Tennessee Posts
Southern Gospel Icon Dottie Rambo Dies in Crash
Southern Gospel singer-songwriter Joyce "Dottie" Rambo died early this morning (May 11, 2008) when the bus she was in ran read more...
New Features, Capricorn Records, Southern Rock Lists
We are happy to add a couple of new ongoing features here at GRITZ. The first is our
Eddy Arnold Dead at 89
Eddy Arnold died this morning (May 8, 2008) in Tennessee. The Country Music Hall of Famer was 89 years old.
Tom Waits Glitter And Doom Tour Dates (Mostly Southern)
Tom Waits Glitter And Doom Tour Dates Mostly Southern 5/6/08
Charlie and Hazel Daniels Honored by Cumberland University
SEC Football Update, Memphis Style!
Ron Higgins was on fire over the weekend. He's one of the best writers about SEC football newspaper writers outside of Tony read more...
The Legends of Southern Rock, a Guide
Greetings from Carolina. We are happy to present our new
Why Swampland Sports Loves the BCS
Despite winning back to back national titles in football, the SEC susre seems to hate the BCS. Lately, this hatred has been read more...
Post - NFL Draft Newspaper Wrap Up
We found this article from a week or so back that is about NFL Network being
New CD Reviews: Jackson Rohm, Beat Daddys and Mighty Handful
Well, it's 50 degrees at 6:15 PM here in Greenville. Tell me again what the date is? Of course, it was almost 80 degrees yesterday, read more...
SPF's NFL Draft First Round Log (Live All Day!!)
read more...
Rick Godfrey Returning to Upstate South Carolina
Former Garfeel Ruff guitarist
Snowflakes: Jake Long Goes #1 (and Other 2008 NFL Draft Thoughts)
The NFL Draft is this Saturday, and some of our Southern teams appear to hold the key to the most important non-gameday of the year. read more...
Why I Love Bonnie Bramlett
I remember reading about Delaney and
Charlie Daniels' GRITZ Guest Blog; Memories of Toy Caldwell
We are happy to present our second Guest Blog, this read more...
Vintage GRITZ Articles Unearthed; Hatchet, Skynyrd, Tucker, Ricky Skaggs and More
It's time once again to add a few more Vintage Gritz articles to the archives, and I hope you'll check 'em out for a "blast from read more...
Snowflakes: What Are SEC Football Critics Going To Do Now?
With spring football in full gear, it’s never too early to look ahead to the upcoming season. We at Swampland have focused many read more...
Ex-Trick Pony Singer Heidi is Back to Rock Your World
I always loved Trick Pony, and had the chance to see them up close and personal several times during the annual
Outward Bound
“The eye and mind would be functioning as a camera. The writing would be selective and necessarily interpretive—but once read more...
Billy Bob Thornton's Boxmasters Signed to Vanguard
Billy Bob Thornton and The Boxmasters have signed read more...
Dickinson's Eats & Dylan's Prize
Bob Dylan Wins Pulitzer Prize & Jim Dickinson's Best On The Road Eating 4/7/08
A Shot of the Blues
A Daily Dose of Authenticity...Keith Richards...James Burton...MLK...Widespread Panic...The Black Crowes...Jim Dickinson...
The Legacy of Ardent Records
The Legacy of Ardent Records 4/2/08
Montgomery Gentry Have a Hot New Album On the Way
"Back When I Knew It All" has been
Shooter Jennings Rocking On Video
I just spent an hour on YouTube listening to some mighty great music. In keeping with my
The Lost Shooter Jennings Interview
Shooter Jennings rocks. There's no doubt about it. read more...
Snowflakes: Southern Sweet 16
Here a quick primer for our teams in this weekend’s NCAA Tournament. East – This is read more...
Lady Antebellum Rocks Their Country with Free Download
In keeping with our mission to bring together the best read more...
Snowflakes: Tar Heels are the Tourney's Favorite
The best postseason in sports is upon us with the NCAA Tournament beginning. Brackets will soon be ruined as productivity takes a read more...
Snowflakes: Why SEC Hoops is No Longer Just Kentucky
With Mississippi and Florida both dropping first round games in the conference tournament, the SEC contingent for the Big Dance seems read more...
Snowflakes: Small Conference Hoops Does the Footprint Proud
It’s the most exciting time of the year for many of the smaller schools around our region. Their conferences tournaments have read more...
Snowflakes: Conference USA's Mediocrity is True Source of Calipari's Frustration
Memphis has their sights set on the Big Dance and the Final Four as they cruise through another C-USA Tournament at home. When the read more...
Midnight in the Garden of Good Southern Rock: Late Night Tea & TV
I love it when things like this happen. I was sitting up late tonight writing, as I often do. Beside me a nice hot cup of read more...
The Dickinson's Mojo & The Black Crowes' Voodoo
Mystery & Manners Investigates The Mojo of The Dickinson Family & The Black Crowes' Voodoo 3/11/02
Volunteer Jam to Feature 38 Special, Shooter Jennings, with Hosts CDB
On April 11th, The Volunteer Jam 2008 Tour kicks off. This year's dates will feature our friends The Charlie Daniels Band, 38 Special read more...
John Rich is Recording a Big Solo Album
I am really intrigued with John Rich. I just finished watching the finale of his CMT reality show Gone read more...
Snowflakes: Small Conference Hoops
* It will be quite a battle this weekend in the Big South for the coveted automatic berth to the Big Dance. North Carolina-Asheville read more...
Snowflakes: SEC Hoops
* I’ve written all season about the banner year for basketball in the state of Tennessee. The two best teams in the league read more...
Snowflakes: C-USA/Big East Hoops
* Well, it finally happened. The 47-game home winning streak and the perfect record on the season ended for Memphis last Saturday read more...
Black History Month: Look Back, but Move Forward
“Look back but move forward” was the credo of civil rights activist
Snowflakes: #1 vs #2
Water, Water, Everywhere, Nor Any Drop To Drink
Today the New York Times ran an article entitled
Little Richard Gets Standing Ovation at Ryman
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- It's a standing ovation for rock 'n' roll pioneer Little Richard -- and he read more...
Blackfoot is Our Latest "Legends of Southern Rock" Entry
"Highway Song" and "Train, Train," "Gimmie, Gimmie, Gimmie" and "Wishing Well"- all of these read more...
Snowflakes: Small Conference Hoops
We often focus on teams that reach the dream of an NCAA tournament or special players who make the NBA, but sometimes it’s just read more...
New CD's from Delaney, Bonnie and Whitlock
This may be the only time in history that the stars have lined up like this. Literally. If you check out the GRITZ CD read more...
Snowflakes: Big East Hoops
Louisville got a monster win last Saturday night when they knocked off first place Georgetown. The Cardinals are playing much better read more...
A Night to Remember at The Bluebird in Nashville
It was a night to remember at Nashville's famed Bluebird Cafe on February 1st as Tim Krekel performed songs from his read more...
Jim Dickinson On The Line
Mystery & Manners Interview With Memphis Legend Jim Dickinson 2/9/08
Ryan Bingham Gets Help From Ford
Marc Ford & Son Join Texas Songwriter Ryan Bingham In the South 2/9/08
Weekend Notes and Tom Dowd On Ronnie Van Zant
I really hope everyone is enjoying the new look of GRITZ, as well as our “Mothership” Swampland.com. The powers that be read more...
John Rich to Release Big Solo Album
John Rich, who along with Big Kenny Alphin makes up genre-bending duo Big & Rich, will release a solo album later this year on read more...
Snowflakes: SEC Hoops
* The Kentucky Wildcats finally look to be playing the kind of winning ball that Big Blue fans expect. It took a while to adjust to read more...
Snowflakes: Smaller Conference Hoops
One mid-major club that higher seeded teams will not want to see in the Big Dance is Davidson from the Southern Conference. The read more...
Adventures In The (Pig) Skin Trade On Super Bowl Sunday
Roving Notes On Super Bowl Sunday 2/3/08
Snowflakes: SEC Hoops
by Patrick Snow * Someone forgot to tell 2-time National Champion Florida that they were supposed to struggle this read more...
Lest We Forget: Four Spirits
January 30, 2008, marked the 60th anniversary of the assassination of India’s political and spiritual leader
From The Archives: Our Interview with Lonnie Mack
It's time for another new post from our interviews archives. We are happy to present the interview I conducted back in 2000 with read more...
John Rich Hosts "Gone Country" On CMT
Nashville star John Rich (Big & Rich) hosts Gone Country, a new show on CMT that brings musicians from the world of rock and read more...
Skynyrd and Hank Return with Rowdy Frynds Tour 2008
(Nashville, TN)- Fans will have the opportunity to enjoy some of the best music imaginable when Rock & Roll Hall of Fame members, read more...
Video is Uniquely George McCorkle
On January 29th it will be seven months. Seven months since
A True Jewel of Country Music
I have been a Jewel fan since her first video. I love her voice, her songwriting and her cuteness. That is why I was thrilled to get read more...
Charlie is in The Opry, and the Ryman was Rockin' !!
It’s 9:45 PM on Saturday night January 19th, 2008. I just dropped an e-mail to our friend
Garfeel Ruff Guitarist Ready to Return to Southern Rock Roots
I was talking to my old friend Ricky Godfrey on the telephone yesterday. Rick is living in Nashville, but he still returns home read more...
Luther Dickinson: Night Before theTour...
Luther Dickinson Talks Present, Past & Future 1/16/08
My Favorite Southern Rock Song?
I was talking to one of my pals down Florida way the other day when the conversation shifted to great Southern Rock songs.We started read more...
