Category Archives: alt.country

Americana Music Association Announces 70 Additional AmericanaFest Acts

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Building on an already stellar first-round lineup The Americana Music Association announced an additional 70 artists to perform at the 16th annual Americana Music Festival & Conference, which takes place in Nashville and runs September 15-20, 2015.

The six-day, city-wide festival fills Music City with fans, legends, newcomers, and tilts the quest for glitz into the early direction of a quest for a great song. With over 150 artists and bands scheduled, the event continues to dominate as the premier showcase for roots music and culture.

In addition to previously announced acts such as Los Lobos, Patty Griffin, and Lee Ann Womack, AmericanaFest will feature Ry Cooder, performing with Sharon White and Ricky Skaggs, Donnie Fritts performing with former Civil War John Paul White, former Old Crow Medicine Show member Willie Watson, current member of Old Crow Medicine Show Gill Landry supporting his solo effort.

Also included are Cale Tyson, Lindi Ortega, Luther Dickinson, Kelsey Waldon, Buddy Miller, Jim Lauderdale, Gretchen Peters, American Aquarium, Legendary Shack Shakers and Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear who held a mesmerizing performance last year at Jack White’s Third Man performance space.

The list of the second round announcements is below, and a complete list can be found here.

Showcase wristbands ($50, increasing to $60 on August 15) allow admission into all showcase venues, some sanctioned parties and special events, and can be purchased here. Festival and Conference registrations ($365 for members/$465 for non-members) offer priority admission into all showcase venues, sanctioned parties and events, daytime educational panels, come with one ticket to the critically acclaimed Americana Honors & Awards show at the historic Ryman Auditorium, and can be purchased here.

List of Artists Added to AmericanaFest 2015:
Adam Faucett
American Aquarium
Amy LaVere
Andrew Leahey & The Homestead
Band of Heathens
Buddy Miller
Buxton
Cale Tyson
The Carmonas
Daniel Romano
Darrell Scott
David Wax Museum
Dirty River Boys
Donnie Fritts & John Paul White
Doug Seegers
Dreaming Spires
Dustbowl Revival
Eddie Berman
Eilen Jewell
The Fairfield Four
Gill Landry
The Good Lovelies
Great Peacock
Gretchen Peters
The Hillbenders
The Honeycutters
Humming House
JD & The Straight Shot
JD Souther
Jeffrey Foucault
Jim Lauderdale
Jonathan Tyler
Josh Rouse
JP Harris
Kacy & Clayton
Kelsey Waldon
Legendary Shack Shakers
Lewis and Leigh
Lindi Ortega
Los Colognes
Low Cut Connie
Luther Dickinson
Margo Price
The Mavericks
McCrary Sisters
Michaela Anne
Miss Tess & The Talkbacks
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
Paper Bird
Pine Hill Project (featuring Richard Shindell & Lucy Kaplansky)
Pony Boy
Porter
Possessed By Paul James
Raised By Eagles
Ron Pope & The Nighthawks
Ry Cooder/Sharon White/Ricky Skaggs
Ryan Culwell
Sam Outlaw
Spirit Family Reunion
The Suffers
T. Hardy Morris
T Sisters
Taarka
Those Pretty Wrongs
Town Mountain
Uncle Lucius
Whitney Rose
Willie Watson
The Wood Brothers

Watch Out! Rolling Stones – “Dead Flowers” with Brad Paisley Nashville June 17, 2015

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Rolling Stones - "Dead Flowers" with Brad Paisley

The Rolling Stones are about half-way through their American “Zip Code” tour, but they waited until last night at Nashville’s LP Field to break out the classic cowboy junky track “Dead Flowers.”

Mick and the boys had vocal and guitar help from opener, and fanboy, Brad Paisley, who is donning his own classic lips and tongue logo shirt for the occasion.

See the fan-filmed coolness below.

