Ray Wylie Hubbard once said that good poets didn’t have good childhoods. I’m sure that was a broad commentary on how adversity can be the inspiration an artist of any kind uses to shape their work. A brilliant case in point is the upcoming album from Minneapolis singer/songwriter Clayton Ryan, entitled Ghost Town. He took […]
Nick Gravenites – Rogue Blues
Nick Gravenites is cool. For his instinct for finding the moment, particularly back in the 1960s, I’d liken him to Neal Cassady,* the counter-culture icon who was taken into the beatnik fold in 1950s New York by Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg (the character Dean Moriarty in Kerouac’s On the Road was said to be […]
Alastair Caplin of The Langan Band on Rehearsals in the Scottish Highlands and Keeping a Journal
Fiddler Alastair Caplin of Scotland’s The Langan Band shares a tour lesson learned and talks about eating healthy while on tour and time spent teaching horse-back riding.
Bridget Kearney on Macrobars, Paul McCartney, and Working at Fenway Park
Bridget Kearney, solo artist and founding member of Lake Street Dive, talks about a good omen ahead of her band’s first show at Madison Square Garden, her evolving view on making music videos, and the time she broke the windshield of a taxi in Shanghai, China.
Monday Morning Video – Etta James, Dr. John, & Allen Toussaint
While picking out last week’s Allen Toussaint videos I stumbled across one with Toussaint, Dr. John, and Etta James. That led me to this unbelievable performance by James and Dr. John. The raw emotion from James is just… wow.
Readers’ Pick: Sarah Shook and the Disarmers – Revelations
You picked Sarah Shook and the Disarmers – Revelations as your favorite new release for the week of March 29, 2024.
Mira Goto – Before
Humans have always spent a lot of energy trying to outdo each other, and social media has supercharged all the motivations causing that. So it’s a nice change to run across someone who’s comfortable with just who they are. Santa Cruz, CA, native Mira Goto acknowledges “there are always going to be better guitar players […]
Victoria Liedtke and Jason Ringenberg – More Than Words can Tell
Victoria Liedtke and Jason Ringenberg have paired their voices to create an album of duets. However, why just do ordinary duets when you can dial up the challenge? They decided to take on the duets of legends Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner for a new album, “More Than Words Can Tell”. Outside of George Jones […]
Ruston Kelly on “Golden Snow” and Developing Thick Skin
Singer-songwriter Ruston Kelly talks about rehearsing at home, working at a chicken plant when he was 20, and the time that his tour bus caught on fire.
Monday Morning Video – Three from Allen Toussaint
I got sucked down the Toussaint rabbit hole this weekend. And what a rabbit hole it is. The legendary New Orleans songwriter, producer, and musician has influenced so many during his illustrious career. Here are a trio of Toussaint compositions that became staples for other artists: “What Do You Want the Girl to Do” (Bonnie […]