Country music legend Alan Jackson might have spent the 90’s in the shadow of Garth Corp. But he’s done far more in his career to preserve the legacy of great country music.
On September 24 Jackson will release the album he’s hinted at for years. Alan Jackson will release his first bluegrass album – appropriately titled The Bluegrass Album. Jackson wrote eight songs for the album, which also includes other originals and a couple of well-known standards of the genre – include The Dillards’ “There Is A Time,†John Anderson’s “Wild and Blue†and a ¾-time version of Bill Monroe’s seminal “Blue Moon of Kentucky.â€
The Bluegrass Album will be released on ACR (Alan’s Country Records)/EMI Records Nashville and is produced by Keith Stegall and Jackson’s nephew, Adam Wright.
The album featured some of the best players and singers in bluegrass, Scott Coney (acoustic guitar), Sammy Shelor (banjo), Adam Steffey (mandolin), Tim Crouch (fiddle), Tim Dishman (bass), Rob Ickes (dobro) and Ronnie Bowman and Don Rigsby (vocals). The performers came together, emerging in a matter of days with the completed acoustic album.
The Bluegrass Album track listing:
1.) Long Hard Road – Alan Jackson
2.) Mary – Alan Jackson
3.) Appalachian Mountain Girl – Alan Jackson
4.) Tie Me Down – Alan Jackson
5.) Way Beyond The Blue – Mark D. Sanders/Randy Albright/Lisa Silver
6.) Ain’t Got Trouble Now – Adam Wright
7.) Blue Ridge Mountain Song – Alan Jackson
8.) Blacktop – Alan Jackson
9.) Blue Side of Heaven – Alan Jackson
10.) There Is A Time – Rodney Dillard/Mitch Jayne
11.) Wild and Blue – John Scott Sherrill
12.) Knew All Along – Adam Wright/Shannon Wright
13.) Let’s Get Back to Me and You – Alan Jackson
14.) Blue Moon of Kentucky – Bill Monroe
Building on the already excellent initial lineup announcement the Nashville-based Americana Music Association has released has released the full roster of artists performing during the event.
Some of the additions that stand out to me are roots-rockers Shooter Jennings and Austin Lucas, alt.country stalwarts Bottle Rockets and Ashley Monroe who apparently has no problem working both the Americana and Music Row sides of the fence (good!) One performer I’m bummed to see missing from the roster is Jason Isbell (Though his talented better half, Amanda Shires, is on the list.) There might be scheduling conflicts with his current tour supporting the excellent “Southeastern.”
The vagueness of Americana’s boundaries allows a richness and diversity within a shared source and vision. it’s what legend, and scheduled performer, Darrell Scott describes positively as a “hard-to-define place.”
the selections show a broad range of diversity and excellence the of the genre. Great to see many Casa Twang favorites represented as well.
The AMA has created a Spotify playlist of the performers on the 2013 bill.
The 14th annual event will take place in Nashville, Sept. 18-22. I’ll be there. hope you are too!
Americana Music Festival & Conference Showcase Performing Artistt
Alanna Royale
Amanda Shires
American Aquarium
Amy Speace
Andrew Combs
Andrew Leahey & the Homestead
Aoife O’Donovan
Ashley Monroe
Austin Lucas
Band of Heathens
Bear’s Den
Ben Miller Band
Bhi Bhiman
Billy Bragg
Black Prairie
Bobby Rush
Bottle Rockets
Brian Wright
Chelsea Crowell
Claire Lynch
Daniel Romano
Darrell Scott & Tim O’Brien
Dash Rip Rock
David Bromberg
Delbert McClinton
Della Mae
Donna the Buffalo
Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors
DUGAS
Elephant Revival
Farewell Drifters
Field Report
Frank Fairfield
Hillbilly Killers
Holly Williams
Houndmouth
Howe Gelb
Howlin’ Brothers
Hurray for the Riff Raff
Infamous Stringdusters
JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound
JD McPherson
Joe Fletcher & the Wrong Reasons
Joe Nolan
John Fullbright
Jonny Fritz
Josh Rouse
Joy Kills Sorrow
Judah & the Lion
Justin Townes Earle
Kim Richey
Kruger Brothers
Laura Cantrell
Lera Lynn
Levi Lowrey
Lindi Ortega
Lisa Marie Presley
Luella & the Sun
Mandolin Orange
Matt Mays
Max Gomez
McCrary Sisters
Melody Pool
Mustered Courage
My Darling Clementine
Nicki Bluhm & the Gramblers
Nikki Lane
Noah Gunderson
Nora Jane Struthers
North Mississippi Allstars
