Loretta Lynn, Flaco Jiménez, Jackson Browne and Taj Mahal to Receive Americana Music Association Lifetime Achievement Awards

AMA Lifetime Achievement

Loretta Lynn, Flaco Jiménez, Jackson Browne and Taj Mahal have been selected to receive Lifetime Achievement Award winners to be presented at its 13th Annual Honors and Awards. The ceremony will take place on Wednesday, September 17 at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. The show will be taped for air on PBS later this year in the Austin City Limits time slot and titled ACL Presents: Americana Music Festival 2014.

Jackson Browne will receive the “Spirit of Americana Award, Free Speech in Music” co-presented with the First Amendment Center. The Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting goes to country music legend Loretta Lynn. Texas tejano accordion master Flaco Jiménez will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award as an Instrumentalist.
The Lifetime Achievement in Performance will go to Grammy Award-winning blues luminary Taj Mahal.

The 15th annual Americana Music Festival & Conference will take place September 17-21, 2014 in Nashville, Tenn. Tickets for the Honors & Awards are only available with the purchase of a conference registration.

Purchase here.

Americana Music Association Releases First Half of 15th Annual AmericanaFest Bill

Americanafest

The Americana Music Association continues its tradition of showcasing some of the best in Americana and roots music by it’s partial roster of Americanfest performers released today.

Though the lineup doesn’t show any groundbreaking direction, I’m fine with that. There are lots of folks on the list that have been busting their hump for years and deserve this recognition rather then inserting acts to placate outsider accusations of one thing or another. Personally I’m happy to see Casa Twang favorites Howlin’ Brothers, Jamestown Revival, John Moreland, Lera Lynn, Marah and Ben Miller Band on the bill. And Texas is well-represented by Billy Joe Shaver, Sarah Jarosz, Jason Eady and Hayes Carll

The event is celebrating its 15th as the premier Americana event by welcoming 160 performers taking the stage at 11 venues including 3rd & Lindsley, The Basement, City Winery, High Watt, Cannery, Mercy Lounge, The Rutledge, Station Inn, Music City Roots, Downtown Presbyterian Church and Musicians Corner.

Three-time Americana Group of the Year, The Avett Brothers, will headline the event at Riverfront Parl on Saturday Sept. 20. Americana’s Music Festival & Conference registrations will have access. Tickets for the general public will go on sale Friday, June 27 at 10AMat www.ticketfly.com.

Check out THE Americanafest 2014 Spotify playlist.

The first half of Americanafest’s performing artist list includes:

Allison Moorer
Amy Ray
Angaleena Presley
The Avett Brothers
The Barefoot Movement
Ben Miller Band
Billy Joe Shaver
Black Prairie
Brennen Leigh and Noel McKay
Buddy Miller
The Cactus Blossoms
Carlene Carter
Caroline Rose
Chatham County Line
Chuck Mead
Danny & The Champions of the World
The Deadly Gentleman
Del Barber
The Deslondes
Doug Seegers
The Duhks
The Dustbowl Revival
Emily Barker & the Red Clay Halo
Ethan Johns
The Fairfield Four
The Grahams
Grant-Lee Phillips
Green River Ordinance
Greensky Bluegrass
Gregory Alan Isakov
Greyhounds
The Harpoonist & the Axe Murderer
Hayes Carll
Howlin’ Brothers
Immigrant Union
Israel Nash
Jamestown Revival
Jason Eady
JD Wilkes & the Dirt Daubers
Joe Henry
Joe Pug
Joe Purdy
John Moreland
Jonah Tolchin
Jonny Two Bags
Josh Ritter
Joshua James
Lake Street Dive
Lee Ann Womack
Leo Welch
Lera Lynn
Marah Presents: Mountain Minstrelsy
Marty Stuart
Matthew Ryan
McCrary Sisters
Nathaniel Rateliff
New Country Rehab
Oh Susanna
Otis Gibbs
Parker Millsap
Paul Thorn
Pete Molinari
Quebe Sisters Band
Rhett Miller
Robbie Fulks
Robyn Hitchcock
Rodney Crowell
Ruthie Foster
Ryan Montbleau
Sam Outlaw
Sarah Jarosz
Sean Rowe
Shakey Graves
Suzy Bogguss
Todd Snider & Friends
Tom Freund
Tony Joe White
Trigger Hippy (feat. Jackie Greene, Joan Osbourne, Steve Gorman, Tom Bukovac & Nick Govrik)
Whiskey Shivers
Willie Watson

