by Kevin Burton Did I dream this? I only saw it once. I mean, I think I saw it once. Did you see this? I thought I saw on Facebook, the first news about changing the name of the Nashville airport to honor Dolly Parton, who died Aug. 25 was something along the …
Category Archives: country music
Dolly Parton: One Thing Americans Agreed On
by Robin Levinson-Kingand and Sheila Flynn BBC Dolly Parton was a lot of things – a country musician, a philanthropist, an actress, a storyteller and a businesswoman. One thing she never was, however, was a politician. But don’t think it’s because no one asked her. In 1999, during an appearance on the talk …
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Country Music Icon Dolly Parton Dies At 80
by Kevin Burton Sometimes at the movies, the writers ask you to suspend disbelief. For one 70s song, I couldn’t do it. The song is “Jolene” by Dolly Parton. In a quivering delivery, Dolly begs this Jolene character, “please don’t take my man.” I just never could buy that. I thought, …
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Blogging And Trying To Cure A 7-Year Ache
by Kevin Burton So I missed my window. Again. As Stockard Channing’s character Betty Rizzo sang in “Grease,” “there are worse things I could do….” This here blog, Page 7, turned seven years old July 20 and I didn’t usher it into year eight properly, with a birthday post. One reason was …
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Is Ringo’s New Record Better Than Paul’s
by Kevin Burton I’ve had a ton of fun writing about pop music on Page 7. But I have juuuuust about talked myself out of the notion that I am any kind of knowledgeable, creditable music critic. And I’m getting close to swearing off all music critics. I mean, we like what we …
Ain’t She A Beautiful Sight? ‘Convoy’ Turns 50
by Kevin Burton With its march to number one, inexorable as the steamrolling force of the trucks it portrayed, “Convoy” by C.W. McCall ruled the radio road 50 years ago today. Ruled both lanes, the pop lane and the country lane – double number one. But make no mistake, Convoy is a …
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Farewell To The Meathead, Closing Credits
by Kevin Burton I’m supposed to be good with words, but sometimes there just aren’t any. I’m having trouble expressing my distress at the violent death of Actor/Director Rob Reiner. Reiner and his wife Michele were found dead Sunday and their son Nick is now facing two counts of murder. Sadness, disbelief, anger, …
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I Love A Rainy Night And I Like Eddie Rabbitt
by Kevin Burton If you’re like most people, when you think of a nice day, you’re thinking about picnic weather, right? Well I’m not like most people. My nice days have a soundtrack to them. I am a son of the Midwest. What you call spring and summer, I call tornado season. …
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Georgia (And Ray Charles) On My Mind
by Kevin Burton Whether in jazz, blues, pop or country, the late great Ray Charles was not just comfortable but masterful. Somebody asks you, “quick who was Ray Charles?” You’re probably going to say he was a soul singer. You wouldn’t be entirely wrong but he didn’t see himself that way. He …
We Watched Our Culture On Our Radios
by Kevin Burton The love we all had for radio and the vibrant world it brought to us, made it well worth risking the wrath of parents. All of us have stories of hiding that transistor radio under our pillows, trying to be quiet so our parents wouldn’t know we were still awake. …