Nashville Songwriters induct Mary Chapin Carpenter, Tony Arata, Kim Williams, Larry Henley http://t.co/YuBkdXq6 # John Hiatt: A thing called love, a thing called regret http://t.co/5QCdeKZp via @sharethis # Bob Dylan's Best and Worst Album Covers – http://t.co/hwBa4pgi http://t.co/7vt7Eo2D # Rock Hall of Famer Donovan Records in Nashville http://t.co/YOJqrgns # Ry Cooder and Kathy Mattea enter Americana music airplay chart http://t.co/Ek7O4pgU…
Brandi Carlile news: Conan and new tour dates
Americana Music News — Lots of news from the Brandi Carlile camp today: She’s set to perform Nov. 8 on Conan, has a new Daytrotter recording available and begins a new tour in Spokane tomorrow: October 11 – Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory 12 – Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory 14 – Fort Collins, CO @ Lincoln Center 16 –…
Blackie and the Rodeo Kings at the Franklin Theatre Oct. 20
Americana Music News — Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, a much-admired Americana Band from Canada, will perform at the Franklin Theatre in Franklin, TN on Oct. 20. The band, which is touring behind the new deluxe edition of Kings and Queens, will be joined by guest artists, including the McCrary Sisters and Chelsea Crowell. The Franklin Theatre, a terrific venue…
Kathy Mattea, Ry Cooder enter Americana Music Chart
Americana Music News — John Hiatt’s Mystic Pinball remains in the top spot in the Americana Music airplay chart, followed by the latest albums from Dwight Yoakam, Rodney Crowell and Bob Dylan. The new entries in the chart this week are particularly thought-provoking: Kathy Mattea’s Calling Me Home, an album about mining and life in West Virginia, and Ry Cooder’s…
Nashville Songwriters induct Mary Chapin Carpenter, Tony Arata, Kim Williams, Larry Henley
Americana Music News —Tonight the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame will induct Mary Chapin Carpenter, Tony Arata, Kim Williams and Larry Henley at a ceremony in Nashville. Carpenter, who played the Ryman Auditorium Friday night, is being recognized for a body of work that includes “I Feel Lucky,” “Down at the Twist and Shout” and “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her.”…
Sun209: The week in Tweets
The Avett Brothers on 'The Carpenter,' Gap ads, faith, and how cancer has shaped their songs http://t.co/F6QVAmVH via @EW # Music to delight and excite at Donegal Bay and Blue Stacks Festival – Entertainment – Donegal Democrat: http://t.co/1KZgRKtd # A celebration of censored songs: Freedom Sings set for Bluebird Cafe in Nashville http://t.co/eEQvVcRU #nashville # PREVIEW: Trouble in the Fields:…
New to chart: Mumford & Sons, Iris DeMent, Ben Sollee
Americana Music News — Experience shows on the Americana Music Association Airplay Chart this week. John Hiatt remains at number one with Mystic Pinball, followed by Rodney Crowell’s Kin, Bob Dylan’s Tempest and Dwight Yoakam’s Three Pears. New to the chart: Iris DeMent’s Sing the Delta, Ben Sollee’s Half-Made Man and Mumford and Sons’ Babel. Among the most added non-charting…
Trouble in the Fields: An Artists’ Tribute to Nanci Griffith
Americana Music News — It’s about time Nanci Griffith had a tribute album. After all, she’s been generous in her contributions to other tribute collections, celebrating the careers of Townes Van Zandt, Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley, among others. The new album ,Trouble in the Fields: An Artists’ Tribute to Nanci Griffith on Paradiddle Records, is due Nov. 6, Here’s the…
Freedom Sings concert set for Bluebird Cafe in Nashville
By Ken Paulson Americana artists loom large at this year’s Freedom Sings concert at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville. Gretchen Peters, Kim Richey, Bill Lloyd, Ashley Cleveland, Danny Flowers, Don Henry, Jonell Mosser and Jason White are among Americana-linked performers scheduled for the Oct. 3 event. (Disclosure: I help plan and host this fund-raiser each year.) Here’s some background from the…
Sun209: The week in Tweets
Civil Wars look forward to performing at Cash Music Festival http://t.co/8WGX2Ex1 # OUTSTANDING show in Houston: John Prine and Alejandro Escovedo. http://t.co/OjdUBzZV # David Grissom dazzles fans in a rare concert date in Houston http://t.co/qxCOnCfq # Nick Lowe still writes the book on songwriting: A review of his concert in Nashville http://t.co/ovFNbcOx # Bluegrass Awards remember Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson…
