By Paul T. Mueller – Like any established music festival, Cayamo – the festival-at-sea that just wrapped up its 15th edition – faces the challenge of attracting new attendees while keeping returning guests interested. Sixthman, the Norwegian Cruise Line subsidiary that produces Cayamo, was up to the task this year, putting together a lineup that combined well-known veterans of the…
Category: Music fests on land and sea
Outlaw Country West cruise: A wide net of rocking, raucous music
By Paul T. Mueller – Despite its name, the inaugural Outlaw Country West music cruise wasn’t just about country music. Producers Sixthman and Renegade Circus cast a wider net, including a couple of Southern California punk bands as well as several purveyors of West Coast country and rock. The floating festival departed Los Angeles on November 3 aboard the Norwegian…
15th Cayamo Cruise opens booking to the public
Americana One – We’ve spent a lot of time on music-based cruises over the past decade, but the Cayamo cruise remains one of the most consistent and adventurous. They’ve just opened reservations to the general public with a line-up that includes Jeff Tweedy, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Neko Case, Shovels & Rope Andrew Bird and Trampled By Turtles, This year’s…
Cayamo 2022’s exuberant rebound
By Paul T. Mueller – After a year lost to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cayamo cruise returned in mid-March, rewarding passengers and artists alike with nearly a week’s worth of floating music festival. The chartered cruise, produced by Norwegian Cruise Lines subsidiary Sixthman and held aboard the NCL Pearl, featured more than 40 bands and solo artists and around 2,000…
Show 49 Dar Williams
By Ken Paulson I try never to walk into a record store without buying something, but I was stumped one day in the mid-’90s. I felt like I had already bought everything I wanted in the pop, rock, country and R&B bins. So I walked over to the often-neglected folk section and came across an album called Mortal City by…
Conversations on Cayamo: The Mastersons
The Mastersons were remarkably prescient in recording and releasing their new album No Time For Love Songs.
Conversations on Cayamo: The Quebe Sisters
The Quebe Sisters’ triple fiddling and tight harmonies create Western swing for a new generation.
Conversations on Cayamo: Emily Scott Robinson
An interview with Emily Scott Robinson on board the Cayamo music cruise
Conversations on Cayamo: Al Jardine of the Beach Boys
On two remarkable nights, the stage featured two founding Beach Boys – Wilson and Al Jardine – and an amazing band revisiting one of pop music’s most entertaining, important and influential catalogs.
Preview: Cayamo 2020
By Paul T. Mueller It tends to happen with any music festival that’s been around for a few years – some fans want a new lineup every year, others want to stick to the tried and true. Cayamo, the festival-at-sea that’s about to embark on its 13th voyage, is no exception. There’s always a vigorous debate between those who love…
Cayamo 2019: An All-Star music cruise
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
Previewing 2019 Cayamo Cruise
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.
Bonus Podcast: Bruce Channel’s Classic “Hey Baby”
Next year marks the 60th anniversary of the writing of the rock ‘n’ roll classic “Hey Baby” by Bruce Channel (who recorded it) and Margaret Cobb. Earlier this year, we had the chance to visit with Bruce on board Delbert McClinton’s Sandy Beaches Cruise and we heard the full story of the 1962 hit record, Delbert’s role and the song’s connection to the Beatles. It’s an entertaining tale from a true rock ‘n’ roll pioneer.
Podcast 14 Marcia Ball continues to “Shine Bright”
Marcia Ball, the official 2018 Texas State Musician of the Year, has a just-released album called “Shine Bright,” her 12th. We caught up with her on board Delbert McClinton’s “Sandy Beaches Cruise” earlier this year. She talks about the new album and her colorful career on Episode 11 of the Americana Music News Podcast.
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
Show #4 Doyle and Debbie and the “Opry on acid”
Interview with Doyle and Debbie stars Bruce Arntson and Jenny Littleton, who embody this unusual country duo with a singular back story. It seems that Doyle, a regional country star with enormous personal baggage, is mounting his comeback with his “third Debbie.” Yes, it’s drawn from Shakespeare.
Show #2 Band of Heathens and the inspiration of Ray Charles
Episode 2 of the Americana Music News podcast featuring Gordy Quist of the Band of Heathens. Recorded on board Sandy Beaches cruise 2018. Subscribe on iTunes.
Cayamo Music Cruise 2018 preview
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.
Remembering Lari White
Remembering Lari White, who passed away this morning after a brief and relentless illness.