Category Archives: Honky Tonk

Third Man Records to Release Dwight Yoakam Blue Series “Tomorrow’s Gonna Be Another Day”

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Dwight Yoakam "Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day"

It looks like Third Man Records will continue further down the Lost Highway they began earlier this year with the release of Margo Price’s breakout debut ‘Midwest Farmer’s Daughter’ with a release from a true country music icon – Dwight Yoakam.

As part of their next Blue Series the Nashville-based label/shop/live music venue will feature a true country music icon , Dwight Yoakam. Yoakam stopped by the studio with Jack White to record songs by one of Yoakam’s biggest non-country influences – “Tomorrow’s Gonna Be Another Day” (Boyce/Venet, popularized by The Monkees, as well as the flip-side “High On The Mountain of Love” written by Harold Dorman, popularized by Kenny Lynch, Charley Pride, Johnny Rivers, the Beach Boys and others.

“Tomorrow’s Gonna Be Another Day” will be released June 10th on 7” vinyl and digitally on itunes.

Hear samples below and pre-order here.

Jaason Isbell Leads Americana Music Award Nominees

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Americana Music Award Nominees
(L-R) Ethan Jodziewicz, Sierra Hull, Kenneth Pattengale, Lucinda Williams, Joey Ryan, Margo Price, Jed Hilly.
Photo by Sarah Como

The nominees for the 15th annual Americana Music Awards and Honors was announced yesterday from the historic Mansion on O Street in Washington, D.C. Aside from the odd elitism that an event from a ballroom of the luxury hotel symbolizes (the Mansion? I wonder if it’s on a hill?) it was an entertaining and fun event.

The event was streamed via Facebook’s new ‘Live’ feature exclusively through NPR Music’s Facebook page. The Milk Carton Kids — Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan – were their usual droll elves. Ryan once making he connection between the event’s DC location and his vow to “Make Americana great again.” While donning a bright red cap emblazoned with that motto. It was huuuuuge.

Stellar performances by Lucinda Williams, Margo Price and Sierra Hull (who should be a nominee next year) with Ethan Jodziewicz put the spotlight on the purpose of the event – exceptional music by extraordinary musicians.

Alabama troubadour Jason Isbell continues his much-deserved success by leading the nominees with 3 nods for Album of the Year, Artist of the Year and Song of the Year. Lucinda Williams, Chris Stapleton and newcomer Margo Price each nominated for two apiece. Mainstream country crossover is reflected not only by Stapleton but also by Texan Kacey Musgraves

The 2016 Americana Music Association Festival and Conference is scheduled for September 20-25, with the awards ceremony being held at the historic Ryman Auditorium on Wednesday, September 21. Americana Music Association honors additional distinguished members of the music community with Lifetime Achievement Awards, which will be announced leading up to the event.

Jim Lauderdale is a natural as the proceedings host and Buddy Miller fronts the always exemplary house band.

Can’t make to to the event? Understandable, as it has sold out in recent years. But do not despair, the Americana Honors and Awards show will shown live on AXS TV and an edited version will show up on PBS at a later date. It will also be broadcast via SiriusXM Radio, BBC2, WSM and Voice of America.

South Carolina newcomers Shovels and Rope will lead the field with four nominations, followed by legendary Emmylou Harris and Buddy Miller each with three nods. I’m happy to report that a few of my choices made it on the list this year(Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison, YES!) and John Fullbright is up for Emerging Artist of the Year. Well if being nominated for the Americana Album of the year Grammy, as Fullbright was before losing to Bonnie Raitt, isn’t emerging the I don’t know what is. Dwight Yoakam’s dominance of the Americana charts earlier this year with his new release Three Pears (my review) also garnered him an Artist of the Year nod.

Here is the full list of the 2013 Americana Music Award nominees. Are your choices here?

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Something More Than Free – Jason Isbell
The Ghosts of Highway 20 – Lucinda Williams
The Very Last Day – Parker Millsap
Traveller – Chris Stapleton

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Jason Isbell
Bonnie Raitt
Chris Stapleton
Lucinda Williams

EMERGING ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Leon Bridges
John Moreland
Margo Price
Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats

SONG OF THE YEAR
“24 Frames” Jason Isbell
“Dime Store Cowgirl” Kacey Musgraves
“Hands Of Time” Margo Price
“S.O.B.” Nathaniel Rateliff & The Nightsweats

DUO/GROUP OF THE YEAR
Alabama Shakes
Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell
Lake Street Dive
The Milk Carton Kids
Tedeschi Trucks Band

INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR
Cindy Cashdollar
Stuart Duncan
Jedd Hughes
Sara Watkins

Americana Honors Prince

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Dixie Chicks - 'Nothing Compares 2 U'

“A strong spirit transcends rules.” Prince

Prince not only appeared to transcended mortality he transcended genre. So it’s not surprising that songwriters and musicians across styles took his sudden death as a call to perform reverent Prince covers to fill the void.

