Twang Nation – The Best In Americana Music
Americana & Roots Music & Culture
Brandy Clark took time from her busy touring schedule to play the The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Clark played a spirited and tight version of her neo-trad country song “Stripes,†from gher debut “12 Stories.” (watch below)
Said Clark: “Performing on ‘Ellen’ was a bucket list item for me, and I was thrilled to be there,†said Clark. “I appreciate her support of new artists and music from all genres, and hope to have the opportunity to return to her show some day.â€
There is cause for great celebration here at Casa Twang. One of my favorite Americana /roost artists John Fullbright will release his second studio album , the straightforwardly titled ‘Songs’ (Blue Dirt/Thirty Tigers) on May 27th.
Fullbright is one of the brightest and most talented and versatile singer/songwriters/performers working today – regardless of genre. We’re just fortunate that he hews to out part of the Americana field.
“Songs” follows the breakout success of his 2012 debut ‘From the Ground Up’, which was nominated for the “Best Americana Album” Grammy (and criminally lost) Fullbright will play an intimate album-preview show at NYC’s Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2 on Monday, March 24.
The Wall Street Journal premiered new single “Happy” this morning, with Jim Fusilli calling ‘Songs’ “a warm, winning and plainspoken Americana album that builds on the authority and charm of ‘From the Ground Up’ not by musical-muscle flexing, but by its clarity and simmering intensity.”
Fullbright says of his songwriting influences “When I discovered Townes Van Zandt, that’s when I went, ‘You know, this is something to be taken pretty damn seriously,'” says Fullbright. “You can write something that’s going to outlast you, and immortality through song is a big draw.”
“I didn’t grow up around musicians or like-minded songwriters, but I grew up around records,” he says. “One of the most fulfilling things about the last two years is that now I’m surrounded by like-minded people in a community of peers. You don’t feel so alone anymore.”
From the press release:
“The arrangements on ‘Songs’ are stripped down to their cores and free of ornamentation. Fullbright’s guitar and piano anchor the record, while a minimalist rhythm section weaves in and out throughout the album. That’s not to say these are simple songs; Fullbright possesses a keen ear for memorable melody and a unique approach to harmony, moving through chord progressions far outside the expected confines of traditional folk or Americana. The performances are stark and direct, though, a deliberate approach meant to deliver the songs in their purest and most honest form.
This is one to look forward to kids. Hear the new single “Happy” , complete with some mighty fine whistling, below.
‘Songs’ Tracklist:
01. Happy
02. When You’re Here
03. Keeping Hope Alive
04. She Knows
05. Until You Were Gone
06. Write a Song
07. Never Cry Again
08. Going Home
09. All That You Know
10. The One That Lives Too Far
11. High Road
12. Very First Time
Casa Twang is proud to bring you another cut from the highly anticipated Columbia/Legacy release “Out Among the Stars,†(March 25) An album of lost songs recorded by Cash in the early 1980s and produced by Billy Sherrill.
(see the video for “She Used to Love Me a Lot†here)
Cash is in fine form joking about a conversation he had with the creator of the song , the great Hank Snow. Jerry Kennedy’s guitar, Hargus “Pig” Robbins on piano and an uncredited drummer lays down a solid shuffle, The lead guitar portions sounds like classic Marty Stuart, who was tasked with “fortifying” the original recordings.
“I’m Moving On” is a 1950 country standard. The song reached #1 on the Billboard country singles chart and stayed there for 21 weeks. The song was previously covered by Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, the Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, Emmylou Harris, Chuck Prophet among others.
Jimmy Kimmel Live broadcast the show for a week in Austin from The Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long Center for the Performing Arts, The show’s week-long trip to the capital was timed with the 28th annual South by Southwest (SXSW®) Festival.
And on his last night of his stay Kimmel invited Lonely Boys as well as the Lone Star State’s greatest ambassador Willie Nelson.
Clad in black discusses his history with Austin, getting a black belt in Taekwondo and his SXSW party “The Heartbreaker Banquet.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRExfUzdy8I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPc8HQQ3E5E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgt3bnaqPBo
On March 25, Columbia/Legacy will release “Out Among the Stars,” an album of lost songs recorded by Johnny Cash in the early 1980s produced by Billy Sherrill.
You can now see a video for the album cut “She Used to Love Me a Lot”, directed by filmmaker John Hillcoat (the man behind The Proposition, The Road, and Lawless as well as music videos for Nick Cave, How to Destroy Angels, Depeche Mode, and others)
The video is a collection of snapshots of the American Cash championed in song and deed intercut with shots of the Man in Black himself.
In Hillcoat words from an accompanying statement:
The lyrics seemed to speak to America as it is now, to the nation that loved him and to the great divide he fought so hard against. This divide has only grown exponentially since he died, so we wanted to show America under this stark light and as a homage to the very reason Cash always wore black: to the shameful increase of the disenfranchised and outsiders. At the same time, we wanted to reference the great man’s own struggle and journey from the love of his life to the burnt out ruins of his infamous lake house home, personal photographs, the cave where he tried to take his life but then turned it all around, the place he last recorded in and his last photo before his passing.
