Recommendation XLV: Marty Stuart (w/ Connie Smith)

Yeah, I know. You can’t believe your eyes? Me neither haha. Poor pathetic ole me is back with a new entry! I haven’t posted in like a year (even after I did a new look to the site. Sad, isn’t it?) Well, I got the writing bug biting again and wanted to fill you a lil in on some new stuff about me and what I’ve been digging lately.

The main reasons I haven’t been posting is life has been/is just busy, and I’ve dived into other more time-consuming activities… but one big significant problem is that my freakin’ computer is too damn slow! Every time I turn it on, my laptop literally takes like 30 minutes to start up the screen and sometimes it’ll shut itself off when it has too much going on. Utterly irritating, to say the least, but I digress from my main subject…

My forty-fifth recommendation is: Marty Stuart’s (with Connie Smith) “I Run to You” from his 2010 Ghost Train: The Studio B Sessions album. My post title practically gave it away haha, and I’m sure most people who read/used to read my blog already know about this gem however I wanted to write about it regardless.  I realize that I have already recommended Marty’s music in the past but 3 years has passed and this record can’t go ignored. Truly one of country music’s best guides to its history and tradition, Marty Stuart can always be counted upon to create timeless soul-driven pieces of art and this is no exception. I love watching his Marty Stuart Show on RFD-TV when it airs and soaking up on that intoxicating steel and fiddle (which is pretty much meaningless on today’s radio) and really feeling it, so real country fans oughta check that out.

Recommendation XXXXIV: Wynonna Judd (double-shot)

Awesome awesome.  Life’s not too shabby for me.  My work hours have increased (much to one of ex-co-worker’s dismay – stealing is bad – remember that, but I do still feel sorry for him) and I am also planning my trip to California, which I will embark on in less than half a week, and in addition, I receive my tax refund in a few days.  With regards to my possible soon return to college life, for anybody who cares, I just need to find a co-signer to help me with a student loan from the bank to pay off my balance, and then I am set to go back in the fall (I, of course, will have to deal with paying off the loan and interest after graduation, so I am not excited about that).  Tonight, I’m supposed to clean up my messy room and organize my papers and letters to look decent and civilized (so I won’t have to jump obstacles and get through the mazes any longer).  Sad to admit some old habits don’t die hard.

My forty-fourth recommendation is/are: Wynonna Judd’s “I Can Only Imagine” from her 2005 Her Story: Scenes from a Lifetime album AND “Are the Good Times Really Over?” from her 2009 Sing: Chapter 1 album.  Yes, TWO covers/remakes from the powerful and feisty red-head Wynonna Judd.  How exciting.  My love for Wynonna began, I think, with one of her first solo singles, “No One Else On Earth”.  I think I grew up more with solo Wynonna more than with The Judds… though I do know, bluegrass-tinged, “Why Not Me?”, is my favorite Judds song, and “No One…” is my favorite Wy song.  Over the years, it’s been cool to see Wynonna as a genre-chameleon who can sing just about anything, and these two songs I’m going to highlight show that.  It wasn’t that hard for me to choose which ones, because these, in my mind, were instant classics to me once I heard them. Wy made them her own.  (Btw, anybody see her on NBC’s Kath & Kim earlier this month?  That was funny how they basically made the episode about her, and how the mother and daughter were crazy fans of her’s. Molly Shannon is hilarious.)

Recommendation XXXXII: Dwight Yoakam & k.d. lang

Recommendations are back!  And back to the music the readers really wanna talk about: country music.  I haven’t done one of these in like a month, so I need to get back into the groove of things again.  I am really excited for what’s to come in ’09: Obama’s becoming president on Tuesday, I’m going to turn the big two-one in March, and life just seems good, despite the economic problems here in the household.  God has been more than good to us, and while I miss college immensely, I will get by, and hopefully can return in the fall.  I will visit my friends again in March, so I’m stoked.  Now, on to the music.

My forty-second recommendation is: Dwight Yoakam & k.d. lang’s “Sin City” from Dwight’s 1989 Just Lookin’ for a Hit album.  I’ve really been into duets and duos lately, and this one is no exception.  I didn’t find out about this collaboration until about summer 2008 and I was blown away by it’s beauty.  I never thought that Dwight Yoakam and k.d. lang would record and sing together and it’s just so special, especially on a traditional country song, a cover/remake of the Gram Parsons song.  Even though this duet is on a mostly “hits” album, I don’t believe it was ever released as a radio single, but man, it was an instant hit in my ears.  I know I’ve recommended k.d. previously, but I have yet to recommend Dwight, so I knew it was time.

