Steve Earle just released Jerry Jeff in honor of the late Jerry Jeff Walker, the latest in his series of albums paying tribute to songwriters that have inspired him. Here’s a vintage clip of him reminiscing about several others, including Townes Van Zandt – for whom “Ft. Worth Blues” was written.
Folk Alliance International Conference 2022 – The Music
As I mentioned in my previous post, I had the privilege to attend this year’s Folk Alliance International conference in Kansas City last week. There are all kinds of industry panels and how-to seminars, but for me the highlight is always the music. There are Official showcases, held in the various hotel ballrooms, and Unofficial […]
Folk Alliance International 2022 Conference
There is a long list of associations promoting music and providing resources to artist members and guests, from the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (the Grammy people) down to local bluegrass organizations in the hollers of Appalachia. Most of them have some sort of festival or event as a fund-raiser, not only to […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Spring 2022
Southern Intentions, Wood Willow (from the self-released Southern Intentions) Oklahoma’s Wood Willow – the duo of Becca Herrod and Joel Parks – introduce themselves in fine fashion with Southern Intentions, Wood Willow (from the self-released Southern Intentions). Their debut’s ten tracks shift effortlessly between between sweet (“You’ve Got Me”, “Birds”) and brooding (“On With the […]
Stanhope – Static
Static is a funny thing. Mathematically it’s noise, typically random. The purists abhor it because it wasn’t there at the source. Yet it’s been shown to increase the perception of how real or genuine the recording is because, you know, nothing’s perfect. Chris Rawlins, the real-world name of Chicago musician Stanhope, applied that idea by […]
Abbie Gardner on The Blues Brothers and Athletic Training
Singer-songwriter Abbie Gardner talks about touring with bamboo utensils, working as an occupational therapist, and an early song about commuting in Boston.
Monday Morning Video – “Show Yourself”, A Benefit Residency
Keepsake House, producers of the “From Story to Song” show that I wrote about earlier this year, are back with an even more ambitious undertaking: they’ve partnered with Nashville musician Alex Wong to host the month-long “Show Yourself: A Benefit Residency Celebrating AAPI Stories”. The series. emcompassing five shows, kicked off last Monday with Wong, […]
Taj Mahal & Ry Cooder – Get On Board: The Songs of Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee
Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder have a history going back nearly 60 years, which officially makes Get On Board a long-awaited reunion – and something to cherish. With the profound contributions and pedigrees of Mahal and Cooder, we expect brilliance, and the album more than meets those expectations. In the mid-1960s, when Ry Cooder was […]
Trout Fishing In America – Safe House
Keith Grimwood and Ezra Idlet have been playing together as Trout Fishing In America for 40 years. During that time they’ve garnered 4 Grammy nominations and a slew of other awards. They play folk music, children’s music, jazz, rock, bluegrass, and whatever else catches their whimsy. They estimate they’ve logged a million miles touring, primarily […]
Old Settler’s Music Festival – 2022 Edition
Just outside Lockhart, the BBQ capital of Texas, lays a 150 acre spread that’s home to Old Settler’s Music Festival, which wrapped up this past Sunday. I had the pleasure of being there for almost all of the four-day event (five, if you count the open mic event on Wednesday night in the campground). They […]