There’s something special about art inspiring art. Truth in point – New Orleans’s Ever More Nest’s “What’s Gone Is Gone”. Says singer-songwriter Kelcy Mae about the song: “Some New Orleans musicians took a page from the Bushwick Book Club and invited songwriters to read Margaret Atwood’s The Heart Goes Last, write a song inspired by it, and […]
James Houlahan – Beyond the Borders
James Houlahan is a self-admitted late bloomer. He didn’t play in a band until he was 25 and didn’t make a record until he was 31. In this day and age of 13-year-old YouTube stars, I’m pretty sure that makes him an outlier. What he gained, though, was a life experience and sense of self-awareness […]
Ogden Heart – Ogden Heart
Throughout much of America, regional styles of music and the church are deeply intertwined. Whether it’s the sheer number of bluegrass interpretations of spiritual songs, or the influence of gospel music in the blues, spirit and soul are wound like a double helix. That relationship is displayed grandly in the new, self-titled album from rural […]
Dallas Got a Soft Machine – a Special Playlist
It’s been a while since I made a playlist featuring Dallas artist releases so I’ve got some catching up to do… This playlist is a mix of songs from albums released in 2021 and 2022. Panhandle Wind, Isaac Hoskins (from the self-released Bender) Denton’s Isaac Hoskins rode out Covid – no pun intended – working […]
Monday Morning Video – John Fullbright with The Band of Heathens
Here’s a bunch of musicians sittin’ around singing. John Fullbright and The Band of Heathens, hanging out at MusicFest in Steamboat Springs, CO back in 2020, collaborated on “Social Skills”, a track from Fullbright’s just released The Liar.
Old Californio – Old Californio Country
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 […]
Marina Rocks Video Premiere – Shine
Maybe all you need to know about Marina Rocks is that when she turned 12 her mom gave her a Marshall stack instead of clothes or toys. Add to that she was brought up in Austin and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out she was going to be a musician. That passion she […]
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. […]
Monday Morning Video – Wilco and Friends
Last week we shared an Alejandro Escovedo performance from the 2021 Austin City Limits Hall of Fame Awards. This week we’ve got his fellow inductees Wilco, who invited a host of guests to join them on their Woody Guthrie co-write “California Stars”. Said guests included: Rosanne Cash, Jason Isbell, Margo Price, Sheila E., Terry Allen, […]