Author: Americana Music News

Show #4 Doyle and Debbie and the “Opry on acid”

 in Americana Music, Music Cruise News, Nashville music

The Doyle and Debbie Show

And now for something completely different:  We’ve spent hundreds of nights in clubs over the years, and though the musicianship can be phenomenal, it”s rare for us to say we’re seeing something we’ve never seen before. And then there’s Doyle and Debbie.

Bruce Arntson and Jenny Littleton embody this unusual country duo with a singular back story. It seems that Doyle, a regional country star with enormous personal baggage, is mounting his comeback with his “third Debbie.” Yes, it’s drawn from Shakespeare.

This parody and simultaneous celebration of country music makes for one of the most entertaining evenings you’ll spend in a club or theater.  In this edition of Americana Music News, Bruce and Jenny recount the duo’s origins and the sometimes unexpected audience reactions.

About  Americana News: We’re in our seventh year covering Americana, roots, country and folk music from our base in Nashville. We’ve just launched a new Americana Music News podcast, available free of charge through all the leading podcast providers, including iTunes. And  please join our 23,000 Twitter followers to continue the conversation.

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Folk Alliance International 2018 set for Feb. 14-18

 in Americana Music

By Ken Paulson – One of our favorite events of the year is the annual Folk Alliance International conference. There can’t be any place on the planet with more talent per square foot. There are showcases for a wide range of talents each evening, supplemented by hundreds of “private” showcases in hotel rooms all over the host hotel.
This year’s conference is in Kansas City Feb. 14-18, and features guest speakers Mary Chapin Carpenter and Richard Thompson. Showcase artists include Dar Williams, Colter Wall, Crane Wives, Danni Nicholls, John Gorka, John Oates, Stephen Kellogg, Ruthie Foster, Steve Poltz and dozens more.
Details on how to attend came by found on the Folk Alliance site.

Show #3 Chip Taylor and his new release “Fix Your Words”

 in Americana Music, Interviews, New releases, Podcast

There’s a good case to make that Chip Taylor is a godfather of Americana music. His ’70 albums – particularly “Chip Taylor’s Last Chance” – foreshadowed the genre to come. Chip has had an astonishing career as a Hall of Fame songwriter (“Wild Thing,” “Angel of the Morning”), as a partner with Carrie Rodriguez and as  a solo artist of great integrity. In this conversation on Grammys weekend in New York, Chip tells us about his latest album “Fix Your Words.”

About  Americana News: We’re in our seventh year covering Americana, roots, country and folk music from our base in Nashville. We’ve just launched a new Americana Music News podcast, available free of charge through all the leading podcast providers, including iTunes. And  please join our 23,000 Twitter followers to continue the conversation.

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Show #2 Band of Heathens and the inspiration of Ray Charles

 in Americana Music, Music Cruise News, Podcast

Gordy Quist and his bandmates in the Band of Heathens have spent time in their studio recreating an obscure Ray Charles album from the early ’70s. We’re all for it and pretty much anything else this dynamic band produces.

About  Americana News: We’re in our seventh year covering Americana, roots, country and folk music from our base in Nashville. We’ve just launched a new Americana Music News podcast, available free of charge through all the leading podcast providers, including iTunes. And  please join our 23,000 Twitter followers to continue the conversation.

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Podcast 1 Raul Malo of the Mavericks

 in Americana Music, Interviews, Podcast

Few could have produced the Mavericks’ creative resurgence after reuniting in 2012 that led to being voted the top Americana Music Band of 2015 by the voters of the Americana Music Association. Raul Malo talks about the band’s return to glory, their new label and other exciting new projects.

Subscribe to the Americana Music News Podcast on iTunes.

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Cayamo Music Cruise 2018 preview

 in Americana Music, Festivals, Music Cruise News
Brandi Carlile on Cayamo

Brandi Carlile

By Paul T. Mueller – Cayamo 2018, a “festival at sea” focused on singer-songwriters, celebrates its 10th anniversary (and 11th sailing) beginning Feb. 4. The cruise for the first time will depart from New Orleans, en route to a seven-night western Caribbean voyage with stops at Cozumel and Harvest Caye, off the coast of Belize.

