Category: country music

© Provided by Knoxville WVLT-TV
Longtime Country Tonite performer Mike Caldwell passed away.

SEVIER CO., Tenn. (WVLT) – Longtime entertainer and musician Mike Caldwell died, according to owner of Country Tonite, Jeff Taylor.

Caldwell performed harmonica at the theatre in Pigeon Forge for 25 years.

He performed with many legendary entertainers, including Loretta Lynn. WVLT News spoke to Caldwell in October about his performances in Lynn’s band.

As the news of Lynn’s passing made its way to her former harmonica player, he couldn’t help but think there was more music to be played.

“The first thing I thought of was, ‘Well, now that she’s in heaven, I bet she’ll write a heck of a song,” said Caldwell.

The Contry Tonite cast and crew released a statement on Caldwell’s passing as well.

The Country Tonite family is heartbroken at the unexpected passing of our longtime cast member and friend Mike Caldwell. This immeasurable loss reverberates far beyond our stage.

Mike’s Country Tonite career began during our opening season in 1997. In addition to being one of the world’s most gifted harmonica players, Mike’s contributions also include several years as our musical director as well as many seasons as a featured instrumentalist.

Mike’s talents filled the spotlight show after show as he wowed our audiences with his rendition of “Orange Blossom Special.” His personality shone through each of his performances as he entwined a little comedy into each presentation. A few songs later, Mike would play his heartwarming interpretation of “Amazing Grace.” His range as a performer was astounding while, as an individual, Mike was humble and gracious.

He leaves behind a musical legacy that also includes 10 years touring with Loretta Lynn, having traveled thousands of miles with the Coal Miner’s daughter in performances around the world. In addition, he made countless appearances on “Hee Haw,” “Nashville Now” and “Opry Live,” just to name a few. As a respected musician, he had the opportunity to play with many other country legends including George Jones, Conway Twitty and Boxcar Willie.

“Mike loved music, he loved playing the harmonica, and he loved entertaining. We are so very glad that he was able to do what he loved for so many years and to realize so many dreams here on our Country Tonite stage,” said Executive Producer Jeff Taylor. “The void Mike leaves on our stage and in our hearts can’t be filled—that’s the mark of a remarkable human being.”

We’ll forever remember our friend Mike as a cheerleader, always encouraging others, both on and off the stage.

As our 2023 season approaches and our cast returns for rehearsals, we know Mike’s absence will be felt so very strongly. It will be an emotionally difficult time for everyone, but we know Mike will be cheering everyone on as he would want the show to continue entertaining our guests. Be assured there will always be a place on our stage for Mike Caldwell.

Mike believed that “Good music is like a good conversation piece. Listen without dominating. It’s about feeling, creating, and connecting with an audience. It’s about brightening their day along the way.” Our Country Tonite cast will abide by Mike’s musical philosophy as we honor his memory. Each 2023 Country Tonite show will be performed in his honor. We’ll feel the comfort of his presence and know he is bobbing his head long to every note of every song.

Our hearts go out to Mike’s wife, family, friends, fans and the many lives he has touched over the years. Godspeed, sweet friend.

Country Tonite

A Country Music Jam is held each Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the North Buena Vista Civic Association, 2039 Orange Drive, Holiday. 

Donation are $3. 

Food and drinks are also available for a donation. All donations go to the community center. 

The music selection is country to light rock. New musicians are encouraged to join. For more information, call 727-534-8649.

Each Monday at 7 p.m. is the Monday Music Jam at Beacon Square Civic Association, 3741 Bradford Drive, Holiday. Meals are available from 6 to 7 p.m., as supplies last. Proceeds go to the association. For information, call 727-807-7007.

Multi-platinum recording artist and Grammy nominee David Nail is bringing a free concert to Milton at 9 p.m. this Friday at Jernigan’s Landing as part of the city’s Mardi Gras Kick-Off weekend.

Most easily recognized for country music power hits such as “Whatever She’s Got,” “Let it Rain,” “Night’s on Fire” and “Red Light,” Nail has been a dominant face in the country music scene since the early 2000s. He has been releasing new music ever since, with at least two unreleased singles slated to go out this year.

