Levon Helm dies at age 71
Levon Helm died on April 19 from throat cancer. Helm was best known as a singer and drummer with the Band. It was Helm’s voice taking the lead on such classics as “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” “The Weight” and “Up On Cripple Creek.” Helm was at the forefront of the Americana music movement, a genre based in roots music and influenced by country, bluegrass, blues, folk, rock and even jazz. Helm also appeared in many movies, including Coal Miner’s Daughter, where he portrayed Loretta Lynn’s father.
CMA Music Festival adds headliners and Canadian showcases
The four-day CMA Music Festival starts June 7. Glen Campbell, Ronnie Milsap, the Mavericks and Kenny Rogers are the latest acts to be announced. The nightly concerts will be recorded for an ABC TV special, which will air in the summer. Canadian acts will also be showcased at the festival. Emerson Drive, High Valley and Jess Moskaluke will perform on June 4 at the CMA Global Artist Party at the Stage on Broadway. On June 5, the Aristo Global Show will feature Clayton Bellamy, Adam Gregory, Josh Macumber and Jessica Ridley at The Second Fiddle. There will also be bands representing Australia, Ireland, the U.K. and New Zealand at the festival.
Garth Brooks fans create online stampede for Calgary show
Tickets for Garth Brooks’s Calgary Stampede show on July 12 is sold out of its 15,000 tickets in less than a minute. The Stampede starts on July 6 and runs until the July 15, and it’s celebrating its centennial show this year.
Posthumous new disc for Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings passed away in 2002, but he’ll have a new album out this September. According to the L.A. Times, the disc will be called Goin’ Down Rockin’: The Last Recordings of Waylon Jennings. Jennings had written 11 of the 12 songs and had spent time recording the tracks in the studio, playing just his guitar. His longtime friend, Robby Turner, played bass. Now Turner has completed the finishing touches for this upcoming release.
Justin Bieber teams up with Taylor Swift
Rolling Stone magazine is reporting that Taylor Swift has co-written a song with Justin Bieber for his upcoming album, Believe. The disc is scheduled for release later this year but the title to the collaborative song has not been announced.
Bonnie Raitt is back with a new album after seven years
Bonnie Raitt has been dealing with the loss of her parents, her brother and a close friend over the last five years. Music was the last thing on her mind. However, once she started working again with producer Joe Henry, Raitt became inspired to create a new album. The disc is called Slipstream and it is the first new release for Raitt in seven years. It also is the first on Raitt’s own label, Redwing Records, and she plans to embark on a tour in support of Slipstream on May 1 in Newkirk, Okla.
Luke Bryan’s disc goes platinum
Luke Bryan’s Tailgates & Tanlines has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. That means the album has sold over one million copies. Bryan is currently touring with Jason Aldean and his latest single, “Drunk on You,” is sitting in the top 15 on the country music charts.