It’s hard to fully review an album only released days ago during a major holiday weekend, but I can confidently acknowledge being blown away by “Cowboy Carter,” which has been on repeat, of course. Beyoncé accomplished her goal — of reclaiming a genre of music that Black people played a pivotal role in creating and … Read more
Celebrity birthdays for the week of April 7-13: April 7: Country singer Bobby Bare is 89. Movie director Francis Ford Coppola is 86. Actor Roberta Shore (“The Virginian”) is 81. Singer Patricia Bennett of The Chiffons is 77. Singer-guitarist John Oates of Hall and Oates is 76. Drummer John Dittrich of Restless Heart is 73. … Read more
LOS ANGELES — LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Nothin’ really ends / For things to stay the same they have to change again,” Beyoncé sings on “Act ll: Cowboy Carter,” the opening lines of the opening track, “Ameriican Requiem.” “Them big ideas, yeah, are buried here / Amen.” In some ways, it is a mission statement … Read more
LOS ANGELES — First, Beyoncé arrived at the 2024 Grammy Awards in full cowboy regalia — making a statement without saying a word. Then, during the Super Bowl, she dropped two hybrid country songs: “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages.” All of that heralded her latest album, “Act ll: Cowboy Carter,” out Friday. As a … Read more
Celebrity birthdays for the week of March 31-April 6: March 31: Actor William Daniels (“St. Elsewhere,” ″Boy Meets World”) is 97. Actor Richard Chamberlain is 90. Actor Shirley Jones is 90. Musician Herb Alpert is 89. Actor Christopher Walken is 81. Comedian Gabe Kaplan (“Welcome Back Kotter”) is 80. Guitarist Mick Ralphs of Bad Company … Read more
Chef and restaurateur Jose Andrés inviting actors Jamie Lee Curtis, Bryan Cranston and O’Shea Jackson Jr. over for dinner in a new TV special and Jake Gyllenhaal starring in an update of the pulpy cult classic “Road House” are some of the new television, movies, music and games headed to a device near you. Also … Read more
LOS ANGELES — Jelly Roll, Kelsea Ballerini, Lainey Wilson, Megan Moroney, and Cody Johnson are the leading nominees for the 2024 CMT Music Awards, celebrating the best in country music videos. On Wednesday, CMT announced the nominees for their fan-voted awards show, where the five artists are tied with three nominations each. Ballerini will also … Read more
Dasha is happy to align herself with legions of country artists before her time when she describes her music as “three chords and the truth.” As traditional as the Nashville-based singer-songwriter’s approach may be, however, she also understands the cultural impact of a viral moment. All it took was a line dance to set her … Read more
LOS ANGELES — There are countless reasons to self-title an album: it can be an introduction, an assertion of some definitive work, an easy avenue to labeling a collection of songs that feel otherwise impossible to classify. In the case of Luke Grimes, best-known for his portrayal of the complex cowboy character Kayce Dutton on … Read more
Faye Webster, known for her thoughtful blend of indie rock, folk and country, has a new album titled “Underdressed at the Symphony.” The release journeys through a lifetime — looking back at childhood and ahead to adult relationships — without ever sounding rushed. The Atlanta-based singer-songwriter’s new record retains the warm, relaxed tone of her … Read more
