I’ve always admired talented buskers. I can’t imagine a harder audience than a bunch of people who just view you as an obstacle to getting where they’re going. And yet, there is almost always a music fan or two who delay their plans to just stop and enjoy the song. Sometimes you see a few […]
Sarah Gayle Meech – Easin’ On
I am not a fan of Nashville’s Lower Broadway. While authentic country music may be the claim, drunken bridesmaids are in much greater abundance and are what’s setting the atmosphere. Every rule has an exception, though, and Robert’s Western World fits the bill here. On a recent trip to Music City, a pitstop at Robert’s […]
Clayton Ryan Song Premiere – Wild Man
Ray Wylie Hubbard once said that good poets didn’t have good childhoods. I’m sure that was a broad commentary on how adversity can be the inspiration an artist of any kind uses to shape their work. A brilliant case in point is the upcoming album from Minneapolis singer/songwriter Clayton Ryan, entitled Ghost Town. He took […]
Mira Goto – Before
Humans have always spent a lot of energy trying to outdo each other, and social media has supercharged all the motivations causing that. So it’s a nice change to run across someone who’s comfortable with just who they are. Santa Cruz, CA, native Mira Goto acknowledges “there are always going to be better guitar players […]
Folk Alliance 2024 – Musical Highlights
As noted in my previous post, a big part of the Folk Alliance International annual conference are the showcases, both official and unofficial. The official performances take place from around 6pm to 10pm in hotel ballrooms, with professional sound and lighting. Depending on the size of the room attendance can go from a few dozen […]
2024 Folk Alliance International Conference
There are many organizations set up to serve the music industry, from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (the Grammy people) and their non-profit, MusiCares, to industry organizations for various segments, to local music societies. I’m certain none of them come close to the broad offerings of Folk Alliance International. FAI is a […]
Ted Russell Kamp Video Premiere – High Desert Fever
One of the things that makes California unique is the breadth of its geographic features. You can easily hit the slopes on Olympic quality runs at Lake Tahoe in the morning and then catch the late afternoon break at Steamer’s Lane in Santa Cruz. It’s barely 100 miles from the glitz and glitter of Hollywood […]
Josh Fortenbery Premiere – Bored To Death
Sometimes when you hear the origin story for a record you realize it was almost destined to sound the way it does. Such is the case with the debut album from Josh Fortenbery, No Such Thing As Forever. Although he’s called North Carolina, Oregon, Wisconsin, and Mexico home, his current domicile is Juneau, Alaska. With […]
The Montvales – Born Strangers
Fate can be an interesting topic. You can accept it as the reason things happen, or question whether you can change it. In the case of lifelong friends Molly Rochelson and Sally Buice, both viewpoints feature in their sophomore album, Born Strangers. The pre-ordained side comes to bear as the Knoxville-raised women went their separate […]
Crow and Gazelle Song Premiere – Take It Away
Chrislyn Lawrence and Mike McClure first met in 2003. Although they had an instant, soulful connection, life happened, and they continued on parallel paths. Mike gained considerable music credibility as the producer for such Red Dirt acts as Turnpike Troubadours, Jason Boland, and Cross Canadian Ragweed. Chrislyn’s path, besides developing her talent as a poet, […]