The Country Music Times

09/13/2025

Waylon Jennings wasn’t just a country singer, he was a force of nature. That outlaw grit in his voice made every lyric believable, like he’d lived each line himself. You didn’t just hear Waylon’s songs, you stepped right into them.

He refused to be part of the Nashville machine, choosing instead to blaze his own trail. Alongside Willie Nelson and Jessi Colter, he built the Outlaw Country sound, proving that real country didn’t need polish, just truth. Tracks like “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way” weren’t simply hits, they were declarations, shaking the industry at its core.

And once Waylon’s baritone finds its way into your veins, there’s no turning back. Every dusty road, late-night drive, or sunset on the porch feels a little empty without his voice rolling through the speakers.

I’m not knocking anyone who hasn’t caught on yet, but I can’t help but hope they do. Because to me, country music without Waylon is like Texas without its open horizon, it just wouldn’t feel whole.

09/12/2025

Somewhere along the way, a lot of what’s coming out of Nashville swapped out its soul for sleek production and empty slogans. The drum machines got louder, the stories got quieter and the heart of country music? It got buried under polish and PR.
But country was never about sparkle and perfect pitch. It was about truth, plain and gritty. Songs about heartbreak and healing, hard work and hard times, Saturday nights and Sunday mornings. It didn’t need auto-tune to hit home. It needed a steel guitar, a lived-in voice, and a lyric that cut deep.
The legends Hank, Loretta, Merle, George, Waylon, Willie, they didn’t sing to impress. They sang to survive. Their songs weren’t just heard, they were felt. They took you somewhere, down dusty roads, into smoky barrooms, riding shotgun through the mess and beauty of real life.
We’re not asking to turn back the clock, Nashville. We’re just asking for music with a backbone again. Songs for the truckers and teachers, the farmers and fry cooks, the ones who live paycheck to paycheck and still find a reason to smile.

Bring back the grit. Bring back the stories. Bring back the truth.
Because without that? You’re just playing background noise in a cowboy hat.

09/12/2025

US Vice President JD Vance served as a pallbearer for Charlie Kirk, a gesture that underscored the weight of the loss for many.

Vice President JD Vance carried Charlie Kirk's casket aboard Air Force Two as Usha Vance comforted widow Erika, marking an emotional tribute after Kirk's assassination.

09/12/2025

The Emmys will shine plenty of lights, but the spotlight belongs to Vince Gill and Lainey Wilson. Their performance promises heartbreak that no one will forget.

Lainey Wilson and Vince Gill will perform "Go Rest High on That Mountain" during the 2025 Emmy Awards In Memoriam, delivering country's most emotional moment of the night.

09/12/2025

The man accused of killing Charlie Kirk has been arrested. Officials say his own family convinced him to turn himself in.

President Trump confirms the suspect in Charlie Kirk's fatal shooting is in custody after his father and a minister persuaded him to surrender, ending the manhunt.

09/12/2025

Johnny Cash’s friends did not sugarcoat him in death. They wrote about faith, failure, and fight, and that is why their eulogies still matter.

Johnny Cash's friends Bob Dylan, Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson, and more shared heartfelt eulogies that revealed the truth, grit, and eternal legacy of the Man in Black.

09/12/2025

Remembering the Man in Black is easy because Johnny Cash never left us. His songs still cut deep and his lessons still echo through America.

Decades after his death, Johnny Cash's influence still burns bright through his love with June, his raw American Recordings, and the Man in Black's fearless truth.

09/12/2025

SHE'S THE VOICE OF GENERATION AND THE SOUL BEHIND COUNTLESS ANTHEMS: HAPPIEST BIRTHDAY TO THE UNSTOPPABLE KELSEA BALLERINI!

Happy Birthday to Kelsea Ballerini, a true powerhouse in modern country music. Born on September 12, 1993, in Mascot, Tennessee, Kelsea discovered her gift for songwriting at the age of 12 and moved to Nashville at just 15 to chase her dream. By 19, she had signed with Black River Entertainment, and soon after, she made history when her debut single Love Me Like You Mean It soared to No. 1 on the Country Airplay chart, making her one of the few women to achieve such a feat with a debut release.

