By Paul T. Mueller – Lucinda Williams’ latest release, Good Souls Better Angels, will probably be a big hit with fans who have embraced her late-career evolution into a kind of rock ‘n’ roll godmother. It may not prove so popular with those who fell in love with the introspective poetry of her earlier days as a folkie singer-songwriter. Williams…
Category: Americana Music
RIP Little Richard: What made him the King
By Ken Paulson – If you have any questions about why Little Richard is such a pivotal figure in the history of popular music, just listen to the 23rd second of the Beatles’ “I Saw Her Standing There.” “I’ll never dance with another…whoo!” There it is. The “whoo!” That’s Paul McCarney singing and the Beatles shaking their heads on that…
Show 48 The Reverend Shawn Amos’ new “Blue Sky”
Learn how Shawn Amos’ Blue Sky came together and what he has in common with the Who on this edition of the Americana One Podcast.
Quarantine Playlist: Beth Nielsen Chapman
Stan Garfield’s Quarantine Playlist featuring Beth Nielsen Chapman, and a reposting of our American One podcast with this talented artist.
Missing John Prine
There was a truly special night when John Prine took the stage to perform his first album from start to finish, as a full and incandescent moon was reflected in the waves. For the rest of my life, when I think of John, I’ll think of that moment and those songs.
Conversations on Cayamo: The Mastersons
The Mastersons were remarkably prescient in recording and releasing their new album No Time For Love Songs.
Quarantine playlist: Aztec Two-Step
Quarantine Playlist: Aztec Two-Step was a great acoustic guitar and vocal harmony duo in the same spirit as Batdorf and Rodney and Brewer & Shipley.
The Quarantine Playlist: Nashville
Quarantine Playlist of the Day: Nashville (the TV series). This show ran 6 seasons from 2012-18, starting on ABC and ending on CMT.
Show 42 – Last Train Home’s triumphant return
We’ve been too long without a Last Train Home album. After a decade, Eric Brace and Last Train Home have released Daytime Highs & Overnght Lows, an always ambitious and musically diverse collection that reminds us once again of this band’s excellence.
Cayamo 2020: Sun, fun, music and marriage
By Paul T. Mueller The 13th edition of the Cayamo festival-at-sea was another (mostly) happy week of sun, fun and, above all, music – scores of shows performed by world-class musicians, all on a seven-night cruise to two sunny Caribbean islands. Marquee names in this year’s lineup included Beach Boys founder Brian Wilson, soul icon Mavis Staples and Americana stalwart…
Hayes Carll’s “What It Is” named top Americana album in 2019
The Americana Music Association reports that Hayes’ Carll’s “What It Is” was the most played album on Americana radio stations in 2019, just ahead of the most recent releases by Josh Ritter and the Lumineers. The Top 10: Hayes Carll – What It Is Josh Ritter – Fever Breaks The Lumineers – III Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real…
Lumineers top 2019 Americana singles list with “Gloria”
The Lumineers’ “Gloria” was the most-played Americana music song of the year, according to a tally released this morning by the Americana Music Association. The Top 10: Lumineers – “Gloria” Josh Ritter – “Old Black Magic” Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real – “Bad Case” Brittany Howard – “Stay High” The Avett Brothers – “High Steppin’” Tedeschi Trucks Band…
Review: For the Sake of the Song – The Story of Anderson Fair
By Paul T. Mueller – It can be tricky to capture the magic of a particular era, or a particular music scene, or a particular venue, but Bruce Bryant was up to the task. Bryant directed and co-produced For the Sake of the Song – The Story of Anderson Fair, a 2010 documentary about Houston’s legendary Anderson Fair Retail Restaurant, better…
Review: Dee White’s “Southern Gentleman”
By Ken Paulson – It wasn’t until about the fourth track on Dee White’s new album Southern Gentleman that I realized that something special was going on. “Crazy Man” is a highly melodic song about redemption and a revived relationship, and is representative of the sound that works so well on this new release. Produced by Dan Auerbach and David…
Show #39 Raul Malo on “The Mavericks Play the Hits”
In this edition of the Americana One Podcast, Raul Malo tells us why the Mavericks decided to cover songs like Bruce Springsteen’s “Hungry Heart,” Elvis Presley’s “Don’t Be Cruel” and Freddy Fender’s “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” – all with new arrangements and in delightfully tacky packaging.
Review: Chuck Hawthorne’s “Fire Out of Stone”
By Paul T. Mueller – Austin-based singer-songwriter Chuck Hawthorne’s sophomore effort is an eclectic collection of nine originals and a cover, exploring themes as diverse as Native American lore, the struggles of growing up in the shadow of a famous father, the loss of comrades, and the hardships of life on the road. Hawthorne’s writing is personal but accessible, combining…
Brooks and Dunn, Ray Stevens and Jerry Bradley enter Country Music Hall of Fame
By Ken Paulson – Nashville’s a town full of awards shows where artists are honored and their songs are showcased. But the annual Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony is no awards show. It’s history. Tonight, Brooks and Dunn, Ray Stevens and Jerry Bradley were inducted into the Hall of Fame in an evening filled with solemnity and joy,…
Americana’s “first couples:” Buddy and Julie Miller, Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis
By Paul T. Mueller “First Couple of Americana Music” may be a fictitious title, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some real contenders out there. Two such duos, Buddy and Julie Miller and Kelly Willis and Bruce Robison, stake convincing claims on recently released albums – Breakdown on 20th Ave. South and Beautiful Lie, respectively. Of the two, the Millers’…
Concert review: Alejandro Escovedo at the Mucky Duck
By Paul T. Mueller – If this was really goodbye for Alejandro Escovedo, it was a nice way to go. The singer-songwriter seemed to be in the mood for introspection and retrospection as he took the stage at McGonigel’s Mucky Duck in Houston on Friday, July 19. He referred to his having recorded 15 albums (Wikipedia counts 16) and said…