Category Archives: Outlaw

Star-Studded Concert Film & Recording “The Life & Songs of Kris Kristofferson” Premiering October 27, 2017

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'The Life & Songs Of Kris Kristofferson.'

On March 16th, 2016 many esteemed artists across roots music came together at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena to pay tribute to songwriting icon Kris Kristofferson.

If you weren’t able to make that show relax, on Friday, October 27 Country Music Television will premiere the 90-minute broadcast entitled ‘The Life & Songs Of Kris Kristofferson.’ On that same day Blackbird Presents Records will release the full-length concert film as a CD/DVD combo features performances, in-depth interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage with Kris Kristofferson, Jessi Alexander, Lady Antebellum, Dierks Bentley, Ryan Bingham, Rosanne Cash, Eric Church, Jessi Colter, Rodney Crowell, Larry Gatlin, Emmylou Harris, Jack Ingram, Shooter Jennings, Jamey Johnson, Alison Krauss, Martina McBride, The Travelin’ McCourys, Reba McEntire, Buddy Miller, Willie Nelson, Jennifer Nettles, Jon Randall, Darius Rucker, Hank Williams Jr. and Lee Ann Womack.

Performances include a range of Kristofferson classics, like “Me And Bobby McGee” (performed by Reba McEntire), “Help Me Make It Through The Night” (Performed by Lady Antebellum), “To Beat The Devil” (Performed by Eric Church), a very special performance of “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down” (performed by Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson), and an all-star grand finale performance of the classic “Why Me.”

The CD/DVD can be purchased with exclusive merchandise from PledgeMusic (http://pledgemusic.com/projects/songsofkristofferson) including a limited edition framed gig poster from the night of the show, color photo, and an Epiphone Ltd. Ed. 1963 J-45 guitar, all signed by Kris Kristofferson. Merchandise bundles which include the official concert t-shirt and hat.

‘The Life & Songs Of Kris Kristofferson’ CD/DVD combo is available for preorder at pledgemusic.

Margo Price Announces New Album ‘All American Made,’ Hear First Single “A Little Pain”

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Margo Price Announces New Album 'All American Made,'

As reported in American Songwriter Margo Price will release her sophomore solo album All American Made on October 20 via Third Man Records.

The follow-up to the 2016 critically acclaimed breakout ‘Midwest Farmer’s Daughter’ and her recent EP ‘Weakness,’ the new record finds Price wrestling with ‘the travails of the road, sexism in the music industry, and the darker currents of the American political landscape.’

One track, “Learning To Lose,” features a guest vocal from none other than her friend and country music legend Willie Nelson.

Price recorded the album in Memphis at Sam Phillips Recording with her band – Kevin Black (bass), Jamie Davis (electric guitar), Micah Hulscher (piano), Jeremy Ivey (acoustic guitar/bass/harmonica), Dillon Napier (drums), and Luke Schneider (pedal steel). Matt Ross-Spang and Alex Munoz helmed the sessions, co-producing with Price and Ivey.

Check out the album’s first single, “A Little Pain,” plus the album’s track list and her newly announced tour dates below.

All American Made Track List:

1. Don’t Say It
2. Weakness
3. A Little Pain
4. Learning to Lose (featuring Willie Nelson)
5. Pay Gap
6. Nowhere Fast
7. Cocaine Cowboys
8. Wild Women
9. Heart of American
10. Do Right By Me
11. Loner
12. All American Made

Margo Price Tour Dates:

Nowhere Fast headline tour tickets on sale Friday, September 15 at 10am local time.

