#old dominion

[oldlinetrad]

Vauter’s Church - 1731. Essex County, Virginia

[cluelesspigeons]

This is written for the song “Make It Sweet” by Old Dominion from @drarrymicrofic

Word count: 202

Drarry microfic: sweet lemonade

When Harry entered the kitchen, Draco’s head was buried into one of the cupboards above the stove. He was standing on his tiptoes, trying to look in the back of the cupboard.

“What are you doing?”

Draco jumped a little at the sound of Harry’s voice, though he didn’t turn to look at him. He continued his search for Merlin-knows-what.

“I’m looking if we still have some sugar left,” came Draco’s muffled voice from the cupboard. “It’s not looking promising, though.”

Confused, Harry raised an eyebrow. “Why do you need sugar?”

Draco pointed at a big batch of lemons standing on the counter. “Mother has sent some lemons from her home in Italy. I want to make sweet lemonade of them.”

Harry chuckled and shook his head fondly. He couldn’t deny that the thought of some fresh homemade lemonade made his mouth water.

In front of him, Draco sighed as he finally emerged from the cupboard, closing it softly. He turned to look at Harry, his long hair all dishevelled. “Could you go get some sugar from the store, please?”

With a smile growing on his face, Harry stepped closer and placed a loving kiss on his husband’s cheek. “Of course, love.”

Prompt from June 2nd

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[phobiato2]

From Conquest by Para Bellum Wargames

This guy who does have a title I can't remember, and is part of the really cool Old Dominion faction.

[popentertainment-concertphotos]

Old Dominion – PPG Paints Arena – Pittsburgh, PA – September 15, 2023

Photos by Dave Parsons © 2023

[vinylspinning]

Tyler Childers: Country Squire (2019)

I was working at Sony Music Nashville when I first caught wind of Tyler Childers, but not because we'd signed the up-and-coming, immensely-talented, critically-acclaimed, award-winning country artist, but because we DIDN'T!

Instead, our New York-based sister company RCA Records did, adding Childers to their multi-genre roster (P!NK, SZA, Doja Cat, Foo Fighters, etc.) with apparently no objection from our country-focused division.

If that sounds counter-intuitive, well yes it is ...

Because, normally, based on an unwritten "gentleman's agreement between label imprints, we could have called "dibs," but apparently our leadership team didn't rate Childers' chances at cracking mainstream (read: pop) country radio.

Mind you, they also passed on Lil Nas X ... DOH!

Anyway, I could go on and on about the peculiarities, hypocrisies, and just plain stupidities of the country music establishment, which, given its increasing association with dangerous M.A.G.A. elements, may simply implode like a poorly-engineered deep ocean submarine, somewhere down the line.

We can only hope ...

Anyway, Tyler Childers had no time for any of this; his music is actual -- you know -- country, not pop dressed down with a bit of fiddle or pedal steel, and certainly not Nickelback-like corporate rock turned bro-country through the magical powers granted by the words "beer," "truck," and "Jesus."

And 2019's Sturgill Simpson-produced Country Squire (the album Sony Nashville "wisely" passed on) was no exception: sticking with classic country's analog, folk-centric instrumentation and tales of the common man, minus the insincere outlaw country clichés.

Childers' characters ride public transportation ("Bus Route"), work the night shift ("Matthew"), and spit on the sidewalk ("Country Squire"); they work at the paper mill, live in the holler ("Peace of Mind"), drink alone ("Creeker"), and get "lit up like a Christmas tree" ("Gemini").

But Childers also pines for his fair lady's mobile texts ("Ever Lovin' Hand") while penning love songs to the touring life (the Grammy-nominated "All Your'n"), and when he appeals to a broader audience (first single "House Fire") he's hardly begging for approval; if fans come to him it'll be on his terms.

And whatever you do, don't call any of the above "Americana," because Childers has frequently voiced his disdain for a musical category that's often seen as a ghetto for alt-country hipsters, half-assed outlaws, and "woke" country artists.

To Childers, it's all just country, and the official chart bearing that very name obviously concurred, because Country Squire debuted at No. 1 and ironically snapped a seven-week streak in the top slot for Sony Nashville's Luke Combs.

Ain't that fitting?

p.s. -- I searched for compelling stories about Country Squire's distinctive cover illustration, but all I learned is that it was commissioned from comic book illustrator 'Colonel' Tony Moore, who, like Childers, hails from Kentucky.