Since then, her career has been marked by incredible success. With Grammy nominations, CMA and ACM nods, and two ACM Awards under her belt, she has firmly established herself as one of country music’s most influential artists. Her heartfelt lyrics and unique blend of country and pop have won over fans worldwide, and in 2019 she was officially inducted into the Grand Ole Opry, a dream for any country artist.

Her latest chapter is just as exciting. In October 2024, she released her fifth studio album Patterns, which became her first to reach No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. The lead single Cowboys Cry Too, a duet with Noah Kahan, has earned her nominations across the CMAs, ACMs, and even the Grammys. Looking ahead, she is set to make her debut as a coach on Season 27 of The Voice and is preparing to headline her first arena tour in 2025.

Today, we celebrate not just Kelsea’s birthday, but her incredible journey, an artist who continues to grow, inspire, and bring heart to country music.

09/12/2025

SOME ARTISTS MAKE HITS, JOHNNY CASH MADE HISTORY: HIS DEATH ANNIVERSARY IS A REMINDER THAT TRUE COUNTRY SOULS NEVER DIE!

Today marks the anniversary of the passing of Johnny Cash (February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003), a towering figure whose voice, style, and spirit changed country music forever. Known as “The Man in Black,” Cash sang for the poor, the broken, and the forgotten, making his songs timeless anthems of truth and redemption.

Cash’s career spanned nearly five decades, with classics like “I Walk the Line,” “Ring of Fire,” and “Folsom Prison Blues.” His legendary prison concerts at Folsom and San Quentin became iconic moments in music history, proving that country could reach far beyond traditional boundaries. Over his lifetime, he sold more than 90 million records worldwide and was honored with 13 Grammy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award. He is one of the few artists inducted into the Country Music, Rock and Roll, and Gospel Halls of Fame, a rare and remarkable achievement.

Behind the legend was a man of deep faith and struggle, whose music reflected both pain and hope. On September 12, 2003, Johnny Cash passed away from diabetes-related complications, just four months after losing his beloved wife, June Carter.

Though he’s gone, his songs still echo, reminding us that real country music tells the truth.

09/12/2025

Mitchell Ferguson put grief into a song, and it sounds like it was written in one sitting. Lines like “cause something that he said made someone mad” feel more like a cry than a lyric.

Texas country singer Mitchell Ferguson honors Charlie Kirk with a tragically beautiful ballad written after Kirk's assassination, turning grief into a moving tribute.

09/12/2025

GEORGE JONES MAY BE GONE, BUT HIS VOICE IS ETERNAL: CELEBRATING THE POSSUM ON HIS HEAVENLY BIRTHDAY!

Today we celebrate the birthday of one of the greatest voices to ever grace country music, George Jones (born September 12, 1931). Known as “The Possum” and later “No Show Jones” for his infamous struggles with missed concerts, George rose above those battles to become the gold standard for country singing. His rich, emotive voice could break hearts with songs like “He Stopped Loving Her Today” widely hailed as the greatest country song of all time.

Throughout his career, Jones recorded more than 160 charted singles, earned multiple CMA and ACM Awards, and in 1992, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He collaborated with legends such as Tammy Wynette, Merle Haggard, and Willie Nelson, leaving behind a legacy of songs that defined traditional country music.

Even through personal struggles, his music never lost its soul. George lived a life that was as raw and real as the songs he sang. Sadly, he passed away on April 26, 2013, due to hypoxic respiratory failure, at the age of 81.

Today, fans everywhere remember George Jones not only as a singer but as the very heart of country music. His voice will never be replaced.

09/12/2025

When folks say old country, they’re talking about the kind of music that carried truth in every lyric and steel in every note. That’s Hank Williams pouring out his soul, Patsy Cline singing with unmatched heartbreak, George Jones making you feel every ounce of pain, and Merle Haggard giving voice to the working man. Those songs weren’t just entertainment; they were reflections of real life, written and sung by people who lived what they sang about.

There’s a certain honesty in old country that today’s sound often misses. Back then, the music didn’t need smoke, mirrors, or flashy production. It relied on storytelling, emotion, and instruments that gave you goosebumps, fiddles, steel guitars, and voices that cracked just enough to make it human.

When you say you love country music and mean the old kind, I get it completely. It’s not about dismissing everything new, it’s about honoring the roots and keeping alive the sound that built the foundation for the genre. That timeless spirit is what makes old country more than just music, it’s a legacy that can’t be replaced.