Top 10 Country Albums of 2008

Top 10 Country Albums of 2008

December 8, 2008; Written by CMT.com Staff

SugarlandIt's the time when music writers start reflecting on the best music they've heard during the past 12 months and four of CMT.com's frequent contributors boldly accepted the assignment to come up with their list of the year's Top 10 albums. No artist made it to all four lists, although Sugarland and Jamey Johnson managed to show up on three.Rather than a corporate endorsement, consider these the personal choices of CMT editorial director Chet Flippo and writers Alison Bonaguro, Edward Morris and Craig Shelburne. Their selections cover a wide spectrum of music from Hank Williams to Lady Antebellum.Chet Flippo's PicksHank Williams, The Unreleased RecordingsFor my money, this is the best country release of the decade. And the fact that the recordings are now 57 years old is amazing, considering that they sound fresh as today.Randy Travis, Around the BendHis first country album in eight years, and Travis has never sounded better, nor found better songs.Jamey Johnson, That Lonesome SongIt's not just that he's channeling Waylon Jennings. Johnson carries the spirit of the Hank Williams era in a modern soul.Patty Loveless, Sleepless NightsPerhaps the most expressive voice in modern country tackles some of country's best songs ever.Alan Jackson, Good TimeThe master of the understated song and the understated vocal delivery comes through again.Ashton Shepherd, Sounds So GoodOne of the best singer-songwriter debuts in years. Shepherd looks to become a country music fixture.Lee Ann Womack, Call Me CrazyShe's back and not as crazy as much as she is musically astute.Sugarland, Love on the InsideFrom the introspection of "Joey" and "Genevieve" to the impishness of "Steve Earle," Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush continue to mature musically. Trisha Yearwood, Heaven, Heartache and the Power of LoveOne of country's biggest voices matched with equally big material. Can't beat the combination. Emmylou Harris, All I Intended to BeShe is so comfortable with her voice now that it has become an old friend. I'm especially fond of her loving treatment of Merle Haggard's "Kern River" and the June Carter Cash tribute song, "How She Could Sing the Wildwood Flower."Alison Bonaguro's PicksSugarland, Love on the InsideThis insanely, over-the-top country-good album proves to me how deep Sugarland's talents run, not just because of their songwriting and chemistry, but because of the breadth of songs that fill this must-have track list. Ashton Shepherd, Sounds So GoodThe Hillbilly Housewives Club has a new spokesperson, and she's got a pint of Crown and a country sound that has woven its way into my heart and those of every other country fan who's got a baby at home and a to-do list a mile long. Darius Rucker, Learn to LiveIt wasn't Rucker's job to pave the way for crossovers, but he did it anyway, by creating an album so packed with genuine country shuffles, ballads and simple love tunes that I think any former rock star would be remiss not to at least try to follow in his footsteps. Keith Anderson, C'MonA meaty voice and poignant lyrics have never sounded so good together to me, but Anderson's sophomore effort comes across with a big rock-and-soul vibe that suits him well on everything from the bitter break-up tunes to the freshly crafted party songs. Taylor Swift, FearlessYes, she writes the pop culture stories that color teenage worlds, but she does so with a hell of a lot of mandolin and banjo. And for that, I have to respect Swift's loyalty to country's instrumental roots.Kenny Chesney, Lucky Old SunNo matter far he may have wandered down that tropical path, Chesney's voice still has the efficacy to transcend his genre-blurring music and make me and country fans like me proud to call him one of our own.Lady Antebellum, Lady AntebellumGood together, alone or in harmony. I hear something different on every song, yet somehow, that signature sound that Lady A has created stays put from the first track to the last.Trace Adkins, X (Ten)For anyone (like me) who is a sucker for that sexy cowboy shtick, this one plays very well from all-out gospel numbers to hysterical, husky shuffles.Phil Vassar, Prayer of a Common ManVassar has harnessed his distinctive piano playing and poppy songwriting for himself this time, and I'm so glad he isn't giving these solid, insightful and grounded tunes away. Jamey Johnson, That Lonesome SongEven angry and bitter sound heavenly to me when Johnson gets a hold of them on this collection of bluesy tunes he saturated with his baritone moan of a voice. Edward Morris' PicksDailey & Vincent, Dailey & VincentWhen Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent's voices converge into a plaintive wail, it's like hearing the Louvin Brothers reborn -- but with even more power and urgency. Charlie Haden, Family & Friends, Rambling BoyAlthough he made his reputation as a jazz bassist, Haden has deep country roots, and they hold him firmly in place here as he explores country and folk classics with the likes of Vince Gill, Rosanne Cash, Ricky Skaggs, Dan Tyminski, his daughters (the Haden Triplets) and his son-in-law (movie star Jack Black).Joey & Rory, The Life of a SongListening to this reminded me of hearing the Judds for the first time. The sounds aren't alike, of course, but both duos convey a sense of the world viewed anew. Joey Martin's primly authoritative voice is like a mating call.Jypsi, JypsiIf network television were still a civilized, family-oriented medium, this arrestingly talented, vividly photogenic foursome would be hosting a musical variety show. And it would be a hit. The three sisters and a brother are masters of every pop music style in the book. Alas, this album is, at the moment, available only as a download.Kathy Mattea, CoalIn her breezy but intensely moral way, Mattea has long been one of country music's most consistently political singers. Here, this coal miner's granddaughter conveys the complex relationship miners have with the mineral that both sustains and slaughters them. John Michael Montgomery, Time FliesGiven the right song -- whether the goofy "Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)" or the somber "The Little Girl" -- Montgomery is a formidable interpreter of lyrics. Each song in this collection is strong in its own way, and Montgomery brings his dramatic understanding to them all.Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Honoring the Fathers of Bluegrass, Tribute to 1946 and 1947With uncanny fidelity to the original sound and spirit, Skaggs and his band take us back to the dawn of bluegrass and let us glimpse why this new music was so exciting. Ralph Stanley II, This One Is TwoThe younger Stanley grew up on his father's tour buses. So when he sings about the rigors and loneliness of the road, you can believe him. He leans on some pretty heavyweight songwriters for this outing, among them Lyle Lovett, Townes Van Zandt, Elton John and Fred Eaglesmith.Rhonda Vincent, Good Thing GoingNext to Ricky Skaggs, Vincent is probably the best bandleader in bluegrass. Her talent for getting the most imagination and energy from her players -- whether it's a road or studio ensemble -- comes through magnificently here, via such gems as "I Gotta Start Somewhere," "Hit Parade of Love" and her lovely duet with Keith Urban, "The Water Is Wide."Hank Williams, The Unreleased RecordingsThis three-CD treasury of live radio performances enables us to know Williams as his contemporaries did, not as a peerless hillbilly icon but simply as another good ol' boy trying to hustle up an audience and make a living, mostly by singing other people's songs.Craig Shelburne's PicksSugarland, Love on the InsideCreative and refreshing, this ambitious album is packed with unique stories and undeniable hits. Jennifer Nettles' distinctive singing still stands out from the pack.Jamey Johnson, That Lonesome SongNobody looked over Johnson's shoulder for this moody album -- except that little devil. He's drawn to writing about bad decisions, but he finds poetry in the consequences, too.The Imus Ranch RecordIf his radio gig falls apart (again), Don Imus should pursue an A&R job at a country record label. The cuts by Vince Gill, Patty Loveless and Raul Malo are as fine as anything they've ever recorded.Lee Ann Womack, Call Me CrazyI do call her crazy, but she's also a marvelous vocalist with a knack for finessing a lyric. And it's comforting to have at least one female singer who isn't always so damn happy.Lady Antebellum, Lady AntebellumThe more I heard "Love Don't Live Here," the more I liked it. One singer is graceful, the other is scruffy. Along with cool melodies, it all works. The CMA Award was deserved.And here are five more albums beyond the mainstream that merit a mention:Bon Iver, For Emma, Forever AgoBoth elegant and eerie, this modest album was recorded in a Wisconsin hunting cabin.Hayes Carll, Trouble in MindSure, you'll laugh, but this clever songwriter (and old soul) will keep you listening, too.Tift Merritt, Another CountryShe often writes about feeling stuck, but that's easy to forget with such buoyant melodies.Reckless Kelly, BulletproofTwo reasons: It's smartly written, and you can drink a beer to it. See 'em live if you can.Dan Tyminski, WheelsThe unassuming bluegrass star succeeds with understated songs and an outstanding band.