Charlie Daniels Grand Ole Opry Induction Airs Friday
On Friday, January 19th, the Opry Live broadcast on GAC will feature the induction of it's newest member, the legendary
Six Degrees of Separation
In the south we not only claim kin we also claim friends. I have learned that behind every new acquaintance there lies the read more...
SPF T.I. Poll (Week 19, Part 4): Down By The River
12. Cincinnati Bengals and 13. St. Louis Rams - Our final Poll spots are held by two teams that have a connection read more...
SPF T.I. Poll (Week 19, Part 3): Teams at the Crossroads (aka the NFC South)
We've now gone through the first 7 teams in the T.I. Poll. So far, the entire AFC South has been covered as well as the read more...
SPF T.I. Poll (Week 19, Part 2): Teams "On the Verge"
This is SPF's group of teams that are "On The Verge" of reaching elite status. They all have challenges, but they are read more...
SPF's Divisional Playoffs Pre-Pregame Show (or T.I. Poll Week 19)
There are three SPF teams left in the Super Bowl hunt, but the news doesn't stop with them. Of the 4 current coaching read more...
SPF T.I. Poll (Wild Card Weekend Edition)
We're mixing it up again going into the playoffs. In an up and down year, six of the 13 SPF teams made the playoffs. Two, read more...
SPF's Week Seventeen Pre-Pregame Show
Playoffs and draft slots. It's all on the line in a strange season-ending weekend in the Footprint.
SPF T.I. Poll (Week Seventeen)
It's the last week of the NFL season. There isn't much left to be decided. Two SPF teams (Washington and Tennessee) can read more...
GRITZ Best Albums of The Year
Lots of great music rocked my world in 2007. Here are my choices for the 15 best of the best. Feel free to log on and comment. Let me read more...
Full Moon Fever With Stanley Booth
Full Moon Fever With Stanley Booth 12/24/07
SPF's Week Sixteen Pre-Pregame Show
SATURDAY NIGHT Dallas (12-2, 6-0 away) Carolina (6-8, 2-5 read more...
Charlie Daniels Grand Ole Opry Induction Set for January 19th
Charlie Daniels will be inducted as the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry on January 19, 2008 at the Ryman Auditorium in read more...
SPF T.I. Poll (Week Sixteen)
SPF laid down the gauntlet before last weekend's games. Many teams answered the bell. With two games left in the regular read more...
New Willie Nelson Album Out January 29, 2008
New Nelson CD, Moment of Forever, Hits Streets Early 08 12/19/07
SPF's Week Fifteen Pre-Pregame Show
It has been a largely disappointing season for SPF, but these final weeks can redeem or further decimate a team's momentum for read more...
SPF T.I. Poll (Week Fifteen)
SPF will say it - this has been a very tough year for pro football in the Swampland Footprint. Of our 13 teams, more than half read more...
Brothers of the Southland Advance CD Download Available Now
The Brothers of the Southland with Bo Bice CD is now available for a limited time as an advance download of the CD. The read more...
SPF's Week Fourteen Pre-Pregame Show
SPF has been beating a few drums this year, but one is about letting players play. Coaches coach systems. read more...
SPF T.I. Poll (Week Fourteen)
SPF has looked at the coach/QB relationship. Now, it's time to look at the owner/coach relationship. When this read more...
No Country For Old Men Voted Best Film
Joel & Ethan Cohen's Film Earns High Praise 12/06/07
Like Father, Like Son: John Carter Cash Speaks with GRITZ
John Carter Cash, son of famed country music couple Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, took some time out of his extremely busy read more...
Picture of the Day: Buffalo and T. Graham Brown
Gritz man Michael Buffalo Smith hangs out with country r&b legend T. Graham Brown at the Angelus event in Tampa, read more...
SPF's Week Thirteen Pre-Pregame Show
While Tribal Fever nation witnessed their conference championships this weekend, SPF has found a few of their own. There are read more...
Charlie Daniels Rocks The Angelus: Day One
It was a beautiful day for a drive to Florida, and my old buddy Scott Greene and I set sail for the annual Angelus weekend down in read more...
SPF T.I. Poll (Week Thirteen)
Coaching changes. They happen every year even though it seems as though jobs are more than safe. Changes are usually made read more...
SPF's Week Twelve Pre-Pregame Show
Leadership. Is it there? The leader(s) of each SPF team define that team to their fans. Already, Thanksgiving read more...
TF Rivalry Week Preview
Rivalry games define college football. More than bowl games or even conference championships, a win against your rival means read more...
Swampland Salutes Great Southern Writer Paul Hemphill
Mystery & Manners Highlights Writer Paul Hemphill 11/21/07
Charlie Daniels to Join the Grand Ole Opry
Our friend Charlie Daniels has been asked to read more...
SPF T.I. Poll (Week Twelve)
SPF often talks a team's style when it comes to identity. Style, though, is kind of a catch all. Dig a little deeper and read more...
Johnny Cash's First Wife's New Book
New Book From the Late Vivian Cash 11/19/07
SPF's Week Eleven Pre-Pregame Show
This week, more than any other this NFL season, the fan will find out who their teams are. Are teams going to the read more...
TF Saturday Preview: The Year of Transition Nears An End
The wild year continues. In many ways this was just a sign of the transition college football around the Footprint has read more...
SPF T.I. Poll (Week Eleven)
Week Ten was a very weird football weekend. Many of the SPF teams lost games. Few had important wins. It just seems read more...
Loretta Lynn Returns To The Ryman
Loretta Lynn Returns To The Ryman 11/12/07
Picture of the Day: Jimmie Van Zant at CMA Awards
Jimmie Van Zant and his wfe Zohra at CMAs talking about his new read more...
Coen Brothers Adapt Cormac McCarthy's Book No Country For Old Men Into Film
Coen Brothers Adapt Cormac McCarthy's Book No Country For Old Men Into Film 11/11/07
SPF's Week Ten Pre-Pregame Show
SPF will stick by this point - no team set the NFL back more than the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens. This read more...
TF Saturday Preview: Everything's Still To Be Decided
Patrick Snow has it right. This year's
SPF T.I. Poll (Week Ten)
Everyone knows that football is the dominant sport in the Footprint, but it has always been college dominating the pro variety. read more...
Tribal Fever's Weekend Observations
1. That enormous exhale coming from the Oxford, Mississippi area would be the sigh of relief of Ole Miss Coach Ed Orgeron. His Rebels read more...
SPF's Week Nine Pre-Pregame Show
It's it the "Clash of the Titans!" The Colts-Pats game deserves the hype that it is getting. Both teams read more...
Tiger Rag
In the spring a young man’s fancy may turn to baseball, but in the fall in the South everyone’s fancy turns to read more...
SPF T.I. Poll (Week Eight)
Things continue to settle out in the SPF Footprint. This week's big question is whether the South's best is the NFL's read more...
Porter Wagoner Dead at 80
Porter Wagoner died Sunday in Nashville. He was 80 and lived read more...
SPF's Week Eight Pre-Pregame Show
Much like yesterday's college slate, this week's SPF schedule features teams looking towards the season's end and where they want to read more...
TF Saturday Preview: Pole, er.. Bowl Position
If you aren't a Florida or Georgia fan, this weekend might be a good one to spend with the kids. This is a pretty thin weekend read more...
SPF T.I. Poll (Week Seven)
SPF's season previews are looking pretty good so far. The teams we singled out like the Jags, the Texans, and the Dolphins have read more...
One of My Heroes, Porter Wagoner Has Lung Cancer
October 24, 2007 I was really taken aback to hear Country Music Hall of Famer Porter Wagoner has been read more...
SPF's Week Seven Pre-Pregame Show
Getting on the same page. Coaches and players that have the same sense of urgency signify teams that are winning. The NFL read more...
TF's Saturday Preview: Act Like You've Been There Before!
It's the old saying when a player celebrates a little too much - act like you've been there before. This rules seems to also read more...
SPF T.I. Poll (Week Six)
Here we are again for SPF's weekly Team Identity Poll. Things have shaken up a bit. We are much closer to how we saw read more...
George McCorkle To Be Honored by Memorial Concert November 3rd
Spartanburg, SC - George McCorkle, an read more...
On the Road Again
Sorry I have been incommunicado lately. I am still struggling with allergies that seem to get worse rather than better. Ah, fall in read more...
SPF's Week Six Pre-Pregame Show
It's week 6 for the SPF teams. Four teams are basically done, but the rest have critical games that will go a long way to read more...
TF's Saturday Preview: The History Behind SEC Dominance
Tribal Fever would like to start this weekend's festivities by directing everyone to a fantastic series on
SPF T.I. Poll (Week Five)
The rich seem to be getting richer (and the poor, poorer) in the SPF Footprint. There is happiness at the top, confusion in the read more...
SPF's Week Five Pre-Pregame Show
It's week five in the NFL season. Overall, the SPF Footprint is shaping up to be a year of the haves and have-nots. The read more...
Tribal Fever's Weekend Slate (10/6/2007)
Let's start with this week's College Football Preview from Athlon. Swampland's own Patrick Snow hosts each read more...
William Eggleston: The Father of Color Photography
The Photography of William Eggleston 10/4/07
Check Out a Dickey Betts, Bonnie Bramlett, Charlie Daniels Jam from 1970's
Well, I've said it before and I'll say it again - YouTube rocks. Whoever came up with that idea is a genius, and I feel very lucky to read more...
SPF T.I. Poll (Week Four)
Just like in the college ranks, it was a bit of a crazy week in the SPF Footprint. Right now, there are more bad teams than read more...
Otis Redding Film Premier October 8
Dreams To Remember Premier October 8 10/1/07
SPF's Week Four Pre-Pregame Show
Welcome SPF fans! Here's today's slate. (SPF teams in BOLD) Early read more...