The new year has brought new energy, and he is ready to be back on the road performing for his fans.

“The Pensacola area is one we’ve gotten familiar with over the years, we’ve vacationed there a couple of different times,” Nail told the News Journal. “We’ve played pretty much one corner of the United States to the other and everywhere in-between … I would like to pride myself on whether it is Milton, Florida, or Madison Square Garden, hopefully we bring the same energy and bring the same quality performance any time we step on stage.”

He looks forward to more intimate venues that help to foster some of the most memorable connections with fans.

Nail’s visit to Milton will be his first concert of 2023, and he will be blending some of his crowd-pleasers with some of his newer music.

“I’m sure if I played a show and didn’t play ‘Whatever She’s Got’ or ‘Red Light’ or something like that, people would probably revolt and throw whatever was in their hands at me on stage,” Nail teased. “It’s a new year, so there are probably some songs that we haven’t played in a long time, or we haven’t ever played that we will incorporate here and there because we’ve quite frankly never played them live.”

Mariachi’s to open Navarre locationGulf Breeze’s longtime street taco spot, Mariachi’s, is adding a Navarre shop next month

Lamonte Gelato to open in FebruaryIf you liked downtown Pensacola’s TROUBADOUR, you’ll love what they have planned next

Nail said he has been known to find a groove with his setlists, but he is challenging himself this year not to solely base his line-up off of his top hits, but the music he has loved making. He will be spending the next few days working on the right lineup for Milton’s show.

“When I was a kid, I always had a competition within myself of trying to pick the songs that would be on the radio, but far too often I would find myself in love with the songs that I hoped would be on the radio, but didn’t ever end up getting on the radio,” Nail said.

“If you move on too fast, you lose sight of what you love,” Nail added. “That is one of the questions you get in Nashville more than anything — what’s next?”

Nail expressed how the pressure to keep moving began to catch up with him when his twins were born. Each goodbye to his wife and twins became more excruciating.

Even with the lull in his career he eventually had to take to focus on his family, he realized his songs would continue to live on, as they would be enjoyed 10 to 15 years past their release date. So much so, he himself has not grown sick of playing them.

“I remember people telling me when I was on the radio, ‘This song is just never going to get old.’ It’s funny because I’ve sang it probably 10,000 times and if it was ever going to get old for anybody, it probably should be (me),” Nail said.

More on Milton’s Mardi Gras Kick-Off

The Milton Mardi Gras Kick-Off will start off Friday with food trucks and festivities at 6 p.m., a live performance by Keith Anderson at 7 p.m. followed by Nail at 9 p.m. Personal chairs and seating are permitted, but no food or beverages are able to be brought in. However, food trucks and beverages will be available to purchase Friday and Saturday night.

On Saturday, the celebration will continue for the parade at 4 p.m. starting at Milton High School and ending at Jernigan’s Landing with an after party, live performance by Frank Fletcher from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., a kids zone, vendors and food trucks.

The weekend events are hosted by The Krewe of Airship Pirates and sponsored by city of Milton. While the event is free, a VIP option is available for $60 each night, or $100 for both nights. The VIP ticket includes dinner, beer and wine, a heated tent, VIP bathrooms, tables and chairs and a VIP viewing platform.

Tickets can be purchased online on The Krewe of Airship Pirates website.

Wednesday, Feb. 8

Thursday, Feb. 9

Friday, Feb. 10

Saturday, Feb. 11

Sunday, Feb. 12

More ways to get 12News

A Texas-born country music star will headline this year’s Illinois State Fair. 

Grammy Award-winning singer Maren Morris will bring her vocals to the stage of the Illinois Lottery Grandstand at 8 p.m. on Aug. 19. 

“We are so excited to start announcing our 2023 Illinois State Fair Grandstand lineup,”said Illinois State Fair Manager Rebecca Clark, in a statement. “To kick it all off with Maren Morris who brings hit after hit to our Illinois Lottery Grandstand Stage is a dream come true.”

