Imagine if Patsy Cline took the stage at a smoky old jazz club, backed by a string band. Or better still, Diana Krall guesting on vocals with Heybale! at the Continental on a Sunday evening in Austin. That juxtaposition is a good way to think about the self-titled, debut album from Megg Farrell & Friends. […]
David Ball on Playing for the People and Having the Right Team
David Ball on why he prefers salads while touring and the day job that lasted a month when he moved to Nashville.
Monday Morning Video – The Texas Teens
There’s a talented group of young musicians establishing themselves in Dallas. Their choice of musical genre may vary but they share a determined commitment to craft that shines bright in their music. If they are any indication, our musical future is in good hands. Have a listen to Parker Twomey, Remy Reilly, Frankie Leonie and […]
Ted Russell Kamp Video Premiere – Home Away From Home
Life on the road is hard. Â As the glass of water metaphor describes, though, optimists and pessimists see that challenge differently. Â You can put Ted Russell Kamp firmly in the former. Â Between his own performances and as a long-time member of Shooter Jennings’ band, Kamp gets double the opportunity to travel. Â On his latest record, […]
Jimbo Mathus on Rehearsing in an Old Fire Station and Working to Stay Afloat
Jimbo Mathus recalls riding multiple tour vans into the ground, time spent working as a deck hand for the Canal Barge Company in New Orleans and a blessed career without health insurance.
Tim Bluhm – Sorta Surviving
There’s nothing like going to the source of your inspiration to really understand its intricacies. Â Californian Tim Bluhm, of The Mother Hips, did just that when he decided to do a country music album. Â Sorta Surviving was recorded at Johnny Cash’s cabin-cum-studio, and features A-list players like Jesse Aycock on guitar and Elizabeth Cook on […]
Kylie Rae Harris on Topo Chico and Not Losing Sight of the “Why”
Texas singer-songwriter Kylie Rae Harris on the high school residency that helped her build her musical chops, the importance of showing up and why being an artist is a total gamble.
SXSW 2019 – The Sounds, Part 2
BEN KWELLER After a multi-year hiatus from music and, at least on this night, was in a feisty mood. In power trio format, he unleashed a boisterous pop fury. Welcome back, Ben. DEATH BY UNGA BUNGA This was the band that I saw that I saw the most at SXSW, catching three of their six […]
SXSW 2019 – The Sounds, Part 1
BALTO I was sold on Balto as soon as I heard the blistering slide on “Black Snake, Mojave Blues”, the sample track that they shared on their SXSW profile page. Seeing them live provided an exclamation point – I caught two exceptional raucous and greasy outdoor sets in the afternoon sun. The LA-based quartet were […]
SXSW 2019 – The Scene
For me, the true harbinger of spring is the arrival of the SXSW Music and Media Conference in Austin, Texas. Or rather, spring begins for me when I arrive in Austin for SXSW. With upwards of 2,000 bands and more than 20,000 attendees from around the world, SXSW is the world’s premiere music conference. Even […]