I met Greg Hall at his “day job” – playing bass with Boston’s Ward Hayden and the Outliers. Turns out he’s got some damn fine songwriting chops of his own, which he is about to showcase with the release a new EP titled Experiments in the Revival of Greg Hall. The western Massachusetts-based artist […]
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. […]
Jake Hunsinger & the Rock Bottom – Wrapped Around the Axle
The first time I listened to the new album from Jake Hunsinger & the Rock Bottom, Wrapped Around the Axle, I was driving, so couldn’t read or search anything. I kept thinking, “do I know this song, is it a cover?” Turns out Hunsinger is a student of country music song writing, and that explained […]
Chris Canterbury on His Covid Pivot and What Inspired His First Song
Louisiana-reared songwriter Chris Canterbury talks about buying guitar strings on clearance, designing his own marketing materials, and why he doesn’t write at home.
Bonus Monday Video – A Dallas House Show Preview
Twangville continues our Sunday Social concert series in Dallas, Texas this coming Sunday, October 16th (details here and rsvp here). Joining us are three incredible artists – Mando Saenz, Isaac Hoskins, and Carter Sampson. As we eagerly await an afternoon of songs and stories, here is a video playlist to whet our appetites: Mando Saenz […]
Monday Morning Video – Loretta Lynn
Country music, well, the entire music world, lost a legend last week with the passing of Loretta Lynn. In a career that spanned more than six decades and more than 50 albums, Lynn was both a trailblazer and an inspiration to the countless artists who followed in her footsteps. Here are a trio of songs […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Fall 2022
Roll Away (Like a Stone), Butch Walker (from the Ruby Red Recordings release Butch Walker as… Glenn) Butch Walker’s latest is something of a concept album, but not in the traditional sense. It portrays an artist playing a club show, complete with an emcee introduction, a simulated bar fight, and calls for an encore. Yet […]
Americana 2022: Mayer’s Picks (Part 2)
The Americana Music Association Conference and Awards made a welcome return from the virtual world this year. The annual event showcased several hundred artists who collectively illustrate the breadth of the Americana umbrella. Here are some of my highlights from Americana 2022. WILLIAM PRINCE A couple of songs at the Yellowstone round wasn’t enough so […]
Americana 2022: Mayer’s Picks (Part 1)
The Americana Music Association Conference and Awards made a welcome return from the virtual world this year. The annual event showcased several hundred artists who collectively illustrate the breadth of the Americana umbrella. Here are some of my highlights from Americana 2022. CHRISTONE “KINGFISH” INGRAM Ingram is now in the category of “when you can […]
Ben Balmer Premiere – I’ve Got You Under My Skin
Ben Balmer plays with a lot of folks around the Austin area and last fall he released an album, Honky Tonk Macbeth, that featured many of them. He has a new record coming out soon under the moniker of Ben Balmer & Friends, so we can assume that it will likewise feature a number of […]