GAC Album Review: Kris Kristofferson’s Feeling Mortal

Once upon a time, he was a military officer. He was a helicopter pilot and a Rhodes Scholar. Once upon a time, Kris Kristofferson played college football, and he also played the hard nosed character, “Whistler,” opposite Wesley Snipes in the horror/sci-fi trilogy Blade. Kris was – and still is – a Highwayman. But through [...] Read More

Kris Kristofferson to Release First New Music in Four Years

Kris Kristofferson will release Feeling Mortal, his first new material in four years, to iTunes on January 22 and record stores January 29. The album is a look at where Kris is at this point in his life, following a career that has seen him as a Golden Gloves boxer, a Rhodes scholar, a college [...] Read More

Willie Nelson & Sheryl Crow Added to Johnny Cash Tribute Concert

Willie Nelson and Sheryl Crow have been added to the lineup of artists who will perform at We Walk The line: A Celebration of the Music of Johnny Cash concert on April 20 in Austin, Texas. The concert will take place at Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theatre and pay tribute to Johnny [...] Read More

Ryan Bingham Wins Two Americana Awards

Film makers want very much for the general public to buy in to the magic of movies. You can count Ryan Bingham among those who believe in celluloid’s power. After sharing a Golden Globe and an Oscar Award for Best Song with T Bone Burnett for writing the “The Weary Kind (Theme From Crazy Heart),” Ryan took home two trophies — Song and Artist of the Year — Thursday during the ninth annual Americana Music Association Honors & Awards in Nashville. The Americana nods only add to the lists in which Ryan finds himself. The Song of the Year Oscar put him in the company of such songwriters as Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Henry Mancini and Irving Berlin — all of whom have won the Film Academy’s Best Song prize at least once. Ryan’s new album, Junky Star, made its chart debut this week, landing at No. 2 on the Billboard Country Albums list. And the Americana Artist of the Year trophy put him on yet another list among such previous winners as Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Neil Young and Jim Lauderdale, who hosted Thursday’s show. Read More

Merle Haggard, Double Honoree

Merle Haggard has been called the Poet of the Common Man, and his ability to capture the hopes and fears of real people with his songwriting — not to mention his expressiveness as a singer — helped him lock up a spot in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Now he’s got a place in another hall of honor: the California Hall of Fame, housed at the California Museum, just one block from the State Capitol in Sacramento. Merle’s induction was announced Wednesday by the state’s First Lady Maria Shriver among a class of 14 new members. The class includes Barbra Streisand, Betty White, former Governor Pat Brown, jeans maker Levi Strauss and director James Cameron. Read More