The legendary John Prine pays tribute to fellow Chicago songwriter Steve Goodman in this 1997 performance at Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music. “You Never Even Called Me By My Name” has a unique history, from Prine’s original insistence that his name not be listed on the credits to the final verse that Goodman […]
The Twangville Early 2024 Preview
Halfsies by Lizzie No (19 Jan) Brooklyn’s Lizzie No showcases the breadth of her talent on her forthcoming album. From folk to rock to pop – there’s a little bit of everything, all with an engaging indie vibe. Letting the Lions In by Dinty Child (19 Jan) Dinty Child is a mainstay of the Boston […]
Monday Morning Video – A Tribute to Nirvana
Thought we’d kick off the week with a great memory from last year. Back in September 2023, along with NYC musician (and friend of Twangville) Elisa Winter, we produced a tribute to Nirvana. Centered around the 30th anniversary of their classic In Utero, the show also featured other songs from their legendary catalog. Making the […]
Chip’s Best of 2023
I had the same problem with my year end rankings as always. There were at least 35 albums worthy of the top 25. As you can see that math only works for congressmen and poker hustlers. I focused the top 25 on Americana and Roots music. To have included Indie and Alternative would have been […]
Monday Morning Video – Michael McDermott “New Year’s Day”
I love that this song from Michael McDermott isn’t specifically about New Year’s Day, but rather that any day can be the start of something new. Listening to it on New Year’s Day, however, makes it all the more inspiring. Happy New Year everyone! Let’s make a list and we’ll write it all downEverything we […]
Mayer’s Picks – More Favorites from 2023
Here, in no particular order, are more favorites from 2023.
Mayer’s Playlist for Fall/Winter 2023, Part 1
Toothache, Lydia Loveless (from the Bloodshot Records release Nothing’s Gonna Stand In My Way Again) Relationships are messy and few songwriters capture that fact better than Lydia Loveless. One need look no further than “Song About You”, the confessional ballad that opens their latest album. Against the backdrop that is mostly a lone electric guitar, […]
Monday Morning Video – “Fairytale of New York”
This holiday classic takes on extra meaning this year given the recent passing of songwriter Shane MacGowan. Glen Hasard and Lisa O’Neill led this beautiful performance at MacGowan’s funeral a few weeks ago.
Monday Morning Video – Pete Seeger and Johnny Cash
The legendary Pete Seeger’s name has come up several times over the past few weeks. Seeger, who passed away in 2014, was a cornerstone of folk music for much of his 94 years. He was notable as much for his commitment to humanity as he was for his performances. Seeger was always quick to encourage […]
Monday Morning Video – Shane MacGowan
Last week brought the news that Shane MacGowan, co-founder and singer-songwriter for Ireland’s legendary the Pogues, had passed away. MacGowan’s songs, not to mention his interpretations of other folk songs, were as stirring as his life was complex. Even though he had only performed sporadically over the last decade, the impact of his music has […]