Category Archives: Conferences

Dale Watson: The Titanium Fox

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  • Patterson Hood and the Screwtopians stopped by the Daytrotter Sessions to lay down some Southern fried goodness.
  • The Texas Country Music Hall of Fame have inducted Texas natives Neal McCoy, Michael Martin Murphey and Linda Davis to be added to the previous years members that includes Willie Nelson, Tanya Tucker and Jimmy Dean.
  • Producer and musician and Jim Rooney will be honored by the Americana Music Association with the Lifetime Achievement for Producer/Engineer award at the 8th Annual Americana Honors & Awards ceremony, scheduled for Thurs., Sept. 17 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Rooney has worked with John Prine, Iris DeMent, Tom Paxton and Peter Rowan – as well as his work on Nanci Griffith’s Grammy-winning “Other Voices Other Rooms. Rooney’s contributions as an engineer, musician, producer and songwriter has reached almost 150 albums to date.
  • Alluding to  Charlie Rich’s moniker The Silver Fox, The Scene designates Dale Watson the The titanium fox in this great interview featting classic exchanged like this:

SCENE: You write about the trucking life in the spirit of Dave Dudley and Red Sovine with maybe a touch of Cledus Maggard. What is the allure of that subject matter?

DW: I grew up when CB was king. There was an appreciation of the open road and the usefulness of the citizens band radio. Cell phones are great to keep in touch with the ones you love, but the CB is a useful tool to avoid some hazardous situations. Back then, Conway Twitty was big, the movie Convoy was popular, and the show BJ & the Bear was on TV.

SCENE: What the hell was happening on BJ & the Bear? At the end of each show the monkey would walk away with chicks in hot pants. What was supposed to happen between a monkey and human women?

DW: (laughing) I don’t want to think about it.

Unfortunately Dale is still raising his goofy Ameripolitan flag to describe his throwback honky-tonk sound.

Willie Nelson Premieres New Video for Shoeshine Man

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  • Willie Nelson premiered his new video covering Tom T. Hall’s Shoeshine Man (below) The song is not on his upcoming covers album American Classics so I have no idea whay he made this video, but he seems to be having a ball. The Texas Yoda has taken a page from the DIY codger goofing around in front of a video camera recently used by Neil Young for his video Fork in the Road.
  • The Americana Music Association announced the lineup for its 2009 festival,  Sept. 16-19 at around several of  Nashville’s best venues – The Mercy Lounge, The Cannery Ballroom, 3rd & Lindsley, The Station Inn and The Basement.  On the roster is Cross Canadian Ragweed, Angela Easterling, Asleep at the Wheel, The Bottle Rockets, Jim Lauderdale, Buddy Miller, Joe Pug, Charlie Robison, Marty Stuart, Patrick Sweany, Those Darlins and many more.
  • Popmatters.com has posted an mp3 for Chain, a cut off Vic Chesnutt’s upcoming release At the Cut (Constellation) to be released 22 September (US)
  • Randy Travis, Martina McBride and Ray Price join an International  line-up of over 60 International, UK and Irish acts performing on three separate stages at the UTV CountryFest ’09  August 1st – 2nd  at the Kings Hall in Belfast.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDtaJmrVfx8[/youtube]

John Dawson Passes at 64.

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  • Although it’s over a year old there is a great article (Facing the Music) on the seismic changes in the music industry through the lens of Music City and some of the unique ways some people are planning for the future instead of wringing their hands or suing their fans. The article was by Donnie Snow for businesstn.com
  • John “Marmaduke” Dawson, a longtime Grateful Dead collaborator who co-wrote “Friend of the Devil” and who, along with Jerry Garcia, developed a devoted following with his psychedelic country group New Riders of the Purple Sage, has died at the age of 64 from stomach cancer. (via the 9513 and Spinner.com)
  • Paste Magazine spends some time with Americana Music Association executive director Jed Hilly. Jed discusses the growing influence of the genre, the Recording Academy adding an Americana Album of the Year Grammy for 2010 and that you need not be an American to play Americana. As a member of the AMA I’m glade to see some cred coming.

John Fogerty’s The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again To Be Released in September

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  • John Fogerty will release his new album The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again (Rides? Shouldn’t it be “Ride?”) a  collection of covers and originals this September 1st. The release will feature new takes on classic Country and Americana tunes originally written by or for Ray Price, Buck Owens, the Everly Brothers and John Prine. The album is Fogerty’s a 36 year conceptual follow-up to 1973’s Blue Ridge Rangers, a post-Creedence solo release of gospel and country covers. That album had him playing all instruments but on this new release he has a powerhouse backing him – including Kenny Arnoff, Herb Pederson, Jodie Kenny,  Buddy Miller and more.
  • The Americana Music Association has announced that mandolin master Sam Bush will receive the Lifetime Achievement for Instrumentalist award at the 8th Annual Americana Honors & Awards ceremony scheduled for Thurs., Sept. 17 at the historic Ryman Auditorium.

