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Mike Sudhalter  |  May 11, 2012

How would you like it if someone judged you by your silliest moment and that was your musical and cultural legacy for nearly two decades, until your child eclipsed your fame with a musical career of their own? Meet Billy Ray Cyrus. He was a very talented country artist who got pigeon-holed into [...]

Continue reading "The Real Billy Ray Cyrus"

Mike Sudhalter  |  May 8, 2012

Some genres shouldn't be cross-collaborated upon, most specifically Heavy Metal and Polka, but Country and Dixieland Jazz -- both products of the southern United States - are a little more compatible. The legendary Oak Ridge Boys have always had wonderful harmonies, and they recently [...]

Continue reading "Oak Ridge Boys show creativity on new project"

Mike Sudhalter  |  May 1, 2012

Country music doesn't have too many of them, so it's kind of fun when a controversy pops up in the genre. This one revolved around Eric Church, who bills himself as a new-outlaw type of artist, criticized music reality television shows. It set off a firestorm of criticism, most [...]

Continue reading "Eric Church: Drink in His Hand, Foot in His Mouth"

Mike Sudhalter  |  April 29, 2012

It's very rare that you see a country singer, especially a younger one, go from pop-country to traditional, but that's exactly what Kellie Pickler has done with her most recent album, "100 Proof." She leaves no doubt about that when she starts the album with a song called [...]

Continue reading "Kellie Pickler's Traditional Sound"

Mike Sudhalter  |  April 27, 2012

One of my favorite country songs is creative, catchy and classic and based on a real life person (but not a true story) -- "Wolverton Mountain." I first discovered the song on one of those television commercials for a classic country compilation, and I've loved it ever since. [...]

Continue reading "Happy Birthday, Wolverton Mountain!"

Mike Sudhalter  |  April 25, 2012

George Strait recorded a song in the 1980's called "Love Comes From The Other Side Of Town." On Tuesday, two of the best releases in the countrymusic-sphere came from outside of Nashville. Sure, I can't wait to hear the full albums of Kip Moore and Lee Brice, but if [...]

Continue reading "Dean Brody, Josh Abbott represent their regions well"

Mike Sudhalter  |  April 18, 2012

Ok, so "Next To You, Next To Me" is one of my favorite country songs of all time. And it seems like the song is getting quite a resurgence. Not only did Rascal Flatts record it as a bonus track on their new album, titled "Banjo", but Marty Raybon of Shenandoah cut a [...]

Continue reading "Next To You, Next To Me revisited"

Mike Sudhalter  |  April 8, 2012

A lot of country singers enjoy performing rock or pop cover songs, but few of them do it as well as Casey Donahew Band. Donahew showed his talents and versatility on Matchbox 20's "3 A.M." and the Black Crowes' "Hard to Handle." But the Fort Worth area native is [...]

Continue reading "Casey Donahew rocks Sam Houston Race Park"

Mike Sudhalter Hello, country music fans near and far. My name is Mike Sudhalter and I've been a dedicated country music journalist, fan and observer since the mid 1990s. I hail from suburban Boston (Sharon, Mass.) where I took a lot of ribbing from friends and classmates over the twang.

I wrote my first article for Country Standard Time in the summer of 1998 (reviewing a Lee Ann Womack concert at Indian Ranch) and have since written for several publications, both local, regional and national.

I look forward to sharing my thoughts and opinions on trends, developments and events in the world of country music. Feel free to email me your thoughts and feedback.

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