There’s just way too much to see when visiting Americanafest. That’s why God created smart phones. Here’s some great videos that fans uploaded.
I heard that Robert Ellis held an epic classic country rich performance at the legendary Robert’s Western Wear. Of course I heard about it the day after it happened. Good thing somebody tipped off Hayes Carll, J.P. Harris, Shelly Colvin, Josh Hedley, Johnny Fritz and Jim Lauderdale.
Sam Outlaw proved that classic country can still thrive in L.A.
The Avett Brothers show you never can get so big that you can’t bring it back to the basics.
Sturgill Simpson’s performance at the not quite opened City Winery was a hard get with a capacity RSVP list.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUvE-GTiKiY
Plant and Griffin reunite (well, musically) for the Americana Awards.
It was Loretta Lynn’s night (rightly so) as he swept his categories.
Entering his final year as host of the Late Show, it’s hard to imagine anyone taking David Letterman’s place as a mainstream supporter of roots music.
Ryan Adam and his and band The Shining stopped by to treat Dave and the audience with his latest single “Gimme Something Good†from his self-titled 14th studio album.
Once Adams the band were done with a rousing performance, Letterman reverted to fanboy mode — “Come on!â€, “What do you want?â€, “Oh my God is taht nice! Can you do just a little bit more?†An obliging Adams kicked into the opening chords as the credits rolled.
Can you recall Letterman requesting an encore? I can’t. Damn, I’m going to miss that man and how much he’s supported great music.
‘Blue Yodel No. 12 &. 35′ has its boots in country music’s present and past.
The song’s bluegrass spirit evokes the best best of front-porch, foot-stomping rollicks. The song’s clever wordplay throws some of best hillbilly shade ever at the spurned (or spurner) and brings it into the present.
The title of “Blue Yodel No. 12 & 35″ may seem familiar. Griffin sheds some light on the song’s title and it’s spirit “Blue Yodel No. 12 &. 35’ refers to two of the great icons of present day guitar music. One is Jimmie Rodgers and the other is Bob Dylan. Rodgers was known for his gentleness even when being frank and Dylan is known for the frankness of his break-up songs so when you hear Blue Yodel No. 12 & 35 you hear a composition crossing their two lyrical styles, a song which is also sung in mid-point between their two musical styles. Why it came out sounding like one if these hip, young bearded bands from Brooklyn or maybe Texas I do not know! But the song swings spritely and with warm humour and I just love that.â€
“Blue Yodel No. 12 & 35″ is from ‘The Trick Is To Breathe,’ the first solo album from Sid Griffin (the Coal Porters, the Long Ryders) in a decade. Known as a founder of today’s Americana/Alt-Country genre for his groundbreaking work Sid Griffin has never been far from the cutting edge. Few who could honestly claim to be a Godfather to the current roots music scene have made their mark in so many ways; bandleader, songwriter, instrumentalist, author of four books and broadcaster.
So why did it take a decade for ‘The Trick Is To Breathe’ to happen. ”I was waiting for the right combination of songs and the right place to record”, says Griffin, ‘I got the songs, I found the place just outside Nashville, and I found the right pickers. It was a heavenly experience”. Twelve tracks featuring ten new Sid originals, one cover song and a spoken word poem combine to equal what Sid describes as ”the best album of my long career”.
‘The Trick Is To Breathe,’ will be released on September 16, 2014
The Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) in Phoenix recently unveiled an exhibit honoring the Carter Family and Johnny Cash. Located in MIM’s Artist Gallery, the exhibit provides guests with an overview of the musical careers of the artists and their historical impact.
Items on display in the Carter Family and Johnny Cash exhibits have never before been displayed for the public and come to MIM on loan from John Carter Cash, son of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, and Dale Jett, grandson of A.P. Carter. The items will be on display through April 2016.
“When I first visited MIM, I was excited by its inimitable beauty and scale. It has been a wondrous blessing to work with the staff there and help bring about the Carter Family / Johnny Cash display,†said John Carter Cash. “I feel it is inspired and shows a unique view into the history of country music that cannot be seen anywhere else.â€
The music of the Carters (A.P., Sara and Maybelle Carter) has been celebrated for nearly a century. The trio, which recorded more than 250 songs, is widely recognized for helping launch country music’s commercial beginnings and for inspiring many artists in later genres including bluegrass and rock.