Sept 7 – Hopscotch Music Festival – Raleigh, NC
Sept 8 – PNC Bank Arts Center – Holmdel, NJ**
Sept 9 – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater – Jones Beach, NY**
Sept 10 – Hersheypark Stadium – Hershey, PA**
Sept 16 – Farm Aid 2017 – Burgettstown, PA
Sept 17 – CityFolk Festival – Ottawa, CA
Oct 1 – Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival – Columbia, MO
Oct 5 – iWireless Center – Moline, IL^
Oct 6 – Wells Fargo Arena – Des Moines, IA^
Oct 7 – Xcel Energy Center – St. Paul, MN^
Oct 26 – KeyBank Center – Buffalo, NY^^
Oct 27 – Barclays Center – Brooklyn, NY^^
Jan 20 – Headliner’s Music Hall – Louisville, KY
Jan 21 – The Ready Room – St. Louis, MO
Jan 23 – Knucklehead’s – Kansas City, MO
Jan 24 – ACM@UCO – Oklahoma City, OK
Jan 26 – Kessler Theater – Dallas, TX
Jan 28 – Sam’s Burger Joint – San Antonio, TX
Jan 30 – Emo’s – Austin, TX
Feb 1 – Manship Theatre – Baton Rouge, LA
Feb 18 – The Crescent Ballroom – Phoenix, AZ
Feb 20 – Fox Theatre – Boulder, CO
Feb 21 – Bluebird Theater – Denver, CO
Feb 23 – The State Room – Salt Lake City, UT
Feb 24 – The Olympic – Boise, ID
Feb 25 – Neptune – Seattle, WA
Feb 26 – Revolution Hall – Portland, OR
Feb 28 – The Independent – San Francisco, CA
Mar 1 – The Fonda Theatre – Los Angeles, CA
Mar 2 – Pappy & Harriet’s – Pioneertown, CA
Mar 3 – Belly Up – Solana Beach, CA

^ = w/ Chris Stapleton and Brent Cobb
** = Outlaw Music Festival Tour w/ Willie Nelson & Family
^^ = w/ Tim McGraw & Faith Hill Soul2Soul Tour

Turnpike Troubadours Return With ‘A Long Way From Your Heart’ This Fall

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Red Dirt music is like other hard-to-define cultural artifacts, hard to describe but I know it when I hear it.

And if there’s one band that has ‘it’ it’s Oklahoma’s Turnpike Troubadours. This fall fans of the roots-rock band will have more of ‘it’ to enjoy. On October 2oth their highly-anticipated new album ‘A Long Way From Your Heart’ will be released on the band’s label, Bossier City in partnership with Nashville powerhouse label Thirty Tigers. Produced/engineered by Ryan Hewitt (Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Avett Brothers, The Lumineers) ‘A Long Way From Your Heart’ is officially being called as their fourth album, due to their 2007 debut ‘Bossier City’ being out of print

From the press release – The theme running through ‘A Long Way From Your Heart’ is resilience during difficult circumstances, as in album opener, “The Housefire”. The subjects in Felker’s songs are composite characters based on real people. Some tracks feel deeply personal, such as the poignant but upbeat “Pay No Rent” or country/folk ditty “Oklahoma Stars”. Other observational songs like “Unrung” and the raucous rocker “The Winding Stair Mountain Blues” are proof that (songwriter Evan) Felker’s penchant for great storytelling in the tradition of his musical forbearers has become masterful.

Pre-orders start August 25th. See the tracklist from ”A Long Way From Your Heart’ below and be sure to catch the Turnpike Troubadours on the road in support of the album in one of their raucous live shows, as you can witness yourself in the video below taken at Willie Nelson’s Fourth of July Picnic in Austin last month.

Here’s the track list for A Long Way From Your Heart:
1. “The Housefire”
2. “Something to Hold on To”
3. “The Winding Stair Mountain Blues”
4. “Unrung”
5. “A Tornado Warning”
6. “Pay No Rent”
7. “The Hard Way”
8. “Old Time Feeling (Like Before)”
9. “Pipe Bomb Dream”
10. “Oklahoma Stars”
11. “Sunday Morning Paper”

The Texas Gentlemen Sign To New West Records, To Release Debut ‘TX Jelly’ This Fall

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The Texas Gentlemen

One of the highlights of Willie Nelson’s Luck Reunion was witnessing the manic genius of The Texas Gentlemen. The Lone Star quintet of Beau Bedford, Nik Lee, Daniel Creamer, Matt McDonald, and Ryan Ake played a fantastic set then went on to prove even greater dexterity by backing Ray Wylie Hubbard, Ray Benson and Billy Joe Shaver during the Texas Review portion of the show.

Now the TG are set to share thier gloriousness with the world.

The Texas Gentlemen have signed to New West Records and are set to share thier gloriousness with the world by releasing their debut album ‘TX Jelly’ on September 15th, 2017.

The 11-song set was cut live in four days at the legendary FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, AL. This was paired down from 28 songs recorded in the 96-hour time span spent at FAME and moves between contemplative and raucous, encompassing the full breadth of the American music experience. The album was produced by band leader and organist Beau Bedford.

