The High Divers will be all over Nashville tomorrow, Friday, June 28. Promoting their new album Ride with You, the Charleston, SC, band will be featured on WMOT’s “Finally Friday” show at 3rd and Lindsley (listen with the Roots Radio app) and then will play a full show at the Basement in the evening.
Review: Matt Harlan’s “Best Beasts”
By Paul T. Mueller
Best Beasts marks the return of Houston-based singer-songwriter Matt Harlan after a couple of years’ hiatus from writing. The subject matter of this fine collection seems drawn from recent events, on personal and public levels. Love gone wrong is explored in “K&W,” a dark country ballad narrated by two voices, Harlan’s and that of Kelley Mickwee (The Trishas), and the sad “Somebody Else.” “Like Lightning” and “Mountain Pose” look at the resilience that helps us get through hard times. And the process of starting over, older and wiser, informs the bluegrass-tinged “Darla Mae” and the horn-driven R&B of “Gemini Blues.”
Harlan addresses wider concerns in the opening track, “What We Saw,” which checks off such topical subjects as celebrity sex scandals, tainted water and school shootings. Hurricane Harvey, which devastated many parts of Houston in 2017, serves as a metaphor for judgment to come in “Low Pressure,” which laments the destruction caused by “Old Testament Rain” but warns, “We’re bringing fire next time.”
Harlan’s characters often seem lost in a world controlled by more powerful forces, struggling to get through another day and trying to find meaning and purpose that may not exist. To his credit, he doesn’t claim to have all the answers. “We’re just trying to be the best beasts we can be,” he sings in the title track. “And find a way to sleep, don’t dig too deep.”
The 13 tracks on Best Beasts, all written or co-written by Harlan, are anchored by his confident and expressive singing and his excellent guitar. The collection also features an impressive cast of contributors, drawing from the top levels of Texas Americana: vocalists BettySoo and Libby Koch, guitarists Paul Ramirez and Caleb Pace, bassist Glenn Fukunaga, drummer Mike Meadows, violinist Warren Hood, pedal steel player Will Van Horn, and keyboardist Stefano Intelisano, to name but a few. Producer Rich Brotherton, longtime lead guitarist in Robert Earl Keen’s band, does an excellent job of weaving these diverse contributions (including his own on guitars and other instruments) into a clean and cohesive whole.
New Steve Poltz video: “Ballin’ On a Wednesday”
Steve Poltz has a new video taken from his current album Shine On and it’s unsurprisingly goofy. Best of all, he recreates the incident that inspired the song, a tale he shared in his Americana One podcast interview.
New Release: Sugar Lime Blue’s “Narcoluptuous”
Out now is the intriguingly titled Narcoluptuous from Sugar Lime Blue. This rootsy band with a strong blues, jazz and folk/country foundation is based just outside of Nashville. You’ll find more about the band here.
New release: Mark Rogers ‘ “Laying It Down”
Mark Rogers’ affection for the Byrds and Jesse Winchester is prominent in “Laying it Down,” the new collection from the DC-based writer returning to music after a long layoff.
Americana One #35 Gary Nicholson bridges the divide
By Ken Paulson
Gary Nicholson, one of Nashville’s most respected songwriters and artists, is overachieving these days. On June 7, he’ll release not one, but two new albums, and both are pretty special.
Nicholson, like so many of us, is concerned about the state of our nation these days. His The Great Divide captures that in 11 compelling songs, opening with “God Help America” and a nod to Irving Berlin. It’s not an angry album; it’s a call to action.
Whitey Johnson is the Clark Kent to Gary Nicholson’s Superman, or maybe it’s the other way around. As Whitey, Nicholson delivers a playful groove throughout More Days Like This. It’s a soulful and often charming collection of rhythm and blues, with co-writes from Delbert McClinton, Seth Walker, Donnie Fritts, Tom Hambridge and the late Arthur Alexander. Nicholson doesn’t mess around.