Joe Pug to Release Free EP, In The Meantime

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  • On Thursday June 25th Americana/Folk singer/songwriter Joe Pug will release In The Meantime, five unreleased songs recorded during sessions for his inaugural EP Nation of Heat. The download will be available exclusively at www.joepugmusic.com.
  • Rates for registration for the Americana Music Association Conference – AMA members $300 and Non-member $400 – will increase on June 30th. Conference registration includes all daytime events at the Nashville Convention Center, admission to all Music Festival showcases and a ticket to the much anticipated Honors & Awards show.
  • Spunky riot grrrl/hillbilly gals Those Darlins will be bringing their Daisy Dukes across the East and North East to sread a good time and support thier upcoming  self-titled longplayer debut (release 7/7 on CD, vinyl and digital.) Here’s a taste :

Those Darlins – Red Light Love mp3

Americana Music Association Nominees Announced

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The Americana Music Association announced the nominees for the trade organization’s 2009 Honors and Awards ceremony today at its annual celebration at BMI Nashville. The show, in its eighth year, will be held Thursday, September 17 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee.

I’ve attended the conference and showcase for the last three years and it’s always an amazing time. I don’t agree with all the nominees, and as a member of the organization I voted accordingly. But one thing is for certain, every nominee kicks the shit out of 99% of the CMA Awards.

The 2009 Americana Music Association Honors and Awards Nominees are:

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Real Animal, by Alejandro Escovedo
Written in Chalk, by Buddy & Julie Miller
Jason Isbell & The 40 Unit, by Jason Isbell & The 40 Unit
Midnight At The Movies, by Justin Townes Earle

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Alejandro Escovedo
Buddy Miller
Justin Townes Earle
Raul Malo

INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR

Buddy Miller
Gurf Morlix
Jerry Douglas
Sam Bush

NEW & EMERGING ARTIST

Band of Heathens
Belleville Outfit
Justin Townes Earle
Sarah Borges

SONG OF THE YEAR

“Chalk,” written by Julie Miller, performed by Buddy Miller & Patty Griffin
“Country Love” by the Gourds
“Homeland Refugee,” by Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, and Butch Hancock, performed by the Flatlanders
“Rattlin’ Bones” by Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson, performed by Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson
“Sex And Gasoline,” by Rodney Crowell, performed by Rodney Crowell

DUO GROUP OF THE YEAR

Buddy & Julie Miller
Flatlanders
Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson
Reckless Kelly

Neal McCoy, Linda Davis and Michael Martin Murphey are 2009 Texas Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees

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  • Billboard.com posts on the South-By-Southwest tribute to Texas music legend Doug Sahm which featured performances by Jimmie Vaughan, the Gourds, Dave Alvin and Sarah Borges & the Broken Singles, Los Lobos, Delbert McClinton, Charlie Sexton, Little Willie G, Terry Allen and a collaboration between Joe “King” Carrasco and the Texas Tornados.
  • Two native East Texans are among three country music artists destined for the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame. Jacksonville native-turned-Longview resident Neal McCoy will join Panola County native Linda Davis and western singer-songwriter Michael Martin Murphey as 2009 inductees into the hall of fame. The hall of fame show is scheduled for 7 p.m. Aug. 15 at the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame facility, 300 W. Panola St. in Carthage.
  • From Country Standard Time:  Willie Nelson has postponed six tour dates due to illness, according to his web site. The illness was not specified.  Postponed dates were March 17 in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.; March 18 in Melbourne, Fla., March 19 in Panama City, Fla., March 20 in Choctaw, Miss., March 21 in Marksville, La. and March 22 in Springdale, Ark.
  • Famed moonshiner Marvin “Popcorn” Sutton died at the age of 61 at the his Parrotsville, Tennessee home. He allegedly committed suicide by inhaling carbon monoxide in an old Ford Fairlane he kept in a barn on his property  a few days before serving an 18-month sentence in Federal Prison for illegally brewing spirits and possessing a firearm as a felon. Read Johnny Knoxville’s fitting post here.

SXSW To Do

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It’s been a long time since I was able to attend the coveted, and now convoluted, South-By-Southwest music festival and conference amnd this year is no exception. But in the nature of bloggy goodwill I will try and list all the Americana-Roots events I have come across. Please feel free to add any I might have missed.