People Take Warning! Murder Ballads & Disaster Songs 1913-1938
Tompkins Square Releases Murder Ballads & Disaster Songs This Week 9/29/07
Blues Great Memphis Minnie Honored
Blues Great Memphis Minnie Honored 9/28/07
Swampland welcomes Tribal Fever!
It was only a matter of time before Swampland Sports starting covering the colleges in earnest. Today marks the start of Tribal read more...
SPF T. I. Poll (Week Three)
Back to our weekly gauge of how each SPF team is resonating with its fans. First, let's take a look back at last week's Team read more...
SPF 's Week Three Pre-Pregame Show
Here we are again. Let Week Three begin! SPF Teams in BOLD Early read more...
Dylan Plays The Ryman
BOB DYLAN PLAYS THE RYMAN AUDITORIUM IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE 9/21/07
Swampland Sports Thursday Links
Just a few quick hits here on Thursday.... Snowman's Latest Column Patrick Snow's
CD and DVD releases for week of September 18, 2007
New Releases Doyle Bramhall
The Shadow And the Truth
9/19/07 ...THE SHADOW AND THE TRUTH...
SPF T. I. Poll (Week Two)
Time for our Week Two "Team Identity" Poll. Things keep getting interesting, and that's how we like read more...
SPF's Week Two Monday: Playmakers making plays
THE "BEATING THE DEAD HORSE" THEME Our theme for this week is similar to last read more...
SPF 's Week Two Pre-Pregame Show
Each week, it will be SPF's pleasure to bring you the best pregame show on the Net. We provide our audience with clips from read more...
SPF Friday Fishwrap-up: LeBatard vs. Galloway
Another great southern tradition is writing. We have a whole section called Discourse that is dedicated to this read more...
Long Time CDB Road Crewman Jackie Williams Dies
Jackie Williams passed away on September 8, 2007 at the age of 50, following a single car accident in Nashville. Jackie read more...
Picture of the Day: The Winters Brothers
Dennis and Donnie Winters of The Winters Brothers backstage in Macon recently. Check out the archived interview I did with
SPF's T. I. Poll (Week One)
Team Identity. This is our constant gauge for the success or failure of NFL teams in the South. College football reigns read more...
J4G: The Jam for George (McCorkle) Set for November 3rd
SPARTANBURG, SC - The highly anticipated Jam for George: A Concert Honoring The Memory of George McCorkle, will take place in read more...
CD and DVD releases for week of September 11, 2007
New Releases Billy Joe Shaver
SPF Week One Game Log
Thursday's game didn't do nearly what yesterday's college slate did to pump us up here at SPF. Our own James Calemine is
Picture of the Day: George McCorkle and Doug Gray
Our friend, the late great George McCorkle was reunited with singer Doug Gray of The Marshall Tucker Band just months before George's read more...
Swampland Sports Six-Pack for the week ending 9/2/07
Your weekly filter for the top sports stories around the South 1. Our biggest story of the week was the read more...
Swampland Sports Six-Pack for the week ending 8/26/07
Your weekly filter for the top sports stories around the South 1. What an interesting day for the Atlanta read more...
Swampland Sports Six-Pack for the week ending 8/19/07
Your weekly filter for the top sports stories around the South 1. Although college athletics has become read more...
Welcome Back!
Greetings to all you football fans around the Swampland footprint! Southern Pro Football is back to cover another NFL read more...
It Was Thirty Years Ago Today
I can remember exactly where I was when I heard that Elvis was dead. I was in my Barracuda, turning left into the Westgate Mall in read more...
DEATH WEEK
The 30 year anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death falls on August 16, 2007. Like it or not, Elvis ranks as a southern icon. read more...
CD and DVD releases for week of August 7, 2007
New Releases Bruce Hornsby/Christian McBride/Jack DeJohnette
All Star Southern Rock Benefit in Macon This Weekend
A Benefit for a Brother, Sid Yochim, will take place in Macon, Georgia this Saturday, August 4th. Tickets are on sale now.
CD and DVD releases for week of July 24, 2007
New Releases Billy Bob Thornton
In The Studio: New Southern Rock & Country Releases On The Way
TOMMY TALTON says that he and SCOTT BOYER have been writing new material for a read more...
IBMA Coming in October
The International Bluegrass Music Association's (IBMA) annual World of Bluegrass takes place in Nashville, Tennessee October 1-7 at read more...
Big & Rich Have Top Song of The Week
Big & Rich and Brad Paisley enjoyed having the top country song and album on Billboard for the week ending July 21 with read more...
CD and DVD releases for week of July 10, 2007
New Releases Chris & Rich Robinson
07-07-07
Isn't seven the most powerfully magical number? -- Tom Marvolo Riddle to Horace Slughorn Harry read more...
Swampland Sports Six-Pack for the week ending 7/1/07
1. The NBA Draft was this week’s big sports story. The Draft is all about hope for the future. Despite recent expansion in the read more...
Funeral for a Friend
It was slightly overcast in Spartanburg, SC this morning and a bit cooler than it has been. Well, at least until about halfway read more...
CD and DVD releases for week of July 3, 2007
Reissues Asleep At The
McCorkle Memorial in Nashville, Funeral to Be Held in Spartanburg
A memorial service and visitation for George McCorkle will be held on Sunday July 1, 2007 from 4:00-8:00PM.at Carthage read more...
George McCorkle Dead at 60
George McCorkle of the original Marshall Tucker Band died this morning, Friday, June 29th at 11:30 in a Nashville Hospital. He was read more...
Guitarist McCorkle Remains Critical, Spartanburg Newspaper Features Article
Swampland Sports Six-Pack for the week ending 6/24/07
Swampland’s Sports Six-Pack for the week ending 6/24/07 Your weekly filter for the top sports stories around the read more...
CD and DVD releases for week of June 26, 2007
CDs New Releases Charlie Daniels
Fire On The Mountain
6/25/07
George McCorkle Fighting Cancer
We have received some very sad news here at GRITZ. Our long time friend George McCorkle, a founding member of The Marshall read more...
Winters Brothers Summer Jam Was a Blast
It was a perfect weekend for a festival. Just ask anyone who attended Bonaroo, and if they can remember the weekend, read more...
Johnny Cash Radio & Elvis Auction Items
6/18/07 The Sun Records boys are in the news again...
Jimmy Hall to Sing Anthem in Rome, Marshall Tucker to Perform
Rome, GA - The Rome Braves announce today that Southern rock legend Jimmy Hall will perform the National Anthem at the 48th South read more...
Benefit for a Brother, Sid Yochim, Coming to Macon
Many of you know Sid Yochim, a member of the
Winters Brothers Summer Jam This Weekend
NOLENSVILLE, TN - The Winters Brothers Band will read more...
The True Adventures of Stanley Booth
6/10/07 THE TRUE ADVENTURES OF STANLEY BOOTH As I wrote in the
Nashville - the NHL's Waterloo?
News arrived last week that owner Craig Leopold is selling the Nashville Predators to Canadian businessman (and Blackberry tycoon) read more...
Dolly Parton, Buck Owens, Waylon Jennings, Harlan Howard Honored by Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music has announced that country music movers and shakers Harlan Howard, Waylon Jennings, Jack Lameier, read more...
Emmylou's Animal Shelter
4/16/07 Emmylou Harris opened a new animal shelter in Nashville, Tennessee. Harris started the humane shelter in memory of read more...
Nashville Super Group Pays Tribute to Classic Albums
4/14/07 Long Player, a Nashville super group gathers every several months to perform classic music by musicians like Bob read more...
Johnny Cash's Tennessee Home Destroyed By Fire
NASHVILLE, Tennessee-- The Hendersonville, Tennesse home of the late Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash has been destroyed by a fire read more...
Bluebird Cafe Celebrates 25th Anniversary
The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, long a mainstay for singer/songwriters in Music City, will kick off a year-long celebration read more...
Former Alabama Member Jeff Cook Signs Record Deal
Former Alabama member and Country Music Hall of Famer Jeff Cook and newcomer Mitch Glenn inked with Lofton Creek Records. Cook and read more...
Montgomery Gentry Gives Swampland an Exclusive Interview
They are the baddest boys in country music, and I am including Big and Rich, Hank III, and even Kid "Sometimes I Want to Be read more...
Luther Ingram Dead at 69
Tennessee born Luther Ingram, the R&B singer and songwriter best known for the hit "If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don't Want to read more...
Get Front Row Seats For Skynyrd and Hank, Jr.
STUBHUB FORGES NEW PARTNERSHIP TO PROVIDE FANS EXCLUSIVE FRONT ROW ACCESS TO LYNYRD SKYNYRD, HANK WILLIAMS JR. SPRING TOUR
Collector May Be Allowed to Keep Hank Williams' Notebook
Collector could keep Hank's notebook Theft case brought by Sony thrown out A notebook read more...
Willie Nelson Partners To Launch Label
Willie Nelson has partnered with longtime manager Mark Rothbaum and veteran producer/label exec James Stroud on Pedernales Records. The read more...
New Gretchen Wilson Disc Coming in May
Gretchen Wilson will release her third album, "One of the Boys," May 15. Wilson produced the disc with Mark read more...
J.D. Crowe & The New South Announce Spring Tour
Bluegrass Hall of Honor inductee J.D. Crowe and his band The New South are hitting the road this spring in support read more...
Montgomery Gentry To Host Bike Rally
Montgomery Gentry will host the Academy of Country Music Celebrity Motorcycle Ride to be held May 13 in Las Vegas. After the ride, a read more...
Willie Nelson Records Anti-War Song
Willie Nelson may oppose war in Iraq, but also supports the troops with his recently released single, "Whatever Happened To Peace read more...
