Category Archives: Americana

Willie Nelson To Be Honored at Grammy Week Americana Music Association Benefit Concert

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shotgun willie

In keeping with its honoring music legends in the runup to the Grammy Awards (who in many ways prefers to forget them), the Americana Music Association will be producing a solute to none other than the red-headed stranger himself, Willie Nelson.

Willie will be saluted by peers and admirers that include John Prine, Tanya Tucker, Shooter Jennings, Rhiannon Giddens & Francesco Turrisi, Calexico, Andrew Bird, I’m With Her (Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz, and Aoife O’Donovan) and Yola. The War and Treaty, Iron & Wine, Madison Cunningham, Gregory Alan Isakov, Ida Mae, Sierra Ferrell and others still to be announced also are slated to take part in the tribute.

The evening celebrates the Recording Academy’s recognition of Americana musicians and typically uses the work of an Americana luminary as a focal point. Prine was the honoree last year and will be making his second appearance at the event to pay homage to the 86-year-old Texas singer and songwriter, who is not expected to attend.

Previous honorees include Everly Brothers singer and songwriter Phil Everly (which I was fortunate enough to attend), Eagles founding member Glenn Frey and country queen Loretta Lynn.

The benefit will take place at the storied West Hollywood venue Troubadour. Tickets are $75 and proceeds benefit the AMA. General sales begin at 10 a.m. Friday.

Lilly Hiatt To Release “Walking Proof” March 27th , Hear The New Cut ‘“Brightest Star”

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Lilly Hiatt

Lilly Hiatt will release her fourth studio album ‘Walking Proof’ on March 27th via New West Records. The 11-song set was produced by former Cage The Elephant member Lincoln Parish (Lucinda Williams, Lissie) and features guest appearances by Amanda Shires, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Luke Schneider, and Lilly’s father, the legendary singer-songwriter John Hiatt. John’s appearance on “Some Kind Of Drug,” marks the first time the pair have appeared together on one of her records.

Lilly Hiatt has also announced her initial tour dates in support of Walking Proof, launching April 2nd in Atlanta, GA. Prior to the tour, Lilly will embark on a run of solo acoustic dates supporting Hiss Golden Messenger beginning tonight in Wilmington, NC. See all dates below.

‘Walking Proof’ will be available on CD, across streaming platforms, and standard black vinyl. A Limited Edition Translucent Turquoise Vinyl Pressing featuring a Black & White 12×12 insert of the cover artwork will be available at Independent Retailers. A limited to 500 copies edition autographed by Lilly Hiatt will feature One-Of-A-Kind Random Colored Vinyl, a Black & White 12×12 cover artwork insert, and a box of colored pencils is available for pre-order now.

Hear the new cut jangle-slink ‘“Brightest Star” below.

‘Walking Proof’ Track List:

1. Rae
2. P-Town
3. Little Believer
4. Some Kind of Drug
5. Candy Lunch
6. Walking Proof
7. Drawl
8. Brightest Star
9. Never Play Guitar
10. Move
11. Scream

Lilly Hiatt On Tour:
January 9th – Wilmington, NC Brooklyn Arts Center * solo w/ Hiss Golden Messenger
January 10th – Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle * solo w/ Hiss Golden Messenger
January 11th – Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle * solo w/ Hiss Golden Messenger
January 14th – Harrisonburg, VA Court Square Theater * solo w/ Hiss Golden Messenger
January 15th – Washington, DC 9:30 Club * solo w/ Hiss Golden Messenger
January 16th – Richmond, VA The Broadberry * solo w/ Hiss Golden Messenger
January 17th – Asheville, NC The Orange Peel * solo w/ Hiss Golden Messenger
January 18th – Charlotte, NC Neighborhood Theatre * solo w/ Hiss Golden Messenger
January 25th – Abingdon, VA Barter Theatre
April 2nd – Atlanta, GA Vinyl
April 7th – Philadelphia, PA Boot & Saddle
April 8th – Brooklyn, NY Rough Trade
April 10th – Hamden, CT Space Ballroom
April 11th – Boston, MA Great Scott
April 14th – Cleveland, OH Beachland Tavern
April 15th – Chicago, IL Schubas
April 16th – Columbus, OH Rumba Cafe
April 17th – Bowling Green, KY Tidball’s
April 18th – Nashville, TN Basement East
April 23rd – Little Rock, AR White Water Tavern
April 24th – Houston, TX Mucky Duck
April 25th – Dallas, TX Three Links
April 26th – Austin, TX Mohawk
April 30th – Denver, CO Globe Hall
May 1st – Fort Collins, CO The Armory
May 2nd – Manitou Springs, CO Lulu’s Downstairs
May 4th – Phoenix, AZ Valley Bar
May 5th – San Diego, CA Soda Bar
May 7th – Los Angeles, CA Moroccan Lounge
May 8th – San Francisco, CA Cafe Du Nord
May 9th – Redding, CA The Dip
May 12th – Portland, OR Doug Fir
May 13th – Seattle, WA Sunset Tavern
May 14th – Prosser, WA Brewminatti
May 15th – Boise, ID Olympic
May 16th – Hailey, ID The Mint
May 20th – Minneapolis, MN 7th Street Entry
May 21st – Madison, WI High Noon
May 22nd – Iowa City, IA The Mill
July 18th – Whitefish, MT Under The Big Sky Festival

Frazey Ford Announces New Album , Tour. Hear The New Single ‘Azad’

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Vancouver-based neo-folk-soul singer-songwriter-actress Frazey Ford has some good news to share. She will be releasing her third studio album ‘U kin B the Sun’ on February 7th via Arts & Crafts records.

