Friday Featured Track for March 5, 2010: She & Him
The song that has been on my brain the most this week:
- “Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?,” She & Him, from the duo’s 2008 debut album “Volume One.”
Perhaps its the song’s irresistible bounce, maybe its Zooey Deschanel’s crystalline vocals, or maybe its sheer anticipation, but I’ve had this song pleasantly looping through my head for the past few days.
The anticipation comes in knowing that She & Him, the indie folk duo of Deschanel (vocals, piano, banjo) and M. Ward (guitar, production), is releasing its sophomore album, appropriately titled “Volume Two,” on March 23. Excitement!
- BAM
CD review: Blake Shelton, “Hillbilly Bone”
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
Country
Blake Shelton “Hillbilly Bone” (Warner Bros.)
Oklahoma country music star Blake Shelton sets out to tickle his fans’ “Hillbilly Bone” with his sixth album, an amusing ode to what he calls “redneck fun.”
With “Hillbilly Bone,” the Ada native tries an innovative format. Instead of a traditional 10- to 12-track record, the new album has been dubbed a “Six Pak,” with six new songs and a price tag around $6. While Shelton plans to send out another Six Pak in August, the current release feels undeniably short and slight.
Still, “Hillbilly Bone” is fortified with appealingly downhome humor, with the title track and album opener setting the rowdy tone. The fastest-rising single of Shelton’s decade-long career, the raucous duet pairs the Okie and deep-voiced country crooner Trace Adkins. With their good-natured drawls and good ol’ boy personalities, it’s tough to imagine a more fitting musical match.
The Academy of Country Music apparently agrees: Shelton and Adkins were nominated Tuesday for vocal event of the year at the 45th Annual ACM Awards, which will air live April 18.
Shelton, who lives on a Tishomingo farm, defiantly pays tribute to Marlboro Reds, Wrangler jeans, moonshine and myriad other symbols of the small-town, backwoods lifestyle with “Kiss My Country A- -.”
The singer’s sly sense of humor sneaks through on the deceptively pretty ballads “You’ll Always Be Beautiful” and “Delilah.” The first extols the virtues of standing by your woman even when you have to haul her home drunk and wake up with her hung over. As for the second, Shelton penned it about one of girlfriend Miranda Lambert’s dogs.
And if album closer “Almost Alright” uses playful steel drums that sound more Caribbean beach party than Oklahoma field party, well, at least it’s still a party.
— BAM
National Cowboy Museum announces Wrangler Award winners
For the 49th time, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is passing out this spring the Western Heritage Awards. The awards honor and encourage the legacy of those whose works in literature, music, film and television reflect the significant stories of the American West.
The Western Heritage Awards are presented at a black-tie banquet at the museum, set for April 17. Each winner in attendance receives a Wrangler, an impressive bronze sculpture of a cowboy on horseback. Awards presented in 2010 are for works completed in 2009. Qualified professionals outside the museum staff judge all categories. Qualified professionals outside the museum staff judge all categories.
See the list of winners and description of their works after the break.
Oklahoma teen singer Kylie Morgan signs recording contract, named CMA new artist to watch
Oklahoma singer-songwriter Kylie Morgan, 14, saw her dreams become reality last week: The Newcastle freshman signed a recording contract with Oklahoma-based LandRun Records, attended her first industry function in Nashville during the Country Radio Seminar, and met with several of Music Row’s top music publishing companies – all in preparation for the recording of her debut album.
Morgan also learned that she was named a “Who New to Watch in 2010” artist in the February-March issue of the Country Music Association’s “CMA Close Up.”
After working with LandRun Records on her recent holiday CD, “Christmas with Kylie Morgan,” with sales benefiting the American Cancer Society, the label and rising teen starlet formalized her recording contract just prior to the Nashville trip.
Once in Nashville, Morgan, LandRun president Eddie Grant and her manager/publicist Clif Doyal met with several top song pluggers and music publishers, gathering songs for her forthcoming debut album. “
I love to write songs, but I also want the best that I can find for my debut,” Morgan said in a news release.