In this edition of the Americana One podcast, we paired our preview of the new albums with a conversation we had with Gary last year on Delbert’s Sandy Beaches Cruise. He took us all the way back to the roots of his career and the highly successful years that followed.
Americana One is heard twice a week on WMOT Roots Radio and is available as a podcast on iTunes, Google Play and other prominent podcast platforms. Subscribe now.
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Review: Houston Americana Women’s Fest
By Paul T. Mueller
“Americana” is a pretty big tent, but a lot of the musical landscape that falls under that term was on display May 18 at the first Houston Americana Women’s Fest. The event, at Dan Electro’s Guitar Bar in Houston’s Heights neighborhood, was a benefit for the Houston Area Women’s Center, which provides services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence. The seven-act lineup featured established names among the women of Houston’s Americana community, as well as some relative newcomers.
Local duo Brightwire – husband and wife Samuel Barker and Kimberly Barker – opened the eight-hour event with a set of earnest, folky songs, many dealing with relationship difficulties. Samuel’s guitar provided melodic support for Kimberley’s strong, clear singing, with Samuel contributing harmony vocals. Brightwire had also produced a CD for the event, featuring one song each from six of the festival’s performers; proceeds from CD sales benefited the Women’s Center and Houston nonprofit Menstrual Flux, which provides menstrual hygiene items to those unable to access or afford them.
Next up was Houston’s Mystery Loves Company, with a high-energy set of self-described “chamber rock” featuring the electric cello of Madeline Herdeman and the guitar of Carlos Machado. The two, marriage as well as musical partners, shared vocal duties, with harmonies that at times recalled the classic vocals of Yes. Filling out the sound were clarinetist Alauna Rubin and drummer Danny Patterson. Originals such as “Muddy Blue” and “Your Makeup” showcased the band’s singular sound, which also brought new dimensions to such covers as Seal’s “Kiss from a Rose” and the Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling.”
Little Outfit calls itself a folk-rock band, but the emphasis this day was on rock, in a loud but melodic set fueled by the capable vocals of Amie Krebbs and the two-guitar attack of Nathan Taylor and Randy Hill. The band’s sound recalled the better moments of ‘70s rock, whether on its own material, including “22 Miles,” or covers, such as fellow Houstonian Matt Harlan’s “Elevator Ride” and Gillian Welch’s “Tear My Stillhouse Down.”
Amanda Pascali and the Family – on this occasion, singer and guitarist Pascali and multi-instrumentalist Addison Freeman – followed with an enjoyable set of “immigrant American folk music.” Pascali, at only 21, possesses a level of confidence and stage presence some performers take far longer to achieve. Throw in formidable skills on acoustic guitar and an expressive voice capable of at least two languages and it makes for a highly entertaining experience, as does Freeman’s accomplished playing on violin, mandolin and cello. Much of Pascali’s playing, and many of her lyrics, have a Mediterranean feel – her set list included “Uccellino” (“Little Bird”}, sung in English and Italian, and “Bella Ciao,” which was adopted by the Italian resistance movement as an anti-Fascist anthem during World War II.
Grifters and Shills – event organizers John and Rebecca Stoll – came up next with a powerful set featuring John’s frenetic guitar and uninhibited vocals, grounded by Rebecca’s solid bass and impassive demeanor. The set list included such originals as “255,” a tribute to John’s hardscrabble childhood, and “Left Right Left,” a sarcastic look at the unfortunate necessity of day jobs. Impressive covers included a punkish rendition of Steve Earle’s “The Devil’s Right Hand” and an evocative take on Robert Johnson’s “Me and the Devil Blues,” featuring an extended, jagged guitar solo.
Country and Americana veteran Libby Koch took the stage with her band, The Dealers, for a set of rocking country. Koch, who has fine vocal and guitar skills and an engaging stage presence, was able to draw from an extensive catalog of songs, many focused on the ups and downs of love. Highlights included “You Don’t Live Here Anymore,” “Out of My Misery” and “Just Move On.” She also threw in an impressive cover of John Prine’s “Angel from Montgomery.”