Listen Up! Sara Rachele – ‘Rebecca’ [PREMIER]

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Sara Rachele - 'Rebecca'

‘Rebecca,’ the new affecting cut from Atlanta native, NYC-based Sara Rachele, allows her to work within the sparse production, provided by Kristofer Sampson, using her voice (situated somewhere between Emmylou Harris and Stevie Nicks) to soar across an acoustic guitar while softly serenaded by songbirds and field crickets.

About the song she says ‘My name is Sara Rachele, and I live with regret,’ that’s the way I introduced this song the first time I played it live on stage… ‘Rebecca’ is a story about choice, and consequence. And recovery… The recovery you do when you look yourself in the mirror and don’t really like that person. The part during that.

We recorded this to a two track tape machine as I sat outside in the evening of a hot day in Madison County… Just the three guys and I from my band at the time. I sat in the yard in the tall grass alone, with the cicadas and the truth.

The B side to this single is a piece of one of my favorite hymns, ‘It Is Well,’ it deals with finding comfort after loss, and I’m interested in understanding that… As a writer, and in life.

Sara Rachele’s ‘Madison County,’ out on limited run 7” vinyl, and digital-only, will feature ‘Rachele’ on the A side. The B side is a duet with Andy Leon Appling, ‘It Is Well with My Soul,’ first published in 1876 is public domain. Both songs were recorded live to 1/2 inch tape, in Danielsville GA, of Madison County.

Pre-order here.

Listen Up! Rolling Stones – Alternative Take of “Dead Flowers”

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Jagger, Richards and Parsons

If there’s an Americana equivilent to the setlist chestnut ‘Wagon Wheel” it would be , well, ‘Wagin Wheel.” But coming in close second would it have to be The Rolling Stones’ “Dead Flowers” from arguably their finest album, “Sticky Fingers.’

“Sticky Fingers” is the album most influenced by Keith Richards and Gram Parsons’ friendship and time shared in Paris during the “Exile on Main St.’sessions. Parsons shared his love of classic American country music with Richards and it appears to have taken hold in the The Stones sound over several albums.

Adding to the rootsier direction early recording sessions began at the famed Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama in December 1969 and later completed at the band’s mobile studio located at Jagger’s summer home at Stargroves, England in 1970.

This rendition, of the song was recorded in 1970, and will be one of the unreleased cuts included the the June 9 ‘Sticky Fingers’ anniversary reissue. This take has a more upbeat, ramshackle tempo from the band. Ian Stewart’s piano is pushed down in the mix, and it cranks up the country-fried guitar interplay between Richards and the newest band member Mick Taylor.

Lucinda Williams , Sturgill Simpson and Shakey Graves Lead 2015 Americana Awards Nominees

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The Americana Music Awards just announced their 2015 nominees, and Lucinda Williams, Shakey Graves and Sturgill Simpson lead the pack with 3 nominations apiece. All were nominated for Album of the Year and Song of the year. Williams and Simpson share the Artist of the Year category with Lee Ann Womack, Rhiannon Giddens and Jason Isbell. Shakey Graves shares the Emerging Artist of the Year category with First Aid Kit, Houndmouth, Nikki Lane and the man behind one of the great stories of the year, Doug Seegers.

The awards will again be presented at the Mother Church of Country Music, the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

As impressive as it is the full list of nominees below is it offers just a glimpse of the diverse and strong field of Americana and roots artists building this sustainable genre and cultural force. There are no outliers, surprises or dark horses in the nominees, but that’s not the point of award shows. It’s to reward and display some of the most marketable of the genre to a larger public in order to grow a sustainable fan base for these artists and the next coming up, many of whom can be found playing the week-long festival at local clubs.

As mainstream country starts to take notice of Americana celebration each year in Music Row’s back yard I can’t help but feel that some of that influence (and, yes, proven success. It’ s still a business) won’t have some positive effect on roots music as a whole.

