Twang Nation – The Best In Americana Music
Americana & Roots Music & Culture
On first glance it might appear that Joy Williams and John Paul White has reconciled. Then once the singing starts you know this is a different beast.
The White look-alike is Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman Chris Cornell and the
pair took to the Americana-friendly David Letterman Show to perform a lovely and soulful rendition of “Misery Chain†from the “12 Years a Slave” soundtrack.
Could the next Civil Wars album feature Cornell?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPSQmwjsWqg
After some initial confusion the day before regarding the health of country music legend Ray Price, his death was confirmed today by veteran country disc jockey Bill Mack, a spokesman for Mr. Price’s family. Price passed away Monday at his home in Mount Pleasant, Texas, from complications stemming from the pancreatic cancer he was diagnosed with in 2011. He was 87.
Price honed his craft at the heels of his friend and once roommate Hank Williams, who’s band he inherited, and rechristened the Cherokee Cowboys, in the wake of William’s death.
Price was an early practitioner of the 4/4 beat, later called the “Ray Price beat,†that then went on to become a standard of the genre.
with songs like “Crazy Arms” and Kris Kristofferson’s “For the Good Times” Price was also a pioneer in bringing country music to a wider audience. With 109 songs charting between 1952-89, His history on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart spans more than 37 years with 46 top 10 entries, eight of those reaching No. 1.
Price last charting album was the collaboration with Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson “Last of the Breed.”
“I have fought prejudice since I got in country music and I will continue to fight it,” he told The Associated Press in 1981. “A lot of people want to keep country music in the minority of people. But it belongs to the world. It’s art.”
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Grammy Hall of Fame member was a staunch advocate for the dignity of classic country music. Last year price responded on Facebook to Blake Shelton’s classic-country “Old Farts†& “Jackasses†slam.
The ruckus played out on the Internet and introduced Price to a new generation of country fans.
“You should be so lucky as us old-timers,” Price said in a happily cantankerous post in all capital letters. “Check back in 63 years (the year 2075) and let us know how your name and your music will be remembered.”
Price follows George Jones as country music legends that have passed this year.
Step right up ladies and gents. What you have before you is the latest Twang Nation podcast with the latest and best of Americana and roots cuts.
It’s also the last podcast of 2013 and the last to be done exclusively in San Francisco. Number 18 will be a cross-country effort.
This episode has some gems from the ending year by an unlikely and excellent collaboration of Norah Jones and Billy Joe Armstrong doing Everly Brothers covers. There is also new cuts from Doug Balmain and Ocean Carolina.
There are also some choice cuts from upcoming releases by Jason Eady, Jimbo Mathus and a new live cut from the upcoming reissue of Lucinda Williams’ self-titled 1988 album.
I hope you like this episode of the Twang Nation Podcast. if you do tell a friend and let me know here at my site, Google+, Twitter or my Facebook.
Happy holidays and thanks to all of you for supporting great music! Remember band shirts and show tickets to shows make great gifts.
Dale Watson – A Real Country Song
1. Norah Jones and Billie Joe Armstrong – Song: “Long Time Gone ” – album: “Foreverly†Out now on Reprise Records
2. Doug Balmain – Song: “I’ll Lay Down in the Rain ” – album: “Troubled Mind†Out now Released Independently
3. Amy Black – Song: “Layin It Down ” – album: “This Is Home†Out now Released Independently
4. Grace & Tony – Song: “Layin It Down ” – album: “November †Out now via Rock Ridge Music
5. Jason Eady – Song: “OK Whiskey” – album: ‘Daylight And Dark’ Out Jan 21
6. Lori McKenna – Song: “Take Me With You When You Go” – album: Massachusetts on 1-2-3-4-go records – out now
7. Ocean Carolina – Song: “Women and Wine” – album: “All The Way Home” Old Hand Records 1/14/14
8. Star Anna – Song: “Mean Kind of Love ” – album: “Go To Hell” Spark & Shine out now
9. Jimbo Mathus – Song: “Hawkeye Jordan†– album: “Dark Night of the Soul” Fat Possum Records out February 15.
10. Lucinda Williams – Song: “Something About What Happens When We Talk (Live at KCRW) ” – album: “Lucinda Williams,” to be released on January 14
Country-punk angel Lydia Loveless will follow up last month’s Boy Crazy EP with a proper 10-song fill-length release ‘Somewhere Else” on Bloodshot Records on February 18,
The Columbus, Ohio native 2011 album “Indestructible Machine” set a bar bar that ‘To Love Somebody,” the first track released off the new album, clears and then some. A whip-smart pop pace sets the pace to pine for a certain somebody with a longing that Loveless’ voice openly expresses.