The 15th annual Americana Music Festival & Conference occurs September 17-21, 2014 in Nashville, Tenn. The 13th annual Americana Honors & Awards Show on Sept. 17 at the historic Ryman Auditorium.

Watch Out! Shovels & Rope – “The Devil Is All Around” [VIDEO]

Shovels & Rope - "The Devil Is All Around"

“The Devil Is All Around” is the first cut from Shovels & Rope upcoming sophomore release “Swimmin’ Time” (Dualtone Music – August 26)

Courage and perseverance in the wake of hardships and the lures of earthly temptations are a staple in folk, country and gospel music. The video show the natural interplay between Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent as they blend their roughhewn harmonies and give that classic form a kick in the pants.

It’s a righteous spiritual for these unsure times.

The band will tour will start in August in their hometown in Raleigh, NC with stops scheduled in Atlanta, Nashville, Boston, Detroit, Chicago, New York with The Avett Brothers, Old Crow Medicine Show and John Fullbright. Catch ’em if you can!

Shovels & Rope Tour

7/4 & 7/6 – Ottawa, ON – RBC Blues Ottawa Festival
7/5 – Toronto, ON – Toronto Urban Roots Fest
7/10-12 – Oakbank, MB – Winnipeg Folk Festival
7/13 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre #
7/26 – Newport, RI – Newport Folk Festival
8/20 – Raleigh, NC – Raleigh Amphitheater **
8/21 – Charlotte, NC – Uptown Amphitheater **
8/22 – Alpharetta, GA – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater **
8/23 – Nashville, TN – The Woods Amphitheater at Fontanel **
8/27 – Louisville, KY – WFPK Waterfront Wednesday
9/18 – Wilmington, NC – Ziggy’s %
9/20 – Charlottesville, VA – Jefferson Theater %
9/24 – Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer
9/26 – Boston, MA – Royale %
9/27 – Boston, MA – Royale %
9/28 – Montreal, QB – Corona Theatre %
10/1 – Detroit, MI – St. Andrew’s Hall %
10/2 – Chicago, IL – Vic Theatre %
10/3 – Minneapolis, MN – First Ave %
10/5 – Madison, WI – Barrymore Theatre
10/7 – Bloomington, IN – Bluebird %
10/8 – Knoxville, TN – Bijou Theatre %
10/10 – Athens, GA – Georgia Theatre %

# – with The Avett Brothers
** – with Old Crow Medicine Show
% – with John Fullbright

Record Store Day 2014 – Americana and Roots Music Picks

Gram Parsons - Alternate Takes from GP and Grievous Angel

It’s that time again twangers. Yes, Record Store Day 2014 is upon us. The annual celebration of local record stores that leaves behind clowns and balloons and replaced them with long lines and limited edition slabs of vinyl.

This year’s RSD2013 releases offer some great selections from the roots and Americana side of the fence. Steve Earle townes album stripped back to it’s solo guitar base? Yes! Alternate Takes from Gram Parsons’ pivotal GP and Grievous Angel albums? Oh yes! Unreleased Hank Williams from the 1950 The Garden radio spot programs? Hells yes!

Head to your local indy record store on April 19th early and scoop up some of these limited edition goodies below.

Check the RSD14 full list and remember to tweet a pic of your bounty to my twitter account and I’ll share it with those that dared to stay home.