More:Wells Fargo lays off 140 employees in its home lending division in Springfield

The fair, which runs from Aug. 10 through Aug. 20, will feature a series of acts and performances. On sale dates for tickets has yet to be determined. However, here are the ticket prices for the Morris concert:

• Tier 3: $50
• Tier 2: $58
• Tier 1: $68
• Standing room only track: $68
• Blue Ribbon Zone: $123

A $30 stage-side party ticket also is offered as an additional upgrade for all paid concerts. Tickets can be purchased at the Illinois State Fair Box Office and online.

© Provided by The Motley Fool
A young kid with dark glasses rocks out with a guitar.

© Provided by The Motley Fool
A young kid with dark glasses rocks out with a guitar.


Well, I’m back from Tamworth.

(What? You didn’t know I was there? You really should read more of my articles!)

For those not in the know, I headed up for 4 days with my young bloke for the Tamworth Country Music Festival.

And if you get the chance, please go and see Troy Cassar-Daley, The Bushwackers, John Williamson, and Colin Buchanan in concert. They were all fantastic, and highly recommended.

You know, there’s something about these sorts of events. The vibe was warm and friendly. Everyone is there to have a good time. There were plenty of coppers about, but I didn’t see a single issue.

It was just a great time.

Now, I could bang on (justifiably) about the beauty of our country, and (again) recommend you check it out as soon as you can, if and when you can.

And I do want to say thanks to those people who came up to say g’day, including Greg from Toyota, and Graham (aka Mr. Elvis).

But this isn’t about me.

It’s about some investing thoughts I had while I was away. They’re loosely related, but each stands alone.

First, I was reminded of the power of community and of ‘fans’. Not just for music, and not just country music. But for artists and businesses in general. If a business can create not just ‘users’ or ‘consumers’, but ‘fans’, they’re off to a very good start. And not just a good start, but a very good chance of continued business.

Greg said he loved working at Toyota, because the product was just so good, and that people in the country loved their Toyotas. (I agreed – we have a Prado and a Hilux!)

Most of the fans at the concerts I went to weren’t at their first Troy/John/Bushwackers/Colin concert. They knew the music, they’d seen the artists before, and they were back again.

See, fans aren’t just fans. They’re usually repeat customers.

Tesla knows all about fandom. So does Apple. And RM Williams. And Toyota.

That’s the beauty of fans. Customers buy once. Maybe twice. But with fans, you’ve usually got repeat customers. Potentially for years.

Next, the value of what some people call ‘discretionary effort’.

While I was at the Wallabadah coffee shop (‘Best Coffee outside of Italy’ apparently!), a group was discussing some plans they had for their community. I didn’t want to eavesdrop, so I didn’t hang around, but I could hear them discussing a plan for some sort of event or promotion.

Sure, this group might have been businesspeople who’d benefit from more exposure, or more people in town, but they were also trying to help the rest of the town. That’s ‘discretionary effort’.

In a business, it’s the extra effort that employees put in over and above the bare minimum required.

No, I’m not talking about exploitation – I’m talking about the extra effort that people make, usually when they believe in the mission or purpose of a company.

When they want their business to be successful, because they see the benefit for all parties.

I’ve worked in businesses with and without it, and while it’s not a guarantee, it’s a good indicator of potential business success.

The last thing that struck me while I was away was when my young bloke and I were discussing hotel room prices.

We had to shift hotels because he wanted to stay an extra day, and the one we were in was booked out.

Now, he’s 10, so I saved some of the detailed pricing lessons for another time, but he was interested in how and why different hotels charged different prices.

He gets the general relationship between price and quality, so he gathered that the ‘nicer’ hotels – in his world, they’re the ones with swimming pools! – charged more than the others.

And I explained that sometimes, like during the Country Music Festival, all of the hotels were full, but they weren’t full all year round.

And that was enough, for him, for now at least.

But it reminded me of the importance of really understanding a business’ economic model, especially when investing.

What costs are truly fixed? Which are fixed in the short-term, but can be flexed? And which costs are variable?

Having an understanding of those relationships can be really helpful, particularly when you’re thinking about cyclical businesses or those with fickle customer bases.

Which businesses will suffer during recessions? Which will be resilient?

When does a sales downturn become uncomfortable, and when does it threaten a company’s very viability?

And, for investors, how do you think about the right price to pay for those companies?

Now, there’s much more to investing than these three observations.

