first single, “Lonely Days, Lonely Nights,” in 1985, she has drawn comparisons with such country stalwarts as Loretta Lynn and Reba McEntire. But Loveless is not merely another female singer. While she’s reminiscent of the old-time sound, she brought a fresh … Read more
Morgan Wallen has remained on the top spot of Billboard’s Country Airplay this week, with “Wasted on You” leading the list for three consecutive weeks. This matches another personal best when “Whiskey Glasses” – Wallen’s second of six No. 1s on the ranking – ruled for three straight weeks in 2019. According to Luminate, “Wasted … Read more
In 2016, Loretta Lynn and Willie Nelson teamed up for the first time in three decades with “Lay Me Down.” The song comes off Lynn’s album, Full Circle, in which she made history. Full Circle became Lynn’s highest-charting album of all time when it debuted at the 19th spot on the Billboard albums chart. The … Read more
In 1948, Eddy Arnold released his rendition of “Anytime” off the album of the same name. It turned out to be a massive hit for Arnold, climbing all the way to the top of Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart while successfully crossing over the pop chart – ranking No. 17 on Billboard Hot 100. Composer … Read more
In the late 1950s, Willie Nelson– who would one day become Nashville’s hottest star – was struggling with financial issues. He worked at his school as a guitar instructor and sang at Houston’s Esquire Ballroom, in which he would take a thirty-mile commute. But in that very moment, one of his best songs was born … Read more
Andy Samuel Griffith was best known for his numerous roles in a variety of television shows and films. The most notable of which included his ‘60s sitcom The Andy Griffith Show and the legal drama Matlock. Of course, he played the lead roles in both TV series. While it’s quite interesting to talk about his … Read more
In 1975, Emmylou Harris achieved massive success when she released “Sweet Dreams” as the third single off her second studio album Elite Hotel – which became her first No. 1 country album and helped her earn the Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance. Harris’ rendition of “Sweet Dreams” also ranked No. 1 on Billboard’s … Read more
In 2001, Merle Haggard released an album of gospel songs called Cabin in the Hills. It features a mix of original Merle Haggard songs and traditional ballads arranged by the country legend himself – this includes “Take My Hand, Precious Lord.” The song was written by Thomas A. Dorsey, who is widely regarded as the … Read more
It’s quite amazing how someone’s testimony of faith in Christ amidst the horror of life gave birth to a powerful and beautiful song. Well, we’re talking about “I Believe in a Hill Called Mt. Calvary,” which the Gaither Vocal Band released in 1997. Written by gospel musicians and couple William J. Gaither and Gloria Gaither, … Read more
In 2018, Hank Williams Jr. dropped “Take A Knee, Take A Hike” overnight without saying a word, and it had fans in a frenzy. He quietly released the song on his official YouTube channel, and he didn’t mention a word anywhere on social media until the video had already gotten thousands of views – letting … Read more
An American singer-songwriter and a New York native, Don McLean is undoubtedly one of the best folk artists ever. The best proof lies in the story of his songs which are commonly deep, reflective, and meaningful. His best-known song, “American Pie,” is a massive hit in 1971, dedicated to the three rock and roll performers … Read more
During her lifetime, Fanny Crosby penned over 8,000 hymns. Most, if not all of, exude her enormous faith and loyalty to God. The prolific hymnist had since become well-known because of her great contributions to gospel music. And the hymn “Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior” was her first work to have won international acclaim. … Read more
In 1961, Burl Ives released “A Little Bitty Tear” as a single off his album The Versatile Burl Ives! The song became one of his highest-charting hits, reaching No. 2 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart while peaking at No. 9 on Billboard Hot 100. It even climbed all the way to the top of … Read more
Nicholas Kyle Everette, otherwise known as Niko Everette, died in a one-vehicle wreck Saturday (July 9) on the Mississippi Gulf Coast at around eight in the morning. Jackson County Coroner Bruce Lynd Jr. confirmed that the car Everette was driving left the roadway in Vancleave before it went off the road, struck a culvert and … Read more
At some point in his life, Merle Haggard once imagined Heaven’s pure bliss in “What Will It Be Like.” While Haggard is hardly ever mentioned in the same breath as performers like the Carter Family in the archives of gospel music, the country music legend cut a pair of gospel albums within his career that … Read more
There is nothing more exciting and at the same time scarier than change. We all seek change to take us away from the miseries of life. However, we also fear it because it requires our effort to adapt to something new. But, change is the only way for us to move forward. Why “A Change Is Gonna … Read more
The world would be different if every family has a family Bible. If parents read the Bible to their children before they go to bed each night, things would be entirely different. Let’s take a look at the song “Family Bible.” It tells us that despite all the troubles in the world or its imperfections … Read more