On the dayplanner

Friday is March's Country Day, featuring Willie Nelson, Taylor Swift, Pirates of the Mississippi, Cowboy Troy and more. So be here. Or bring me a beer.

JR's Songwriting Tip of the Week #2

Man, you gotta live the song. That's the only way you can get to the meat of it and make people believe you're living the same life they are. Like "Shutting Detroit Down" which is currently knocking on the door of the top 10 at this very moment as we speak... I'm as pissed as the next red-blooded American about all these rich smartass guys screwing around and doing as they please and getting away with it. Lost jobs? I'm there buddy... I got fired from mowing the local park when I was in high school and Lord almighty that sucked! -JR

(Not actually written by John Rich)

Fun With Charts & Graphs

Yes, a two-fer of new posts for Wednesday. Don't get used to it. ;)

Click for a closer view.

Concept by CM of Country California.

JR's Songwriting Tip of the Week

Wanna write a hit song? Just ask yourself: what would JR do? Then, by God, get in there and do it. Johnny Cash would say to take the bull by the horns and bring something to the table that nobody has before. Something nobody's ever considered before, like Gretchen Wilson. I discovered her... no actually, I'm her dad, no actually I gave birth to her myself. -JR

(not actually written by John Rich)

___ Deserves a Sackpunch

Here's the first in a new series where I rant about wrongs in music and music-related areas. "Sackpunch" is obviously figurative in many cases.

1. Whoever Keeps Signing Guy and Girl Country Groups
Ever since Little Big Town hit it medium, every record company has rushed out their own set of cute young co-eds who can harmonize and called 'em country. Lady Antebellum, while not in my collection, is obviously talented and have a lot of good songs in them. Little Big Town has vocal chops but their song choices have been anywhere from dull to moderately catchy. Things will only become more watered down from here though (oh too late... Gloriana), so let's stop now before I get angry. The herd mentality is what got y'all in the unenviable position you're in today, record companies.

2. Kurt & Layne Wannabes
It's been 17 years since grunge destroyed hair metal and changed mainstream rock music as we know it. Some would say that's a good thing, but I'm sure all would agree that an endless line of watered down Alice in Chains and Nirvana copycraps was not what Kurt Cobain or Layne Staley had in mind. Don't get me wrong... I enjoyed the originators and some of the followers but this sound is way past its sell-by date. Why does every dude singer sound like they've got throbbing hemorrhoids and no pillow to sit on? It's got to end (pun intended). Maybe there will be a new hair metal revolution to put an end to all the angst and grunting! Okay, maybe not.

3. Chuck Wicks
I'm afraid a sackpunch, in this case, might be a swing and a whiff... if you know what I'm sayin'.

4. Every Emo Kid
I thought emo was over in '05, but apparently not, judging by all the flophaired rats I've seen at the mall lately. I actually call a moratorium on the look and lifestyle moreso than the music. Go away, dark, teary wusses and wussettes. Life may suck but you suck harder.