Most people are familiar with Malcolm Gladwell’s axiom that it takes 10,000 hours to be really good at something. You have to have some talent to start, but in the end you still have to put in the hard work. How then to explain Sierra Hull? She got her Rounder Records deal at 13. If […]
Sean McConnell – SKIN
Statistically speaking, most of the people reading this will live well past 80 years old. So being 40 isn’t quite to the halfway point. Philosophically though, turning 40 causes a lot of people to take stock of where they are in life. You have to admit to yourself that some of the things you did […]
Monday Morning Video – Robbie Fulks
Let’s spend Monday morning talking about Saturday night, courtesy of Robbie Fulks. The Fulks catalog covers a broad spectrum, from songs raw and honest to those that are comical and entertaining. At his best, however, he combines the two into songs that are imminently catchy but have a serious undercurrent. “Let’s Kill Saturday Night” is […]
Ron Pope on BBQ, Natty Light, and The Last Great Watering Hole
Nashville singer-songwriter Ron Pope talks about rough times at his earliest gigs, working security at an overpriced jeans store, and learning from whom – and from whom not – to accept suggestions.
Joel Timmons on Diversification and Teaching Geology
South Carolina reared, Nashville-based Joel Timmons talks about roadside tour van repairs and building long lasting relationships in the music business.
Joel Timmons – Psychedelic Surf Country
I’m generally a fan of debut albums. Without the pressure to follow up an earlier record, or put something out to satisfy the label, an artist can cull from their life’s best work. Sometimes that can go awry, though, when a musician has worked their way through a variety of styles on their way to […]
Dave Murphy Song Premiere – If I Could Fly
Not a lot of Twangville artists call New Jersey home. They may hail from there, but they make their way to Nashville or Austin or LA. For Dave Murphy though, the life and events that inspire the best country and folk songs had no problem finding him in the Garden State. Over the last couple […]
Hattie Webb on Tom Petty, Leonard Cohen, and the Gift of the Moment
English singer/songwriter/harpist Hattie Webb talks about getting advice from tour bus drivers, time spent in Tom Petty’s rehearsal space, and a meaningful non-music day job.
Everett Wren – Cascades
Something I’ve noticed lately is how many musicians identify now as multi-instrumentalists. The idea isn’t new–every professional musician I’ve ever known plays multiple instruments. What is new perhaps is the willingness to showcase those talents in a more public way, whether to play them in a live show or highlight them on a record. An […]
Bonus Monday Video – Peter Yarrow
“Puff the Magic Dragon” is one of folk music’s greatest songs. Sure, songs like “This Land Is Your Land” and “Blowin’ in the Wind” epitomize folk’s socio-political spirit. Yet I ask you this: how many songs have been – and continue to be – sung by generations of children. I’m fairly certain just hearing the […]