Americanafest brings a plethora of artist and showcases together in Nashville each September to celebrate the year that was; and give a preview of the year to come. Here is my attempt to highlight but a few artists that caught my attention this year, although there are too many special performances to recount. The Vandoliers […]
Americana 2019: Mayer’s Picks (Part 2)
Every fall, The Americana Music Association gathers members, artists and music fans together in Nashville for its annual conference. Starting with the Americana Music Awards and continuing through several days of showcases and panel discussions, it is a tremendous celebration of Americana music. Here are but a few of my favorite performers and performances from […]
Video Premiere – King Commoner
L.A.-based musician King Commoner is also a filmmaker. I’ll explain why that matters in a minute. He recently dropped a new EP entitled Peril & Woe. The first song, Winter, is a rootsy rock piece with a serious snap-your-fingers-to-it beat. Run My Son drives a little harder and injects a more Southern rock flavor. The […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Summer 2019, Part 1
Love Is Dangerous, Dalton Domino (from the Lightning Rod Records release Songs from the Exile) Dalton Domino does more than wear his heart on his sleeve; he lays it bare. Much of his latest release finds him cycling through the various stages and emotions of heartbreak, from bitterness to self-reflection. He opens with the brooding […]
Jesse Dayton on Dick Dale’s Guitar Advice and Why Every Small Failure Is a Gift
Jesse Dayton talks about why touring in an RV has been a game-changer, how he’s build his audience one fan at a time and why songwriters should tend bar.
Monday Morning Video – Join Twangville in Boston
Hey Boston and Camberville! Twangville is bringing together some incredible New England artists for a special showcase later this month. We’ll be taking over the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge MA, one of our favorite listening rooms, on July 26th for one heck of party. Joining us for the night will be The Silks, Todd Thibaud, […]
Vandoliers’ Joshua Fleming on the Band’s Food Compass and Avoiding “Compare & Despair”
Dallas-Ft. Worth musician Joshua Fleming, singer-songwriter for Vandoliers, talks about trading jerky and Red Bull for fruit while touring, the gig that got him hooked on music and why he feels lucky.
Monday Morning Video – Jesse Dayton “Take Out the Trash”
Jesse Dayton shares some songwriting tips before launching into “Take Out the Trash,” a stand-out from 2018’s The Revealer. A live version appears on the feisty On Fire in Nashville, released earlier this year.
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 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 […]