More than 40 performers – some solo, some with bands – will provide the entertainment, which at times will span more than 12 hours a day of continuous shows. Six venues, ranging in size from a few dozen to several hundred, will accommodate the performances. That’s in addition to the usual after-hours jams, consisting mostly of amateur musicians but often featuring drop-in contributions by the professionals.

Paul Thorn will appear on Cayamo

Paul Thorn

Cayamo’s big names return

Big names in the lineup, in no particular order, include Cayamo veterans Richard Thompson, John Prine, Brandi Carlile, Buddy Miller, Patty Griffin, Lee Ann Womack, Paul Thorn, Jim Lauderdale, and Shawn Mullins – the only artist to have sailed on every Cayamo. Other veterans, possibly less familiar but no less capable, include Scott Miller, Hayes Carll, John Paul White, John Fullbright, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Brian Wright, Michael McDermott, Drew and Ellie Holcomb and Max Gomez.

The roster also includes a healthy crop of Cayamo newcomers, such as Margo Price, JD McPherson, Charley Crockett, Joe Pug, Lindi Ortega, The War and Treaty, Steve Poltz, Devon Gilfillian and Michael Logen. Other rookies include three acts – solo Caleb Caudle and duos Flagship Romance (Shawn Fisher and Jordyn Jackson) and Heart Society (Teneia Sanders-Eichelberger and Benjamin Eichelberger) who were voted aboard by Cayamo passengers in the annual Soundcheck competition.

Jim Lauderdale on Cayamo

Jim Lauderdale

Given the festival’s focus on the singular visions of singer-songwriters, duos and bands are, as always, in the minority. Those that made the cut include the rocking Band of Heathens, throwback crooners The Cactus Blossoms, Nashville soul sirens the McCrary Sisters and pop folkies Humming House. The complete Cayamo 2018 lineup can be found here.

Cayamo’s tributes and special shows

Tribute shows honoring John Prine and Tom Petty are on the schedule, as are several “Unlikely Sets” – songwriter rounds featuring several artists who might not share a stage otherwise. Previous Cayamos have shown that musical magic frequently results from such unexpected combinations.

In addition to shows, the week’s activities will include a “Tales and Ales” craft-beer tasting hosted by Paul Thorn; a screening of the film American Folk, starring Cayamo musicians Joe Purdy and Amber Rubarth, with a Q&A to follow; an “Artisans & Crafts” leatherworking workshop with Jonny Fritz, a member of the trio Traveller; a songwriter workshop with Fritz and his Traveller bandmates, Cory Chisel and Robert Ellis, and guest jams with backline equipment and assistance provided by Sixthman, the company that produces Cayamo and several other music cruises.




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Joe Ely and Terry Allen, with Jo Harvey Allen at the Heights Theater

 in Americana Music, Reviews, Songwriters

 

By Paul T. Mueller – Fans who bought tickets to the Jan. 26 show by Joe Ely and Terry Allen at Houston’s Heights Theater might have expected an entertaining song swap. They got that, and so much more. When the lights went down in the restored historic venue, the two veteran singer-songwriters were joined by a third, previously unannounced performer – Allen’s wife, Jo Harvey Allen, a writer, actress and artist.

For the next 40 minutes, the trio performed selections from “Chippy,” the Allens’ 1993 play about a Depression-era prostitute in West Texas, as well as other songs from their expansive canons. Ely, accompanying himself on guitar, and Terry Allen, on keyboard, took turns singing; between songs, Jo Harvey Allen read selections from the play and from the diaries of the real-life Chippy. It added up to an impressive display by three accomplished artists, whose performing skills were fully matched by their appreciation for each other and for their audience. First-set highlights included Ely’s “Cold Black Hammer” and “Wind’s Gonna Blow You Away” and Allen’s “Lubbock Tornado” and “Gimme a Ride to Heaven.” The two teamed up on “Fate with a Capital F” and Ely finished the set with his “Goodnight Dear Diary” from the play.