But, if you can put them together, and answer those questions with a degree of evidence-based confidence, I reckon you’re probably a decent way down the road.

A company with fans. Whose employees believe in the mission. And for which you understand the economic drivers and the impact on the bottom line.

If I was looking for a way to create a shortlist of potential investments, I reckon that’s a pretty good filter.

And seriously, get out into the regions. You’ll be glad you did.

Fool on!

The post What country music taught me about investing appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

Motley Fool contributor Scott Phillips has positions in Tesla. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Apple and Tesla. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long March 2023 $120 calls on Apple and short March 2023 $130 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Apple. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Multi-platinum recording artist Dierks Bentley will take the stage ahead of the 65th running of the Daytona 500, Sunday, Feb. 19, Daytona International Speedway announced Monday, Jan. 30.

The 14-time Grammy-nominated entertainer will perform a setlist of hit songs just before drivers take the green flag, signaling the start of the 2023 season and NASCAR’s 75th anniversary.

“I’m ready to get back to Daytona with all the biggest NASCAR fans,” Mr. Bentley said in a news release. “The energy there is unmatched and I know we will have a blast getting them ready for the race.”

A man with his own history at the World Center of Racing, Mr. Bentley has long been a favorite for NASCAR fans, previously performing at the 2011 Daytona 500 and during Speed Weeks in 2009. He most recently played before a NASCAR crowd at Phoenix Raceway in 2021. 

Now, the “Somewhere on a Beach” singer returns to perform the award-winning tune and other hit songs, just a little ways down the road from the beach where NASCAR first began.

In a career spanning more than two decades, Mr. Bentley has built an impressive discography, with his debut album producing an instant No. 1 single – the first of many. Since stepping onto the music scene, he has had multiple chart-topping albums, resulting in 21 No. 1 hits, 8 billion streams, three CMA Awards and 14 Grammy nominations. His success also earned him membership into the Grand Ole Opry – one of country music’s greatest honors.

Mr. Bentley is gearing up to release his 10th album, “Gravel & Gold,” marking another milestone in his impressive career. The album is set to arrive Feb. 24 of this year – just days after his performance at DIS.

“We’re honored to welcome Dierks back to the World Center of Racing,” said DIS President Frank Kelleher. “Having an entertainer who knows how to start a party, preforming at the 65th DAYTONA 500 and kicking off NASCAR’s 75th anniversary season, is a combination fit for a fantastic Sunday.”

Speed Week begins Wednesday, Feb. 15, with Daytona 500 Qualifying determining the front row for the Daytona 500. That’s followed up on Thursday, Feb. 16, with the Bluegreen Vacations Duel, where drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series battle it out for the chance to race on Sunday.

Friday sees the return of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in the Next Era Energy 250. Then, the racing continues with a double header on Saturday, Feb. 18, with the ARCA Menards Series Race, followed by the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner 300.

The concert will take place on pit road, visible from the grandstands, but fans with a UNOH Fanzone Pass can watch Mr. Bentley’s set up close. A special VIP add-on is available for fans who want an exclusive view of the concert in an area next to the stage. Purchase of Fanzone passes also grants access to driver and VIP appearances, a glimpse into the NASCAR Cup Series garages, up-close access to driver introductions and more. Fans who have already purchased a ticket to The Great American Race can upgrade to include the UNOH Fanzone package to their experience.

For more information, visit daytona500.com or call 800-PITSHOP.

Buck Owens was the country original from Sherman, Texas, who became known as one of the leading protagonists of the Bakersfield sound. From 1963-64 onwards, he was unstoppable with his sequence of hit singles and albums, and a reputation enhanced as the country star that The Beatles themselves covered, when Ringo Starr sang his 1963 country chart-topper “Act Naturally” on the Help! album.

But that consistent success didn’t arrive until Alvis Edgar Owens, as he was born in Sherman, Texas in 1929, was well into his 30s. Plenty of dues were paid before that, many of them after he relocated to California in 1951. He had three major country hits in 1959 and 1960, with “Under Your Spell Again,” “Above and Beyond,” and “Excuse Me (I Think I’ve Got A Heartache).”

