Willie Nelson

Dave Olson ventures into Americana with Pieta Brown (INTERVIEW)

The country music scene is often overlooked in place of more organic genres, but St. Paul-based musician Dave Olson really isn't classified as country. On his new album, Dave takes the Americana-folk genre and puts a different, yet simple spin on songwriting. Collaborating with Pieta Brown, Benson R ... More >>

RIP, Chris Ethridge, Flying Burrito Brothers bassist

If there's a Country-Rock Heaven, well you know they've got a hell of a rhythm section. Not quite the lyrics we remember the Righteous Brothers singing, but the way the last few days have panned out, it seems apt. Thursday, we reported the news that Levon Helm, multi-instrumentalist and drummer fo ... More >>

Ten of the World's Toughest Rodeo songs before Saturday's main event

​This ain't my first rodeo, but perhaps it could be yours. This weekend, the "World's Toughest Rodeo" tour makes its annual stop at the Xcel Energy Center (Friday and Saturday, February 3-4, 7:30, $9.50-80 with special pricing for Girl and Boy Scouts, no foolin'). In addition to bull, bareback, an ... More >>

Lucinda Williams to play First Ave next Wednesday

​Emmylou Harris has said of the alt-country songwriter, "She is an example of the best of what country at least says it is, but, for some reason, she's completely out of the loop and I feel strongly that that's country music's loss" and next Wednesday, Lucinda Williams will once again grace th ... More >>

The Blind Boys of Alabama

​Emmylou Harris has said of the alt-country songwriter, "She is an example of the best of what country at least says it is, but, for some reason, she's completely out of the loop and I feel strongly that that's country music's loss" and next Wednesday, Lucinda Williams will once again grace th ... More >>

Picked to Click 2011: Complete list of ranking bands

​While we only have space to feature the top 10 finalists in our Picked to Click issue (or 13, this year, because of several ties), we think it's important to publish the complete list of ranking bands so you can see how the points were awarded all the way down the line. And just for added nerdlin ... More >>

Picked to Click 2011: The ballots

​​As is the yearly tradition, we're publishing the ballots of all 115 of our Picked to Click voters for your perusal. Check out all of this year's contributors below, and thanks to all the writers, photographers, label owners, club bookers, DJs, and local music experts for weighing in on th ... More >>

Wanda Jackson, Justin Townes Earle, Travis Tritt and more this weekend

Photo courtesy of wandajackson.comWanda Jackson​Ahem. Perty little lo-ove song. Perty little lo-ove so-oh-ong. Perty little lo-ove song... bang bing bong. Take a second to learn the real lyrics to this song* when the Marshall Tucker Band opens for Travis Tritt at the Otsego JamFest Friday ... More >>

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival: Notes and photos from the field

Photos by Rick Mason​New Orleans Jazz & Heritage FestivalMay 6-8, 2011New Orleans Fair GroundsBY RICK MASONAs the searing Louisiana sun sagged through the gathering Delta dusk west of New Orleans' Fair Grounds last Sunday, the electric atmosphere in front of the towering Gentilly Stage arced a ... More >>

Best Concerts of 2010

​From beginning to end, 2010 has kept us busy running from venue to venue in pursuit of some phenomenal live music. Gimme Noise's team of writers and photographers fanned out across the Twin Cities to catch as many shows as we could, and each of us ended up with our own diverse and distinctive lis ... More >>

Best Country Shows of 2010

​Given our proximity to an abundance of casino venues, the popularity of state and county fairs, big summer festivals in every neck of the woods (and on lakes and in fields), and the recent influx of urban and suburban Western-themed bars, it's no surprise we've seen plenty of great country ac ... More >>

Faron Young, on this day in country music history

​What becomes of country singers when their glory days are but a distant memory? The narrative offered by Jeff Bridges tells the tale of a decline into and subsequent ascent from alcoholism paired with a fat songwriting check that, because you're such a good guy, you end up signing over to som ... More >>

Whisky Park, Ugly Mug, and Be'wiched Deli: Downtown delights

Good food shows up in Minneapolis in surprising places

Snoop Dogg adds second Cabooze show

Photo via SnoopDogg.com​Sometime between defending Willie Nelson ("If you got a problem with Willie Nelson, you got a problem with me!") maybe performing at Prince William's bachelor party, and starring in the new Gorillaz music video, Snoop Dogg found the time to tack another Minneapolis show on ... More >>

John Mellencamp

Photo via SnoopDogg.com​Sometime between defending Willie Nelson ("If you got a problem with Willie Nelson, you got a problem with me!") maybe performing at Prince William's bachelor party, and starring in the new Gorillaz music video, Snoop Dogg found the time to tack another Minneapolis show on ... More >>

