Category Archives: Folk

57th Annual Grammy Awards – Showing Our Roots

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Brandy Clark & Dwight Yoakam 'Hold My Hand'

The cultural trade show known as the 57th Annual Grammy Awards is now history. 83 golden antiquated media playback device replicas were handed out to some of the most talented musicians in the world.

But the event is anything but antiquated. The Grammys have been pushing the boundaries of social and streaming media for some time, improving every year and rivaling events like The Oscars and The Superbowl for social activity. The Grammys know how to create, and amplify, buzz.

Though I did not take part in the excellent Grammy social program as I had the past 4 years, I was graciously asked by Entertainment Tonight to live blog the event for ETOnline.com. and I did cover the pre-telecast (rechristened the GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony) at the Twang Nation twitter feed. That’s nearly 8 hours of tweeting, blogging, posting in all.

But this is not a social marketing site. Its about the music, and there was lot’s of it. Much of it great.

First , the winners.

The big winner in the Americana and roots category was Rosanne Cash. Cash, who had been an awards presenter earlier in the day, took home awards in all the categories she was nominated in. winning who won best American roots performance, American roots song for ‘A Feather’s Not A Bird’ and Americana album for “The River and The Thread.” “Reagan was president last time I won a Grammy,” Cash beamed, referring to her win for
“I just showed up for work for 35 years and this is what happened.” Cash’s last win was in 1985 for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for “I Don’t Know Why You Don’t Want Me.”

Other notable wins were Mike Farris’ first nomination turned into a win for win for Best Roots Gospel Album.

Bluegrass supergroup, The Earls Of Leicester – Jerry Douglas, Tim O’Brien, Shawn Camp, Johnny Warren, Charlie Cushman and Barry Bales – won for Best Bluegrass Album for The band’s self-titled release. “We’re very humbled by this,” Douglas said during his acceptance speech. “These guys worked with me — I’ve wanted to do an album like this since the first time I picked up a musical instrument … This is what it’s all about — Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs.” “Proud to bring Flatt & Scruggs to a new audience. I think we now have a mandate to do more.”

Nickel Creek and Punch Brother founder Chris Thile and bassist Edgar Meyer won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for their album, ‘Bass & Mandolin.’ The duo have been performing together sporadically for more than a decade. ‘Bass & Mandolin’ was also nominated for Best Instrumental Composition for the album track “Tarnation” and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.

After an ripping performance of 8 Dogs 8 Banjos on the Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony stage, Old Crow Medicine Show encored with a win for Best Folk Album, for ‘Remedy.’

“We started our 18th year of making music together this year, and we want to thank Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie for lighting the way,” singer/fiddler Ketch Secor said from the podium.

Glen Campbell won his sixth Grammy of his extraordinary career for Best Country Song. The ailing country legend won for “I’m Not Gonna Miss You,” the bittersweet song Campbell penned with Julian Raymond for the 2014 documentary ‘Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me,’ won against songs by Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Miranda Lambert and Tim McGraw with Faith Hill.

Best Historical Album went to the excellent Hank Williams The Garden Spot Programs, 1950. Colin Escott & Cheryl Pawelski, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer.

One of the most talked about surprises of the evening was Beck’s win for Album of the Year for his 12th album ‘Morning Phase.’ Though I could quibble about Beck’s moody-folk/pop masterpiece
winning a Best Rock Album award earlier in the evening (rock?) there’s no arguing that Beck is a musician with an artistic vision, with little apparent care for the charts and industry. A rare vision richly deserving the honor of a high-profile award.

Apparently after the win twitter spiked with ‘Who is Beck?’ Supposedly by people genuinely unaware of the artist. The rest was Kanye West.

The stand out performance was Best New Artist nominee Brandy Clark sharing the stage with her idol and recent tour mate Dwight Yoakam. The two performed a lovely rendition of “Hold My Hand” from the Best Country Album nominated ’12 Stories.’ Perched on a round stage with no extravagant light show, two simple guitars and two warm voices. It was the most low-key performance of the 2015 Grammys and the one that best personified what most matters, and is often lost, in theses events.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu9-3yC012g

Listen Up! The Ravenna Colt ‘Terminal Current’ [Exclusive Premier]

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‘Terminal Current’ is the second full-length album from The Ravenna Colt (former My Morning Jacket guitarist/engineer Johnny Quaid) and it shimmers like Summer heat waves off a rural blacktop road. Here the full release below.

