John Anderson began to score hits in the early 1980s by embracing his thrilling idiosyncrasies as a singer. He has died at age 71.
Jewly Hight
Music critic and journalist Jewly Hight has been based in Nashville for two decades. Often, she's interpreted developments in Nashville's music communities and industries for a national audience. Her work has appeared on NPR and in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, New York Magazine/Vulture, The Guardian, Billboard, The Oxford American, Slate and numerous other outlets, and she's lent her expertise to a number of podcasts and documentaries. Hight landed her first book deal while studying religion, gender, sexuality, music and the South at Vanderbilt Divinity School, she was the inaugural winner of the Chet Flippo Award for Excellence in Country Music Journalism and she helped launch WNXP as its Editorial Director in 2020. Now Senior Music Writer for Nashville Public Radio, and working with a diverse Nashville audience in mind, she's created the organization's first limited podcast series focused on music, "Making Noise."
When the White Bluff Screamer and a werewolf preyed in the Tennessee darkness
Around campfires in Dickson County people tell passed-down tales of two local cryptids — one a werewolf and the other the White Bluff Screamer.
The evolution of country music videos | Key Changes
Music videos for country acts have evolved. Jewly Hight looks into the impact of director Trey Fanjoy, and learns about the new approaches being carried out by Ford Fairchild.
The record-breaking, genre-melting, career-redefining evolution of Miranda Lambert
Lambert started out as a scrappy country singer with a me-against-the-world attitude. How did she end up making lush disco songs and writing one of the biggest pop hits of the year?
Ode to Joy (Oladokun), whose new album is no light affair
Joy Oladokun’s new album is called “Hope is a Heavy Thing.” And to my ears, it’s a culminating work. She’s decisively and vividly laying out her ethic, outlook and identity as an artist.
Have you heard the one about the Indian-American New Yorker who jokes about her redneck roots?
Pooja Reddy is debuting her country cabaret show with the mischievous, insult-upending title “Pooja Reddy is White Trash.”
Key Changes: Under Americana’s big tent
In its 26th year, Americana Fest is well established. At the same time, the industry is perpetually in flux and the lineup is nothing if not a big tent.
Summer Joy didn’t know her jam session would win over a rap star
When Rod Wave’s new album “Don’t Look Down” dropped on Aug. 28, it opened with a showcase of Summer Joy’s voice.
Pushed out of Christian pop, Michael Passons reclaims an old hit as an affirming anthem
The premiere of a new documentary, “Safe For the Whole Family: How to Make a Christian Superstar,” was just announced for the Nashville Film Festival. It explores damaging treatment several former Christian pop stars received as they charted careers through their industry’s inextricably intertwined commercial and evangelistic priorities and its exacting image standards.
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