Back in the 60’s and 70’s, the northeast corner of LA county, the San Gabriel Valley, was the gateway to LA’s weekend getaway urge. From there, a short drive east and you faced a choice. Make a right and you were quickly in Palm Springs, where the Rat Pack ruled and mainstream America dreamed of […]
Rory Block – Ain’t Nobody Worried
Rory Block’s acoustic guitar chops are unmatched. Her recent series of tribute albums to country blues greats continues with Ain’t Nobody Worried, but this time with a twist. Instead of dedicating the whole album to a single blues artist, she mixes it up, covering iconic songs by iconic women. And the usually faithful blues master […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Fall 2022, Part 2
Breaking Slow, Anthony D’Amato (from the Blue Rose Music release At First There Was Nothing) Anthony D’Amato is on a creative tear. Fresh from the this summer’s debut of Fantastic Cat, the songwriter collective of which he is a founding member, D’Amato has released an album that ranks among the finest of his on-going career. […]
Nels Johnson – Ios
In this day and age, when the concept of escaping the rat race is sometimes just not looking at social media for a couple of days, Oregonian Nels Johnson did it old school and went to the Greek island of Ios. The time he spent examining what he wanted from life, far away from the […]
Joselyn And Don – Seeds & Bones
After being raised in Montana, Joselyn Wilkinson and Don Barrozo moved to Los Angeles to immerse themselves in the music scene. She’s involved with several bands in the area, while he’s an in-demand producer (and film editor for The Simpsons). They’re also doing their own thing as duo Joselyn And Don, and have released their […]
Bonus Monday Video – A Dallas House Show Preview
Twangville continues our Sunday Social concert series in Dallas, Texas this coming Sunday, October 16th (details here and rsvp here). Joining us are three incredible artists – Mando Saenz, Isaac Hoskins, and Carter Sampson. As we eagerly await an afternoon of songs and stories, here is a video playlist to whet our appetites: Mando Saenz […]
Drew Lawrence of The Dales on Broken Piano Keys and Committing to the Long Haul
Singer, songwriter, and keyboardist Drew Lawrence of the Dales talks about perseverance and follow-through and the band’s home studio decorations.
Americana 2022: Mayer’s Picks (Part 2)
The Americana Music Association Conference and Awards made a welcome return from the virtual world this year. The annual event showcased several hundred artists who collectively illustrate the breadth of the Americana umbrella. Here are some of my highlights from Americana 2022. WILLIAM PRINCE A couple of songs at the Yellowstone round wasn’t enough so […]
Americana 2022: Mayer’s Picks (Part 1)
The Americana Music Association Conference and Awards made a welcome return from the virtual world this year. The annual event showcased several hundred artists who collectively illustrate the breadth of the Americana umbrella. Here are some of my highlights from Americana 2022. CHRISTONE “KINGFISH” INGRAM Ingram is now in the category of “when you can […]
Drayton Farley – Walk Home
Before I get into his excellent new EP, let me reflect on the near meteoric rise of singer-songwriter Drayton Farley. His is a true DIY story and proof that talent, not publicists, sometimes win the day. He started out recording in his home studio with no publicists or street team and no label. He persists […]