Hank Jr. Assault Charges Dropped
Memphis prosecutors dropped assault charges against Hank Williams Jr., citing lack of evidence about the 2006 incident. A read more...
Porter Wagoner Rocks Hollywood With Billy Bob, Marty and Dwight
HOLLYWOOD, Ca. - Porter Wagoner played in Los Angeles on Saturday, February 17 for the first time in over 40 years. Wagoner was read more...
Alan Jackson, George Strait, Jimmy Buffett Together Live
NASHVILLE -Alan Jackson, George Strait and Jimmy Buffett performed together for the first-time ever May 29, 2004, at Texas Stadium in read more...
Sir Mack Rice Keeps On Keepin' On
2/18/07 Stax Records songwriter Sir Mack Rice penned "Mustang Sally" (Wilson Pickett), "Respect Yourself" read more...
Hank Williams, Jr. Files For Divorce
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Country star Hank Williams Jr. has filed for divorce from his wife, Mary Jane, claiming she has a problem with read more...
June Carter Cash Tribute Album, Biography Coming This Summer
The life of the late country music legend June Carter Cash will be celebrated this June 19, four days before her birthday, with the read more...
Del Reeves RIP
Del Reeves, a Grand Ole Opry star who sprinkled his performances with humor and hit No. 1 on the country charts in read more...
Tony Joe White Releases "Uncovered" on Swamp Records
1/1/07 On Tony Joe White's latest CD, Uncovered, he renders new versions of "Rainy Night in Georgia", read more...
Texas Writer Terry Southern Makes Music News...Again...
12/29/06 Texas writer Terry Southern's legend lives on. On January 9, 2007, a new set of Beatles stamps become available in read more...
Volunteer Jam Ready to Hit the Road Again
NASHVILLE- Charlie Daniels, leader of the Charlie Daniels Band, has announced the legendary Volunteer Jam Tour will, once again, hit read more...
Charlie Daniels Volunteer Jam Returns, CDB To Perform with Symphony Orchestra
After a few summers without a Jam, the famous Charlie Daniels Band Volunteer Jam returns in the summer of 2007. So far, the line up read more...
Porter Wagoner Signs New Deal, Marty Stuart to Produce
Los Angeles based Anti Records announces the signing of Country Music Hall of Famer, Porter Wagoner in celebration of his read more...
Lucinda's Latest
12/10/06 Lucinda Williams' new CD, West, hits the street on February 13, 2007 on Lost Highway. West, read more...
Tennessee Reviews
35 Biggest Hits
(Show Dog Nashville) Toby Keith began his country career as one of those cute, curly haired pretty boys, but it didn’t read more...
The Mighty Handful Volume One
scottymoore.net The Mighty Handful is one helluva read more...
The Very Best of Outlaw Country
(Legacy) The thing that sets this compilation apart from the plethora of others that are always being flooded into the read more...
Stronger
Stronger Carlene Carter Yep Roc By James Calemine Stronger counts as read more...
Third And A Mile
Third And A Mile by William C. Rhoden ESPN Books
Do What's Right
(Candlefly) jackpearson.com Jack Pearson is one of our read more...
Trucker Tracks Vol. 1
(Spec Records) There are thirteen tracks on
Honey Songs
Honey Songs Jim Lauderdale & The Dream Players Yep Roc Records By James Calemine North read more...
Brothers of the Southland
Brothers of The Southland is one of the best of the plethora of “all star” bands playing today, and their debut CD is a read more...
Beautiful
(Rockin' Camel) With the music business in a state of flux, it is indeed refreshing to come across an artist who isn’t read more...
Lovers
(www.bobbywhitlock.com) Joined by a stellar group of musicians, music icon, Bobby Whitlock and wife, CoCo Carmel, have read more...
Volume One
(Breakin’ Records) Johnny Neel is one funky white boy. He pours the funk on heavy with the opening track, read more...
Hernando
Hernando North Mississippi Allstars Songs of the South By James Calemine Hernando is read more...
Death Proof
Death Proof Quentin Tarantino Genius Productions By James Calemine Quentin Tarantino always read more...
Darren Brothers Band
(thedarrenbrothersband.com) I have really enjoyed read more...
Tom T. Hall Sings Miss Dixie & Tom T.
Tom T. Hall Sings Miss Dixie & Tom T. Tom T. Hall Blue Circle Records By James read more...
Desperate Man Blues
Desperate Man Blues: Discovering The Roots of American Music The Story of Joe Bussard
Motels & Highways
oldunion.com Old Union continue to amaze me with their sophomore read more...
My Kind of Country
(Sony) I had someone remark the other day that I had not yet reviewed
The Best of The Johnny Cash Show 1969-1971
(Columbia/Legacy) I was in my early teens when The Johnny Cash Show originally aired. I recall read more...
The Johnny Cash Christmas Specials 1976-77
The Johnny Cash Christmas Special 1976 The Johnny Cash Christmas Special 1977 (Shout!Factory)
Premonition
(1968/Dream Spirits Music) jimmydormire.com Jimmy read more...
The Woodstock Album
The Woodstock Album Muddy Waters Chess/MCA Records By James Calemine Recorded in two days at read more...
Live At the Avalon Ballroom 1969
Live At The Avalon Ballroom 1969 Gram Parsons with The Flying Burrito Brothers Amoeba Records By James read more...
Song of America
Song of America Various Artists 31 Tigers Records By James Calemine This 50-song, 3 CD read more...
Blood Meridian Or the Evening Redness in the West
Blood Meridian Or the Evening Redness in the West Cormac McCarthy Vintage Books By James read more...
Deuces
(Koch/Blue Hat) Deuces is Charlie Daniels’ finest work since Fire On The Mountain. Now I read more...
Dreams To Remember: The Legacy of Otis Redding
Dreams To Remember: The Legacy of Otis Redding Otis Redding STAX Records By James read more...
I Don't Want No Trouble
I Don't Want No Trouble Don Nix Section Eight Productions By James Calemine Songwriter Don read more...
Killers From Space
Killers From Space James Luther Dickinson Memphis International Records By James read more...
The Bluegrass Sessions
The Bluegrass Sessions Merle Haggard McCoury Music By James Calemine Merle Haggard's new read more...
Live at the Bohemian Caverns
Live at the Bohemian Caverns Carla Thomas Stax Records By James Calemine Recorded live at the read more...
Live From Iraq
(Blue Hat/Koch) The CDB put every bit of their heart and soul into these performance, recorded during various shows read more...
Angel In Disguise
Angel In Disguise Leon Russell MRI Records By James Calemine Angel In Disguise read more...
Bobby Bare Sings Lullaby's, Legends, and Lies
(Legacy) This classic double-album has been given the remaster treatment for it's CD debut. This is a truly read more...
Come Early Morning
Coast to Coast
(South Star Records) The Winters Brothers Band’s 1978 album Coast to Coast is now available on read more...
Whitt's Barbecue
Whitt's #1 1397 East Elm Street Athens, Alabama 35611 256-232-7928 My sister had a read more...
The Complete Recordings
Blue to the Bone
(Blues Avenue) Louisiana guitar man Bob Hart has been ripping it up for years, going all the way back to the read more...
Atlanta Twelve String
Atlanta Twelve String Blind Willie McTell Atlantic Records By James Calemine Perhaps the most gifted of read more...
Trailercana
(DPR Records) I have really been having fun listening to this one, Trailercana, the new release from Antsy McLain read more...
Ultimate Gospel
(Columbia Legacy) I have been a Johnny Cash fan my entire life. Seriously. Ever since my dad turned me onto read more...
Stax Records 50th Anniversary Celebration
Stax 50th Anniversary Celebration Concord Music Group By James Calemine This 50 song, 2 CD boxset stands as the read more...
Live At The Summit Club
Johnny Taylor Live At The Summit Club Stax Records R & B great Johnny Taylor existed on read more...
The Queen Alone
Carla Thomas The Queen Alone Stax Records By James Calemine Carla Thomas--the great Rufus Thomas' read more...
West Springs
(Lanier Records) Lee Bogan is simply one of the most talented people I have ever met. A world class songwriter who scored a read more...
Some People Change
With their latest release, Some People Change, Montgomery Gentry goes far beyond their past efforts, bringing a new level of read more...
Bonnie Bramlett w/ The Capricorn Rhythm Section -
BONNIE BRAMLETT THE CAPRICORN RHYTHM SECTION Nashville Station, Macon, GA March 25, 2006
The Winters Brothers Band, Nolensville, TN 6/17/06
THE WINTERS BROTHERS BAND ANNUAL SOUTHERN SUMMER JAM June 17, 2006 • Nolensville,TN I am the read more...
Renegades of Southern Rock, Nashville, TN 5/10/06
Renegades Of Southern Rock May 10th, 2006 Opryland Nashville Recently, friend and neighbor George read more...
David Allan Coe - The Handlebar, Greenville, S.C.
DAVID ALLAN COE The Handlebar, Greenville, SC July 22, 2006 David Allan Coe took over that audience read more...
Open Casket
Minton Sparks Open Casket (Ruckus Films) Minton Sparks is a wonderful read more...
A Salute to Hee Haw - Collector's Edition
A Salute To Hee Haw Collector’s Edition (Time Life) This 5-disc DVD is jam read more...
Robert Earl Keen - Live At The Ryman
Robert Earl Keen Live At The Ryman (Koch) The Ryman Auditorium is the best sounding read more...
Old Union & Mile 8 - October 29, 2005 EXIT/IN
Old Union and Mile 8 October 29, 2005 EXIT/IN When two of Nashville’s favorite read more...
Country Music Changed My Life
Country Music Changed My Life by Ken Burke (Chicago Review Press) My first read more...
