Country Sides the new release by The Band of Heathens marks their 20th anniversary as a band. The band was basically formed from a local collaboration that grew organically the old school viral way, by word of mouth. (There was no TikTok viral push available back then.) Over the last 20 years, The Band of […]
Monday Morning Video – Matt Charette
Early last week, Boston singer-songwriter Matt Charette showed up at his barbershop to find it underwater. Literally. An upstairs neighbor didn’t take proper cold weather precautions, a pipe burst, and water came pouring down into the shop. The damage was devastating. But Charette’s doing what DIY musicians do—skip the pity party, roll up the sleeves, […]
Monday Morning Video – Tyler-James Kelly
The beauty of true country music is its simplicity. But there’s real complexity in creating something that feels effortless—distilling a song idea down to its core, making it lyrically accessible, and setting it to a melody that’s both immediate and unforgettable. Tyler-James Kelly did exactly that on his solo debut, and he continues that success […]
John Francis O’Mara Video Premiere – Jesus Walked On Water
One of my favorite albums of last year was John Francis O’Mara’s Forbidden Hymns. It’s a plea for humanity to dig deep into their soul and find the empathy and kindness that’s been mocked as a weakness by many in power today. Set to a soundtrack of outlaw country hymns and Southern rock R&B ballads, […]
Monday Morning Video – Shooter Jennings and the Werewolves of L.A.
Warren Zevon has finally been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame—a long overdue honor that artists and fans have advocated for over the years. Among those championing his legacy is Shooter Jennings, who periodically performs selections from the Zevon catalog with a band he’s dubbed The Werewolves of Los Angeles. In 2023, […]
Monday Morning Video – David Garza “Butterflies”
David Garza rarely tours, so stumbling into his Dallas show late last year felt like finding money in an old coat pocket. I’ve been a fan of his music for years, but “Butterflies” from 2004’s A Strange Mess of Flowers had somehow slipped through the cracks until now. The song’s gentle melody masks the raw […]
Monday Morning Video – Melanie MacLaren
We’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Nashville-by-way-of-NYC songwriter Melanie MacLaren over the past year—even hosting her at our Spring 2025 Twangville Sunday Social in Dallas. Her songs mesmerize, her performances captivate, and this video shows exactly why. Joined here by guitarist Jack Schneider, she performs the evocative “Graveyard Shift” from her debut EP—a […]
Monday Morning Video – Bob Weir
2026 is unfortunately picking up right where 2025 left off, taking another musical legend from us. It’s near impossible to overstate Bob Weir’s impact as a founding member of the Grateful Dead and through an incredible array of collaborations and solo projects that followed. No surprise, the outpouring of memories has been overwhelming. The key […]
Monday Morning Video – Other Brother Darryl
Let’s kick off this year with a song that kicked off last year. Boston Americana outfit Other Brother Darryl was founded by singer-songwriters Dan Nicklin, Nate Leavitt, and the late Dave Mirabella—veterans of Boston’s club scene who bonded over a shared love of the Laurel Canyon sound of CSNY and modern Americana torchbearers like Wilco […]
Chip’s Best of 2025
As seems to be the case every year, selecting a top 25 was difficult task for 2025. There are so many good albums not on the list, that I liked almost as much as what was included. However, selecting the top album was not hard this year. Wednesday – Bleeds was an obvious choice to […]