Joanna Connor is scary good. I caught her live show in Hagerstown, Maryland some years ago and will never forget her commanding presence. Her new live album, Live on 11/11, shows just how awesome she can be. I’ve gushed over her work before. Connor is an absolute star. Known for her commanding vocals and brazen […]
Johnny Rawls & Dave Keller – Tribute to Soul
Johnny Rawls and Dave Keller want you to know how much fun soul blues can be. In their collaboration this summer, Tribute to Soul, the two put together a celebration of the music that hits the mark. Rawls has been a fixture on the blues festival circuit for decades. Once a sideman for the great […]
Afton Wolfe & the Snake Hunters Video Premiere – Cyclone
I think everyone knows someone who, when they enter the room, starts to add color to the discussion. Not the primary color, Jackson Pollack splat of conspiracy or disproven theory, but the rich tint that binds various hues together into a well-formed montage. Nashvillian, by way of several points in the Deep South, Afton Wolfe […]
GA-20 with Charlie Musselwhite – Blues Now
It’s chemistry. Matthew Stubbs and Charlie Musselhite have worked together off-and-on for at least 15 years, with Stubbs initially a sideman in Musselwhite’s band. Now, with Stubbs new role as lead guitarist for GA-20, the pair are once again tearing it up on their new album, Blues Now. Musselwhite himself, at age 82, has ascended […]
Greg Piccolo & Heavy Juice – Who Knows What the Future Holds
Tenor sax player Greg Piccolo is another in a long line of Roomful of Blues alumni who have gone on to great solo careers, along with the likes of Duke Robillard, Ronnie Earl, Curtis Salgado and Sugar Ray Norcia. Roomful of Blues has long been the gold standard for jump blues, which is a horns-heavy […]
The Family – Delusions of Grandeur
Some records feel assembled; Delusions of Grandeur feels inherited. The Family is Dylan LeBlanc, his father James LeBlanc and James wife and stepson Angela Hacker and Bay Simpson. The album carries the unmistakable weight of shared history, where blood ties matter less than the lived experiences that shape every lyric and harmony. Recorded at Muscle […]
The Twangville 2026 Album Preview-Side B
Here are some albums that we’re looking forward to hearing in the back half of 2026… Material Witness by William Matheny (10 July) William Matheny brings pure rock and roll spirit to Material Witness, leaning heavy on electric guitars and hearty, driving rhythms. His lyrics crackle with authenticity and a wisened view, proving there’s still […]
Still in the Groove: Martha Reeves Keeps Searching
Photo courtesy Martha Reeves Martha Reeves has spent more than six decades giving people reasons to dance. Her voice powered Motown landmarks like “Dancing in the Street,” “Heat Wave,” “Jimmy Mack,” and “Nowhere to Run,” songs that still spill from radios and playlists with enough spark to lift a room. Now, as she approaches her […]
Ma Rainey – The Complete Paramount Recordings, 1923-1928
Editor’s Note: We invited Nashville artist and blues devotee Sophie Gault to dig into Ma Rainey’s Paramount recordings, arriving as a new box set on July 24. Sitting in the kitchen one summer night, you hear the sound of a muted trumpet leading into a song. It’s accompanied by a slight lingering static. While listening, […]
Mayer’s Picks – the Best of 2026 (So Far), the Albums
Cat Out of Hell by Fantastic Cat Fantastic Cat’s third album is another classic, nothing but pure pop perfection. Four songwriters with distinct styles blend here in a way that shouldn’t work as well as it does — sharp and spirited in both lyric and melody. And credit where it’s due: any album title that […]