Graham Young of Michigan Rattlers talks about the “hammering jackass” style of guitar playing and an old day job delivering platters of corned beef and pastrami for a delicatessen.
Monday Morning Video – Amy Ray
Our recent interview with Amy Ray sent me back into her solo catalog. Here’s “Sure Feels Good Anyway” from 2018’s Holler.
Mayer’s Playlist for Spring 2021, Part 2
The Wind’s Just Gonna Blow, Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall, and Jack Ingram (from the Vanner Records/RCA Nashville release The Marfa Tapes) Lambert, Randall, and Ingram. Kind of sounds like a law firm, doesn’t it? In this case it’s a trio of songwriters who have just released some intimate recordings from their writing retreats in Marfa, […]
Stoney LaRue – Double Live 25
Virtually all the new records that have crossed my speakers in the last year were studio albums. They were material that was semi-finished and just needed some polish, or were new songs inspired by elements of the pandemic. Leave it up to Stoney LaRue to find a third path. LaRue is a road warrior, typically […]
Justin Currie of Del Amitri on the Difference Between the Possible and the Probable
Justin Currie of Del Amitri talks about train ticket vouchers, working as a poisoner, and buffing guitar strings.
Mayer’s Playlist for Spring 2021, Part 1
Deep End, Joe Pug (from the Nation of Heat Records release The Diving Sun) What began as a collection of archival material emerges as a full-fledged album, complete with some wonderful new compositions. All flow with the grace and melodic charm that are Pug hallmarks. The Diving Sun is a mix of quiet acoustic and […]
Don Dixon on Allen Toussaint, Michael Jordan, and his Least Favorite Part of Life as a Musician
Don Dixon talks about his four different income streams and why it’s better to not have known the pitfalls of a musician’s life when he started his career.
Amy Ray on Life as a Solo Artist and an Indigo Girl
Amy Ray talks about her exercise regime while on tour, time spent working in a record pressing plant, and being disciplined about songwriting. Ray also shares some advice about mixing a record.
We’ll Go Walkin’ – A Special Dallas Playlist
The City, Brandon Callies (from the Hand Drawn Records release Sunrise Diner) Sunrise Diner, born of heartbreak, is not a happy album. Nonetheless, it is immensely satisfying as Brandon Callies blends melody and melancholy into regal pop songs. Opener “The City” sets a sorrowful tone, describing the singer wandering seemingly deserted city streets trying to […]
Vanessa Peters on Coffee and Saying No to a Paid Gig
Singer-songwriter Vanessa Peters talks about the relationship between audience demographics and merch sales and recalls touring with “Charlotte” and “Mercurio”.