On this day in 1985, RCA released Restless Heart’s self-titled debut album.
“Let the Heartache Ride,” “I Want Everyone to Cry,” “(Back to the) Heartbreak Kid” and “Til I Loved You” were released as singles. The album reached #10 on the Top Country Albums chart.
A lot of folks are struggling financially due to the coronavirus, and Taylor Swift just helped out one of them. A freelance music photographer named Holly Turner just shared on social media that Taylor donated $3,000 to help her stay on her feet while she’s not working.
“i made a post on tumblr about how i was scared i wouldn’t be able to stay living in NYC because of what corona has done to the music industry,” Holly tweeted. “ @taylorswift13 literally single-handedly saved my ability to stay here. i cannot even believe my eyes right now.”
Holly also shared a screengrab confrming the donation from Taylor Nation, LLC, with the note that read, “Holly, you have always been there for me. I want to be there for you right now. I hope this helps. Love Taylor.”
Today in 2000, Faith Hill subbed for Whitney Houston during a medley of old Oscar-nominated songs at the 72nd annual Academy Awards. Garth Brooks was also involved in the segment. Later he said he was thankful Faith was gracious enough to step in at the last minute and that he felt for Whitney, who was “so sick.”
(Faith’s performance is at the 2:08 mark)
Kenny Rogers passed away Friday and since his death people have been asking his family how they can honor him. Well, the family is now asking that anyone who wants to pay their respects make donations to help coronavirus relief efforts.
“We suggest the @recordingacademy & @musicares COVID-19 Relief Fund to help music creators/professionals without work during the coronavirus pandemic,” the family shares on Instagram. “Kenny always wholeheartedly supported musicians, crew members & music personnel.”
The family asks fans to make donations here.
Today in 1963, Johnny Cash recorded his legendary classic hit, “Ring Of Fire.”
“Ring of Fire” is a song written by June Carter Cash and Merle Kilgore and popularized by Johnny Cash in 1963. The single appears on Cash’s 1963 album, Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash. The song was originally recorded by June’s sister, Anita Carter, on her Mercury Records album Folk Songs Old and New (1963) as “(Love’s) Ring of Fire”. “Ring of Fire” was ranked No. 4 on CMT’s 100 Greatest Songs of Country Music in 2003 and #87 on Rolling Stone’s list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In June 2014, Rolling Stone ranked the song #27 on its list of the 100 greatest country songs of all time.
The song was recorded on March 25, 1963, and became one of the biggest hits of Cash’s career, staying at number one on the country chart for seven weeks. It was certified Gold on January 21, 2010, by the RIAA and has also sold over 1.2 million digital downloads.
Garth Brooks decided to hold an acoustic concert during his weekly Facebook Live series, “Inside Studio G.” The almost hour-long concert featured Garth and wife Trisha Yearwood performing requests from fans.
Garth performed such tunes as Don McLean’s “Starry Starry Night,” the Chris Gaines song “Don’t Matter The Sun,” Trisha’s “The Woman Before Me,” James Taylor’s “Frozen Man,” Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” “She’s Every Woman,” “The Red Strokes” and Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect.”
Meanwhile Trisha performed “If It Hadn’t Been For Love,” “I Guess You Had To Be There,” and Linda Ronstadt’s “Long Long Time.”
The pair also collaborated on several tunes including “Thicker Than Blood,” “Whiskey to Wine,” Taylor’s “Sweet Baby James,” the “Star Is Born” track “Shallow,” Garth’s “The River” and “Amazing Grace.”
Trisha also revealed that Garth actually suggested she cut “Thunder Rolls,” but then he took it back, and also suggested she cut “Shameless,” and he did the same.
Garth also showed clips from his upcoming Gershwin Prize special, which airs this Sunday on PBS at 9 pm. In addition, Garth said an announcement is coming today about his upcoming two Stadium concerts in May, hinting that they are both being postponed due to the coronavirus.
Source: Garth Brooks
Today in 1984, Alabama scored their 12th number one hit as “Roll On (Eighteen Wheeler)” reached the top of the “Billboard” country singles chart.