Kentucky-born musician Johnny Quaid filters his personal Americana dreamscape through The Ravenna Colt, traversing folk-rock territory while “creat(ing) Quaid’s vision of stories and soundscapes as told from the eyes and ears of a carpenter and troubadour.”

In 1998, Quaid joined Jim James on a project that would change their lives – My Morning Jacket. The group worked feverishly touring and recording and has not slowed down since. Quaid lends his guitar licks and engineering style to the first three albums, The Tennessee Fire, At Dawn and It Still Moves.

Quaid departed from the group amicably at the start of 2004. He left his native Kentucky, headed west to California and worked as a carpenter while keeping a writer’s pen at hand. After moving back east to Tennessee, Quaid released The Ravenna Colt’s debut album ‘Slight Spell’ in 2010.

Quaid has since relocated to Boise, where he pulled talent from the city’s fervent indie/roots music scene to assemble the latest incarnation of The Ravenna Colt. Terminal Current was recorded in Boise and Louisville, Ky., at Above the Cadillac and La La Land studios.

The video for “Absolute Contingency,” the lead single off The Ravenna Colt’s (former My Morning Jacket guitarist/engineer Johnny Quaid) forthcoming album Terminal Current (Removador/Karate Body), premiered today via The Alternate Root. Watch the Joe Baughman directed video.

“I take the art of making a record very seriously.” Says Quaid “I don’t rely on number of songs to constitute an album. I approach it more like making a film — I tell a story and create a feeling with the music. All my songs are very personal, despite the titles and themes. Music for me is really a means of therapy. With each album, I’ve really just captured the events that have lead up to it. I’ve had some major life changes between Terminal Current and Slight Spell, and I think you can hear/feel that.”

The Ravenna Colt will host a release party and performance 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20, at Neurolux, 111 N. 11th St., Boise. Sleepy Seeds opens the show. Tickets are available in advance atticketweb.com or The Record Exchange, 1105 W. Idaho St., Boise.

The band also will perform on Radio Boise (89.9FM/93.5FM) during the Radio Boise Live Music Hour at 4 p.m. Feb. 20 and at an all-ages release party preview at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19 at The Record Exchange.

Listen Up! The Lowest Pair – ‘In The During Of A Moment’

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lowest pair

Respected and accomplished solo performers in their own right, when Arkansas-born Kendl Winter and Minneapolis-born Palmer T. Lee joined to form The Lowest Pair the result is greater than the sum of their considerable parts. The couple’s deep-reverb bluegrass-inspired sound, and urban-rustic appearance, and make the a perfect symbol for the Dust Bowl aesthetic ready made for listening rooms everywhere.

An early 2013 led to discussions of collaborating and soon after concept became reality as they hit the road together. A few months after the duet formed they teamed up with Dave Simonette of Trampled By Turtles to record their debut record “36¢” released on Team Love Records.

‘In The During Of A Moment’ is from the duo’s upcoming sophomore effort ‘The Sacred Heart Sessions.’ Banjo and guitar dapple against one another as Winter’s breathy keen dips and soars. The chorus Lee lends his rugged croon as a perfect contrast on this lovely study on the nature transience.

‘The Sacred Heart Sessions’ will be out Feb 24, on Team Love records.

Rhiannon Giddens and Iron & Wine Perform Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young”

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Founding member of the Grammy Award-winning Carolina Chocolate Drops, singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Rhiannon Giddens joined Iron & Wine , the nom de plume for singer, songwriter Sam Beam, for a performance of Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young” on the series finale of NBC’s Parenthood, “May God Bless and Keep You Always.”

Dylan’s recording, from the 1974 album Planet Waves, has been the show’s theme song since it first aired in 2010. The new version by Giddens and Beam, which they played at the show’s Luncheonette recording studio during the episode and was produced by Joe Henry, is available digitally from Nonesuch Records on iTunes and in the Nonesuch Store. You can hear it below.