Morgan also attended Music Row magazine’s annual “Meet-and-Greet” at Cadillac Ranch, where the teen had the chance to meet many industry movers and shakers and several of her favorite recording artists, including Whitney Duncan, Trailer Choir and Love and Theft.
“It was so cool to have these people that I listen to on the radio giving me words of encouragement and wishing me good luck!” she said in the release.
For more information, go to www.kyliemorgan.com.
- BAM
Wanda Jackson to headline Oklahoma showcase at South by Southwest festival March 18
Wanda Jackson, shown performing at a 2009 event, will headline the official Oklahoma showcase “Sax, Clogs & Rock-n-Roll” at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, on March 18. (Photo by Jaconna Aguirre/The Oklahoman Archives)
Wanda Jackson and Jack White recently collaborated on the Queen of Rockabilly’s upcoming album, due out this month.
Queen of Rockabilly and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Wanda Jackson will headline this year’s official Oklahoma showcase “Sax, Clogs & Rock-n-Roll” at the at the 24th Annual South by Southwest Music Conference & Festival, it was announced today.
The official Oklahoma Showcase is set for Thursday, March 18 in downtown Austin, Texas.
The Oklahoma Showcase is hosted by the Oklahoma Film & Music Office to promote the depth of musical talent and diversity Oklahoma has to offer, and to help local artists launch their careers through networking with members of the music industry and national media. According to a news release, the state film and music office teamed with the Norman Music Festival to develop a diverse lineup of some of the most talented artists from across the state.
“The Oklahoma showcase at South by Southwest is such an incredible opportunity for Oklahoma musicians, and an eye opening experience for music industry insiders who are becoming increasingly aware of the strength and maturity of our state’s rapidly evolving music community,” said Jill Simpson, director of the Oklahoma Film & Music Office, in the release.
Oklahoma musicians representing a variety of genres will perform on two stages from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at The Copa, 217 Congress Ave. in Austin.
Main stage performers will include Fiawna Forte, Green Corn Revival, The Pretty Black Chains, The Red Alert and Jackson. The acoustic stage will feature K.C. Clifford, Camille Harp, Chase Kerby and Daniel Walcher.
Jackson’s legendary 50-year career is hitting some serious high notes. The Oklahoma City resident was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year, with a little push from friends like Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello and Bruce Springsteen. The Maud native recently collaborated on an album with rock experimentalist Jack White of the White Stripes, The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather. The album is scheduled for release this month via Third Man Records.
More than 1,000 people registered to attend the inaugural” Sax, Clogs & Rock-n-Roll” in 2009. Last year’s showcase featured performances by Stars Go Dim, Marcy Priest, Ryan Lindsey, Ali Harter, Colourmusic, Daniel Walcher, The Uglysuit, Beau Jennings, and Samantha Crain and the Midnight Shivers.
A SXSW Music or Platinum badge is required to attend, or people can register by calling the Oklahoma Film & Music Office at 230-8445. Oklahomans in Austin can also present an Oklahoma driver license at the door to gain admittance.
The South by Southwest Music Conference & Festival is set for March 12-21 in Austin. For more information, go to www.sxsw.com.
- BAM
Oklahoma singer-songwriter Ali Harter to have two songs featured on tonight’s “Grey’s Anatomy”
Oklahoma singer-songwriter Ali Harter will have two of her songs featured tonight on the hospital drama “Grey’s Anatomy,” airing at 8 p.m. on ABC.
“Untitled No. 3” and “You Can Keep ’Em,” from Harter’s first album, will be included on tonight’s “Grey’s Anatomy” episode, titled “Perfect Little Accident,” reports The Oklahoman’s TV guru Penny Soldan.
For Harter, 25, of Choctaw, the perfect little accident that landed her songs on the show happened five weeks ago at the 2010 Trail Dance Film Festival in Duncan. She performed during the awards ceremony, and “Grey’s Anatomy” music editor Ed Ornelas was in the audience.
When Ornelas asked Harter for a CD, the singer-songwriter didn’t have one because her 2007 album “Worry the Bone” is all sold out. But Harter’s sister, Katie Farrow, was with her at the event and offered to give Ornelas her copy.