Print

Big Mama Thornton – Sassy Mama
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: Vanguard
– A scorching 1975 live set from Big Mama including “Rolling Stone,” “Lost City,” and “Mr. Cool.”

Joan Baez – “Blessed Are”
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: Vanguard
Baez’s seminal 1971 double album is presented here in an ‘exact replica’ gatefold package. Included are “Blessed Are,” “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” “Salt of the Earth,” and many more.

The Allman Brothers – “Selections from: Play All Night: Live at the Beacon Theatre 1992”
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: Legacy
Double vinyl release of live songs previously only available on DVD.

Dave Alvin & Phil Alvin – Songs from Common Ground
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: Yep Roc
Four song 12″ featuring the Alvin Brothers playing the songs of Bill Broonzy

Blue Rodeo – “Diamond Mine”
Label: Rhino
Release type: RSD Limited Run / Regional Focus Release
25th anniversary reissue, first time on blue and green colored vinyl

Neko Case & Jason Lytle – “Satellite of Love”
Format: 7″ Vinyl
Label: Brink
Take a trip into space with musicians Howe Gelb, Neko Case, Victoria Williams, John Covertino (Calexico), and many more in this limited edition 7 inch vinyl. Includes songs Satellite of Love, Mars Cassette Waltz, and Untethered Space Walk from the award winning animation comedy film Mars (Starring Mark Duplass of The League and Safety Not Guaranteed).

Johnny Cash – With His Hot and Blue Guitar
Format: 12″ Blue Vinyl
Label: ORG Music
Release type: ‘RSD First’ Release
More Info:
Johnny Cash with His Hot and Blue Guitar is the debut album of country singer Johnny Cash. Released in 1957, it was the first LP ever issued on Sam Phillips’ Sun Records label. Currently out of print, the album is being remastered and reissued on an exclusive blue color vinyl for Record Store Day. This limited edition pressing of 3,000 units will be numbered with a foil stamp on each jacket.

CENTRO-MATIC – Redo The Stacks
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: Navigational Transmissions
Reissue of the band’s first album, originally released in 1996. This version is remastered and artwork has been redone and hand painted to match the original version.

The Civil Wars – Live at Eddie’s Attic
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: Columbia
Nine songs recorded live in Decatur, Georgia in April 2009.

Court Yard Hounds – Amelita
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: New West Records
12″ vinyl of the new record with bonus 7″

Drive-By Truckers – Dragon Pants EP
Format: 10″ Vinyl
Label: ATO
B-Sides and outtakes from the new album English Oceans

Steve Earle – Townes: The Basics
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: New West Records
Release type: RSD Exclusive Release
In 2009 Steve Earle released an album of Townes Van Zandt songs. It began as solo guitar and vocal tracks recorded in October 2008 in New York City. Other instruments were added later in subsequent sessions for the album in New York, Nashville and Los Angeles. Those original recordings – The Basics – were released on a limited edition bonus CD with the Townes album and are available here for the first time on vinyl.; HAND NUMBERED

The Everly Brothers – Roots
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: Rhino
Release type: RSD Exclusive Release
“Roots” showcases the harmonies of the Everlys with covers of songs by performers who had been influential on the duo’s career. Songs by Jimmie Rodgers, George Jones, Randy Newman and Merle Haggard plus traditional standards offer laid-back, tasteful, acoustic-oriented arrangements with superb vocals that convey qualities of innocence tempered by experience. Originally released in 1968, “Roots” is one of the finest early country-rock albums.

Mary Gauthier/Sam Baker – When A Woman Goes Cold/Ditch
Format: 7″ Vinyl
Release type: RSD Limited Run / Regional Focus Release

Gram Parsons – 180 Gram: Alternate Takes from GP and Grievous Angel
Label: Rhino
2LP vinyl release of audio sourced from “The Complete Reprise Sessions” released in 2005. Contains a postcard insert at the request of Gram’s daughter, Polly Parsons, for the Hickory Wind Ranch Recovery Community. Foil numbering.