Dwight is one of the coolest artists I know and I love his hard-core invocation of Buck Owens, and D.Y. has proven he’s still at the top of his game today.  I’d say my favorite track from him would either be “Turn It On, Turn It Up, Turn Me Loose”, “Guitars, Cadillacs”, or “Fast As You”.  My mom just loves his “Blame the Vain” (I do too).  He’s an impressive actor and I loved to hate his evil character in Panic Room.  The last song I bought from him was “Close Up the Honky Tonks”, but it’s totally clear to me now that I need more Yoakam in my collection!

Recommendation XXXX: Alan Jackson (triple-track)

Oh yes, we’ve gone and done it – we’ve made it to number forty.  I had no idea how long it would take us to reach here, but it’s been quite a journey of good music.  I’ve certainly got some worthy ideas for my upcoming recommendations/blog entries, but I like to wait and leave some space in between each one, because I feel that if a post gets buried under others, people are less likely to read it, it seems.  This one is extra special because of the artist and the big number.  Words really cannot express either one.  So, without, further ado…

My fortieth recommendation is/are: Alan Jackson’s “A Little Bluer Than That” from his 2002 Drive album, “Leave a Light On” from The Wrights’s 2005 Down This Road album, AND “Good Imitation of the Blues” from his 2006 Like Red On a Rose album.  I did tell you, or hint, that Mr. Alan Jackson would be next in the CMT Giants entry, and that time has finally arrived.  Yeah, seeing that it is forty, seems like four songs would be a better choice, but I didn’t want to overextend myself in writing lol – three is a good enough amount for me!  I also thought about choosing a Christmas song from Alan, since it is the season, but I passed (bah humbug).  Alan is my second all-time favorite artist, behind George Strait, and just before Brooks & Dunn.  His hard-core neo-traditionalism has always been one of the main reasons I’ve been drawn to him, and his music is a huge part of my upbringing in the late 80′s, ’90s, and til today.  Alan’s songs have always had that signature sound to it: traditionalism with touches of modern production added to it, that’s been a big part of his appeal and that simplicity to the music he writes and records.  He’s one of Georgia’s best exports, and we sure are glad to have him.  I won’t go through all the tunes that go along with my different (precious) memories, because that would take forever, and I did talk about him in good length on the Giants entry, so here’s what you’ll get.  From the man who brought us the pure dark-honesty of “Here In the Real World” to today’s silly, innuendo-laced “Country Boy”, let’s talk more about the A-Jax.

Recommendation XXXIX: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

Back to the art of music and outta mainsteam-land, to a place where quality is, and what it’s always been essentially about: the alternative country world.  You know, the CMAs, for the most part, left a bitter taste in my mouth (Taylor Swift and Kellie Pickler‘s bubblegum pop didn’t sweeten the night at all.  Just provided some more artificial “sugar” to the mess.)  Like I said in my CMA entry, I did enjoy parts of the show, but it really got me even more upset with how terrible mainstream country music really has become.  I’m not saying it should be 100% traditional country music, because that would be boring (though, there definitely needs more of that represented to remind artists and fans of what the music is).  I just wish it wasn’t all about the money and crossing-over and appealing to teenagers who don’t know what country is.  The format might be a business but quality and diversity of styles should be the #1 things on their mind, and radio stations aren’t innocent either.  They just contribute immensely to the destruction of the music. (Btw, speaking of destruction, I saw the midnight screening of the new James Bond film, Quantum of Solace, and man, I loved it!  Go see while it’s still in theaters! You should see 2006′s Casino Royale first, because both movies go hand-in-hand and Quantum is its sequel. Here’s the trailer.)

My thirty-ninth recommendation is: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss’s “Through the Morning, Through the Night” from their 2007 Raising Sand album.  I have been wanting to highlight this album and this particular song for months and months since I’ve had this album, but I never could find the right time.  I felt that, because I had recommended Alison before, I should wait until much later to use her again, because I’m all obsessed with rules and stuff, but I’m beginning not to care anymore lol.  It was time, and that time was today.  You need to see and hear country music for what it is and can be, and those award shows don’t really appreciate nor represent what the good part of the music is (the CMAs did give the win to Plant/Krauss for “Collaboration”, so I’ll give them that).  The first single, “Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)”, with its Beatles-like sound, I wouldn’t consider to be country, but it’s very good.  It wasn’t until last year, during Christmas-time that I was able to finally purchase and listen to all of Raising Sand, and man I was blown away.  Led Zeppelin rock legend Robert Plant and bluegrass extraordinaire Alison Krauss are the perfect partners for a project like this.  Anybody who has heard all of the material and has trouble categorizing this as a “country album”, while at the same time, labels artists like Rascal Flatts “country”, just because they call themselves that, is seriously crazy (I won’t name names, but I’ve seen it online, and it makes no sense).  The album as a whole may not be particularly country, but its influence and sound is very evident, throughout.

