Last week was another tough one in the music world with the passing of both Donnie Fritts and Neal Casal. Fritts Fritz was the longtime keyboardist for Kris Kristofferson and a renowned Alabama songwriter while Casal was the guitarist in groups ranging from the Chris Robinson Brotherhood to Ryan Adams & the Cardinals to the […]
Jody Stephens and Luther Russell Talk Those Pretty Wrongs, Big Star and Life in a “Grassroots” Enterprise
Luther Russell and Jody Stephens of Those Pretty Wrongs share stories about their tour strategies, varied rehearsal studio experiences and songs written together and alone.
Mayer’s Playlist for Summer 2019, Part 2
Have You Seen My Girl, Todd May (from the self-released Let’s Go Get Lost) There are certain albums that were meant to be heard on vinyl. While the latest from Todd May isn’t available in that format, one can hear both its inherent warmth and insistent crackle in every song – even when streamed or […]
Quick Hits – Brad Sanzenbacher, Leroy From The North
Like a lazy river winding through the woods on a hot summer day, the new EP, Dying Old Flower, from Santa Cruz Mountains-based Brad Sanzenbacher is as much a feeling as a sight or sound. You can practically smell the riverside rhododendrons on Cacapon, perhaps named after a park in West Virginia with just that […]
Bonus Monday Video – Ottoman Turks vs The 40 Acre Mule
The folks at State Fair Records have a good thing going. I’ve been in Dallas a few years now and have had some time to explore the local music scene. Chief among my discoveries is that there has been a steady flow of great music State Fair. The label wraps up its summer with not […]
Monday Morning Video – Austin Lucas and Garrett Owen
As one might imagine (and some actually know), I see a lot of shows. And by that I mean a lot. In that realm there are some artists who I get to see a lot. Then there are others who, unfortunately for various reasons, I don’t get to see often enough. Austin Lucas fits in […]
A Premiere from Ward Hayden and the Outliers
One of the great things about seeing Ward Hayden & the Outliers live is the wonderful covers that they throw into their set. While these song choices are seemingly intended as crowd pleasers – which, of course, they are – they are also evidence that the quartet are true students of music. The group’s encyclopedic […]
Beth Bombara on Avoiding Hangry and Her Extended History of Tour Vehicles
St. Louis rocker Beth Bombara recalls getting paid in donuts at her first gig and the time that the cops showed up at band rehearsal.
Monday Morning Video – Costello and Springsteen Take on Radio
This clip comes from the late, lamented show “Spectacle” that paired Elvis Costello with an impressive array of artists for conversation and song. Bruce Springsteen joined for an episode and the pair offered up this great mash-up of Springsteen’s “Radio Nowhere” and Costello’s “Radio Radio”.
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 […]