It was just a few years ago that Drayton Farley was recording songs in his bedroom. His new release, A Heavy Duty Heart, boldly announces that though they were recent those days are long in the rearview. Like his previous album, the project was produced by Sadler Vaden, guitarist for Jason Isbell and the 400 […]
The Montvales on Rehearsal Space Interlopers and How They Financed Their 2nd Album
Cincinnati-based duo the Montvales talk about touring survival mechanisms, investing in one’s relationship with creativity, and the time that they were billed as a French-Appalachian folk group.
Paula Boggs Band – Sumatra
I suppose it’s only natural that a musician from Seattle would use a region’s coffee as a metaphor for the style of one of their albums. Sumatran coffee is generally considered to be bold and full-bodied, with notes of earthiness, spice and chocolate. That’s actually not too bad of a one-line review for Paula Boggs […]
It’s Time for Our Next Sunday Social in Dallas
There’s a specific kind of magic that happens when the sun starts to dip over a Dallas afternoon and the music takes hold. If you’ve been to a Twangville Sunday Social, you know exactly what we mean. If you haven’t? Well, April 19th is your chance to find out. All three of our featured artists […]
John Francis O’Mara Video Premiere – Jesus Walked On Water
One of my favorite albums of last year was John Francis O’Mara’s Forbidden Hymns. It’s a plea for humanity to dig deep into their soul and find the empathy and kindness that’s been mocked as a weakness by many in power today. Set to a soundtrack of outlaw country hymns and Southern rock R&B ballads, […]
Folk Alliance Int’l 2026 – Shawn’s Favorites
Folk Alliance International isn’t your typical music conference. Held this year in New Orleans, days include industry panels, seminars, and public showcases in hotel ballrooms, but the real magic happens late at night when up to 100 hotel rooms transform into intimate “private showcases”—artists who normally fill 500-seat theaters performing for 20 people at a […]
Folk Alliance Int’l 2026 – Mayer’s Picks, Part 2
Folk Alliance International isn’t your typical music conference. Held this year in New Orleans, days include industry panels, seminars, and public showcases in hotel ballrooms, but the real magic happens late at night when up to 100 hotel rooms transform into intimate “private showcases”—artists who normally fill 500-seat theaters performing for 20 people at a […]
Folk Alliance Int’l 2026 – Mayer’s Picks, Part 1
Folk Alliance International isn’t your typical music conference. Held this year in New Orleans, days include industry panels, seminars, and public showcases in hotel ballrooms, but the real magic happens late at night when up to 100 hotel rooms transform into intimate “private showcases”—artists who normally fill 500-seat theaters performing for 20 people at a […]
It’s Cold Outside – a Premiere From Cold Chocolate
There are guitar-drum duos who sound like guitar-drum duos. And there are those that do something special. Cold Chocolate are firmly in the latter category. The Boston duo blend folk, rock, funk and bluegrass into something that honors tradition while kicking up a ruckus with scruffy guitar and driving rhythms. They don’t limit themselves to […]
The Lowest Pair – As Young As We’ll Ever Be
One of the things I find endearing about the folk music community is how they support a wide range of styles. From a single performer with guitar or autoharp to a string band with complex arrangements that border on chamber music, they embrace it as their own. For a taste of some of the latter, […]