There’s a long history of social activism by folk musicians dating back at least 100 years and most probably a lot longer than that. In many cases the participation is in events organized by others. With Iowan David G. Smith, however, he puts the active in activism. He schedules about 20% of his gigs in […]
Monday Morning Video – Gabe Lee
Gabe Lee arrived at New York City’s Cafe Wha? this past weekend with more than songs. What he put together was a one-man Off-Broadway show — stories and music woven together into a look at what it’s like to chase songs — and a songwriting career — in Nashville. The pain was real, the humor […]
Justin Osborne from Susto on Tour Van Preferences and Keeping an Open Mind
Singer-songwriter Justin Osborne, from Susto and Susto Stringband, talks about the greatest source of joy in him musical journey and what happened at his first gig.
Monday Morning Video – Nathan Bess
It isn’t easy for a solo acoustic artist to command a room opening for a rock band, but Nathan Bess made it look easy. He’s a Charleston firefighter who only started releasing music in 2024, yet his stage presence is seasoned and soulful. Great songs, warm personality, and a voice you can’t ignore. Here is […]
Twangville Returns to NYC’s Cafe Wha? on June 18th
All of our shows start with a simple premise: invite some of our favorite singer-songwriters to share a stage. On June 18th, that stage is the legendary Café Wha? in New York City. Charlie Marie possesses a voice that draws comparisons to country music’s classic era—the kind of singing that stops a room. Her songs […]
Monday Morning Video – Ted Hawkins
Ted Hawkins had a story as singular as his voice — you can read about it here. What the words can’t quite capture is what happens when he opens his mouth to sing. This clip, from an Irish television program in 1988, is a welcome reminder of his graceful talent. His voice and music endure.
Hank Alrich – Broken River
It’s well known that the Armadillo World Headquarters was at ground-zero for the Austin music scene in the early 70’s. Gary P. Nunn once noted, “It’s been said that our music was the catalyst that brought the shit-kickers and the hippies together at the Armadillo.” Presumably one of those hippies was Hank Alrich, a California […]
Monday Morning Video – Dallas House Show Preview
There’s something about a Sunday afternoon in a Dallas backyard — relaxed, sunny, the kind of day that makes you remember why you love live music in the first place. We’ve been lucky enough to host some incredible artists at the Sunday Social over the years, and if we’re being honest, we’ve gotten a little […]
Andy Hedges – The Westerner
It used to be called country & western. Then two or three decades ago, for reasons I’m sure the ethnographers still debate, it just became country music. Western just sort of slipped out of the vernacular, except for maybe a strip of North America from around Calgary to somewhere near El Paso. Fortunately, there’s still […]
SXSW 2026: The Sounds, Part 3
NAKIA Austin’s Nakia was a favorite SXSW discovery from nearly 20 years ago. I caught two sets towards the close of SXSW – a fitting way to round out the week. The Wednesday afternoon set at C-Boys, in particular, brought me right back to that first encounter — the voice, the energy, the songs, all […]