From the presser “At turns ecstatic and heavy-hearted, gloriously shambolic and deeply purifying, the new album is the outcome of a certain personal transformation that Ford has experienced in recent years. With its graceful collision of soul and psychedelia and sometimes ’70s funk, it’s a body of work that invites both self-reflection and wildly joyful movement, and ultimately sparks a quiet transcendence.”

“To expand that sense of presence, Ford made a point of preserving many of the lightning-in-a-bottle moments captured during those first sessions for ‘U kin B the Sun.’ As a result, the album embodies the same untamed and ineffable energy that guided its creation. “There’s certain songs that just appear and there’s no art to it,” says Ford. “To me those songs have some kind of spiritual quality—sometimes I feel like they’re these different voices that you’re able to channel. There really was something magical about the improvisational aspect and how that shaped the album and such a joy in the experience of really reveling in what we were all creating together.”

Casa Twang has been a fan of Frazey Ford from the beginning and is looking forward to hearing ‘U kin B the Sun’ in its entirety. Until then have a listen to the soulfully simmering new cut from ‘U kin B the Sun’ below.

Of the single Ford says “There’s something to that song that’s about survival, and about the love that my siblings and I have for each other in coming through an intense situation together.”

Pre-order ‘U kin B the Sun.’

2020 North American Headline Tour

2/29: Montreal, QC @ Petit Campus
3/2: Toronto, ON @ Mod Club Theatre
3/4: Nanaimo, BC @ The Port Theatre
3/5: Victoria, BC @ Capital Ballroom
3/18: Seattle @ The Crocodile Café
3/19: Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
3/21: San Francisco, CA @ Independent
3/24: Los Angeles, CA @ The Satellite
3/25: New York, NY @ Baby’s All Right
3/26: Washington, DC @ Pearl Street Warehouse
3/27: Philadelphia, PA @ World Café

Cream of the Crop – Twang Nation Top Americana and Roots Music Picks of 2019

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2019 continued to be a stellar year for Americana and roots music, but with the genre’s growing popularity it’s getting harder to find off the beaten path talent. Since starting this blog finding great music has moved from rutting through a forest of the mundane to dig up occasional tasty sonic truffles to having mounds of music arrive in my inbox.

This is a good problem to have but it’s a growing concern that I’ve probably missed something great out on the fringes. I hope to continue to look for those artists in the upcoming new year.

Below are the albums that have stuck with me for a variety of reasons. Winnowing down to only 10 is getting harder each year for reasons outlined above and I’m sure my list will not reflect the subjective preferences of all.

Criteria – Calendar year 2019. No EPs, live, covers or re-release albums no matter how awesome.

Don’t see your favorite represented? Leave it in the comments and here’s to a new year of twang.

Mike and the Moonpies – Cheap Silver & Solid Country Gold [artist site | buy]
Kendell Marvel – Solid Gold Sounds [artist site | buy]
John Paul White – The Hurting Kind [artist site | buy]
Kelsey Waldon – White Noise/White Lines [artist site | buy]
Vandoliers – Forever [artist site | buy]
Molly Tuttle – When You’re Ready [artist site | buy]
Hayes Carll – What It Is [artist site | buy]
Cody Jinx – After the Fire and The Wanting [artist site | buy]
Boo Ray – Tennessee Alabama Fireworks [artist site | buy]
Chris Knight – Almost Daylight [artist site | buy]

Wanted! – Notable Americana and Roots Music Releases for 2020

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2019 turned out to be another excellent year for Americana and roots music. Releases from John Paul White, Buddy and Julie Miller, Chuck Mead, Tanya Tucker, and many others were cause for celebration for the music we love. Roots radio continues to gain listeners and mainstream country radio continues to, occasionally, remember its roots and reflect the shift in tastes of a growing fan base.

But radio is just part of the story. We listened to this timeless music through the format du jour, streaming services. Spotify has several internally curated playlists for Americana and roots music ( The Pulse of Americana, Roots Rising,
Fresh Folk ) as well as my own semi-weekly playlist ‘Twang Nation Friday New Tunes Hayride Then there’s the vinyl boom which roots music artists and fans played a significant part.

2020 starts off right with releases from Gill Landry, Terry Allen, Maria McKee, Della Mae and Pinegrove with releases from John Moreland, The Lone Bellow, The Cadillac Three, and Aubrie Sellers releasing in February. Then there are yet-to-be-announced release dates for James McMurtry and others. Bookmark and check back to this list as we will update those dates and add other releases as we learn more.