Honky Tonk Hero by Billy Joe Shaver
Honky Tonk Hero by Billy Joe Shaver (University of Texas Press) Billy Joe read more...
Soldier of the Cross - The Concert
Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder (Skaggs Family) Ricky Skaggs brings his award read more...
Alison Krauss and Union Station - Live
Alison Krauss and Union Station Live (Rounder Records DVD) Alison Krauss read more...
The Legends, Live in 1971
Ike and Tina Turner The Legends - Live in 1971 (Eagle Vision) Red hot, read more...
The Man, His World, His Music
(Sanctuary) Watching this DVD is a little like looking at home movies. Actually, a lot of it is old home read more...
CDB-DVD-Live
(Koch) I could not have imagined a better DVD from our old friends The Charlie Daniels Band. In this, their read more...
All Star Bluegrass Celebration
(Sugar Hill) Both the DVD and the CD of this live show, recorded onstage at the revered Ryman Auditorium in read more...
Live At Bonnaroo
Warren Haynes Live At Bonnaroo (ATO) Around these parts, we all agree on one thing. read more...
Southwest Stampede
The Winters Brothers Band Southwest Stampede (SouthStar Records) Ladies and gentlemen, read more...
Corn Pickin' and Slick Slidin'
James Burton and Ralph Mooney Corn Pickin’ and Slick Slidin’ Merle Travis and Joe Maphis
Straight To Hell
Hank III Straight To Hell (Bruc) The grandson of Hank Williams is a true original. He read more...
Roots, Blues, and Jazz
Bonnie Bramlett & The Mr. Groove Band Roots, Blues, and Jazz (ZOHO Music) The read more...
This Old Road
Kris Kristofferson This Old Road (New West) One of America’s all time greatest read more...
Mellowicious
Marshall Chapman Mellowicious (TallGirl) I’ve always felt that Marshall Chapman read more...
Out Of The Ashes
Jessi Colter Out Of The Ashes (Shout! Factory) Jessi Colter, widow of the King of read more...
That's How They Do It In Dixie
Hank Williams, Jr. That’s How They Do It In Dixie (Curb) Bocephus is back with read more...
The Soul Jazz Sessions
Moe Denham The Soul Jazz Sessions (Thortch Recordings ) Back in the day, some of the read more...
Rebel Meets Rebel
David Allan Coe & Cowboys From Hell Rebel Meets Rebel (Big Vin Records)
Goodbye Guitar
Tony Gilkyson Goodbye Guitar (Rolling Sea Records) Tony Gilkyson has been there and read more...
Taking The Long Way
The Dixie Chicks Taking The Long Way (Columbia) Since the release of their read more...
Heard It In A Love Song
Mark Chesnutt Heard It in A Love Song (CBUJ Ent) It wasn’t just the read more...
The Best Kept Secret
Jerry Douglas The Best Kept Secret (Koch) Hands down, Jerry Douglas is the read more...
A Hot Piece of Grass
Hayseed Dixie A Hot Piece of Grass (CKV) I have been a fan of Hayseed Dixie read more...
This World Is Not My Home
Amy Levere This World Is Not My Home (Archer) My first spin of Amy read more...
Flying Under The Radar
Kentucky Headhunters Flying Under The Radar (CBuJ Entertainment) I don’t read more...
Longest Meow
Bobby Bare Jr Longest Meow (Bloodshot) Bare, Jr. is back with an awesome read more...
American V: A Hundred Highways
Johnny Cash American V: A Hundred Highways (American/Lost Highway) Let me just start by read more...
Last Man Standing
Jerry Lee Lewis
Nashville
Solomon Burke
Tennessee ArticlesThe Top Ten Guitarists of the Southern Rock Era
The Greatest Guitar Slingers of The Southern Rock Era by Michael Buffalo Smith 1. Duane Allman
GRITZ Southern Rock Lists
SWAMPLAND'S SOUTHERN ROCK LISTS We love lists! This is your one-stop index page for all of our lists. read more...
Southern Sporting "Events"
by Patrick Snow As I attended a Kentucky Derby function this past Saturday, it was never more evident that Southerners must throw a pretty good party. We are probably more known nationally for our college football crowds and pageantry, but the spring read more...
Gritz Legends of Southern Rock
A handful of bands from the Southern Rock Era have earned the title of "Legend." These are the bands that defined the genre and set the bar for all other bands in their wake. These are the few, the originals, the Legends of Southern Rock.
The BCS: A Friend to the SEC (and the Rest of the Footprint)
We at Tribal Fever find it odd that it would be the SEC who would call for a playoff system. We wonder how the SEC can be so blind to the fact that the BCS has been great for that conference. For those that love the idea of a playoff, we will list the reasons why most every proposal for a college playoff is a horrible idea for college football at large and especially read more...
Snowman's 2008 Draft Wrap Up
The annual NFL Draft is now over, and the critics will have a field day with opinions on who did well and who faltered with their choices. I thought I would take a look at the Draft from the collegiate view and see who from our region will have the biggest impact on their new read more...
Jim Dickinson's All-Star Music & Film
In Jim Dickinson’s first contribution to Swampland/Mystery And Manners, he wrote an indelible piece on Memphis barbecue. For his second installment Dickinson cites his favorite pianists, films and a desert island music stash. The High Priest of Memphis Mojo offers a timeless blueprint for anyone seeking musical pots of gold. James Calemine
SPF's 2008 NFL Draft Awards
Although the NFL Draft still have rounds 3-7 to go, we at SPF think it is time to hand out some awards. Except in very rare cases, team's drafts are defined by their day one picks, and we learned a lot about how the SPF slate of teams are approaching the coming season - for better or worse. Let the cermony begin! THE "DAMN THE TORPEDOES read more...
Record Stores of the Swampland Footprint
ALABAMA CD Cellar Anniston AL Oz Music Tuscaloosa AL ARKANSAS Sound Warehouse Fayetteville read more...
Guest Blog by Charlie Daniels; Memories of a Friend
Memories of a Friend by Charlie Daniels I have the greatest respect for talented people who can take nothing and make something out of it. Such is the case of the songwriter. He pulls thoughts out of thin air and read more...
Jim Dickinson's Best Memphis Barbecue & Favorite Meals On The Road
When I interviewed the High Priest of Memphis Mojo—Jim Dickinson—I asked him if he’d be interested in submitting his inimitable insight on barbecue, music and movies. Mr. Dickinson sent along some very interesting details on these cultural topics. His expertise in these read more...
Getting Realistic About College Hoops Coaching Hires
It’s a who’s who of college basketball in San Antonio with all of the #1 seeds making the Final Four. While the games should be great, there may be just as much drama at the Coach’s Convention, which takes place in conjunction with the Final Four. Many tough choices will be made there and by athletic directors in the coming weeks to see who will fill the read more...
The Top Ten Albums of Southern Rock
Southern Rock’s Top Ten Welcome to a new feature at GRITZ called Southern Rock’s Top Ten, where we will be asking the stars an journalists associated with the genre, as well as some of today’s country music stars, to share their Top Ten all time favorite read more...
The Top Ten Albums of Southern Rock According to...
On the heels of my own Top Twenty Five Southern Rock albums, we asked a few of our friends to share their own lists of Favorite Southern Rock albums, and we got a few real surprises, but one fact remains, The Allman Brothers Band Fillmore East album has a heck of a lot of fans read more...
Dixie Fried with The High Priest of Memphis Mojo Jim Dickinson
JIM DICKINSON INTERVIEW DIXIE FRIED WITH THE HIGH PRIEST OF MEMPHIS MOJO By James Calemine "Some people say worried blues ain't tough, If they don't kill you they handle you mighty rough."
Legends of Southern Rock: Blackfoot
by Michael Buffalo Smith 1969, Jacksonville, Florida: Charlie Hargrett, Rick Medlocke and Greg T. Walker form the band read more...
Luther Dickinson Interview: The Secret Code of Memphis Guitars
Luther Dickinson Interview The Secret Code of Memphis Guitars By James Calemine "I'm gonna leave Memphis and spread the news/Memphis women don't wear no shoes."
The Garfeel Ruff Story
by Michael Buffalo Smith From the book Carolina Dreams, 1997. When Rick Godfrey was six years old, he was playing the piano at his Grandmother’s house in Greenville, SC. Always a little bit ahead of his time, Godfrey could easily master the kinds of things like all read more...
SEC: Conference King Once Again
By Patrick Snow It’s an argument that will never end-whose Conference is better? Fans will debate this topic vociferously every season, and the answer always tends to lie close to your address. I’m not sure that the Bowl games are the best way to evaluate league strength across college football, but it is basically all we have. Here’s my opinion read more...
Huge Hires for the SEC Old Guard
By Patrick Snow It has already been quite the postseason in the SEC coaching ranks, and it’s only going to get more interesting. With the recent additions of Nick Saban and Bobby Petrino along with Houston Nutt and Les Miles staying in the conference, wins are going to be harder and harder to come by in the nation’s toughest gridiron league. Each read more...
The Appalachian Sounds of Fonotone Records
The Appalachian Sounds of Fonotone Records By James Calemine “I went out in the open field/Black snake bit me on the heel, I’ve stood around and done my best/Shoved my head in a hornet’s read more...
Anarchy in the ATL
By Patrick Snow The current Atlanta Falcons mess brings up so many thoughts and issues. I thought I would try to answer some of the questions that are plaguing this moribund franchise. How did everything go so wrong? The forecast for the Falcons never looked brighter than just five years ago. They had a charismatic new owner in Arthur Blank, an read more...