“She Used to Love Me a Lot” was written by Dennis Morgan, Charles Quillen, and Kye Fleming. In 1984, David Allan Coe was recorded the song on his album “Darlin’, Darlin”. Listen to the Elvis Costello remix of Cash’s version here.
Merle Haggard and the Strangers’ original release of the of “Okie From Muskogee” was December of 1969. The album went on to win the Academy of Country Music award for Album of the Year and Single of the Year for the Roy Edward Burris co-written ode to small town pride, “Okie from Muskogee.” The album was recorded live in Muskogee, Oklahoma and has been re-released in 1992, 1996, 1997, 2005, and 2006.
You can add 2014 to that list.
On March 25th Capital Nashville will reissue a special 45th anniversary package. The rerelease has been Remastered from the original analog tapes and will include “The Fightin’ Side Of Me,†a live Philadelphia recording that has never been released before on CD or digitally
Hear an up-tempo live version of Haggard’s ‘I Take a Lot of Pride In What I Am’ below.
Track List:
Disc 1
Okie From Muskogee
Recorded Live In Muskogee, Oklahoma 1969
1. Introduction by Carlton Haney
2. Mama Tried
3. No Hard Times
4. Silver Wings
5. Merle Receives Key To Muskogee
6. Mere’s Introduction to Medley
Medley:
7. Swinging Doors
8. I’m A Lonesome Fugitive
9. Sing Me Back Home
10. Branded Man
11. In The Arms Of Love
12. Workin’ Man Blues
13. Merle’s Introduction To “Hobo Billâ€
14. Hobo Bill’s Last Ride
15. Billy Overcame His Size
16. If I Had Left It Up To You
17. White Line Fever
18. Blue Rock
19. Introduction To “Okie From Muskogeeâ€
20. Okie From Muskogee
Disc 2
The Fightin’ Side Of Me
Recorded Live in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1970
1. Opening Theme: Hammin’ It Up
2. I Take A Lot Of Pride In What I Am
3. Corrine Corrina
4. Every Fool Has A Rainbow
5. T.B. Blues
6. When Did Right Become So Wrong
7. Philadelphia Lawyer
8. Stealin’ Corn
9. Harold’s Super Service
Medley:
10. Devil Woman
11. I’m Movin’ On
12. Folsom Prison Blues
13. Jackson
14. Orange Blossom Special
15. Love’s Gonna Live Here
16. Today I Started Loving You Again
17. Okie From Muskogee
18. The Fightin’ Side Of Me
Alabama Shakes has announced a headlining tour of the U.S. coming this spring. The run will kick off with a two-night stand at the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC (April 25 and 26).
A ticket pre-sale begins this Friday, February 28, at 12:00 PM local time. Tickets go on sale to the public on this Saturday, March 1, for all dates except Washington, DC, where tickets will go on sale Thursday, March 6. The band will also perform at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, the Suburbia Festival, the Beale Street Music Festival and the Shaky Knees Fest. See below for itinerary or visit www.alabamashakes.com.
The Athens, AL-based band – comprising vocalist/guitarist Brittany Howard, guitarist Heath Fogg, drummer Steve Johnson and bassist Zac Cockrell – has been in the studio working on a new album. Further details will be announced soon.
Alabama Shakes – Upcoming Tour Dates
4/25 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club- Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires Fsupporting
4/26 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club- Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires supporting
4/28 – Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel – Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires supporting
4/29 – Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel -Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires supporting
5/2-4 – New Orleans, LA @ New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
5/3-4 – Plano, TX @ Suburbia Festival
5/4 – Memphis, TN @ Beale Street Music Festival
5/7 – Northfield, OH @ Hard Rock Live – The Deslondes supporting
5/8 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE – The Deslondes supporting
5/9 – Richmond, VA @ The National – The Deslondes supporting
5/11 – Atlanta, GA @ Shaky Knees Fest
Just as there could have been no Tanya Tucker without a Dolly Parton I believe the current wave of female upstarts, like this year’s Best Country Album Grammy-winner Kacey Musgraves, owe a debt of tanks to Miranda Lambert.
I’m a fan.
Lambert is the only contemporary country music artists to be featured on the bible of alt.country No Depression, Lambert often chooses to cover songs by greats like Gillian Welch, Fred Eaglesmith. An she often channels the greats – Haggard, Loretta – in her own songs. And when her songs hew a little too close to an an influence, like when it was brought to her attention that her her hit song “Kerosene” closely resembled her hero Steve Earle’s 1996 comeback single “I Feel Alright” she retroactively gave Steve Earle writing credit for the song, owning up to a simple case of unintentional plagiarism.
As they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, just as long as you pay up. Right Dierks Bentley?
