2018 is now in the pages of history and as America shifts (lurches?) into an uncertain future. Americana and roots music, unlike many other genres, continues to be true to its legacy and addresses our times with art that refuses to chase the charts and churn out reflexively commercial product and, lucky for us, refuses to treat the audience as mindless consumers.
That’s not to say that Americana and roots music is merely a barometer for political and social conditions and change. No sane person wants their favorite artists to be righteous yet starve. As the music industry continues to reflect changing consumer demands artists are also finding opportunities to reach audiences and generate revenue in movies and video games.
Some albums I’m personally looking forward to because I’ve heard some cuts, or on my faith in the artist, are Hayes Carll’s “What It Is,” Feb. 15: Dale Watson’s Call Me Lucky and Ryan Bingham – “American Love Song” , all on February 15th, Mandolin Orange’s “Tides of a Teardrop” on February 1st, and Joshua Ray Walker’s “Wish You Were Here” on January 25th as well as Son Volt’s “Union’ on March 29th.
As more dates come throughout the year I will be updating the list. If you know of an actual release not listed yet please leave it in the comments.
As always I appreciate your visiting the site and hope you join me in another great year for Americana and roots music.
January: Jan. 18th: Danny Burns – “North Country”
Jan. 25th: Lula Wiles – ‘What Will We Do’
Jan. 4th: Balsam Range – “Aeonic”
Jan. 18th: Alice Wallace – “ Into the Blue”
Jan. 18th: Ronnie Milsap – “Ronnie Milsap: The Duets”
Jan. 18th: Greensky Bluegrass – “All for Money”
Jan. 18th: The Steel Woods – “Old News”
Jan. 18th: Whitehorse – “The Northern South Vol. 2”
Feb. 22:
February:
Feb. 1st: Mandolin Orange – “Tides of a Teardrop”
Feb. 1st: Abigail Lapelle – “Getaway”
Feb. 8th: Gurf Morlix – ‘Impossible Blue’
Feb. 15th: Hayes Carll – “What It Is”
Feb. 15th: Dale Watson – “Call Me Lucky”
Feb. 15th: Ryan Bingham – “American Love Song”
Feb. 15th: Joey McGee – “El Camino Real”
Feb. 15th: Kalyn Fay – “Good Company”
Feb. 22nd: Dearling – “Silver and Gold” (EP)
Feb. 22nd Vandoliers – “Forever”
Feb. 22nd – Rhiannon Giddens, Amythyst Kiah, Leyla McCalla, and Allison Russell – ‘Songs of Our Native Daughters’
March:
March 1st: Mary Bragg – “Diamonds as Camouflage”
March 1st: The Cactus Blossoms – “Easy Way”
March 1st: Dave Ernst – “Hickory Switch”
March 2nd: The Honey Dewdrops – “Anyone Can See”
March 7th: Townes Van Zandt – “Sky Blue”
March 8th: Patty Griffin – “Patty Griffin”
March 8th: Clara Baker – “Things To Burn”
March 22nd: Allison de Groot & Tatiana
March 22nd: Orville Peck – “Pony”
March 22nd: Luther Dickinson and Sisters of the Strawberry Moon – “Solstice”
March 29th: Son Volt – “Union”
May 3rd: Pete Seeger – ‘The Smithsonian Folkways Collection’ May 3rd: Caroline Spence – “Mint Condition” May 10th: The Shootouts – “Quick Draw” May 24th: Willard Gayheart – “At Home in the Blue Ridge”
June:
June 14th: Hank Williams – ‘Health & Happiness Show’
June 21st: Buddy and Julie Miller -‘Breakdown on 20th Ave. South’
June 28th: Chuck Mead – “Close To Home”
August 16th
The Messenger: A Tribute to Ray Wylie Hubbard
August 23rd
Esther Rose – ‘You Made It This Far’
Erin Enderlin – ‘Chapter Three: Whatever Gets You Through The Night’
Tanya Tucker – ‘While I’m Livin’ ‘
Vince Gill – ‘Okie’
Dalton Domino – ‘Songs From the Exile’
Jason Hawk Harris – Love & the Dark
The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys – ‘Toil, Tears & Trouble’
Leslie Stevens – ‘Sinner’
Croy and the Boys – ‘Howdy High-Rise’
Seth James –
Midland – ‘Let It Roll’
September 7th
The Highwomen – Self-Titled’
Terri Hendrix – ‘Talk To A Human’
Jason Tyler Burton – ‘Kentuckian’
Paul Cauthen – ‘Room 41’
Cut Throat Francis – ‘This Garden’s Never Gonna Grow’
Ana Egge – ‘Is It the Kiss’
NRBQ – ‘Turn On, Tune In’
Amy Speace – ‘Me and the Ghosts of Charlemagne’
These Wild Plains – ‘Thrilled To Be Here’
Trailerpark Idlers – ‘Ghost Town Nights
September 13th
Jeremy Ivey – ‘The Dream And The Dreamer’
September 27th
Hot Club of Cowtown – ‘Wild Kingdom’
October 4th
The North Mississippi Allstars – “Up and Rolling”
October 13th
Cody Jinks – ‘After The Fire’
North Mississippi Allstars – ‘Up and Rolling’
Corb Lund – ‘Cover Your Tracks’
Jonah Tolchin – ‘Fires for the Cold’
Marti Brom – ‘Midnight Bus’
Ted Drozdowski – ‘Learn To Love The Moon’
Jeremy Ivey – ‘The Dream And The Dreamer;
Janiva Magness – ‘Change In The Weather: Janiva Magness Sings John Fogerty’
October 18th
The Milk Carton Kids – ‘The Only Ones’
Darin Aldridge & Brooke Aldridge – ‘Inner Journey’
Driftwood Soldier – ‘Stay Ahead Of The Wolf’
The Drunken Hearts – ‘Wheels of the City’
Rory Ellis – ‘Inner Outlaw’
EmiSunshine and The Rain – ‘Family Wars’
Jimmy “Duck” Holmes – ‘Cypress Grove’
Jake La Botz – ‘They’re Coming For Me’
New Copasetics – ‘Twang-Ucopia’
David Newbould – ‘Sin & Redemption’
Karen & the Sorrows – ‘Guaranteed Broken Heart’
Zachary Lucky – ‘Midwestern’
October 25th
Allison Moorer – ‘Blood’
Neil Young & Crazy Horse – ‘Colorado’
Craig Cummings – ‘Absolute Surprise’
Karen & the Sorrows – ‘Guaranteed Broken Heart’
Van Morrison – ‘Three Chords and the Truth’
Jackson Stokes – ‘Jackson Stokes’
Zack Walther Band – ‘The Westerner’
November 20th
Bill Scorzari – ‘Now I’m Free’
January 31st
Dustbowl Revival – ‘Is It You, Is It Me?’