2015 Americana Honors & Awards Nominees

Album of the Year (Award goes to Artist and Producer)
‘And The War Came’ – Shakey Graves; Produced by Alejandro Rose-Garcia and Chris Boosahda
‘Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone’ – Lucinda Williams; Produced by Lucinda Williams, Tom Overby and Greg Leisz
‘Metamodern Sounds In Country Music’ – Sturgill Simpson; Produced by Dave Cobb
‘The Way I’m Livin” – Lee Ann Womack; Produced by Frank Liddell
‘Tomorrow Is My Turn’ – Rhiannon Giddens; Produced by T-Bone Burnett

The surprise the this category is the quirky, less rootsy ‘And The War Came’ by Alejandro Rose-Garcia aka Shakey Graves. I love that country superstar Lee Ann Womack has been so warmly embraced by the community for her great work on ‘The Way I’m Livin’ ‘ and Rhiannon Giddens more than deserves to be here fit her wonderful release. I believe it’s going to a photo finish between Lucinda Williams and Sturgill Simpson.

Artist of the Year
Rhiannon Giddens
Jason Isbell
Sturgill Simpson
Lucinda Williams
Lee Ann Womack

A Lee Ann Womack win would be badass and I believe likely winner Sturgill Simpson would agree.

Duo/Group of the Year
Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn
The Lone Bellow
The Mavericks
Punch Brothers
Shovels & Rope

Can’t quibble with anything here but it would be cool if Brooklyn’s The Lone Bellow walked away with it.

Emerging Artist of the Year
First Aid Kit
Houndmouth
Nikki Lane
Doug Seegers
Shakey Graves

Love Doug Seegers but I have to go with Nikki Lane on this one. Though I would have her in Artist of the Year as she’s now on her second excellent release (which should be up for AOTY)

Instrumentalist of the Year
Hubby Jenkins
Laur Joamets
Greg Leisz
John Leventhal
Stuart Mathis

Great performers all but I have to go with Lucinda’s axw\e-master Stuart Mathis here. The man’s a genius of nuance and a really nice guy as well.

Song of the Year (Award goes to Artist and Songwriter)
“Dearly Departed” – Shakey Graves; Written by Alejandro Rose-Garcia and Esme’ Patterson
“East Side Of Town” – Lucinda Williams; Written by Lucinda Williams
“Terms Of My Surrender” – John Hiatt; Written by John Hiatt
“Turtles All The Way Down” – Sturgill Simpson; Written by Sturgill Simpson
“You’re The Best Lover That I Ever Had” – Steve Earle & the Dukes; Written by Steve Earle

Song of the Year is where I have plenty of conflicts. No Nikki Lane “The Right Time?” No American Aquarium ‘Man I’m Supposed To Be?’ No Cory Branan ‘Missing You Fierce’
9 or Old 97s ‘Longer Than You’ve Been Alive’ Oh well, I don’t program for radio and am looking at (and voted) this category differently than my contemporaries.

Listen Up! Jamie Lin Wilson – “Just Some Things” (featuring Wade Bowen)

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Jamie Lin Wilson Photographer: Ari Morales

The old adage goes that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Apart from their startlingly beautiful harmony the case of Texas’ country/folk quartet The Trishas might be the exception to the rule.

Last year Kelley Mickwee released her lovely ode to Memphis with her solo ‘You Used To Live Here.’ Now he have another release from Jamie Lin Wilson’s ‘Holidays & Wedding Rings.’ This follow up to her 2010 ‘Dirty Blonde Hair’ is firmly planted in Texas’ Hill Country in tone and in the impressive roster of some of Texas’ best songwriters – Jason Eady, Adam Hood, Mike Messick, Dani Flowers, Owen Temple and Wade Bowen. The latter who is co-writer with Wilson, and lends his vocals to, “Just Some Things.”

“Just Some Things” rides a waltz tempo perfectly timed to a flashing motel vacancy sign. Pedal steel softly wails as Wilson honeyed-timbre casts just the right shade of melancholy. Bowen counters with his weary baritone to fitfully complete this song of second-thoughts and near-misses.