 After an intermission, the show continued minus Jo Harvey Allen. Ely opened with a nice rendition of Jimmie Dale Gilmore’s “Dallas,” drawing laughter with his “Pick it, Joe!” aside after a brief solo. Allen matched him with “Beautiful Waitress,” maybe the funniest song ever about loneliness. More brilliance ensued until Ely closed the second set with “All Just to Get to You.” The two left the stage to thunderous applause and returned after a few minutes, opening the encore with Allen’s “New Delhi Freight Train,” punctuated by Ely’s harmonica.

 “I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling Guy Clark in this room,” Ely told Allen, before launching into a quietly dramatic take on the late Americana icon’s “Magdalene.” The two closed their evening of musical magic in the most appropriate way possible – a heartfelt (and heart-rending) rendition of Clark’s classic “Old Friends.”

 This venue enforces strict limits on photography, but the visuals of this show were almost worth the price of admission. With his black vest, white hair and big smile, Ely looked every bit the musical royalty he is. Allen projected a more diffident demeanor; with his craggy features, gray hair and cowboy shirt, he could easily pass for a West Texas rancher or oilman. Each sipped occasionally from a glass of brown liquid while ignoring nearby bottles of water, and both were clearly having a great time.




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Tyler Childers Tour Dates 2018

 in Americana Music

We’re already marked our calendars for a pair of special shows at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on May 19 and 20 for the double bill of Tyler Childers and Margo Price, two of the most buzzed-about artists in Americana. We’ve long known and admired Margo’s talents, but we first saw Childers this year when he came to the Americana Music Festival and did an outstanding guest set for WMOT Roots Radio.

He has a busy touring year ahead, beginning with concert dates in Europe:

Jan 18
John Dee
Oslo, Norway
Jan 19
Twang
Södermalm, Sweden
Jan 20
Folk Å Rock
Malmö, Sweden
Jan 22
Prinzenbar
Hamburg, Germany
Jan 23
Privatclub
Berlin, Germany
Jan 25
Het Zonnehuis
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Jan 27
Rotown
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Jan 29
Mon
Komedia Studio
Brighton, United Kingdom
Jan 30
London Omeara
London, United Kingdom
Feb 1
Jimmy’s NQ
Manchester, United Kingdom
Feb 3
Tron Theater
Glasgow, United Kingdom
Feb 10
Bulls, Bands, & Barrels
Lexington, KY
Feb 11
Sun Space
Chicago, IL
Feb 20
Music Hall of Williamsburg
Brooklyn, NY
Feb 21
Bowery Ballroom
New York, NY
Feb 22
Thu
Wolf Den at Mohegan Sun
Montville, CT
Feb 23
Fri
The Sinclair Music Hall
Cambridge, MA
Feb 24
Sat
Higher Ground
Burlington, VT
Feb 27
World Cafe Live-Philadelphia
Mar 1
Rock and Roll Hotel
Washington, DC
Mar 2
 Stage AE
Pittsburgh, PA
Mar 3
Magic Bag
Detroit, MI
Mar 4
The Horseshoe tavern
Toronto, Canada
Apr 7
 John T. Floore Country Store w/ Turnpike Troubadours & Charley Crockett
Helotes, TX
Apr 28
 Stagecoach Festival
Indio, CA
May 11
Beaver Dam Amphitheater w/ John Prine
Beaver Dam, KY
May 12
 Clowes Memorial Hall, Butler University w/ John Prine
Indianapolis, IN
May 19 and 20
Ryman Auditorium w/Margo Price
Nashville, TN
Jun 9
 The Taft Theater w/ John Prine
Cincinnati, OH
Jun 14 – 16
Blue Ox Music Festival
Eau Claire, Wis
Be sure to check Childers’ website for updates.




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Remembering Lari White

 in Music Cruise News, Nashville music

By Ken Paulson

Lari White, a dear friend and extraordinarily talented artist, passed this away this morning at age 52 after a sudden and relentless illness.