Penny reports that Harter won’t be able to watch tonight’s episode with her family, since she just kicked off a new tour in support of her forthcoming sophomore album. She will be performing tonight at Dirty’s Tavern in Tulsa but hopes the venue will tune into the show during her performance.
Harter’s new album “No Bees, No Honey” comes out March 13, and she is planning to mark the occasion with a CD release show that night at The Conservatory in Oklahoma City. For more information, go to www.myspace.com/aliharter.
To read more of Penny’s interview with Harter, click here. And check out Harter performing “Untitled #3″ on a 2009 episode of George Lang’s musical video series Static:
-BAM
Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert each nominated for six ACM Awards
Carrie Underwood (Associated Press file photo)
Miranda Lambert
From Wednesday’s The Oklahoman.
Tishomingo resident Miranda Lambert and Checotah native Carrie Underwood each will compete for six trophies at the 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards.
Oklahoma artists Toby Keith, Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Brooks & Dunn and Rascal Flatts also have earned nominations for the 2010 ACM Awards.
McEntire, who was raised in Chockie, and Shelton, who also lives in Tishomingo, read the nominations live Tuesday on CBS’ “The Early Show.” Shelton’s enthusiasm was apparent as he announced the honors for Lambert, his girlfriend.
Lambert will vie for top female vocalist, album of the year for “Revolution,” and single and video of the year for “White Liar.” She also will compete as the recording artist and co-writer with Natalie Hemby for song of the year for the feisty “White Liar.”
Underwood will have the opportunity to defend her title as ACM entertainer of the year. If she wins the top category again, she will become the first woman to capture two entertainer trophies.
“She’s a wonderfully talented young lady. She can sing; she’s doing acting now. … The females are very well represented, and the guys are great also,” said McEntire, who will host the ACM Awards for the 12th time.
Underwood also is nominated for female vocalist, which she has won three straight years; vocal event for “I Told You So” with Randy Travis, a duet that already has won a Grammy; and album of the year for “Play On.” The 2005 “American Idol” victor is nominated as artist and co-writer with fellow Oklahoma-bred songwriter Brett James and Mike Elizondo for song of the year for her smash “Cowboy Casanova.”
Underwood will face competition in the fan-voted entertainer category from seven other superstars, including Norman resident Toby Keith. Fans will be able to vote for entertainer of the year and the three newcomer categories at www.voteACM.com.
Brooks & Dunn, which includes former Tulsan Ronnie Dunn, will again contend in the top duo category. Dunn and Kix Brooks also are nominated with ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons for vocal event of the year for “Honky Tonk Stomp.”
It will be the pair’s last year to compete as a duo, since Brooks & Dunn intend to split at the end of their “The Last Rodeo Tour” this summer.
Rascal Flatts, which includes Joe Don Rooney of Picher, is nominated in the top vocal group category.
Although he wasn’t surprised at Lambert’s nominations, Shelton was taken aback at his own nod for vocal event of the year for his raucous hit duet “Hillbilly Bone” with Trace Adkins.
“All right, that’s awesome,” he said, grinning and pumping his fist.
Along with hosting the show, McEntire will compete for top female vocalist for the 14th time.
“To be nominated is a great thing. You know, you get your name out in front of millions of people,” she said on “The Early Show.” “It’s great publicity. People will be watching the night of the awards show while we’re in Las Vegas having a wonderful time. It’s going to be a big night for country music.”
Trio Lady Antebellum earned a leading seven nominations going into the ACM Awards, while Taylor Swift received five nods. The awards show will air live April 18 on CBS.
-BAM
Flaming Lips announce 2010 tour dates, starting in Austin
Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne poses for a special 2010 photo in the OPUBCO studios. (Photo by Chris Landsberger/The Oklahoman)
The Flaming Lips are heading out on tour, and they will be criss-crossing the United States this spring and summer, according to Paste Magazine.
Touring in support of their latest album, “Embryonic,” the Lips will be joined for most of the tour by fellow Oklahoma City psychedelic rockers Stardeath and White Dwarfs.