Items on display in the Carter Family and Johnny Cash exhibits include:
· A.P. Carter’s 1929 Martin 00-28 guitar, played by the original Carter Family
· June Carter Cash’s custom Orthey autoharp and fingerpicks
· Johnny Cash’s black Manuel Cuevas stage suit which was worn in concert and features embroidered acorns and oak leaves
· Johnny Cash’s black Martin D-42JC signature guitar which was played in concert and on several of his “American†albums
· Johnny Cash’s 1936 Martin 5-18 guitar which was played by Cash, family and friends in Cash’s home and inlaid in the early 1970s with acorns and oak leaves
· Johnny Cash’s 2002 Grammy award for “Give My Love to Rose,†Best Male Country Vocal Performance
The exhibits also feature photographs from the Grand Ole Opry Archives and performance footage from several sources.
“It would be difficult to overstate the significance of these artists in American music,†said MIM curator for North America, Dr. Cullen Strawn. “It’s an honor to share their objects, songs and stories with our guests.â€
The Carter Family and Johnny Cash exhibits join the ranks of other country music-focused exhibits at MIM. MIM’s Artist Galley features instruments played by Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. In MIM’s United States/Canada Gallery, the Country exhibit displays items belonging to Marty Robbins, Buck Owens, Kix Brooks and others.
Entrance to MIM’s Artist Gallery is included with general museum admission.
The Musical Instrument Museum is located at 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard in Phoenix (corner of Tatum and Mayo Boulevards, just south of Loop 101). For general museum information and a full schedule of events, visit MIM.org or call 480.478.6000.
Last winter that the Drive-By Truckers were scheduled to play live at the 40 Watt to support their latest album “English Oceans.” Then a winter storm hit Athens, GA that had a local meteorologist staing that the storm “…truly is Armageddon…”
Sub-zero end-times proclamations were not enough to stop the Rock Show that night as the mighty Drive-By Truckers performed English Oceans in entirety that night.
As the final track on English Oceans, “Grand Canyon” brings together both the record and the band’s 40 Watt performance, as it is an emotionally overwhelming elegy for Craig Lieske. Lieske was a longtime member of DBT’s touring family, a former manager of the 40 Watt Club and a key player in the city’s experimental music scene. Lieske died suddenly of a heart attack in January 2013 following the first night of the band’s three-night homecoming stand in Athens. English Oceans is dedicated to him.
“I probably wrote it in 15 minutes,” Hood says. “It wasn’t any kind of a conscious thing. It’s the most important song of mine on the record. I wrote new songs to go with it. It recalibrated something. It became a totally different record for me than the record I thought we were going to make.”
1. First Air of Autumn
2. Grand Canyon
3. Made Up English Oceans
4. The Part of Him
5. Feb 14
6. Panties in Your Purse
7. Dead Drunk and Naked
8. Shit Shots Count
Tour Dates
9/12 – Louisville, KY – Iroquois Amphitheater w/ North Mississippi All-stars
9/13 – Detroit, MI – Royal Oak Theater%
9/14 – Champaign, IL – Canopy Club%
9/16 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown#
9/17 – Tulsa, OK – Cain’s Ballroom#
9/18 – Dallas, TX – Southside Music Hall#
9/19 – Memphis, TN – Minglewood Hall%
10/4 – Mt. Pleasant, SC – Holy City Hogs
10/10 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle$
10/11 – Birmingham, AL – Cask and Drum
10/ 17 – New York, NY – Beacon Theater$
10/ 18 – Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory$
10/ 19 – Albany, NY – Hart Theatre at The Egg
10/21 – Pawtucket, RI – The Met
10/22 – Bethlehem, PA – Musikfest Cafe
10/23 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall^
10/24 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theater^
10/25 – Springfield, MO – Gillioz Theater^
10/28 – Fayetteville, AR – George’s Majestic Lounge^
10/29 – Oxford, MS – The Lyric Oxford^
10/30 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium^
11/1 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore^
11/20, 21, 22 – San Fran, CA – The Fillmore w/ Sturgill Simpson
# = Lucero
% = Lee Bains & The Glory Fires
$ = St. Paul & the Broken Bones
^ = Houndmouth
I’m not generally a fan of contemporary pop, but I do keep an ear out for talent that rises above the saccharine din.
Pink has always impressed me in her material versatility as well as vocal strength and dexterity. She always struck me as a woman that could take on more than is expected from your garden-variety dance club diva.
But I’m always skeptical when performers that have made it big in one genre try and tackle folk or country. But I like being wrong.
