Hank III Interview at KNAC.COM

Hank Williams III took time from the road to talk to KNAC.COM about his new CD, “Damn Right and Rebel Proud” (Curb – early 2008 release) his early inspirations, his country royalty legacyand the sorry state of Nashville.

KNAC.COM: Don’t you think there are still plenty of people out there who don’t have the two-story house and the car payment and botoxed wife? I mean, there are still people who live on the edge, don’t you think? Day to day with a lot of obstacles who just do what they do to get by?

HANK III: Yep. Right. The lawyers outsmarted all the musicians in Nashville, and that’s when it totally changed. We just do what we do. I’m going through the same fuckin’ bullshit on the new record that I just turned in. “There’s no country song for radio on here.” Well, it’s not my fuckin’ fault that I’m too country for radio or that my topics aren’t pristine or picture perfect. I just stick to my guns. “This is my record. These are my songs. If it’s not good enough for radio, that’s your problem—not mine. Our fans will still be here and we’ll still be doin’ what we’re doin’ with or without you, man.

KNAC.COM: This will be your fourth record though. At this point why would they expect that you had changed at all? I mean, you aren’t Rascal Flatts.

HANK III: I guess it’s just like the same reason Creative Artist Agency let me go eight months ago. They were like, “Are you gonna take the next step and go to the next level?” I’m like, “I’m gonna keep playing the bars—they’ve been supporting me since day one. If you have a couple of big shows, I’ll open for a band if the situation is right, but I’m not gonna say “Fuck y’all, see ya later!” to the bars that have kept us alive.” They fired me. I guess it’s the same mentality at the record label that I have to deal with now. Maybe they figure, “Hank’s getting older now—maybe he’s got this rebellious bullshit out of his system and do it our way.” Thank God that I’ve got a good manager and a good lawyer who believes in what I do.

Hank Williams III – Dick In Dixie

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SC-ZFUC9R-U[/youtube]

Shooter Jennings to Release First Single From the Wolf – Walk of Life

Singer/songwriter and heir to the outlaw tradition Shooter Jennings will introduce the lead single from his third studio album, The Wolf (9/17), a cover of the Dire Straits cut “Walk of Life.”

Now I like Dire Straits, especially “Sultans of Swing”, but “Walk of Life” always seemed pretty lightweight and silly to me.

Jennings says
“I’ve loved this song since I was a kid, but when I actually read the lyrics, I was fascinated by the line ‘he do the song about the sweet lovin‘ woman, he do the song about the knife,’ because it’s a struggle that I can relate to as a musician,” explains Jennings. “Hopefully this song will make people let their guards down, and it will open the door to the rest of the album. Then the more personal songs I wrote will speak for themselves.”

Okay I’ll hold all judgement until I hear it for myself.

Jennings also wrote nine of the 13 tracks for The Wolf, produced by Dave Cobb, including the autobiographical country blues tinged title cut, as well as “Slow Train” featuring guest vocals by iconic country music group The Oak Ridge Boys and the tribute to best friends everywhere, “Old Friend.”

Jennigs says “Dave and I were able to live out some of our musical fantasies with this album, which includes horn sections, and some of the Grand Ole Opry background singers,” added Jennings “It’s a country album that shows my influences from guys like Hank Jr. and my dad, and a lot of the country from the 70’s and 80’s. We also got a cool drum sound for the whole record that almost has a disco sound to it, as strange as that may sound. I think my fans are really going to dig it.”

It Burns When I Pee Episode #0005 with Ward (Cousin Spiits) Harrison – The Hackensaw Boys

Friends, that enemy of the pop-country scourge “It Burns When I Pee” is back spreading the glorious word of great old-school hillbilly, roots, Americana, alt.country..whatever in the hell twangs and don’t suck, and Episode #5 is a killer!

The new IHWIP offers up an interview with guitarists Ward Harrison from “upbeat/danceable/hectic/two-step/country” band, The Hackensaw Boys on their sound, member changes and making the charts.