TRACK LISTING: SIDE ONE: “She (Alternative Version)”, “That’s All It Took (Alternative Version)”, “Still Feeling Blue (Alternative Version)”, “Kiss The Children (Alternative Version)”, “Streets of Baltimore (Alternative Version)” SIDE TWO: We’ll Sweep Out The Ashes In The Morning (Alternative Version)”, “The New Soft Shoe (Alternative Version)”, “Return of the Grievous Angel #1 (Alternative Version)”, “In My Hour of Darkness (Alternative Version)”, “In My Hour of Darkness (Alternative Version)”, “Ooh Las Vegas (Alternative Version) SIDE THREE: “I Can’t Dance (Alternative Version)”, “Sleepless Nights (Alternative Version)”, “Love Hurts (Alternative Version)”, “Brass Buttons (Alternative Version)”, “Hickory Wind (Alternative Version)” SIDE FOUR: “Brand New Heartache”, “Sleepless Nights”, “The Angels Rejoiced Last Night”

Waylon Jennings/Sanford Clark – Zia Records Presents: Audio Recorders Archive Vol. 1
Format: 7″ 45 – Limited to 500 copies on “GOLD” wax for Record Store Day
Label: Zia Records
Release type: RSD Limited Run / Regional Focus Release

Lake Street Dive – What I’m Doing Here/Wedding Band
Format: 7″ Vinyl
Label: Signature Sounds
Single 45 in a picutre sleeve, unreleased tracks

Ray Lamontagne – “Supernova”/”Pick Up A Gun”
Format: 7″ Vinyl
Label: RCA
First single from the album Supernova coming May 6th. Produced by Dan Auerbach.

Jon Langford & Skull Orchard – “Days & Nights”/”Here’s What We Have”
Format: 7″ Vinyl
Label: In De Goot Records
Release type: RSD Limited Run / Regional Focus Release

Langhorne Slim & The Law – “Animal”/”Space Girl”
Format: 7″ Vinyl
Label: Ramseur Records
Release type: RSD Exclusive Release

Lydia Loveless – “Mile High”/”Blind”
Format: 7″ Limited edition on colored vinyl. B-side is exclusive Ke$ha cover.
Label: Bloodshot
Release type: RSD Limited Run / Regional Focus Release

Jessica Lea Mayfield – “Make My Head Sing”
Format: Pink Cassette of the full album
Label: ATO Records
Release type: RSD Limited Run / Regional Focus Release

Doug Paisley – “Growin Souls/”Lies Lead To Lies”
Format: 7″ Vinyl
Label: No Quarter
Release type: RSD Limited Run / Regional Focus Release

Dolly Parton – “Blue Smoke”/”Home”
Format: Blue 7″ Vinyl
Label: Masterworks
Tracks from the forthcoming Dolly Parton record

Ramblin’ Jack Elliott – “Jack Elliott”
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: Vanguard
Ramblin’ Jack’s Vanguard debut, notable also for the appearance of Bob Dylan (credited as Tedham Porterhouse) on harmonica. It includes such staples as “Roving Gambler,” “Diamond Joe,” and “Black Snake Moan.”

Songs: Ohia – Journey On: Collected Singles
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: Secretly Canadian
Release type: ‘RSD First’ Release
More Info:
Almost 20 years after Jason Molina’s voice first rang out from Ohio, in this brave new world of streaming, the discussion surrounding the resurgence of vinyl rarely includes the 7”.