Robert Plant showed me it could work with passion and understanding. So did Beck. Now it appears Pink is doing the same.
According to Billboard.com P!nk (real name Alecia Moore) met Dallas Green when his band, City and Colour, opened for her on several dates of her Truth About Love tour.
Folk, like blues, is hard to make fresh. On “You and Me†the lyrics start off a bit stilted. But the lovely harmonies and spirit of true devotion wins me over.
Hear the proof on “You and Me†below.
The track list from the forthcoming (10/14) Rose Ave. album:
1. Capsized
2. From a Closet in Norway (Oslo Blues)
3. Gently
4. Love Gone Wrong
5. You And Me
6. Unbeliever
7. Second Guess
8. Break The Cycle
9. Open Door
10. No Ordinary Love
Check this intimate but vibrant performance and interview with the reunited newgrass super-group Nickel Creek, curated by 91.3fm WYEP & Produced by AltarTV.
Songs played are “21st of May” and “Destination,” both from their new album ‘A Dotted Line’ via Nonesuch Records.
If you’re a fan of roots music there is only one place to be in the fall, and that’s Americanafest. The Americana Music Association will be presiding over this 15th Festival – along with its Conference and Awards Ceremony – in Nashville, September 16-21.
This is the premier industry event celebrating the music we love. Thousands of artists, fans and industry folks from all over the world will gather to talk biz, eat BBQ, drink local beer and, yes, hear the best music on the planet.
then get up the next morning and do it all over again (pace yourself, drink water!)
This year the increased the number of acts has grown to 160 (!) performing across 11 venues (!!) This might have given me more awesome choices, but I’ve yet to figure oy t that whole cloning myself thing. This makes seeing many performances, many happening at the same time, an impossibility.
But the upside is no matter where you find yourself you’re in for some of the best music going.
Over the years of attending this extraordinary event I’ve tried to dig deep in the bill and look for hidden gems that might I might miss on my initial scan. Some newer or more obscure performers are the ones that can often leave an impression and have fans talking for days after.
Though I like to see the big names as much as anybody, There are a few names that fly a little lower under the radar but will be well worth making time for.
Caroline Rose – The Basement – Tuesday September 16, 2014 7:00pm – 7:45pm
Caroline Rose just came across my ADD addled mind and I’m better for it. Pop folk never sounded so fresh and vibrant.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4cAnRTrKD0
————–
John Moreland – High Watt – Wednesday, September 17, 2014 11:00pm – 11:45pm
There’s nothing fancy about a John Moreland performance. He sits alone, mostly with an acoustic guitar spinning rich tales of the human landscape. His sparse, concise yet elegant style has him counting Lucero and Jason Isbell as fans and having his songs showcased on the biker drama, Sons of Anarchy
————–
Hannah Aldridge – Fanny’s House of Music “Americana Ladies Night Line-Up” – Thursday September 18, 2014 5:30pm – 8:30pm
A voice of the ages that can be heard from two blocks over (unmiced) Aldridge beings the goods and more on her sterling debut “Razorwire.”
————–
Banditos – The Rutledge – Thursday September 18, 2014 9:00pm – 9:45pm
This Nashville-by-way-of Birmingham band is a potent blend of rock, country and soul that draws on many influences and squeezes greatness from every drop. Some of the tunes might seem “jammy” but they always right themselves and head straight for solid framework.
Zoe Muth’s sweetly plantive voice sings songs of hardscrabble love and life that can tear out your heart or rock your soul, often at the same time.
——————————–
Shinyribs – High Watt – Wednesday September 17, 2014 10:00pm – 10:45pm
Shinyribs is the pseudonym of The Gourds mastermind of madness Kevin Russell. Tightly arranged tunes, spiked with a heavy dose of whimsy, shows Russell reflecting a stew of influences from Bob Wills to the Texas Tornadoes.
———————-
Jonny Two Bags – The Basement – Wednesday, September 17, 2014 11:00pm – 11:45pm
Sometimes punk rockers age and cross over to Americana. Sometimes their original band has always had a foot in the dusty road. The latter is the case for Jonny Two Bags. As the guitarist for the SoCal institution Social Distortion, Jonny Two Bags didn’t have to travel far to pull out his
————————–
Whiskey Shivers – Station Inn – Thursday September 18, 2014 9:00pm – 9:45pm
Newgrass? Naw, how bout thrashgrass. Whiskey Shivers heats up the already hot genre by pulling in an audience and making a performance a communal celebration that will have you to leaving your troubles at the door. They’ve even caught the ear of fellow Texas genre-hopper Robert Ellis who has produced their upcoming self-titled album.
