Grieving Dolly Everywhere
Editor’s Introduction Recently we shared a deeply personal passionate piece about Dolly Parton by award winning journalist Holly Gleason. This piece provides the thoughts and feelings of Larissa Rector and James Akenson. Most importantly, Rector and Akenson share the deeply local and personal dimensions of the Dolly grieving process. The local and personal responses complement […]
The Seeker: Dolly Parton Loved Cast-Offs, Kids, ALL Parties, Genders + Kinds
Holly Gleason Tennessee, U.S.A Editor’s Introduction – James Akenson The passing of Dolly Parton created a remarkable outpouring of love and grief. There were a remarkable number of ways nations, states, schools, and individual grieved for Dolly. Features on major news networks honored Dolly. News stories played throughout the world. In Queensland, Australia the […]
Charlie Poole: Restless Country Boy
Jordi Guasch Barcelona, Spain Editor’s Introduction – James E Akenson This discussion by Jordi Guasch deals with a very significant artist in the early development of Country Music. Charlie Poole doesn’t loom as large in the Country Music historical memory as “The Big Bang of Country Music” with Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family. Charlie […]
Ai: How Much Is Too Much For Ava Bentley or Sir Edward Grey?
James E. Akenson Tennessee Tech University (Retired) Cookeville, Tennessee, U.S.A Going back to the future with Michael J. Fox? No. I’m going back to the future in my undergraduate days at the University of Minnesota. Let’s ask the questions. What does a quirky, eccentric, far-out Professor from the University of Minnesota have to do with […]
Cherokee Hope
From Celina To Twang Town? James E. Akenson Tennessee Tech University (Retired) Cookeville, Tennessee, U.S.A Celina, Tennessee and Hibbing, Minnesota share something in common in my psyche. No, we won’t do a Hee Haw “Salute to Celina (Population 1,424) or Hibbing ( Population 15,940). But the link in my psyche is worth a different Hee […]
A Dolly Tribute
Hip Cookeville Indeed James E. Akenson Tennessee Tech University (Retired) Cookeville, Tennessee, U.S.A Christmas 2025 was its usual enjoyable self following a clearly establish ritual pattern. We get up when we’re ready. Put out the King James version of the Bible to the Gospel of Luke. Read the Christmas Story. Say a prayer. And […]
Kings Records & Early Country Music
Extending the Historical Record Via PragueFrank’s Discographies Chris Richardson INTRODUCTION Gaps in the Historical Record Michel Ruppli’s name is synonymous with a series of comprehensive multi-volume hardback discographies that encompass some of the most prized and prestigious American record catalogs of the twentieth century, including Atlantic, Decca, Mercury, MGM, Chess, and King. In the […]
Discographies and Databases
Andrew Smith Discographies are a valuable resource for country music collectors and researchers. Perhaps the most impressive in country music is Tony Russell’s Country Music Records: A Discography, 1921-1942, which lists every country music song recorded in the United States from 1921 to 1942. This book was an invaluable reference for my research on […]
The Devil’s Box
Jordi Guasch Barcelona, Spain Editor’s Introduction – James E Akenson Years ago, disapproval of the fiddle ran deep, particularly in Evangelical Protestant Christianity common in the southern United States. “The Devil’s Box” could cause the faithful to stray. “The Devil’s Box” could result in a life of sin preventing salvation through acceptance of Jesus as […]
Second Verse Same As The First
James E. Akenson Tennessee Tech University (Retired) Cookeville, Tennessee, U.S.A HH? No Dylan “It was a dark and stormy night.” I’m not stealing from Snoopy of Peanuts fame as he wrote the beginning to never completed stories. It was, for sure, an overcast, gloomy, and threatening late afternoon as a special time with the music […]