Also if you know of a release not on the list feel free to add it below.

Thanks for keeping up with Twang Nation and happy 2020!

January
Jan. 10: Paul Kelly – Songs From the South 1985-2019
Jan. 10: Aerialists – “Dear Sienna”
Jan. 13: Maria McKee – ‘La Vita Nuova’
Jan. 13: Left Arm Tan – self-titled
Jan. 15: David Dondero – ‘The Filter Bubble Blues’
Jan. 17: Eleven Hundred Springs – ‘Here ‘Tis’
Jan. 17: Marcus King – ‘El Dorado’
Jan. 17: Marshall Crenshaw – ‘Miracle of Science’
Jan. 17: Pinegrove – ‘Marigold’
Jan. 17: The Innocence Mission – ‘see you tomorrow’
Jan. 17: Della Mae – ‘Headlight’
Jan. 17: Torgeir Waldemar – ‘Love’
Jan. 17: Fruition – ‘Broken at the Break of Day’
Jan. 17: Bill Fay – “Countless Branches”
Jan. 17: Dwight Yoakam – Blame The Vain (Vinyl Reissue)
Jan. 17: Buck Owens – ‘The Capitol Singles & Albums 1957-62’
Jan. 17: Buck Owens & Susan Raye / Very Best Of (Vinyl)
Jan.22: Vance Gilbert – ‘Good Good Man’
Jan.22: Gill Landry – ‘Love Rides A Dark Horse’
Jan 24: Terry Allen and the Panhandle Mystery Band – ‘Just Like Moby Dick’
Jan 24: Bonny Light Horseman – self-titled debut
Jan 24: Kailey Nicole – self-titled EP
Jan 24: Mrs. Henry Presents: ‘Live at the Casbah’
Jan 24: The Wood Brothers – ‘Kingdom in My Mind’
Jan 24: Bart Bugwig – ;Another Burn on the Astroturf’
Jan 24: The Haden Triplets – ‘The Family Songbook’
Jan 24: The Lil Smokies – ‘Tornillo’
Jan 24: Joy Mills Band – ‘Echolocator’
Jan 24: Kailey Nicole – self-titled
Jan 24: Steve Scott – ‘No Love For The Common Man’
Jan 24: Caitlin Sherman – ‘Death To The Damsel’
Jan 31: Dustbowl Revival – ‘Is It You, Is It Me’
Jan 31: Brian Johannesen – “Holster Your Silver”
Jan 31: Possessed By Paul James – ‘As We Go Wandering’
Jan 31: Tre Burt – ‘Caught It from the Rye’
Jan 31: Drive-by Truckers – ‘The Unraveling’
Jan 31: Cave Flowers – self-titled
Jan 31: Blackie & the Rodeo Kings – ‘King of This Town’
Jan 31: Sophie & The Broken Things – self-titled
Jan 31: Glenn Jones – ‘Ready For The Good Times’
Jan 31: Eric Brace & Last Train Home – ‘Daytime Highs and Overnight Lows’
Jan 31: RB Morris – ‘Going Back To The Sky’
Jan 31: Tomar & the FCs – ‘Rise Above’

February
Feb. 1: Glenn Jones Are You Ready For The Good Times
Feb. 7: Hank Williams – ‘Pictures From Life’s Other Side’
Feb. 7: John Moreland – “LP5”
Feb. 7: The Lone Bellow – “Half Moon Light”
Feb. 7: The Cadillac Three – “Country Fuzz”
Feb. 7: Aubrie Sellers – “Far From Home”
Feb. 7: Dom Flemons – ‘Prospect Hill: The American Songster Omnibus’
Feb. 7: Miss Tess – ‘The Moon Is an Ashtray’
Feb. 7: Darling West – ‘We’ll Never Know Unless We Try’
Feb. 7: Elkhorn – ‘The Storm Sessions’
Feb. 7: The Steeldrivers – “Bad For You’
Feb. 7: Frazey Ford – ‘U kin B the Sun’
Feb. 7: Corinne Sharlet – ‘Deceiver’ EP
Feb. 7: Chicago Farmer – ‘Flyover Country’
Feb. 7: David Allen – ‘Regrets and Retribution’
Feb. 7: Flyin’ A’s – ‘No Holds Barred’
Feb. 7: Supersuckers – ‘Play That Rock n’ Roll’
Feb. 7: William Prince – ‘Reliever’
Feb. 7: Frank & Allie Lee – ‘Treat A Stranger Right’
Feb. 7: Lynne Hanson – ‘Just Words’
Feb: 14: Phil Madeira – “Open Heart”
Feb. 14: Tami Neilson – CHICKABOOM!
Feb. 14: Robert Vincent – ‘In This Town You’re Owned’
Feb. 14: Jeremiah Johnson – ‘Heavens to Betsy’
Feb. 14: Little Misty – ‘Old Ghosts’
Feb. 14: The Third Mind – self-titled debut
Feb. 21: Nora Jane Struthers – “Bright Lights, Long Drives, First Words”
Feb. 21: Arik Dov – ‘The Man’ ep
Feb 28: The Secret Sisters – “Saturn Return”
Feb 28: Sierra Hull – ’25 Trips’
Feb 28: Pam Tillis – new album
Feb 28: Waco Brothers – ‘RESIST!’
Feb 28: Chelsea Lovitt – ‘You Had Your Cake, So Lie in It’
Feb 28: Avi Kaplan – ‘ I’ll Get By’