————————-
Otis Gibbs – Station Inn – Thursday, September 18, 2014 10:00pm – 10:45pm
Otis Gibbs is what a musician looks like that refuses to compromise. His songs are instantly relatable and yet poetic.The man effortlessly exudes that ever elusive quality of authenticity.
————————–
Hello Strangers – Two Old Hippies – Friday, September 19 6:00 PM – 7:00pm
Sisters Larissa Chace Smith and Brechyn Chace hail from the foot of the Appalachian mountains, due north of the Mason-Dixon Line , in Mercersburg, PA. They ended up in Austin where they worked their craft in the rich music scene helped hone their harmony-rich folk and roots rock spirit.
————–
Jonah Tolchin – Third Man – Friday, September 19, 2014 9:00pm – 9:45pm
Jonah Tolchin’s voice belies his years on earth. His neo-soul roots style transports you and breathes life into the past.
—————-
Marah – The Basement – Friday, September 19, 2014 9:00pm – 9:45pm
Marah are one of my favorite rocks bands, all ramshackle and passion fueled recklessness. Thier newest roots music production, ‘Mountain Minstrelsy of Pennsylvania’ takes all that’s great with the band and runs it through a copper wire od dark mountain folk.
Nashville by way of Texas classic country and Townes Van Zandt influenced Cale Tyson’s musical path. Tyson’s latest EP, “High On Lonesome” reflects that legacy with hints of Gram Parsons, Guy Clark and Willie Nelson.
After seeing Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance, Jamestown Revival, at an LA Americana event honoring the Everly Brothers I was hooked. They arguably stole the show that night. This was a show that included Rodney Crowell and Bonnie Raitt get there early. JR might be somewhat off the radar but their popularity is growing.
——————
Cory Branan – High Watt – Friday, September 19, 2014 10:00pm – 10:45pm
Sharp songwriting and an aversion of the lazy trope has made Chuck Ragan and Lucero into fans of Cory Branan. Come see what all the fuss is about.
————————-
Grace and Tony – Station Inn – Saturday September 20, 2014 8:00pm – 8:45pm
Grace and Tony come from a bluegrass and punk rock background respectively. Not just joining in matrimony they fused a hybrid style they describe as Punkgrass. Colliding the worlds of Charlie Poole and The Clash might have been a disaster for some, but they make it work thanks to a love of craft many of live performances in front of adoring fans.
———————
Lera Lynn – High Watt – Saturday September 20, 2014 9:00pm – 9:45pm
Texas-born Lera Lynn has a hard one to characterize. A little Dusty , a dash of Loretta, leads to a quality to her that make her rock-roots/soul style irresistible.
————————–
Jason Eady – Mercy Lounge – Saturday, September 20, 2014 10:00pm – 10:45pm
Jason Eady’s is the odd man out here. He’s not Americana, he’s country..or at least he’s what country used to be , before it became Americana. Damn it just go see him!
———————-
David Ramirez – The Rutledge – Saturday September 20, 2014 10:00pm – 10:45pm
Austin’s David Ramirez is the textbook definition of a troubadour. A songwriter hammering out hard tales with a guitar and a song. His extensive touring has gained him fans from coast to coast.
With the official demise of the Civil Wars I invite you to turn your wistfully romantic ears toward husband and wife dup Carolina Story (Ben and Emily Roberts.) Though they can get a little more country (read twang) than TCW the Arkansas couple can also plumb the depths of a forlorn soul.
————————–
Joe Fletcher & the Wrong Reasons – The Basement – Sunday September 21, 2014 12:00am – 12:45am
Joe Fletcher’s solo debut ‘You’ve Got the Wrong Man,’ populated with soldiers, scammers, hangers-on, hellraisers, boozers and the woe-begone. Comparisons to Tom Waits would not be far off.
Fragments and glimpses of touring make up the video for Ben Miller Band’s new video for “Life on Wheels.”
This might seem obvious (and cheap!) but these video segments, compiled by BMB one-stringed washtub bass player Scott Leeper fits the rambling song perfectly. It also offers a view on how
hard life on the road can be. So next time your at a live show spring for a shirt or two. That could be the band’s gas money.