Recommendation XXXVIII: Shania Twain

I’m thinking that I will go back to writing posts much more often (maybe more than once a week lol), because I gotta satisfy my faithful blog audience and myself, so let’s get it done.  Honestly, right now, I’ve got nothing exciting to report about my life at the moment.  Just the same ole same ole working and sleeping, so this paragraph will be kinda short. Hmm… well, I did make a new look for the front page of my Lee Ann Womack fansite: LAW: Lee Ann Womack Online last night, so you might wanna check that out ;-) .  As for the subject of today’s blog, I bet you’re in for a surprise: you’re either pleased or disgusted (or in between, depending on your mood).  We’ll get to that…now

My thirty-eighth recommendation is: Shania’s Twain’s “I Ain’t Goin’ Down” from her 2002 Up! album.  Yes, yes, we have gotten to her (for those who didn’t know me too well before, you’re probably surprised to see her here lol).  I’m a pretty big Shania fan, and have been pretty much since “Any Man of Mine” in the ’90s.  She was certainly one of biggest definers of that decade and her music was a big part of my childhood.  Even though she’s not really “country” country, it doesn’t really matter to me.  Shania Twain‘s music brought about excitement to the genre that didn’t really exist before (though, I’ve come to the conclusion, that while I love her music, I’m not particularly fond of her imitators’ music who would arise in later mainstream country music).  She did commit murder on music row, but I’m willing to forgive her for it :p (in fact, I’ll hand her the hatchet myself, say “swing away!”, look the other way, because I love her that much and will allow her to get away with it lol).  And It’s too bad that her marriage with Mutt Lange didn’t work out because I thought they made a good team together.  I hear rumors that Shania will be the “surprise performer” at this Wednesday’s CMA Awards, so I figured I’d highlight Ms. Twain for this entry (I’m so excited for new music!)  It was tough to select a track for her because most of her songs have been hit radio singles haha, so choosing one from the Up! album was the path to go.

Recommendation XXXVI: Vince Gill (triple-track)

Now we’ve hit a milestone (for me, at least)…: number 36. This one is real special for me because it’s my lucky number (won’t tell ya why), so I needed a special artist to go with it. I had trouble choosing the artist and the songs that I’d select from them. I know it needed to be a triple track one (hmm, that sounds like a better title than “threesome”, doesn’t it?. Okay, I’m changing it to that now, because the former was almost borderline weird-ish, though it wasn’t intended to be), so I finally made a choice I was satisfied with. This post will be a kinda long one, so prepare yourself for it: take out a comfortable chair and a nice glass of something to sip on…

My thirty-sixth recommendation is/are: Vince Gill’s “Out of My Mind” and “What You Don’t Say” from his 2006 These Days album, AND “Kindly Keep It Country” from his 1998 The Key album.  Yes, yes, it is Vince!  I really couldn’t imagine not discussing him and his music, and it took me quite a while to get to him, but the time has finally come.  Vince Gill is truly one of my absolute favorites and he’s one of the one most talented people in the music industry, ever.  He can sing, write, produce, and play at the highest quality there can be, and that makes him an all-around five-star musician.  I was a fan of his back in the ’90s when I was a little boy, and I didn’t realize how great he was until I bought the Souvenirs album (a greatest hits collection) some years ago and remembered all those songs I loved back then.  As of this moment, I own 71 of his songs (not including the songs I own that include his harmonies/background vocals) and I do plan to add more (he’s probably worked with everybody that I’ve reviewed on this site already lol).  Choosing the three tracks for this recommendation was not an easy task , but I made up my mind.

Recommendation XXXV: Anita Cochran w/ the Voice of Conway Twitty

Lately, I’ve been watching some documentaries through my NetFlix because I ran out of movies I was immediately interesting in seeing, and I’ve learned that they’re really compelling to watch. The last one I saw (well, we saw… since my family watched it with me because I wanted them to) was Sicko, the latest documentary by Michael Moore. I know, I know. I think he’s kinda annoying too, and I know there’s got to be some exaggeration in the claims, but I got the general truth from it, and I thought the film was put together real well. It was about how insurance companies take extreme advantage of the American people and man, it is horrible. Didn’t know they were so evil. Recommended for anybody to watch. I’ll definitely have to research more on that. Anyway, onto my next selection… (and ooh, #36 is coming up pretty soon, my lucky number…)