Still a long time fan???

I was born in 1967. I was born a Detroit Tigers Fan. Both my mother and father (Donald and Anita Potrzuski) were devoted Tiger fans and it rubbed off on all five of their kids. I was 4th of 5. My Dad would tell me stories about the great old Tiger players that he saw play the game at Tiger Stadium. Kaline, Gahringer, Greenberg, Cochrane, Newhouser just to name a few. And those were just some of his Tiger favorites. I have a feeling my old man went to a lot of games in his youth. He never owned season tickets and he told me that he never went to an opening day. He passed away to the Great Diamond in the Sky in December of 2005. Almost exactly one year after his loving bride. My then wife and three kids took Dad to a game in July of 2005. It was supposed to be for Father’s Day and my older brother and kid sister were gonna bring their families and make an event out of it. That never happened so I took him. I am glad I did. I had always dreamed of taking my Dad to a Opening Day. I know that would have been special to him. You see, I learned a lot from my soft-spoken father. He didn’t say a lot but when he did, it was worth listening (in retrospect, I wish I had realized this at a younger age, but what are you gonna do?). I also got my love of the game from him and Mom.
Last year around the end of April, I started seeing this wonderful gal named Laura. She is the biggest female baseball fan I have ever met. She had season tickets last year and we went to a few games together. Well, things are really great between us and we have been living together for about 9 months. She was able to get a hold of 2 tickets to the 2008 Detroit Tiger Opening Day at Comerica Park. I really Love this woman!!! So we go, it is rainy and cold, the seats are good, we are surrounded by people that had a bit too much to drink, and the Tigers lost. I felt my Dad’s presence watching the home team loose to Kansas City. Dad was with me at the ballpark. Dad made it to an Opening Day!!!

Words of Wisdom

Just a few Words of Wisdom


A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him. - David Brinkley

Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.
- Henry David Thoreau


Success is getting what you want. Happiness is liking what you get.
- Anonymous

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.
- Helen Keller

Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get.
- Dale Carnegie

Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.
- General George S. Patton, Jr.



Every success is built on the ability to do better than good enough.
- Unknown

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
- Thomas Jefferson

Sobriety Counter

One Day at a Time

Our New Van

2004 Kia Sedona
Affordable And So Much More
If you've been shocked recently by the high price of premium minivans, you are not alone. What once was considered an affordable alternative to the station wagon has ballooned in both size and price to the level of some near-luxury cars. Given the current minivan landscape, it should come as no surprise that the Kia Sedona has quickly moved to the head of the value-conscious class. With room for eight, a long list of standard and optional features and five-star safety crash test rating from the Federal government, it's no wonder the 2004 Kia Sedona is in such demand.

As minivan styling goes, the Sedona is attractive but not ground breaking. Sticking to a pretty mainstream design theme is a safe bet in this case; minivan buyers tend to care more about function than form. For 2004, the Sedona gets a slight freshening, with a new chrome grille and upgraded interior. Kia continues to offer the Sedona in two trim levels: LX and EX.
The Sedona is a moderately sized minivan, longer than the Dodge Caravan by almost five inches, but shorter than the Honda Odyssey by nearly seven. You'll find that the Sedona's reasonable size and vast expanse of glass make everyday driving a manageable task. The Sedona fits nicely into standard size parking spaces and the dual-sliding side doors ensure that even if you get boxed in, entry and exit can still occur without too much drama.
Inside, you'll find the Sedona to be competitively sized, though rear-seat headroom is the one area that could see improvement. Kia claims the Sedona can seat eight people, but unless the three occupying the rear-most bench are children, we doubt eight people would be comfortable for any trip exceeding 30 minutes. The LX model features two bench seats, one mid-row and one rear while the EX replaces the center bench with a comfortable set of fore and aft-sliding captain's chairs. We think this is the best configuration for the Sedona as it creates a center pass by which the third-row passengers can enter and exit. When not in use, the split/folding third-row seat can either flip-and-tumble forward or be removed completely. You should note that removing the seats is not child's play; they are heavy and somewhat difficult to handle, though Kia has thoughtfully added wheels to the seat bottoms so that once removed, you can easily roll them into storage.

