Saturday morning brought some heartbreaking news: Todd Snider, the East Nashville icon and beloved storyteller, had passed away. The initial reaction seemed hesitant, as if all were in collective disbelief. But very quickly, an overwhelming outpouring of grief and remembrance flooded social media, filled with moving and often humorous stories about how Snider had touched […]
Readers’ Pick: Mavis Staples – Sad and Beautiful World
You picked Mavis Staples – Sad and Beautiful World as your favorite new release for the week of November 7, 2025.
The Tasty Kings – The Kindness of Numbers
I’m not a lawyer, which undoubtedly enables a number of people to sleep better at night. So the difference between a band and a collective is partially lost on me. The one thing that does seem to be the case is that it enables an easier time of rotating musicians in and out of the […]
“I Don’t Like You” – a Premiere From Low Roller
Longtime readers know I love a good kiss-off song. “I Don’t Like You,” the title of Low Roller’s new single, seems prime for the list. It’s not — it’s actually the opposite. “Sometimes I don’t like you, but I love you anyway,” singer-songwriter Veronica Davila declares. The song recognizes that conflict can be healthy in a relationship […]
Studio Spotlight/FAME Recording Studios, Rodney Hall
Does FAME, the sound of Muscle Shoals, need an introduction? Probably not, so I’m not going to bother. But…if you do need a detailed history, check out their website. In the meantime, just enjoy the interview from original owner Rick Hall’s son Rodney Hall. Location: Muscle Shoals, Alabama Notable Artists: Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Etta […]
Andrew Leahey on “Van Haulin’” and Learning to Embrace Chaos
Nashville-based Andrew Leahey reveals which artists he’s toured with have the best catering, recalls borrowing a melody from the TV show “My So-Called Life” when he wrote his first song, and talks about finding friends in the music industry.
Monday Morning Video – Otis Redding
Music fans have spent decades arguing over which British Invasion band reigns supreme—The Beatles or The Rolling Stones. But leave it to Otis Redding to reframe the question entirely: he simply took songs from both bands and made them his own. Redding had a particular genius for hearing the soul buried inside rock and roll […]
Readers’ Pick: Marty Stuart And His Fabulous Superlatives – Space Junk
You picked Marty Stuart And His Fabulous Superlatives – Space Junk as your favorite new release for the week of October 31, 2025.
Gurf Morlix – Bristlecone
With Bristlecone, Gurf Morlix once again delivers an unmistakable work—painted in his palette of gothic imagery, sparse guitar, and hard-earned truth. This is the kind of album that feels like flying across Seven Mile Bridge at night in a hearse with the windows rolled down, narrowly escaping the Devil, yelling “Step On it Skinner!” It’s […]
Alex Wong on Mixing Records and Teaching Martial Arts
Singer-songwriter Alex Wong talks about rehearsing above a tallow factory (and the odors that permeated the space) and the time that he played fake guitar in a TV commercial.