Cayamo 2018, a “festival at sea” focused on singer-songwriters, celebrates its 10th anniversary (and 11th sailing) beginning Feb. 4. More than 40 performers – some solo, some with bands – will provide the entertainment, which at times will span more than 12 hours a day of continuous shows.
Category: Americana Music
Joe Ely and Terry Allen, with Jo Harvey Allen at the Heights Theater
Fans who bought tickets to the Jan. 26 show by Joe Ely and Terry Allen at Houston’s Heights Theater might have expected an entertaining song swap. They got that, and so much more
Best Americana Album: Jason Isbell’s Nashville Sound
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit win the Grammy for Americana Album of the Year
Tyler Childers Tour Dates 2018
We’re already marked our calendars for a pair of special shows at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on May 19 and 20 for the double bill of Tyler Childers and Margo Price, two of the most buzzed-about artists in Americana. We’ve long known and admired Margo’s talents, but we first saw Childers this year when he came to the Americana Music Festival and did an outstanding guest set for WMOT Roots Radio.
He has a busy touring year ahead, beginning with concert dates in Europe:
Jan 18
John Dee
Jan 19
Twang
Jan 20
Folk Å Rock
Jan 22
Prinzenbar
Jan 23
Privatclub
Jan 25
Het Zonnehuis
Jan 27
Rotown
Jan 29
Mon
Komedia Studio
Jan 30
London Omeara
Feb 1
Jimmy’s NQ
Feb 3
Tron Theater
Feb 10
Bulls, Bands, & Barrels
Feb 11
Sun Space
Feb 20
Music Hall of Williamsburg
Feb 21
Bowery Ballroom
Feb 22
Thu
Wolf Den at Mohegan Sun
Feb 23
Fri
The Sinclair Music Hall
Feb 24
Sat
Higher Ground
Feb 27
World Cafe Live-Philadelphia
Mar 1
Rock and Roll Hotel
Mar 2
Stage AE
Mar 3
Magic Bag
Mar 4
The Horseshoe tavern
Apr 7
John T. Floore Country Store w/ Turnpike Troubadours & Charley Crockett
Apr 28
Stagecoach Festival
May 11
Beaver Dam Amphitheater w/ John Prine
May 12
Clowes Memorial Hall, Butler University w/ John Prine
May 19 and 20
Ryman Auditorium w/Margo Price
Jun 9
The Taft Theater w/ John Prine
Jun 14 – 16
Blue Ox Music Festival
Eau Claire, Wis
Be sure to check Childers’ website for updates.
COPY CODE SNIPPET
Willie Nile at Nashville’s City Winery
Willie Nile was clearly battling a respiratory bug, but he soldiered on in his show at the City Winery tonight, delivering an energetic and sometimes inspirational set.
10 Special Moments on Sandy Beaches Cruise 2018
Delbert McCinton’s 24th annual Sandy Beaches Cruise has come to a close after a full week of varied and outstanding musical performances, including shows by the Mavericks, Marc Broussard, Marcia Ball, Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps, Band of Heathens, the Howlin’ Brothers, Paul Brady, the McCrary Sisters, Paul Brady, Danny Flowers, Wayne Toups and many more.
No bounds or barriers for Liz Brasher
One of our biggest surprises in 2017 came near the end of the year with a performance by a young artist named Liz Brasher.
Gregg Allman’s “Song for Adam”
Remembering Gregg Allman with this touching cover of Jackson Browne’s “Song for Adam.”
New – Larkin Poe’s “Peach”
We first saw Larkin Poe on a Cayamo cruise a few years ago. It was clear that this talented young duo had a bright future.
Today, their sound is tougher and bluesier, as evidenced by their new release “Peach.” They’ll be in Nashville on Dec. 29 at the Basement East.