And listen up fr the Twang Nation promo! It really makes the podcast, I think it really does….

So stop on by and tell Cheyenne how sweet she looks in that thrift-store Harley tube-top!

Mary Gauthier New Release 9/18 – Tour Information

On September 18, Lost Highway will release Between Daylight And Dark, the new album from critically-acclaimed singer/songwriter Mary Gauthier, of whom Entertainment Weekly says, “The beauty of Gauthier’s country noir lies in the humanity of her characters, and in the sweet yearning of her gruff Louisiana drawl.”

Between Daylight And Dark is Gauthier’s fifth album and the follow up to her 2005 breakthrough Mercy Now, which garnered high praise in the media. Gauthier was named 2005 New Emerging of the Year Artist by the Americana Music Association.

Gauthier’s continuing evolution as a songwriter is evident throughout the 10 songs that comprise Between Daylight And Dark. “I’ve matured – and my writing has matured,” she says, “Mercy Now was as close as I’d ever come to capturing the voices in my head and bringing them to life, but with these new songs, while I still insert myself into each one, they have become much less autobiographical and more observational.”

Between Daylight And Dark was cut live, with minimal overdubs, and produced by Joe Henry. The album features guest appearances by Van Dyke Parks (piano on “Can’t Find The Way”) and Loudon Wainwright (backing vocals on “Soft Place To Land” and “I Ain’t Leaving”).

Mary Gauthier Tour Dates:

9/7/2007    CT Folk Festival and Green Expo     New Haven, CT
9/12/2007    St. John’s United Church         Halifax, NS, Canada
9/13/2007    Deep Roots Festival Venues         Wolfville, NS, Canada
9/15/2007    Longhorn Ballroom             Dallas, TX
9/20/2007    Blender Theatre at Gramercy         New York, NY
(Special Show Co-Headlining with Joe Henry)
10/6/2007    The Pleasance                 Edinburgh, United Kingdom
10/8/2007    Glee Club                 Birmingham, UK
10/9/2007     The Cluny                 NewCastle, UK, England
10/11/2007    St Bonadventures             Bristol, UK, UK
10/13/2007    ACADEMY 3                 MANCHESTER, ENGLAND
10/14/2007    The Arts Theater             London, England
10/18/2007    The 5 Spot                 Atlanta, GA
10/19/2007    Evening Muse                 Charlotte, NC
10/20/2007    Cat’s Cradle                 Carrboro, NC
10/21/2007    The Birchmere                 Alexandria, VA
10/24/2007    Gravity Lounge                 Charlottesville, VA
10/25/2007    World Cafe Live             Philadelphia, PA
10/26/2007    Ram”s Head                 Annapolis, MD
10/27/2007    Kaufman Theater             Norfolk, VA
10/29/2007     Club Passim                 Cambridge, MA
10/30/2007    Iron Horse Music Hall             Northampton, MA
11/1/2007    Joe’s Pub                 New York, NY
11/2/2007    Joe’s Pub                 New York, NY

 

PopMatters on Ryan Adams Show – Salt Lake City, UT

PopMatters.com’s Evan Sawdey has a nice review of Ryan Adams and the Cardinals show at Salt Lake City, UT in support of Adam’s latest release Easy Tiger (Lost Highway.)

It appears that even a newly sober Adams is still establishing himself as the musical heir to Steve Earle and the attitudinal heir to Maria Carey.

Ryan Adams – When The Stars go Blue

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99sjZT1qB2Q[/youtube]

 

Yoakam Talks New Album At Buck Owens’ Tribute

While in Bakersfield, CA. to perform at Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace to celebrate the late legend’s birthday Dwight Yoakam took some time to talk to 23.com about his upcoming Owen’s tribute “Dwight Sings Buck”(Oct. 25 – New West)

An excerpt – Saddened by thoughts of Owens not being alive to celebrate, Yoakam, a longtime friend of Owens, said, “It’s always a little melancholy now. It was New Year’s Eve the first time I was here since he passed, to do this without him being in the building. Sometimes when he didn’t feel well he’d go home early. It was never with him not coming back.”