Roots music is no different. Though his music superficially differed from Americana and country music they saw in Prince a prolific songwriters and accomplished musician who’s entire being was defined by his art. Prince created music just as readily as the music created him. They were indistinguishable from each other.

Below I’ve collected a few live tributes in the aftermath as well as Cory Branan and Lydia Loveless superb Record Store Day 2015 purple vinyl split 7″. All are wonderful and you can feel the bittersweet joy in remembrance.

Also a video of Prince doing a Stones classic, because it’s awesome.

Bruce Springsteen – ‘Purple Rain’ – Multicam mix – Brooklyn – New York – http://youtu.be/ifNyqjHHCGw

Chris Stapleton – ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ – Greek Theater, Berkeley, CA – http://youtu.be/dV_Wp4vVlB8

The Dixie Chicks – ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ – Horsens Denmark – http://youtu.be/sHBFMjH9NFA

Avett Brothers “Pretty Girl From Annapolis w/ When Doves Cry Interlude” Chicago Theatre – http://youtu.be/DjgHfAtwMsg

Mumford & Sons – ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ – St. Paul, MN – http://youtu.be/ay0edC0lOh4

Old Crow Medicine Show w/ Margo Price – Purple Rain – Huntsville, AL – http://youtu.be/B1JCj5EWvP4

Cory Branan – “Under the Cherry Moon” – http://youtu.be/zVtSiXiQRE4

Lydia Loveless – “I Would Die 4 U” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvYjXEiXujo

Prince – “Honky Tonk Woman” – http://youtu.be/MpHtwa8YGBU

Sturgill Simpson and Stephen Colbert Debuts Waffle House song, “No Shirt, No Shoes, No Knuckleheads.”

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Sturgill Simpson and Stephen Debuts Waffle House song, "No Shirt, No Shoes, No Knuckleheads."

Last night on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” Stephen welcomed “Country star” Sturgill Simpson as his music guest. Much like the bit he did recently with Jason Isbell Colbert used the occasion to send up a bit of southern culture as he and Sturgill pitched an original song for Waffle House, or as Sturgill refers to it “The Awful Waffle,” to include in their jukebox. The twangy cut is titled “No Shirt, No Shoes, No Knuckleheads,” and after they sing it, Colbert points to the camera and says, “Waffle House, do the right thing.”

Sturgill later performed a rousing “Brace for Impact (Live a Little)” from his new album ‘A Sailor’s Guide to Earth.’

Watch it all below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz7cBnlhhG4

KHYI 100th Episode Contest – Wynonna & The Big Noise

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Wynonna & The Big Noise

Seems like only yesterday I was introduced to the KHYI morning DJ Chuck Taylor at the 18th annual Texas Music Revolution at South Fork Ranch. Soon after he and general station manager Joshua Jones asked to do a casual morning segment featuring a song of my choice as well as live shows I’d recommend. Oh and happenings at this little blog and on my sundry social media.

Coming up on our 100th episode of our little segment, Twang Nation Radio, and I am here to tell you it’s been a great ride. We’ve celebrated extraordinary music, solemn moments for passing legends and celebrated the miracle that is Nashville hot chicken.

Chuck has become not just an associate and parter in sonic escapades but a friend. I’m in awe of his tireless commitment to sharing great music and making KHYI the preeminent roots music stations in North Texas, In short, he kicks ass.

Enough of the weepy bits and on to the swag!

Leave a memory of Twang Nation Radio, performers you’ve discovered, concerts you’ve found out about, times you wanted to punch me for bad-mouthing Sturgill Simpson, for a chance to win the latest awesome release from Wynonna & The Big Noise. Signed and on vinyl no less. REALLY!

One winner will be picked at random Sunday, April 24th, Wednesday, April 27th 2pm CST. THIS CONTEST IS INTENDED FOR LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ONLY.

Wynonna & The Big Noise is the rootsy release by Wynonna Judd and her cracker-jack band. Special guests include Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, Timothy B Schmit and Jason Isbell. It was produced by Wynonna’s hubby (and drummer) Cactus Moser, and includes songs written by the band, Julie Miller, Raphael Saadiq, John Scott Sherrill and Chris Stapleton.

Good luck, and thanks for listening/reading.

Remembering Merle Haggard 1937 – 2016

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Merle Haggard 1937 - 2016

I’ve heard countless discussions around what constitutes “real country music.” These arguments contain few details of what makes up this elusive cultural archetype and people often reach for specific performers to create context.

Merle Haggard was one of those archetypes, greater than himself. He transcended from a mere country music performer to become a touchstone of what is great about the genre.