NQ Arbuckle
Old Man Luedecke
Over The Rhine
Parker Millsap
Patrick Sweany
Paul Kelly
Peter Bruntnell
Phil Madeira
Pokey LaFarge
Randall Bramlett
Rayland Baxter
Richard Thompson
Rosanne Cash
Rose Cousins
Sam Doores, Riley Downing & the Tumbleweeds
Samantha Crain
Shakey Graves
Shannon McNally
Shel
Shooter Jennings
Sons of Fathers
Spirit Family Reunion
St. Paul and the Broken Bones
Steelism
Steep Canyon Rangers
Stewart Mann & the Statesboro Revue
Sturgill Simpson
Susan Cowsill
The Bushwackers
The Del-Lords
The Devil Makes Three
The Greencards
The Lone Bellow
The Lost Brothers
The Stray Birds
The Westbound Rangers
The White Buffalo
Tim Easton
Tommy Malone
Treetop Flyers
Two Man Gentleman Band
Uncle Lucius
Water Liars
Wheeler Brothers
Willie Sugarcaps
Willy Mason
Wood Brothers
This would have been a great video for a 4th of July post. Alas I’ve just become aware it.
Scenes of beaches, bike rides, sparklers and sudden rainstorms sets a leisurely-paced mood of this song of heating romance. O’Donovan’s skills as a songwriter of subtle beauty shines here as guitar, organ and peddle steel echo the flowing river referred to in the lyrics.
Aoife O’Donovan has been on the bluegrass and Americana scene for some time as lead singer for the progressive bluegrass/string band, Crooked Still, and a member of the female folk-noir trio, Sometymes Why. She has also performed and recorded with Ollabelle, Karan Casey and Seamus Egan, Jerry Douglas, Jim Lauderdale, Darol Anger, Sarah Jarosz, Sara Watkins, Christina Courtin, Chris Thile , Noam Pikelny , Edgar Meyer, Stuart Duncan and Yo-Yo Ma (Goat Rodeo Sessions.)
“Red & White & Blue & Gold” is from O’Donovan’s excellent new release ‘Fossils.”
The lead up eerie border-town short videos for FX’s “The Bridge’ has hooked me I and I will be tuning in for the pilot episode July 10th at 10pm.
The theme song, “Until I’m One With You,” written and performed by Ryan Bingham is a great aesthetic fit for the program.
The gritty program is loosely adapted from a popular Scandinavian crime drama. The American version follows two detectives as they hunt down a serial killer slaughtering women on both side of the El Paso, Texas and Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico border.
Bingham does the song with a fittingly chilling delivery. Chiming acoustic guitar answered by electric guitar, his gravel-road rasps a sentiment that slithers from desire to claustrophobic obsession.
Until I’m one with you
Until I’m one with you
My heart shall not pass through
It’ll only be forsaken
Until I’m one with you
Our world is torn in two
Until I’m one with you
Our love will be mistaken
Until I’m one with you
My death they will pursue
Until I’m one with you
My life will be degraded
Jack White continues to crank out one-of-a-kind, quality goods from his Nashville-based Third Man Records. For the latest offering from his Vault Platinum Subscription service the label will offer a colored vinyl recording of Willie Nelson’s 80th birthday celebration shown on CMT Network’s Crossroads. the package will also include a 6′ of Jack White and Willie Nelson singing duet together on “Red Headed Stranger,” posters, lapel pins and other goodies (aka The Vault Platinum Package #17.)
From the press release:
“One of the highlights of 2013 (so far) has been the esteemed honor of hosting country music legend Willie Nelson at Third Man to celebrate his 80th birthday. On April 18th of this year Willie played a concert with some guest musicians, among them real life legacy artists, but also importantly, some handpicked sidemen from the house of Third Man. All of this was documented for the public on a very special episode of the CMT Network’s esteemed Crossroads series. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, tape was rolling on that historic show (as is Third Man’s way) and every song (even those not broadcast) was captured on beautiful, warm-sounding analog tape by the crack Third Man team of engineers. It was in many respects a perfect evening.
This is a beautifully-packaged, 3-sided double LP with a gatefold sleeve of the Willie Nelson & Friends concert, with performances as of yet unreleased and unheard!
