After years of tribute albums that tend to be purely celebratory, it’s nice to come across one that’s revelatory. Cover John Prine? That’s a tall order. He’s a distinctive performer with an unconventional style and phrasing, and a voice that seems built for his songs. Yet there’s a freshness to Broken Hearts and Dirty Windows, thanks to respectful, but not too…
Lorraine – Lori McKenna
By Ken Paulson You can almost hear Lori McKenna exhale with relief on Lorraine, her new CD and the first in some time without the commercial pressure of a label. She’s back to a sparer sound and continues to write about life’s trials and passages, from the frustration of being taken for granted (“If He Tried”) to the loss of…
Tin Pan South dates announced
The Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival has been set for Tuesday, March 29, through Saturday, April 2. This is always a great event, with an amazing range of singers and songwriters. Passes go on sale on March 9 at tinpansouth.com.
Don Henry’s birthday bash at the Bluebird
One of the very best ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve eve is to attend Don Henry’s birthday bash at the Bluebird Café in Nashville. Last night was no exception. Henry, a Grammy award-winning songwriter, throws his own birthday party each year, inviting talented friends and co-writers. A highlight: Bobby Braddock dropped in to perform his George Jones classic “He…
Cayamo 2011 features John Prine
One of my favorite musical events each year takes place on the water. Cayamo is a floating music festival, a cruise that features a remarkable array of performers and about 12 hours of music a day. Cayamo 2011 will feature John Prine, Steve Earle, Patty Griffin, the Indigo Girls, Buddy Miller, Brandi Carlisle and many more. The cruise includes stops…
Tin Pan South 2011 dates
Looking ahead: The 2011 Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival has been scheduled for the week of March 29, 2011. Watch for ticket sales information at www.tinpansouth.com.
Video interview with Cowboy Jack Clement
Given the inspiration for Sun 209, it seems appropriate to share this video link of an interview with Cowboy Jack Clement from the Speaking Freely television show. Jack talks about Sun Records, his writing and recording career, Johnny Cash and the fateful day Jerry Lee Lewis walked into the studio. You’ll find a transcript here.
A side of Jason and the Scorchers at Tin Pan South
In a week full of performances on acoustic guitars, Tin Pan South took a turn for the loud with a group of folks best known for rock and blues. Craig Krampf, Bill Cuomo, Dave Pomeroy, Jonell Mosser, Dan Baird, Paris Delane, Kenny Greenberg and Ashley Cleveland played an amazing array of songs, including one of Craig’s from “Flashdance.” I’ve never…
A Righteous Tin Pan South
Tin Pan South is a celebration of songwriting put together by the Nashville Songwriters Association International. The annual festival is remarkable for its scope and depth of talent, and occasionally you can even have a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member drop by. Righteous Brother Bill Medley performed in the round at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville with Steve Dorff, Bill LaBounty and Bobby…
Sam of Sun
My only aim was to stay in the business until I could prove, right or wrong, that we needed to be blazing some new trails. Sam Phillips, 1999, at the “Elvis and the First Amendment” program