The intimacy evoked is even more stunning considering that Wilson and Bowen had just started their songwriting collaboration and friendship.

“Wade and I were just barely friends when I asked him to write with me. I was happily surprised that he said yes. I had this line in my head “just some things you can’t take back”, and the idea of someone contemplating going down the wrong road. The idea to make it a duet was an afterthought, but I’m so glad we did. I think it takes the song to another place, where both characters have the same struggle. You know, maybe they’re married to each other and in different hotel rooms! The ALMOST cheatin’ song.”

Pre-oder ‘Holidays & Wedding Rings,’ out May 19.

Americana Music Association Announces 2015 First Round Showcase Americanafest Line-up

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Building on the already excellent heritage of being the preeminent roots music event the Nashville-based Americana Music Association has released its first round of artists to perform during the 16th annual Americana Music Festival & Conference, presented by Nissan, September 15 – 20, 2015.

The first 85 of out of the 150+ artists are made up of pioneers, icons and newcomers such as Los Lobos, Patty Griffin, Whitey Morgan and the 78s, honeyhoney, John Moreland, Andrew Combs, Nikki Lane, Mary Gauthier, Pokey LaFarge, James McMurtry, Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn, Nora Jane Struthers, Billy Bragg & Joe Purdy, Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen, Jackie Greene, Lera Lynn, The Hello Strangers, Lucette and Birds of Chicago.

With more than 100 acts still to be announced, the event promises to live up to its just acclaim for fans and industry alike.

Resister for the full conference here or get festival shoacase wristbands here.

Showcase artists confirmed to perform:
Anderson East
Andrew Combs
Anthony D’Amato
Banditos
Barna Howard
Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn
Billy Bragg & Joe Purdy
Birds of Chicago
Brian Wright
The Bros. Landreth
Caleb Caudle
Caleb Klauder Country Band
Carly Ritter
Carsie Blanton
ChessBoxer
Christopher Paul Stelling
The Contenders
Corb Lund
Crooks
Darlingside
Dead Winter Carpenters
Dom Flemons
The Dustbowl Revival
Emma Swift
Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen
The Freightshakers
The Grahams
Grant-Lee Phillips
Guthrie Brown & The Family Tree
Hackensaw Boys
Halfway
The Hello Strangers
Henry Wagons
honeyhoney
Horse Feathers
Horseshoes & Hand Grenades
Hugh Bob and the Hustle
Jackie Greene
James McMurtry
Joe Pug
John Moreland
John Paul Keith
Kingsley Flood
Kristin Diable
Kristin Andreassen
Laney Jones and the Spirits
Lee Ann Womack
Lera Lynn
Leyla McCalla
Lilly Hiatt
Liz Longley
Los Lobos
Lucette
Lydia Loveless
Martin Harley
Mary Gauthier
Nikki Lane
Nora Jane Struthers
Nudie
Oh Pep!
Packway Handle Band
Patty Griffin
Pokey LaFarge
Porter
Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen
Ray Wylie Hubbard
River Whyless
Sarah Borges
Sean McConnell
Shemekia Copeland
The Show Ponies
Session Americana
Steelism
The Steel Wheels
Stephen Kellogg
The Stray Birds
Tall Heights
The Vespers
Water Liars
The Whistles and The Bells
Whitey Morgan and the 78s
The Wild Reeds
William Elliott Whitmore
Whitehorse

Listen Up! Jason Isbell – “24 Frames”

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Jason Isbell – “24 Frames”

Jason isbell told Rolling Stone that his new song “24 Frames” “…kind of sounds like the way indie rock sounded when I was 15.”

Isbell was 15 in 1994, a year when grunge and post-punk reigned. Though the keen melodic sensibility that echoed through the airwaves then has always been part of Isbell’s toolkit “24 Frames” also owes much to his Southern heritage. The tight-but-loose pop jangle is reminiscent of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers and the wail of the slide has melancholy shades of Duane Allman.

