Category: Nashville music

Americana weekend: WMOT’s first 895 Fest

WMOT, the fast-growing Americana radio station based at Middle Tennessee State University outside of Nashville, is gearing up for its first festival at Hop Springs Park on May 31 and June 1.

It’s a remarkable line-up featuring legendary artists like Rodney Crowell and Delbert McClinton, as well as terrific newcomers like the War and Treaty and Liz Brasher. Overall, it’s a performer list that pretty much mirrors the station’s eclectic format. Details at 895fest.org.

Full disclosure: WMOT is Americana One’s radio home and we’re proud to say so. Here’s the line-up.

Americana One #36 Aaron Lee Tasjan

Aaron Lee Tasjan
Aaron Lee Tasjan

Aaron Lee Tasjan’s “Karma for Cheap” is one of our favorite albums of the past year. It’s adventurous, engaging and draws on the musical influence of a multitude of great artists. We wanted to talk to Aaron largely to figure out what’s in his record collection.

He gave us those details and also regaled us with his adventures as a member of the New York Dolls in this episode of Americana One, available wherever fine podcasts are distributed.

New: Tim Easton’s “Exposition”

By Paul T. Mueller —

Nashville-based singer-songwriter Tim Easton takes his wandering troubadour persona pretty seriously. For his latest project, Exposition, he hit the road to record in several musically significant locations: the Okfuskee Historical Society in Okemah, Oklahoma,where Woody Guthrie was born; the Gunter Hotel in San Antonio, Texas, where Robert Johnson made his historic recordings back in 1936, and the Shack Up Inn in Clarksdale, Mississippi, Muddy Waters’ birthplace.

Tim Easton

The result is a 10-song collection of personal songs that look both inward and outward. The former include first-person narratives such as “Saint Augustine,” “Sail Away Sailors” and the heart-wrenching “New Year’s Day.” The latter are showcases for Easton’s well-known activism, including the calls to action “If You Want Something Done Right” and “Don’t Spectate; Participate.”


Exposition is very much a solo project. Easton earns credits for writing, performance, recording and production, and the only collaborator credited – for handclaps and backwards piano – is his young daughter. Easton accompanies his gritty vocals with his usual excellent guitar, as well as bass, mandolin and piano, and the production is clean and sharp. While this collection doesn’t seem destined to make its creator rich, it’s a fine example of a unique vision skillfully realized.

Americana One #34: A conversation with Elizabeth Cook and Carlene Carter

Describing Elizabeth Cook and Carlene Carter as kindred spirits doesn’t begin to cover it. We were about 10 minutes into our conversation with Elizabeth when Carlene dropped by. What followed was a highly entertaining, engaging and candid conversation about both women’s lives and careers – and how the two first connected.

Review: Red Dirt Boys’ Cayamo Edition

By Paul T. Mueller

Not every backing band can make an album that stands on its own, but the Red Dirt Boys are not just any backing band. Emmylou Harris’ touring outfit – guitarist/mandolinist Will Kimbrough, bassist Chris Donohue, drummer Bryan Owings and keyboardist/guitarist Phil Madeira, with all but Owings contributing vocals – are excellent musicians on their own. But they play together with a cohesion that comes from long experience playing together, and a sense of fun that comes from being friends as well as bandmates. This collection, produced in conjunction with their appearance with Ms. Harris on this year’s Cayamo music festival at sea, is a real pleasure to listen to.

There’s no fluff among the album’s 11 tracks, just solid, well-played and well-produced music that deals with themes ranging from Creole cooking (“Cook That Down”) to love (“Plenty Enough”) to hypocrisy (“Religion”) to death (“All Saints Day”). Much of it has a New Orleans sound and vibe, possibly owing to the proximity of Kimbrough’s native Alabama to the Crescent City.

It’s hard to talk about highlights when the whole collection is this good, but “Religion” delivers a heartfelt skewering to people who deserve it; “Plenty Enough” is a realistic take on real-life romance, and “All Saints Day” is a poignant farewell song sweetened by harmony vocals by Ms. Harris herself. Closing track “Jesse” finds Kimbrough and Madeira alternating vocals on a touching tribute to singer-songwriter Jesse Winchester. Kudos to John Mark Painter, whose horns add excellent atmosphere to several tunes.

Adults deserve adult music. The Red Dirt Boys deliver.

