Jerry Reed, dead at 71.

Eddy Arnold, dead at 89.

The New York Times on Dolly Parton's subversive message. She's performing at Humphrey's this year; at $125, I will not be attending. The cheap seats at her Los Angeles concert, by comparison, are $42.50.

Looking at the Humphrey's lineup, there's not much worth seeing, and what is is overpriced. Lyle Lovett at $85 is tempting, but I think I'll pass.

Dolly Parton's self-released new album goes to #2 on the Billboard charts (article doesn't specify, but I assume they mean Country charts). Good for her. I got the album off Amie Street (it's also on eMusic). I liked it. Pop country, but good pop country. "Backwoods Barbie," the title track, lives up to the tradition of songs like "Coat of Many Colors," in depicting the dreams and reality of Dolly's childhood. Some odd choices of covers, like "She Drives Me Crazy" and "Tracks of My Tears." Didn't care for "Better Get to Livin'" but it sounds like the sort of thing that country radio should dig.

I wonder if its successful because of country radio support, or successful despite the lack thereof. Is radio playing the new album? Anyone know where to check airplay numbers?

UPDATE: Now that I've actually read the article linked to in the article I linked to, I see that "Better Get to Livin'" stalled at #52 on the charts. So I guess there's still no room for a 62-year-old country legend on today's country radio.

No Depression magazine to fold. I let my subscription lapse six months or so ago, so clearly am solely to blame (actually, they say sales and subscriptions were fine, and that the changing economics of the indie music scene are mainly to blame). The editors were on NPR to talk about the decision. Sad, sad news.

Dolly Parton postpones tour, blames breasts.

Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner do "Better Move it On Home." Good stuff. Found via Digital Audio Insider.

A look back at Porter Wagoner. Some nice MP3s there, and some classy album artwork, too (the article is written by the same guy who hunted down the location of Wagoner's Cold Hard Facts of Life album photo shoot, which I've linked to previously).

In addition to the recent passing of Wagoner, I somehow missed the news that Hank Thompson died. Big Rock Candy Mountain has a bit to say about the third Hank of Country's trinity, along with MP3s, while that site's companion site Barstool Mountain looks at the drinking songs of Hank Thompson.

Porter Wagoner, dead at 80. He apparently announced he had lung cancer about a week ago, and was in hospice, dying during the Country Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

It is nice that he managed to put out his final album, received to such high acclaim (I was quite fond of the album myself), as his was a reputation that needed some restoration. But considering the magnitude of the impact of his televison show on country music, it was more than fair that he should go out on the top of his game.