PopMatters Interviews Gary Louris and Mark Olson

• PopMatters.com’s Juli Thanki in her current Torch & Twang dispatch looks over the history of coal mining in country and folk music and asks if the topic is still relevant today. As the jobless rates soar I’d say the sentiment these songs embody is as important as ever.

• Continuing with the PopMatters.com love, Michael Franco sits down with ex-Jayhawks Gary Louris and Mark Olson to talk about their new release Ready for the Flood and the possibility of a Jayhawks reunion.

• Twangville has a review of Changing Horses, the new Americana venture by indie-pop singer/songwriter Ben Kweller.

• Plant, Krauss and T Bone Burnett have some interesting, endearing and funny things to say after their bonanza at the Grammys.

• The best thing for me about Carrie Underwood’s bombastic performance at the Grammys (besides her dress) was the smoking blonde supporting her by shredding axe. Her name is Orianthi and she’s a 34 year-old Australia guitar prodigy whos  first support show was for Steve Vai when she was 15.

The 51st Grammy Awards- Carrie Underwood “Last Name”

Related posts:

1. Jayhawks’ Louris and Olson Make New Album
2. New York Times – Recalling the Twang That Was Alt-Country
3. This Just In – CMAs Still Suck Ass
4. cvilleMUSE.com Giving Away Gary Allen Box Seats
5. PopMatters Best of Americana 2007