By Ken Paulson – Carole King performed some of her biggest hits in the relatively small confines of the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville Monday night, a memorable evening even in a city known for them. King’s “Troubador” tour with James Taylor was an enormous success, but the remininiscing was largely scripted, with the same photos and anecdotes appearing night after…
Will Kimbrough’s “Lick of the Day”
Sun209 contributor Will Kimbrough plays a piece of “Piece of Work” in the first Lick of the Day of 2012.
Rounder, New West, Lost Highway top Americana labels
Among the joys of Americana music is the range of artists and labels. Indie labels often break through, leading to dark horses and pleasant surprises. Yet this year’s Americana Music Association list of the top 100 albums from November 16, 2010 through November 14, 2011, serves as a reminder that the bigger labels still play a major role. An analysis…
Review: Mary Z. Cox -“Girl with the Banjo Tattoo”
By Joe Ross – Mary Z. Cox is an accomplished player, teacher (and collector) of banjos and mountain dulcimers. At last count, she has 17 banjos and 12 dulcimers. The Florida-based artist’s seventh album, Girl with the Banjo Tattoo is a solo project with Mary playing one or two instruments on each of the 14 tracks. On one cut, “Chickens…