Author Archives: Baron Lane

Sturgill Simpson Signs With Atlantic Records

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Sturgill Simpson has signed to Atlantic Records

in news that surprises no one, Kentuckian Sturgill Simpson has signed to a major label.

Coming off the biggest year of his career Simpson rode a huge wave of critical accolades and year-end lists for his sophomore LP ‘Metamodern Sounds In Country Music’ (including making our #1 position) a growing fanbase spread the word and grew hungrier for his neo-traditional style of country music.

Now on top of being nominated for a Grammy for the Americana Album of the Year (which he should win) and being added to some of the biggest music festivals — Coachella, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Stagecoach,, Governors Ball and Bonnaroo, Simpson confirmed via Facebook last night that he’s joined the Atlantic Records roster. The same label where Willie Nelson found refuge from Nashville label intrusion and current label for Zac Brown Band and Seasick Steve.

Big labels like taking on as close to a sure thing as can be had in these tumultuous time in the music industry. Several labels had been reported to be courting Simpson, but he signed with the one that allowed him the greatest control over his career. If this works out it could be a huge turning point for roots and Americana acts being signed to equally beneficial deals.

Simpson is either currently, or soon to be in a Nashville’s Sound Emporium studio working on this third solo release with producer Dave Cobb.

Hat tip to Saving Country Music for the original post.

First Aid Kit Stamps Released in Sweden

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B_Grund

Postnord, the joint Danish and Swedish postal service, has released series of stamps commemorating popular Swedish personalities. The Jenny Mörtsell portraits depict folk sister duo First Aid Kit along with Robyn, Avicii producer Max Martin, and Seinabo Sey.

Check the whimsical new lyric video for their song ‘Master Pretender’ from their current release ‘Stay Gold.’

The Devil Makes Three Contest

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The Devil Makes Three

Bay Area roots-rockers band The Devil Makes Three is asking fans are asking fans to vote for their favorite tracks from the selections “Worse or Better”, “Hand Back Down” and “Old Number 7.” which will then be recorded as an acoustic performance.

The winning song will be chosen from the results of a compliation of 5 participating blogs and voting directly through Skype.

The acoustic performance will be made available to watch on Skype. Just add ‘CloserWithSkype’ as a contact and you’ll be notified when it’s available.

By Leaving your preference from these songs in the comments below you will be eligible for 2 tickets to any of the Devil Makes Three performances (posted below.) So also include your show preference.

A winner will be chose at random from the (so make sure to use a legit email) on Friday 1/16th at 12pm cst.

1/16/2015 Detroit, MI St. Andrews Hall
1/17/2015 Chicago, IL House of Blues
1/18/2015 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
1/21/2015 Madison, WI Barrymore Theatre
1/22/2015 St Louis, MO The Pageant
1/23/2015 Manhattan, KS The Wareham
1/24/2015 Denver, CO THE FILLMORE AUDITORIUM
1/27/2015 Flagstaff, AZ Orpheum Theatre
1/28/2015 San Diego, CA House Of Blues
1/29/2015 San Diego, CA House Of Blues
1/30/2015 San Luis Obispo, CA Alex Madonna Expo Center
1/31/2015 Oakland, CA Fox Theatre
2/03/2015 Chico, CA Senator Theatre
2/04/2015 Arcata, CA Humboldt State University
2/05/2015 Eugene, OR McDonald Theatre
2/06/2015 Vancouver, Canada Commodore Ballroom
2/07/2015 Seattle, WA Paramount Theatre

Listen Up! Robert Earl Keen with Natalie Maines – ‘Wayfaring Stranger’

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Happy Prisoner - by Robert Earl Keen

On one song from his upcoming bluegrass-inspired album ‘Happy Prisoner,’ Robert Earl Keen travels a more solemn road than the one he usually cruises down towards forever.

Keen covers the classic 19th century folk/gospel number ‘Wayfaring Stranger’, which with beautiful deft documents a plaintive soul’s journey across life’s path rife with temptation and tribulation. All the while comforted by resolved faith.

‘Wayfaring Stranger’ is one of those songs that has been covered and changed over the centuries. Recent notable versions are by Emmylou Harris on her 1980 album ‘Roses in the Snow’, Johnny Cash on his ‘American III : Solitary Man’ album in 2000 and Neil Young on his 2012 album ‘Americana.’

Keen reflects the songs austere origin and context by using his West Texas drawl to deliver the song adorned only by Dixie Chicks’ Natalie Maines on lovely restrained harmony. Their voices meld to a high lonesome chorus that captures the origin of country music that the song exemplifies.

Hear the song below.

