Some shows remind you why you fell in love with live music in the first place. TopHouse delivered one of those last week in Boston. The Montana-bred group is rooted in bluegrass—intricate instrumentation, rich harmonies—but their songs are something else entirely: brilliantly crafted pop songs that hit like a gut punch. Live, those punches land […]
From Busker to Believer: The Hard-Earned Songs of Slaid Cleaves
Slaid Cleaves lives in Wimberley now, tucked into the folds of the Texas Hill Country, playing closer to home, keeping the circle small. The road that once stretched from Maine to Cork to Austin has narrowed. The songs, though, are still wide open. There was a time when he measured success in dollars and survival. […]
Alan Williams – Floating On the Dreamline
If Alan Williams’ life-to-date was a Hollywood movie, it would be one of those where it starts at the end. In this case, it’s his combination retirement/record release party later this month. The album is his third solo release, Floating On the Dreamline. The retirement is from being a professor of music at the University […]
Monday Morning Video – Stephen Kellogg
3000 shows. That’s a hell of a lot of shows — playing a show every night for more than eight years. Impressive enough on its own. But when you factor in the volume and caliber of music Stephen Kellogg has delivered over the course of his career, it becomes something else entirely. He passed through […]
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, […]
Folk Alliance Int’l 2026 – Shawn’s Favorites
Folk Alliance International isn’t your typical music conference. Held this year in New Orleans, days include industry panels, seminars, and public showcases in hotel ballrooms, but the real magic happens late at night when up to 100 hotel rooms transform into intimate “private showcases”—artists who normally fill 500-seat theaters performing for 20 people at a […]
Folk Alliance Int’l 2026 – Mayer’s Picks, Part 2
Folk Alliance International isn’t your typical music conference. Held this year in New Orleans, days include industry panels, seminars, and public showcases in hotel ballrooms, but the real magic happens late at night when up to 100 hotel rooms transform into intimate “private showcases”—artists who normally fill 500-seat theaters performing for 20 people at a […]
Folk Alliance Int’l 2026 – Mayer’s Picks, Part 1
Folk Alliance International isn’t your typical music conference. Held this year in New Orleans, days include industry panels, seminars, and public showcases in hotel ballrooms, but the real magic happens late at night when up to 100 hotel rooms transform into intimate “private showcases”—artists who normally fill 500-seat theaters performing for 20 people at a […]