Laura Benitez & the Heartache’s “With All Its Thorns”
Coming Jan. 26 is “With All Its Thorns,” the third album from Laura Benitez, who melds traditional country, rockabilly, Cajun and Mexican music in highly engaging fashion. A sample:
Top 100 albums in Americana music
The Americana Music Association has just released the Top 100 Americana Albums of the year based on radio airplay. No surprise in the top two slots, with Jason Isbell and Christ Stapleton leading the way. But it’s a treat to see multiple generations in the upper reaches, with Steve Earle at #5 and his son Justin Towns Earle at #7. Lukas Nelson is at #8, while his father Willie Nelson holds down #11.
New: Eric Brace’s “Cartes Postales”
We’ve long admired Eric Brace’s work, from Last Train Home to his solo work and collaborations with Peter Cooper, and his new “Cartes Postales” shows us a new side of his art. The album honors his father’s life and love of music and nine of the ten tracks are sung in French, his father’s home country. The music is beautiful, thanks in part to the many contributions of Rory Hoffman. A sample, taken from Eric’s appearance on Music City Roots:
Preview: Grant-Lee Phillips’ “Widdershins”
By Ken Paulson
One of my projects each year is to put together concerts that celebrate free speech. This year we had a new recruit.
Grant-Lee Phillips turned in great performances in Nashville at the Family Wash on the 4th of July and at the Bluebird Café in September, closing the latter concert with a roaring take on “Rockin’ in the Free World.”
So it makes perfect sense that Phillips’ new album “Widdershins,” set for release on Feb. 23 on Yep Roc Records, reflects his perspective on today’s free world.
“I made a commitment to myself not to sink into despair,” Phillips said in a release. “I’m tracing a longer narrative here. We’ve been through some of this before – not just our country, but the civilization as a whole.”
Here’s a preview track from the new album:
Bill Lloyd interview: “It’s Happening Now”
By Ken Paulson
Bill Lloyd of power pop and Foster and Lloyd fame has a new album out this week and it’s a musical departure. Rather than the Beatles/Byrds-infused sounds of “Set to Pop” and “Standing on the Shoulders of Giants,” “It’s Happening Now” is a refreshing collection of quieter, well-crafted compositions, long on melody and wry observations. We had the chance to catch up with Bill right before a performance in Nashville on Saturday to talk about his career, musical heroes and his new songs, including the only-in-Nashville “Pedal Tavern Girl.” As he notes in the interview, if you’ve liked Bill’s past work, you’ll enjoy “It’s Happening Now” as well. Highly recommended.
Coming soon: John McCutcheon’s “Ghost Light”
“Ghost Light” is John McCutcheon’s 39th album, set for release early next year, and continues his tradition of combining traditional folk with fresh perspectives.
“The Machine,” a reflection on the events in Charlottesville in August, 2017 is particularly compelling. There’s also the sheer joy of “She Just Dances,” about a granddaughter discovering dancing, and “When My Fight for Life Is Over,” a new song built around a fragment of a Woody Guthrie composition. Highly recommended.
Kris Kristofferson’s “Life and Songs”
Just released is “The Life and Songs of Kris Kristofferson,” a three-disc set with guest spots from Buddy Miller, Rosanne Cash, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, Rodney Crowell, Alison Krauss and many more.
The ultimate Woody Guthrie tribute
Bear Records has released an extraordinary document – a better term than box set in this instance- that captures both Woody Guthrie tribute concerts, and includes almost 80 tracks, recorded remembrances and two substantive illustrated books.
Nov. 17: Robbie Fulks in Nashville
Don’t miss:
Robbie Fulks is back in Nashville this Friday at the Station Inn in support of his latest album “Upland Stories.” It’s always a great show, as this performance attests:
Jon Latham: “My first word was ‘Bruce'”
Jon Latham delivered a great set for WMOT in Murfreesboro, Tennessee to encourage residents to support downtown businesses after a planned white supremacist rally wiped out business the previous weekend. In this interview with Americana Music News, he talks about the influence of Bruce Springsteen.
New: Billy Burnette’s “Crazy Like Me”
Billy Burnette has a fun new album “Crazy Like Me” that chronicles his career in music, including his years in Fleetwood Mac. We caught up with him at 3rd and Lindsley in Nashville.