Alan Jackson looks to tour in 2008
Wednesday, December 19, 2007 – Alan Jackson's touring schedule is likely to pick up big time next summer, according to his manager.
Jackson has a few dates on his schedule including a Jan. 12, 2008
concert in Nashville, a NASCAR/country music affair with Jason Michael
Carroll and The Wrights playing with Jackson. He will be doing fairs
and festivals early in the year.
In March, he will release a new disc, "Good Time."
"In the second half of the year, he'll be on his own, a headlining tour," said Todd Ramey, Jackson's manager.
No dates have been set for the summer tour.
More news for Alan Jackson
Country Mike: Small Town Southern Man
I
can't find the video for Alan Jackson's Small Town Southern Man on
youtube, but it was a really cool video. It starts back in the 1940's,
and the styles of the singer/band/party crowd change with each verse.
You've got to respect AJ for writing so many odes to his family. Guess
who's probably headed back to CMA Music Festival 2008? Country Mike.
That's who. Yeah, I'm really excited about it. It's 
Country Mike: Classic duet
If
you could hear anyone cover "Golden Ring", the famous George
Jones-Tammy Wynette duet, who would it be? I've got an album with Joe
Diffie and Shonna Faegan doing a decent job on it. But today, I came
across this version, performed by Alan Jackson and Lee Ann Womack.
Unfortunately, I can't find a recording of it, only this video aired
from a CMT show. Nice video, but I think AJ actually called her 'Lou
Ann.'
Country Mike: Kevin Fowler
I
like a lot of different Texas/Red Dirt artists, but two have captured
my ear recently. Amy Hughes, and her seven-song album, 45 South. It's
such a unique sound. It's kind of like a combination of Jewel, Jimmy
Buffett, soft rock and Texas Country. Her best song is probably "Salty
Road." But a lot of the songs have that theme of the ocean/water, which
prompted me to cite the Buffett influence. I've also listened to a
Country Mike: Hitchhikin' Honky-Tonker
I
don't condone or advise hitchhiking, and personally, I'd probably be
too chicken to try it. But there's a Texan making his way from show to
show by hitchhiking and he goes by the name of Dean Strickland.
Strickland told me he's taken 850 rides and had just two incidents.
Strickland said he's mostly met nice people along the way. One thing
the road has given Strickland is an inspiration for some good country
songs.
Country Mike: Red Dirt, please
It
seems like every time I log onto the Internet, I find out about a new
Texas/Red Dirt act. I wish I could go to some concerts and see some of
these acts, because few if any tour in California. I envy Texans and
Oklahomans for having such a vibrant music scene when it comes to Red
Dirt. There's an endless amount of talent, and you can listen to Radio
Free Texas all day and rarely hear the same artist twice. I have a
question for Red
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Elsewhere in the news
Country Standard Time's best CDs of 2007
Carrie
Underwood released a new CD in 2007. So did Kenny Chesney and Tim
McGraw not to mention The Eagles, Reba McEntire, Toby Keith, Brooks
& Dunn, Big & Rich, Jim Lauderdale, Ricky Skaggs and dozens
more. Figuring out what the best CDs of 2007 were is not an exact
science, of course. In fact, it's mostly a case of personal taste while
keeping an open mind. And one needed a very open mind for the best CD
of 2007. 
There
are only three shopping days until Christmas, and Scott Avett has just
begun his annual quest for gifts. Avett's absence from the Christmas
hustle and bustle this year is not the result of garden variety
procrastination or an unreasonable fear of the mall. This year, Avett's
band, the Avett Brothers, has been pathologically busy. The Avetts are
closing the book on a calendar year that has been the most rewarding
since the band officially began six years ago. 2007 has seen the Avetts
sell more albums, log more road time and mileage and score more
industry accolades than ever before, and it's clearly a great feeling. 
So far, the biggest hit on Trace Adkins's
latest greatest hits is "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk," a crossover song that
borders on novelty status. (it's a country song using urban slang
spread by cable TV - and the title rhymes) But Adkins's release
features 3 brand new songs, and 1 of them could outstrip that 2005 hit.
The most likely contender is "I Got My Game On," which sounds like it
might pick up in the same honky tonk where the other hit took place. 
The timing for the release of The Wreckers's
live CD/DVD package from July is strange to say the least. For one, not
many bands put out a live record when only one studio album has been
released, especially when the live set mostly includes that debut disc
with little new to offer. Also it is well known that there may not be a
second studio album as both Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp are
branching out (pun intended) to solo projects. 
Jesse Dayton
has a resume packed to bursting with country cred. He's sessioned
and/or toured with Waylon Jennings, The Supersuckers, Ray Price, Willie
Nelson and Johnny Bush. Rob Zombie asked him to be the fictional
hillbilly band Banjo and Sullivan in his gorefest, "The Devil's
Rejects," and he opted out of a major label deal to start his own
record label.
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