Watch Out! Robert Chaney – ‘Patch It Up’ [VIDEO]

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Robert Chaney - 'Patch It Up'

The new cut from American-born, London-based singer/songwriter Robert Chaney evokes an earlier time when the line between folk and blues were blurred.

Sparse guitar dances around Chaney’s nasal,high-lonesome delivery as a crumbling home serves as a metaphor for a failing relationship.

The video mirrors the theme well as Chaney frets, pines and sings among the ruins. Vintage clips of disaster and destruction furthers the mood as external forces drive toward doom as he futilely pleads for reconciliation.

“Come back inside, we’ll retire all this spite, rectify the excitement, we’ll stay up all night and, then you and I will try and patch it up”

Chaney recalls the moments that lead to recording:
“The record almost didn’t happen,” recalls Robert. “After moving from Florida to London, I didn’t know anyone. I thought I was going to have to get into the open mic grind. So I went to one and showed up late and they put me on last.” But it was on the strength of this performance that Robert was approached by producer Ken Brake (The Clientele, Louis Philippe), and the two started working in Ken’s London studio, recording dozens of songs over a number of months. Most of the songs on the final record are first or second takes.

‘Patch It Up’ if from Robert Chaney’s debut album ‘Cracked Picture Frames’ out digitally Feb 15 and on CD April 26th.

Find out more at his official site

Listen Up! Chris Smither – ‘Drive You Home Again’ From ‘Signature Sounds 20th Anniversary Collection: Favorite and Rarities from the Second Decade’

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Signature Sounds Recordings is an well-repected independent label specializing in singer-songwriter, Americana, and modern folk music. Jim Olsen and Mark Thayer founded the label in 1995 to promote the acoustic artists playing in the Northampton, Massachusetts music scene. The label has grown slowly to signing just 1-2 artists a year and developing them over years. This approach has worked well as the label has served as a home for Lake Street Dive and Zoe Muth and provided a career launching pad for the likes of Josh Ritter, Erin McKeown, Mary Gauthier & Lori McKenna.

On March 3, Signature Sounds will celebrate its 20 years of cultivating great talent with a special compilation ‘Signature Sounds 20th Anniversary Collection: Rarities From The Second Decade.’ The album will feature thirteen unreleased tracks plus eighteen songs in total from Crooked Still, Eilen Jewell, Lake Street Dive, Chris Smither and others.

‘Drive You Home Again,’ a Chris Smither’s unreleased track from the collection, exudes a timeless ramshackle and moody darkness that well reflects Signature Sounds spirit of quality.

Ralph Stanley – ‘Man of Constant Sorrow’ Out Now via Cracker Barrel

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Ralph Stanley

While on the Cayamo roots-music cruise Buddy Miller mentioned several times a collaboration with Dr. Ralph Stanley that had been produced in his home studio in Nashville was being released the Tuesday while we were at sea. Here’s the details on that release:

The three-time GRAMMY Award winner’s new CD features Stanley performing duets with guest artists including Dierks Bentley, Elvis Costello, Del McCoury, Buddy Miller & Jim Lauderdale, Old Crow Medicine Show, Robert Plant, Ricky Skaggs, Nathan Stanley, Josh Turner, Gillian Welch & Dave Rawlings and Lee Ann Womack, while also performing two solo songs. Ronnie McCoury and Womack’s daughter, Aubrie Sellers, also appear on the album, along with Stanley’s band The Clinch Mountain Boys. The 87-year old International Bluegrass Hall of Honor inductee recorded the album in Nashville with Miller and Lauderdale as producers.

“I’ve always enjoyed singing with other artists,” said Stanley. “Everyone who joined me on this record did a fine job. I think this will be a project that my fans will really enjoy.”

“Cracker Barrel is delighted to bring Dr. Ralph Stanley and Friends’ CD, Man of Constant Sorrow, to our guests,” said Cracker Barrel Marketing Manager Julie Craig. “The performances are wonderful, the music is timeless and the project is a great addition to our exclusive music program. We know our guests will look forward to discovering this album.”