March
March 6: The Panhandlers – Josh Abbott, John Baumann, Cleto Cordero and William Clark Green – self-titled
March 6: The Mastersons- ‘No Time for Love Songs’
March 6: Brandy Clark – ‘Your Life is a Record’
March 6: Jim Lauderdale – ‘When Carolina Comes Home Again’
March 6: Will Sexton – ‘Don’t Walk the Darkness’
March 6: Green Leaf Rustlers – ‘Within Marin’
March 6: Aoife O’Donovan – ‘The Bull Frogs Croon (and Other Songs)’ EP
March 13: Dave Simonett (from Tramped By Turtles) – “Red Tail”
March 13: Sam Doores (of The Deslondes and formerly Hurray for the Riff Raff) – self-titled
March 13: Anna Lynch – ‘Apples in Fall’ EP
March 13: Outlaw Billy Don Burns -‘The Country Blues’
March 15: Sons of the Pioneers – ‘The Lost Masters’
March 20: Delta Rae – ‘The Light’
March 20: Carla Olson – ‘Have Harmony Will Travel 2’
March 27: Lilly Hiatt – ‘Walking Proof’
March 27: Marie Miller – ‘Little Dreams’
March 27: Kim Richey – ‘A Long Way Back: the Songs of Glimmer’
March 27: Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real – ‘Naked Garden’

April
April 3: Caleb Caudle – ‘Better Hurry Up’
April 3: The Nine Seas – ‘Dream of Me’
April 3: Ruthie Collins – ‘Cold Comfort’
April 3: Lisa Lambe – ‘Juniper’
April 3: Matthew McNeal – ‘Good Grief’
April 3: Christy Lynn Band – ‘Sweetheart of the Radio’
April 10: John Anderson – ‘Years’
April 10: Eliza Gilkyson – ‘2020’
April 10: Watkins Family Hour – ‘ brother sister’
April 17: Shelby Lynne – self-titled
April 17: The Reverend Shawn Amos – ‘Blue Sky’
April 17: Girl Skin – ‘Shade is on the other side’
April 17: The White Buffalo – ‘On The Widow’s Walk’
April 17: Joe Ely – ‘Love in the Midst of Mayhem’
April 20: Nicholas Jamerson – ‘The Wild Frontier’
April 24: Teddy Thompson – ‘Heartbreaker’
April 24: Sailing Stones – ‘Polymnia’
April 24: Lucinda Williams – “Good Souls Better Angels”
April 24: Whitney Rose – ‘We Still Go to Rodeos’
April 24: Corb Lund – ‘Agricultural Tragic’
April 24: Willie Nelson – ‘First Rose Of Spring’
April 24: The Lowest Pair – ‘The Perfect Plan’
April 24: Pam Tillis – ‘Looking for a Feeling’
April 24: Kyle LaLone – ‘Somewhere In Between’
April 26: Randy Rogers Band – ‘Hellbent’
April ?: Van Darien – ‘Levee’

May
May 1: Elijah Ocean – ‘Blue Jeans & Barstools’
May 1: Cayley Thomas – ‘How Else Can I Tell You?’
May 1: American Aquarium – ‘Lamentations’
May 8: Andrew Hibbard – self-titled
May 8: Liv Greene – ‘Every Bright Penny’
May 8: Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen – Hold My Beer Vol. 2
May 15: Chatham County Line – ‘Strange Fascination’
May 15: Chuck Prophet – ‘The Land That Time Forgot’
May 15: Jason Isbell – ‘Reunions’
May 15: Lesley Barth – “Big Time Baby”
May 22: Reckless Kelly – ‘American Girls’ & ‘American Jackpot’
May 22: Steve Earle & The Dukes – ‘Ghosts of West Virginia’
May 22: Jarrod Dickenson -“Ready The Horses”
May 29: Jake Blount – ‘Spider Tales’
May 29: Jaime Wyatt – ‘Neon Cross’

June
June 5: Sarah Jarosz – ‘World On The Ground’
June 5: Turkeyfoot – “Promise of Tomorrow”
June 12: Sammy Brue – ‘Crash Test Kid’
June 12: Pert Near Sandstone – “Rising Tide”
June 19: Grayson Capps – “South Front Street”
June 19: Neil Young – “Homegrown”
June 19: Bob Dylan – Rough and Rowdy Ways
June 19: Blackberry Smoke – Live From Capricorn Sound Studios
June 19: Darlin’ Brando – Also, Too…
June 19: Don Bryant – You Make Me Feel
June 19: Kristen Grainger & True North – ‘Ghost Tattoo’
June 26: Corb Lund – ‘Agricultural Tragic’
June 26: Country Westerns – ‘Country Westerns’
June 26: Scroggins & Rose – ‘Curios’
June 26: Emily Duff – ‘Born On The Ground’
June 26: Will Hoge – ‘Tiny Little Movies’
June 26: Arielle Silver – ‘A Thousand Tiny Torches’

