T Bone Burnett is launching a new label, but if recent views still stand he won’t be promoting it.
Variety reports that roots-music auteur T Bone Burnett will launch a new music label , Electromagnetic Recordings, with Capitol Music Group. The label’s roster includes Gregg Allman and Jerry Lee Lewis.
It’s not surprising, given Burnett’s adversity aversion to technology, that the label appears to have no web presence and that the promotion appears to be handled by other rather than Burnett himself, except for being available for interviews. Is that promotion? (I say yes!)
“T Bone is quite simply one of culture’s most creative forces,†says Steve Barnett, CEO of Capitol Music Group. “He is an influential curator and tastemaker, and his projects are consistently of stellar quality and integrity.â€
Burnett shares the admiration “Steve Barnett is a very interesting, energized, smart executive,†Burnett says. “(He) actually listens to, and believes in music as a force for good in the world. He has given me a base for which I can invest in some very good young artists. We’ll be doing films, television, records and tours. It is about music. The marketing focus is simple: it is music for people who like music. It’s all going to be good and it’s all going to be done analog. This is one of our things.â€
Burnett has been in constant demand (in spite of a profession of no self-promotion) He recently lent his executive music producer and composer duties for his fourth film collaboration with Joel and Ethan Coen, “Inside Llewyn Davis,†and last year, did the same for “The Hunger Games†and ABC’s “Nashville.â€
Burnett has also taken on another music exec producer role for HBO’s forthcoming “True Detective†series starring Matthew McConaughey, and has begun working on “The Basement Tapes … Continued,†an album and film documentary that will revisit 16 previously lost Bob Dylan lyric sheets from 1967. Dylan will be involved and as well as some of today’s most acclaimed artists.
Jason Isbell will make his Austin City Limits debut this Saturday, January 11th on PBS. Here’s a taste of the performance, Isbell plays “Cover Me Up” from his latest excellent release “Southeastern.”
Check your local PBS listings for dates and times in your area.
David Letterman, and his music booker at the Late Show Sheryl Zilikson, continued their ongoing support of Americana and roots music by featuring the creator of my #1 pick of last year, Brandy Clark
Clark performed the song “Stripes†from that latest debut “12 Stories.â€
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgQ7Y1U2M2A
ON EDIT: Want more Brandy? Here’s ‘Hold My Hand’ from ‘Hold My Hand’ in the Morning
The 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards draws nigh. That famous night that the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences put on the most glitzy industry trade show. Though Americana and roots music comes to mind when you think of the GRAMMYs but there have been some great moments if you were paying attention.
Here are a few of my favorite GRAMMY moments over the years. Leave your in the comments, I’d love to hear about them.
Boston-based folk-pop performer Linda Chorney does the seemingly impossible and snags a 2011 nomination for the GRAMMY for Americana Album of the Year by employing elbow grease, sleepless nights and the Internet. This sets social media tongues wagging and puts PR pros and other music industry gatekeepers on their heels.
Extraordinary newcomer John Fullbright was nominated for a 2012 Americana Album of the Year GRAMMY for his debut studio full-length “From The Ground Up.†After his passionate performance of “Gawd Above” he lost out to the legendary Bonnie Raitt. Afterwords he said with a smile “If I’m going to lose Bonnie Raitt is the one I want to lose to.”
It appeared to be just a jam between two great roots acts, Mumford & Sons and The Avett Brothers. The ands joined together and the true intension was revealed as they backed Bob Dylan on “Maggie’s Farm” at the 2011 GRAMMYS.
https://vimeo.com/20567315
In a heartfelt 2012 GRAMMY tribute in honor of Levon Helm and the victims of Sandy Hook shooting Elton John, Mumford & Sons, Mavis Staples, Zac Brown , Alabama Shakes singer Brittany Howard and T Bone Burnett came together for a passionate rendition of The Band’s ” classic ” The Weight.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yunfRRZXRuc
After years of lingering in a career slump Johnny Cash scores the GRAMMY for Best Contemporary Folk Album in 1995 giving the latter part of Cash’s career much deserved attention and a spirit of vitality.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuRYmUBUwCo
This bonus moment goes out to Arlene – “O Brother Where Art Thou” Grammy Performance (2002)
I noticed that Grady Smith’s top 10 Best Country Albums of 2013 for Entertainment Weekly was primarily stacked with Americana acts.
As much as I appreciate the high-profile that Smith’s choices will bring to these performers the bright spotlight of EW, I was puzzled by the word “Country” in a list that featured Jason Isbell and Lindi Ortega.
When I asked about that on twitter Smith responded:
“I thought about calling it “10 Best Country/Americana Albums” but thought it made it too muddled.”
