Articles By: Jim Simpson

Jim is a music critic and award-winning fiction writer. A native of the wilds of Florida's Gulf Coast, he now resides on the scruffy outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia. His musical taste spans all genres: Bluegrass, Americana, Classic Country, Alternative Country, Western Swing, Blues, Classical, Rock 'n' Roll, Punk, Reggae, Klezmer, and British Isles Folk (to name but a few). He once sang Happy Birthday (with about 10,000 other people) to Joni Mitchell, and has seen such legends as Miles Davis, The Incredible Jimmy Smith, Rockpile, Blue Rodeo, King Sunny Ade, Elvis Costello and Bob Dylan live in concert. Jim occasionally contributes essays to the writers collective, TheNervousBreakdown.com, and has been at work on his first novel for longer than he originally planned. It should be in bookstores some time before his death.

Contest Giveaway: Signed Copies of Marty Stuart’s Ghost Train

That’s right, we’re giving away TWO copies of Marty Stuart’s critically acclaimed Ghost Train: The Studio B Sessions which just hit the streets Aug. 24. (Three sample tracks are included at the bottom of the page.) Oh, and they’re both signed by Marty Stuart himself. Drop us a line at Contests[AT]CountryMusicPride.com...

August 25th, 2010 | Contests, Features, Music | Read More

Contest Giveaway: Pete Seeger’s new CD

The great Satchel Paige famously said, “Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” This definitely holds true for the indomitable Pete Seeger. He’s seen it all and done so much for so many people. Always a champion of the working class, of civil rights, of...

August 19th, 2010 | Contests, Features, Music | Read More

Contest Giveaway: Signed copy of Rosanne Cash memoir, Composed

We were fortunate enough to meet up with Rosanne Cash backstage at a recent performance/reading at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia, and she was gracious enough to sign a couple of copies of her book for us despite our incoherent and fawning blather. One book will go into our archives and the...

August 18th, 2010 | Contests, Features, Music | Read More

Book Review: Rosanne Cash – Composed (a memoir)

Rosanne Cash, firstborn child of country music icon Johnny Cash and his first wife Vivian, was a writer long before she became a musician, singer and songwriter. A light went on with the assignment of a seventh-grade English project for which she created an original metaphor. When revisiting that moment...

July 26th, 2010 | Features | Read More

The Infamous Stringdusters Fly High

With fingers flying across acoustic strings and a sound blending the finest traditions of American bluegrasss with the aesthetic sensibilities of the contemporary music, the Infamous Stringdusters embody today’s young, hip bluegrass scene. And with the release of their third album, Things That Fly,...

July 19th, 2010 | Features, Interviews | Read More

Charlie Louvin – Hickory Wind: Live at the Gram Parsons Guitar Pull, Waycross, GA – (Tompkins Square Records)

This review comes on the heels of some unfortunate news, as Charlie Louvin was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. At 83 years of age, Mr. Louvin is expected to make a full recovery after surgery on the 22nd of this month, two days after the release of this album. When we spoke with him recently...

July 16th, 2010 | Album Reviews, Music | Read More

Merle Haggard: Country Music Traditionalist, Internet Prophet

In April 2010, Merle Haggard’s latest album, I Am What I Am hit stores and radio stations around the nation. Amid the smooth, polished, heavily produced (some would say overly-produced) opus of much of the modern Nashville sound, I Am What I Am was like a revelation — a voice and sound that seemed...

July 16th, 2010 | Features, Interviews | Read More

Those Darlins Summer/Fall Tour Schedule

Here’s their full schedule through the first of October, so you have no excuses not to get out and see these snaggle-tooth mamas kick some serious ass at a dive bar, road house, or art museum (?) near you. C’mon, you know you want to see ‘em live and in person! Maybe Kelley will jump...

June 23rd, 2010 | Artists, Features, Tours | Read More

Spotlight on Megan McCormick – “Honest Words”

Out of the wilds of Idaho and Alaska, Megan McCormick has settled in Nashville. Her fiery debut, Honest Words, hits you from the opener, “Shiver”, a down-and-dirty song of obsession and addiction, and never lets up. McCormick packs quite a punch with her gorgeous and powerful voice (somewhere between...

