Western swing entertainer Spade Cooley detoured down a murderous path
It’s generally accepted that Bob Wills, along with his Texas Playboys, remains the “King of Western Swing.” But in the 1940s and early 1950s, a
It’s generally accepted that Bob Wills, along with his Texas Playboys, remains the “King of Western Swing.” But in the 1940s and early 1950s, a
During the 1970s, as country music artists gradually crossed over to pop, one casualty of the genre’s evolution was the cowboy hat. While some artists
Only one performing artist can lay claim to having the No. 1 disco single in the U.S. and Europe one year and following it up
If you followed the neo-traditionalist movement in 1980s and 1990s country music, no doubt you remember Randy Travis’ debut single, “1982.” The song hit the
“Grandma’s maiden name was Zona Villines….” Hardcore Merle Haggard fans will remember the opening line of his 1972 single, “Grandma Harp.” The song rose all
A couple of weeks back, I was chatting with a fellow classic country music enthusiast, and the subject of early 1980s female artists came up.
Cliff Abbott is a storyteller who thumps an upright bass and strums an acoustic guitar. This combination, along with the words to the self-penned stories
Mel Tillis started stuttering following a bout with malaria at 3 years of age … but he didn’t realize it until he entered first grade.
In last month’s Rhythm of the Road, I began a countdown of the Top 10 songs recorded by the Oak Ridge Boys (ORB) that, in
The Oak Ridge Boys (ORB) have announced their retirement and farewell tour. It’s been a long, 50+ year career for the current quartet — and
Last month, I shared the first of a two-part series about one of America’s cowboy heroes — Gene Autry. When we left off, Texas-born Autry
Those who know me sometimes say I have a one-track mind when it comes to music. That is a fallacy. After all, I listen to
Leon Everette may have grown up in Queens, New York, but his South Carolina roots were pure country. During his childhood, Everette didn’t aspire to
If your last name is Frizzell, you may or not be country music royalty. But if your last name is Frizzell AND your brother’s name
Parking is still a hot issue in the trucking world, and the lack of it creates headaches for most every truck driver at some point.
Country crooner Lee Greenwood isn’t a one-hit wonder, and this performer didn’t just come to Nashville after drifting down some “Dusty Dixie Road.” But, then
Now that the new baseball season is under way, it’s time to reflect on the rites of passage for a sport — the millions upon
If one is to look at the television, it seems murder is all the rage these days. You have a choice of “NCIS (insert your
In last month’s column, Kris Rutherford kicked off the first of a series about Jimmy Buffett. To read the previous piece, click here. Summarizing the
Truck drivers navigating the interstates aren’t much different than other American workers. Every worker thinks often of reaching the next destination, of finishing the next