Alan Jackson (Musician)

Music Fests Like Coachella Drive Concert Sales to New Heights

Clint Black @ SMoCA

Top Five Must-See Shows This Week in Phoenix

Yeah, yeah, yeah...we get it. Mondays suck (we've read Garfield). But it means the start of a new week, which means a bunch of killer shows in and around Phoenix. And here are a few of the coolest -- our top five must-see shows this week.

Merle Haggard, Wild Horse Pass Casino, 9/21/12

Merle Haggard @ Wild Horse Pass Casino | Friday, September 21, 2012 We pity the grim reaper on the day he comes to collect the soul of Merle Haggard, because the iconic country musician won't be going anywhere without putting up a major fight. Without a speck of hyperbole, Haggard is a legitimate ... More >>

The Five People You'll Meet at Country Thunder

Two years ago, yours truly embarked on finding a real country experience that didn't lead me into the backwoods of some quaint southern town, but rather out into a barren field in Florence. I was alone. I was scared. I was wearing flip flops, at the risk of getting my tootsies stomped by the cowboy ... More >>

Flashback to 1972: Happy Birthday Eminem and Wyclef Jean

​America's Got Talent host Nick Cannon, N'Sync singer Chris Kirkpatrick and Beavis and Butt-Head creator, Mike Judge have something in common. Besides making us laugh, they all share a birthday with music celebrities Eminem and Wyclef Jean. That's right, Slim Shady and the Lead Fugee enter th ... More >>

Kara Roschi, What Are You Listening To?

Kara Roschi​Kara Roschi The local artist is co-owner of Practical Art. When you put your key in the ignition and turn on the radio, what station would play right now? I am proud to be car-free! But when I did have one, it was NPR in the afternoons, KSLX in the evenings ('specially Gettin' the L ... More >>

Loretta Lynn Cancels Upcoming Phoenix Date

​Bad news for fans of country legend Loretta Lynn. She's canceled her upcoming tour, including a stop at May 1 stop at Celebrity Theater. "As y'all know I just went and got my knee done a few weeks back," a statement reads Lynn's website. "I am sad to cancel the upcoming shows on the west coast, b ... More >>

John Michael Montgomery @ Del E. Webb Performing Arts Center

Junction 10 Singer Robert Perez Ain't Your Typical Singer

Jimmy Eat World

Toby Keith's Boot Still Fits a Lot of Asses

Josh Turner

Bachmann Overdrive

Bachmann Overdrive

You Asked For It: Jim Bachmann

​Band: Jim Bachmann and The Day DrinkersRecord: Jim Bachmann and The Day DrinkersBasics: Jim Bachmann, a country-styled man about town whose a fixture at Tempe's Yucca Tap Room. Bachmann once did a Sun Session cover of Alan Jackson's "Chasin' That Neon Rainbow" which I still regard among the best ... More >>

Phil Vassar

In Search of Real Honky-Tonk at the Arizona State Fair

When Tragedy and Politics Turn into Popular Music

Local Musicians Play Dylan Tribute At Yucca Wednesday

​Turns out it's too hot for Bob Dylan in Phoenix -- the legendary singer-songwriter canceled his Tuesday show at Camelback Ranch -- but you've got another chance to get tangled up in Bob next Wednesday as Jim Bachmann (check out Jim playing an Alan Jackson cover for The Sun Sessions here) and the ... More >>

Lucero Live: Why Country Music Needs Some Punk Blood

I love discussing music with our new Music Editor, Martin. More often than not we basically agree on most things. But I could not disagree more with his review of the Lucero show last night at the Rhythm Room. The first of my complaints is when talking about how the crowd was reacting (or the fact t ... More >>

Alan Jackson Keeps It Old School at Country Thunder

The annual Country Thunder festival at the dusty Canyon Moon Ranch just outside of Florence is country music's version of a cattle drive, where over four days some of the bigger names in country music are herded on stage to bleat their biggest hits, then lassoed off to make way for the next artist. ... More >>

Country Thunder 2009: Where My 'Necks At?

Watch out, another twisters a-comin! Damn, how I wish we were in that there V.I.P tent!I've spent the last year telling everyone who'll listen that Country Thunder is the premier music festival in Arizona. Whether you like country music or not, you should recognize that compared with any other festi ... More >>

Country Thunder

Concert Calendar for This Weekend: Lou Reed, Bruce Springsteen, Leonard Cohen, Country Thunder, Tempe Music Fest, and Much More

Art PerryLou Reed and Laurie Anderson are scheduled to perform on Sunday at the Chandler Center for the Arts. If you're the type who bitches how nothing ever goes on in Phoenix, please feel free to grab a nice steaming cup of STFU. We've been referencing all week long on this very blog about how h ... More >>

Conner Cecil

Conner
(Old Dominion Records)

You Asked For It: Conner Cecil

Conner CecilConner(Old Dominion Records)There was a time when hearing a boyish and manicured voice like Conner Cecil's alongside a willowy pedal steel wasn't uncommon in country music. That time is long gone, though, and hearing Conner -- a Globe native whose voice matches his cherubic face -- on h ... More >>

Josh Turner

Top 10 Country Records of 2008

By Michael McCall Photo by Michael Alan GoldbergTwo young blondes with toothy smiles and hard-core work ethics, Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood, helped country expand its fan base in these years of shrinking music sales. Meanwhile, Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Tim McGra ... More >>

Country Thunder 2009: Now With Layaway

Perhaps recognizing that the tanking economy has hit the blue-collar sorts you'll find at a massive multi-day country music festival especially hard, Country Thunder is introducing an installment purchase plan. Or, as we like to call it, "layaway." Now on countrythunder.com you can get your tickets ... More >>

Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music

Ten reasons to tune in country radio in 2006

Everybody Loves Rayman

But when will the rest of the country world take notice?

Original Soul

This time, it's personal: Our look back at an intimate year in music.

Alan Jackson

The Arizona State Fair has "Gone Country"

Darryl Worley

Have You Forgotten? (DreamWorks)

Joe Nichols

Country boy croons from the heart

Country Convert

Darryl Worley arrives at country stardom near midlife, but his brand of traditionalism may have fresh legs

Dwight Yoakam

Star-studded Country Thunder rolls into southeast Valley

Alan Jackson

Drive (Arista)

Choo Choo Ch'boogie

The Derailers get back on track with a major-label deal

Best Alternative To Alternative Radio

KNIX-FM 102.5 and KISS-FM 104.7 playing simultaneously

Candy Cane Mutiny

Consumers fight back! You have the power to make the ultimate Christmas album yourself. Use it!

Pic Hits for the week

Recordings

ODD COMBINATIONTHE IMPROBABLE STORY OF NITA'S HIDEAWAY, THE VALLEY'S NEWEST MODERN MUSIC VENUE

DO LOOK BACK

THE YEAR IN MUSIC: IT JUST DIDN'T GET MUCH BETTER (OR WORSE) THAN THIS

YOU DON'Y KNOW DIDDLEY

BO CAME UP WITH THE BEAT, BUT HE DIDN'T GET THE BUCKS. NOW HE'S GOT A DREAM.

HERE COMES TROUBLE

HE'S TRASHED BILLY RAY CYRUS. AND HE WON'T WEAR A BLACK HAT. TRAVIS TRITT'S PUT THE "OUT THERE" BACK INTO "OUTLAW."

NUMBER ONE, WITH BULLETSCUT DOWN BY GUNFIRE LAST SPRING, SINGER TRACY LAWRENCE IS CLIMBING THE COUNTRY CHARTS AGAIN

FULL HOUSE, FIVE-SONG STUD