One of my favorite things about seeing live shows (well, after the music) are the crazy comments that you hear along the way. Here are a few choice selections from late 2022/early 2023. This is the only song of mine that shows up in books of inspirational songs. Which shows that they don’t understand the […]
Brian Beken – New Geography
You know, something you don’t hear as much about these days is fiddle contests. They’re certainly still around, but it used to be that every county fair and Town Founders Days celebration had a fiddle contest alongside the animals-raised-by-kids judging and best pie battle. That (mostly) friendly musical competition environment and heritage nurtured a young […]
Robbie Fulks / Bluegrass Vacation
What I’ve come to expect from Robbie Fulks is good songs. So when I saw an album advertising all of the guest stars on his latest, Bluegrass Vacation, I started to get a little nervous. A lot of times I’ve found advertising the guest stars means, “I don’t have anything to say, but boy look […]
Wilder Woods on Recording Band Rehearsals and Graduating to a Tour Bus
Bear Rinehart – aka Wilder Woods – talks about working as a jet ski technician, burning incense in his rehearsal space, and why hearing “no” doesn’t mean that you’re wrong.
Robert Ellis on Lesser Known Music Business Expenses and a Typical Tour Day Schedule
Texas singer-songwriter Robert Ellis talks about why the tour van embodies the music business writ large and the importance of “do it now”.
Monday Morning Video – Roanoke
Another of my favorite SXSW discoveries this year was the band Roanoke. “If You’re Gonna Leave” – from 2022’s Wolf Motel is a particular favorite. If you’ve seen it, tell me that this shouldn’t have been the theme song of the Amazon series “Daisy Jones and the Six”.
Mike Donello – Rendezvous
With spring finally arriving in most of the country and summer just around the corner, it’s time to lighten up your playlist. The world is less about introspection in front of the fireplace and more about sunshine and flip-flops. Austinite Mike Donello, and his band The New Essentials, are genius at pulling off that casual […]
Readers’ Pick: Eilen Jewell – Get Behind the Wheel
You picked Eilen Jewell – Get Behind the Wheel as your favorite new release for the week of May 5, 2023.
Taj Mahal – Savoy
At 80, Taj Mahal is more than an elder statesman for the blues. Like his namesake is to India, he is a national treasure. With the old-timey Savoy, Mahal revisits his youth while continuing his lifelong habit of never being pigeonholed in a particular style. After a run with Ry Cooder in an underrated band […]
The Rough & Tumble – Only This Far
One of my best finds at this year’s Folk Alliance was The Rough & Tumble, the musical duo of Mallory Graham and Scott Tyler . A couple based out of, well, let me get back to that, they have a modern folk, bluegrass-tinged sound that’s a little bit joyous and a little bit philosophical. On […]