June 21st, 2010 | Features, Interviews | Read More

Jim Avett Talks About Family, Nashville, New CD “Tribes”

When asked about his plans for Father’s Day, Jim Avett simply said, “Not a thing. There’s nothing special about Father’s Day as far as I’m concerned. I get the gift of being a daddy every day.” If you’re ever lucky enough to spend an hour talking with this...

June 19th, 2010 | Favorites, Features, Interviews | Read More

Win Free Copies of Mary Chapin Carpenter’s New CD!

We love Mary Chapin Carpenter’s new CD, The Age of Miracles. Judging by the emails we’ve gotten here and the many comments over at our No Depression page, fans are also excited. In case you missed it, people are saying wonderful things about her music: …a mostly quiet album, yet luckily...

June 19th, 2010 | Contests, Features | Read More

12 Questions with Derek Hoke

Twelve is an iconic number. There were the 12 Tribes of Israel, there are 12 eggs in a dozen, and 12-step programs. Twelve is also a sublime mathematical number, there are 12 signs of the zodiac, 12 disciples of Christ, 12 months in a year, 12 strikes to a perfect game in bowling . . . we could go on...

June 13th, 2010 | Favorites, Features, Interviews | Read More

Mary Chapin Carpenter – The Age of Miracles – (Zoe/Rounder Records)

Five-time Grammy Award winner Mary Chapin Carpenter is lucky to be alive. She suffered a pulmonary embolism back in 2007 and nearly died. From the first strummed acoustic chords on her newest effort, The Age of Miracles, we suddenly realize we are the lucky ones, fortunate enough to be treated to her...

June 13th, 2010 | Album Reviews, Features | Read More

Nashville Scene: How NOT to Act at Bonnaroo

Middle Tennessee is the place to be. Yes, the Big B. Bonnaroo. For those of you who’ve been living Eric Rudolph-style in caves off the grid for the past few years, the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is a four-day, multi-stage camping festival held on a beautiful 700-acre farm in Manchester,...

June 10th, 2010 | Artists, Features, News | Read More

Billboard Features Jewel’s Cover of Neil Young’s “The Needle and the Damage Done”

Jewel covers Neil Young In support of her new album, Sweet and Wild, and as part of this week’s Mashup Mondays series on Billboard.com, Jewel covered Neil Young’s “The Needle and the Damage Done.” Jewel “puts a feminine, breathy, melancholy-but-gentle twist on the Canadian rock...

June 9th, 2010 | Features, News | Read More

NBC News Anchor Brian Williams A Big Deer Tick Fan

BREAKING NEWS! This just in, NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams is a huge Deer Tick fan — he considers them to be “a great band.” (OK, so this isn’t “breaking news” — we just couldn’t resist.) Back in April, Williams interviewed Deer Tick on MSNBC’s...

June 8th, 2010 | Artists, Features, News | Read More

Imelda May – Love Tattoo – (Verve Forecast)

Dublin-born rockabilly sensation Imelda May is further proof that the Irish are the European torchbearers of soul. Backed by a band that includes her husband Darrel Higham on guitar, she alternately growls, shouts, purrs and croons on Love Tattoo, her first major-label release. (Her debut, No Turning...

June 6th, 2010 | Album Reviews, Features | Read More

Ray LaMontagne to Release Fourth Album

Ray LaMontagne admitted during an episode of Elvis Costello’s Spectacle talk show on the Sundance Channel, that he doesn’t like being the center of attention and never wanted to be on stage. “If I didn’t have to do it I wouldn’t do it.” Luckily for us, he is compelled...

June 4th, 2010 | Artists, Features, News, Release Dates | Read More

John Prine – In Person & On Stage – (Oh Boy Records)

John Prine is a national treasure. No one writes and sings quite like he does. His wry, poetic genius spills over with the precise amount of irreverence needed to pull his fans through hard times. One line can be the funniest thing in the world, followed by a quietly heartbreaking image. His smiling...

June 1st, 2010 | Album Reviews, Features | Read More

Declan McGarry – Self-Titled Debut – (LT Records)

Declan McGarry is obsessed with summertime and being seventeen again. That’s what you might think on on the opening “Summer Heat” and subsequent songs like “Seventeen” and “Summers of My Life.” But hold on. This 25-year-old Canadian who hails from Winnipeg —...

May 22nd, 2010 | Album Reviews, Features | Read More