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 several days of showcases and panel discussions, it is a tremendous celebration of Americana music. Here are but a few of my favorite performers and performances […]
Americana Music Awards – 2018 Edition
As has become tradition in the middle of September, the Americana Music Festival rolled into Nashville earlier this month.  The opening of the festival used to be the Awards show at the fabulous Ryman Auditorium, but over the past couple of years the festival has outgrown its 4 day window and this year you could start […]
Ray Bonneville – At King Electric
Listening to Ray Bonneville’s spartan lyrics evokes images of freight yards, open prairies and empty dwellings. His masterful, moody songs on At King Electric embody the spirit of the North American continent he has wandered for decades. Born in Quebec, Bonneville learned English when his family moved to Boston when he was twelve. Though his […]
Guster on the Ocean- Saturday night at Thompson’s Point
Written by Jeff McMahon, Photos by Suzanne Davis McMahon Guster’s “On the Ocean” weekend didn’t involve seeing a body of water until the the band took the stage at Thompson’s Point in Portland on Saturday night. It’s a little park that juts out into the water in a very secluded area (no houses were visible […]
Guster on the Ocean- Friday night at the State Theatre
Written by Jeff McMahon, Photos by Suzanne Davis McMahon On the Ocean, Guster’s very own summer festival, entered it’s second year. The band pulled together a festival for the very specific fan that loves Guster. In Portland, Maine, Guster fans were treated to a fun time among friends. As fans of Guster, we seem to share a […]
Grand Old Grizzly – Pure Country Pyrite
Coming out of the storm like the mythical ghost riders, the twin lead guitars of Houston-based Grand Old Grizzly set the outlaw tone of Gundowners.  The opening number of their latest album, Pure Country Pyrite, it’s the fascinating-like-a-train-wreck story of a pair of sociopaths who were made for each other.  With a similar uptempo twangy feel, Rescind All […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Summer 2018, Part 2
Immortal Americans, Austin Lucas (from the Cornelius Chapel Records release Immortal Americans) Immortal Americans feels like the album that Austin Lucas was destined to make. The road there certainly wasn’t easy as he overcame a series of challenges, both personal and professional, along the way. It ultimately led him back to his roots in Indiana […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Summer 2018, Part 1
Right On Time, Kevin Gordon (from the Crowville Media release Tilt And Shine) Kevin Gordon has long been one of contemporary music’s most compelling storytellers. He fills his songs with colorful characters and literary tales, all set to music that has more than a few gloriously jagged edges. Tilt And Shine steps beyond the more […]
Photos that ROCK! Newport Folk Fest 2018
Third time’s a charm! I was lucky enough to photograph the Newport Folk Festival in 2014, 2016 and again this year. It was full of crowds, sweat, dust, and INCREDIBLE music. Here are some of my favorite shots! All photos by Suzanne Davis McMahon
Kevin Gordon – Tilt And Shine
Boredom is a cruel mistress. Â She tempts you to do things you know better than to do, and demands silence and negligence when action is needed. Â Add in the weather-driven, laconic nature of life in the lower Mississippi River basin and it’s a potent mix of attitude. Â Nobody understands that better than Kevin Gordon. Â On […]