Glasgow artist Justin Currie has long been one of my favorite songwriters. It’s a crime that he’s not more widely known. His songs bristle with intelligence, whether he’s crooning a moving love song or spitting out a scathing tale of love gone wrong. Hopefully there’s some new music on the horizon, but in the meantime […]
Readers’ Pick: American Band by Drive-by Truckers
DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS, American Band beats out JOHN PRINE, For Better, Or Worse as your favorite for the week of September 30, 2016. Poll Results New Releases Did we miss something? If you feel a new release is missing from our current poll, please let us know in the comments. Readers’ Tops Summer 2016 CHELLE ROSE, […]
Americana 2016: The Sounds, Part 2
Every fall, The Americana Music Association gathers members, artists and music fans together in Nashville for its annual conference. Starting with the annual Americana Music Awards and continuing through four days of showcases and panel discussions, it is a tremendous celebration of Americana music. SHANNON MCNALLY It’s become something of an annual tradition to close […]
Americana 2016: The Sounds, Part 1
Every fall, The Americana Music Association gathers members, artists and music fans together in Nashville for its annual conference. Starting with the annual Americana Music Awards and continuing through four days of showcases and panel discussions, it is a tremendous celebration of Americana music. SHANE NICHOLSON I caught Australian singer-songwriter Shane Nicholson three times over […]
AmericanaFest 2016 – The AMA Awards
Every fall, The Americana Music Association gathers members, artists and music fans together in Nashville for its annual conference. Starting with the annual Americana Music Awards and continuing through four days of showcases and panel discussions, it is a tremendous celebration of Americana music.  Traditionally, the opening of the annual Americana Music Festival was always […]
“The Favors You Ask,” A Premiere from Zach Schmidt
The best country songs tell great stories. Well, singer-songwriter Zach Schmidt has got a bunch of ’em. All the better, they are drawn from his own life experiences. The now Nashville-based Schmidt has lived a life of wanderlust, having bicycled across the US and worked on a Texas cattle ranch. No surprise to anyone, Schmidt […]
Monday Morning Video – Fred Eaglesmith “Freight Train”
Fred Eaglesmith is a songwriter’s songwriter, a talent whose commercial success has never matched the esteem in which his peers hold him. Here’s a song that I’ve heard countless other artists cover over the years. In his introduction, Eaglesmith talks about the Alan Jackson version and why he tours in an old converted school bus.
Readers’ Pick: Sunset Motel by Reckless Kelly
RECKLESS KELLY, Sunset Motel beats out DWIGHT YOAKAM, Swimmin’ Pools, Movie Stars… as your favorite for the week of September 23, 2016. Poll Results New Releases Did we miss something? If you feel a new release is missing from our current poll, please let us know in the comments. Readers’ Tops Summer 2016 CHELLE ROSE, […]
Amanda Shires- My Piece of Land
From the opening notes, I could already tell that this was going to be my favorite Amanda Shires record. There’s just something different about it. Shires is now married and has a beautiful baby, just like I do, so I felt a particular connection. She wrote these songs at the very end of her pregnancy, […]
In Memoriam – Buckwheat Zydeco
While New Orleans has played a significant role in two of America’s greatest musical forms, jazz and blues, when you say “Louisiana music” to most people they hear the style championed by Stanley Dural, Jr., aka Buckwheat Zydeco. Â Dural passed away this past weekend and it’s worth remembering the man who became the face of […]