Gordon Lightfoot Book, Music and More!

In the late 1950s and early ’60s, there were few bigger stars than Jack Scott. With his signature mix of snarling rockers and soothing ballads, the Canadian-born, U.S.-based musician scored 19 hit singles in just 41 months, a feat achieved by only a handful of other pop acts, including the Beatles. And seven of those hits were on his self-titled debut album. Blessed with a superb baritone and a wide vocal range, Mr. Scott was one of early rock’s most gifted male singers, surpassed only by Roy Orbison and Elvis Presley. And, unlike Mr. Presley, he wrote his own songs. Mr. Scott’s death on Dec. 12, of congestive heart failure, led to an outpouring of tributes from musicians and fans all over t...

Country music has its roots in the southern United States. But just as the blues came up the Mississippi on trains and steamboats, country music traveled north on the airwaves to find a welcome home above the 49th parallel. Country has a long and vibrant history in Canada, from the honky-tonk classics of Hank Snow in the 1950s to the chart-topping country-pop hits of Shania Twain, the biggest-selling female artist of all time, in the ’90s. And Canadian artists continue to make their mark, both in Nashville and their native land, where country music appeals to an ever-growing demographic—from diehards in cowboy boots driving pickup trucks to closet fans wearing business suits on Bay Street.&n...

Nashville loves a little twang in its Yuletide. On his fourth holiday album, Smith brings together the top names in country music, including Vince Gill and Martina McBride, to join him on their favorite festive tunes. The Grammy-winning singer also duets with Carrie Underwood and Lady Antebellum, but saves the biggest surprise for “The Darkest Midnight,” a traditional Irish carol read by U2’s Bono.

It’s no secret that McGraw’s a family guy. He and his wife, Faith Hill, are country music’s most glamorous power couple, but McGraw loves nothing better than kicking back with Faith and their three teenage daughters. Not surprisingly, the 13th studio album from the Grammy-winning singer and actor (Country Strong) is full of such downhome ballads as the mandolin-laced “Sick of Me,” and the dreamy “Diamond Rings and Barstools,” sung with his cousin Catherine Dunn. Even uptempo numbers like “City Lights” and “Shotgun Rider” conjure up folksy images of a country boy besotted with the girl riding next to him in his pickup truck. The album’s highlight is “Meanwhile Back at Mama’s,” a duet between ...

“What doesn’t kill you only makes you blonder,” Lambert cracks on the playful title track about strength through bleached hair. The country star also sings about wicked women on “Somethin’ Bad,” her sassy duet with Carrie Underwood, and Mrs. Elvis Presley on “Priscilla,” which cheekily nods to her own marriage to fellow superstar Blake Shelton.