Success, as pretty much everyone has realized, gives one some freedom that can’t otherwise be earned. Â Some use that freedom to advance an agenda, whereas others look to self-improvement and creativity as the opportunity. Â Mark Olson, founder of pioneering Americana group The Jayhawks, chose the latter path along with his wife and musical partner Ingunn […]
The Lil Smokies – Changing Shades
One of the things I’ve observed over the years is how the best musicians put so much more into a song than just the words and notes. Â A poignant pause, a percussive tap, a note played just off the beat, they contribute to a texture and ambiance that are nearly impossible to describe. Â You just […]
Trout Steak Revival – Spirit To The Sea
I’m generally a big fan of songs that tell a story. Probably because I’m a writer, a good tale put to music is something I appreciate. Sometimes I hear music that does a wonderful job of creating a mood or describing a point in time. But sometimes I realize I need to let go of […]
Ragged Union – Time Captain
One of the fondest memories of a misspent youth was hearing John Hartford live for the first time at a county fair in southern Missouri.  It was a beautiful sunny day and in that too short set I gained a new level of appreciation for bluegrass.  Hartford’s incredible musicianship and wry sense of humor were being applied […]
Matt Patershuk – Same As I Ever Have Been
There’s a gritty, dirty style of music that owes much of it’s heritage to the central swath of America, whether it’s the dirt-under-the-fingernails blues from the cotton fields of Mississippi or the the soot-stained rock and roll that came out of the factories in Detroit and Cleveland.  The ranches and oil fields of the plains of western […]
Becky Warren – “Fort Sam Boys” Video Premiere
One of the hallmarks of a good storyteller is the ability to take a big idea or topic and present it from the perspective of the individual participants. Â Instead of a political statement, you have a human interest piece and sometimes that’s the only way to start a civil conversation. Â American’s participation in military operations–war–has […]
Masontown – In This Time
One of the endearing things about bluegrass and folk music is the tradition of doing versions of songs that have been in the collective consciousness of the musical community since the 19th century, or even longer. Â No one remembers, or perhaps ever even knew, who wrote them. Â But groups take them, make them their own, […]
Sweetwater String Band – At Night
From the first notes of the bow bouncing on the strings of the cello, you can tell this is going to be a different take on what you probably thought of as a string band. Â The instruments Sweetwater String Band uses are 3/4 of a traditional quartet; guitar, mandolin, bass. Â But instead of the fiddle, […]
Americana Music Fest 2017, Shawn’s Picks
As you’ve figured out by now, this week is about our coverage of the Americana Music Festival in Nashville. Â Here’s a rundown of the best sets I saw during the week. It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll, But I Like It: Yeah it’s Nashville, and yeah it was an Americana festival, but there was no shortage […]
Americana Music Awards, 2017 Edition
Once again the Americana Music Festival took over most of the well-known clubs in Nashville for the third week in September. Â As always it was anchored by the Americana Music Awards show at the fabulous Ryman Auditorium. Â We’ll post our full coverage of the event over the next few days, and to kick it off, […]