Americana One #33 Steve Poltz Shines On

Steve Poltz

We met Steve Poltz in Nashville on July 4th, 2017 when he happened to walk into a local club where we were holding one of our free speech in music nights. He wasn’t on the bill, but about two minutes into his visit, he committed to performing.

That spontaneity and commitment show up big time on his just-released album “Shine On” on Compass Records. We had the chance to visit with Steve a few weeks ago at the 30A Songwriters Festival. Among the topics: our shared respect for his producer Will Kimbrough and a night two decades ago when he opened for Lisa Loeb in Nashville.

This week’s show:

Steve Poltz at the 30A Songwriters Festival

Steve Poltz
Steve Poltz at the 30A Songwriters Festival

Steve Poltz has something that most of the artists at the 30A Songwriters Festival can only dream of – an honest to goodness hit song. But his “You Were Meant For Me,” co-written and recorded by Jewel in the mid-’90s, was actually a bit of an impediment as Poltz tried to develop his own solo career. In this interview excerpt with Americana Music News, Poltz explains how all of that changed when he moved to Nashville. His new album “Shine On,” produced by Will Kimbrough, is due March 1.

Stee Poltz talks about his breakthough hit

The full interview will be available soon on the Americana Music News Podcast (find it on iTunes) and broadcast on WMOT Roots Radio.

New: Bill Lloyd’s “Working the Long Game”

Americana Music News – Nashville’s Bill Lloyd is following up his engaging “It’s Happening Now” with “Working the Long Game,” a collection of compelling new songs, including co-writes with pop songwriting legend Graham Gouldman (“Bus Stop,” “For Your Love”) Aaron Lee Tasjan, Cheap Trick’s Tom Petersson, Freedy Johnston, Buddy Mondlock, Pat Buchanan, David Surface and more. This trailer offers a quick spin  through the new album.

Americana Grammy Nominees unveiled

Brandi CarlileThe just-released Grammy nominations are a big win for Americana long before the final ballots are announced. Brandi Carlile and Kacey Musgraves are front and center in the most prominent categories in the music industry.

Vying for the album of the year are Carlile’s “By the Way, I Forgive You” and Musgraves’ “Golden Hour.” Carlile also earned a nomination for Song of the Year for “The Joke,” written with Dave Cobb, Phil Hanseroth and Tim Hanseroth

It was also good – though a bit mystifying – to see Margo Price nominated as “New Artist of the Year.”

Carlile’s album and single were also nominated in the Americana and roots recordings categories, where John Prine also picked up three nominations:

Best Americana Album:

By the Way, I Forgive You — Brandi Carlile

Things Have Changed — Bettye LaVette

The Tree of Forgiveness — John Prine

The Lonely, The Lonesome & The Gone — Lee Ann Womack

One Drop of Truth — The Wood Brothers

Best American Roots Performance:

“Kick Rocks” — Sean Ardoin

“Saint James Infirmary Blues” — Jon Batiste

“The Joke” — Brandi Carlile

“All On My Mind” — Anderson East

“Last Man Standing” — Willie Nelson

Best American Roots Song

“All The Trouble” — Waylon Payne, Lee Ann Womack & Adam Wright, songwriters (Lee Ann Womack)

“Build a Bridge” — Jeff Tweedy, songwriter (Mavis Staples)

“The Joke” — Brandi Carlile, Dave Cobb, Phil Hanseroth & Tim Hanseroth, songwriters (Brandi Carlile)“Knockin’

On Your Screen Door” — Pat McLaughlin & John Prine, songwriters (John Prine)

“Summer’s End” – Pat McLaughlin & John Prine, songwriters (John Prine)

Show 30: Kathy Mattea and her “Pretty Bird”

Kathy MatteaAmericana Music News – It’s been too long since a new Kathy Mattea album, but that’s been remedied with the release of “Pretty Bird,” a vibrant collection that includes outstanding versions of Mary Gauthier’s “Mercy Now” and Bobbie Gentry’s “Ode to Billie Joe.”

On this edition of the Americana Music Podcast, Kathy Mattea talks about the path to her new album and the vocal challenges she had to overcome to make it.

You can now  subscribe to this podcast on iTunes and Stitcher.

Show #28 Will Hoge’s “My American Dream”

Will HogeBy Ken Paulson

Two great ways to celebrate democracy:

1. Vote on Nov. 6.

2. Buy Will Hoge’s My American Dream.

At a time of intense polarization, surprisingly few artists have used their music to reflect their political beliefs. Will Hoge is the laudable exception to that, as evidenced by his compelling new collection of socially conscious songs. It’s no surprise; his earlier Modern American Protest Music was similarly striking.

