I won’t even try to compete with Shawn’s excellent tribute to the late Merle Haggard. Instead, today we’ll honor his legacy with a playlist of videos from artists singing classics from the Haggard cannon. Herein you’ll find performances from the Avett Brothers, Dwight Yoakam, Vince Gill and Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson (with Kid Rock and […]
Jeff Plankenhorn – SoulSlide
Jeff Plankenhorn is a versatile lap steel guitarist, well established in the Austin, Texas music scene, who delivers a funky, crusty and soulful performance on his unique new solo album, SoulSlide. Plankenhorn, who has collaborated with artists like Joe Ely and Ray Wylie Hubbard, says he found his voice while singing in the church choir growing up in […]
Terri Hendrix – Love You Strong
Teen angst has been a cornerstone of rock ‘n’ roll since Chuck Berry in the 50’s.  Occasionally someone would give a thought to what came next in life–I’m An Adult Now is one of my faves–but generally music’s aesthetic is “I hope I die before I get old…”  Somewhere along the way something funny happened, though, […]
SXSW 2016 – The Sounds, Part 3
And yet more favorites from SXSW 2016… Matthew Logan Vasquez It may have been just past noon, but the Delta Spirit front-man came to rock. Vasquez prowled around the stage while he and What Made Milwaukee Famous guitarist Michael Kingcaid traded some snarling guitar solos. His set leaned heavily on songs from Solicitor Returns, his […]
SXSW 2016 – The Sounds, Part 2
SXSW never lacks for great music, so here are more favorites from 2016. Ryan Adams One of the few relatively big budget corporate events this year was Marriott hosting a couple of nights of music at their downtown Austin location. It was an interesting venue as the ballroom setting made the shows feel sort of […]
SXSW 2016 – The Scene
For me, the true harbinger of spring is the arrival of the SXSW Music and Media Conference in Austin, Texas. Or rather, spring begins for me when I arrive in Austin for SXSW. With upwards of 2,200 bands and more than 20,000 attendees from around the world, SXSW is the world’s premiere music conference. Even […]
The Waco Brothers Explain What the Rock Gods Demand and Why Their Tour Meals are Wild Culinary Orgies of Over Indulgence
Jon Langford and Dean Schlabowske of the Waco Brothers explain why they consider rehearsing to be a form of cheating or cowardice, hearing the first song they wrote used on “Sex in the City” and share some of their sound business decisions.
Corin Raymond – Hobo Jungle Fever Dreams
“Words can be like X-rays if you use them properly — they’ll go through anything. You read and you’re pierced.† So said Aldous Huxley in A Brave New World, one of the most vividly descriptive books I’ve read. Words can also elevate a good song into a great one; a song that embeds itself into […]
William Wild – Dreamin’ Video Premiere
We here at Twangville are excited to premiere the new video from William Wild for the track “Dreamin’.” The song features lovely lap steel and slide guitar work with a booming pre-chorus and chorus that kicks in nicely. The excellent new EP entitled Steady Now is available via I-Tunes and other outlets.
Luther Dickinson – Blues & Ballads (A Folksinger’s Songbook Volumes I & II)
When I caught Luther Dickinson’s show last month in Philadelphia, it was in the smaller of the two halls at World Cafe Live. There were maybe 100 or so patrons there, and the tickets were reasonably priced under $20. He and his “Cooperators” couldn’t have walked away with more than $2,000 from the evening. After […]