In the 1970s, John Mayall, O.B.E., was, along with Bob Dylan, John Prine, David Bromberg, Loudon Wainwright III, Shawn Phillips and Jerry Jeff Walker, one of my musical heroes.  Now at 83 and still touring and recording albums, Mayall is an inspiration. Mayall, often called the “Godfather of British Blues,†is so much more than […]
Monday Morning Video – Girls Guns and Glory “Rock and Roll”
The lead off track from Girls Guns and Glory’s latest long player (Love and Protest) seems like a fitting song to kick off the week. Are you ready to rock and roll?
Monday Morning Video – Greg Trooper
2017 is already off to a rough start with the recent passing of songwriter Greg Trooper. He was very much a songwriter’s songwriter, a storyteller who delved deep into the lives of the characters who inhabited his songs all the while connecting the listener to the universal truths in their tales.
Say What?! Fall/Winter 2016 Edition
One of my favorite things about seeing live shows (well, after the music) are the crazy comments that you hear along the way. Here are a few choice selections from fall/winter 2016. The glass breaking was perfect timing. Too bad it was in the wrong fucking key. David Ramirez, when someone dropped a glass on […]
Paolo Von Giordano of New Diplomat Talks About the Band’s Multi-Purpose Rehearsal Space and Shares His Tips for Writing Songs
Paolo Von Giordano of electronic indie rock band New Diplomat talks about trying to eat healthy while on tour and why the band waited before scheduling their first gig together.
Monday Morning Video – Al Green
What’s better than some Al Green to start the week? How about Al Green covering Sam Cooke. It doesn’t get much better.
The Sadies – Northern Passages
I appreciate the sentiment behind the saying, “you can’t go home again” and it’s nod to life not standing still. Â Sometimes, when you want to take a step back from all the changes, home is just where you want to go, though. Â Brothers Dallas and Travis Good, and their Sadies bandmates Sean Dean and Mike […]
The Twangville 2017 Release Preview
If the albums scheduled for release over the next few months are any indication, we’re in for a fine year of music. Here are just a few forthcoming long-players that we’re highly anticipating. MOUNT RENRAW by OTIS GIBBS (13 January on Wanamaker Recording Company) Otis Gibbs is one of the most thoughtful songwriters in Americana, […]
Monday Morning Video – Glen Hansard Covers Bowie
This week marks the one year anniversary since we lost David Bowie. Here’s Glen Hansard offering two tributes, the first is a bedroom version of “Ashes to Ashes,” the second is a performance of “Golden Years” from a tribute concert that took place shortly after Bowie’s death.
Blackie & the Rodeo Kings – Kings And Kings
A few years back up-and-coming Canadian roots band Blackie & the Rodeo Kings undertook an ambitious project to record an album of duets with female singers they admired and wished they could work with. They pulled it off and that album, Kings And Queens, started getting them noticed by a much wider audience.  Fast forward to […]