Goodbye, Babylon: A Patchwork Quilt of American Music
GOODBYE, BABYLON A Patchwork Quilt of American Music By James Calemine
SEC Coaching - None Better
In the end, it was a surprise. But the surprise came in the school chosen, no the destination - the SEC West. Bobby Petrino finally made it to the coaching promised land when he was named the head coach of Arkansas late last night. Fresh off of a Monday Night Football debacle against New Orleans, Petrino made the move. Today, the SEC stands as the read more...
Bonnie Bramlett Returns with "Beautiful" On Valentine's Day
by Bill Thames Bonnie Bramlett now becomes the third former Capricorn Records artist, along with Jimmy Hall (Wet Willie), and the Capricorn Rhythm Section, to sign with Rockin' Camel Music of Gadsden, AL. While under read more...
John Carter Cash: Johnny and June's Son Talks About His Parents
by Michael Buffalo Smith John Carter Cash is one busy man. As the only son of country music legends Johnny Cash and June Carter, John has been extremely busy since their passing, working read more...
Coaching Carousel
By Patrick Snow The end of the college football season always brings with it unfulfilled goals which translates into coaching changes. There has been quite a bit of movement in our region. Some of the firings were inevitable while others showed us just how unrealistic certain fan bases are with their expectations. I thought I would examine each job, and how it matches up read more...
Southern Rock and Irish Music Join Forces On Tour
Ireland's Best Vocal Group to Tour With Southern Rockers The Winters Brothers Band by Michael Buffalo Smith Talk about a fresh idea. Ireland's number one ballad and folk group (and holders of eight gold albums) The Dublin City Ramblers have decided to join forces with Southern rockers, The Winters Brothers Band to present a unique dual read more...
First Goal: Win Your Conference
By Patrick Snow 2007 - What a crazy and dramatic season of college football. It seems like the Number 1 or 2 position in the national polls is the most dangerous place to be this year. As hard as it may be for many teams to adjust to all the parity, I believe it’s been more difficult for the fan bases to change their perspective on this “new read more...
Colts and Patriots: Providing the Blueprint?
By Patrick Snow The NFL has historically been a ‘copycat’ league and here’s to hoping that the success of the Colts and Patriots influences more teams to build up their offense. When clubs had to adjust to the salary cap in the ‘90s, the theory of finding a quarterback to “just not lose the game” seemed to become very popular. read more...
NFL Label Book: Overrated
By Patrick Snow Just like many a bad segment of talk radio, another ‘label’ book was recently released into America to get football fans arguing with each other. We have Philly-based ESPN field reporter Sal Paolantonio to thank for this latest regurgitation of what former NFL player is either overrated or underrated. I hesitate to jump into the intended read more...
The Great Southern Sportswriters Series
Writing and storytelling have always been deeply ingrained in Southern culture. The people that combined that art with the Swampland Footprint's passion for sports make the whole experience more special and unique. Swampland Sports is proud to offer this series of profiles of the best sportswriters our Footprint has to offer. You've already probably read them read more...
Truck Driving Man (An American Roadsong)
Truck Driving Man (An American Roadsong)
Enjoy the Season
By Patrick Snow Another college football season--another initial release of the BCS standings. This annual ritual seems to send everyone running to call a local talk show to scream about a Playoff system and how the middle letter should be removed from ‘BCS’. Enough already. If all that you’re worried about is how January turns out, you’re read more...
Joe Biddle, (Nashville) Tennessean
Joe Biddle has been covering sports in Nashville since read more...
Ron Higgins, (Memphis) Commerical Appeal
Ron Higgins grew up around sports during his youth in Louisiana. He has spent read more...
SEC: Top Level for Coaches?
By Patrick Snow Many of us who grew up in the South have always believed that the SEC was King when it came to sports and our allegiances. We watched and cheered for professional teams, but our passion was always at the collegiate level. For many years, coaches have moved from the Amateurs to the ‘Pros’ mainly for monetary reasons, but you read more...
The 2007 International Bluegrass Music Association Awards Report
by Derek Halsey On October 4th, 2007 the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) held their 18th annual bluegrass music awards show. In a break from past years, when a lot of the same people seemed to win the awards year after year, the lineup of 2007 winners was a diverse and interesting mix of older legends and young guns who are read more...
A Modest Proposal: Southern College Conference Realignment
Now that Swampland Sports has launched Tribal Fever (TF), our dispatch dedicated to college sports in the South, we figured it was time to do weigh in on the current state of college football conferences. The college football conference landscape in the Footprint has become downright confusing. It used to be that there were three main conferences, the read more...
Athletic Directors: Be Ready To Ante Up
Southern college football-we live it and breathe it year-round, and it has become abundantly clear that the stakes of the game have been raised with some of the recent coaching hires. The ‘price of poker’ is increasing steadily, and if your school is not ready to ante up, your team will be left behind. We’re witnessing a changing of the guard when it comes to read more...
SPF 2007 Team Previews
As promised, we have our 2007 Team Previews! Since fans can go to numerous places to read about rosters, statistics, etc, we at Southern Pro Football want to focus our 2007 previews on the teams and their connection to their area of the South. We will examine four categories: Background: Covering the past and recent history of the read more...
Sunshine State Swoon
Sunshine State Swoon By Patrick Snow Has professional football hit its lowest point in the state of Florida? I’m not trying to overreact to three Week 1 losses, but one has to wonder what direction the franchises in the Sunshine State are going. None of the three squads ran for over 90 yards as a team in Week 1, and it’s hard to see much read more...
The King Is Dead! Hang The Doctor!
The King Is Dead! Hang the Doctor!
Chris Cagle: The GRITZ Interview
Country Star Chris Cagle – The Long, Hard Road To Making It In Nashville By Derek Halsey “What’s funny is, every year I’d go, ‘Is this over? Do they even know me? Is it going to happen?’ Nope, give it another year. Every January my New Year’s Eve was spent with read more...
W.C. Handy Music Festival, Florence, Alabama, July 22-29
“If Beale Street could talk Married men would have to take up their beds and walk…” Beale Street Blues W. C. Handy wrote those words when he was living in Memphis in 1916. It had been a long road from Florence, Alabama, to Memphis, Tennessee, read more...
Memories of George McCorkle
The first time I met George McCorkle, I was bagging groceries at a Community Cash store in Spartanburg, SC. During those days, many of the Marshall Tucker Band and their wives shopped at the store for their food. Sometimes I would see Holly Riddle, the first wife of drummer Paul T. Riddle, and read more...
Never Ending Soul Food Tour - Sticky Fingers, Chattanooga, TN
James Calemine’s “Never Ending Soul Food Tour” includes documented visits to barbecue joints, catfish dens, chicken shacks and any establishment serving memorable vittles. Sticky Fingers 420 Broad Street Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402 423-899-RIBS www.stickyfingersonline.com “Health read more...
Ed King's Journal: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
ED KING'S JOURNAL: Skynyrd Guitarist's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Blog Gary Rossington, Billy Powell, Artimus Pyle, Ed King and Bob read more...
Charlie Louvin
CHARLIE LOUVIN INSURED BEYOND THE GRAVE by James Calemine February 2007 The Louvin Brothers legendary songs transcend time. Born Ira (April 21, 1924) and Charlie (July 7, 1927) Loudermilk, the brothers were raised poor in Henagar, Alabama, and began singing gospel music early in their lives. A few years later read more...
Legends of Southern Rock: The Charlie Daniels Band
by Michael Buffalo Smith For decades Charlie Daniels has refused to label his music as anything other than "CDB music," music that helped elect an American president and been popularized on a variety of radio formats.
Clay Walker
Clay Walker's Texas Country by Michael Buffalo Smith January 2007 Country star Clay Walker first topped the Billboard country singles chart in 1993 with “What’s It to You” and followed with his second consecutive No. 1 hit, “Live Until I Die.” Since then he’s read more...
John Hammond
by Michael Buffalo Smith January 2007 After three decades, John Hammond proves he's still a vital performer in American music. One of the very few white blues musicians performing at the beginning of the first blues renaissance of the mid-'60s, he found himself onstage alongside artists such as Mississippi John Hurt, Rev. Gary Davis and Skip James. read more...
Vince Gill
VINCE GILL - FINALLY DOING IT HIS WAY “There was no skin involved. I didn’t drop my pants, but they got the message. I flipped them off and the police all gave me a standing O. It was really surreal. It was like a scene from Spinal Tap.” by Derek Halsey November 2006 Vince Gill has seen the read more...
2006 Americana Music Conference and Awards
Road Trip to The 7th Annual Americana Music Conference & Awards by Michael Buffalo Smith November 2006 The Americana Music Conference and read more...
Joe Diffie
CATCHING UP WITH AN OLD FRIEND by Lee Bogan November, 2006 South Carolina boy Lee Bogan, currently read more...
David Allan Coe 2006
OUTLAW UPDATE: COE TALKS ABOUT REBEL MEETS REBEL and THE COE SHOW by Michael Buffalo Smith The Mysterious Rhinestone Cowboy himself, David Allan Coe, continues to build on his own mythology with the release of Rebel Meets Rebel, a new album recorded with his friends from the hard rocking band Pantera. read more...
1st ANNUAL GIBSON SUMMER JAM
by Barry Barnes September 2006 Gibson Guitar Corporation hosted their 1st Annual Gibson Summer Jam celebrating the opening of its new Gibson Custom factory on Elm Hill Pike in Nashville, Tennessee on July 27-29, 2006. The three day party featured guitar clinics by notable players such as Frank Hannon from Tesla and read more...
John Cowan
JOHN COWAN: NEWGRASS, OLD GRASS, BORROWED GRASS, BLUEGRASS By Barry Barnes (Edited by Derek Halsey) September 2006 John Cowan is a major player in the world of bluegrass music. From his days with New Grass Revival in the 1970’s and 80’s to fronting his own band today, his spirit is alive and well as he read more...