Pre-order Somewhere Else and check the track list and upcoming tour dates below.
Somewhere Else track list:
1. “Really Wanna See You”
2. “Wine Lips”
3. “Chris Isaak”
4. “To Love Somebody”
5. “Hurts So Bad”
6. “Head”
7. “Verlaine Shot Rimbaud”
8. “Somewhere Else”
9. “Everything’s Gone”
10. “They Don’t Know”
Lydia Loveless tour dates:
February 26 – Auburn Hills, MI @ Callahan’s Music Hall
February 27 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern
February 28 – Newport, KY @ Southgate House
March 01 – Columbus, OH @ Rumba Cafe
March 05 – St Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
March 06 – Kansas City, MO @ Czar Bar
March 07 – Columbia, MO @ Blue Note
March 08 – Tulsa, OK @ Mercury Lounge
March 20 – San Diego, CA @ Seven Grand
March 22 – Ventura, CA @ Ventura Fairgrounds
March 25 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Hideaway
March 26 – Fullerton, CA @ Slidebar
March 28 – San Francisco, CA @ Thee Parkside
March 29 – Mammoth, CA @ Underground Lounge
Johnny Cash vast discography is not quite complete.
This march the Cash estate will release “Out Among the Stars,” a 12-track album that Cash recorded between 1981 and 1984 with producer fellow he Country Music Hall of Fame member Billy Sherill. Sherill, was also president of CBS Records Nashville at the time of the recordings.
This, of course is great news. but it gives me pause that Sherill was one of the architects of the “countrypolitan”
The upside is that the restoration of the album was handled by John Carter Cash with co-producer/archivist Steve Berkowitz along with Carlene Carter, Cash collaborator Marty Stuart, Jerry Douglas and Buddy Miller.
Speaking to the Associated Press, John Carter Cash said, “It was the ‘Urban Cowboy’ phase. It was pop country, and dad was not that.” Cash and archivists at Legacy Recordings first came upon the Out Among the Stars tapes last year. The recordings are just the latest gem from a massive personal archive that Johnny Cash and wife June Carter Cash recorded together throughout their careers.
Among the highlights of Out Among the Stars: a duet with Waylon Jennings and two featuring June Carter Cash.
“We were so excited when we discovered this,” said the younger Cash. “We were like, my goodness this is a beautiful record that nobody has ever heard. Johnny Cash is in the very prime of his voice for his lifetime. He’s pitch perfect. It’s seldom where there’s more than one vocal take. They’re a live take and they’re perfect.”
In spite of the records greatness, Columbia Records choose to indefinitely shelve the release and Cash was dropped from the label in 1986. Cash career withstood this indignity and he is now regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.
Out Among the Stars will be released on March 25th, and pre-orders are already available.
“Out Among the Stars” Track Listing
01 Out Among the Stars
02 Baby Ride Easy [ft. June Carter Cash]
03 She Used to Love Me a Lot
04 After All
05 I’m Movin’ On [ft. Waylon Jennings]
06 If I Told You Who It Was
07 Call Your Mother *
08 I Drove Her Out of My Mind
09 Tennessee
10 Rock and Roll Shoes
11 Don’t You Think It’s Come Our Time [ft. June Carter Cash]
12 I Came to Believe *
* Written by Johnny Cash
If music row is going to cross the tracks to look for great tunes they could do a whole lot worse then Mr. Buddy Miller.
Though best known as a guiding pioneer of the Americana genre , working with or producing for Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Gillian Welch, and David Rawlings, The Devil Makes Three, Richard Thompson and others, Miller – like his partner in crime Jim Lauderdale and co-host for the Sirius Satellite Radio – makes great music with no discernible concern for boundaries.
LeAnn Rimes might have felt this when she included his “Gasoline and Matches” on her latest “Spitfire.”