She was an amazing woman, joyous, caring and creative in all things.

Some would know Lari from her ’90s country hits. Others will recall her memorable appearance with Tom Hanks in “Castaway.” Still others will know her from her R&B excursions or projects as a producer and songwriter. I still remember walking into “Ring of Fire,” the Johnny Cash musical on Broadway and seeing my friend front and center in the cast. She was phenomenal.

Last year, Lari released a pair of EPs titled “Old Friends” and “New Loves.” We had the chance last year to catch up with her on board Delbert McClinton’s Sandy Beaches Cruise. Here’s Lari talking about the music she loved:

Review: Brian Pounds’ “Southern Writer”

 in New releases, Reviews

By Paul T. Mueller – Brian Pounds says he’s not interested in trying to compete in the pop arena with others who are better at crafting upbeat songs. “My goal in life,” he has said of his affinity for the darker side, “is to write your ‘Break in case of emergency’ album.”

Pounds’ recent collection, Southern Writer, stakes a credible claim to that ambition. The Austin-based singer-songwriter, whose credits include a finalist slot in the Kerrville Folk Festival’s New Folk songwriting contest and an appearance on “The Voice” a few years ago, leans more toward country than folk on the nine-song set.

He deals with themes including old age and lost love (“Rattling My Bones”), loneliness (“I Swear I’m Losing You,” “Chandelier”), and the loss of an old friend (“The Death of Me”). Pounds backs up his thoughtful lyrics with fine guitar skills and an expressive voice, equally convincing on a powerful soul lament (“Falling to Pieces”), a straight-up country ballad (“Mississippi Highway”) and a gentle lullaby for his baby daughter (“Darling, I’ll Be Here”). The self-produced Southern Writer is short on amenities such as packaging and documentation, and could have benefited from a bit more vocal clarity, but the music hints at better things ahead.

Willie Nile at Nashville’s City Winery

 in Americana Music, Nashville music

By Ken Paulson — Willie Nile was clearly battling a respiratory bug, but he soldiered on in his show at the City Winery tonight, delivering an energetic and sometimes inspirational set.
Joined by bassist and vocalist Johnny Pisano and world-class harmonica player Mickey Rafael, Nile drew heavily from his new Positively Bob collection of Bob Dylan covers, including “Subterranean Homesick Blues, “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall,” the latter delivered in part by a three-year-old grandaughter via a phone video.
One of the joys of hearing Willie Nile play is that he has a story for every song he plays, a disappearing art. “Dylan was just 21 whe he wrote this,” he would exclaim.
Some of the most powerful songs of the evening were his anthems “This Is Our Time” (dedicated to Malala, see the video below) and “House of 1,000 Guitars,” with “One Guitar ” closing out the set with a bang.

10 Special Moments on Sandy Beaches Cruise 2018

 in Americana Music, Music Cruise News

Americana Music News – Delbert McCinton’s 24th annual Sandy Beaches Cruise has come to a close after a full week of varied and outstanding musical performances, including shows by the Mavericks, Marc Broussard, Marcia Ball, Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps, Band of Heathens, the Howlin’ Brothers, Paul Brady, the McCrary Sisters, Paul Brady, Danny Flowers, Wayne Toups and many more. We’ll be rolling out a new podcast this Spring that will feature interviews with many of the artists, but in the meantime, here’s a quick look at 10 of the moments that helped make the cruise special:

10. Bob and Etta Britt’s rambunctious cover of Leon Russell’s “Out in the Woods,”  with Bob channeling Leon’s voice.

9. “Pianorama,” an annual jam/shoot-out on a boat full of top-notch keyboard players. Always dazzling.

8. Bob DiPiero’s game take on “Too Fat to Fly,” a warped Christmas song about Santa’s weight problem and the tension it causes with the reindeer. It was an audience request and DePiero seemed to be willing the lyrics to float to him from across the ether.

7. Aeronautics Professor and former NASA researcher Scott Hubbard spoke compellingly  about our progress in exploring Mars.  No, it’s not standard music cruise fare, but it works.

