By: Zack Kephart NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. - Considering "American Idol" had to revive itself to keep going and "The Voice" has yet to launch a serious star, it's debatable whether we needed yet another singing competition show. "Real Country" however looks to bring a different twist to the format. For starters, it's the first one … Continue reading Real Country show off to strong start
By: Zackary Kephart NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. - The Nov. 4 episode of "The Walking Dead" was the sendoff for Rick Grimes, beloved leader for more than eight years. Andrew Lincoln, who plays Grimes, revealed earlier this year he would be stepping away to spend more time with his family. For any other show, this would … Continue reading Breathing new life into The Walking Dead
By: Zackary Kephart NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. - Adjunct Professor of Management and Leadership, Mitchell Alegre, has adopted a teaching style that just may be the way of the future. Students who sign up for one of Alegre's classes don't buy textbooks, nor do they sit in a traditional classroom environment. Instead, students sit in a … Continue reading Changemakers of Niagara: Mitchell Alegre
By Zackary Kephart NASHVILLE, TN - One of country music's biggest nights is just around the corner. The 52nd Annual CMA Awards will air Nov. 14 on ABC, and once again they'll be hosted by Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley. Most fields are wide open this year, making predictions that much harder to conjure. Predictions for this … Continue reading Predictions for the 52nd annual CMA Awards
NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. - Carrie Underwood’s label switch from Sony Music Nashville to Capitol Records Nashville was a crucial and mysterious move. As the country music industry continues to succumb to ongoing misogynistic problems, Underwood is one of few female artists to continue pushing against those boundaries. On that note, while the effort for "Cry … Continue reading Carrie Underwood’s Cry Pretty is an uneven listen
By: Zackary Kephart NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. - 2018 has featured some unusual music videos. While some, like Childish Gambino's "This Is America," addressed deep-rooted conflicts in the United States, others such as the collaboration by Kanye West and Lil Pump titled "I Love It" have been well ... harder to decipher. After a full month, … Continue reading Ye equals MC … squared?
By: Zackary Kephart NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y.- What was a critic's role in a pre-streaming world? Was it to dictate what music was good and bad? Was it to offer an insight into the music so consumers could make their own choices and spend their money wisely? It seems like a combination of both, yet both … Continue reading Do music reviews still matter?
By: Zackary Kephart NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y.- Eric Church has never been content with making the same album twice. From the beginning of his career, Church has shown the marks of someone who does it his own way. His new album that released Oct. 5, Desperate Man, shows Church marrying his simpler side evident on earlier albums … Continue reading Eric Church comes full circle on Desperate Man
by Zackary Kephart NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. - Grady Smith is a music writer with more than a fair amount of experience. Starting at Entertainment Weekly in 2010, Smith has also written for Rolling Stone and the Guardian where he garnered a huge following for his country music columns. He left in February 2016 to pursue … Continue reading Grady Smith – from the Guardian to YouTube
By: Zackary Kephart NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. - The fall semester begins with unfortunate news. On July 4, Bohdan Pikas, professor of marketing at Niagara University, passed away. On the first day of any class he taught, Pikas would ask students, "did you all receive the syllabus I emailed you?" After the students replied "yes," Pikas … Continue reading In Memoriam: Professor Bohdan Pikas
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