Austin native Marina Rocks closed out the evening with a set featuring her emotional singing and impassioned playing – the large hole below the strings of her guitar a testament to her physical approach. Some of Rocks’ songs were autobiographical (“Stuck in the Mud”); others described others’ lives and troubles (“Ina & Austin,” “It’s Messed Up,” “Nameless”). Well-done covers included Jackson Browne’s “Running on Empty,” which turned into an extended demonstration of Rocks’ distinctive guitar playing, and “All Along the Watchtower,” a staple of her live shows.
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’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.
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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.
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.
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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
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:
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Interview: Sarah Potenza and her “Road to Rome”
Paul T. Mueller talks with Sarah Potenza about her new album “Road to Rome” before she takes the stage at the Mucky Duck in Houston.
Americana One #32 Michael McDermott embraces his “Orphans”
In this week’s Americana One podcast, Michael McDermott talks about his rich career, his personal struggles and his new “Orphans” album, an engaging collection of songs that didn’t quite fit elsewhere.
Americana One is a weekly radio show on the 100,000-watt WMOT Roots Radio station heard throughout Nashville and Middle Tennessee and streamed to a national audience via the Roots Radio App. The show is also a podcast available on iTunes, Google Play and all the leading podcast providers. Subscribe now.
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Cayamo 2019: An All-Star music cruise
By Paul T. Mueller
Early spring in Florida (and Arizona) means baseball – spring training, to be specific. It’s also the appointed time for another tradition – the Cayamo music cruise, which just wrapped up its 12th sailing, returning to Tampa on the Norwegian Pearl on Feb. 17 after a week in warm Caribbean waters. Dozens of artists, mostly singer-songwriters, took part in 130-plus shows, many playing multiple sets and sitting in with other performers. Let’s take a closer look through the lens of America’s national pastime.
Veterans
Even when you’ve been around for a while and proved your bona fides, you still have to show up and bring your “A” game. This year’s cruise featured excellent performances by many veterans of previous Cayamo rosters:
- Buddy Miller – a fixture on all but one Cayamo, Americana superstar Miller and his fine band ripped through familiar tunes including “Does My Ring Burn Your Finger?,” “Wide River to Cross” and “Somewhere Trouble Don’t Go.” Fellow Americana icon Emmylou Harris joined him for duets on “Burning the Midnight Oil” and “Love Hurts.” There was also a fine rendition of “Ellis County,” which Miller’s wife Julie wrote for and about her grandparents in Texas.
- Second-timer Mary Gauthier, accompanied by vocalist Jaimee Harris and violinist/keyboardist Michele Gazich, thrilled a morning audience with several songs from her recent Rifles and Rosary Beads album, consisting of songs co-written with combat veterans and their families, as well as older favorites such as “Another Train” and the classic “Mercy Now.”
- Jason Isbell returned with his band, the 400 Unit, for some powerful sets drawn from his last few albums. He also hosted an excellent “Jason Isbell and Friends” songwriter round featuring his wife, Amanda Shires, Dawes frontman Taylor Goldsmith, singer-songwriter Josh Ritter and ace guitarist and singer Molly Tuttle.
- Los Angeles-based rockers Dawes brought the Big Rock Show Experience to the ship’s largest venues, the Stardust Theater and the pool deck. Their Stardust set was highlighted by several singalong anthems including “When My Time Comes” and “All Your Favorite Bands.” The latter show featured a surprise appearance by Lenny Goldsmith, father of Dawes frontman Taylor Goldsmith and his brother, drummer Griffin Goldsmith, singing R&B that recalled his days as the lead singer of ‘70s band Tower of Power.
Other veterans of note: Harris and Shires played well-received sets with their own bands, as did iconic folk-rock duo Indigo Girls, multi-instrumentalist and multi-genre songwriter Randall Bramblett, and soul powerhouse Bonnie Bishop. Roots guitarist and singer-songwriter Keb’ Mo’ and the wild and crazy Steve Poltz played mostly solo.