6. The transformation of world-class songwriter Gary Nicholson into white-suited bluesman Whitey Johnson, setting the stage for a raucous R&B party.

5. The mere presence of  Spooner Oldham, Red Young and Bruce Channel.

4. Jaston Williams of “Greater Tuna” fame’s monologue about his boyhood infatuation with the Beatles, and his cowboy father’s stunned disapproval of the Fab Four.

3. The Mavericks’ note-perfect cover of the Bee Gees’ “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?”

2. Al Anderson’s blazing solo sets, tapping into his NRBQ songlist, from “Riding In My Car” to “Never Take the Place of You. ”

1. “Delbert and Friends:” That’s how the Sandy Beaches Cruise is billed, and it’s also the key to the cruise’s charm. Virtually every artist has played a role somewhere in Delbert’s decades-long career, so they know and genuinely like each other, hopping on stage, sharing sets and sitting in. Other music cruises are festivals at sea, but this one is Delbert’s party and the guests are happy to mingle.

 

Do you have your own favorite moment from the Sandy Beaches Cruise? Please share in the comments section below.


 

 

No bounds or barriers for Liz Brasher

 in Americana Music, Interviews

By Ken Paulson

One of our biggest surprises in 2017 came near the end of the year with a performance by a young artist named Liz Brasher.
She was on the bill with Americana household names like Raul Malo, Will Hoge and Sierra Hull at the WMOT Roots Radio Holiday Party at the City Winery in Nashville. She was to be the third act onstage and I’m sure everyone anticipated making that phone call or heading to the restroom as this unknown artist made her way to the microphone. Except they didn’t.
From an opening song that could only be described as funky Ventures to sultry soul and a compelling cover of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” Liz Brasher captivated the room, leaving with a standing ovation. Her debut album is due this spring on Fat Possum Records.
We were intrigued enough to ask for a brief interview, but we were only packing an iPhone, so her audio is much better than ours (which is as it should be.)
We began by asking her where her sound comes from:

Top 100 albums in Americana music

 in Americana Music

The Americana Music Association has just released the Top 100 Americana Albums of the year based on radio airplay. No surprise in the top two slots, with Jason Isbell and Christ Stapleton leading the way. But it’s a treat to see multiple generations in the upper reaches,  with Steve Earle at #5 and his son Justin Towns Earle at #7. Lukas Nelson is at #8, while his father Willie Nelson holds down #11.

 

