In its 64th year, the 2023 Newport Folk Festival boasts the longest and most distinguished history of any currently running music festival dating back to 1959. With all that history, the festival has stayed relevant with its place as one of the most trusted venues for Americana, folk, rock, singer/songwriter, and everything in between. With […]
Beth Bombara – It All Goes Up
I’ve seen Beth Bombara perform a few times and always really enjoyed it. She’s not just a good singer-songwriter, but she has a stage charisma that quickly warms up the audience. I was looking forward to her new album, but in a twist on the old “don’t judge a book by its cover”, I realized […]
Dale Watson – Starvation Box
On his new album “Starvation Box” Dale Watson has gone in a new direction. Not to worry though, he hasn’t sold out and gone mainstream. He is not going Bro-Country or releasing a Luke Bryan covers album. In actuality, he has gone the other direction. Watson has descended deeper into his roots than ever before. […]
Rachel Garlin – The Ballad of Madelyne & Therese
Something you don’t see much of anymore is an album that fills multiple roles, not just as something to listen to but also an accompaniment to a theatre presentation or as a scripted performance piece. San Franciscan Rachel Garlin has gone down that road with her new record, The Ballad of Madelyne & Therese. Besides […]
Brewflies Premiere – Fortunate Son
Take four musical friends who played together and separately for thirty-plus years, most of it on the road and supporting everyone from The Pogues to Del McCoury, then pull the rug out from under them, keep them separated and at home, and what do you get. By now, that pandemic story has become the impetus […]
The Scooches – Lift You Up
Not everyone embraces the use of the word Americana to describe the genre(s) of music that make up the typical Twangvillian playlist, especially when it includes certain strains of country music. But when a record touches on gospel, bluegrass, Dixieland, R&B, and jazz…what else are you going to call it? That’s exactly the case with […]
Newport Folk Preview 2023
Songwriters, pickers, rockers, and everything in between. That’s what Newport Folk gets you. Many favorites are back. Jason Isbell, armed with tunes from his new record, “Weathervanes,” will be back again. In addition, Gregory Alan Isakov will be returning for his particular brand of folk and ambient songwriting. Billy Strings will be back too. He’ll […]
Marina Rocks – Texcentric
Marina Rocks calls Texas home. She embraces its whole self, warts and all, and takes you on a musical journey through it on her latest record, Texcentric. Starting as a child in the state capital, her mother encouraged her musical exploration at an early age, with not just the gift of a guitar but also […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Summer 2023
Tumbleweed, Jeremie Albino (from the Good People Record Co. release Tears You Hide) While Jeremie Albino may tease with 30 seconds of old-time pickin’ on album opener “Dance With Me”, he very quickly brings out the good time – and rowdy – fun that defines Tears You Hide. “Angeline”, the first full track, finds the […]
Cry Me a River – a Premiere from My Sister, My Brother
There’s something special when independent artists collaborate. I’m not talking about two songwriters sitting in a room to write a song together but rather when they weave their talents together to create a cohesive and collaborative piece of work. The results can be magical. Such is the story of Garrison Starr and Sean McConnell – […]