Rookies
Festivals on cruise ships aren’t exactly the norm for most musicians, so some first-timers bring with them a bit of uncertainty about the experience. Most quickly adapt, heartened by enthusiastic audiences and the support of fellow performers. Standout newcomers this year included;
- Raul Malo, who thrilled a full house in the Stardust Theater with powerful, emotional renditions of a wide variety of songs from various genres, including a couple recorded by his band, the Mavericks. Extra points for closing with what he called his favorite song ever, “Stardust.”
- Virginia-based singer-songwriter Dori Freeman, accompanied by husband Nicholas Falk on drums and banjo, who charmed fans with bluegrass-tinged originals and classic country and gospel songs.
- Nashville-based singer-songwriter and keyboardist Phil Madeira, who’s also a member of Emmylou Harris’ band, the Red Dirt Boys. Backed by fellow members of that outfit – Will Kimbrough on guitar, Bryan Owings on drums and Chris Donohue on bass – Madeira played a terrific set in the Atrium that drew heavily on his recent album Providence, a musical memoir of his Rhode Island upbringing. A lot of music, especially pop, is aimed at the young, but this was grown-up music for grown-up people.
- Australian guitar wizard Tommy Emmanuel wowed the crowds with his mastery of the acoustic guitar, playing with speed, precision and soul in a variety of styles, and also using the instrument as a platform for percussion. In addition to playing several sets of his own, Emmanuel seemed to be everywhere on the boat, popping up as a guest at any number of other artists’ shows and mixing freely with fans.
- Maggie Rose, a Nashville-based singer with a powerful, soulful voice well suited to her own material and well-chosen covers. She said she usually plays with an eight-member band, but on the Pearl she was backed by her husband and manager, Austin Marshall, and guitarist Tom Maxwell, also a singer-songwriter.
Other rookies with strong showings: Georgia singer-songwriter Eliot Bronson; English singer-songwriter and activist Billy Bragg; female vocal trio Red Molly, augmented by a bassist and a drummer; all-male vocal quartet Darlingside, and Australian singer-songwriter Kasey Chambers, accompanied by her father Bill Chambers and her three children.
All-Star Games
The week featured several large collaborative shows:
- The Shawn Mullins Variety Show, hosted by the Georgia singer-songwriter who’s been part of every Cayamo, featured pirate costumes and appearances by Nashville singer-songwriter Chuck Cannon, the funny and endearing Paul Thorn, Bonnie Bishop, Amy Ray of Indigo Girls, the spiritual soul of Liz Vice, and the sweet but powerful harmonies of Red Molly.
- A pool-deck tribute to Woodstock that kicked off with a Hendrixian take on the National Anthem by steel guitar ace Jerry Douglas and continued with a lovely take on “Helplessly Hoping” by Red Molly, a microphone-swinging performance of “Pinball Wizard” by Billy Bragg, and a nice take on “The Weight” by Maine-based The Ghost of Paul Revere, among many other highlights. The show closed with an all-hands singalong on “With a Little Help From My Friends.”
- A “Cayamo After Hours” late-night show hosted by Amanda Shires and drummer Jerry Pentecost, featuring novel interpretations of classic songs written or performed by women. Among the entries: Maggie Rose with Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5,” Tommy Emmanuel with Carly Simon’s “It’s Too Late,” Paul Thorn with Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive,” Shires with Sheryl Crow’s “If It Makes You Happy,” and Bishop’s mesmerizing take on Roberta Flack’s “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.”
- A second after-hours show, dubbed “Sadler’s Garage” by its host, 400 Unit guitarist Sadler Vaden, who led off with a couple of rocking originals before covering The Band’s “Ophelia” and Joe Walsh’s “Life of Illusion.” Jason Isbell joined in on Thin Lizzy’s “Jailbreak,” which led into a full-length cover of the Allman Brothers’ “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed,” featuring keyboardist Peter Levin. The show closed with joyous singalongs on Tom Petty’s “Even the Losers” and “American Girl.”
