Here is a new artist who is making some waves! Have you heard of him yet? This is his debut single! It was released in January 2012 after being made available on iTunes starting December 24, 2011. It debuted at number 53 on the country music charts. Country Weekly magazine featured him in "Ones to Watch in 2012". (Source) He is currently touring with with Sugarland and a few other newbies. For more information about the tour follow this link
If you have an artist you would like to see featured on This Is Country Music, leave a comment and you can see them posted here soon.
Today for Western Wednesday we are going to look at Merle Haggard. He is an American country music song writer, singer, guitarist, fiddler and instrumentalist. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band The Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the unique twang of Fender Telecaster and the unique mix with the traditional country steel guitar sound, new vocal harmony styles in which the words are minimal, and a rough edge not heard on the more polished Nashville Sound recordings of the same era. By the 1970s, Haggard was aligned with the growing outlaw country movement, and has continued to release successful albums through the 1990s and into the 2000s. In 1997, Merle Haggard was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. (Source)
The feature Friday post today is all about Travis Tritt. He is an American, Grammy winning, country music singer from Marietta, Georgia. Seven of his albums (counting the Greatest Hits) are certified platinum or higher by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA); the highest-certified is 1991's It's All About to Change, which is certified triple-platinum. Tritt has also charted more than forty times on the Hot Country Songs charts, including five number ones — "Help Me Hold On," "Anymore," "Can I Trust You with My Heart," "Foolish Pride" and "Best of Intentions" — and fifteen additional top ten singles. Tritt's musical style is defined by mainstream country and Southern rock influences. (Source)
Easton Corbin has seen quite a bit of success since he signed to Mercury Records in 2009. In March of 2012 he released his self titled debut album, which features two #1 hits, "A Little More Country Than That" and "Roll With It". This song "Loving' You Is Fun peaked at 34 on the US Country Charts. (Source) He is currently on tour. You see tour date please visit this site http://www.eastoncorbin.com/events/default.aspx
Brantley Gilbert has recently hit the country music scene. He is an American country rock music singer-songwriter. Songs he has written have been record by Jason Aldean and Colt Ford. The album Halfway To Heaven which was released on March 16, 2010 peaked at #2 on the US Country Charts and is certified US Gold. This single, "You Don't Know Her Like I DO" peaked at #13 on the US Country Charts. This single was released in 2011. I have heard it on the radio more and more lately. I hope you like this single from Brantley Gilbert. (Source)
"Forever and Ever, Amen" is a single released in 1987 by country music artist Randy Travis, written by Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz. It was Travis's third No. 1 single on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles charts. In 1987, "Forever and Ever, Amen" won a Grammy for Best Country & Western Song and a Academy of Country Music award for Song of the Year. (Source) 
Kevin Fowler is an American Texas Country artist. He has released five studio albums, and has charted three singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including the top 40 hit "Pound Sign (#?*!)". In addition, he wrote Sammy Kershaw's 2003 single "Beer, Bait & Ammo", Mark Chesnutt's 2004 single "The Lord Loves the Drinkin' Man" and Montgomery Gentry's 2009 single "Long Line of Losers". "That Girl" has peaked at #45 on the US Country Charts. (Source)
I love this song. I especially like it even more now that I know the history of this group. The Eli Young Band is based in Denton, Texas. The band is composed of Mike Eli (vocals, guitar), James Young (guitar), Jon Jones (bass guitar), and Chris Thompson (drums). They released their self-titled debut album in 2002, followed by the Carnival records release Level in 2005. Their third album, Jet Black & Jealous, was released in 2008 by Universal South Records. A second major-label album, Life at Best, was released in 2011 by Republic Nashville; it includes their first #1 hit, "Crazy Girl". (Source) That is a long time to stick it out to finally have made it in the country music world. I think this song expresses it's not easy but to keep dreaming even it if breaks your heart.
Chris Cagle's debut album Play It Loud. The album, which was certified gold in the United States, also produced the Top 10 hit "Laredo" and "I Breathe In, I Breathe Out", his only number one hit. There are so many songs of his that I love, it is too ad he hasn't seen more success than one number one hit! (Source)
Ok here it is. One Hit Wonder week. I want to know if you think she is a one hit wonder or is she going to make it! Leave a comment to let me know you opinion of Kelcy Lee.
Today's One Hit Wonder is Kylie Morgan. This song is called "Country Girl". She was voted one of the Country Music Association’s “Who New to Watch.” Kylie is currently working on her CD with Land Run Records. It will be released in 2012, and will be available via digital download and at select Sheplers Western Wear stores nationwide. The CD will feature the impacting song “Phoebe (It Matters What We Do).” (Source)
Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw have been seeing a good bit of each other lately, as the two polish their boots in preparation for their upcoming Brothers of the Sun Tour, which kicks off June 2 in Tampa, Fla. Plus, the pair of country studs hit the ACM stage to perform their new joint single ‘Feel Like a Rock Star.’ And then the two took their rocking single to the stage of ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show.’ Introducing the dynamic duo, Ellen pointed out that between the two of them, Chesney and McGraw have sold more than 70 million albums and can boast more than 50 No.1 hits. That’s pretty impressive. (Source)
This song has been stuck in my head lately. I took it as a sign it needed to be on the blog. So I hope you like "Keep Me In Mind" by the Zac Brown Band. Zac Brown Band is an American country music band based in Atlanta, Georgia. They have recorded four studio albums, and charted eight Number One singles on the Billboard country charts: "Chicken Fried", "Toes", "Highway 20 Ride", "Free", "As She's Walking Away", "Colder Weather", "Knee Deep" and "Keep Me In Mind", in addition to the single "Whatever It Is," which peaked at number 2 on the same chart. (Source)
Eric Church is an American country music singer-songwriter. He signed to Capitol Records in 2006 and his debut album Sinners Like Me produced four singles on the Billboard country chart, including the Top 20 hits "How 'Bout You", "Two Pink Lines", and "Guys Like Me". His second album, 2009's Carolina, produced three more singles: "Smoke a Little Smoke" and his first Top 10 hits, "Love Your Love the Most" and "Hell on the Heart". 2011's Chief, his first #1 album, includes the singles "Homeboy" and "Drink in My Hand", which became his first #1 single in January 2012. (Source) “Springsteen” is a gorgeous, bittersweet anthem-to-be that will likely leave even some more hardened hearts simultaneously smile and cry listening. As Church’s best single to date, it will all but certainly take his career to the next level, even as he’s already selling out venues left and right at the dawn of his “Blood, Sweat & Beers” tour as we speak. (Source)
