Songwriter and author Wesley Stace talks about the freedom of touring in his car and starting his career as a busker covering Loudon Wainwright, John Prine, Steve Goodman and John Hiatt songs.
Bonus Monday Video – Celebrating Summer With Dinty Child and Mark Erelli
Where the heck did summer go?  It seems like after the past year and a half we should get an extra month of summer this year (and not in a climate change kinda way…).  Well, Dinty Child and co-conspirator Mark Erelli wrote a rocking celebration of the season.  Even better, they invited friends, family, and […]
Dominique Pruitt on Getting a Compliment from Billy Gibbons and Rehearsing In a Car
Singer-songwriter Dominique Pruitt talks about the Mountain Stage after-party and some advice that she received early in her career.
Bonus Monday Video – Tom T. Hall & Don Everly
We lost two giants in the past few days – Tom T. Hall and Don Everly. Let’s celebrate their legacies in video fashion. First, a 1970 Everly Brothers tv appearance. The segment is a bit hokey but it speaks to the depth of the talent that Don and his late brother Phil possessed. Then, Tom […]
Monday Morning Video – Mavis Staples & Friends
Let’s continue with the “and friends” theme that we started last week. Next up is a three-fer from the great Mavis Staples. First, a 1988 performance of the Staples Singers classic “I’ll Take You There” that features Dr. John and Jeff Healey. Second, a 2011 backstage rehearsal of the Band’s “The Weight” with Wilco and […]
The Northern Belle’s “Kaleidoscope Dream” – A Twangville Premiere
Earlier this year Norway’s The Northern Belle honored John Prine with an exquisite version of the late singer-songwriter’s “Summer’s Endâ€. Now that summer really is coming to an end, the group is marking the occasion with the release of a new mini-album called The Women In Me. The album’s opening track really sets the tone for the collection. […]
Monday Morning Video – Randy Newman and Friends
Randy Newman is an American treasure. Whether cynical or sentimental, his songs brilliantly capture the characters and moments that inhabit them. Here’s Newman, accompanied by Tom Petty, Jackson Browne, John Fogerty, and an all-star band performing his classic anthem “I Love L.A”. I wish they alternated the verses that Jackson Browne and John Fogerty sang […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Summer 2021
Foregone Conclusion, Zach Schmidt (from the Boss Dawg Records release Raise a Banner) Zach Schmidt has been waiting awhile for the release of his sophomore full length album. Not Chinese Democracy long, but long enough. Schmidt recorded the album, backed by producer Sadler Vadan and the 400 Unit (yes, that one), then saw the album […]
Mayer’s Picks – The Best of 2021 (So Far), the Songs
Breaking a Heart/The Wind’s Just Gonna Blow, Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert, and Jon Randall (from the Sony Music Nashville release The Marfa Tapes) If you thought their song “Tin Man” was achingly beautiful, they’ve got a few more from their time in Marfa that just might make your eyes a little misty. I couldn’t decide […]
Mayer’s Picks – the Best of 2021 (So Far), the Albums
J.T. by Steve Earle & The Dukes Steve Earle’s moving tribute to his late son Justin Townes Earle is an emotional gut punch. Yet beyond the tragedy of the younger Earle’s passing, the elder Earle’s performances of his son’s songs highlight their shared gift of songwriting and storytelling mastery. Be warned, though, that the closing […]