Originally performed by Buddy and his talented wife Julie, on their 2009 album, Written in Chalk. It was also included on “America’s Got Talent” season five winner Michael Grimm 011 self-titled record. The son was also included as a duet between Miller and Julie Robert’s on her latest “Good Wine & Bad Decisions.”
I’ve always been a fan of Rimes voice if not always her song selection. She sounds like she’s having fun as she belts it out with Matchbox Twenty’s Rob Thomas as they deliver a tight groove. Jeff Beck seems an oddity in his guitar solo, but whatever. He’s a legend.
The stop-motion video was filmed on an iPhone by Ian Padgham
Rimes said of the Padgham. “When we saw Ian’s stop motion work on Vine, the first thing I noticed was this crazy sick sense of humor wrapped around a lot of heart and warmth.â€
truth told, the beat-laden club version that plays during the credits I could do without.
The National Academy of Recording Arts and Science held their big to-do to announce a few of the nominees for the next round of the 56th Annual GRAMMY Awards. The choices in the Americana and roots categories again display an appreciation of some of the veterans of the genre and the roots they represent.
Collaborations reigned in the Best Americana Album category. Emmylou Harris may add another trophy to the 12 GRAMMYS she a lead has on her mantel with “Old Yellow Moon,” her duet collaboration Hot Band guitarist and legendary singer-songwriter , Rodney Crowell. Steve Martin & Edie Brickell are nominated for “Love Has Come For You,†their first joint effort and Americana stalwarts Buddy Miller And Jim Lauderdale are up for their “Buddy And Jim.†Mavis Staples , who won for Best Americana Album in 2011 is up for “One True Vine.†Legendary composer, producer, performer Allen Toussaint intimate and live deliberation of his new New York City home “Songbook†rounds out the list
Nominees for Best American Roots Song include another new New York resident (By way of Texas) Sarah Jarosz for the title cut of her third studio release, “Build Me Up From Bones.” Steve Earle snagged a spot for “Invisible,†his song focused on the homeless and indigent, from his latest “The Low Highway.†Old partners reconvene to gain a spot with Tim O’Brien & Darrell Scott’s “Keep Your Dirty Lights On†from their Memories and Moments. Best Americana Album nominees Edie Brickell & Steve Martin is nominated for the title cut “Love Has Come For You†and Allen Toussaint for “Shrimp Po-Boy, Dressed.â€
There are no slackers in a bluegrass band, and Best Bluegrass Album nominees are some of the best in the field. A nice surprise was the choice for newcomers Della Mae’s nomination for their sophomore release “This World Oft Can Be†Members of The Boxcars have collected numerous IBMA and GRAMMY Awards and have shared the stage with legends so it’s no surprise that their third album “It’s Just A Road†was nominated. Though Harlan Howard was referring to country music when he coined the term “…three chords and the truth.†James King and his cracker-Jack band adopted it as the title for their first GRAMMY-nominated album. Veterans Dailey & Vincent (Jamie Dailey (guitar, bass, vocals), Darrin Vincent (mandolin, guitar, bass, vocals)) are up for their 3rd GRAMMY Award nomination for their sixth release “Brothers Of The Highway†and the Del McCoury Band nabbed a nomination for their 14th release “The Streets Of Baltimore.†Del and the band won in the category in 2006 for “The Company We Keep.”
Roots music greatness continued with the Best Folk Album category, whose boundaries blur so much with Best Americana Album category that any performer from either side could swap with a perfumer from the other and few people would notice. Patriarch singer/songwriter Guy Clark grabbed his 6th nomination for his latest “My Favorite Picture Of You.†The Greencards received their 3rd GRAMMY nomination for their sixth studio album “Sweetheart Of The Sun†and Sarah Jarosz is up for her 2nd nomination for “Build Me Up From Bones.†Newcomer favorites The Milk Carton Kids are on the list for their current “The Ash & Clay.” “They All Played For Us: Arhoolie Records 50th Anniversary Celebration,” the roots-rich benefit
in tribute to the Arhoolie Foundation, and the 50th anniversary of Arhoolie Records, is also included.