Southern Culture On The Skids – Party at my Trouse
Format: 7″ Vinyl – SCOTS collaboration with B-52s frontman Fred Schnieder
Label: Yep Roc
Release type: RSD Limited Run / Regional Focus Release

Various Artists – The Folk Box 50th Anniversary
Label: Rhino
Release type: RSD Exclusive Release
50th Anniversary Edition of the Elektra Records (in cooperation with Folkway Records) Vinyl Box Set 4-LP set containing 83 tracks featuring artists such as Pete Seeger, Dave Van Ronk, Phil Ochs, Tom Paxton and Judy Collins and many more. Vinyl cut from the original 1964 master tapes. Limited edition with foil stamp numbering. Bonus exclusive 7″ Vinyl included featuring Judy Collins’ rare version of Bob Dylan’s “I’ll Keep It with Mine” backed with Tom Paxton’s recording of “The Last Thing on My Mind” for Record Store Day only. Includes a 48 Page booklet including Forewords from legendary Producer Jac Holzman and Co-Producer Ted Olson. Out of print for over 40 years.

Various Artists – The Newport Folk Festival 1963–The Evening Concerts, Vol. 1
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: Vanguard
Fans at RecordStoreDay.com and VanguardRecords.com voted for this re-issue of Newport’s 1963 installment, remastered from the original tapes by David Glasser at Airshow Mastering and features performances from Mississppi John Hurt, Joan Baez, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott and, yes, Bob Dylan. Presented in ‘exact replica’ package.

“The Barnyard Song” (Sam Hinton), “Must I Go Bound” (Sam Hinton), “The Arkansas Traveller (Sam Hinton), “C.C.Rider” (Mississippi John Hurt/Pete Seeger), “Stagolee” (Mississippi John Hurt), “Spike Driver Blues (Mississippi John Hurt), “Coffee Blues (Mississippi John Hurt), “Diamond Joe” (Ramblin’ Jack Elliott), “Walk Right In” (Rooftop Singers), “Un Canadian Errant” (Ian and Sylvia), “Woke Up This Morning” (The Freedom Singers), “Oh, Freedom” (Joan Baez/Theodore Bikel), “Te Adore, Ate Amanha” (Joan Baez), “Wagoner’s Lad” (Joan Baez), “Blowin’ In The Wind” (Bob Dylan), “We Shall Overcome” (The Freedom Singers)

“Doc Watson – Southbound”
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: Vanguard
Release type: RSD Exclusive Release
Fans at RecordStoreDay.com and VanguardRecords.com voted for this re-issue of Doc’s classic 1966 album, remastered from the original tapes by David Glasser at Airshow Mastering. Presented in ‘exact replica’ package.

“Walk On Boy”, “Blue Railroad Train”, “Sweet Georgia Brown”, “Alberta”, “Southbound”, “Windy and Warm”, “Call of the Road”, “Tennessee Stud”, “That Was The Last Thing On My Mind”, “Little Darling Pal of Mine”, “Nothing To It”, “Riddle Song”, “Never No More Blues”, “Nashville Picking”

The Wild Feathers – “Got It Wrong/Marie”
Format: 7″ Vinyl
Label: Warner Bros.

Hank Williams – The Garden Spot Programs, 1950–Extended Play
Format: 10″ Vinyl
Label: Omnivore Recordings
Release type: RSD Exclusive Release
All recordings previously unreleased! From a 1950 radio show sponsored by Texas’ Naughton Farms Nursery, and brought to brown 10″ vinyl with the help of Williams’ daughter Jett.

SIDE ONE: “The Garden Spot Jingle” (Show 4), “I Don’t Care (If Tomorrow Never Comes) (Show 10), “Lovesick Blues” (Show 4), “Closing/Oh Susanna” (Show 10) SIDE TWO: “Farther Along” (Show 10), “Mind Your Own Business” (Show 9), “Fiddle Tune” (Show 4), “Closing/Oh Susanna” (Show 11)

Bob Wills And His Texas Playboys – Transcriptions
Format: 12″ Vinyl
Label: Real Gone Music
Release type: RSD Limited Run / Regional Focus Release
More Info:

Ten sides from Bob Wills’ legendary Tiffany Transcriptions, which were recordings made available only to radio stations in the late ’40s. The Tiffany Transcriptions are generally considered to be the best recordings that the King of Western Swing ever made, as the lack of commercial restrictions allowed his incredible band–and vocalist Tommy Duncan–to stretch out. Wills made over 300 transcription sides for Tiffany; only about half of them have been reissued on vinyl or compact disc. This 10-track album not only includes ten songs that have never been heard or seen anywhere since they appeared on the transcription discs some 65 years ago, but also features packaging designed to mimic the look of the original transcriptions, with a cutaway hole in front to show the vintage Tiffany logo on the vinyl, which is pressed in red as some Tiffany transcriptions did come in red vinyl. The back cover also includes vintage graphics from the period.