But the songwriting is pure Isbell. He has a way of making the common moments exquisite.

“This is how you make yourself vanish into nothing; And this is how you make yourself worthy of the love she gave to you back when you didn’t own a beautiful thing.”

But all is not rosy and Isbell shows in the refrain, accompanied by Amanda Shires’ understated harmony, that plans are for fools.

“You thought God was an architect; now you know, He’s something like a pipe bomb ready to blow.”

Harkening it’s cinematic reference “24 Frames” is a sonic diorama of the human condition packed into 3:13.

Beautiful in it’s brevity.

’24 Frames’ can be found on ‘Something More Than Free,’ out 7/17. Pre-order it and get ’24 Frames’ as an immeadiate download.

Watch Out! Ryan Adams w/ Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires – Jacksonville Skyline – Ryman Nashville Tn 04/27/15

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Ryan Adams w/ Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires - Jacksonville Skyline - Ryman Nashville Tn 04/27/15

Ryan Adams’ ongoing tour for his current self-titled release took him to a packed house at the historic Ryman Auditorium last night. Past tour mates, Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires, were part of those in attendance and the crowd were treated when they joined Adams on a lovely rendition of his “Jacksonville Skyline.”

Lindi Ortega To Release ‘Faded Gloryville’ August 7th

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1035x1035-ortega

On August 7th everyone’s favorite dark country chanteuse, Lindi Ortega, will release her fourth album ‘Faded Gloryville’ out on Grand Tour/Last Gang Records.

Ortega lends her signature crystal trill and lonesome wail to the album, created over three sessions and produced by Dave Cobb (Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson, Shooter Jennings), who also worked on her previous effort, ‘Tin Star’ recorded three songs at the Sound Emporium in Nashville. Colin Linden (T Bone Burnett), who was behind her “Cigarettes & Truckstops’ album., produced four songs and the Single-Lock Records heads Ben Tanner (Alabama Shakes) and John Paul White (Civil Wars) produced three songs tracked in Muscle Shoals, including a Nina Simone-inspired update of the Bee Gees classic “To Love Somebody.”

The press release reads “Although all three sessions were different, every one of them focused on live studio takes, capturing both the rough-edged rawness of Ortega’s live performances and the smooth salve of her voice.”

“There’s something about the Shoals that entices artists to forget themselves, to reimagine, to reinvent,” says John Paul White, whose harmonies can also be heard on three of the album’s tracks. “Lindi did a great job of immersing herself in what we do around here, yet retain that thing that makes her indelibly unique. That takes an amount of confidence that most do not have.”

The Canadian ex pat appears to have a cinematic frame of mind for her newest effort. To her “‘Faded Gloryville’ represents a state of mind — a place we all visit on our way to something bigger and better. It’s the dark, dreary town that looms on the near horizon, infinitely closer that the far-off destination we’re trying to reach. Most weary travelers pull their cars into ‘Faded Gloryville’ and stay awhile, beaten down from the long journey. Some are willing to dust themselves off and leave town in the morning, though, determined to chase after their goals regardless of the conditions.”

“‘Faded Gloryville’ isn’t just about music,” she told Rolling Stone Country. “It’s about anything that brings you down, whether it’s dreams not coming true or relationships not working out, and its message is this: you can go to place where you’re feeling really down about things, but it’s what you do afterwards — do you decide to reside there forever, or do you leave and make the situation better — that matters. You have to travel through ‘Faded Gloryville’ to get to Paradise.”

‘Faded Gloryville’ Pre-order

Tour Dates

‘Faded Gloryville’ – Track Listing
1. Ashes
2. Faded Gloryville
3. Tell It Like It Is (Hear below)
4. Someday Soon
5. To Love Somebody
6. When You Ain’t Home
7. Run-down Neighborhood
8. I Ain’t The Girl
9. Run Amuck
10. Half Moon