2017 Pilgrimage Music Festival deep in talent

 in Americana Music, Festivals, Pilgrimage Festival

By Ken Paulson –

With the third annual Pilgrimage Festival in the books, it’s a good time to acknowledge that this is a premier concert event, smaller than Bonnaroo, but just as rewarding.

 

FRANKLIN, TN – SEPTEMBER 23: Musician Justin Timberlake performs at the 2017 Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival on September 23, 2017 in Franklin, Tennessee. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for M2M Construction)

It draws a slightly older crowd than most rock festivals– explaining the AARP booth – and it offers a diverse line-up of first-class talent spread over two days. Everything’s well- paced, with shows starting on time and artists delivering concise and compelling shows.

 

There’s a little much audio bleed from one stage to the next, but that may be unavoidable with the festival’s fairly compact footprint.

 

The headlines this weekend justifiably went to Justin Timberlake (outstanding,) the Avett Brothers, Eddie Vedder, Shovels & Rope, Gary Clark Jr. and Trombone Shorty, but the “undercard” at the festival was particularly strong. If you didn’t want to fight the big crowds or 90-degree heat, you could pull up a chair and sit all day at the low-key and aptly-named Shady Grove Stage, where emerging artists were showcased.

 

Among memorable moments:

Big Sam’s Funky Nation

Big Sam’s Funky Nation – This band was a revelation, drawing on its Louisiana roots, for a raucous and rhythmic show that had the crowd dancing in a scorching sun early on Saturday afternoon. Big Sam plays trombone, sings and dances in non-stop fashion, sprinkling bits of classic rock songs into the mix.

 

Aaron Lee Tasjan – Somehow Aaron has been pegged as an Americana artist, but this is a guy whose music echoes the Beatles, Chuck Berry, Nilsson, Steve Goodman and Arlo Guthrie. Yes, that’s a very full plate, but his “Silver Tears” album and live show reflect that range. We loved his cover of Todd Snider’s “Hey Pretty Boy,” the derisive chorus of which is “Go Back to Franklin,” which happened to be the site of the festival. No offense taken. It was good to see Brian Wright, another favorite, in Tasjan’s band.

 

Angaleena Presley

Angaleena Presley: Angaleena lovingly mentioned that her husband and son were across the festival watching Trombone Shorty, so here’s hoping she has a happy life. You wouldn’t know it from her setlist. As she acknowledged, her compositions have plenty of edge, including “Country”, which mocks the current state of country music radio and the de facto discrimination against women. She may be ticked off, but she has every right. By the way, her latest album “Wrangled” shows her bound and gagged on the cover. Not possible.

 

The Texas Gentlemen – I’m sure they’re heard this before, but the band’s name suggests older men playing bluegrass in suits. Not even close. They delivered contemporary blues and Southern Rock and closed their set with a blistering version of “Shake It All Over,” an early sixties hit for Johnny Kidd and the Pirates (I kidd you not) and the Guess Who.

 

FRANKLIN, TN – SEPTEMBER 24: Marty Stuart (center) and his Fabulous Superlatives (Kenny Vaughan, left and Chris Scruggs, right) perform during Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival on September 24, 2017 in Franklin, Tennessee. (Photo by Mickey Bernal/Getty Images for Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival)

Colter Wall – Colter’s acoustic show would have been a bitter fit for a smaller stage, but his commanding vocals and powerful songs were enough to fill the void.

 

This is a festival that showcased brilliant music veterans like Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives, the Jerry Douglas Band and Mavis Staples, while making sure the next generation – Amanda Shires, Nikki Lane and Larkin Poe among them – had their chance to shine.

 

The Pilgrimage Festival drew its biggest audience yet this year, and with good reason. It’s hard to beat a headliner like Timberlake, and the overall curation of the festival is very impressive.

 

 

Snapshots: Images from Pilgrimage Music Festival Day One

 in Nashville music, Pilgrimage Festival

Americana Music News  – With temperatures in the ’90s and shade only in Shady Grove, the challenge was to move from stage to stage, catching every artist you possibly could and still stay hydrated. Shovels and Rope (above) defied the weather with matching jumpsuits.