Reflections on Willie Nelson: The Complete Atlantic Sessions
WILLIE NELSON: THE COMPLETE ATLANTIC SESSIONS …A JOURNEY TO THE RESERVOIR OF AMERICAN COUNTRY & SOUL… by James Calemine “If America had one voice, it would be Willie’s…” - Emmylou Harris Willie Nelson’s music crosses many generations. His life’s work includes 50 read more...
Billy Bob Thornton
The Wit and Wisdom of Actor, Director, Writer, Musician and Southern Rock Fan by Michael Buffalo Smith July 2006 I have been a fan of Billy Bob for years. I vaguely recall his acting in the old Burt Reynolds TV show Evening Shade, but it was the cult classic film Slingblade which he wrote, read more...
One County Over: Ralph Stanley Sings the Music of the Carter Family
by Derek Halsey May, 2006 AP, Sara, and Maybelle Carter did not invent country music. The music had been evolving in the Appalachian Mountains for generations before the trio made their fateful trip to Bristol, Tennessee in 1927 to record their first sides. While there had been recordings made of country and string band music earlier, Charlie read more...
Cowboy Jack Clement
COWBOY JACK CLEMENT CASH, PRIDE, SUN and POLKA by Michael Buffalo Smith May, 2006 Cowboy Jack Clement is a true Nashville legend if ever there was one. From his days working at Sun Studios, to writing hit songs for Johnny Cash, producing Waylon Jennings and Charley Pride, Cowboy Jack has always kept it real, and read more...
Phil Walden Memorial
Phil Was a Capricorn By Michael Buffalo Smith May 2006 Phil Walden, 66, the Capricorn Records founder who launched the careers of Otis Redding and the Allman Brothers Band, died on Sunday, April 23, 2006 after a long battle with cancer. Walden died at his home in Atlanta. Founded in 1969, Phil Walden’s read more...
Hank Williams III
THE NEXT GENERATION OF A COUNTRY LEGACY by Michael Buffalo Smith April, 2006 Hank Williams the third, better known as "Hank III," embodies a lot of the same restless, wandering spirit, rebel rousing attitude his grandfather Hank Williams possessed, the same attitude that was passed down to read more...
Marshall Chapman 2006
CALL THE LLAMAS...EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE TALL GIRL, BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK by Michael Buffalo Smith April, 2006 During the seven years that GRITZ Magazine has been in cyberspace, we have interviewed Nashville singer-songwriter Marshall Chapman twice. This is our third time out. read more...
Marty Stuart Takes Charge of His Music
MARTY STUART TAKES CHARGE OF HIS MUSIC by Derek Halsey February, 2006 Marty Stuart has entered what may be the golden age of his career. He has taken hold of the reins of his musical visions and ideas by starting his own record label, Superlatone Records. Even though he is still in his 40’s, this has been a long read more...
Delbert McClinton
DELBERT McCLINTON KEEPS IT REAL by Michael Buffalo Smith November 2005 Delbert McClinton’s formative years were spent as a member of The Straitjackets, the house band at a blues/rhythm and blues club on the outskirts of Ft. Worth, Texas. He was schooled by various legendary musicians who rolled through town. His band read more...
Shooter Jennings
Ol’ Shooter : Are you ready for the country? Are you ready for him? November 2005 by Michael Buffalo Smith At the age of 25, Shooter Jennings, the only son of legendary country music icon Waylon Jennings and his wife, Jessie Colter, is riding high on the country charts with a hot single “4th of read more...
Jerry Reed
WHEN YOU'RE HOT, YOU'RE HOT An Interview with Country Superstar/Actor Jerry Reed by Michael Buffalo Smith September, 2005 Jerry Reed is a true star. From his string of hit singles during the '60's and '70's to his groundbreaking role as The Snowman in the Smokey & The read more...
Jimmy Martin
Jimmy Martin--Mr. Good N’ Country, the King Of Bluegrass By Derek Halsey June 2005 Jimmy Martin died on May 14, 2005 of bladder cancer at the age of 77. Almost a year before that he was kind enough to have granted us at GRITZ a lively, historic, and wonderful interview. It was as much a hold-on-to-your-horses interview as read more...
John D. Wyker's Cat Tales - Dan Penn
A DAN PENN CAT TALE by JD Wyker April, 2005 Conway Twitty's version of "Is A Bluebird Blue" was real important to Dan Penn...or should I say Wallace Pennington..It was the first real money he made as a songwriter! I was lucky enough to have been at Spar Music above City Drug Store in read more...
Good Ol' Tater Soup
GOOD OL' TATER SOUP IN THE WINTER; VIZZY SWIZZY IN THE SUMMER By Ron Williams March, 2005 Shhh! Don't tell nobody, but this recipe has some, well, rather French roots. Naw, not celeriac or such, I mean the origin of the recipe. I realize that the French aren't too popular in these parts since their read more...
2004 Americana Music Conference
AMERICANA MUSIC CONFERENCE NASHVILLE, TN SEPTEMBER 23-25, 2004 by Michael Buffalo Smith October 2004 The ride up to Nashville was beautiful. The majesty of the Blue Ridge Mountains can oftentimes be overwhelming and under the sunny, clear blue skies of Carolina the trip was read more...
Tony Joe White
TONY JOE WHITE: THE SWAMP FOX by Michael Buffalo Smith October 2004 Tony Joe White is an American treasure. In 1969, Tony Joe came bursting out of the swamplands of Louisiana with his classic, “Polk Salad Annie,” a Top 10 Hit, followed in 1970, read more...
Americana Late Night
by Derek Halsey October 2004 One of the cool things about the Americana Music Conference is the nighttime jams that happen throughout Nashville during the week. I arrive on Tuesday night and end up at the home of live bluegrass music in Nashville, the Station Inn. Tonight’s bill features a read more...
Lee Roy Parnell
LEE ROY PARNELL GUITARS, SLIDES AND THE BLUES by Michael RedTail Wolf Nystrom July 2004 I know you're a native Texan, but I don't know what town you were born in. Abilene, Texas and I grew up on a ranch near Stephenville, Texas. When did you start playing guitar? When read more...
David Allan Coe
THE ORIGINAL OUTLAW: DAVID ALLAN COE by Michael Buffalo Smith June 2004 Let’s face it, David Allan Coe defies categorization. For three decades, Coe has performed virtually every type of American music known, from country to hip hop. And he always does read more...
Phyllis Ann Bailey's Strawberry Preserves
Phyllis Ann Bailey's Strawberry Preserves by Ron Williams Spring City, Tenn., May 16, 2004 The Mexican migrant workers were picking strawberries and loading them onto a Chevy flatbed across Highway 27 outside of Dayton, TN. The other flatbed was at the sales stand directly across from the fields where Sandra read more...
Marshall Chapman 2004
TALL Y’ALL: MARSHALL CHAPMAN by Michael Buffalo Smith April 2004 Marshall Chapman has created quite a name for herself in Nashville as one of Music City’s finest songwriters. Not only that, but she is also a highly skilled singer and guitarist whose read more...
Bernie Leadon
By Michael Buffalo Smith April 2004 Bernie Leadon is perhaps best known as the multi-instrumentalist/vocalist/singer/songwriter of The Eagles, having appeared on all of their first five albums, as well as for his stints with the Flying Burrito Brothers and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. That was then, this read more...
The Late Great Townes Van Zandt
A deluge of Townes Van Zandt releases flood the market since his death on January 1, 1997. A bitter legal battles ensues over Van Zandt's prolific song catalogue. Various related projects recently became available such as Norah Jones' Handsome Band: Live 2004, Margaret Brown's great DVD: Be Here To Love Me, and Townes in Amsterdam, a 1991 live performance. The following article read more...
I Like My Chicken Fryin' Size
by Ron Williams December 2003 The Yellowhammer, Mockingbird, Brown Thrasher, Great Carolina Wren, no matter what is listed, are NOT the State Birds of Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, or South Carolina. It is The Chicken. The State Bird of all the Southern States, and probably the rest of the USA, too. Really, have you read more...
Charlie Daniels 2003
The Heart & Soul of Charlie Daniels by Michael Buffalo Smith December 2003 For the cover story of our third print issue in 2003 I called on our old friend Charlie Daniels. Having interviewed him numerous times in the past, I was looking for a new angle. It didn’t take much looking. read more...
Del McCoury
MAN OF THE YEAR: DEL McCOURY By Derek Halsey September 2003 The story of the rise of the Del McCoury Band is an impressive one. These days they are playing before large crowds of young and old folks alike. Their roots are firmly planted in the traditions of bluegrass music, yet their read more...
Hurt: Remembering Johnny Cash
by Michael Buffalo Smith September 2003 During the last several years of his life Johnny Cash was in severe pain 24 hours a day. For many men it would have meant retiring from the spotlight and into seclusion, popping pills to ease the pain and hiding from the very legacy he had created for read more...
Remembering June Carter Cash
REMEMBERING JUNE CARTER CASH By Derek Halsey July 2003 On May 18th, 2003, Johnny Cash sat in the pew of the First Baptist Church in Hendersonville, Tennessee looking as old as he ever has. He was there for the funeral of his wife, June Carter Cash. During the past few years it had been read more...
Greg Martin (Kentucky Headhunters)
by Michael Buffalo Smith July 2003 The Kentucky Headhunters are back and in fine form with their new album Soul, a fun-filled romp through Muscle Shoals influenced soul and Memphis flavored r&b. We caught up with band members Greg Martin and Richard Young for a fun pair of interviews that cover everything read more...