“Roll On (Eighteen Wheeler)” is a song written by Dave Loggins, and recorded by Alabama. It was released in January 1984 as the first single and title track to the band’s album Roll On.
Source: Wikipedia
Kenny Rogers passed away Friday at the age of 81. As you can imagine, several stars took to social media, and websites to share their thoughts on Kenny.
Dolly Parton shared a tearful video on Twitter, sharing her shock at hearing of her good friend and “Islands in the Stream” duet partner’s death. “We all know that Kenny is in a better place than we are today, but I’m sure he’s going to be talking to God sometime today,” she shared. “He’s going to be asking Him to spread some light on the darkness that’s going on here.” She added, “I loved Kenny with all my heart. My heart is broken, a big old chunk of it has gone with him today.” She added that she believes she could speak for all his friends, family and fans noting, “I will always love you.”
Garth Brooks shared with Billboard how he felt getting to open for Kenny, noting “Kenny Rogers, by working with him, became one of my heroes,” adding, “Just watching how he treated his band, his guys, everybody, they’d all been with him for 100 years. It was like, “This is how you do it.’” Garth noted that Kenny, “wasn’t a fake person,” noting, “Who you saw on the stage was who you saw in sweats offstage,” and shared the best piece of advice he ever got from him. Garth noted, “The advice he gave me was to enjoy myself when I was out there. You tell me, was that not the best piece of advice ever?”
The Eagles’ Don Henley revealed the important role Kenny played in his career. “Fifty years ago, The Gambler took a gamble on me and my first band from small-town Texas, and his big-hearted support launched many careers, including mine,” he shared in a statement. “He also gave me some of the best career advice I ever got: ‘You’d better be nice to the people you meet on the way up, because you’re going to meet those same people on the way back down.'”
Lionel Richie, who wrote Kenny’s hit “Lady,” shared a series of pictures with Kenny, noting, “Today I lost one of my closest friends ???? So much laughter so many adventures to remember, my heart is broken. My prayers go out to Kenny’s Family.
Today in 1990, Clint Black collected his first platinum album for “Killin’ Time”.
“Killin’ Time” was written by Hayden Nicholas and Clint Black. It was released in July 1989 as the second single and title track from his debut album. The song was his second number-one hit on the U.S. Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart and the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart. When Billboard published its year-end Hot Country Singles chart for 1989, “Killin’ Time” was the No. 2 song of the year — one spot behind Black’s “A Better Man.” The successes of “A Better Man” and “Killin’ Time” were instrumental in Black winning the Country Music Association’s Horizon Award in 1989.
This was his second music video and was directed by Bill Young, and premiered in July 1989. It features Black singing the song at a bar named My Place (the actual name of the bar at the time of filming). He addresses a woman named Minnie in the opening (the name of the original owner of My Place). My Place located in Sealy, TX is now known as Saddleback Saloon. He was wearing a T-shirt that has Don’t Mess with Texas written on it, and features him in another singing the song wearing a striped shirt. He puts the guitar down, and the video ends.
At 2:50 into, Clint’s brother Brian Black makes a cameo dancing on the dance floor in front of Clint Black. Also making a cameo appearance in the video as an older Clint is Clint’s brother Kevin Black.
Source: Wikipedia
As we previously told you, the ACM Awards have been postponed until September due to concerns over the coronavirus, but fans will still get to enjoy some country music on April 5th, the date the event was supposed to happen.
CBS and the ACM just announced a new two-hour special, “ACM Presents: Our Country,” featuring artists performing from home via video chat, and also sharing some of their favorite ACM moments.
“Although the highly anticipated 55th ACM Awards show is unable to take place on April 5th due to the health crisis, we still wanted to deliver fans an entertaining ACM Country Music special as planned,” Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music, sahres, noting the special “allows fans to connect with their favorite Country artists and to relive some of the greatest moments of the ACM Awards, all from the comfort and safety of their own homes.”
“ACM Presents: Our Country” will air April 5th at 8 pm on CBS. So far participating artists have not been announced.
Source: ACM
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