Twang Nation – The Best In Americana Music
Americana & Roots Music & Culture
You can’t rewrite history but if I could rewrite my 2008 best of list I would include Malcolm Holcombe’s Gamblin’ House would be on it. Alas, I am but a humble blogger with no interns to be had. Holcombe is currently touring Europe in support of Gamblin’ House and will be touring most of 2009.
Malcolm Holcombe – Where is my Garden
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-xTP3piCwc[/youtube]
Drive By Truckers – Perfect Timing
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLUDnXEWvpw[/youtube]
I’ve read the hype. Country music’s latest flavor-of-the-week writes or helps write her own songs…she’s the biggest selling artist of 2008…she’s like 12 years old…I get it. Don’t care…
To me it’s the music and not the hype. The more hype I see the more I assume it’s smoke and mirrors compensating for something that might not be able to stand on it’s own, stripped of shiny gowns, pumps, make-up and pro-tools. I sat through Taylor Swift’s “Fearless” once and that was once too many. As the father of a daughter I’m always on the look out for female role models to introduce into my daughter’s world giving her a larger view of her potential and how she might impact the world. Giving my little girl a copy of Swift’s “Fearless” would be the cultural equivalent of giving her a box of Lucky Charms complete with a toy Barbie that spouts things like “Math is hard!”
In contrast, I would have no problem handing her The Mickeys’ “Walk Along.” These beautiful young twin’s second release is a country/roots act affair that strikes a fine balance of celtic/country/roots music deftly blended with just the right touch of pop.
And you can use the this Kalamazoo, MIÂ based group as a great example musical AND business excellence. In 2000 Amy and Julie (their maiden name Mickey) completed a minor in music business from Nashville’s Belmont University and then formed their own label, RiverBeat Music, to release their music through, secured nationwide distribution for the first record and co-produced their new release Walk Along.
The album opens with the dreamy Caroline. The song is a graceful stretch of country road beautifully displaying the magical close harmony that can, like theLouvin Brothers and the Everly Brothers, only be achieved by siblings. The title song is a Dobro-backed swagger of country gospel.
Like Swift, these women and sing about things many young women think about. Love, romance, magic, angels, unicorns (okay, not unicorns).
The floating I Believe is about the foundation of faith that can hold a relationship together and Greatest Thing is a song of the power of love and how it trumps all other earthly achievements. Sure these sound like these are worked out in a girls diary but their also universal themes that, in the right hands, don’t come off as maudlin but ‘ as declarative statements against of the worlds cynicism.
The calypso-laced soft rock of Take It Slow sounds like a adult-pop page out of Carole King’s Tapestry. They do one cover of a Tom Petty song “Alright For Now”, the rest are all original written by different configurations of Amy and Julie and friends and husbands.
Country music with a pop sensibility is a shiny but rustic thing, proud but not preening, lovely but simple – think Dolly Parton. Pop music that adds “country” elements – fiddles, steel guitar, references to trucks and horses – comes off as well, pop music. The Mickey’s know the difference.
Official Site |Â MySpace |Â CC Now
The Americana Music Association will host a new “Live at The Bluebird Cafe†concert series every Thursday from February 19 through March 26, 2009. The six-show series, sponsored by the Gibson Foundation, will feature artists who help define Americana music in the uniquely intimate setting of the world-famous Bluebird Cafe. Scheduled to appear are: Jim Lauderdale on February 19, Sam Bush on February 26, Nanci Griffith on March 5, and Foster & Lloyd on March 26.
Jessica Cassyle Carr at Alibi.com holds a Q&A with Denver based former 16 Horsepower frontman and current Gothic Americana singer/songwriter David Eugene (aka Wovenhand.)
The Arizona Daily Star gives us a peak at the A-list alt.country artist packed tribute album for the Hacienda Brothers leader Chris Gaffney. Joe Ely, Los Lobos, Dave Alvin, Tom Russell, James McMurtry, Robbie Fulks, John Doe, Dave Gonzales and members Calexico and more appear. The Hacienda Brothers‘ final album, “Arizona Motel,” came out last June, two months after Gaffney’s death.
I’m a huge fan of the Psychobilly/Gothic sideshow that is Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers so I was pleased that LeighAbsinthia over at the Hank III cussin’ board brought to my attention JD Wilkes roots music side project, along with his wife Layne Hendrickson. Ladies and gentleman I bring you The Dirt Daubers.
The Dirt Daubers – “Sugar Baby”
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFVy9R3UsCA[/youtube]
The always knowledgable Juli Thanki gives us a history lesson of the banjo (Happy-Go-Plucking) at ther new Torch & Twang column at PopMatters.com.
Andrew Gilstrap, also at PopMatters.com reviews the excellent 2008Â Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson release Rattlin’ Bones.
The Willie Nelson and Asleep at the Wheel collaboration Wille and the Wheel has launched thier new website. The site allows pre-orders for the CD and lists tour dates. (via stillisstillmoving.com)
No Depression’s Lloyd Sachs looks for reasons for Americana/Roots leaning folks to tune into the Grammy Awards on February 9. Maybe it’s reasons not to tune in…either way it’s pretty darn funny.
