Speechwriter, Joelton Mayfield (from the Bloodshot Records release Crowd Pleaser) Joelton Mayfield’s Crowd Pleaser announces itself with purpose: vivid storytelling wrapped in guitars that know when to whisper and when to scream. The dynamics shift constantly—bobbing, weaving, building tension that reverberates from somewhere in the distance before crashing into the present moment. “Pretty Linda” offers […]
Kiss Off – a Special Twangville Playlist, Part 8
A few times over the years I put together a series of special playlists featuring my favorite kiss off songs. Despite what some may think, I’m really not that cynical. Rather, I just appreciate how some songwriters can tackle the topic with humor and bite. It’s kind of like a genre unto itself. There have […]
Sophie Gault on Drinking Premium Water and Working to Tour
Nashville singer-songwriter Sophie Gault talks about using a guitar string to tie the bumper back on her car, time spent working at an animal hospital, and being raised by a pack of dingoes in Australia.
Bonus Monday Video – Many Rivers to Cross
Apparently I’m not the only one who considers Jimmy Cliff’s “Many Rivers to Cross” one of contemporary music’s great compositions. Here are some exceptional performances of the song by Joe Cocker, Linda Ronstadt, Annie Lennox, Lissie, Allen Stone & EJ Worland, and Bruce Springsteen.
GA-20 – Orphans
About 12 years ago I caught a Charlie Musselwhite show at Blues Alley, DC’s great jazz club (that occasionally features blues artists lately). Musselwhite of course was great, but the young lead guitarist, Matthew Stubbs, piqued my intrest so much I sought out his early solo albums – Soul Bender and Medford & Main. What […]
Monday Morning Video – Hard Working Americans
The music community continues to mourn the passing of Todd Snider, with countless stories emerging about how supportive he was of fellow musicians and songwriters. He put that generosity on full display in the early 2010s with the formation of Hard Working Americans, teaming up with Widespread Panic’s Dave Schools, the late guitarist Neal Casal, […]
A Few More Words With Trapper Schoepp
Back in August, we talked with Trapper Schoepp about songwriting, recovery, and his then-upcoming album Osborne. Now that the record’s out in the world, we caught up with him again to dig deeper into his creative process, the challenges of recording the album’s most vulnerable moments, and what it means to write without guardrails. Twangville: […]
Andrew Leahey on “Van Haulin’” and Learning to Embrace Chaos
Nashville-based Andrew Leahey reveals which artists he’s toured with have the best catering, recalls borrowing a melody from the TV show “My So-Called Life” when he wrote his first song, and talks about finding friends in the music industry.
Daniel Donato Talks About the Difference Between “Playing” and “Thinking”
Daniel Donato reveals a key source of songwriting ideas and talks about holding band meetings in the Blue Flame Lounge, located in the back of his tour bus “The Snowman”.
Join the Tribute To Dallas Good
If you’re a fan of the roots rock/alternative country style that’s one of the mainstays here in Twangville, you’ve undoubtedly heard The Sadies. Their sound is unmistakeable, owing in no small part to the twin lead guitars of brothers Dallas and Travis Good. Over the years they’ve put out 20+ records, either on their own […]