BOY GOLDEN I caught Boy Golden twice, and both sets were terrific in song and stagecraft. At the second show, I recognized a guy in a Boy Golden t-shirt from the previous set. I struck up a conversation and it turned out to be Dad Golden. Boy Golden also had to follow the reunion of […]
Americanafest 2026, Todd’s Take
Going into this year’s Americanafest there was no “one big thing” that I had to see. I was open to anything. Sure, there were a few acts that I had on my wish list, but there wasn’t anything as exciting as last year’s Daniel Lanois appearance so I decided not to make much of a […]
AmericanaFest 2026 – Shawn’s Favorites
Having just wrapped up its 26th edition, AmericanaFest has grown considerable in the years I’ve been going. In the early years a shuttle bus continuously made the rounds between the half dozen or so clubs that were hosting official showcases across the 3-nights of shows (plus the kick-off Awards and Honors event Wednesday night). Now […]
2026 Americana Music Awards
Although the official events of the weeklong Americana Music Association’s AmericanaFest start on Tuesday, the main event is the Honors and Awards show Wednesday evening (Sept 16th) at the iconic Ryman Auditorium. It was streamed live on a variety of sites, and you can see a recap later this fall on PBS. This year’s hosts […]
Monday Morning Video – Dolly Parton
Plenty has already been written about Dolly Parton, and the stories and praise will continue to flow. All are glorious tributes to an artist whose impact spanned generations and will continue to do so across those that follow. Twangville Shawn already shared his memories of Dolly. Here’s one of mine — a night at SXSW […]
Dolly Parton – In Memoriam
As a kid growing up I didn’t like Dolly Parton. She and her musical partner, Porter Wagoner, represented everything I hated about country music at the time. They were well-coifed, fancily dressed, polished, with heavily produced records. Absolutely nothing of value to a teenage boy. Fast forward a few years and she’d shed Porter and, […]
Monday Morning Video – Glen Hansard
Glen Hansard died last week, and it’s hard to know where to start. He was one of the genuine ones — in his music and in how he moved through the world. That’s a rare thing, and it’s the thing we’ll miss most. I’ve written before about my favorite Hansard memory: an impromptu moment at […]
The Family – Delusions of Grandeur
Some records feel assembled; Delusions of Grandeur feels inherited. The Family is Dylan LeBlanc, his father James LeBlanc and James wife and stepson Angela Hacker and Bay Simpson. The album carries the unmistakable weight of shared history, where blood ties matter less than the lived experiences that shape every lyric and harmony. Recorded at Muscle […]
Mayer’s Picks – The Best of 2026 (So Far), the Songs
Don’t Let Go, Fantastic Cat (from the Missing Piece Records release Cat Out of Hell) A scream-along-at-the-top-of-your-lungs anthem about holding on to your dreams. Nothing you can buy can save what you soldSo hold on tight to the light in your soulDon’t look down, baby don’t let… Don’t let go Suffer, Boy Golden (from the […]
Mayer’s Picks – the Best of 2026 (So Far), the Albums
Cat Out of Hell by Fantastic Cat Fantastic Cat’s third album is another classic, nothing but pure pop perfection. Four songwriters with distinct styles blend here in a way that shouldn’t work as well as it does — sharp and spirited in both lyric and melody. And credit where it’s due: any album title that […]