Joe Funk, bassist for progressive bluegrass band Kitchen Dwellers, talks about tour meal strategies, moonlighting as a structural engineer, and the band’s hourly wage.
The Bodarks – Side Effects
The English language has some very captivating words. A friend of mine likes “shenanigans”. I’ve always been partial to “gobsmacked”. Then there’s “hootenanny”. If you’re not familiar with the term, it’s sort of like open mic night at the square dance. Think string bands and dancing; raw, fast-paced, and open to anyone. That’s the spirit […]
The Avett Brothers – The Third Gleam
I have loved the “Gleam†series that the Avetts occasionally put out. It is the band in its most simple form. Let’s face it, the Avett Brothers have become more able than anyone in Americana to write Anthemic ballads. As they have grown, their lineup and live shows have also become bigger. They are in […]
Wood & Wire – No Matter Where It Goes From Here
Polish is an under-appreciated art form. For a few years of my misspent youth I was enamored with old cars. As part of that I learned that while the most beautiful paint job was just a combination of wax, pigment & resin, the right artist could create a depth and dimensionality that belied the simplicity […]
Golden Shoals on Bathroom Rehearsals and the Psychology of Christmas Tree Shoppers
Amy Alvey (fiddle, guitar) and Mark Kilianski (guitar, banjo) of Golden Shoals talk about their custom tour van and the time they turned a street corner rehearsal into a profitable busking outing.
Billy Bright of Wood & Wire on Sacrifice, Propaganda, and Distorted Silence
Billy Bright of Wood & Wire talks about an elephant’s birthday party and the ancient traveling techniques of the early minstrels and cowboys
Golden Shoals – Golden Shoals
One of the best things about travel is the occasional chance to just sit there and observe the people around you. Not being held to a schedule opens your mind to different perspectives. Musical duo and long-time friends Amy Alvey and Mark Kilianski were afforded probably a lot more of that perspective than most while […]
Monday Morning Video – On the Road Again
Another day, another week, another month without live music to sustain us. The Willie Nelson classic has never been as relevant as it is today. Here’s Billy Strings performing “On the Road Again” just last year and Willie, along with Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson, closing out a show with it back in […]
Mayer’s Picks – The Best of 2020 (So Far), the Songs
No Time for Love Songs, The Mastersons (from the Red House Records release No Time for Love Songs) I love you so much but it’s no time for love songs We’re starting to unravel at the seams Maybe I care too much and this world is hard enough How come everybody’s gotta be so mean? […]
On the Road: A Tribute To John Hartford
For the most part, Bill Monroe invented the bluegrass genre over a period of years. The progressive/new grass/indie grass branch of the tree, though, can possibly be related to a single album, John Hartford’s Aereo-Plain. Therefore it’s fitting that so many of that strand’s best known groups jumped in to contribute a cover of one […]