Maines appeared by request of the album’s producer, the legendary pedal steel player Lloyd Maines, who happens to be her dad. Her sorely missed vocals on this cut will lead fans (like me) to crank up the Chicks’ “Home” and hope for a new more Americana-focused release from the band.

But the talent doesn’t stop with the vocals.

Guest instrumentalists Danny Barnes on banjo and Nickel Creek’s Sara Watkins on fiddle lends a fittingly sparse accompaniment.

Keen says of the track “I’ve always had an affinity for music that I felt you could listen to in your living room,” he said. “My mom liked the old hillbilly stuff, and my whole education in music started with bluegrass. I’ve been listening to it forever, I love it, and so I feel like I’m something of a happy prisoner of it.”

‘Happy Prisoner’, is out February 10th. It will include guest vocals from not only Maines but Peter Rowan and Keen’s buddy from Texas A&M Lyle Lovett. as mentioned, Lloyd Maines, produced the album in Dripping Springs, Texas.

Pre-order ‘Happy Prisoner.’

Watch Out! Lera Lynn: “Out to Sea” – Late Show with David Letterman 1/5/2015

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Lera Lynn: "Out to Sea" - David Letterman

Last night David Letterman continued championing Americana and roots music in the New Year by inviting Lera Lynn (“From Nash-VEGAS Tennessee!” Letterman announces as a inside joke with his maestro sidekick Paul Shaffer ) to the Late Show stage.

Lynn may make her home in Nash-Vegas now, but she’s a Houston, TX girl by birth.

Lynn and her band deliver a simmeringly lush yet low-key version of “Out to Sea” from her sophomore offering “The Avenues,” which made our 2014 year-end list at #12.

http://youtu.be/ZkZa4OEH-Yc

Listen Up! Tyler Nail – “Valentina”

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Tyler Nail

North Carolina-based Americana folk artist, Tyler Nail single, “Valentina” off his second, full-length album, ‘Feathers’ is a satisfying uptempo folk-rock song that maps the heart as well as American geography

Nail says of “Valentina,” “it was the catalyst to what became the rest of the album, and begins the story of ‘Feathers.’ It showcases my more traditional, narrative Americana style of writing.”

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New Americana and Roots Music Releases for 2015

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The Lone Bellow - Then Came The Morning

2014 was another bumper crop year for Americana and roots music. We shared our favorites and you weighed in with more. 2015 shows no signs of easing up as stalwarts like Steve Earle and James McMurtry and young guns like The Lone Bellow and American Aquarium are planning releases.

The list below is not a definitive 2015 Americana release list, it’s all early months. But it’s as close as I can get with the information available at year’s close. The list is in chronological order based on release date, which mostly occurs on an planned Tuesday target which for some reason (none good) persists.

See one missing? Leave it in the comments.

Look for new things coming in the New Year at Twang Nation. It’s going to be a great year.

Have a happy, and safe, New Years. See you on the other side.

January 13TH
Justin Townes Earle – ‘Absent Fathers’
Cody Jinks – ‘The Adobe sessions’
Cody Canada & the Departed “Hippie Love Punk”

January 20th
The Waterboys – ‘Modern Blues’
Ryan Bingham – ‘Fear and Saturday Night’
Haley Cole – ‘Illusions’
Caitlin Canty – ‘Reckless Skyline’

January 27th
The Lone Bellow – ‘Then Came The Morning’
Paul Kelly – ‘The Merry Soul Session’
Punch Brothers – ‘The Phosphorescent Blues’

February 3rd
Bob Dylan – ‘Shadows in the Night’
Murder by Death – ‘Big Dark Love’
Hiss Golden Messenger – ‘Southern Grammar EP’
Gurf Morlix – ‘Eatin’ At Me’

February 10th
Father John Misty – ‘I Love You, Honeybear’
Robert Earl Keen – ‘Happy Prisoner’
Gretchen Peters – ‘Blackbirds’
Rhiannon Giddens – ‘Tomorrow Is My Turn’
Blackberry Smoke – ‘Holding All the Roses’
Owl Country – ‘Owl Country’
6 String Drag – ‘Roots Rock ‘N’ Roll’

February 17th
Phosphorescent – ‘Live at the Music Hall’
Steve Earle & The Dukes- ‘Terraplane’
Whitehorse – ‘Leave No Bridge Unburned’
Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band – ‘So Delicious’
Wrinkle Neck Mules – ‘I Never Thought It Would Go This Far’
The Mavericks – ‘Mono’

February 24th
Elvis Perkins- ‘I Aubade’
James McMurtry – ‘Complicated Game’
Steve Gunn & Black Twig Pickers – ‘Seasonal Hire’
Nora Jane Struthers – ‘Wake’
The Lowest Pair – ‘The Sacred Heart Sessions’
Elana James – ‘Black Beauty’

