Some people know their calling in life at an early age and are able to hone it as they mature. Others need to get pummeled about with several trips around the sun before the outer shell gets knocked off and the white hot passion inside comes to light. Such is the case with Texas born […]
The Sadies – Colder Streams
If you read our blog, chances are you’re a fan of The Sadies. And so you know Dallas Good, who along with brother Travis was a guiding light of the band, passed away suddenly in February. I’ve gushed about the band before, and was saddened that one of the more talented musicians around, and quirkiest […]
The Brothers Comatose – When It All Falls Apart Video Premiere
San Francisco-based band The Brothers Comatose was formed in 2009 by brothers Alex (banjo, vocals) and Ben (guitar, vocals) Morrison and fiddler Philip Brezina. They added Steve Height on bass and Greg Fleischut on mandolin, and started taking the northern California acoustic music world by storm. Walking the line between jam band and progressive bluegrass […]
Rusty Tinder – Alchemy Road
The cover of L.A.-based, keyboardist Rusty Tinder’s soon-to-be-released sophomore album, Alchemy Road, is a depiction of a musician dragging his piano through floods and past wildfires, to the accompaniment of a fiddling horseman of the apocalypse. You could also say it’s a musical theme throughout the record. Tinder’s resume includes everything from church choirs and […]
We Banjo 3 – Open the Road
I went on line to look up the antonym of stage fright. I got a bunch of words like calm, cool, and collected. If you’ve ever seen Galway, Ireland-based We Banjo 3 live, you know two things. First, their behavior on stage is diametrically opposed to stage fright. Second, it is not calm, cool, and […]
Shanna In A Dress – Robot
There’s one in every high school class. The kid that’s smart enough to talk to the geeks, hip enough to be accepted by the cool kids, and sincere enough to be liked by the parents. I’m pretty sure Shanna Hoar, musically known as Shanna In A Dress, was one of those kids. She just released […]
John Inghram – John Inghram
Whether it’s the ever-increasing ease of recording high quality music, a realization of mortality, or just the well-timed push of a friend, I’ve noticed a number of lifelong session players and sidemen deciding recently to release their first album. One that just crossed my playlist is from West Virginia native John Inghram. In addition to […]
Everett Wren – Porchlight
Surfing the satellite TV currents the other day I briefly landed on a food show about making the Mexican treasure, mole sauce. About the only thing in common the virtually infinite versions have is they all use a boatload of different spices that come together forming a flavor unique to every family. I realized mole […]
Bob Marston & the Credible Sources – So Long
Every city has one or two: local bands that are the go-to choice for a weekend party. Bob Marston got an appreciation for being that band when he was asked to re-open one of Birmingham’s clubs after the Covid shutdown. With time for introspection again a few months later when he went through his own […]
Folk Alliance International Conference 2022 – The Music
As I mentioned in my previous post, I had the privilege to attend this year’s Folk Alliance International conference in Kansas City last week. There are all kinds of industry panels and how-to seminars, but for me the highlight is always the music. There are Official showcases, held in the various hotel ballrooms, and Unofficial […]