The Suitcase Junket is a one man extravaganza. One moment he’ll deliver a bruising rock anthem, the next a beautiful ballad. It had been several years since I’ve seen him live so I jumped at the chance to reconnect when he passed through NYC last week. He didn’t disappoint with a performance that was as […]
Readers’ Pick: Chris Smither – All About the Bones
You picked Chris Smither – All About the Bones as your favorite new release for the week of May 3, 2024.
Ruby Joyful – The Pie Chart of Love
Bluegrass has always had a large family element to it. From sitting around picking with friends and relatives to packing the clan into the camper for a weekend festival, it’s frequently a multi-generational activity. That’s as true today as it was fifty years ago–witness the story behind Colorado duet/band, Ruby Joyful. Co-founder Dan Rubinoff lived […]
My Black Country – The Songs of Alice Randall
What do you get when Allison Russell, Rhiannon Giddens, Valerie June and others get together to sing songs by an underappreciated black songwriter on John Prine’s label? My Black Country – The Songs of Allice Randall. Alice Randall has been writing country music songs for decades. Though hers isn’t exactly a household name, she’s been […]
Jared Deck on Road Sandwiches and Working Two Jobs
Oklahoma singer-songwriter Jared Deck talks about road sandwiches, developing a business model, and the inspiration for his first band.
Monday Morning Video – Josh Ritter “Getting Ready to Get Down”
If you’ve ever seen Josh Ritter live, he’ll periodically introduce this song with a warning to other songwriters. I’ll paraphrase: always think about how you’ll perform a song live when you write one filled with rapid fire lyrics. Here’s Ritter spitting out the lyrics of “Getting Ready to Get Down”.
Readers’ Pick: Charley Crockett – $10 Cowboy
You picked Charley Crockett – $10 Cowboy as your favorite new release for the week of April 26, 2024.
Jake Trevor Song Premiere – Coffee and Wine
I’ve always admired talented buskers. I can’t imagine a harder audience than a bunch of people who just view you as an obstacle to getting where they’re going. And yet, there is almost always a music fan or two who delay their plans to just stop and enjoy the song. Sometimes you see a few […]
Kyshona on touring in Vivian Van-Ross and Hosting the “Garageband Grammys”
Nashville singer-songwriter Kyshona talks about backpacking tour snacks and stretching – physically, mentally and emotionally.
Monday Morning Video – Roy Orbison
Hat tip to NPR and their current fundraising drive for reminding me of Roy Orbison’s greatness. Just take a look at the artists who came together to honor Orbison back in 1988. The background vocalists included Bonnie Raitt, kd lang, and J.D. Souther. The band included Tom Waits, Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, and T Bone […]