Joe Pug is pretty damn cool. His schedule is:

3/18   SXSW–Stimulus Package Day Party @ Paradise – 3:00pm  (401 E. 6th at Trinity upstairs Free/Public)
3/18   SXSW Official Showcase – 10:30pm Victorian Room at the Driskell Hotel
3/19   SXSW–Schubas Roundup @ Yard Dog Gallery – 12:40pm (1501 S. Congress Free/Public)
3/19   SXSW–Thru Windows Party @ Fado -  11:00pm (214 W. 4th Free/Public)
3/20   SXSW–Bring Down the House Show  – 5:45pm  (Free–email day of  show for address don@nodooragency.com)
3/21   SXSW–Reggie’s/Unscene Party @ The Jackalope – 3:45pm and 4:40pm (Free/Public 404 E. 6th at Trinity)

3/18  – Joe Ely’s playing Momo’s

3/19 Aquarium Drunkard and My Old Kentucky Blog’s “Vaya Con Tacos” party featuring Roadside Graves, Those Darlins, The Rosebuds and many more.

Also 3/19  the Yep Roc at the Continental Club is offering one of the best showcases with Dave Alvin, The Iguanas, The Gourds, Giant Sand and BeauSoleil.

3/20 The always lovely Bloodshot Records day party at Yard Dog art gallery (1510 S Congress) – starts at the crack of noon
No invite or badge required!
12:15 Walter Salas-Humara / I’m Not Jim
12:45 Andre Williams
1:15 Charlie Pickett
1:45 Dex Romweber Duo
2:15 Ha Ha Tonka
2:45 Exene Cervenka
3:30 Deadstring Brothers
4:15 The Meat Purveyors
4:45 Justin Townes Earle
5:15 Scotland Yard Gospel Choir
5:45 Waco Brothers w/ Rosie Flores

and

Bloodshot Records SXSW showcase
Red Eyed Fly (715 Red River by 7th Street)
Saturday, March 21
8p Exene Cervenka
9p Deadstring Brothers
10p Ha Ha Tonka
11p Dex Romweber Duo
Mid Justin Townes Earle
1am Waco Brothers

Hoist a shiner and some BBQ or a taco and enjoy the fine music and hospitality Austin offers.

Americana Music Festival Chooses Artists

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The Americana Music Association, working in partnership with Sonicbids, has selected the first two showcase artists for the upcoming Americana Music Festival (which will be held September 16-19, 2009 in Nashville, TN).

Brigid Kaelin made the front page of The Tennessean on her very first day playing Nashville, daring to play the accordion to country music during the 2007 Nashville Star finals. Last May, she wrote Elvis Costello a note offering her services as an Imposter, and he invited her to play live with his band without rehearsal. Dueling head-to-head accordion solos with keyboardist Steve Nieve, she later received several standing ovations during her musical saw solo.

Kaelin is a trained jazz pianist who played show tunes at West Village cabarets while a student at New York University. She released a country Chanukah record “Mazel Tonk!”

Jacob Simpson (vocals, guitar), Chase McGill (vocals, guitar, banjo, piano) and Dustin Hedrick (violin) initially formed Come On Go With Us while studying at Mississippi State University.  With their strong Southern roots in mind, they embraced the idea of sweet tea, hot weather, family and friends, soon began the writing process and later took to the road. The band’s first full length album drops in March.

Applications for the 2009 Americana Music Festival will be accepted through Thursday, April 30, 2009.  You may submit your materials directly to the AMA office via mail. All submissions must include the application form. Information on the submission process and access to the application form may be found at the AMA Website.

Conference registrations currently at the early bird discount rate of $250 for members and $350 for non-members are available at the Americana Music Online Store.

Miranda Lambert Headed Back to the Studio

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  • The 7th Annual 10KLF 10,000 Lakes Festival in Detroit Lakes, MN will feature Junior Brown, Kathleen Edwards and William Elliott Whitmore will join Dave Matthews Band, Wilco, Widespread Panic and much more . The festival will take place July 22 – 25, 2009.
  • In more festival news; the International Folk Alliance Conference in Memphis, Tenn. will feature  films, songs, stories and special events to fill the days and nights of February 18 – 22, 2009.  Slated to perform and/or speak are Charlie Louvin, Rodney Crowell, Kathy Mattea, Ray Wylie Hubbard and much more.
  • Miranda Lambert blogs that she soon will be heading into the studio to work on a new album. Lambert posts that she’s been neglecting her blog because “I’m going into the studio in February to do my third album. I’ve really been writing and concentrating on that.” Count me as a fan of something Nashville has recently got right.