“I’m an Old Cowhand”, “Long Eared Mule”, “Put Another Chair at the Table”, “I’m Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes”, “Don’t Fence Me In”, “Don’t Be Ashamed of Your Age”, “Black and Blue Rag”, “Have I Stayed Away Too Long”, “Moonlight on the Ganges”, “What Is Life Without Love”

Cowboy Jack Clement’s Posthumous Release ‘For Once and For All” Out July 15, 2014

Cowboy Jack Clement

Looks like the late legendary singer/songwriter/producer Cowboy Jack Clement isn’t quite done yet.

Clement’s last musical work, and only his 4th studio release, “For Once and For All” produced by Dave “Fergie” Ferguson and Matt Sweeney with T Bone Burnett as executive producer — will be the debut release on John Grady’s new I.R.S. Records Nashville label. Street date is July 15.

From the release:

“What an honor it is to be involved with Cowboy’s final record. This is the perfect way to start I.R.S. Nashville,” Grady says. “All the producers and musicians set the tone for this record. Sometimes we should all get together and do the right thing. I hope Jack is proud of us.”

He was 82-years-old when he died on August 8, 2013 and 82 when he finished this song-set with help from friends including John Prine, Emmylou Harris, Bobby Bare, Duane Eddy, T Bone Burnett, Vince Gill, Marty Stuart, Rodney Crowell, Buddy Miller, Dan Auerbach, Leon Russell, Gillian Welch, Dave Rawlings, Dickie Lee, Shawn Camp, Dierks Bentley, Jim Rooney, Jim Lauderdale, Will Oldham, daughter Allison Clement and a bunch of others who loved Cowboy and who Cowboy loved in return. His favorite accordionist, Joey Miskulin, played on “The Air Conditioner Song” and “Baby Is Gone.”

The whole thing is graceful and true, a primer for the unfamiliar, an anointed completion for the acolytes and a joy-filled lesson for those of us who study phrasing, musicality and soul.

Cowboy Jack was American music’s whimsical maverick. He was a singer and producer, a publisher, a best friend to Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings. He was a writer of classic songs. He desegregated country music by bringing Charley Pride to popular attention and producing Pride’s first 13 albums for RCA. He was the first to record Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison, there at the popular birth of rock ‘n’ roll at Sun Records in Memphis.

He made the greatest album of country music’s “Outlaw Movement” when he produced Waylon Jennings’Dreaming My Dreams. He created the Cowboy Arms Hotel and Recording Spa, Nashville’s first great home studio and the nerve center for what would come to be known as Americana Music.

“If you unraveled all the threads Jack wove into the tapestry of what made country music great over the last 50 plus years, the whole thing would come apart,” Harris said.

No one unraveled those threads, though, and no one will. Can’t be done. The Cowboy’s tapestry weave is secure and indelible, and his import is ratified by a plaque in the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Cowboy Jack Clement sustained an unprecedented and unduplicated career outside of the public eye. He and fame saw each other across a crowded street, waved and went their separate ways.

Though he was in and around recording studios all of his adult life, he didn’t release a solo album, All I Want To Do In Life, until 1978, when he was in his late 40s. The follow-up came a quarter century later with 2004’sGuess Things Happen That Way. And he rarely toured. So while Clement impacted myriad major careers, he did little to promote his own.
“I don’t remember it being any huge letdown,” he said, recalling the less-than-platinum sales of All I Want To Do In Life. “It took a few months before you realized you ain’t gonna outdo Elvis or something, and by that time I was off into something else.”