Featuring Willie Nelson, Jack White, Neil Young, Leon Russell, Norah Jones, Sheryl Crow and Ashley Monroe pressed on Smokey Grey and Bio-Diesel Green Vinyl with an etched graphic of Willie’s guitar “Trigger” on the D-Side this is an outstanding LP visually and audibly for casual fans and collectors alike!
TRACK LIST
Roll Me Up
Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground – with Ashley Monroe (Unreleased)
Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain – with Ashley Monroe
Funny How Time Slips Away – with Norah Jones
I Gotta Get Drunk – with Norah Jones (Unreleased)
Sail Away – with Neil Young (Unreleased)
Long May You Run – with Neil Young
Far Away Places – with Sheryl Crow
Whiskey River – with Neil Young, Ashley Monroe, Sheryl Crow, Norah Jones, Jamey Johnson
A Song For You – with Leon Russell
Heartbreak Hotel – with Leon Russell (Unreleased)
Red Headed Stranger (Broadcast Version) – with Jack White
WILLIE NELSON & JACK WHITE RECORDING BOOTH 6-INCH RECORD
The second item in this stellar package is Third Man’s first-ever 6″ record, pressed on transparent yellow vinyl, with an etched b-side and housed in a 6″ die-cut sleeve. The A-side captures one of those near mythological musical moments , something that could only happen here at Third Man, of Jack White and Willie Nelson dueting together on “Red Headed Stranger” in Third Man’s Voice-O-Graph Recording Booth. This is a version not shown on television and was recorded live in the TMR Recording Booth.
DELUXE FOLD OUT POSTER
Behold the double sided, foldout, metallic printed poster on special heavy stock paper… One side features Willie Nelson in the TMR Recording Booth and the flip is an all new Metallic Platinum Vault Design. Double the bang for your buck
Lastly, TMR will be doing something special to thank returning Vault members and welcome new ones. With this Vault Package 17 only, members will receive a membership kit at no additional charge to their Platinum service!
This may be the best Twang Nation podcast yet (yeah, I know I always say that. But this time it’s true!)
We have fantasticly spirited bluegrass of newcomers Della Mae. Heartfelt folk with singer/ songwriters David Ramirez, Ashleigh Flynn,Andrew Duhon and John Moreland.
Hurray for the Riff Raff offers a beautiful rendition of John Lennon’s “Jealous Guy” and Mother Merey and the Black Dirt and Defibulators bring new meaning to hillbilly bliss
We conclude with Bill Monroe and Steve Earl doing Monroe and Peter Rowan’s “Walls of Time” from his upcoming Warner Brothers box set.
ON EDIT: One correction to the podcast, I say that Mother Merey and the Black Dirt’s album is titled “A Million Stars.” That’s the title of the Ashleigh Flynn release. The correct title for Mother Merey and the Black Dirt’s album is “Down to the River.”
Also, I mistakenly refer to the new Donna the Buffalo as “My Dearest Darkest Neighbor.” The name of the album is actually “Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday/” “My Dearest Darkest Neighbor.” is thr name of the upcoming Hurray for the Riff Raff album.
Sorry for the mix up folks.
As always support local music and thanks for listening.
This podcast is dedicated to the great Chet Flippo.
Davis Letterman continues his support for roots music by inviting Austin’s favorite son , Dale Watson, an his crackerjack band The Lonestars on last night’s show. Dale and the boys performed a cut of his excellent new release “El Rancho Azul.”
On September 10, The White Buffalo (AKA L.A.-based roots artist Jake Smith) will releases his 6th studio release ‘Shadows, Greys, and Evil Ways’ (Unison Music Group). The release appears to be a theme album according to the press release states that “these 14 songs trace the life story of Joey White, a small town outsider who goes to war and returns home only to find more violence as he struggles to readjust to a life away from the front lines and reconcile with the girl he left behind.”
“I look at the whole thing as a love story,†says Smith. “The beginning is their meeting, and because of his need and want to support her, he goes off to war, which starts his downward spiral.â€
Recorded at LA’s Unison Music Studios and produced by the Grammy-nominated team of Bruce Witkin and Ryan Dorn, ‘Shadows, Greys, and Evil Ways’ sees the core trio of Jake Smith, bassist Tom Andrews, and drummer Matt Lynott joined by the likes of drumming legend Jim Keltner on “Don’t You Want It†and ex-Jayhawk Jessy Greene.