My thirty-fifth recommendation is: Anita Cochran’s (with The Voice of Conway Twitty) “(I Wanna Hear) A Cheatin’ Song” from her 2004 (I Wanna Hear) A Cheatin’ Song – Single album.  I have no idea the first time I heard Anita’s music…but I know she hasn’t had too much success on the country charts.  I know she had that hit #1 duet with Steve Wariner (“What If I Said”), which I gotta admit, I never really cared for, even though I like both of them.  I think it’s too adult-contemporary-sounding and way too lovey-dovey for me lol.  Otherwise, I don’t think there’s any other hits from Ms. Cochran, which is a shame because she’s really talented.  Her vocals are somewhat like Wynonna Judd‘s (I don’t like to refer to Wynonna by just her first name alone lol because her last name is part of who she is), but otherwise, IMO, Anita Cochran‘s got a voice distinct from other females.  I thought I should mention this quickly (but it certainly isn’t needed lol): Anita’s first and last name spoken together have got a James Bond/Austin Powers girl-like thing sorta goin’ on with it, if you say them together (…I know, too R-rated, but I thought it would be kinda funny to bring it up real quick.  Forgive me.).

Recommendation XXIX: Loretta Lynn

Hello all. Nice to see you. It’s been a long time… (well, it sure feels like it!).  I feel bad that I haven’t been able to update this site regularly like I was in early July (trust me- if I had internet at home, I’d stick to that routine, but I don’t).   Like I’ve mentioned before, I’ve been working a lot at two jobs and I’m usually pretty busy.  Thank God one of my best friends works with me at one of the jobs, so it’s fun to just talk and hang when it’s possible.  For the most part, with my free time, I usually relax and watch TV, play video games (classic N64 lol), and rent and watch DVDs from NetFlix.  Right now, I’m stoked for the U.S. release of Crystal Shawanda‘s new album (Dawn of a New Day) out Tuesday, August 19th. Anyway, I’m typing up this entry at home, and will copy and paste it when I get to the library. So here goes…

My twenty-ninth recommendation is: Loretta Lynn’s “Miss Being Mrs.” from her 2004 Van Lear Rose album.  I dunno how it took me so long to spotlight this great legend, but I think she’s the perfect person to come back with after my 2-3 week absence.   It’s hard to know where to begin with Miss Loretta Lynn. I don’t think I really knew her too well growing up in the ’90s.  I remember reading and hearing her name when my favorite artists would list their influences or their own personal favorites, and seeing her on TV for news and countdowns and such, so I grew intrigued.  Her music is so country and has a lot of spirit and attitude, and she’s so funny and kind to everybody.  What a woman.  I remember my mom loves her video for her duet, “Portland, Oregon”, with Jack White (of The White Stripes fame) because she thinks it’s cute how their relationship is like that of a grandmother and grandson.   I’ve always enjoyed Loretta’s wit, and how it shows in her songwriting and songs.  Her heartache songs are like no other, so I was definitely pulled towards that (also, it’s pretty damn cool that she’s Patty Loveless‘s distant cousin… or the other way around ;) ).

Recommendation XXVI: Ashton Shepherd

Here I am, posting late again near midnight lol.  I’m really a night person and it doesn’t help that I don’t have to get to work until about 11am (just gives me more of a reason to stay up later!).  I’m very happy to see that a good amount of people visit the blog and come back regularly (probably has to do with the fact that I now blog more often than the past – gives you all something to look forward to with each visit).  I know how that is with blogs, checking back everyday to see new content and there’s not – annoying, because what else are you gonna read? haha.  I now try my best to stay dedicated to the blog.  It’s like my new child, and I must make it grow with fresh substances and improve over time, just like a fine wine (oddly worded, but you get the idea).  Anyway…

My twenty-sixth recommendation is: Ashton Shepherd’s “The Whiskey Won the Battle” from her 2008 Sounds So Good album.  I don’t know where to start with Ashton.  I’m pretty sure the first time I heard her music was during my winter break, with her debut single, “Takin’ Off This Pain”.  I thought that song sounded good, but I was not in the mood for tough, redneck-themed girl songs at the time, and her voice was too Gretchen Wilson-like (who I love too, but at the time, it seemed like an imitation).  Eventually my interest in her got the best in me, and I remember reading somewhere online that her album was very traditional, that she wrote or co-wrote most of her work, and that she had some songs posted on her myspace page to showcase it.  So, of course, I checked them out and first heard the title cut, “Sounds So Good” (this being her second and current single at the moment, and also let me make it clear, this was before the album came out in March 2008).  I liked it a lot: very catchy and full of steel and twang.  What really sold me on Ashton Shepherd, though, was her song, “I Ain’t Dead Yet”.  That one is stone-cold country (and you know that’s what I like the most ;) ), and I’ll all about quality country music that’s real, sung by a distinct female voice these days, and even more, if they write it themselves, so I was definitely hooked to Ashton then.  She’s almost 22 years old, married, and has a baby as well!