Hear “Let the Chips Fall” the tearjerking first single from the album below.

Johnny Cash’s Son Reveals More Songs To Come

cash

John Carter Cash, son of Johnny and June Carter and owner and operator of Cash Productions, LLC and the Cash Cabin Studio in Hendersonville, Tennessee, has told the Guardian that that there is enough material left in the archives of his late father for several more posthumous albums and enough outtakes from the American Recordings sessions to fill another multi-disc box set.

Carter Cash said, There are a few things that are in the works right now – probably four or five albums if we wanted to release everything. There may be three or four albums worth of American Recordings stuff, but some of it may never see the light of day.”

Rick Rubin said: “We released the work we had been planning to release along with John [Carter Cash] and the idea of the Unearthed boxset of outtakes was his idea. We will probably put out additional Unearthed material recorded since the last Unearthed box, in keeping with John’s wishes.”

Here a John Carter Cash interview with country925fm where he discusses more releases.

The most recent posthumous Johnny Cash album is “Out Among The Stars,” featuring 12 previously unreleased recordings from sessions in 1981 and 1984, on sale now.

T Bone Burnett Recording Unfinished Dylan Tunes with Elvis Costello, Jim James, Marcus Mumford [VIDEO]

New Basement Tapes

If there was ever an Americana and roots music watershed recording the Basement Tapes 1967 sessions from Bob Dylan and The band was one.

Now there’s official word that that mainstay of Americana, T Bone Burnett, is working on a project “Lost On The River: The New Basement Tapes.” The project has a solid (and marketable) roster – Elvis Costello, Rhiannon Giddens (Carolina Chocolate Drops), Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes), Jim James (My Morning Jacket) and Marcus Mumford (Mumford & Sons.)

The event focuses on two-dozen recently discovered lyrics written by Dylan during the 1967 period that generated original legendary Basement Tapes release.

Recording is nearly complete on the project which will be released later this year by Electromagnetic Recordings/Harvest Records. The album will be accompanied by a Showtime documentary titled Lost Songs: The Basement Tapes Continued, directed by Sam Jones (the Wilco documentary, I Am Trying To Break Your Heart)

I can imagine the germ of this endeavor occurred during the “Another Day, Another Time: Celebrating the Music of “Inside Llewyn Davis,” held at New York City’s Town Hall last September. That one-night event featured Mumford and Giddens as well as Joan Baez, Patti Smith, Jack White, The Avett Brothers, Punch Brothers, Gillian Welch, Dave Rawlings Machine, Willie Watson, The Milk Carton Kids, Colin Meloy and Lake Street Dive. (see below)

Truth is I’m ambivalent about this. A sequel to The New Basement Tapes is like a sequel to Casablanca. Is it necessary and will it ever have a chance to even come close to the genius of the original. And as much as i respect the artists involved, they are hardly the contemporary versions of Dylan and The Band.

If this was Ryan Adams and the Felice Brothers I still think it would fall short, but damn it would be interesting.

Here’s to being proven wrong.

You can sign up for updates at on the project at the official site.

Lost On The River: The New Basement Tapes” will be released Nov. 11. Pre-order here.

True Detective Season Two – Top 10 Music Recommendations

True Detective

After 8 all-too-brief spellbinding and perplexingly metaphysical episodes the first season of HBO’s True Detective has finally reached its conclusion. The ending was such a hit that the millions hitting HBO GO service crashed the system for much of the show.

It’s no wonder it’s a hit.

The spirit of the show is reflected in the taunt writing of creator Nic Pizzolatto. Then there’s the stellar performances by Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson as the dysfunctional Det. Rustin Spencer “Rust” Cohle and Det. Martin Eric “Marty” Hart bound together to catch a dark killer.