Lambert’s newest song she wrote with Nicolle Galyon, a contestant from second season of The Voice. and Natalie Hemby who has written for Lee Ann Womack, Eli Young Band and many others.
The mid-tempo cut has Miranda lamenting about the good old days. This might seems strange corning from a 30 year-old but “Ran” pulls it off by trading in a country music standard trope of nostalgia without cloying sentimentality.
Lambert drew on her personal experiences to co-write “Automatic,” which details early memories like using pay phones, recording country countdowns on cassettes and driving to Dallas to buy an Easter dress. She wrote the song with Nicolle Galyon and Natalie Hemby.
“Automatic’ is a song about the good life,” Lambert said. “It’s about slowing down, taking a breath and remembering what it’s like to live life a little more simply. It’s not about going back, but reminiscing about what it was like to hang laundry on the line and wait for it to dry and my dad teaching me how to drive my ’55 Chevy that I still have but don’t drive nearly enough.”
The song’s topic also ethos a current wave in America to move back to a small, craft-based culture and economy. I enjoyed listening to it over and over while enjoying a locally brewed beer.
“Automatic,” is a track from a new as-yet untitled album expected later this year.
7 years ago neo-bluegrass trio Nickel Creek,Chris Thile (mandolin/vocals), Sara Watkins (fiddle/vocals) and Sean Watkins (guitar/vocals) , went on “indefinite hiatus” and then ventured into separate successful solo careers. Many thought the day the band might reunite had passed
They would be wrong.
Nickel Creek have announced new album in the Spring of 2014 as well as a 7 city tour this Spring.
A limited ticket pre-sale will begin tomorrow, February 4 at 10 a.m. local time at nickelcreek.com. Tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning this Friday, February 7.
Hear “Destination,” a song from the upcoming Nickel Creek album below.
Here’s the latest of Nickel Creek’s tour dates:
April 18 and 19 – Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium
April 29 New York, NY Beacon Theatre
May 1 Boston, MA House of Blues
May 3 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
May 9 Chicago, IL Riviera Theater
May 19 Oakland, CA Fox Theater
June 19-22 Telluride, CO Telluride Bluegrass Festival
American Songwriter reports that Nonesuch Records will reissue Emmylou Harris’ acclaimed 1995 album Wrecking Ball as a three-disc set. The reissue will contain a remastered version of the original album, which snagged the Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album in 1996. There will also be a bonus CD of recently unearthed demos and outtakes.
The reissue will also include a documentary DVD “Building the Wrecking Ball,” featuring studio footage and interviews with Harris and producer Daniel Lanois, as well as album contributors Steve Earle and Kate and Anna McGarrigle, and Neil Young, who wrote the title song.
Last month Harris celebrated her collaboration with Rodney Crowell, “Old Yellow Moon,” by winning the Grammy for Best Americana Album
In October of 2013 Emmylou Harris and Daniel Lanois, joined by Jim Wilson, Brian Blade and Malcolm Burn, performed “Wrecking Ball” in it’s entirety at the Marathon Music Works in Nashville. (see video below)
The Wrecking Ball reissues is slatted for release on April 8
In celebration of the reissue, Harris will hit the road with Lanois this spring. Check out tour dates below.
Disc 1
1. “Where Will I Be?†(Daniel Lanois)
2. “Goodbye†(Steve Earle)
3. “All My Tears†(Julie Miller)
4. “Wrecking Ball†(Neil Young)
5. “Goin’ Back to Harlan†(Anna McGarrigle)
6. “Deeper Well†(David Olney, Lanois, Emmylou Harris)
7. “Every Grain of Sand†(Bob Dylan)
8. “Sweet Old World†(Lucinda Williams)
9. “May This Be Love†(Jimi Hendrix)
10. “Orphan Girl†(Gillian Welch)
11. “Blackhawk†(Daniel Lanois)
12. “Waltz Across Texas Tonight†(Rodney Crowell, Emmylou Harris)
Disc 2 – Deeper Well: The Wrecking Ball Outtakes
1. Still Water 3:55
2. Where Will I Be (alternate version) 4:14
3. All My Tears 3:21
4. How Will I Ever Be Simple Again 3:36
5. Deeper Well 2:18
6. The Stranger Song 5:21
7. Sweet Old World (alternate version) 5:56
8. Gold 3:16
9. Blackhawk (alternate version) 4:40
10. May This Be Love (acoustic) 2:15
11. Goin’ Back to Harlan 2:35
12. Where Will I Be (alternate version) 2:13
13. Deeper Well 3:06
Emmylou Harris Wrecking Ball Tour Dates:
April 3 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern
April 5 San Francisco, CA The Warfield
April 7 Royal Oak, MI The Royal Oak
April 8 Chicago, IL The Vic
April 11 Washington, DC The Lincoln Theatre
April 12 Brooklyn, NY TBA
April 13 Boston, MA The House of Blues
(additional tour dates to be announced)