- The final-day gospel show, enthusiastically led by Michael and Tanya Trotter, making a return appearance as The War and Treaty. Contributing artists included Tommy Emmanuel (“Amazing Grace”), Dori Freeman (“Heavenly Sunlight”), Phil Madeira (“Give God the Blues”), Carlene Carter (“Will the Circle Be Unbroken”) and Buddy Miller (“Shelter Me”), among others.
Utility Players
Cayamo is well-known for collaborations between artists who might not otherwise share stages. Several players seemed to pop up with great regularity for guest appearances at others’ shows: guitarists Tommy Emmanuel and Will Kimbrough, keyboardists Phil Madeira and Niji Adeleye, and fiddlers Eamon McLoughlin and Amanda Shires, to name a few.
The Sandlot
Cayamo 2019 featured, for the first time, a showcase for bands made up of amateurs – passengers who sent in audition tapes, were grouped into bands at the beginning of the week, and played a show in the Atrium on the last day. Each band performed one song by a Cayamo artist – selections included Buddy Miller’s “Gasoline and Matches” by Miller Time; Shawn Mullins’ “Beautiful Wreck” by Pipe Dreams (guest vocals by Mullins); the classic “Love Hurts” by The Emmys; Josh Ritter’s “Monster Ballads” by Monsters of Cayamo; Keb’ Mo’ ’s “Old Me Better” by Mo Betta (featuring a guest appearance by Keb’ Mo’ on kazoo), Claire and the 4 Units performing Jason Isbell’s “Something to Love,” and the unofficial winner of the band name contest, Flawes’ version of Dawes’ “All Your Favorite Bands.” You could have found more polished performances elsewhere on the boat; you could not have found more fun and enthusiasm anywhere.
Management
Kudos as always to Sixthman, the Atlanta-based company that produces Cayamo and several other music cruises (and, beginning this year, the land-based All the Best, scheduled for November in the Dominican Republic). Sound at the Pearl’s several venues was almost without exception excellent, and the company did a good job of programming to balance the crowds among the various shows on offer at any given time. Interactions with Norwegian Cruise Lines, which operates the Pearl, were smooth.
Errors
Few and far between. One of the big ones, this year and for the past few Cayamos, was the fact that a fair number of seats in the large Stardust Theater were broken and uncomfortable. No one has provided a satisfactory explanation as to why that issue hasn’t been addressed. The occasional sound glitch was usually fixed in a hurry. A beach excursion in Jamaica didn’t go as smoothly as planned – but Sixthman was quick to offer full refunds of the excursion charge to anyone left disappointed. There were the usual gripes about things like food quality and the balance between “seated” acts and “dancing” acts. Some differences of opinion are a given whenever 2,000-plus music fans gather, but the consensus among fans and artists alike is this is a very well-run festival that’s worth its substantial ticket price.
More:
- Cayamo 2018 review – A week of high points
Any weeklong music festival tends to turn into a blur of overlapping shows, and this year’s Cayamo festival-at-sea was no exception. The annual charter cruise, held aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pearl and produced by NCL subsidiary Sixthman, featured 40-plus performers and something like 100 shows over the course of six days and seven nights.
- Quotable Cayamo
Some of the most memorable onstage comments on the Cayamo 2018 cruise:
“Good God, you are a morose bunch.” – John Prine, commenting on some of the songs suggested by passengers for his all-request show - Cayamo music cruise review: An astounding line-up
The 10th edition of the Cayamo music cruise enjoyed sunny skies, smooth seas and a fairly astounding musical lineup.
Yola previews new album “Walk Through Fire” on WMOT’s Wired In
It seemed as though most of the WMOT members attending today’s Wired In concert at the City Winery were there to hear the impeccable harmonies of I’m With Her, but Yola (one name only) was a revelation.
