This was a tough year to rank best albums. The sheer volume of good releases made it difficult. This is especially true in the Americana genre with it’s ever expanding boundaries. All the same, I gave it my best shot. 1)Yola- “Walk Through Fire” Released early in the year, from my first listen I knew […]
Lindsay Lou on Beige Colored Food and Learning About Bees
Nashville by way of Michigan artist Lindsay Lou talks about the mash-up that launched her songwriting career and reflects on life touring in a veggie bus.
Monday Morning Video – Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street
Happy 50th Anniversary, Sesame Street! The legendary children’s television show has become an educational institution, helping to shape countless minds while never shying away from important social topics. It has also hosted some of the biggest names in music history. Their performances include both parodies and straight up takes on their greatest hits, plus some […]
Old Salt Union On A Duct Taped Tour RV and On-Stage String Explosions
Jesse Farrar of bluegrass outfit Old Salt Union talks about the group’s less than ideal tour diet and some of the unique day jobs that band members did before pursuing music full-time.
Che Apalache – Rearrange My Heart
So much of the early development of Americana and roots music sprung out of the mountains of Appalachia and the cotton fields of the Delta that we tend forget how popular a lot of it is across the globe. And like any musical style, once musicians learn it they start adding their own influences. Nothing […]
Americana 2019 – Chip’s Picks
Americanafest brings a plethora of artist and showcases together in Nashville each September to celebrate the year that was; and give a preview of the year to come. Here is my attempt to highlight but a few artists that caught my attention this year, although there are too many special performances to recount. The Vandoliers […]
Cory Younts of Old Crow Medicine Show On Tour Bus Mileage and Dragging a Piano to His First Gig
Cory Younts of Old Crow Medicine Show talks about the time that a band rehearsal at his house turned into a neighborhood block party and his early years working at a Boy Scout camp.
Natalie Padilla – Fireweed
I’m convinced the hardest thing to do as a producer is to extract the maximum essence of a musician in a recording session and not allow production sparkle to gloss over the natural talent. Ben Winship produced (he just released a recording of his own, Toolshed, that I recommend) the new album from Natalie Padilla, […]
Wood Robinson of Mipso on Going All-In and Why You Shouldn’t Text and Drive
Mipso bassist Wood Robinson talks about the coolest that he’s ever felt at a gig and the rehearsal space that forced them to take breaks when it rained.
Quick Hits – Small Town Therapy and The Popravinas
LA-based The Popravinas are going to bust out of their self-described confines as one of the best SoCal party bands if they aren’t careful. Guitarist and producer John Adair has added some pretty sweet country licks to lead singer and writer Eddy Sill’s blue collar, roots rock compositions. Almost Sick has a classic, honky tonk […]