The 96-hour time span spent at FAME and moves between contemplative and raucous, encompassing the full breadth of the American music experience. Touching on blues, soul, folk, country, rock, and gospel, TX Jelly is real, raw, and righteous.

From the presser ‘The low-slung piece of vintage country-funk slams out of the speakers and announces The Texas Gentleman as a force to be reckoned with. Paste stated, “If its first track is any indication, Bedford and company’s TX Jelly is going to spread far beyond the boundaries of Texas itself. These Gentlemen are the real McCoy.” This September, The Texas Gentlemen will appear at Americanafest, Pilgrimage Music Festival along with Justin Timberlake, Eddie Vedder, Ryan Adams and more, and have also been tapped to support Eric Church’s Texas dates (see all dates below).

They take their cues from some of the most iconic acts of the past — the quicksilver brilliance of The Wrecking Crew, The Muscle Shoals Swampers (who backed everyone from Aretha to Wilson Pickett), Booker T. and The M.G.’s, and Bob Dylan’s one-time backers The Band are the most obvious examples. Bedford originally assembled The Texas Gentlemen as an all-purpose backing band for an eclectic array of singer-songwriters including Leon Bridges and Nikki Lane, among others. Last year, the Gentlemen were lured out of the studio to the Newport Folk Festival, where they were joined by iconic troubadour Kris Kristofferson, making his first Newport appearance in more than 45 years. Rolling Stone Magazine called it one of the festival’s “most exciting sets” and Kristofferson so enjoyed collaborating with the band that he enlisted them to reprise their roles in a series of critically acclaimed Texas concerts. Of Kristofferson and The Texas Gentlemen’s appearance at Bass Performance Hall, The Fort Worth Star Telegram stated “The piano, organ, guitar, drums and saxophone would slowly coalesce around Kristofferson’s gnarled but still potent voice, creating an electric sensation of the past fusing with the present. Time and again, the room would seem to bloom – a feeling of dawn breaking, just barely visible but discernible, behind some of the best songs ever written.”

TX Jelly will be available digitally, on compact disc and vinyl LP, and is available for pre-order now via PledgeMusic.

See the video for the album opener “Habbie Doobie” depicting the band jamming in their Modern Electric Sound Recorders studio in their hometown of Dallas, TX.

The Texas Gentlemen - Tx Jelly

TX Jelly Track Listing:
1. Habbie Doobie
2. Pain
3. Bondurant Women
4. Dream Along
5. Gone
6. My Way
7. Superstition
8. TX Jelly
9. Pretty Flowers
10. Shakin All Over
11. Trading Paint

The Texas Gentlemen On Tour:
September 7 – Austin, TX @ Austin360 Amphitheater*
September 8 – Woodlands, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion*
September 12-17 – Nashville, TN @ Americanafest
September 23 & 24 – Franklin, TN @ Pilgrimage Music Festival

*appearing with Eric Church

Listen Up! Steve Earle – “So You Wanne Be An Outlaw”

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Being a Steve Earle fan can be a rough road. In the beginning there was no denying the neo-trad ferocity of 1986’s ‘Guitar Town.’ Standing near traditional frameworks while pushing the boundaries continued in spite of mega-success, an epic downfall, years of addiction. Sonic experimentation songs that took a more overt politically left turn and a move to New York City had the Texas hillbilly hellraiser heading more toward Woody Guthrie/Bob Dylan territory that resulted much of Earles spotty 2000-era releases.

Sure there have uneven , head-scratching, moan inducing patches in his work. But when you have as long a body of work, have as restless a soul, and a passionate determination to use your art as a soapbox as Earle has been you’re bound to hit a stinker now and again.

But recently Earle appears to have rediscovered his musical muse (the inspirational kind, he’s proved to be unlucky with the female human kind.) Starting with a heartfelt ode to his brilliant if troubled mentor, 2009’s “Townes,” to his latest return to the majors, “So You Wanne Be An Outlaw” Earle appears to have remembered that he shines brightest when he’s less Woody and more Eddie Cochran. 