The 13 songs on Man of Constant Sorrow are:

1. “We Shall Rise,” Ralph Stanley and Josh Turner with The Clinch Mountain Boys
2. “I Only Exist,” Ralph Stanley and Dierks Bentley with The Clinch Mountain Boys
3. “We’ll Be Sweethearts in Heaven,” Ralph Stanley and Ricky Skaggs with The Clinch Mountain Boys and Ronnie McCoury
4. “Rank Stranger,” Ralph Stanley and Nathan Stanley with The Clinch Mountain Boys
5. “I Am the Man, Thomas,” Ralph Stanley, Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale with The Clinch Mountain Boys and Ronnie McCoury
6. “White Dove,” Ralph Stanley and Lee Ann and Aubrie Sellers with The Clinch Mountain Boys and Ronnie McCoury
7. “Red Wicked Wine,” Ralph Stanley and Elvis Costello with The Clinch Mountain Boys
8. “Pig in a Pen,” Ralph Stanley and Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings with Paul Kowert
9. “Two Coats,” Ralph Stanley and Robert Plant
10. “Brand New Tennessee Waltz,” Ralph Stanley and Del McCoury with The Clinch Mountain Boys and Ronnie McCoury
11. “Short Life of Trouble,” Ralph Stanley and Old Crow Medicine Show
12. “Hills of Home,” Ralph Stanley
13. “Man of Constant Sorrow,” Ralph Stanley and The Clinch Mountain Boys

Ralph Stanley’s Man of Constant Sorrow is the latest CD release in the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® exclusive music program. Since 2005, Cracker Barrel has released CDs with a wide variety of artists including Alabama, Rodney Atkins, Mandy Barnett, Clint Black, Jason Michael Carroll, Steven Curtis Chapman, Dailey & Vincent, The Charlie Daniels Band, Ronnie Dunn, Edens Edge, Sara Evans, Bill Gaither, Vince Gill and Paul Franklin, Amy Grant, The Grascals, Merle Haggard, Alan Jackson, George Jones, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Neal McCoy, Montgomery Gentry, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Craig Morgan, The Oak Ridge Boys, Brad Paisley, Dolly Parton, Smokey Robinson, Kenny Rogers, The Secret Sisters, Ricky Skaggs, Michael W. Smith, Aaron Tippin, Randy Travis, Josh Turner, Wynonna and the Zac Brown Band

By online from Cracker Barrel

First Aid Kit Stamps Released in Sweden

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Postnord, the joint Danish and Swedish postal service, has released series of stamps commemorating popular Swedish personalities. The Jenny Mörtsell portraits depict folk sister duo First Aid Kit along with Robyn, Avicii producer Max Martin, and Seinabo Sey.

Check the whimsical new lyric video for their song ‘Master Pretender’ from their current release ‘Stay Gold.’

Watch Out! Lera Lynn: “Out to Sea” – Late Show with David Letterman 1/5/2015

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Lera Lynn: "Out to Sea" - David Letterman

Last night David Letterman continued championing Americana and roots music in the New Year by inviting Lera Lynn (“From Nash-VEGAS Tennessee!” Letterman announces as a inside joke with his maestro sidekick Paul Shaffer ) to the Late Show stage.

Lynn may make her home in Nash-Vegas now, but she’s a Houston, TX girl by birth.

Lynn and her band deliver a simmeringly lush yet low-key version of “Out to Sea” from her sophomore offering “The Avenues,” which made our 2014 year-end list at #12.

http://youtu.be/ZkZa4OEH-Yc

Listen Up! Tyler Nail – “Valentina”

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Tyler Nail

North Carolina-based Americana folk artist, Tyler Nail single, “Valentina” off his second, full-length album, ‘Feathers’ is a satisfying uptempo folk-rock song that maps the heart as well as American geography

Nail says of “Valentina,” “it was the catalyst to what became the rest of the album, and begins the story of ‘Feathers.’ It showcases my more traditional, narrative Americana style of writing.”

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