A sampling of snapshots from an impressive first day:

Ivory Layne

The Avett Brothers

Big Sam’s Funky Nation

The Texas Gentlemen

The Bros. Landreth

Angaleena Presley

Aaron Lee Tasjan to play Pilgrimage Festival

 in Americana Music, Nashville music, Pilgrimage Festival

By Ken Paulson –

There’s a great undercard to the Pilgrimage Music Festival in Franklin, Tennessee this weekend. There are headliners like Justin Timberlake and Eddie Vedder, but also up-and-comers like Nikki Lane, Shovels and Rope, Blackfoot Gypsies and a particular favorite Aaron Lee Tasjan.

We caught up with Aaron last fall when he released his new album “Silver Tears.” This video is a testament to his personal charm and succinct marketing skills.

This weekend: 2017 Pilgrimage Music Festival

 in Festivals, Nashville music, Pilgrimage Festival

By Ken Paulson-
Nashville-area music fans never rest. Just days after the Americana Music Festival came to a close, fans will turn out in record numbers for the third annual Pilgrimage and Cultural Festival the weekend of Sept. 23 and 24.

It’s a festival of remarkable range with performances by Justin Timberlake, Eddie Vedder, the Avett Brothers, Better Than Ezra, the Jerry Douglas Band, Trombone Shorty, Walk the Moon, Mavis Staples and many more.

It’s also a very civilized event, with shows running from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on both days. Little wonder that entire families come out. It’s a very kid-friendly event, with many programs for “Lil’ Pilgrims.”

Timberlake is a partner in the venture and his performance is clearly the most anticipated of the weekend. No pressure.

WMOT Birthday Bash at Americana Festival

 in Americana Music, Americana Music Festival, WMOT Roots Radio

By Ken Paulson

It’s been a highlight-filled week at the 2017 Americana Music Festival, but we we’ll admit to a special fondness for a show produced by WMOT Roots Radio, where I also play a modest role.

The station celebrated its first birthday as an Americana station with performances by Paul Thorn, Reckless Kelly, Whitney Rose, the Secret Sisters,the Deep Dark Woods, the O’Connor Band, Lilly Hiatt, the Texas Gentlemen, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Katie Pruitt, the Vandoliers and Mike Farris.

Scenes from throughout the day:

 

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Review: Peter Himmelman’s “There is No Calamity”

 in Americana Music

By Ken Paulson – Peter Himmelman’s “There Is No Calamity” is another fine album from a veteran artist who has plenty to say. But what floored us is the opening track “245th Peace Song,” arguably the most timely and perceptive song of the year.
“There’s holes in people’s lives than need to be filled. I get that. I understand that. But you have to be careful what you fill them with,” Himmleman sings.
It’s a compassionate take on the wave of frustration that gave Donald Trump the White House, and the consequences of that election.
“Stop the Hate, Stop the Hate” the chorus pleads. In the wake of the tragedy in Charlottesville, this song should be played coast to coast.

Review: The Mastersons’ “Transient Lullaby”

 in Americana Music, New releases, Reviews

By Paul T. Mueller–
Transient Lullaby, the most recent album by The Mastersons – singer/guitarist Chris Masterson and singer/multi-instrumentalist Eleanor Whitmore – reads as an account of the couple’s musical and personal lives. Marked by well-crafted lyrics and beautiful harmonies, these songs form an insightful look at the highs and lows of a life of almost constant togetherness, on and off the stage. They’re backed by Masterson’s excellent guitar playing and Whitmore’s fine performance on pretty much anything with strings, including but not limited to guitars, violin, cello and mandolin.

The album’s sequence seems to track the arc of a relationship; the 11 tracks cover a lot of emotional ground, and easy answers are in short supply. The first track, “Perfect,” sums up the beginning of a relationship, with a mix of wariness – “You seem like a great find/But I’m broken, so please be kind” – and optimism – “We’re not perfect, but we’ll turn these tears to gold.” Conflict surfaces in the title track, in the struggle between personal bonds and professional demands: “It’s time to go/It’s been great, but I can’t stay long.”

Several of the songs that follow explore, with sometimes painful honesty, the everyday conflicts that challenge relationships. The titles hold clues: “You Could Be Wrong,” “Fight,” “Don’t Tell Me to Smile,” “This Isn’t How It Was Supposed to Go.” But it’s not all darkness. “You are my light,” the couple sings on “Shine On.” “We’re gonna shine on/Gonna shine on.”

