Steve Earle just released Jerry Jeff in honor of the late Jerry Jeff Walker, the latest in his series of albums paying tribute to songwriters that have inspired him. Here’s a vintage clip of him reminiscing about several others, including Townes Van Zandt – for whom “Ft. Worth Blues” was written.
“The Sun” – a Premiere from Beth // James
It seems like there is a tremendous amount of pain and suffering in the world these days. In times like these, music can offer a welcome salve. The latest single from Austin’s Beth // James – the husband/wife duo of Mikaela Beth and Jordan James Burchill – provides such a musical moment. “The Sun” starts […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Spring 2022
Southern Intentions, Wood Willow (from the self-released Southern Intentions) Oklahoma’s Wood Willow – the duo of Becca Herrod and Joel Parks – introduce themselves in fine fashion with Southern Intentions, Wood Willow (from the self-released Southern Intentions). Their debut’s ten tracks shift effortlessly between between sweet (“You’ve Got Me”, “Birds”) and brooding (“On With the […]
John Doe on Guitar Strings, Ballpoint Pens, and Intuition
Musician, songwriter, and actor John Doe talks about giving away his tour van and finding coffee, cigarettes, and beer on the road.
Stanhope – Static
Static is a funny thing. Mathematically it’s noise, typically random. The purists abhor it because it wasn’t there at the source. Yet it’s been shown to increase the perception of how real or genuine the recording is because, you know, nothing’s perfect. Chris Rawlins, the real-world name of Chicago musician Stanhope, applied that idea by […]
Monday Morning Video – “Show Yourself”, A Benefit Residency
Keepsake House, producers of the “From Story to Song” show that I wrote about earlier this year, are back with an even more ambitious undertaking: they’ve partnered with Nashville musician Alex Wong to host the month-long “Show Yourself: A Benefit Residency Celebrating AAPI Stories”. The series. emcompassing five shows, kicked off last Monday with Wong, […]
Monday Morning Video – Allison Russell
One of the most intense – and wonderful – performances that I saw at SXSW a few weeks back was from Allison Russell. The hour was late and the crowd was thin but Russell, backed by a trio of talented musicians and harmony vocalists, threw herself into the songs as well as sharing the stories […]
“Sick of This Town” – a Premiere from Michael McDermott
Everyone is from somewhere. The question is how many of us, after leaving, want to go back. It’s a topic that Michael McDermott explores on the forthcoming St. Paul’s Boulevard, and most notably on lead single “Sick of This Town”. “Be careful of the past, don’t let it drag you down, there’s no shame in […]
Amy Correia on Famed NYC Club Sin-é and Not Changing Her Guitar Strings
Singer-songwriter Amy Correia talks about her car dubbed “Footloose” and the stabilizing effect of a steady paycheck.
Monday Morning Video – Fruition
Let’s start the week with the glory that is Fruition. I saw the group in NYC on Friday and it was a typical outstanding show, including a killer cover of the Velvet Underground’s “Walk and Talk”. Here’s the band a few weeks ago in Denver rehearsing Crosby, Stills, and Nash’s classic “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” […]