Listen to the new boisterous cut, “Joey White,†below.
The White Buffalo hits the road this summer including shows in NYC (8/4), Philadelphia (8/6), and DC (8/7). More dates to be announced soon.
I first saw the Drive-By Truckers at what some might call their pinnacle. On a chilly New Year’s Day evening, with friends in tow, we headed to New York City’s legendary Bowery Ballroom to catch the band supporting their latest summer release “The Dirty South.”
I wondered how well the band might fair the day after the revelry of New Years Eve, but with the opening chords of Mike Cooley’s “Where The Devil Don’t Stay†all doubts vanished. It remains one of the best show’s I’ve ever attended.
Stage right stood the cherub-faced new kid. Just 26, but with two DBT albums under his belt, he held his own and more with the road veterans Hood and Cooly. Out of the 31 originals performed that night Isbell only had 4 songs slotted – Danko / Manuel , Goddamn Lonely Love, Outfit Decoration Day – but they stood out as some of the best that night.
On April 5, 2007 Isbell left the Truckers in an “amicable†split. He then went on to release three studio albums, one solo and two with his band the 400 Unit , and two live albums. Some of the songs hinted at the former brilliance, but many others seemed middling and stylistically unfocused.
I wondered if the absence of collaborative competition the Drive-By Truckers provided had also removed a mental whetstone that had worked to sharpen Isbell’s work.
Isbell’s new release Southeastern has now put that theory to waste. The album contains 12 cuts that meet anything Isbell has done in the past, and some nearly exceed the mark.
Changes in Isbell’s life – his marriage to singer/songwriter Amanda Shires, his friendship with singer/songwriter Ryan Adams and his overcoming dependency on alcohol – could be the reason for this new-found creativity and focus.
Like Steve Earle’s post-addiction releases there is a fresh spark of bottled-up creativity that emerges in Southeastern. And though the specter of addiction hangs in the background it’s never used as a literary soapbox. No simplistic moralizing or rationalization here.
Songs like Cover me Up – “Put your faith to the test when I tore off your dress in Richmond on high But I sobered up and I swore off that stuff forever, this time.” and Traveling Alone – “Damn near strangled by my appetite In Ybor City on a Friday night Couldn’t even stand upright So high, the street girls wouldn’t take my pay” use his time with alcohol as narrative context and as a new dimension in the his storytelling.
The Drive-By Truckers, Steve Earle, Chris Knight and Malcolm Holcombe all draw from their southern heritage and use artifacts and language tied to local heritage to cast modern work. Isbell uses faith, the road, the bottle and the occasional figurative and literal firearm to similarly build layers not erect stereotypes.
Some stand-outs are Traveling Alone, a moody acoustic ballad that takes hard look at the road and the heart and opens the door to camaraderie and affection while not yielding completely to vulnerability. Elephant is a touching tale of a friend with “Sharecropper eyes, and the hair almost all gone ” dying of cancer. The song eases the crushing sadness of the situation with touches of dark humor.
I’m most drawn to the darkness that runs through Southeastern. Songs like Live Oak, an excellent edition to the lexicon of murder ballads – the self-defeating loathing and loneliness of Songs That She Sang in the Shower and the and youthful moral certainty and vengeance in the chilling Yvette are all beauties.
But It’s not all brooding and menace. Isbell and the band rip it up on Super 8. I was trying to think if an apt description but my buddy and fellow blogger @Truersound said it best when he tweeted that it had a “strong “gimme three steps” vibe …Sent through a Hayes Carll filter.”
As good as the songs are on Southeastern the striking thing is their economy and absence of excess. These songs are lean and driven from the soul of man finding and maintaining footing. They transform the listener as much as the singer , for those that have the patience and courage to listen.
Southeastern is the kind of album that reminds us that music can be more that a backdrop to life, but a reflection of it.
Sarah Jarosz with Alex Hargreaves (Fiddle) and Nathaniel Smith (Cello) performs two new songs from her 3rd album ‘Build Me Up from Bones’ (9/24 – Sugar Hill Records) in her hometown of Wimberley, Texas
‘A Thousand Things’ Jarosz says in the video is one she had been working on a long time and ended up finishing by co-writing by Darrell Scott. “Build Me Up from Bones” is the title cut of the new album.
Both songs display Jarosz deft touch and contemporary interpretation of traditional sound. If this is a solid sampling of what’s to come I’m really looking forward to this album!