March 3rd
Ryan Culwell – ‘Flatlands’
Brandi Carlile – ‘Firewatcher’s Daughter’
Gill Landry – ‘Gill Landry’
Andrew Combs – ‘All These Dreams’
Caroline Spence – ‘Somehow’
Dorthia Cottrell – ‘Dorthia Cottrell’

March 10th
Joe Pug’s – ‘Windfall’
Tom Paxton – ‘Redemption Road’
Porter – ‘This Red Mountain’

March 13th
The Coal Creek Boys – ‘Out West’

March 17th
Liz Longley – ‘Liz Longley’
Stone Jack Jones – ‘Love & Torture’

March 24
Humming House – ‘Revelries’
Gabrielle Papillon – ‘The Tempest of Old’
Doc Watson, Bill Monroe + – Classic American Ballads from Smithsonian Folkways

March 27th
Allison Moorer – ‘Down To Believing’

March 31st
William Elliott Whitmore – ‘Radium Death’
Sarah Gayle Meech – ‘Tennessee Love Song’
Simon Joyner – ‘Grass, Branch & Bone’

April 1st
The Devil’s Cut – ‘Antium’

April 7th
Delta Rae – ‘After It All’
Folk Family Revival – ‘Water Walker’
Carl Anderson – ‘Risk of Loss’
Pokey LaFarge – ‘Something in The Water’
Ray Wylie Hubbard – ‘The Ruffian’s Misfortune’

April 14th
Dwight Yoakam – ‘Second Hand Heart’
Lowland Hum – ‘Lowland Hum’
Shinyribs – “Okra Candy”

April 15th
Lucia Comnes – “Love, Hope & Tyranny”
The Damnwells – ‘The Damnwells’

April 21st
John Moreland – ‘High On Tulsa Heat’
Nicki Bluhm and The Gramblers – ‘ Loved Wild Lost’
Jimbo Mathus – ‘Blue Healer’
Ryan Adams – “Live at Carnegie Hall’

April 27TH
Lewis & Leigh – ‘Missing Year EP’

April 28th
Charlie Parr -‘Stumpjumper’
Odessa – ‘Odessa’

May 4th
Shelby Lynne – ‘I Can’t Imagine’

May 5th
Mandolin Orange – ‘Such Jubilee’
Hannah Miller – ‘Hannah Miller’

May 12th
Jimmy LaFave – ‘The Night Tribe’
Eilen Jewell – ‘Sundown over Ghost Town’
Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell – ‘The Traveling Kind’
Della Mae – ‘Della Mae’

May 19th
Darrell Scott – “10 – Songs of Ben Bullington”
Jamie Lin Wilson – ‘Holidays & Wedding Rings’

June 2nd
The Mike + Ruthy Band – “Bright As You Can”
Dawes – “All Your Favorite Bands”

June 9th
Sam Outlaw – “Angeleno”
The Deslondes – “The Deslondes”
Dale Watson – “Call Me Insane”
Courtney Patton – “So This Is Life”
Uncle Lucius – “The Light”
Chris Hennessee – “Greeting from Hennessee”
Sammy Kershaw – “I Won’t Back Down”

June 23rd
Beth Bombara – ‘Beth Bombara’
Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams – ‘Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams’
Richard Thompson – “Still”
Kacey Musgraves – “Pageant Material’

July 17th
Jason Isbell – ‘Something More Than Free’

July 31st
Daniel Romano – ‘If I’ve Only One Time Askin’ ‘

August 7th
Lindi Ortega – “Faded Gloryville”

August 11th
Angela Easterling – “Common Law Wife”

August 14
Rod Picott – “Fortune’
The Waifs – ‘Beautiful You’

August 21st
The White Buffalo – ‘Love and the Death of Damnation’

September 18th
Turnpike Troubadours – “Turnpike Troubadours”

September 25th
Patty Griffin – ‘Servant Of Love’

October 30th
The Yawpers – ‘American Man’
Steve Martin and Edie Brickell – “So Familiar”

Live Review – Old 97s – Majestic Theater – Hitchhike to Rhome Anniversary Show – December 13

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Old 97s - Majestic Theater

Remember alt.country? That mongrel cultural mash-up, fueled on a hefty helpings of George Jones and The Clash, that burst into cultural consciousness with Uncle Tupelo’s 1990 debut ‘No Depression?” Though the style is still heard in many performers in the greater Americana genre the movement proper has the boozy haze of days gone by.

Don’t tell the Old 97s this.

For over two decades the indie band that could has crossed the globe many times, hung out with music legends, had loads of positive ink spilled, had their songs featured on television shows and movies, and flirted with mainstream success.