Then, as his next substantial hit “Foolin’ Around” bounded into the country charts, Owens finally had an album to show off. Capitol released his self-titled debut LP in January 1961, though it included material that had been recorded as long ago as 1958. Nevertheless, the 12-track collection initiated the artist’s working relationship with producer Ken Nelson, who oversaw the set at Capitol’s famous studios with Virginia Stewart.

Listen to uDiscover Music’s Country Music In 20 Songs playlist.

Those first three hit singles were all included, though “Foolin’ Around” wasn’t, as singles were often given their own breathing space in the market in those days. Owens wrote six of the songs on his own and co-wrote all but one of the others, with that “Above and Beyond” hit (first recorded, unsuccessfully, by Wynn Stewart) being penned by another key man in Buck’s career, the prolific writer Harlan Howard. Within just seven months, the LP Buck Owens Sings Harlan Howard was on release, and in terms of album releases, Buck was making up for lost time.

Story continues

Buy or stream Buck Owens.

For the latest music news and exclusive features, check out uDiscover Music.

uDiscover Music is operated by Universal Music Group (UMG). Some recording artists included in uDiscover Music articles are affiliated with UMG.

Well damn, who knew they had this up their sleeve?

With all that down time in recent years, the backing band of Tyler Childers wasn’t just sitting there with their thumbs up their butts. Apparently they were busy writing and recording songs for their side project called “El Dorodo”—mind the ‘o’ instead of an ‘a’ for the traditional spelling of the term.

Just as yours truly was trying to get the full story behind a couple of singles released by El Dorodo recently, they hauled off and released an entire album on Friday, January 27th called Unincorporated.

Though you have to dig to find it, a Facebook page, Instagram page, and website confirm the identities of who is behind El Dorodo, and it is Foodstamps drummer Rod Elkins (shortened to “Rod”), bassist Craig “Hawk” Burletic (bob your head), and lead guitar/pedal steel guitarist James “Witchita” Barker. They’re joined by “Dangerous” Doug Woodward, who shares frontman/singing duties with Rod Elkins.

El Dorodo is country, and traditional country at that. But there is also a bit of a tongue-in-cheek approach to this project as can be seen in the video below, so don’t take them (or yourselves) too seriously. Yes, they have videos, and they even played a couple of shows on January 27th at The Basement in Nashville, and January 28th at The Burl in Lexington, Kentucky.

Up to this point, there has been absolutely no press or any other mention of this project aside from the band’s social media pages. It’s been 100% low-key, either on purpose, so that people stumble on it organically, or because like so many things these days, the press is just asleep at the wheel. Apparently they’ve been playing together for years, and have played multiple shows around Kentucky.

Running down the songwriters for the project, Rod Elkins and Doug Woodward handle the lion’s share of the writing, but Craig Burletic also lends one song, and the manager for Tyler Childers, Ian Thornton, co-writes a song as well. The only person missing from the classic Foodstamps lineup is “The Professor” Jesse Wells, but he played with them at the show at The Burl in Kentucky.

The band’s website says in part, “El Dorodo is all of these things and all of these things are Country music. El Dorodo appreciates, respects and loves all types of “good” music. You may hear aspects of these different genres represented in our music. We are fans first. Our hearts lie in Country/Western/Old Time music and culture. We represent true, honest Country music to be consumed by the masses and we do so with full hearts. Our aim is to get back to the basics of love…El Dorodo is country music.”

A proper review for this project will be forthcoming. But since there was no info out there in the world about El Dorodo, it seemed like someone needed to address it sooner than later. So here you go ladies and gentlemen: El Dorodo.

TRACK LIST:

1. Tell Me Why (Doug Woodward)
2. The Rose of San Antone (J. Baisden, Rod Elkins)
3. Whiskey, Women, and Wine (Doug Woodward)
4. I Get Around (Doug Woodward, Rod Elkins)
5. Don’t Break My Heart (Doug Woodward, Ian Thornton)
6. Bed of Roses (Craig Burletic)
7. Like The Others (Rod Elkins)
8. Dreamin’ Man’s Blues (Doug Woodward)
9. Life of Sin (Doug Woodward)
10. Cowboys/Cowgirls (Rod Elkins)

This story has been updated.