Even if you don’t know his name, you know the songs. “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay.” “Knock on Wood.” “In the Midnight Hour.” “Green Onions.” Those classics are just a slice of what Steve Cropper gave to rock & roll and R&B. The legendary guitarist and songwriter passed away last week, leaving a […]
Monday Morning Video – Jimmy Cliff
We lost another legend lost last week with the passing of Jimmy Cliff. The Jamaican singer-songwriter earned his place in music history as one of reggae’s founding voices, but his artistry always reached beyond any single genre. Songs like “Many Rivers to Cross” stand as timeless standards—simultaneously gospel, folk, and pop, defying easy categorization while […]
Monday Morning Video – Todd Snider
Saturday morning brought some heartbreaking news: Todd Snider, the East Nashville icon and beloved storyteller, had passed away. The initial reaction seemed hesitant, as if all were in collective disbelief. But very quickly, an overwhelming outpouring of grief and remembrance flooded social media, filled with moving and often humorous stories about how Snider had touched […]
Studio Spotlight/FAME Recording Studios, Rodney Hall
Does FAME, the sound of Muscle Shoals, need an introduction? Probably not, so I’m not going to bother. But…if you do need a detailed history, check out their website. In the meantime, just enjoy the interview from original owner Rick Hall’s son Rodney Hall. Location: Muscle Shoals, Alabama Notable Artists: Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Etta […]
Studio Spotlight/Modern Recording, Chris Stamey
Back in 2007 I reached out to Chris Stamey about mixing my band’s newest album. He’d worked with some of the artists we loved (Mayflies USA, Whiskeytown) and we wanted to see what he could do for us. He arranged to have Al Perkins play pedal steel on a few songs, got the album into […]
Monday Morning Video – John Fogerty at the Americana Music Awards
Let’s close out Twangville’s coverage of this year’s AmericanaFest, the Americana Music Association’s annual gathering in Nashville, with one of the week’s highlights. Rock legend John Fogerty took to the stage of the Ryman Auditorium, an institution unto itself, to close out the annual Americana Honors and Awards program. And he didn’t do it alone. […]
AmericanaFest 2025, Say What?!
One of my favorite things about attending music conferences and festivals are the crazy comments that you hear along the way. Here are a few choice selections from this year’s AmericanaFest. If you’re gonna sign to a major label, do it in the 1990’s – it’s the best. Rhett Miller offering advice as he and […]
AmericanaFest 2025, Todd’s Take
When I saw Daniel Lanois announce he was playing a couple of shows in Nashville during AmericanaFest my excitement level hit a 10 out of 10, only to be eclipsed by my excitement level of 11 when I was actually watching him play with his trio at Dreamland on Tuesday. It was a perfect display […]
AmericanaFest 2025, Mayer’s Picks (Part 2)
SOPHIE GAULT Sophie Gault kept busy at AmericanaFest this year. I managed to catch her three times—solo, with the SiriusXM house band, and with her own crew—each performance more electrifying than the previous. There’s something about an artist finally making music on her own terms, and the new songs she previewed suggest her 2026 album […]
AmericanaFest 2025 – Shawn’s Favorites
I saw one estimate that in addition to the 150-ish musical acts with official showcases at this year’s AmericanaFest, there were another 150 you could only see at an unofficial event. If rumors of the dramatic slashing of music at SXSW are true, that may make AmericanaFest the largest event of the year, at least […]