Americana music blog Music Fog posted interviews and performances by Cross Canadian Ragweed, Jack Ingram, Gary P. Nunn, Dale Watson and Sunny Sweeney. (via the 9513)
On February 2nd Country music legend Dolly Parton will play a charity show at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon to benefit the W.O. Smith Nashville Community Music School. Other Sony BMG artists will also perform – Ronnie Dunn, Kellie Pickler and Keith Anderson. Tickets are only $45 for this general admission event. (via Music City TV)
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville is partnering with Ford Motor Company Fund for the second consecutive year to offer free admission to the Hall on Saturday, Jan. 24. (via Country Weekly)
Pitchform.com‘s Stephen M. Deusner really, really does not like the newly released Johnny Cash Remixed.
If you’ve attended a solo Willie Nelson show you know what’s coming. Just as sure as a Texas Summer is hot and that your enchiladas at El Fenix will begin with chips and salsa, the Redheaded Stranger will deliver a canon of some of the best and most loved American songs spanning his 40 year career. The Johnny Bush and Paul Stroud penned Whiskey River, Good Hearted Woman – written by Willie and his partner in outlaw brotherhood Waylon Jennings, Crazy – the Willie penned 1962 #2 country hit for Patsy Cline that was originally written for, and turned down by, Billy Walker, Funny How Time Slips Away – a song Walker did record and had a hit, the Kris Kristofferson penned Help Me Make It Through The Night and Me And Bobby McGee (made famous by fellow Texan Janis Joplin), Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain – the Fred Rose penned song that was originally performed in 1945 by Roy Acuff , later by Hank Williams but made into a hit by Willie on his thematic masterpiece Red Headed Stranger. The list goes on but you get the idea.
Even after a reprieve in 2004 due to a bout with carpal tunnel syndrome (well not much of a reprieve, Willie wrote two current song list staples, Superman and You Don’t Think I’m Funny Anymore – during the 4 months he was supposed to take it easy) Willie still plays the weathered Martin N-20 with now defunct Baldwin pickups (aka Trigger) in his signature syncopated style that made him too jazzy for 60’s era Nashville but endeared him to an audience that weren’t typical country music fans back in Austin. Trigger bares a ragged hole in it’s body right where decades of downstrokes have landed blows – surrounded by signatures of Johnny Cash, Roger Miller, Kris Kristofferson and others this singular instrument has transcended it’s original intent. It now stands as a talisman as well as, as it’s name suggests, a trusted and loyal friend.
Very few artists have achieved the status of American icon. It’s a short and select group that have one thing in common, they transcend the level of working musician and become a representation of the music itself. 40’s pop, Frank Sinatra, Jazz, Louie Armstrong – Country Music in the minds of many Americans born in the last 40 years is Willie Nelson.
After all this time the humility is still there, thanking the audience after songs or an especially dexterous turn on Trigger. The 1000 watt smile, the twinkle in his eye, the humor, the worn bandanas tossed into an adoring crowd. Except for his well-known predilection for ganja (of which some of the Bay Area’s finest found its way on stage tossed up by a fan that abides) the man could have easily had a place in politics.
Seeing Willie is like visiting the Grand Canyon or the giant Sequoias – he’s less a musician and more like a force of nature, you’re awed to be in the presence of a national treasure and, after repeated visits, subtleties arise that are only discernible after a level of familiarity is achieved. The classics begin to expose nuances, phrasing, odd time signatures – once past the initial awe there’s a lasting beauty that emerges. The audience is enthralled and vocal – “yeehaws” and “ahh-haaas” ring out between each song. Not surprising, this is as far west we you can get without getting your boots wet.
Willie’s son Lukas and his band, the Promise of the Real, opened the show with their brand of jamband psychedelic fusion. Playing in this venue where the Grateful Dead performed so many times must have been a dream come true for these guys. I’m not particularly a fan of this style of music but one thing did stand out for me; whether fronting his own band or supporting his dad Lukas Nelson is becoming a master guitar player in his own right.
The night was topped off for me meeting Linda, a fellow blogger with #1 Willie Nelson fan site Still is Still Moving. Linda’s site is the go-to place for all thngs Willie.
And then there was the Oakland chapter of the Hells Angels in VIP seating within the security barrier right in front of us. The outlaw mojo was in full force on this cool, San Francisco night.
Willie Nelson : Stardust – The Fillmore – 1/17/09
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EOqKMlq05I[/youtube]
The New York Times reviews Patty Loveless’ performance at the Allen Room, where she appeared as part of Lincoln Center’s American Songbook series. Among her older songs Loveless covered cuts off “Sleepless Nights†(Saguaro Road), her newest release of country classics from the 1950s and ’60s, many written and recorded by George Jones.
The New York Times also reviewed a performance at the Allen Room of Jim Lauderdale, Catherine Russell and members of the folk-gospel quintet Ollabelle Fiona McBain and Amy Helm (daughter of Levon) and others performing a live interpretation of the Grateful Dead’s alt.country classics “American Beauty and “Workingman’s Dead.”