Music Row continues to show some interest in Americana-leaning performers with country newcomer
Kacey Musgraves up for Best New Artist, Best Country album (Same Trailer, Different Park) andBest Country Snog (“Merry Go ‘Round”.) Best Country Duo/Group Performance category features The Civil Wars for “From This Valley, †Kelly Clarkson Featuring Vince Gill for “Don’t Rush†and Kenny Rogers With Dolly Parton for “You Can’t Make Old Friends.â€
Other nominations honoring Americana and roots artists are the soundtrack for “Muscle Shoalsâ€, nominated for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media.
Root-rock pioneer Neil Young, with his band Crazy Horse, is looking to garner this third GRAMMY win with “Psychedelic Pill†for Best Rock Album
Multiple GRAMMY winner, and a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, folksinger Pete Seeger received a GRAMMY nomination for “The Storm King,” in the category of Best Spoken Word Album.
Uncle Tupelo / Wilco front man Jeff Tweedy is up for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical for his work with Mavis Staples, Low and Sarah Lee Guthrie And Johnny Irion.
Alabama Shakes is up for Best Rock Performance (“Always Alright”) Jack White for Best Rock Performance (“I’m Shakin'”) Neko Case for Best Alternative Music Album (The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight…) and Mumford & Sons are nominated for Best Boxed or Special Edition Limited Package, Best Music Film (The Road to Red Rocks)
After the nominations were announced twitter was abuzz with folks pointing out a glaring oversight of Jason Isbell’s “Southeastern” for Best Americana Album. The album is on all Americana and roots music end of year lists.
Isbell took to twitter to address with humor the snub,”Don’t worry guys, I’ll get plenty of noms. There’s a Chipotle right across the street from the hotel! #NOM”
“Don’t worry guys, I’ll get plenty of noms. There’s a Chipotle right across the street from the hotel! #NOM”
Congratulations to them all the nominees. Keep an eye on GRAMMY.com and on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/P on on January 26, 2014 to see who wins.
Here’s a list of the Country, Americana and roots and related categories from the 56th Annual GRAMMY Award Nominees. Look for a more in-depth post soon.
You can get the full list of all nominees here.
Best Americana Album:
Old Yellow Moon — Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell
Love Has Come For You — Steve Martin & Edie Brickell
Buddy And Jim — Buddy Miller And Jim Lauderdale
One True Vine — Mavis Staples
Songbook — Allen Toussaint
Best American Roots Song
“Build Me Up From Bones” Sarah Jarosz, songwriter (Sarah Jarosz) Label: Sugar Hill Records
“Invisible” – Steve Earle, songwriter (Steve Earle & The Dukes (& Duchesses)) Label: New West Records
“Keep Your Dirty Lights On” Tim O’Brien & Darrell Scott, songwriters (Tim O’Brien And Darrell Scott) Label: Full Skies Records
“Love Has Come For You” – Edie Brickell & Steve Martin, songwriters (Steve Martin & Edie Brickell) Label: Rounder; Publishers: LA Films Music/Brick Elephant Music
“Shrimp Po-Boy, Dressed” Allen Toussaint, songwriter (Allen Toussaint) Label: Rounder; Publishers: Screen Gems-EMI Music Inc/Marsaint Music, Inc.
