Category Archives: Country Music

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

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

Choice Moments From The CMA Awards

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CMA Awards

I can’t remember the last time I sat through an entire broadcast and the 53rd CMA Awards was no exception. Besides the unnecessary exclusion of long-time host Brad Paisley (to, ironically, virtue signal inclusivity) there’s the typical celebration of mundane Music City product. I admit fully that I take a protective view of country music that this glitter-choked spectacle is fully willing to eject in pursuit of mass appeal and the riches that come with it.

But somebody running this circus must remember that it’s about the music because interspersed between the spectacle there are moments that are truly sublime.

Willie Nelson and Kacey Musgraves – “Rainbow Connection” – Willie sounded a bit worse for wear but given the Texas Yoda’s age (87) and grueling tour schedule, it’s a miracle that he can perform at all. This Muppets classic never fails to draw the waterworks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4juzFaW12j0

Reba McEntire – “Fancy.” Reba is pure fire and I’ll fight anyone that says otherwise!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsjw2g80gj8

Where’s Kris? The Country Music Association honored iconic songwriter Kris Kristofferson with the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. Kristofferson honored the CMAs by skipping their brazen attempt to grift credibility by throwing a shiny bone to the living legends by playing a previously booked gig at the Adler Theatre in Davenport, Iowa.

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

Listen Up! Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash ‘Wanted Man’ Demo

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It’s always a treat when new music is released featuring the late Johnny Cash. in this case, we get the added pleasure of the song being a Bob Dylan penned piece performed in a fly-on-the-wall manner by the two men.

Bob Dylan wrote “Wanted Man” in 1969 for Johnny Cash who included it as part of the setlist for his live album “At San Quentin.” The album was the second in Cash’s live prison-performed albums including ‘At Folsom Prison’ (1968), ‘PÃ¥ ÖsterÃ¥ker’ (ÖsterÃ¥ker Prison in Sweden, 1973), and ‘A Concert Behind Prison Walls’ (Tennessee State Prison in 1974), and later released a studio version.

In anticipation of Dylan’s upcoming release ‘Travelin’ Thru, 1967-1969: The Bootleg Series Vol. 15’ we now have this rollicking demo of Dylan, Cash (who’s still working out the lyrics) featuring Carl Perkins on guitar. Hear it below.

On the recording June Carter Cash can be heard asking Johnny to “..make sure Bob puts a melody to that song.” Possibly in a futile attempt to reign in Dylan’s unorthodox singing style.

“Travelin’ Thru, 1967-1969: The Bootleg Series Vol. 15” will be released November 1st. Preorder it here.

Third Man Records To Release Patsy Cline’s “Sweet Dreams: The Complete Decca Studio Masters “

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Patsy Cline – Sweet Dreams: The Complete Decca Studio Masters 1960-1963

Jack White’s Third Man Records continues to mine treasures from country music history, meticulously package/re-package them and offer them up to us lucky fans.

This time around especiallt for Record Store Day’s Black Friday the work getting this sweet, sweet vinyl love is Patsy Cline’s Sweet Dreams: The Complete Decca Studio Masters 1960-1963. This is the first time the compilation has been released to vinyl (it was originally released on CD on the Hip-O label, April 20, 2010.) The set will be limited to 1000 units of 3xLPs with full-color photos printed on the interior of the gatefold jacket available in yellow, purple and red vinyl variants.

The 51 tracks Cline were recorded with Owen Bradley, who helped shape her signature big-band pop sound.

The three years reflected in this collection include many of her top hits like the classic “I Fall To Pieces,” Cline’s first Country #1 chart hit.

Record Store Day's Black Friday

Record Store Day’s Black Friday celebration on November 29th. Record Store Day’s Black Friday is an offshoot of Record Store Day, an annual event to “celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store”.

TN will publish a list of Record Store Day’s Black Friday Americana and roots music list one the full list is released.

