One of the vivid memories I have as a child is the annual county fair and carnival where I experienced my first hall of mirrors. As a kid it’s a wonderment: you see yourself fat, skinny, multiple eyes, all kinds of variations of what you know is you. Philadelphia’s The Naked Sun took a very […]
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, […]
Jeffrey Martin on His Custom Tour Van and The Joy of Letting Go On Stage
Singer-songwriter Jeffrey Martin talks about the sign that he slaps on the side of his tour van to keep the riffraff from being curious, enjoying a good meal while on tour, and his awkward and fantastic first gig.
Monday Morning Video – David Garza “Butterflies”
David Garza rarely tours, so stumbling into his Dallas show late last year felt like finding money in an old coat pocket. I’ve been a fan of his music for years, but “Butterflies” from 2004’s A Strange Mess of Flowers had somehow slipped through the cracks until now. The song’s gentle melody masks the raw […]
Matt Charette Shares One for a Friend and One for the Fight
There’s a certain style of DIY rock and roll that thrives in cities and towns across the country—gruff, edgy, and deeply heartfelt. No pretense in the songs, no bullshit in the attitude. And often, some of the kindest people you’ll ever meet. Two artists who embody that spirit – and represent its geographic reach – […]
Courtney Marie Andrews on Her Tour Van “Jambulance” and Time Spent Bartending
Singer-songwriter and poet Courtney Marie Andrews talks about why she only changes her guitar strings every year or two and recalls being driven to her first gig by her mom.
Monday Morning Video – Melanie MacLaren
We’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Nashville-by-way-of-NYC songwriter Melanie MacLaren over the past year—even hosting her at our Spring 2025 Twangville Sunday Social in Dallas. Her songs mesmerize, her performances captivate, and this video shows exactly why. Joined here by guitarist Jack Schneider, she performs the evocative “Graveyard Shift” from her debut EP—a […]
Sophie Gault – Unhinged
Somewhere in the exurbs of farming country sits the rural version of a night club. It’s a big, corrugated tin building with a puddle-filled gravel lot, nearly indistinguishable from the welding shop next door. Live music on the weekends is courtesy of a local band playing honky-tonk rock, the thematic choice for drinkin’, flirtin’, fightin’, […]
Gurf Morlix: Crafting Songs That Outlast Time
Gurf Morlix has spent more than half a century shaping the sound of American songwriting, often from behind the scenes. At 74, he may have stepped back from touring, but his creative fire burns brighter than ever. Since the pandemic, Morlix has entered a prolific streak, writing and recording at a pace that would challenge […]
Sammy Brue on Woody Guthrie, Pizza Boxes, and Time Spent in Telluride
Singer-songwriter Sammy Brue recalls busking in Utah when he was eleven and talks about the difference between character and volume.