A product of a troubled childhood partially due to loss his father, James Haggard, at the age of 9. By the age of 11 he was riding the rails near his home, an abandoned refrigerated train car built by his dad. Then came a string of encounters that led to jail time, most notably when his mother turned him over to juvenile authorities for a weekend lock-up in an attempt to change his “incorrigible” attitude.

As he famously sang “Mama tried.”

A bungled burglary to rob a restaurant while they were still serving customers resulted in a two and a half year stretch at San Quentin State Prison. There he dabbled in music until Johnny Cash held one of his many prison shows for the inmates. He found his saving grace delivered by a Man In Black.

The first time I saw Haggard he was in 2009. He was co-headlining with Kris Kristofferson in Santa Rosa California. Cher wsaa in the audience that night. I’m not sure why she was there (maybe an acquaintance of Kristofferson in his hunky ‘A Star Is Born’ days) but I knew that had to mean something special.

The Hag was a lot more laid back than the ornery cuss that wrote ‘Okie From Muskogee’ and ‘ The Fightin’ Side of Me.’ No doubt due in large part to the lemon-sized tumor removed in the previous year. Perhaps is was the marijuana he used regularly after that surgery. When I last saw him in Ft. Worth’s Bass Hall in 2014 he asked the crows “How many are against pot?” To the smattering applauding in the affirmative he smiled and shot back ‘Why?”

Like his fellow Bakersfield sound” brethren Buck Owens Merle Haggard was a crafter of populist storytelling. He transcended country music to create great American standards by holding up songs like a mirror where we all saw ourselves. The good, bad and – like most of us – those in between.

The warden led a prisoner down the hallway to his doom
And I stood up to say good-bye like all the rest
And I heard him tell the warden just before he reached my cell
“Let my guitar-playing friend do my request”

That he died 79 years to the day of his birth will certainly just add to his mythology. Why not? Numerology and statistics aside it just seems like something supernatural.

But he was all too human. Fragile humanity ran through his songs and demeanor. He had passion for the genre he helped create and humility always in the way he approached it. He defined everything great about and, in turn, defined the best in us bound together by it.

Listen Up! Kiefer Sutherland – ‘Not Enough Whiskey’

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Kiefer Sutherland - 'Not Enough Whiskey'

The list of Hollywood actors looking to cross the divide from their chosen vocation into music has more misses (Bruce Willis) than hits (Zooey Deschanel.) Proving just because you have skills in one branch of the arts doesn’t necessarily mean those skill can in transfer to another.

Kiefer Sutherland is the latest entry into the fray. And truth be told, He’s got chops. How much chops you might ask? Enough to take a song with hackneyed tropes like whiskey and a leaving woman and aa video featuring an old hotel room (number 13, no less) and make it interesting.

Perhaps it’s that “Not Enough Whiskey” has a great throwback roots sound with organ, pedal-steel, reverbed guitar over a rimshot beat and Sutherland’s gravel soul delivery (reminiscent of Social Distortion’s Mike Ness at his twangiest)

Of the album Sutherland says “It’s the closest thing I’ve ever had to a journal or diary. All of these songs are pulled from my own personal experiences. There is something very satisfying about being able to look back on my own life, good times and bad, and express those sentiments in music. As much as I have enjoyed the writing and recording process, I am experiencing great joy now being able to play these songs to a live audience, which was something I hadn’t counted on.”

Just goes to show, Jack Bauer can do any damn thing he puts his mind to.

“Not Enough Whiskey” from Sutherland’s upcoming album ‘Down in a Hole’ , to be released later this summer — “Not Enough Whiskey” will be available on iTunes April 8, 2016.

He will also appear as a presenter on the upcoming ACM Awards and will kick off his live tour April 14th running through the end of May.

Kiefer Sutherland dates:
April 14 Milwaukee, Wis. – Shank Hall
April 15 Madison, Wis. – Majestic
April 16 Grand Rapids, Mich. – The Pyramid Scheme
April 18 Ann Arbor, Mich. – The Ark
April 19 Cleveland, Ohio – Grog Shop
April 20 Pittsburgh, Pa. – Hard Rock Cafe
April 22 Huntington, W. Va. – V Club
April 23 Cincinnati, Ohio – Ballroom at the Taft
April 24 Indianapolis, Ind – Vogue
April 26 Columbus, Ohio – A&R Music Bar
May 04 Charlotte, N.C. – Visulite Theatre
May 06 Raleigh, N.C. – Lincoln Theatre
May 08 Richmond, Va. – Capital Ale House
May 09 Annapolis, Md. – Ram’s Head Tavern
May 11 Wilmington, Del. – World Cafe Live
May 12 Teaneck, N.J. – Mexicali Live
May 14 Pawling, N.Y. – Daryl’s House
May 15 Ithaca, N.Y. – The Dock
May 16 Buffalo, N.Y. – Iron Works
May 19 Northampton, Mass. – Iron Horse
May 20 Boston, Mass. – Brighton Music Hall
May 21 Providence, R.I. – The Met
May 24 Asbury Park, N.J. – Stone Pony
May 25 Long Island, N.Y. – Founders Room
May 26 Sellersville, Pa. – Sellersville Theater
May 28 Amagansett, N.Y. – Stephen Talkhouse