Track Listing:

1. I Fall to Pieces
2. Shoes
3. Lovin’in Vain
4. True Love
5. San Antonio Rose
6. The Wayward Wind
7. A Poor Man’s Roses (Or a Rich Man’s Gold)
8. Crazy
9. Who Can I Count on
10. Seven Lonely Days
11. Love You So Much It Hurts
12. Foolin’around
13. Have You Ever Been Lonely (Have You Ever Been Blue)
14. South of the Border (Down Mexico Way)
15. Walkin’ After Midnight
16. Strange
17. You’re Stronger Than Me
18. She’s Got You
19. You Made Me Love You(I Didn’t Want to Do It)
20. You Belong to Me
21. Heartaches
22. Your Cheatin’heart
23. That’s My Desire
24. Half As Much
25. Lonely Street
26. Anytime
27. You Were Only Fooling (While I Was Falling in Love)
28. I Can’t Help It (If I’m Falling in Love with You)
29. You’re Stronger Than Me
30. When I Get Thru with You (You’ll Love Me Too)
31. Imagine That
32. So Wrong
33. Why Can’t He Be You
34. Your Kinda Love
35. When You Need a Laugh
36. Leavin’ on Your Mind
37. Back in Baby’s Arms
38. Tra Le la Le la Triangle
39. That’s How Heartache Begins
40. Faded Love
41. Someday (You’ll Want Me to Want You)
42. Love Letters in the Sand
43. Blue Moon of Kentucky
44. Sweet Dreams (Of You)
45. Always
46. Does Your Heart Beat for Me
47. Bill Bailey Won’t You Please Come Home
48. He Called Me Baby
49. Crazy Arms
50. You Took Him Off My Hands
51. I’ll Sail My Ship Alone

Sturgill Simpson on the Joe Rogan Podcast – 6 Things We Learned

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Sturgill Simpson and band took his latest “Sound and Fury” on the road by playing the storied
Troubadour club in Los Angeles and it sounded like a great show.

Simpson band must have gotten up at the break of dawn to it in on the always entertaining Joe Rogan Podcast. Heres some highlights.

– Sturgill had Justin along with his band. Justin is a military medic that lost his legs in combat. He relaid his heart-wrenching tale of war and drugs involved with his recovery. He was representing the Special Forces Foundation that helps Gold Star families.

– Simpson had two home invasions twice by the same burglar. The second break-in he had the invader lined in his rifle scope but let the guy escape out the back instead of shooting him in the back.

– Sturgill might sing about Waffle House but he used to work at iHop.

– There was a rightful mutual admiration of Patrick Swayze and the movie roadhouse.

– Sturgill recalls opening for Dwight Yoakam early in his career (“it felt like we had broken through”) at a show in McAllen, Texas. A post-show trip to a Mexican dance club. The club DJ introduces the guys as “Dwight Yoakam’s Band.” Then a fight broke out involving bottles of Grey Goose as weapons which hasted the band’s exit.

– They recount the incredible “Bluegrass Conspiracy” tale that involved the Kentucky politics all the way up the the Governor’s office. A Lexington, KY cop crashed his plane while carrying cocaine. He ejected out with the code strapped to him but still died. Then a bear ate the coke and died as well. The bear is stuffed and mounted on display in Lexington

Check the interview below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OW6fYFCxAg

Fresh From The Fields – Americana and Roots Music Releases – September 6th, 2019

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Fresh From The Fields - Americana and Roots Music Releases

The Highwomen – self-titled

Terri Hendrix – ‘Talk To A Human’

Crystal Gayle -‘You Don’t Know Me’

Paul Cauthen – ‘Room 41’

NRBQ – ‘Turn On, Tune In’

Amy Speace – ‘Me and the Ghosts of Charlemagne’

Fresh From The Fields – Americana and Roots Music Releases – August 30th, 2019

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Fresh From The Fields - Americana and Roots Music Releases

Here’s some of the choicest sections of Americana and roots music for August 30th, 2019.
Titles are linked to a source to purchase that may contribute to this site and help us keep doing
what we do. Enjoy the great bounty shared by these fine talented folks.

See the full Wanted! – Notable Americana and Roots Music Releases for 2019 list here.

Sheryl Crow – ‘Threads’

Sara Evans and The Barker Family Band (Live from City Winery Nashville)

Ana Egge – “Is It the Kiss”

Joan Shelley – ‘Like The River Loves The Sea’

Martin Simpson – ‘Rooted’