Though the Sedona is assembled with uni body construction, its heavy use of steel and its cast iron engine block have it tipping the scales at over 4800 pounds. This added heft places the Sedona near the top of the minivan heavyweights, even dwarfing the larger Honda Odyssey by almost 500 pounds. The Sedona's extra weight would probably be of concern if the standard engine were some underpowered four-cylinder, but thankfully this is not the case.
The Sedona is blessed with a robust 195-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine. More important to you than its horsepower is the engine's ample supply of low-end torque. Torque is what helps a vehicle to move quickly, be it from a standing start, when passing slower traffic or climbing steep hills. The Sedona also features a five-speed automatic transmission that does an excellent job of managing the engine's power. In hard acceleration it tends to hold onto lower gears a bit longer while at freeway speeds it has the engine laboring as little as possible. This engine/transmission combo allows the Sedona to tow up to 3500 pounds and also earn an EPA fuel rating of 16-mpg city and 22-mpg highway.

On the road, you'll like the Sedona's smooth ride and competent handling. The heavily-weighted steering provides a good amount of feedback and the suspension— though soft—does not exhibit an extraordinary amount of lean or body roll. The brakes feel pretty firm with good stopping power but we highly recommend you opt for the ABS as an added measure of security.
The Sedona LX is an extremely well equipped minivan. It comes standard with rear privacy glass, dual power mirrors, front and rear air conditioning, power front windows, power door locks, cruise control, 8-way manually adjustable driver's seat with built in lumbar, tilt-wheel, third-row split-bench seat, an AM/FM stereo with CD and 6-speakers, interior central-locking switch and remote fuel door release. The plush EX adds power rear-vent windows, 8-way power driver's seat with power lumbar support, 4-way power passenger seat, automatic light control and a combination cup holder and tray table that folds flush against the passenger-side front seat. Even when all the option boxes are checked, including leather seats, moon roof and ABS, a fully loaded EX remains comfortably below $26,000; a loaded LX costs less than $22,000. Missing from the options list are some minivan musts such as a DVD-based entertainment system and a side-curtain airbag.

All Sedona's come standard with Kia's 10-year/100,000 mile engine/drivetrain warranty and 5-year/60,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, without a doubt the best warranty you'll find on any minivan.
Copyright © 2008 - Kelley Blue Book - All Rights Reserved.

Wisdom for Today - January 16, 2008

Wisdom for Today
In submitting my character defects to my Higher Power, I developed hope. I began to feel that my life no longer had to be lived by the old rules. This sense of hope was much like I had experienced when I first came into the program. When I first got clean and sober, I saw other people making it. I saw the old timers, who had longer-term recovery. When I listened to their stories, I began to feel, “If they can make it, so can I.” I began to see that they had managed to let go of the old rules and old behavior. I thought that I had a chance to do this also.
What I found out was letting go of my defects was much like letting go of alcohol and drugs, only harder. This was true probably because many of these attitudes, behaviors and beliefs had been with me much longer, and because some of them I simply enjoyed. But if I wanted to gain a true sense of character, then I would have to stop acting like a defect. I also needed to look for progress and not perfection. My defects of character did not simply disappear because I said a prayer; I had to put into action what my Higher Power wanted for me. Slowly, over time, my defects of character became less and less problematic. My hope that I could be rid of the old rules strengthened. Do I have a strong grasp on hope?

Meditations for the Heart
In God’s world there is perfect hope and perfect harmony. Yet in this physical world I have come to realize that I can never have perfect hope or perfect harmony with my Higher Power. Life in recovery is not so much about being better, but about becoming better. Sometimes I have felt that God has let me down. I have seen others in the program and myself want to blame our failures on God. “He let me down.” But the truth is that God does not fail. It is because we are not in harmony with our Higher Power that we fail. I have had to accept the fact that sometimes I fail. In these times I need to seek to get back into harmony with God. Back to basics, if I am to become better! I need to work to stay in harmony with my Higher Power. Am I working to stay in harmony with my Higher Power?

Petitions to my Higher Power
God,
Today is a new day, and again You have gifted me with a clean and sober start to my day. Help me this day to strive for harmony with You. Let me take one thing at a time as I walk through this day. Help me to become better in all that I do. Let me this day work at letting go of the old rules and live by Your new rules for my life.
Amen.