Best Bluegrass Album
“It’s Just A Road” — The Boxcars
“Brothers Of The Highway” — Dailey & Vincent
“This World Oft Can Be” — Della Mae
“Three Chords And The Truth” — James King
“The Streets Of Baltimore” — Del McCoury Band
Best Folk Album
“My Favorite Picture Of You” — Guy Clark
“Sweetheart Of The Sun” — The Greencards
“Build Me Up From Bones” — Sarah Jarosz
“The Ash & Clay” — The Milk Carton Kids
“They All Played For Us: Arhoolie Records 50th Anniversary Celebration” — (Various Artists) Chris Strachwitz, producer
Best Country Duo/Group Performance
“From This Valley” — The Civil Wars
“Don’t Rush” — Kelly Clarkson Featuring Vince Gill
“You Can’t Make Old Friends” — Kenny Rogers With Dolly Parton
Artists/albums of interest to the Americana community, nominated in other categories:
Neil Young With Crazy Horse – Best Rock Album (“Psychedelic Pill”)
Pete Seeger – “The Storm King” (Best Spoken Word Album)
Muscle Shoals – Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media
Jeff Tweedy – Producer of the Year, Non-Classical (Invisible Way (Low) • One True Vine (Mavis Staples) (A) • Wassaic Way (Sarah Lee Guthrie And Johnny Irion))
Kacey Musgraves – Best New Artist, Best Country Artist (Same Trailer, Different Park), Best Country Snog (“Merry Go ‘Round”)
Alabama Shakes – Best Rock Performance (“Always Alright”)
Jack White – Best Rock Performance (“I’m Shakin'”)
Neko Case – Best Alternative Music Album (The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight…)
Elizabeth Mitchell & You Are My Flower – Best Children’s Album (Blue Clouds)
Mumford & Sons – Best Boxed or Special Edition Limited Package, Best Music Film (The Road to Red Rocks)
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“Another Day/Another Time,” a concert inspired by the Coen Brothers’ film “Inside Llewyn Davisâ€, which itself was inspired by the 60’s New York folk movement, took place at Town Hall
Sun, September 29, 2013.
Luckily Showtime set up some cameras.
The concert features performances of songs from the early 1960s in addition to live renditions of the film’s folk music.
The performances include The Avett Brothers, Marcus Mumford, Jack White, Gillian Welch, Joan Baez, Dave Rawlings Machine, Rhiannon Giddens, Lake Street Dive, Colin Meloy, The Milk Carton Kids, Punch Brothers, Patti Smith, Willie Watson, and the film’s lead Oscar Isaac.
“Another Day/Another Time” will will air December 13 at 10:00 PM on Showtime.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFZcgSySBdw
Drive-By Truckers 12th album, “English Oceans” is one of the most anticipated releases of 2014 (March 4 to be exact)
Of the album co-lead singer/songwriter and guitarist Mike Cooley says “It can go from this chainsaw rock ‘n’ roll to this very delicate, pretty-sounding stuff.†Cooley fans will be happy that he brought six new songs to the sessions and this record marks the first time that Cooley sings a song penned by Patterson Hood on “Til He’s Dead or Rises.â€
The album follows narratives from a cast of characters. “Pauline Hawkins,†is based on a new novel by Willy Vlautin. A Political edge is shown in two songs on the record. Cooley’s “Made Up English Oceans†and Hood’s “The Part of Him.†“It’s about political assholery — there’s someone new playing that role every few months,†says Hood. “Grand Canyon,†the final song on the album, is an emotionally overwhelming tribute to Craig Lieske, a longtime member of DBT’s touring family. Lieske died suddenly in January and the album is dedicated to him.
The album was recorded with a compact, retooled lineup. Jay Gonzalez, who joined the band in 2008 as keyboardist, has added guitar to his duties, while bassist Matt Patton was drafted from the Tuscaloosa group The Dexateens. “It’s a very tasteful group, and when it needs to be it can be a very big, powerful, over-the-top band, too, and it can go from one to the other seamlessly,†says Hood.
English Oceans was recorded over 13 days at Chase Park Transduction Studios in the bands’ adopted base of Athens, GA with their longtime producer, David Barbe.
The US tour will be announced in January and European fans can anticipate the band’s return in May. The band will also do their annual homecoming shows at the 40 Watt in Athens in February.
English Oceans Tracklist:
01. Shit Shots Count
02. When He’s Gone
03. Primer Coat
04. Pauline Hawkins
05. Made Up English Oceans
06. The Part of Him
07. Hearing Jimmy Loud
08. Til He’s Dead or Rising
09. Hanging On
10. Natural Light
11. When Walter Went Crazy
12. First Air of Autumn
13. Grand Canyon
Drive By Truckers 2014 Tour Dates:
01/31 – Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel
02/01 – Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel
02/13 – Athens, GA @ 40 Watt
02/14 – Athens, GA @ 40 Watt
02/15 – Athens, GA @ 40 Watt
05/10 – Dublin, IR @ Vicar Street
05/11 – Glasgow, UK @ ABC
05/12 – Manchester, UK @ Ritz
05/13 – London, UK @ Shepherd’s Bush Empire
05/15 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
05/16 – Antwerp, BE @ Trix
