Category Archives: Interviews

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band to Release First New Album in Five Years

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  • The legendary Nitty Gritty Dirt Band will release their first studio album in five years. The influential California country-rock  will release Speed of Life on September 22 on their own NGDB Records.
  • SheKnows.com features an exclusive interview with Holly Williams. Holly is the Granddaughter of Hank Williams, daughter of Bocephus and half-sister of Hank Williams III. Nashville Scene also has a nice article on Ms. Williams.
  • Holly Williams will also be will be performing, interviewing and signing autographs Friday, July 3 at 1:30pm at the Country Music Hall of Fame in downtown Nashville, which is included with museum admission and free to members. At 7pm she will make her Grand Ole Opry debut, which can be heard live on Nashville’s WSM,  and Sirius XM.
  • Charlie Robison is offering a chance to win a private concert that will take place in the winner’s very own living room. You can also invite up to 25 of your friends! the contest is taking place through Robison’s twitter feed.

Todd Snider in the New York Times

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  • The New York Times features a great feature on Todd Snider. Snider discusses his long career of writing smart roots-folk songs, speaks to some of his fans (like Kris Kristofferson) years of struggling with addiction, and his new Don Was produced release  “The Excitement Plan” on Yep Roc records.
  • Tom Russell’s new upcoming , Blood and Candle Smoke (Sept. 25), was recorded in Tucson’s Wave Lab with features members of Calexico. Head over to his MySpace page to hear Santa Ana Wind and Mississippi River Runnin’ Backwards.
  • Also in  Tom Russell news, the man will be among many contributors to a new Jimmie Rodgers book, Waiting For a Train: Jimmie Rodger’s America, planned to be released in July.
  • Dave Alvin Remembers his friend and Hacienda Brothers founder Chris Gaffney.
  • The fine folks over at HearYa.com review The Builders and The Butchers album  Salvation Is A Deep Dark Well.
  • Jay N. Miller at the The Patriot Ledger talks to Brooklyn based band Americana band Yarn.

Steve Earle Interview on Canada’s The Hour

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The Canadian late night talk show the Hour has a great interview with Steve Earle.  Earle talks abut making his career and his newest release Townes, a tribute to his mentor Townes Van Zandt and recounts some great stories with his time with Townes. The snake wrangler story is worth the watch!

Jim Fusilli at the Wall Street Journal (wsj.com) reviews the Steve Martin Concert at the Rubin Museum of Art in New York City. Martin, Supported by the Steep Canyon Rangers, performed work from his latest bluegrass release “The Crow—New Songs for the Five-String Banjo” (Rounder)

John Jurgensen, also of the Wall Street Journal,  covers the upcoming Elvis Costello twang-tinged release Secret, Profane & Sugarcane, Costello’s varied career and his thoughts on the current state of the record industry. The album was cut in three day in Nashville and is produced by Americana-roots journeyman T-Bone Burnett (who Costello collaberted with on 1986’s King of America) and featured Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Jim Lauderdale.

Whitney Self  at the CMT.com blog reviews the recent Jamey Johnson show at Nashville’s legendary Ryman Auditorium and and states is the rowdiest (and drunkest)  he’s ever seen at the venue.

AamericanaRoots.com give sa listeds to the new Scott H. Biram Bloodshot release Something’s Wrong/Lost Forever.

Kevin Ransom at Ann Arbor’s Mlive.com interviews Austin’s guit-steel master Junior Brown.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRMNeoaosQw[/youtube]

Is Bob Dylan is an Honorary Texan?

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I think all those Stetson’s have gone to Bob Dylan’s head (badda boom!) In the current issue of Rolling Stone Bob Dylan, a Minnesotan, says that President George Bush, a Connecticutian…er born in Connecticut, bestowed on him the title of “Honorary Texan.” From the article:

“I think you really have to be a Texan to appreciate the vastness of it and the emptiness of it,” Dylan says. “But I’m an honorary Texan.”

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“Well,” he says, “George Bush, when he was governor, gave me a proclamation that says I’m an honorary Texan [holds hand up in pledge, laughs]. As if anybody needed proof. It’s no small thing. I take it as a high honor. ”

Could it be that in some bizarro singer/songwriter world Steve Earle now lives on the street in Greenwich Village where the cover of The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan was taken and now Dylan wants to be a Texan?