This week’s edition of the Americana Music News Podcast features a conversation with Will about his music and the state of the Union.

 

Pilgrimage Festival This Weekend Sept. 22 and 23

By Ken Paulson

September is a  very good month for Nashville area music fans, with the Pilgrimage Festival coming this weekend on the heels of the Americana Music Festival.

Boxcutters at 2017 Pilgrimage Festival

The Pilgrimage Festival in Franklin has been a welcome addition to the mid-South music scene, offering a happy medium between the massive Bonnaroo and the generally small venues of the sprawling Americana Music Festival.

There are big names here – Jack White and Chris Stapleton among them – but the Pilgrimage Music Festival offers both intimacy and a sense of community. The sound and sight lines are good and the stages are reasonably close to each other.

The full list of artists are here, but we’re particularly looking forward to sets by Aaron Lee Tasjan (he was great here last year) The Record Company. Amos Lee, Madisen Ward and The Mama Bear, Elle King and Valerie June.

It’s a very civilized and family-friendly  festival, with things winding down around 8 p.m. Tickets are still available at the festival’s website.

 

 

 

Americanafest 2018: A singular week of music in Nashville

John Prine

John Prine at Americanafest 2017

Americana Music News – We’re just 2 days away from the launch of the Americana Music Conference and Festival on Tuesday in Nashville, the number one musical event in a city devoted to them. Of course, we have a bias toward all things Americana, but you would be hard-pressed to name another festival anywhere with the same depth and  breadth of talent.

John Prine, Candi Staton, Buddy Miller, Brandy Clark, John Hiatt, Jerry Douglas, Jim Lauderdale, K.D. Lang, Kathy Mattea, Kim Richey, Lori McKenna, Old Crow Medicine Show, Richard Thompson, Lera Lynn, Rosanne Cash and Alejandro Escovedo are among the top artists at Americanafest 2018. The full list is here.

The $75 wristband  is a tremendous bargain, and some are still available at the Americana Music Association site.

Podcast 21 The Milk Carton Kids and Seth Timbs

Milk Carton KidsWe caught up with the Milk Carton Kids minutes after they hosted this year’s announcement of the Americana Music Association’s 2018 nominees at the Country Music Hall of Fame.

In this episode of the Americana Music News Podcast,  Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale talk about their shared career, the mixed blessing of being compared to Simon and Garfunkel and their rich new album “All the Things That I Did and All the Things That I Didn’t Do.”

Seth TimbsIn “First Person,” we hear from Seth Timbs, the talented Nashville singer-songwriter, about his engaging new album “Record and Pause.”

About  Americana Music News: We’re in our eighth 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, Stitcher and Google Play Music.  And  please join our 24,000 Twitter followers to continue the conversation.

 

New: Michael Kelsh’s “Harmony Sovereign”

Americana Music News – Michael Kelsh takes his time and gets things right. The Nashville songwriter first came to our attention in 2001 with the release of his excellent “Well of Mercy.” A mere 16 years later, we have “Harmony Sovereign,” a compelling new collection. Little wonder that the album contains 16 beautifully crafted songs.

The songs cover an array of subjects, from the longing of “Better with Goodbye” to the quiet nostalgia of “House on 16th Avenue” and the striking “Death Penalty.” They’re unified by Kelsh’s intimate and reflective approach.

Kelsh is joined by talented Nashville neighbors, including Jack Sundrud,  Siobhan Kennedy, Tammy Rogers, Paul Griffith and John Cowan.

If it takes this long to write and record something this good, so be it.

 

Podcast 19 Beth Nielsen Chapman’s “Hearts of Glass”

Beth Nielsen ChapmanBeth Nielsen Chapman is a special songwriter and artist, evidenced in part by her recent election to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. But that honor would have come as no surprise to those who have  heard her remarkable run of recordings. She’s the rare writer who can share deeply personal experiences through music, yet also write universally embraced songs like “This Kiss” and “Happy Girl.”

We had the chance recently to catch up with Beth and and talk about her compelling new album “Hearts of Glass.”

About  Americana Music News: We’re in our eighth 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, Stitcher and Google Play Music.  And  please join our 24,000 Twitter followers to continue the conversation.