Robert Ellis Returns With Eponymous Fourth Album On June 3rd

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Robert Ellis - Credit: Dusdin Condren
Credit: Dusdin Condren

‘Drive,’ the new cut off Texas singer/songwriter Robert Ellis’ upcoming eponymous release, kicks off with bluegrass-tinged, dazzling guitar work Ellis has become known for. We are then then taken on a grand tour through the halls of heartache littered with petty distractions, emotional evasion and sickening helplessness of a foundation of love and trust collapsing away.

The jaunty arrangement lures you in, the lyrics burrow under the skin with familiar sorrow.

Ellis says of his fourth albums motivation; “I felt that in the past year, lots of constructs I took for granted were turned on their head.” He continues, “With this record, I feel like I’ve gotten to where I can use the material of my own life as a jumping-off point. But now I can do different things with that material.”

The record was self-produced by Ellis at Sugar Hill Studios in his hometown of Houston, TX with engineer Steve Christensen (Steve Earle) and mixed by John Agnello (Kurt Vile, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr.) Ellis also announced his first headline dates in support of the album, kicking off in Houston, TX on June 2nd. (See all dates below.)

If the rest of ‘Robert Ellis’ is as good as this it’s going to be a real treat.

Screen Shot 2016-03-28 at 7.20.03 PM

Pre-Order ‘Robert Ellis.’

Robert Ellis Track Listing:
1. Perfect Strangers
2. How I Love You
3. California
4. Amanda Jane
5. Drivin’
6. The High Road
7. Elephant
8. You’re Not The One
9. Screw
10. Couples Skate
11. It’s Not Ok

Tour:
June 2nd – Houston, TX Discovery Green (Free Show)
June 3rd – Austin, TX 3Ten Austin City Limits
June 4th – Austin, TX 3Ten Austin City Limits
June 5th – Dallas, TX Kessler Theatre
June 7th – St. Louis, MO Off Broadway
June 8th – Indianapolis, IN The Hi-Fi
June 10th – St. Paul, MN Turf Club
June 11th – Davenport, IA Daytrotter Venue
June 12th – Chicago, IL Schuba’s
June 13th – Cleveland, OH Beachland Ballroom
June 15th – Wilkes-Barre, PA Kirby Center Small Room
June 18th – Boston, MA The Sinclair
June 20th – Port Chester, NY Garcia’s
June 22nd – New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
June 23rd – Washington, DC The Hamilton
June 25th – Philadelphia, PA Milkboy
June 26th – Pittsburgh, PA Club Cafe
June 27th – Columbus, OH Rumba Cafe
June 30th – Charlotte, NC Double Door
July 1st – Atlanta, GA Terminal West
July 2nd – Birmingham, AL The Saturn
July 3rd – Nashville, TN 3rd & Lindsley Presented By Lighting 100
*Tom Brosseau supports all shows

Listen Up! Margo Price “Hands Of Time” on Conan 3/24/16

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Screen Shot 2016-03-25 at 5.25.28 AM

Margo Price performs a beautiful rendition of her hard luck lament “Hands Of Time.” Check the wonderful performance below with Ms. Price and her cracker-jack band completee with string section. The vintage mic is also a fine touch.

“Hands Of Time” is from Margo Price’s new album ‘Midwest Farmers Daughter.’

Americana Scenes At SXSW 2016

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Lydia Loveless SXSW 2016

It’s been a few years since I’ve braved the tipsey throngs of Austin’s South-By-Southwest, and mostly I don’t miss it. But with the growing roots music showcases like Jenni Finlay Promotions & Conqueroo’s
Rebels & Renegades showcase, Bloodshot Records and Billy Reid and Newport Folk Festival’s Shindig I might have to make an exeption next year.

For now I will enjoy not standing in lines and being jostled by texters and watch these excellent clips from some of Americana’s best at SXSW 2016.

A great little sampler of Aoife O’Donovan, Robert Ellis and Sarah Jarosz at St. David’s Church

Aaron Lee Tasjan, 12 Bar Blues, Mercado South, SXSW, 3/19/16

Lydia Loveless 360 Acoustic Performance of ‘Clumps’ Closing #SXSW on 6th Street

Ray Wylie Hubbard plays his grit-folk ‘Snake Farm’ at the Guitartown/Conqueroo Party at The Dogwood

Americana literary laureate James McMurtry plays ‘Copper Canteen’ at El Mercado

Ryan Adams playfully busts some SXSW chops before launching into a heartfelt “Dirty Rain”