Concert review: Martina McBride at the Ryman
By Ken Paulson — Eleven is the title of Martina McBride’s latest album, and those digits began the onscreen countdown for her performance at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville tonight. That bit of stagecraft foreshadowed a generous two-hour set spanning most of her hits and a surprising number of covers. Martina told the audience from the outset that this would…
Nick Lowe: Tour dates and new video
In keeping with our policy of devoting a disproportionate amount of space to Nick Lowe, here are his upcoming tour dates and his new video. 9/29 — L2 Arts + Culture Center – Denver, CO 10/01 — Musical Instrument Museum, Phoenix, AZ 10/02 — Belly Up Tavern, Solana Beach, CA 10/03 – Troubadour, Los Angeles 10/04 — 24th Street Theater,…
Concert review: Nick Lowe both classic and current
By Ken Paulson —Nick Lowe has been a regular in Music City in the last year or so, opening for Wilco at the Ryman Auditorium and being feted at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Still, it was a real treat to see him deliver a decades-spanning acoustic set at the Mercy Lounge Saturday night. The 64-year-old Lowe has aged…
Americana: John Hiatt at #1, Tim O’Brien and Darrell Scott chart
Americana Music News — John Hiatt moves into the top slot on the Americana Music airplay chart this week with Mystic Pinball, coming off an impressive performance at the Americana Music Festival in Nashville last Friday. New to the chart this week: We’re Usually A Lot Better Than This by Tim O’Brien and Darrell Scott, The Time Jumpers, Uncle Lucius’…
Concert review: John Prine and Alejandro Escovedo
By Paul T. Mueller — If you happened to be looking for an outstanding demonstration of the art of musical storytelling, there was no better place to find it on Sept. 21 than the John Prine-Alejandro Escovedo concert at Houston’s Cullen Performance Hall. Prine and Escovedo, among the finest singer-songwriters working today, approach their craft from somewhat different angles, but…
Sun209: The week in Tweets
ROCKABILLY LEGEND Wanda Jackson previews her new album at Americana Music Festival http://t.co/6O4IEcu7 #americanafest # Americanafest Saturday recap: Lee Ann Womack's Americana coming out party http://t.co/HlB4G7bZ via @examinercom # Americanafest artist Paul Thorn tells us 'What the Hell is Goin' On' http://t.co/wf4pCoxa via @examinercom # Americana Music Festival: Robert Ellis, Two Gallants, Dylan LeBlanc – http://t.co/sdC3Vbsx # Guy Clark And…
Review: David Grissom live at Under the Volcano in Houston
By Paul T. Mueller — Houston guitar fans got a rare treat this week when super sideman-turned-bandleader David Grissom came to town for a show at the Under the Volcano club. The near-capacity crowd – maybe 200 or so, most of them standing – was treated to a 13-song set featuring highlights from various phases of Grissom’s fine career, plus…
Gary Louris tour dates announced
Americana Music News — Gary Louris of the Jayhawks is headed out for a fall tour, beginning with a number of dates in the Midwest. In recent years, Louris has released albums in every possible combination: Vagabonds was a solo album, Ready for the Flood was recorded with bandmate Mark Olson and Mockingbird Time was a Jayhawks reunion. The next leg of his…
New to chart: Dylan, Calexico, Steve Forbert, Chris Knight
Americana Music News — Rodney Crowell holds onto the number one spot again this week on the Americana Music Airplay Chart with Kin, followed closely by the fast-rising Mystic Pinball from John Hiatt. It’s no surprise that Bob Dylan’s new album Tempest jumped into the chart at number six, almost doubling its number of spins in a week. Other new…
Tim O’Brien and Darrell Scott: “We’re Usually a Lot Better Than This”
By Paul T. Mueller — Acoustic music, especially folk and bluegrass, has been described in some circles as “picking and grinning.” Here’s how it works with the new album by Tim O’Brien and Darrell Scott: They did the picking, you’ll do the grinning. We’re Usually a Lot Better Than This, scheduled for release Oct. 9, is a live album drawn…