Tinsley Ellis came up as a hard-rocking guitar slinger in the mold of Stevie Ray Vaughan. He was always known as a great axe-man, but as the decades passed and his art matured, he also became an accomplished songwriter and interpreter of the many shades of blues. Kanye West might even be a little impressed with […]
Sons of Bill – Live at Bottletree Cafe, January 15th
The Sons of Bill played for an intimate and enthusiastic audience at Bottletree Café in Birmingham, Alabama. Ironically the next day they boarded a plane to England for a European tour, in which one of the stops in the UK will also be Birmingham. That should set the table for an intriguing linguistic study comparing […]
Joe Pug On Touring In a Hand-Me-Down Van and an Expensive Line-Item From His Music Budget
Joe Pug talks about the upcoming retirement of his tour van, earning his first $100 in music by playing Foo Fighters covers and the most satisfying day job he has ever had.
Screen Door Porch – Modern Settler
When I first listened to Modern Settler, the latest release from Wyoming band Screen Door Porch, I assumed the band’s core duo of Seader Rose and Aaron Davis had gotten some wanderlust and spent time traveling through the rural South. Â Turns out the inspiration was closer to home, and came from a cassette Davis discovered […]
Wood & Wire – The Coast
A few years ago some members of a couple of different Austin-based bluegrass bands got together for some late night jamming and out of it came one of my favorite bluegrass albums of 2013, the self-titled Wood & Wire. Â The boys are now releasing their follow-up album, The Coast. There’s an occasionally recurring theme that […]
Mayer’s Playlist for January 2015
ALBUM OF THE MONTH Fear and Saturday Night, by Ryan Bingham Bingham sets the tone for his latest album right out of the gate. “I’ve been carrying my troubles in this pack strapped to my shoulder,” he confesses in the opening “Nobody Knows My Trouble.” What follows are twelve songs that are filled with life […]
Ryan Culwell On a Memorable First Gig and the Song That Made Him Famous In His Family
Culwell talks about why he prefers a good meal over a plush hotel room, a memorable day job cooking cow bile and the advice that his friend gave him (read more Seth Godin).
Reed Foehl On Digging in the Dirt and Enjoying the Ride
Reed Foehl reflects on his path from a child street performer in Boston to a professional touring musician, why he doesn’t like to change the strings on his guitar and the value of placing his songs on tv and in films.
The Twangville 2015 Release Preview, Boston Edition
I expect that these releases are just the beginning of another great year of Boston music. MAKE TIME by THE SUITCASE JUNKET(6 January) Singer-songwriter Matt Lorenz knows how to make one heck of a racket. His one-man band sound leans heavy on fuzzy guitar and ragged percussion, augmented by occasional throat-singing that gives the songs […]
Anne McCue Offers Tips for Eating Healthy on the Road and How to Deal With Mean People
Anne McCue shares the story behind the first song she wrote, surviving her first gig and hopes for the future.