Billy Joe Shaver
ODE TO BILLY JOE - AN INTERVIEW WITH BILLY JOE SHAVER by Derek Halsey Spring 2003 Billy Joe Shaver is one of the best and most prolific songwriters that America has ever produced. He is known to a lot of people for being a huge part of the so-called 'outlaw movement' in country music that took place in the early 1970's with the read more...
Tommy Crain
TOMMY CRAIN by Michael Buffalo Smith December 2002 During our first three years on the internet, one question that got asked more often than any other was, “Whatever happened to Tommy Crain?” Well, for a while, I had no idea. Following his departure read more...
Don Winters
THEY CALL ME SWEET PAPA DON Papa Don Winters' Last Interview by Michael Buffalo Smith July 2002 Don Winters scored a major country hit as songwriter for The Louvin Brothers back in 1955 with “You’re Running Wild,” and while he was a major songwriting talent, he was and is quite a singer, spending many read more...
Ricky Godfrey
OUT OF THE DARKNESS, A BEAUTIFUL LIGHT COMETH Nashville Musician Ricky Godfrey On Garfeel Ruff, The Marshall Tucker Band and Beach Music By Michael Buffalo Smith (2002) Ricky Godfrey and his brother Ronnie, read more...
Blue Mother Tupelo
Ricky and Micol Davis By Derek Halsey July 2002 Blue Mother Tupelo is a blues/rock/roots band out of Tennessee that has as good a thing going as any southern band out there. There are a lot of so-called 'southern rock' bands roaming the countryside right now, but this bunch is the real thing. read more...
Charlie Hayward (The Charlie Daniels Band)
CHARLIE HAYWARD Playing in The Charlie Daniels Band by Michael Buffalo Smith June 2002 Since 1975, Charlie Hayward has held down the bottom for the Charlie Daniels Band playing bass guitar touring and recording with Daniels. We caught up with Hayward at read more...
O Sister Thou Hath Been There All Along - Women in Bluegrass
O SISTER THOU HATH BEEN THERE ALL ALONG Women in Bluegrass Music by Derek Halsey June 2002 In the documentary/concert movie Down From The Mountain the women musicians are just as much a star of the show as the men. The movie was filmed in mid-2000 at the famed Ryman read more...
Earl Scruggs Family and Friends
Earl Scruggs Family and Friends A WBZI and Cityfolk.org Production Dayton, Ohio April 14,2002 by Derek Halsey The Earl Scruggs Band featuring; Earl Scruggs, banjo and guitar. Gary Scruggs, vocals and bass and all round nice guy. Glen Duncan, a fantastic fiddler. Jerry Douglas, Dobro, read more...
Wayne Moss
ALL THE GOOD PEOPLE DOWN IN TENNESSEE ARE DIGGING BAREFOOT JERRY… An Interview with Wayne Moss By Derek Halsey February 2002 Wayne Moss is a musician who has played in the studio with everyone from Nancy Sinatra to Bob Dylan to the Steve Miller Band. But he may best be remembered for his recording studio, Cinderella read more...
Artimus Pyle 2001
Street Survivor: Artimus Pyle on his friend Allen Woody, the new APB album and life in general by Michael Buffalo Smith December 2001 Hi Artimus. I’d like to begin this second interview by asking you to share with your fans a little about how you knew the late Allen Woody, read more...
John Hartford Memorial
Where Does an Old Time River Man Go? John Hartford Remembered By Derek Halsey December 2001 In the cool autumn air the sounds of the riverboats were everywhere. There is nothing like the whistle of a ship like the Delta Queen blowing as it comes up river and into port. In October of 1988, at the port of Cincinnati on read more...
Holiday Recipe - Cornbread Dressing
Holiday Recipe - Cornbread Dressing by Ron Williams November 13, 2001 Why You Don't Hear, "I'll Beat The Dressing Out Of You." Cause you don't put dressing inside of the read more...
Retail Canned and Frozen Ready - to - Serve Southern Products
Company's Coming! Retail canned and frozen ready - to - serve Southern products A TRUE STORY by Ron Williams October 2001 (ring - ring) "Hello?" read more...
Steve Ripley (The Tractors)
FAST GIRLS AND COUNTRY MUSIC The Steve Ripley/Tractors Interview by Ken Burke June 2001 The 1992 hit "Baby Likes To Rock It" made Steve Ripley and his band The Tractors stars virtually overnight. Recording for Arista, they were multi-platinum symbols of Country radio's willingness to embrace elements read more...
Travis Wammack
"SCRATCHY" WAS JUST THE BEGINNING Travis Wammack is Still Rocking May, 2001 by Michael B. Smith We can think of no better introduction to our exclusive interview than the following article from ROLLING STONE, written a few years back by Greg Shaw. "There are some names you never forget. read more...
Johnny Neel
From The Allmans to Gov't Mule, Johnny Neel Rocks The Blues with Style by Michael Buffalo Smith April 2001 Where were you born and raised? I was born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware and stayed there until age of 30. I read more...
Van Zant
BROTHERS IN ARMS Donnie and Johnny Van Zant Talk About Their Brother, Their Parents, and Their Second Collaborative Album By Michael B. Smith March, 2001 Perhaps no other name in Southern Rock conjures up as many images as that of Van Zant. Like the Pettys in NASCAR, their family name is forever etched into read more...
Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
Get Your Biscuits in the Oven, and Your Buns in the Bed (Biscuits and Sausage Gravy) by Ron & Sandra Williams January 2001 When the South rises again, it will be with the help of White Lily Flour. A "White Powdery Substance" that's addictive, not always easy to score, and read more...
Col. Bruce Hampton
THE DADDY OF US ALL Col. Bruce Hampton (ret) Discusses Everything from Andy Griffith to Slingblade to The Aquarium Rescue Unit , Horse Racing and Zambee by Michael B. Smith January, 2001 Col. Bruce Hampton has been there, done that and got the t-shirt. He's an avid reader, a film buff, and a musical read more...
Stanley Booth: Can I Get A Witness
Can I Get A Witness The True Adventures of Stanley Booth By James Calemine Winter 2000 Jack Kerouac was a writer. That is, he wrote. Many people who call themselves writers and have their names on books aren’t writers and can’t write—the difference being a bullfighter who fights a bull is different than read more...
Charlie Daniels 2000
Back to Tennessee: Catching Up with Charlie Daniels by Michael Buffalo Smith October 2000 What inspired you to record the songs you recorded for your new album Tailgate Party?
Bobby Whitlock
Layla, and Many Other Songs of Love Bobby Whitlock Talks About Derek & The Dominos, Duane Allman, Gram Parsons, Eric Clapton and more... by Mitch Lopate Winter 2000 I see you released a new album on the Grapevine label, and it's called "It's about Time." Tell me (about) "It's About read more...
Charlie Daniels: Renaissance Hillbilly
Renaissance Hillbilly A Look Inside the Mind of Charlie Daniels by Michael Buffalo Smith October 2000 Not unlike the great state of Texas, Charlie Daniels is a little bit Western and a little bit Southern. His signature "bull rider" hat, his lifestyle on his Tennessee ranch, his love of horses, read more...
In Memory of Allen Woody
In Memory of Allen Woody October 2, 1956 - August 25, 2000 This is the poem Warren read at the funeral. SMILE AT HALF MAST by read more...
Lonnie Mack
The Guitar Player's Guitar Player Gritz Speaks with Guitar Hero Lonnie Mack by Michael Buffalo Smith (June, 2000) Lonnie Mack is a roadhouse blues-rock legend - modern rock's first true guitar hero. His playing has influenced the course of rock and roll and had an impact on many of modern rock's read more...
Bonnie Bramlett
Don't You Remember You Told Me You Loved Me Baby? A Conversation with Bonnie Bramlett by Jill McLane Smith Summer 2000 From her work with Delaney and Bonnie and Friends, to her friendships with a who's-who of '60's and '70's rock and roll, to her role on TV's "Roseanne," Bonnie Bramlett has always managed read more...
Dennis Winters
Checking in with Dennis Winters of The Winters Brothers Band by Michael Buffalo Smith March 2000 One question we here at Gritz have been asked time and time again over the past year is “whatever happened to The Winters Brothers Band?” The answer? Nothing happened to ‘em! They are read more...
Koko Taylor
Praise the Bridge that Carried You Across An Audience with The Queen of the Blues by Michael Buffalo Smith 2000 I understand that Koko is a nickname. How did you come to be called Koko?
Wayne Perkins
THE ULTIMATE ROCK AND ROLL SIDE MAN Wayne Perkins: A Lifetime on Six Strings by Roxane Crutcher December 1999 Wayne, could you give the readers of the interview a brief review of your music background? I guess you could say that I came by it "Honestly." Both my parents played guitar before read more...
Artimus Pyle 1999
His Tonka Toys Were Real An Exclusive Interview with Artimus Pyle by Michael Buffalo Smith November 1999 He was the second drummer for Lynyrd Skynyrd but most fans know him as THE drummer for the South’s most popular band. Artimus Pyle played on the band’s best-loved albums, read more...
Ricky Skaggs Returns to His Roots
by Michael Buffalo Smith June, 1999 Ricky Skaggs has finally found his bliss. After years of performing Top 40 Country music, which netted him twelve number one singles and a wall filled with gold and platinum records, eight CMA awards, including Entertainer of the Year in 1985, and a spot in Billboard Magazine's Top 20 Artists of the decade read more...
Jimmy Hall
JUST AS WET AS EVER WET WILLIE FRONTMAN JIMMY HALL by Michael Buffalo Smith Summer 1998 When the stage is his, Jimmy Hall, the dynamic, Mobile, Alabama -born singer transforms himself into one righteous medium who melds the blues, rock and R&B into a steaming exorcism that can cleanse any listener’s read more...