July
July 10: The Jayhawks – “XOXO”
July 10: Joshua Ray Walker – “Glad You Made It”
July 10: Margo Price – ‘That’s How Rumors Get Started’
July 10: Ray Wylie Hubbard – “Co-Starring”
July 10: The Jayhawks – ‘XOXO’
July 17: The Texas Gentlemen – “Floor It!!!”
July 24: Ted Russell Kamp – ‘Down in the Den’
July 24: Lori McKenna – “The Balladeer’
July 31: Charley Crockett – “Welcome To Hard Times”

August
August 2: The Avett Brothers – ‘The Third Gleam’
August 7: Steven Bruce – ‘Same Time, Same Place, Same Station’
August 14: Kathleen Edwards – ‘Total Freedom’
August 21: The Old 97’s -“Twelfth”
August 21: Mandy Barnett – ‘A Nashville Songbook’
August 21: Cidny Bullens – ‘Walkin’ Through This World’
August 21: Robert Gordon – ‘Rockabilly For Life’
August 28: Karen Jonas – ‘The Southwest Sky and Other Dreams’
August 28: Zephaniah OHora – Listening to the Music
August 28: Colter Wall – Western Swing & Waltzes and Other Punchy Songs
August 28: Justin Wells – The United State
August 28: Moe Bandy – A Love Like That
August 28: The Reeves Brothers – The Last Honky Tonk
August 28: Heidi Newfield – The Barfly Sessions
August 28: The Allman Betts Band – Bless Your Heart
August 28: The Northern Belle – We Wither, We Bloom

September
September 4: Carolina Story – “Dandelion”
September 4: India Ramey – ‘Shallow Graves’
September 11: Elizabeth Cook – “Aftermath”
September 18: Fred Eaglesmith & Tif Ginn – ‘Alive’
September 18: Otis Gibbs – ‘Hoosier National’
September 18: Brennen Leigh – ‘Prairie Love Letter’

October

Novenmber
November 6: Madison Cunningham – ‘Wednesday’
November 6: Jackslacks – ‘When Pigs Fly’
November 6: Johnnie & Jack with The Tennessee Mountain Boys – ‘Collection 1945-62’
November 6: Larry Keel – ‘American Dream’
November 13: Chris Stapleton – ‘Starting Over’

TBA
Carla Olson
Will Sexton
Cidny Bullens
Marshall Chapman
The Claudettes
James McMurtry
Amelia White – produced by Kim Richey

Twang Nation’s 2019 Holiday Gift Guide

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Cowboy Christmas Wrapping Paper – Buy here.

As direct music sales dwindle musicians and labels have had to get creative about building new revenue streams. As necessity is the mother of invention they’ve stepped up with fun and striking designs gracing shirts, posters and collaborating with other small businesses to create unique treasures just ready-made for the twang lovers in your life.

Speaking of the latter, Bloodshot Record’s collaborated with fellow Chicagoan Dark Matter Coffee to create their 25th-anniversary collaborative blend. The bourbon-casked brew is from fair trade growers and, like the label itself, is a fine example of how great a small creator can be.

BUY HERE
Bloodshot Record coffee

It’s safe to say that there would be no Austin City Limits® were it not for Willie Nelson. He started it all in 1974, performing on the original pilot episode, and has been a large part of ACL history ever since. He’s appeared on more programs than any single artist, but this particular show (recorded on September 6, 1990) captures him and the family band at their best. It’s all here, all the Willie classics, his signature songs, and fan favorites. His trusty guitar, “Trigger,” and that voice, that unique phrasing, that makes Willie Nelson one of the world’s most original talents.

A Newbury Comics exclusive gold color vinyl pressing.

BUY HERE

I seems that you can pretty much find any of your favorite comic book characters cast in one of those giant-headed Funko Pop! dolls. Well, now you can add a county music legend to that list. The Johnny Cash version appears to be garbed in his Folsom Prison duds (black, natch) and is a steal at under 10 bucks!

BUY HERE

Need to give your Jason Aldean-loving nephew a crash-course in country music history? You can’t go wrong with the new Ken Burns eight-part, 16-hour documentary.

BUY HERE

Be sure to stop by Dualtone Records, Bloodshot Records, New West Records and Rounder Records for more gift ideas.

Drive-By Truckers Announce New Album, Shares New Song ‘Armageddon’s Back in Town’ [VIDEO]

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Drive-By Truckers announce new album

It’s been over three years since the Drive-By Truckers’ released ‘American Band (the longest stretch between albums in the band’s career) but now the wait is over. The band’s 12th studio album ‘The Unraveling” will be released on January 31st on ATO Records.

‘The Unraveling” was recorded at the legendary Sam Phillips Recording Service in Memphis, TN by Grammy Award-winning engineer Matt Ross-Spang (Jason Isbell, Margo Price) and longtime DBT producer David Barbe.

Part of the longer than usual wait was a result of co-founding singer/songwriter/guitarists Mike Cooley and Patterson Hood’s struggles with writer’s block.

“How do you put these day to day things we’re all living through into the form of a song that we (much less anybody else) would ever want to listen to?” says Hood. “How do you write about the daily absurdities when you can’t even wrap your head around them in the first place? I think our response was to focus at the core emotional level. More heart and less cerebral perhaps.”

“The past three-and-a-half years were among the most tumultuous our country has ever seen,” says Hood, “and the duality between the generally positive state of affairs within our band while watching so many things we care about being decimated and destroyed all around us informed the writing of this album to the core.

“While a quick glance might imply that we’re picking up where 2016’s ‘American Band’ album left off, the differences are as telling as the similarities. If the last one was a warning shot hinting at a coming storm, this one was written in the wreckage and aftermath. I’ve always said that all of our records are political but I’ve also said that ‘politics is personal’. With that in mind, this album is especially personal.”

The current Drive-By Truckers line-up is Hood and Cooley, bassist Matt Patton, keyboardist/multi-instrumentalist Jay Gonzalez, and drummer Brad Morgan – together, the longest-lasting iteration in the band’s almost 25-year history. The LP also features a number of special guests, including The Shins’ Patti King, violinist/string arranger Kyleen King (Brandi Carlile), and North Mississippi All-Stars’ Cody Dickinson, who contributes electric washboard to the strikingly direct “Babies In Cages.”

Hear the scorching ‘Armageddon’s Back in Town’ below.

Pre-order “The Unraveling” here.

Grammy Awards Nominees : Tanya Tucker Leads The Pack

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62nd Grammy Awards

Nominations for the 62nd Grammy Awards were announced Wednesday, and Taya Tucker led the country/roots music pack with four nominations in the Song Of The Year, Best Country Solo Performance, Best Country Song and Best Country Album categories. Tucker was first nominated for a Grammy for the song “Delta Dawn” in 1973.

Tucker shares her Best Country Solo Performance nomination spot with Tyler Childers, Ashley McBryde, and Willie Nelson. Best American Roots Performance nominees are Sara Bareilles, Calexico and Iron & Wine, Rhiannon Giddens With Francesco Turrisi and Yola.

Calexico And Iron & Wine, Madison Cunningham, Madison Cunningham, Keb’ Mo’, J.S. Ondara and Yola are up for Best Americana Album.

See the full list of country/Americana roots nominees below and see the complete list of nominees here.

The Grammy Awards will take place on January 26th at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The broadcast will air live on CBS at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

Song Of The Year
“Always Remember Us This Way” — Natalie Hemby, Lady Gaga, Hillary Lindsey & Lori McKenna, songwriters (Lady Gaga)
“Bad Guy” — Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
“Bring My Flowers Now” — Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth, Tim Hanseroth & Tanya Tucker, songwriters (Tanya Tucker)
“Hard Place” — Ruby Amanfu, Sam Ashworth, D. Arcelious Harris. H.E.R. & Rodney Jerkins, songwriters (H.E.R.)
“Lover” — Taylor Swift, songwriter (Taylor Swift)
“Norman F—ing Rockwell” — Jack Antonoff & Lana Del Rey, songwriters (Lana Del Rey)
“Someone You Loved” — Tom Barnes, Lewis Capaldi, Pere Kelleher, Benjamin Kohn & Sam Roman, songwriters (Lewis Capaldi)
“Truth Hurts” — Steven Cheung, Eric Frederic, Melissa Jefferson & Jesse Saint John, songwriters (Lizzo)

Best Country Solo Performance:
“All Your’n” — Tyler Childers
“Girl Goin’ Nowhere” — Ashley McBryde
“Ride Me Back Home” — Willie Nelson
“God’s Country” — Blake Shelton
“Bring My Flowers Now” — Tanya Tucker

Best Country Duo/Group Performance:
“Brand New Man” — Brooks & Dunn with Luke Combs
“I Don’t Remember Me (Before You)” — Brothers Osborne
“Speechless” — Dan & Shay
“The Daughters” — Little Big Town
“Common” — Maren Morris ft. Brandi Carlile

Best Country Song:
“Bring My Flowers Now” — Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth, Tim Hanseroth & Tanya Tucker, Songwriters (Tanya Tucker)
“Girl Goin’ Nowhere” — Jeremy Bussey & Ashley Mcbryde, Songwriters (Ashley Mcbryde)
“It All Comes Out In The Wash” — Miranda Lambert, Hillary Lindsey, Lori Mckenna & Liz Rose, Songwriters (Miranda Lambert)
“Some Of It” — Eric Church, Clint Daniels, Jeff Hyde & Bobby Pinson, Songwriters (Eric Church)
“Speechless” — Shay Mooney, Jordan Reynolds, Dan Smyers & Laura Veltz, Songwriters (Dan + Shay)

Best Country Album:
Desperate Man — Eric Church
Stronger Than The Truth — Reba McEntire
Interstate Gospel — Pistol Annies
Center Point Road — Thomas Rhett
While I’m Livin’ — Tanya Tucker