2017 Americana Airplay Chart Top 100 Albums
1
Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit
The Nashville Sound
2
Chris Stapleton
From A Room:  Volume 1
3
Nikki Lane
Highway Queen
4
Ryan Adams
Prisoner
5
Steve Earle
So You Wannabe An Outlaw
6
Band Of Heathens
Duende
7
Justin Townes Earle
Kids In The Street
8
Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real
Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real
9
Son Volt
Notes of Blue
10
Old 97s
Graveyard Whistling
11
Willie Nelson
God’s Problem Child
12
Rodney Crowell
Close Ties
13
Mavericks
Brand New Day
14
Valerie June
The Order Of Time
15
Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives
Way Out West
16
JD McPherson
Undivided Heart And Soul
17
Pokey LaFarge
Manic Revelations
18
Jamestown Revival
The Education Of A Wandering Man
19
Delbert McClinton & Self-Made Men
Prick Of The Litter
20
Gregg Allman
Southern Blood
21
Taj Mahal & Keb Mo
TajMo
22
Tift Merritt
Stitch Of The World
23
Slaid Cleaves
Ghost On The Car Radio
24
North Mississippi Allstars
Prayer For Peace
25
Rhiannon Giddens
Freedom Highway
26
Alison Krauss
Windy City
27
David Rawlings
Poor David’s Almanack
28
Dan Auerbach
Waiting On A Song
29
Secret Sisters
You Don’t Own Me Anymore
30
Ray Wylie Hubbard
Tell The Devil I’m Gettin’ There As Fast As I Can
31
Will Hoge
Anchors
32
Infamous Stringdusters
Laws Of Gravity
33
Drive-By Truckers
American Band
34
Alejandro Escovedo
Burn Something Beautiful
35
Tyler Childers
Purgatory
36
Aaron Lee Tasjan
Silver Tears
37
John Prine
For Better, Or Worse
38
Kasey Chambers
Dragonfly
39
Reckless Kelly
Sunset Motel
40
Sunny Sweeney
Trophy
41
Josh Ritter
Gathering
42
Bruce Robison & The Back Porch Band
Bruce Robison & The Back Porch Band
43
Brent Cobb
Shine On Rainy Day
44
Old Crow Medicine Show
50 Years Of Blonde On Blonde
45
Jason Eady
Jason Eady
46
Shelby Lynne & Allison Moorer
Not Dark Yet
47
Chuck Prophet
Bobby Fuller Died For Your Sins
48
Shinyribs
I Got Your Medicine
49
Jim Lauderdale
London Southern
50
Hurray For The Riff Raff
The Navigator
51
Shannon McNally
Black Irish
52
Angaleena Presley
Wrangled
53
Wilco
Schmilco
54
Dustbowl Revival
The Dustbowl Revival
55
Margo Price
All American Made
56
Robert Earl Keen
Live Dinner Reunion
57
Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors
Souvenir
58
Bruce Cockburn
Bone On Bone
59
Gillian Welch
Boots No. 1: The Official Revival Bootleg
60
Mastersons
Transient Lullaby
61
Iron & Wine
Beast Epic
62
Hiss Golden Messenger
Hallelujah Anyhow
63
Jim Lauderdale
This Changes Everything
64
Eilen Jewell
Down Hearted Blues
65
John Moreland
Big Bad Luv
66
Blackie and the Rodeo Kings
Kings And Kings
67
Todd Snider
Eastside Bulldog
68
Various – The Life & Songs Of Emmylou Harris
An All-Star Concert Celebration
69
Neil Young
Peace Trail
70
Brigitte DeMeyer & Will Kimbrough
Mockingbird Soul
71
Samantha Fish
Chills & Fever
72
Blackberry Smoke
Like An Arrow
73
Ruthie Foster
Joy Comes Back
74
Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters
Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters
75
David Luning
Restless
76
Jesse Dayton
The Revealer
77
Old Crow Medicine Show
Best Of Old Crow Medicine Show
78
Paul Cauthen
My Gospel
79
Ray Davies
Americana
80
Wayne Hancock
Slingin’ Rhythm
81
Colter Wall
Colter Wall
82
Chris Hillman
Bidin’ My Time
83
Radney Foster
For You To See The Stars
84
Amanda Shires
My Piece Of Land
85
Jade Jackson
Gilded
86
Lucinda Williams
This Sweet Old World
87
Chuck Berry
Chuck
88
Jackie Greene
The Modern Lives Vol. 1
89
Govt Mule
Revolution Come…Revolution Go
90
Tim O’Brien
Where The River Meets The Road
91
Lillie Mae
Forever And Then Some
92
Yonder Mountain String Band
Love. Ain’t Love
93
Joan Osborne
Songs Of Bob Dylan
94
Dead Man Winter
Furnace
95
Seth Walker
Gotta Get Back
96
Jeffery Halford & The Healers
Lo-Fi Dreams
97
Dwight Yoakam
Swimmin’ Pools, Movie Stars…
98
Whiskey Gentry
Dead Ringer
99
Great American Taxi
Dr. Feel Good’s Traveling Medicine Show
100
Moot Davis
Hierarchy Of Crows

 

New: Eric Brace’s “Cartes Postales”

 in Americana Music, Nashville music, New releases

We’ve long admired Eric Brace’s work, from Last Train Home to his solo work and collaborations with Peter Cooper, and his new “Cartes Postales” shows us a new side of his art. The album honors his father’s life and love of music and nine of the ten tracks are sung in French, his father’s home country. The music is beautiful, thanks in part to the many contributions of Rory Hoffman. A sample, taken from Eric’s appearance on Music City Roots: