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 […]
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 […]
Justin Peter Kinkel-Schuster on Taking It Easy and Why He Doesn’t Break Strings
Singer-songwriter Justin Peter Kinkel-Schuster talks about playing the Joe Muggs coffee shop for his first gig and the Jeep Wagoneer that was his favorite but worst tour vehicle.
Newport Folk Festival 2019 Feature – Gregory Alan Isakov Transports Listeners to Other Worlds
When I think about atmospheric music, I picture lots of instrumentation and layered tracks. I don’t picture a guy and a guitar. Gregory Alan Isakov has somehow merged the world of a singer/songwriter with moody ethereal music in a way that defies logic. My wife and I had a chance to sit down with Gregory […]
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 […]
Newport Folk Festival 2019 – Looking Back at the Big Names
Surprise guests are really nothing new at Newport Folk Festival but the 2019 edition highlighted a particularly timely legendary performer in Dolly Parton. The emcee of the Saturday night performance was Newport Folk Festival stalwart Brandi Carlile (introduced by Executive Produced of the Newport Folk Festival Jay Sweet) who introduced the country legend. Parton regaled […]
Andy Baxter of Penny and Sparrow Reflects on What’s Changed and What’s the Same in the Music Business
Andy Baxter talks about touring in “Cerebro”, the first song that the band wrote and sharing the stage with a giant paper-mache elephant.
Rod Picott on The Decline of CD Sales and His Definition of Hell
Singer-songwriter Rod Picott on getting stranded in Scranton, PA, the benefit of breaking his Starbucks habit and why artists need to work twice as hard and then again.
Mayer’s Picks – The Best of 2019 (So Far), the Songs
Canyon, Joshua Ray Walker (from the State Fair Records release Wish You Were Here) Talk about making a statement on your debut album. Walker’s moving acoustic ballad is both a highly personal reflection on his father’s battle with cancer and his own desire to be a better person. Simply stunning. Full Moon Goodbye, Michael McDermott […]
Robert Earl Keen on Learnable Skills and A Litany of Day Jobs
Singer-songwriter Robert Earl Keen talks about finding good food while on tour, working as a roughneck and Larry’s Mexican Food Restaurant in Rosenberg, Texas.