Best American Roots Performance:
“Saint Honesty” — Sara Bareilles
“Father Mountain” — Calexico With Iron & Wine
“I’m On My Way” — Rhiannon Giddens With Francesco Turrisi
“Call My Name” — I’m With Her
“Faraway Look” — Yola

Best American Roots Song:
“Black Myself” — Amythyst Kiah, songwriter (Our Native Daughters)
“Call My Name” — Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’donovan & Sara Watkins, songwriters (I’m With Her)
“Crossing To Jerusalem” — Rosanne Cash & John Leventhal, songwriters (Rosanne Cash)
“Faraway Look” — Dan Auerbach, Yola Carter & Pat Mclaughlin, songwriters (Yola)
“I Don’t Wanna Ride The Rails No More” — Vince Gill, songwriter (Vince Gill)

Best Americana Album:
Years To Burn — Calexico And Iron & Wine
Who Are You Now — Madison Cunningham
Oklahoma — Keb’ Mo’
Tales Of America — J.S. Ondara
Walk Through Fire — Yola

Best Bluegrass Album:
Tall Fiddler — Michael Cleveland
Live In Prague, Czech Republic — Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
Toil, Tears & Trouble — The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
Royal Traveller — Missy Raines
If You Can’t Stand The Heat — Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen

Best Folk Album:
My Finest Work Yet — Andrew Bird
Rearrange My Heart — Che Apalache
Patty Griffin — Patty Griffin
Evening Machines — Gregory Alan Isakov
Front Porch — Joy Williams

Best Song Written For Visual Media:
“The Ballad Of The Lonesome Cowboy” — Randy Newman, songwriter (Chris Stapleton); Track from: “Toy Story 4”
“Girl In The Movies” — Dolly Parton & Linda Perry, songwriters (Dolly Parton); Track from: “Dumplin’”
“I’ll Never Love Again (Film Version)” — Natalie Hemby, Lady Gaga, Hillary Lindsey & Aaron Raitiere, songwriters (Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper); Track from: A Star Is Born
“Spirit” — Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Timothy McKenzie & Ilya Salmanzadeh, songwriters (Beyoncé); Track from: “The Lion King”
“Suspirium” — Thom Yorke, songwriter (Thom Yorke); Track from: “Suspiria”

Best Album Notes:
The Complete Cuban Jam Sessions — Judy Cantor-Navas, album notes writer (Various Artists)
The Gospel According To Malaco — Robert Marovich, album notes writer (Various Artists)
Pedal Steel + Four Corners — Brendan Greaves, album notes writer (Terry Allen And The Panhandle Mystery Band)
Pete Seeger: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection — Jeff Place, album notes writer (Pete Seeger)
Stax ’68: A Memphis Story — Steve Greenberg, album notes writer (Various Artists)

Best Historical Album:
The Girl From Chickasaw County – The Complete Capitol Masters — Andrew Batt & Kris Maher, compilation producers; Simon Gibson, mastering engineer (Bobbie Gentry)
The Great Comeback: Horowitz At Carnegie Hall — Robert Russ, compilation producer; Andreas K. Meyer & Jennifer Nulsen, mastering engineers (Vladimir Horowitz)
Kankyo Ongaku: Japanese Ambient, Environmental & New Age Music 1980-1990 — Spencer Doran, Yosuke Kitazawa, Douglas Macgowan & Matt Sullivan, compilation producers; John Baldwin, mastering engineer (Various Artists)
Pete Seeger: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection — Jeff Place & Robert Santelli, compilation producers; Pete Reiniger, mastering engineer (Pete Seeger)
Woodstock: Back To The Garden – The Definitive 50th Anniversary Archive — Brian Kehew, Steve Woolard & Andy Zax, compilation producers; Dave Schultz, mastering engineer, Brian Kehew, restoration engineer (Various Artists)

Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical:
Jack Antonoff
Dan Auerbach
John Hill
Finneas
Ricky Reed

The Secret Sisters Announce New Brandi Carlile Produced Album ‘Saturn Return.’ Hear New Song ‘Cabin’ Now.

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Saturn Return - The Secret Sisters

The Secret Sisters (Laura Rogers and Lydia Slagle) will bring their dreamy harmony to a new album entitled “Saturn Reuter.” The album is produced by Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth and Tim Hanseroth (aka The Twins) and will be released on February 28.

From the presser: “Recorded at Carlile’s home studio in Washington state, the album includes ten songs written by Laura and Lydia Rogers and features the real-life sisters singing individually for the first time instead of relying solely on their trademark harmonies—something Carlile challenged them to do. Carlile comments, “It’s really uniquely unified and harmonious when they’re in tandem and very tumultuous and deep when they’re not in tandem and I think for a brief, beautiful moment on this album we caught The Secret Sisters not in tandem for the first time.” She continues, “To be a harbinger for their honesty in these songs and to watch them work together to see the tension was one of the greatest gifts of my career because those are two very powerful people in a very interesting point in their lives.”

“Named after the astrological occurrence that takes place approximately every 29 ½ years, the album heralds the arrival of a new era for Laura and Lydia—both of whom experienced extreme change and transformation during the making of the record. Grappling with the grief of losing both grandmothers, while also both becoming first-time mothers, the sisters reflect on their world view, relationships and own mortality through the album’s ten songs.”

‘Saturn Return.’ is a follow-up to 2017’s ‘You Don’t Own Me Anymore’

Hear the new darkly lovely song ‘Cabin’ below:

Pre-order ‘Saturn Return.’

The Secret Sisters Spring/Summer Tour

March 25 – Brooklyn, NY – Murmrr Theatre*
March 27 – Boston, MA – City Winery*
March 28 – Philadelphia, PA – City Winery*
March 29 – Alexandria, VA – The Birchmere*
March 31 – Newport, KY – Southgate House Revival*
April 2 – Chicago, IL – Old Town School of Folk*
April 3 – Wausau, WI – The Grand Theater*
April 5 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater*
April 8 – Des Moines, IA – Wooly’s*
April 9 – Kansas City, MO – Knuckleheads*
April 10 – Saint Louis, MO – Off Broadway*
April 24 – Palm Springs, CA – Alibi
April 25 – San Diego, CA – Casbah^
April 28 – Los Angeles, CA – Lodge Room^
April 29 – Berkeley, CA – Freight & Salvage^
May 1 – Portland, OR – Revolution Hall+
May 2 – Seattle, WA – Neptune Theatre+
June 10 – Bury St. Edmunds, UK – The Apex
June 11 – Bury, UK – The Met
June 13 – Gateshead, UK – Sage Gateshead
June 14 – Sheffield, UK – Firth Hall
June 16 – Leeds UK – Brudenell Social Club
June 17 – Milton Keynes, UK – The Stables
June 18 – London, UK – Union Chapel
June 19 – Bristol, UK – St. George’s
June 21 – Tunbridge Wells, UK – Black Deer Festival
June 24 – Paris, FR – Les Etoiles
June 25 – Lier, BE – Ripsique/Cultuurcentrum Vredeberg
June 26 – Amsterdam, NL – Paradiso

*with Logan Ledger
^with Leslie Stevens
+with Anna Tivel

Terry Allen Announces New Album “Just Like Moby Dick.” Hear Two New Songs

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Terry Allen "Just Like Moby Dick"

Few songwriters have attained singular independent status as Terry Allen (John Prine and Warren Zevon comes to mind.) Since the wild-and-wooly 70’s the Texas legend has been creating his own quirky variety of country music pulling from many of the same West Texas inspirations as his fellow Lubbockites Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Joe Ely, and Butch Hancock, though to less popular acclaim. Though Allen is well=known to roots music fans willing to dig past the surface and can count as fans Bobby Bare, Sturgill Simpson, Robert Earl Keen, Guy Clark, Little Feat, David Byrne, Doug Sahm, Ricky Nelson, and Lucinda Williams, all of whom have covered his songs.

To bring in the new year, January 24, 2020, to be exact, Terry Allen will release “Just Like Moby Dick” the reported “spiritual successor to his 1979 masterstroke Lubbock (on everything.)”
“Just Like Moby Dick” will be Allen’s first release of new songs since 2013’s “Bottom of the World,” and will feature the full Panhandle Mystery Band, including co-producer Charlie Sexton (Dylan, Bowie, Lucinda) and stunning vocal turns from Shannon McNally, as well as co-writes with Joe Ely, Dave Alvin, and writer, actress, and artist Jo Harvey Allen, and Terry’s wife.

Terry also shares keyboard duties with his son Bukka Allen, who also plays accordion and piano. Pedal steel master and de facto Panhandle bandleader Lloyd Maines contributes slide guitar and dobro, while Richard Bowden brings his characteristically kinetic and lyrical fiddle; both musicians have appeared on every Allen album since “Lubbock (on everything).” The brilliant Charlie Sexton, plays guitar, sings and co-produced the record with Terry at Austin’s Arlyn Studios. Drummer Davis McLarty, a Mystery Band mainstay since Human Remains (1996) is joined by more recent rhythm section additions Glenn Fukunaga (bass) and Brian Standefer (cello). Terry’s other son Bale Allen sits in on djembe on “Abandonitis.”

Pre-order “Just Like Moby Dick” in a variety of bundles here.

See the album trailer and hear “City of Vampires” and “Death of the Last Stripper” below.

“Just Like Moby Dick” tracklist:

1. Houdini Didn’t Like the Spiritualists (feat. Shannon McNally)
2. Abandonitis
3. Death of the Last Stripper
4. All That’s Left Is Fare-Thee-Well (feat. Charlie Sexton)
5. Pirate Jenny
6. American Childhood I: Civil Defense
7. American Childhood II: Bad Kiss
8. American Childhood III: Little Puppet Thing
9. All These Blues Go Walkin’ By (feat. Shannon McNally)
10. City of the Vampires (feat. Kru Allen and Shannon McNally)
11. Harmony Two (feat. Shannon McNally)
12. Sailin’ On Through