In addition, the bands will be performing Pink Floyd’s “The Dark Side of the Moon” album in full at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in June. The bands debuted the live rendition of the album at their hometown New Year’s Eve Freakout #3 in Oklahoma City.
A limited edition vinyl of the Lips’ “Dark Side of the Moon” featuring Stardeath and White Dwarfs, Henry Rollins and Peaches goes on sale April 17, with the CD version coming out May 4, according to Paste.
The Lips’ s 2010 tour launches March 12 in Austin, Texas. No Oklahoma dates are listed, but I suppose there’s always New Year’s Eve to get your Lips fix.
See the current list of Lips tour dates after the break.
Blake Shelton featured on Country Weekly cover
Oklahoma country music star Blake Shelton talks about Twitter, girlfriend Miranda Lambert and the real story behind his latest hit “Hillbilly Bone” and more in the March 8 Country Weekly magazine cover story.
In the story, titled “Blake Shelton: Breaking Tradition,” the Tishomingo resident reveals that his neighbor and sweetheart has had a significant influence on his music.
“The biggest thing is that I write more, like I used to,” he tells Country Weekly, according to a news release. “Miranda has encouraged me and I write with her and she’s definitely bringing out that side of me again.”
The March 8 issue, now on sale, also gives a look at the group of friends who with Shelton comprise the new country “Rat Pack.”
-BAM
Blake Shelton, Trace Adkins share behind-the-scenes tidbits about “Hillbilly Bone”
“Hillbilly Bone” isn’t just the fast-rising hit of Blake Shelton’s career, it also is the title track and lead-off single to his new album, out today.
And it represents the culmination of the Oklahoma country music star’s longtime goal of doing a project with his pal and fellow good old boy Trace Adkins.
“I would say within about three listens to it, I knew I wanted to record it, and also within that same amount of time, I also knew that I would want Trace Adkins on it with me just because it sounded to me like a Trace Adkins song. So once I made the decision that I was going to record it, and I talked to my producer about it, I told him, ‘Man, really we should get Trace Adkins in there to sing that bass part on the choruses.’ And so we called Trace and he said he would do it,” Shelton told me in a recent phone interview.
“Then after he did that and we lived with it for awhile, we decided, man, it still needs more Trace on it. And so we called him back and said, ‘Hey, man, could you come back and sing a verse with me.’ And he said he would do it, and I can’t imagine the song without him on it now.”
The stars also aligned to film a hilarious music video for the single. It features the rowdy pair turning an upscale restaurant into an unpretentious party.
“It was fun, and Blake’s one of my favorite people in this business. Any time I get to work with him, hang out with him, we always enjoy that and have a lot of fun with it,” Adkins told me in a fall phone interview, adding, “The funniest stuff was cut out really.”
Shelton agreed: “Some of our moments that Trace and I have together aren’t even appropriate for each other. We give each other some serious hell just being buddies. A lot of people don’t realize that Trace is one of the funniest people I’ve ever met in my life. He’s just such a big guy and his sense of humor is so dry, I think he scares more people than anything. But man, I had an absolute ball. But Trace and I’s biggest problem when we get together is just trying to keep our language clean; it’s almost like who can insult each other the worst.”
Shelton, who was born in Ada and now lives in Tishomingo, acknowledges that he probably had more fun than anyone else on the video shoot.
“I was the only one kind of having my own party. You know, Trace doesn’t drink at all, but I d— well do. And so when we were making the video — we filmed it here in Nashville at the Stockyards Restaurant — they kept bringing Trace a glass of grape juice so it would look like he was sitting there drinking fancy wine. But they were bringing me actual bottles of wine that I was drinking straight out of the bottle. And man, by the end of that video, I was getting pretty buzzed. So I was having a hell of a time. I think I was probably irritating everybody around me because in my mind we were all having a big party and in reality everybody was there working,” he said with laugh.
“Hillbilly Bone” was nominated this morning for the Academy of Country Music’s vocal event of the year trophy. The ACM Awards will air live April 18 on CBS.
-BAM
