James Ervin "Jimmy" Porter, one of the first members of Hank Williams' Drifting Cowboys band, died Saturday (Dec. 15) at his home in Hoover, Ala. He was 79. In his self-published autobiography, My Life as a Musician, he tells of learning to play the electric steel guitar when he was 12 and joining Williams' group a year later. "Dad took me to Hank's and we played several songs and he sang. The only song I remember was his theme song, 'Happy Rovin' Cowboy.' I played 'Steel Guitar Rag' and a couple of other songs, and Hank offered me the job." Porter said he backed Williams "on and off" from 1941 until late 1943 or early 1944. He later played with Curly Fox and Texas Ruby on tour and on the Grand Ole Opry. He was buried in Montgomery, Ala.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Lonestar Performs for Armed Forces TV
Lonestar will join Aaron Neville and gospel/pop group Take 6 in a special musical tribute to our men and women in the Armed Forces.
Holiday Notes from Home, hosted by Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase and produced by the Air Force Reserve, will be broadcast to the soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen serving our country around the world.
In the show, taped at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Lonestar performs "My Christmas List," "Jingle Bells" and "Away in a Manger," accompanied by the Band of the United States Air Force Reserve and the Air Force Strings. These selections can also be found on the group's latest album, My Christmas List, available exclusively at Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores and online at crackerbarrel.com.
Holiday Notes From Home will air in full length on Armed Forces Television on Christmas Day, Dec. 25. A special one-hour version of the show will also air on GAC tonight at 9 p.m. ET. Check this site for additional air dates and times. Lonestar is also set to perform on Fox & Friends Dec. 24.
New Willie Nelson CD Due in January
(www.gactv.com)
Fresh from receiving BMI's prestigious Icon Award, Willie Nelson will release his new album, Moment of Forever, on Jan. 29, 2008.
Produced by Music Row veteran Buddy Cannon and Kenny Chesney, the album was recorded in a series of sessions earlier this year in Nashville. The album is introduced by the title song and first single, which was written by Kris Kristofferson and Danny Timms, and has already become a concert favorite with fans during Willie's 2007 tours.
Kenny duets with Willie on the swinging honky-tonk tune "Worry B Gone," written by Guy Clark, Gary Nicholson and Lee Roy Parnell, and he also co-wrote the track "I'm Alive." Other songs include Randy Newman's "Louisiana," Bob Dylan's "Gotta Serve Somebody," Dave Matthews' "Gravedigger" and "The Bob Song" written by Big Kenny of Big & Rich. The album also features two new songs written by Willie and one from his sons Lukas and Micah of the rising band 40 Point.
Nelson will jumps back on the road again in 2008 with a tour schedule that includes an appearance at the Super Bowl XLII Tailgate Party in Phoenix/Glendale on Feb. 3 and a two-night appearance with the Dallas Symphony on March 5 and 6.
Taylor Swift Celebrates 18th Birthday With Kellie Pickler
(www.cmt.com)
Taylor Swift celebrated her 18th birthday at a party on Thursday night (Dec. 13) in the Nashville nightclub Lot 7. Guests included Kellie Pickler, Big & Rich's John Rich and new artists Lady Antebellum and Chuck Wicks. Swift chose a pink theme for the party. She wore a pink dress by Betsey Johnson and received a customized pink Chevy truck as a birthday gift from her label, Big Machine Records. Swift's "Our Song" reached No. 1 on the Billboard country airplay chart earlier in the week.
Tim McGraw, Dwight Yoakam Will Co-Star in Film
(www.cmt.com)
Tim McGraw and Dwight Yoakam have accepted roles in the romantic comedy Four Christmases, which will be released during the 2008 holiday season. The cast also includes Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek and Reese Witherspoon. All three actors have won Oscars for portraying country singers. John Favreau and Vince Vaughn, who co-starred in the 1996 film, Swingers, are also in the cast, along with Kristin Chenoweth. Seth Gordon will direct for New Line Cinema and Spyglass Entertainment.
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