There are jam sessions, and then there are JAM SESSIONs. When you get blues masters Charlie Musselwhite and Alvin Youngblood Hart together with former Squirrel Nut Zipper Jimbo Mathus, North Mississippi Allstars brothers Luther and Cody Dickinson and their father Jim, you’re gonna have a JAM SESSION. That’s what happened in the fall of 2007, […]
Bill’s Belated Blues-Based Best of 2019
Well, it’s that time of the year again, and after awakening from my yearly food coma, I realized I hadn’t compiled my annual inexpert list of favorite blues-based albums. Well, here we go: Â Jimmy “Duck” Holmes – Cyprus Grove. A collection of earthy originals and covers from the last of a breed of Mississippi Delta […]
Bill’s Blues-Based Best of 2017
For me, and perhaps for all of us, 2017 was a year of challenges and changes. But through the challenges we’re facing, it’s reassuring to fall back on great music that expresses our frustrations and hopes. The following are my inexpert highlights of the best of blues-based (not strictly blues) music of 2017.  North Mississippi Allstars – Prayer […]
Best of 2013 – Chip
Here is my Top Ten for 2013: Feel free to cast stones and insults if you disagree. 1. Patty Griffin American Kid The combination of Griffin’s vocal elegance along with Luther and Cody Dickinson’s backup, made this album stand above all others. The ethereal duet with Robert Plant was also a high impact song. 2. […]
Americana 2011: The Awards
The hands-down highlight of the Conference was the annual Americana Music Awards. In this instance, the words for such a magical evening are hard to come by. Set aside any the speeches and performances, the event was held in the legendary Ryman Auditorium. Originally built for religious revivalist meetings, it achieved great fame as the […]
Americana 2011: The Scene
This year, Twangville made it’s first trek to Nashville for the annual Americana Music Conference and the 10th Annual Americana Music Awards. Over the next week I’ll be highlighting some the moments, musical and otherwise, from this year’s event. WHAT’S IN A NAME? The running joke all week was how to define Americana. The context […]
Drive-by Truckers + More, Releases 1/22/08
DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS, Brighter Than Creation’s Dark (New West) Official Site | MySpace | Spinner Oh glory! The mother truckin’ Alabama hammers are back and they’ve got something to say. About 19 different things to say if you count the number of songs on their latest release ‘Brighter Than Creation’s Dark’. They may be without Jason […]