In addition to the awards ceremony, the AMA puts on a pretty hot music festival for the 3 days following the ceremony. Â It’s a great chance to see some old favorites and hear some up & coming artists. Â Grouped by the “how” I heard them versus the “where” or “when” here are some of the […]
Monday Morning Video: Love for Levon Helm
A special benefit was held last week in New Jersey to raise funds to preserve Helm’s farmhouse studio in upstate New York and continue his tradition of Midnight Ramble performances. Alas, I wasn’t at the show, but all reports indicate it was a truly special evening. Guest included Mavis Staples, Roger Waters, John Hiatt, Gregg […]
Tift Merritt – Travelling Alone
Tift Merritt has outdone herself. She just released the best CD of her career. I am not kidding. Bramble Rose was her ground breaking first release. Another Country equaled Bramble Rose, but it didn’t best it. With the release of Travelling Alone, she has set a new standard for herself. The album is truly a […]
Music With a Purpose: Jones Street Station’s Perennials Project
Musicians have a long tradition of giving. Sure, they give to all of us with the music that they share. Yet they also have a penchant for supporting meaningful causes. Over the next few weeks we will highlight several releases that demonstrate this giving spirit. I’ve always had one complaint about Jones Street Station. It […]
The Giving Tree Band – Vacilador
With the size of a collective and the instruments of a bluegrass string band, Giving Tree band has a unique sonice texture. In their most recent release, they’ve moved further from the bluegrassy sound of “The Joke, The Threat and The Obvious.†“Vacilador†has a decidedly downtempo country feel with folk accents.  The second […]
Monday Morning Video: Big Star “September Gurls”
So I was waiting for months to post this song during the requisite month… and promptly forgot! Ah well, better late then never, right? Here’s Alex Chilton and Jody Stephens, joined by Posies Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow, on the Big Star classic.
Music With a Purpose: Joey’s Song, Volume 2
Musicians have a long tradition of giving. Sure, they give to all of us with the music that they share. Yet they also have a penchant for supporting meaningful causes. Over the next few weeks we will highlight several releases that demonstrate this giving spirit. You’ve got to admire perseverance, especially in pursuit of a […]
Robert Francis – Strangers in the First Place
 Americana? Rock? Alt-Country? Sometimes all the labels get tiresome and you just want to hear some good songwriting. Simple, emotional, powerful. On Robert Francis’ third record, he’s simplified the production, cleaned it up perhaps to a fault. That said, the polish hasn’t dulled the power of Francis’ melodic vocals. His direct vocal delivery and […]
Joanne Shaw Taylor – Almost Always Never
Joanne Shaw Taylor is in the vanguard of a group of driven, talented young European women who have taken on blues music – and taken no prisoners. Taylor, originally from Birmingham, England, has been playing professionally since she was a teenager (she toured with the Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart’s group D.U.P. when she was only 16) […]
Monday Morning Video: Jeff Tweedy and the Bottle Rockets
Here’s a cool one from the archives. In 1994 Brian Henneman of the Bottle Rockets, formerly the guitar tech for Uncle Tupelo, played lead guitar on Wilco’s debut, A.M. Twelve years later the two reunited when Tweedy joined the Bottle Rockets for a few songs at a Chicago club. Said Henneman, “I don’t know if […]