More Modern Country Music & Timeless Americana: The Band’s The Band, Johnny Cash’s American Recordings, Guy Clark’s Old No. 1, Luke Combs’ This One’s for You, Kevin Galloway’s The Change, Emmylou Harris’ Pieces of the Sky, Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit’s The Nashville Sound, Kris Kristofferson’s Songs of Kristofferson, Miranda Lambert’s The Weight of These Wings, Ray LaMontagne’s God Willin’ & the Creek Don’t Rise, Maren Morris’ Hero, Kacey Musgraves’ Golden Hour, Willie Nelson’s Red Headed Stranger, Old Crow Medicine Show’s Volunteer, Old Dominion’s Happy Endings, Gram Parsons’ Grievous Angel, Dolly Parton’s My Tennessee Mountain Home, Pistol Annies’ Interstate Gospel, Sixteen Horsepower’s Sackloth ‘n’ Ashes, Tenille Townes’ The Lemonade Stand, Townes Van Zandt’s Delta Momma Blues.

[oldlinetrad]

Deltaville, Virginia

[jessfrommidland]

@cameronfrommidland do you think we'll win against Old Dominion this year?

[popentertainmentconcertreviews]

Old Dominion, Priscilla Block & Adam Doleac – PPG Paints Arena – Pittsburgh, PA – September 15, 2023

When long time country music band Old Dominion brought their "No Bad Vibes Tour" to Pittsburgh's PPG Paints Arena, it was a night most fans will never forget. From the opening acts to the nearly two-hour set by Old Dominion, the show was filled with hit after hit.

Old Dominion is made up of some of Nashville's best songwriters, having songs that were hits for artists like Kenny Chesney, Blake Shelton, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, and of course for Old Dominion.

The stage was a large T-shape and split the general admission pit into two sides giving everyone a good view. All of the acts used every inch of the stage to keep the show moving and the energy high.

Old Dominion opened their set with hit after hit including "Make It Sweet,” "No Hard Feelings," "Never Be Sorry," "Break Up With Him," and the hits kept coming. They took time to show off some of the songs they wrote by including "Save It For A Rainy Day," a song they wrote for Kenny Chesney.

The next song, "My Heart is a Bar" was the closer, until the crowd called them back out for a two-song encore of "Hawaii" and "I Was On A Boat That Day." There was a little bit of a country rebel streak in the encores as the show went past the building curfew by a few minutes. They really hustled off the stage after the last note. All in all it was a solid set turned in by one of the longest lasting bands in recent country history.

Taking the stage right before Old Dominion was Priscilla Block, one of a crop of new female country acts trying to each find a niche in the industry. Block began her career posting music online, and mostly on Tik Tok. After using a Go Fund Me to cut the self- penned "Just About Over You" and seeing it go viral, she had record labels falling all over each other to sign her.

Naming her fan club, and stage show, "The Block Party", she had a party atmosphere with her cross of country and southern rock, and only slowed down for the very personal "Me Part 2" which she performed acoustic on guitar. She only got to perform 7 songs on the night, and it seemed she was only getting warmed up when it was time to wrap it up. Block does seem to know her niche and her audience, and her songs cater right to the heart of them.

Newcomer Adam Doleac took the stage before Block for a very short set. Included in the set were his two singles "Famous" and "Doing It Wrong", but the crowd sang along with every song in his set. He worked the large stage like a pro and left the crowd wanting more.

Old Dominion Setlist: Make It Sweet / No Hard Feelings / Never Be Sorry / Break Up With Him / Midnight Mess Around / No Such Thing As A Broken Heart / I Should Have Married You / Written In The Sand / Be With Me / Said Nobody / Snapback / Hotel Key / Memory Lane / One Man Band / Song For Another Time / How Good Is That / Nowhere Fast / Show Shopping / Can't Get You / Save It For A Rainy Day / My Heart Is A Bar / Encore: Hawaii / Rock N Roll Part 2 / I Was On A Boat That Day

Priscilla Block Setlist: My Bar / Off The Deep End / Me Part 2 / You, Me and Whiskey / Fake Names / Thick Thighs / Just About Over You

Adam Doleac Setlist: Somewhere Cool With You / Could've Loved You Longer / Drinkin' It Wrong / Don't It Sound Alright / Another / Meet Me In The City / Famous / Absolutely (Story Of A Girl)

Dave Parsons

Copyright ©2023 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: September 17, 2023.

Photos by Dave Parsons © 2023. All rights reserved.

[latenightsandlemondrops]

Old Dominion in Tuscaloosa. Good music. Mercedes Benz Amphitheater. Weather look iffy, but we didn’t get wet.