Previewing her new album “Walk Through Fire’ – to be released tomorrow – Yola elicited quick comparisons to the ’70s soul of Dusty Springfield, no small accomplishment. Her sound isn’t retro, but it is reflective of an era in which vocal prowess and compelling melodies dominated the airwaves.
The new album was produced by Dan Auerbach in Nashville, and includes guest spots by Vince Gill and Dan Penn. Yola is special.
Previewing 2019 Cayamo Cruise
By Paul T. Mueller
2019 marks an even dozen for the Cayamo music cruise. The 12th edition of the festival at sea, produced by Atlanta-based Sixthman aboard the Norwegian Pearl, will head south from Tampa for a week of music – and what many passengers surely hope will be warmer weather than they’ve been enduring lately.
As always, the event will feature a full – not to say intimidating – lineup of musicians and bands. Returning notables this year include Emmylou Harris, Keb’ Mo’, Indigo Girls, Buddy Miller, Paul Thorn, Mary Gauthier, Shawn Mullins, Justin Townes Earle, Amanda Shires, Chuck Cannon, The War and Treaty, Steve Poltz and Bonnie Bishop. Newcomers include Will Kimbrough, Carlene Carter, Raul Malo, Billy Bragg, Josh Ritter, Tommy Emmanuel, Brett Dennen, Molly Tuttle and Phil Madeira.
Keb’ Mo’ 
Mary Gauthier (All photos Paul T. Mueller) 
Jason Isbell
As is typical of Cayamo, the lineup is heavily tilted toward the quieter fare of solo singer-songwriters and duos, but a few larger outfits will also make the trip. Bands on board include Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Dawes, the Jerry Douglas Trio, The Wood Brothers, Kasey Chambers and the Fireside Disciples, Darlingside, Red Molly, Red Dirt Boys and The Ghost of Paul Revere. The complete lineup can be seen here.
Themed shows scheduled this year include the Shawn Mullins Variety Show, Buddy Miller’s Sirius XM radio show featuring The War and Treaty, Billy Bragg’s Woody Guthrie tribute show, and the mysteriously named “Buddy’s Musical Genius Bar,” presumably hosted by Cayamo mainstay Miller. And while the concept of “after hours” is a bit hazy given that scheduled performances and informal jams routinely stretch into the small hours, there is nonetheless a “Cayamo After Hours with Sadler Vaden and Friends” show, featuring the 400 Unit guitarist, scheduled for very early Friday morning.
Given a lineup this large, it’s difficult, if not impossible, to see every performer, but there will be a few other events thrown in to make scheduling even tougher. These include yoga sessions led by Bonnie Bishop, a couple of open jam sessions, a 10 a.m. “Bloodies, Bacon and Bingo” event, a “Conversation About Songwriting” with Will Kimbrough and Phil Madeira, a “Tales & Ales” beer tasting hosted by Paul Thorn, and a drum workshop with Brady Blade.
For many Cayamoans, the music is all that matters and it’s of little interest where the cruise stops along the way. But for the record, this year’s ports of call are Montego Bay, Jamaica, and the Costa Maya on Mexico’s southern Caribbean coast. The Jamaica stop will feature a beach excursion and show by Irish singer-songwriter Foy Vance.
Merle Hazard’s atonal salute
Merle Hazard ‘s new video on atonal music is brilliantly weird, and features a great line-up of Alison Brown, Tammy Rogers King, Trey Hensley, Claire Lynch and Missy Raines.
The Strategic Songwriting of Justin Townes Earle
Justin Townes Earle knows how to pace himself. In a wide-ranging conversation at the 30A Songwriters Festival, Justin told us how he writes a new album: 12 songs written over the span of a year and astonishingly, in the exact order they show up on the finished collection. In this excerpt, he talks about how it all comes together.
The full interview will be available soon on the Americana Music News Podcast (find it on iTunes) and broadcast on WMOT Roots Radio.