Justin Townes Earle Needs Your Van

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  • The New York Time magazine Domains section has a sprawling Q&A with Lucinda Williams ranging from her favorite cover of one of her songs, misconceptions about songwriting, fictional character she identifies with and her worst day job she ever held downand much more.
  • Paste magazine posts that Justin Townes Earle needs a replacement for his touring van which broke down two days prior his sophomore album, Midnight at the Movies, was released.  If you own a car lot or have a new van or large SUV for sale contact Justin’s manager at: traci@thirtytigers.com. As of yet, no dates have been canceled.
  • PopMatters.com posted a 20 questions with former Mavericks frontman Raul Malo. The questions cover Star Trek or Star Wars? and The fictional character most like you? (didn’t we do that above already with Lucinda?!) The 9513.com offers an interview with Malo that goes into far more depth and covers a lot more interesting ground. Mal’s first release of new original material in seven years, Lucky One will be release tomorrow, 3 March on Fantasy records.

It Burns When I Pee – “Carnies Are A Girls Best Friend”

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The only real country music podcast, It Burns When I Pee, brings in 2009 the only way they know how…great music, funny skits and questionable moral standards. Episode 23 “Carnies Are A Girls Best Friend,” features an interview with Bob Wayne of Bob Wayne and The Outlaw Carnies and includes music from all three of his albums. Blake and Norma Jean discuss Creepy Guy’s fantasy football Super Bowl Championship, how Norma Jean likes her Christmas present, and the IBWIP trip to Champaign IL to see Split Lip Rayfield.

During the live feed they try to get listeners to donate to the show so Norma Jean would take her top off but it was a no go (sorry Norma Jean!), so Blake dropped his pants. I think the money would have rolled in if they asked for donations to keep Blakes pants on!

Go listen to IBWIP and get yer 2009 Hank on!

Paul Westerberg Offers to Pen Songs For Glen Campbell

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  • According to the Guardian and Paste Magazine it appears that Paul Westerberg, former lead singer, rhythm guitarist, and songwriter of alt-rock band The Replacements, wants to be Glen Campbell’s “next Jimmy Webb.” Webb penned 70’s pop hits like “Up, Up, and Away” and “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” for Campbell. Those are reported to be the words Westerberg used when requesting his manager to make arrangements to write songs for Campbell’s upcoming album after discovering that Campbell covered the Minnesota band’s “Sadly Beautiful”on Campbell’s latest release Meet Glen Campbell.
  • With a long career as a cracker-jack guitarist and co-hosting the hit country variety show Hee Haw with his friend Buck Owens Roy Clark is not resting on his laurals and will be hitting the road with another old friend, Mel Tillis, for a string of upcoming tour dates.

Chrissie Hynde Goes Country

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Popmatters.com has a review of the DVD “Bill Monroe: Father of Bluegrass Music” which they discribe as “Informative and educational, intriguing and entertaining, part American history lesson, part biography and part concert film…”

The good folks over at The 9513 brought to my attention that current Twang Nation favorite Jamey Johnson will be joining Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews, and Kenny Chesney (?!) for the 2008 Farm Aid music festival in New England on Sept. 20. Nashville Scene (High Lonesome Sound) and CMT.com(Don’t Tell Jamey Johnson That He’s “Too Country”) both offer features on Johnson.

The guardian.co.uk Music Blog has a brief run down of the current state of American alt.country/Americana scene (Are you ready for (more of) the country?)

Chrissie Hynde of the bad the Pretenders states that the bands first new album in six years (“Break up the Concrete”) will be “moving in a country direction.” Of all the country music carpet bagging that has been happening recently I have to say that a musician with Hynde’s credibility makes me think she’ll do it right, but she is a vegitarian, so does this mean that Jessica Simpson has to get another t-shirt?

Pop Matters Features Miranda Lambert

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PopMatters.com features 20 questions with Miranda Lambert. A highlight:

Of those who’ve come before, the most inspirational are?
Merle Haggard has been my inspiration. Waylon Jennings, Emmylou Harris are close behind. Since I’ve been writing songs and performing, Allison Moorer and Jack Ingram have been big idols of mine. All of these artists have written about what’s true even if it’s not always a pretty picture.

Miranda Lambert “Gunpowder & Lead” Fresno, CA

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLC81Q49dyQ[/youtube]