Dwight Yoakam – Close Up the Honky Tonks – Crystal Palace, Bakersfield, CA.

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=lxmXKRN9XhM[/youtube]

Elliot Randall – Take the Fall (self released)

Elliott Randall is a man to watch.

Randall, not Elliott Randall the ex-Steely Dan guitarist best known for his guitar solos on Reelin’ in the Years, but the Bay area by-way-of Charleston, South Carolina, alt.country rocker has a lot going for him. On first listen it’s easy to be lazy and compare Elliot Randall’s superb release “Take the Fall” (self released) to some of Ryan Adams best work.

For instance take the melancholy slide-guitar and Rhodes keyboard steeped “Elephant” and the soul-wrenching title track, Randall sounds much like he’s channeling Adams more soulful moments. But Randall is his own man and as an artist he’s in many ways more focused in his compositions than Adams has been of recent. “How to Get Old” is a damn fine song that could have come from Uncle Tupelo with little mainstream Nashville hook added in to sweeten the experience. It works skillfully and without coming off as sterile and contrived. More Early Guy Clark storytelling than Kenny Chesney clichés.

Barn-burning rave-ups like Don’t Give Up On Me” and “Leaving This Town” show that the man can get a room moving when he wants to.

A recent feature on an Americana Roots podcast, Randall straddles the country and rock worlds proficiently and his work sounds both timeless and fresh.

Rosie Flores in the Austin Chronicle

Rosie FloresThe Austin Chronicle has a nice write up on Austin, Texas’ honky-tonk sweetheart Rosie Flores.

Rosie talks about her childhood in San Antonio, her early band – Rosie & the Screamers, featuring the Band’s Rick Danko brother Terry Danko on bass and getting to wear the pants Gram Parsons wore on the cover of the Flying Burrito Brothers’ Gilded Palace of Sin. Rosie is also quite forthcoming about her mother’s death and how she started taking pain pills and sleeping pills to deal with the grief.

Rosie Flores-You Tear me Up

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpMgGZTq5hw[/youtube]

 

 

Country Fest – American Cancer Society Benefit – August 17th, 18th & 19th – McKeesport, PA.

COUNTRY FEST 2007 is a fundraiser which a portion of all proceeds will benefit The American Cancer Society. Country Fest is to be held on Friday, August 17th from 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm—Saturday, August 18th from 2:00 pm to 11:00 pm with fireworks starting at 10:30 pm and Sunday, August 19th from noon to 6:30 pm. The event will be held at Renziehausen Park (aka Renzie Park) on Eden Park Boulevard in McKeesport, PA. There will be crafts, food, games, live bands, fireworks and more. Children 12 years of age and under admitted free. There will be a $5.00 gate fee for everyone over the age of 12 years. For more information please feel free to call 412-537-7644.

The band schedule is as follows.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 17TH

6:00 PM TO 7:00 PM—-LOIS SCOTT & THE PLUM LOCO BAND
7:30 PM TO 8:30 PM—-GIRLZ IN BLACK HATS
9:00 PM TO 10:00 PM—-DALLAS MARKS

SATURDAY, AUGUST 18TH

2:00 PM TO 3:00 PM—TJ HOUSTON
3:30 PM TO 4:30 PM—-CRANKY YANKEE
5:00 PM TO 6:00 PM—-JERRY SCHICKLING
6:30 PM TO 7:30 PM—-BRYAN COLE
8:00 PM TO 9:00 PM—-TBA
9:30 PM TO 10:30 PM—-DALLAS MARKS

Fireworks are at 10:30 PM

SUNDAY, AUGUST 19TH

12:30 PM TO 1:30 PM—-SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT
2:00 PM TO 3:00 PM—BLIND DATE
3:30 PM TO 4:30 PM—-WHISKEY GRIN
5:00 PM TO 6:00 PM—-DALLAS MARKS