Category Archives: Country News

John Lincoln Wright’s Takin’ Old Rt 1 Album Now on eBay

Posted on May 4, 2021 by cousinlynn953

UPDATE 2 (5May21): Lincoln’s That Old Mill, the 1990 release on Northeastern Records, is now also on eBay. Current link is HERE, but if necessary search on ‘John Lincoln Wright’ and you should see it. /CL UPDATE: I’m told there … Continue reading →

Posted in Country News, For Sale or Trade, Record Business | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Billy Joe Shaver Lives Forever

Posted on February 27, 2021 by cousinlynn953

Some years ago when Billy Joe Shaver was in town, Steve Morse, then of The Boston Globe, described him as “an American original.” I don’t know whether Steve invented the phrase; it has become so commonplace of late it sounds … Continue reading →

Posted in Country History, Country News, Hillbilly History, Hillbilly Journal, Songwriting | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Gordy Brown

Posted on January 19, 2021 by cousinlynn953

I just learned, from an obituary in The Boston Broadside, that Gordy Brown died on December 11th. On December 3rd I had gotten one of Gordy’s frequent mailings to his e-list, this one a forward of a link to videos … Continue reading →

Posted in Country History, Country News, Hillbilly Journal, Radio Talk | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Stuart and Stinson Celebrate Nashville’s ‘Duchess’, NC&StL No. 576

Posted on October 3, 2019 by cousinlynn953

Since 1953, Nashville, Chattanooga & Saint Louis locomotive no. 576 has adorned Nashville’s Centennial Park. It was the last of the 20 class J3 4-8-4 (‘Dixie’) steam engines built by the American Locomotive Company (Alco) for the NC&StL (abbreviated ‘NC’) … Continue reading →

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The Legendary Al Hawkes Dies at 88

Posted on January 10, 2019 by cousinlynn953

I met Al Hawkes at one of the Joe Val Festivals, back in the Green Room.  It was not the one where he received the 2009 Heritage Industry Award from the Boston Bluegrass Union.  It might have been 2016 when … Continue reading →

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Southern Rail in Framingham

Posted on July 25, 2018 by cousinlynn953

Friday, June 29th the Framingham Concerts on the Green series began with old friends of Hillbilly at Harvard, Southern Rail, now celebrating their 40th year playing bluegrass and gospel in New England.  Aside from the Joe Val Festival, it’s rare … Continue reading →

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Rare Stanley Brothers Radio Transcription—You Can Help Save It!

Posted on January 17, 2018 by cousinlynn953

Yesterday, this note arrived from audio engineer Frank Cunningham: Hi Lynn, your listeners might find this interesting: Bristol, VA/Tenn. (January 10, 2018) – A rare transcription disc containing a live broadcast performance of The Stanley Brothers and the Clinch Mountain … Continue reading →

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Lee Ann Womack—Beautiful Singing, Strange Production

Posted on November 16, 2017 by cousinlynn953

(Hits and Misses 7) Lee Ann Womack (ATO Records, 2017) Back in 2014, Suzy Bogguss released an album of Merle Haggard songs, called Lucky. It was for the most part delightful, as Suzy’s crystalline voice always is, but to my … Continue reading →

Posted in Country News, Hits and Misses, Songwriting | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Don Williams, 1939–2017

Posted on November 3, 2017 by cousinlynn953

I have been remiss in not acknowledging the life and work of Don Williams, who died in September. Don had literally dozens of hits on the country charts in the 1970s and early ’80s, many of which crossed over onto … Continue reading →

Posted in Country History, Country News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Hits and Misses 4: Loretta Lynn’s ‘Full Circle’

Posted on May 7, 2017 by cousinlynn953

Continuing this occasional department.  Previous entries: H&M 1; H&M 2; H&M 3 • Loretta Lynn: Full Circle (2016, Sony Legacy) I’ve been meaning to do a little capsule on this album ever since it came out last year.  Now Loretta … Continue reading →

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