By the end of the album, restlessness seems to have won out. “The time has come for us to part ways,” Masterson sings on “Happy When I’m Movin’,”the last “official” track. “ ’Cause we both know/I’m happy when I’m movin’.” That would make for a sad ending if not for the bonus track, “Anchor,” which closes a lyrical circle by echoing a line in the opening track – “Can’t you feel me? I’m your anchor” – with a similarly upbeat sentiment. “ ‘Cause I want to be right by your side,” they sing. “I promise you/In a world untied, you’re my anchor.”

Instrumental support comes from Andrew Pressman and the late George Reiff on bass, David Boyle on keyboards, and Falcon Valdez, Cully Symington and Conrad Choucroun on drums.

Review: Willie Nile does Dylan – and very well

 in Americana Music, New releases

By Ken Paulson –
I was sitting with a group of Nashville musicians last Saturday night when the conversation inexplicably led to the flurry of “new Dylans” that emerged in the ’70s, most with real musical merit.
Bruce Springsteen. Steve Forbert. Elliott Murphy. John Prine. Willie Nile.
Nile may carried those Dylan comparisons for the longest time, in part because of a vocal resemblance. It’s not something he shies away from, as evidenced by “Positively Bob – Willie Nile Sings Bob Dylan,” his new covers collection.
Most of the tracks are from Dylan’s first decade as an artist, and classics abound. But the beauty of Nile’s renditions is that they free Dylan’s revered music from the wax museum. This stuff rocks.
When was the last you yelled “Turn it up” when “Blowin’ in the Wind” came on?
I’m sure there are Dylan fans who will be put off by some of this, but the album is undeniably fresh.
Highlights include full-throttle takes on “The Times They Are A-Changin’, “Rainy Day Women #12 and 35” and “I Want You.”

New Lloyd Price album on the way

 in New releases

A sentence we never anticipated writing: Lloyd Price has a new album. The 84-year-old rock pioneer’s “This is Rock ‘n’ Roll”  is  due for release on Sept. 22.

The album title is apt. His “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” was one of the very first rock ‘n’ roll records and his “Stagger Lee” and Personality” are classics.

American Blues Scene has a preview track. And here’s a look back:

Americana Music Festival’s latest line-up

 in Americana Music Festival

The Americana Music Festival and Conference is just weeks away and the line-up is deep and diverse. Here are the most recent additions for the festival, set for Nashville from Sept. 12 through 17.

The latest additions:

A.J. Croce   Amelia White and The Blue Souvenirs    Amy Black    Belle Plaine    Big Star’s Third Live    Billy Strings    Blackfoot Gypsies   Blair Crimmins and The Hookers   Bonnie Bishop        Brigitte DeMeyer  Caitlyn Smith  Cale Tyson Carson McHone Carter Sampson Cat Clyde Cereus Bright Charlie Mars Christian Lopez Colin Hay Colter Wall Danni Nicholls Danny Burns Darling West Dave Alvin David Mayfield Parade David Myles Don Gallardo Early James & the Latest Eddie Berman Escondido Falls Faustina Masigat Front Country Gill Landry Grant-Lee Phillips  Harrow Fair High Plains Jamboree  India Ramey Jack Ingram Jamie Kent Jamtown Jason Wilber Jesse Dayton Jimmy Lumpkin and the Revival  Joana Serrat Joey Kneiser Jon Langford Joseph Huber K Phillips Kaia Kater Kamara Thomas Korby Lenker Kristina Murray Lee Ann Womack & Friends Leyla McCalla Liz Cooper & The Stampede Lucie Silvas Mark Erelli Mary Bragg Max Gomez Me And My Brother Motel Radio Muddy Ruckus Natalie Hemby Old Sea Brigade  Otis Gibbs Parsonsfield  Rachel Baiman Rayna Gellert with Kieran Kane Reckless Kelly Reuben Bidez Robby Hecht Robyn Hitchcock  Ryan Tanner Sam Outlaw Sarah Shook & the Disarmers Shane Nicholson Shelby Lynne & Allison Moorer Shelly Fairchild Skyway Man Taasha Coates Tattletale Saints Ted Russell Kamp The Americans The Lowest Pair The Mulligan Brothers The Steel Woods The Stray Birds  Tony Joe White Trout Steak Revival Vikesh Kapoor Webb Wilder Wild Ponies Will Hoge Will Kimbrough Zach Schmidt Zephaniah O’Hora