For most travelers, the next stop out of Bakersfield is either the high desert and Las Vegas, or the sprawl of Los Angeles. Â Musically, Bakersfield leads to the honky tonk of rural California, or the alternative rock and roll sprouting out of the Mojave. Â There’s a third path, though, north to the mountains and the […]
Folk Alliance 2016 – The Video Companion
Actual videos of our fave Folk Alliance performances are hard to come by, well at least good quality ones. So we decided to go with the next best thing – videos of these performers captured in other, sometimes unique, locations. Featured in this video playlist are: The Show Ponies, Parsonsfield, Aoife O’Donovan, Session Americana, Bob […]
Folk Alliance Conference 2016 – The Scene and the Sounds
Twangville returned to Kansas City two weeks ago for the annual Folk Alliance Conference. As we wrote last year, Folk Alliance is a different than your typical music conference or festival. For starters, the attendees are overwhelming musicians (save party crashers like us). This translates into an all music, all the time philosophy. This comes […]
Mayer’s Playlist for February 2016, Part 2
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH Meridian Rising by Paul Burch Paul Burch is a musician’s musician in the truest sense of the word. Admired by peers (who regularly lend their talents to his recordings), he is also ambitious with his musical exploration. Case in point – his latest release is a fictionalized take on the life […]
Mayer’s Playlist for February 2016, Part 1
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH Heavy Hearts, Hard Fists by Nikki Hill We’re gonna call this the best 2015 album that slipped by me last year. Better late than never, right? Hill’s sophomore release, the aptly titled Heavy Hearts, Hard Fists, hits like a punch in the gut. While her sound is rooted in old-school R&B, […]
Dori Freeman – Dori Freeman
From purely a songwriting perspective, I sometimes feel like many an artist’s best work is their debut album. Â The songs have been crafted over years and found their voice right along with the artist. It’s also frequently the case that you get a broader range of styles before fans and personal preferences start driving to […]
Paul Burch Talks About Driving a Van with No Steering and the Qualities of a Good Rehearsal Spaces
Paul Burch discusses listening to something that’s covered in magic marker ink, finding the fast food place that leaves you with the greatest satisfaction and waiting for the callback from his first gig -45 years and counting.
The Twangville 2016 Release Preview
There is already an impressive collection of releases on the docket for 2016, with plenty more sure to follow. Here are a handful that the Twangville crew are eagerly anticipating. What albums, whether on this list or not, are you most excited to hear? CAYAMO SESSIONS AT SEA by BUDDY MILLER AND FRIENDS(29 January on […]
Monday Morning Video: Girls Guns & Glory cover Hank Williams
There are certain statements that are indisputable. One of those is the profound impact that Hank Williams has had on American music. There’s really no escaping it. From the tortured heartache of “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry†to the gospel jubilee of “I Saw the Light†to the unbridled joy of “Jambalaya†he has […]
Monday Morning Video – Chris Stapleton “Parachute”
Stumbled across this great acoustic performance by Chris Stapleton, playing one of the stand-out tracks from his long overdue debut release. The show took place at Musician’s Corner in Nashville, a special venue in a public park that offers free shows by an impressive roster of artists each year.