Fair enough. But apparently some folk thought the list wasn’t “mainstream” enough. That’s true, and the point of the list choices. Mainstream country sucks.
Smith responded to the critics in the best way possible. He made a video short showing how redundant and unimaginative mainstream country has become. The video is tearing up on the Internet because people get it. They agree. but that a major mainstream critic has said it is a big, big deal.
This brings my comment that some music is “so country it’s Americana” full circle.
Here’s the description from the video and the video below. Enjoy.
“I was inspired to make this supercut after posting my 10 Best Country Albums of 2013 list for EW. A few commenters told me that my choices weren’t mainstream enough, and I thought, “Well, yeah, because so much of what’s on the radio these days sounds exactly the same!” So I decided to make a video to prove my point.
I hope country fans will stop settling for this derivative junk. I love a dumb party song every once in a while (including some of these!), but when they’re the only flavor available, they get old very, very fast. Here’s to better music in 2014.”
2013 will go in the books as the year that Americana and roots settled comfortably into the mainstream. Kids are wearing dust-bowl duds and there is a brisk trade in acoustic guitars and banjos. Bands are taking a page from the Mumford, Avetts and Lumineers book of hand-crafted songs with rousing melodies just begging to be sung at live shows. It’s no longer a rustic throwback fad.
The genre grows more diverse, from folk-pop, Laurel Canyon rock, psych folk, hard-sore honky-tonk and everything that doesn’t neatly fit in other buckets. As genre defying as the music can be it all comes down to the only tis that matters, Great songwriting, evocative, absorbing narratives and memorable melodies that endures the ages.
But first you must find an audience.
ABC music row drama Nashville has done a fine job in highlighting great roots music, under the guidance T Bone Burnett , and now Buddy Miller, as well as classic country references and Americana and roots performer cameos. The show’s cutest stars (and real-life sisters,) Lennon and Maisy Stella, performed the Lumineers omnipresent top-40 hit hit “Hey Ho.†This gave the song an already bigger audience then it originally had. Is that possible?
This July Americana stalwarts Old Crow Medicine Show backed ex-Hootie & the Blowfish front man, and current country music star, Darius Rucker on Old Crow’s version of Bob Dylan’s “Wagon Wheel†at the Grand Ole Opry. The song was recorded with the band and included on his latest album resulting in one of his most popular singles as a solo artist and reaching number one on Billboard Hot Country Songs in its 12th week.
Old Crow Medicine Show then had the honor to be inducted into the Grand Ole Opry this fall by Opry members Dierks Bentley and Marty Stuart.
That’s not the only example of music row looking to Americana for material and a shot of inspiration. GRAMMY-winning singer Leann Rimes reached into the Americana well, and beyond her music row comfort zone, on her latest “ Spitfire.†She lends her extraordinary pipes to a searing version of Buddy Miler’s “Gasoline and Matches†in a duet with Rob Thomas. Country music chanteuse and Pistol Annie Ashley Monroe tapped legendary Texas singer-songwriter Guy Clark to collaborate on the title song on her latest “Like a Rose.â€
If your looking for evidence of Americana’s mainstream presence you need go no further than SPIN’s list of 20 Best Country Albums of 2013 had Blake Shelton and Brad Paisley mixed with The Civil Wars (12), Jason Isbell (11) and Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell (9) Holly Williams (8) Sturgill Simpson (6) Cailtlin Rose (2).
Entertainment Weekly, the beacon of popular taste, counted a majority of Americana artists on their list of top country releases of 2013 with Jason Isbell and Lindi Ortega taking the number 1 and 2 spot respectively.
T Bone Burnett again joins forces with the Coen Brothers to contribute soundtrack stewardship to thier new 60’s neo-folk focused film. The soundtrack features old folk songs performed by Marcus Mumford , The Punch Brothers along with the film’s actors Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan , Adam Driver and Justin Timberlake, who might use his his work here to jump dart his desired foray into country music.
As the music advances it’s important that a music that celebrate the past honors those that came before. George Jones, the greatest voice in country music and the innovator, Ray Price were both lost to use this year.
We also lost “Cowboy” Jack Clement, As a record and movie producer, songwriter, performing and recording performer and studio engineer, Clement was responsible for for shaping American music in the 20th century.
Premier rock and country journalist Flippo, who documented much of the major changes in country music including the Outlaw movement and one of the original Outlaws Tompall Glaser, both left us in 2013.
Though gone they will boot be forgotten for their contribution to the rich and progressive music we love.
Here’s to the music we love and the performers that endure much to offer their craft to make this world just a little bit better, kinder and more interesting. Here’s to a community that still buys albums, t-shirts and packs local shows and helps these talented folks make music a career.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