And tonight they looked poised to do it all over again.

Saturday night the Old 97′s played a hometown show with their brand of alt.country, joyously ramshackle performances offsetting sharp songwriting and melodies, is still going strong. On the Majestic Theater stage, blocks from their Deep Ellum origins, the band came to celebrate ‘Hitchhike to Rhome,’ their 20-year-old debut, by performing it in its 16-song entirety for a full house of adoring fans.

The over two hour show included the aforementioned debut rundown as well as a full set from their recent ‘Most Messed Up’ tour. Through it all this band of buds, Rhett Miller, Murry Hammond, Ken Bethea, Philip Peeples has endured by focusing on what works.

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‘Hitchhike to Rhome’ conjured memories of their 20 years younger selves in the studio with Killbilly guitarist and the album’s producer Alan Wooley. “You have to be kind of delusional to start a band.” Miller said beaming at the audience that wall shared in that beautiful delusion. As well as memories the songs channeled spirits. Abbey Hoffman and frenetic Loco Gringos frontman Pepe Lopez appeared in ‘Desperate Times,’ a song a 14 year-old Miller penned after being chosen as an extra for Oliver Stone’s ‘JFK.’ “Miss Molly invoked the spirits of the songwriter Cindy Walker and the father of western swing Bob Wills that made it famous. The spirit of Merle Haggard’s ‘Mama Tried’ with Hammond on vocals. “I grew up with this song and knew it had to be on here.” he beamed before tearing into a rousing rendition.

Less etherial people with ties to the songs also were in attendance. Alan Wooley sat in on three songs playing guitar and mandolin on three songs/ The actual Doreen was situated front and center. It was pretty great that right before tearing into the song Miller looked down and said ‘are you ready Doreen?’ She smiled and mouthed that she was.

Not sure if Mike Schwedler, the former Killbilly drummer who managed the 97′s when they recorded Hitchhike to Rhome now runs the city-owned theater they celebrated in, but it made it more fitting to imagine he was.

In the end we got what we came for, an Old 97s show. Loud, sweaty, vibrant and full of songs with lyrics etched on our brains. They were sang by all at full volume on this night.
The occasion made it all more special, for sure, but in the end they played like their 20 years younger selves. like I remember on the stage of Club DaDa or Clearview. And that was always special.

Here’s to 20 more.

Watch Out! Willie Nelson & Billy Joe Shaver: “Hard To Be An Outlaw” – David Letterman 12/17/2014

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Willie Nelson & Billy Joe Shaver: "Hard To Be An Outlaw"

It’s good to be David Letterman. Though his last show is set for May 20, 2015 he continues to showcase great music for quality and less commercial reasons. And why not? He’s the reigning late night king. And while it lasts it’s good to be the king.

Texas music legends Willie Nelson and Billy Joe Shaver performed last night. And though Willie’s been on The Late Show numerous times this was Shaver’s Late Show debut. Better late then never.

The pair performed ‘Hard to Be an Outlaw,’ which appears on Shaver’s latest ‘Long in the Tooth,’ which with the shared vocals this performance is drawn from, and Willie’s solo vocal version on his ‘Band of Brothers.’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cAFyMtEFNg

Listen Up! Hear An Unreleased Joe Ely and Linda Ronstadt duet “Where is My Love.”

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Linda Ronstadt Joe Ely

Joe Ely has alway been a step ahead of the music industry. He’s toured as an opener for the Clash and shared the stage with Elvis Costello. He;s kept Lubbock on the map by teaming up with local musicians Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock in the country/folk trio The Flatlanders. He’s written books, ‘Bonfire of Roadmaps’ and the forthcoming ‘Reverb: An Odyssey.’

Ely also released a ‘B484,’ an album made in the 80’s in his home studio, cutting edge at the time, that later was recreated in a “professional” studio by MCA and released as ‘Hi Res.’

All this scavenging through archives has also led to another treasure.

A recent visit that Ely had with Linda Ronstadt the two artists recalling the session for a 1987 duet for “Where is My Love.”

After a search, the recording was found. Ely and Ronstadt agreed the song held up well over time. Written by West Texas songwriter, Randy Banks, it is a Tejanao-tinged song of lost love and woeful regret that brings Linda Ronstadt back to her ‘Silk Purse’ country-rock era of the early 70’s. Her vocal interchange with Ely carries a soulful reminder of how two fine artists create magic through chemistry and the sheer joy of sharing together in a great country song and, sadly, how much we will miss her voice due to her struggles with Parkinson’s disease.

Hear the magic below/ I will post info on buying when I get it.

Ely is currently at work on a follow-up to 2011’s ‘Satisfied at Last,’