[robpegoraro]

If you're on the fence about who to choose between the two Democratic candidates for Virginia attorney general and the six for lieutenant governor, here are some paywall-free resources that may help you decide on your vote between now and Tuesday.

[dailyquotes2868]

Most wouldn't forgive what I put you through, but I'm here tonight, hoping some people do. 

Old Dominion, Some People Do

[vinylspinning]

Kacey Musgraves: Golden Hour (2018)

I'm clearing out of some clear vinyl this week and today's subject is the third long-player (fourth if you count the holiday album, A Very Kacey Christmas) from acclaimed country songstress Kacey Musgraves.

I bought this for my daughters at a time when they were showing some interest in collecting vinyl, but I doubt they played it more than once or twice before deciding (wisely, I might add) that perhaps dad's stupid "dead media hobby" wasn't for them.

Of course, I wound up playing it instead, and it didn't take long to connect Golden Hour's title, which obviously references that fleeting time around sunset and sunrise (also known as "magic hour"), to the sonic ambiance emanating from these grooves. (*)

First tune "Slow Burn" is a also mission statement, as it gently emerges out of the morning fog, still rubbing the sleep out of its eyes, but clearly defining a blueprint (see "Butterflies," "Velvet Elvis," etc.) that's dreamy, evanescent, and soft-lens cinematic.

It's also more soft rock than it is folk, Americana, let alone country, as evidenced by the Sunday-driving "Lonely Weekend," the Daft Punk dance-funk of "High Horse," and the standout "Love Is a Wild Thing," where pedal steel and banjo figure but don't overwhelm.

Lyrically, themes include child-like idyll ("Oh, What a World"), wistfulness and longing ("Mother"), and, naturally, love and breakups, ("Wonder Woman," "Happy & Sad," etc.), but nothing toxic.

In fact, that's another Golden Hour hallmark: no drama, no hysteria, and certainly no country-mandated "crying in my beer, in a truck, with Jesus" heartbreak clichés.

Instead, the album is all about peace, calm, and subtlety (an absent comma holds the key to "Space Cowboy": "You can have your space, cowboy; I ain't gonna fence you in") and, like most movies, Golden Hour has a happy ending in the uplifting "Rainbow."

And then came the avalanche of accolades ...

Golden Hour debuted at No. 4 on the U.S. Hot 100 (No. 6 in the U.K.) and No. 1 on both the Country and Americana/Folk charts; it was eventually certified platinum (two decades earlier it would have been multi-platinum!) and it was eventually nominated for, and won, four Grammy awards, namely:

Best Country Album

Best Country Song for "Space Cowboy"

Best Country Solo Performance for "Butterflies"

Album of the Year -- BOOYAH!

I'll include a photo of the triumphant winner cradling her hardware, and sign off here; before that all-too-brief Golden Hour fades into the dark of night, or light of day -- your choice.

* Another titular reference manifested on the cover photo, which was snapped by Musgrave's sister in their hometown of Golden, Texas.

More Modern Country Music: Tyler Childers' Country Squire, Luke Combs’ This One’s for You, Kevin Galloway’s The Change, Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit’s The Nashville Sound, Miranda Lambert’s The Weight of These Wings, Maren Morris’ Hero, Old Dominion’s Happy Endings, Pistol Annies’ Interstate Gospel, Tenille Townes’ The Lemonade Stand.

[americanahighways]

Interview: Brad Tursi "Parallel Love" Draws on Personal Growth and a Lifetime of Influences

Interview: Brad Tursi "Parallel Love" Draws on Personal Growth and a Lifetime of Influences @Hannah_meansshannon @americanahighways #americanamusic #americanahighways #parallellove #musicianinterviews #writtenbyahuman #newmusic2024 @bradtursi @olddominionmusic

Brad Tursi photo by Marina Chavez Brad Tursi Parallel Love Draws on Personal Growth and a Lifetime of Influences Brad Tursi is best known as a professional songwriter in Nashville and a professional guitar player for the Grammy-winning band Old Dominion. Having gathered his more personal songwriting together for a number of years, he finally completed the songs, added a few more, then recorded…

[fullaccessdetroit]

Faster Horses Festival - Brooklyn, MI - July 19th-21st 2024 <Steve Sergent/HowieHerula>

Cody Johnson, Photo Steve Sergent, Article: Howie Herula Brooklyn, MI – As we packed up the camper for the adventurous weekend to come, I couldn’thelp but smile. Not only for being able to attend this event with all the traveling I do for work,but also for the chance to hang with some good people and meet some new ones in theprocess. The drive to Michigan International Speedway, about 90…

[poetrywithapurpose]

Old Dominion - My Heart Is a Bar