Patriotic country songs: The good, the bad, the ugly

​Happy Armistice slash Veterans Day! This is the day we're supposed to be patriotic, but without blowing anything up. And so on this day, I'm going to remember that services for veterans are woefully underfunded, that Don't Ask Don't Tell is bullshit policy, that women comprise over 14% of active- ... More >>

Willie Nelson at Mystic Lake Casino, 10/29/10

Photos by Steve Cohen​Willie Nelson October 29, 2010 Mystic Lake Casino Seeing Willie Nelson, whether it's your first time or your tenth, whether you've followed his career for fifty years or five, is like seeing an old friend. As folks assembled outside his Friday night sold-out appearance at My ... More >>

Willie Nelson set to play rescheduled two-night stand at Mystic

Photo courtesy of willienelson.com​Taking into account his social and political activism, extensive musical catalog, and long and storied life, Willie Nelson - if you ask me, the folks at High Times, and gay cowboys in particular - has got to be one of the coolest dudes to walk the planet. And his ... More >>

Phosphorescent & J. Tillman at the Cedar, 08/03/10

​Phosphorescent & J. TillmanAugust 3, 2010Cedar Cultural CenterTwo bands drove all the way from Seattle just to play for us at the Cedar Cultural Center on Tuesday night, as both Phosphorescent and J. Tillman delivered stirring, emotionally charged sets despite having driven for three days to ... More >>

Phosphorescent

​Phosphorescent & J. TillmanAugust 3, 2010Cedar Cultural CenterTwo bands drove all the way from Seattle just to play for us at the Cedar Cultural Center on Tuesday night, as both Phosphorescent and J. Tillman delivered stirring, emotionally charged sets despite having driven for three days to ... More >>

Willie Nelson reschedules sold out Minnesota shows

The iconic folk singer has canceled his March shows. Luckily, they have been rescheduled for October.

10 Celebrity Potheads

We celebrate the big names who've copped to their love of herb.

John Rich and Cowboy Troy rep for MuzikMafia or: WTF?

A collective of whatever the hell they want. Check out Saturday's Grand Casino show and see if you can make some sense of it.

David Bazan, Impaler, They Might Be Giants, and more

A collective of whatever the hell they want. Check out Saturday's Grand Casino show and see if you can make some sense of it.

Asleep at the Wheel

A collective of whatever the hell they want. Check out Saturday's Grand Casino show and see if you can make some sense of it.

Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers

A collective of whatever the hell they want. Check out Saturday's Grand Casino show and see if you can make some sense of it.

Gov't Mule

A collective of whatever the hell they want. Check out Saturday's Grand Casino show and see if you can make some sense of it.

Brad Mehldau

A collective of whatever the hell they want. Check out Saturday's Grand Casino show and see if you can make some sense of it.

Bob Dylan tribute show tonight

Head down to the Red Stag tonight to get your Bobby D fix.

Kris Kristofferson stuns the Pantages

He performed dressed in black under a single spot, with just a guitar, a harmonica, and a music stand holding his set list.

Kris Kristofferson

He performed dressed in black under a single spot, with just a guitar, a harmonica, and a music stand holding his set list.

Johnny Rotten does dairy

Johnny Rotten has boosted a British company's butter sales by 25 percent.

Play it again: Top 10 Reissues of 2008

Rumble Strips show fun in retrospect

House of Mercy

A portable Guitar Hero tops this week's pop culture picks

A souped-up Bonnie and Clyde tops this week's pop culture picks

Nothin' but a G Thing

11/03 Morning Communiqué

Nothin' but a G Thing

10/3 Morning Communiqué

Nothin' but a G Thing

The Full Nelson

Country goes concept in the hands of Shotgun Willie

Midnight Cowboys, Lonesome Doves

'Brokeback Mountain' makes a pretty picture of regular manhood

CMT goes Kinky-- Friedman, that is

'Brokeback Mountain' makes a pretty picture of regular manhood

8/2: Morning Communique

'Brokeback Mountain' makes a pretty picture of regular manhood

Free Will Astrology

'Brokeback Mountain' makes a pretty picture of regular manhood

Grandpa Goes to Grenada

America is no place for the old. Then there's Mexico.

Me Talk Pretty One Day

Mundane Thoughts About Jesus and Roosters and...

Love Songs, Nothing but Love Songs

Musicians and critics discuss their favorite aural aphrodisiacs

Something Old, Something New

Making records (and babies) with the Old 97's

Willie Nelson: Teatro

Making records (and babies) with the Old 97's

Must've Been High by Supersuckers

Making records (and babies) with the Old 97's