Another star of the series was the music selection that provided atmosphere and texture in a way that you hardly realized you were hearing songs by Wu-Tang Clan , Bob Dylan and Austin’s 13th Floor Elevators.

The soundtrack also included a great selection of Americana, country, gospel, and blues. John Lee Hooker and Slim Harpo sit aside Steve Earle , Buddy Miller , Lucinda Williams and Father John Misty.

And then there’s that stunning opening segment backed by The Handsome Family excellent performance of the T Bone Burnett-penned “Far From Any Road.” (below)

I reached out on twitter to ask folks what bands they most would like to hear on True Detective season two. Some of the choices were obvious, some surprising. All great and would fit nicely.

If Nic Pizzolatto stops by (‘sup Nic) I hope he considers some these great artists and allows them to set a tone and allow the greater exposure.

Enjoy and leave you choices in the comments.

Lincoln Durham is a consummate stage performer and brings grit, soul and blood to his craft. Perfect for end credits or a bar fight.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5QGl8PgUX8

Elephant Revival’s warm and inviting sound could lull in a audience in just before a particularly gruesome bit of work.

The Ben Miller Band kicked my butt in Nashville and their performance has stuck with me. Bar scene or panning a rugged landscape.

Valerie June. Who am I kidding. Put Valerie June in any segment and she’ll steal the scene.

Lee Harvey Osmond is a master of atmosphere. He’d fit right into a scene needing a slow simmer. Love scene, hands down.

Lindi Ortega is as good as it gets. Her sound is a great fit for an opening credits or as a a pan of the killers quarters.

Slim Cessna’s Auto Club oozes chaos and menace. Add to something violent.

16 Horsepower sounds as old as the hills and as deep as a grave. Opening credits or main character reflective moment.

Hiss Golden Messenger’s darkness is always bolstered by a joyful reverence. Perfect for a moment of hoe or resolution.

Rachel Brooke was born to back a show like True Detective. Her sound is of the ages and has a playful darkness and perfect for a late-night rainy drive away from something unspeakable.

Ken Burns’ Country Music Documentary Coming to PBS in 2018

Ken Burns

I’ve been hearing about Ken Burns’ new project focusing on Country Music for over a ear. Now PBS has made it a realty b announcing that the anticipated documentary, succinctly called called “Country Music,” will air in 2018.

That will be about 5 years worth of work on the one series. Sure that’s a long time
but it helpes to keep in mind that it’s a year less than he spent on his ten-episode miniseries detailing jazz. And given Burn’s attention to detail ranging from The Civil War and the history of baseball it’s satisfying to see that there is care being applied ot a genre we all love.

The origins and fundamentals of roots, folk and country music are vast . deep at least as deep and vast as many of the topics Burns has tackled before. I have faith that this is going to be a fascinating (and lengthy) series.

From the release “The country series explores the question, “what is country music.” It will track the careers of the Carter family, Jimmie Rodgers, Bob Wills, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and others.”

“For over a century, country music has been a pivotal force in American culture, expressing the hopes, joys, fears and hardships of everyday people in songs lyrical, poignant and honest,” said PBS President Paula A. Kerger. “It is fitting that we have two of America’s master storytellers, Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan, tell the story on film of an art form that for generations has told America’s story in song.”

The documentary will follow the rise of bluegrass music with Bill Monroe and note how one of country music’s offspring – rockabilly – mutated into rock and roll in Memphis. It will show how Nashville slowly became not just the mecca of country music, but “Music City USA.” All the while, it will highlight the constant tug of war between the desire to make country music as mainstream as possible and the periodic reflexes to take it back to its roots.

That;s the part that will be interesting to me, how Burns handles the splinter threads of the genre. The aforementioned Bluegrass The Outlaws, Bakersfield and, as Steve Earle helped shepherd and deemed, “Great Credibility Scare of the Mid-1980s.”

Lost 1980s Johnny Cash Album to be released Next March

Johnny Cash album 'Out Among the Stars'

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