The title track is a message to the next generation of troubadours. A tele-twang sits atop a classic 4/4 beat as Earle lays out a story of music and mythology he’s personally living in. Like Waylon’s “Don’t You Think This outlaw Bit’s Done Got Out of Hand” Earle exposes the bark underbelly of the romantic outlaw myth. The isolation of life on the road, broken relationshipsresulting in hard-learned wariness. Willie Nelson makes an appearance on the cut delivering original outlaw gravitas. As a pioneer that blazed the trail for Earle both men use the occasion to recount the landscape like a sonic Lewis and Clark warning other travelers sure to throw caution out the touring van window that these are trial and troubles ahead.
Earle is at his best when he’s peeling back his own story., this is never more true than “This Is How It Ends, ” a mid-tempo recount of the dissolution of a marriage. Earle recruits fellow divorcée , and accidental Earle plagiarist, Miranda Lambert as a duet partner. The bittersweet lyrics and the notable sadness left in the wake of each other’s absent partners makes the song that much more poignant.

‘Fixin’ To Die” is a sonic deluge of indedility, murder and resignation to ones demons with a melody snatched from “When The Levee Breaks” (the Led Zep bombast crunch version.) “Goodbye Michelangelo” is an elegant acoustic elegy to the legendary singer-songwriter, and early mentor of Earle’s, Guy Clark. The outlaw mojo runs even deeper on the deluxe version of “So You Wanna…” featuring a rousing boot-stomping version of Billy Joe Shaver’s “Ain’t No God In Mexico” which Waylon Jennings popularized as well as Earle’s versions of Willie Nelson’s “Sister’s Coming Home/Down At The Corner Beer Joint” and “The Local Memory.” The deluxe version is fittingly bookended by Waylon’s wryly defiant “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way?”

This is the best Steve Earle album in over a decade, but he’s apparently not content to enjoy the piling accolades and resulting success. He also appears to want to settle scores and raise dust. This has included complimenting up-and-coming talent (yay!) while then trashing two other artists (granted one of the targets is Hayes Carll, who did end up with Allison Moore- Earle’s wife #6)

The question that comes to mind is why?

Earle has an undeniable musical legacy and has help shape an entire genre.He traveled the road blazed, stylistically and tactically, by the likes of Willie and Waylon that shook the establishment and drew an audience hungry for something real. Even his songs covered and receiving significant radio play by more mainstream artists, like Travis Tritt, still maintained a dignity and humanity.

Now that he’s found his way back to a sort of return to form, it might be wiser to focus on the music and enjoy his legacy with a bit more grace and dignity asefitting an elder statesman. 

But dignity and grace didn’t get Earle here he is. It was rebellion to the bone.

Some have suggested that Earle is crassly cashing in at a time that the young guns – Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell, Margo Price, Nikki Lane – are hitting their popular stride. I call bullshit. If anyone has a right to look back to move forward it’s Earle and his stellar body of work.

I’ll wager that Earle, in true Texan onryness, could give a damn what anyone expects of him. His next album could be a collaboration with a rapper or a Tejano band if that’s where his muse leads him. Like many artists with an ear to thier own drumbeat you must take the occasional codgy comment with brilliance that accompanies it.

buy

8.5/10

Jason Isbell Announces new album, ‘The Nashville Sound’ – Out June 16th

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Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, guitarist Jason Isbell and his mighty band, the 400 Unit, have announced the June 16th release of their highly anticipated new album, The Nashville Sound (Southeastern Records/Thirty Tigers). The Nashville Sound is the follow up to 2015’s critically acclaimed Something More Than Free, which won two Grammy Awards (Best Americana Album & Best American Roots Song, “24 Frames”) and two Americana Music Association Awards (Album of the Year & Song of The Year, “24 Frames”). See Highlights.

Over his career, Jason Isbell has become one the most respected and celebrated songwriters of his generation. He possesses an incredible penchant for identifying and articulating some of the deepest, yet simplest, human emotions, and turning them into beautiful poetry through song.

‘The Nashville Sound’ features 10 new songs that address a range of real life subject matters that include politics and cultural privilege (“White Man’s World”), longing nostalgia (“The Last Of My Kind”), love and mortality (“If We Were Vampires”), the toxic effect of today’s pressures (“Anxiety”), the remnants of a break up (“Chaos and Clothes”) and finding hope (“Something To Love”). Songs such as “Cumberland Gap” and “Hope The Highroad” find Isbell and his bandmates going back to their rock roots full force.

The Nashville Sound was recorded at Nashville’s legendary RCA Studio A and produced by Grammy Award-winner Dave Cobb, who produced Something More Than Free and Isbell’s celebrated 2013 breakthrough album Southeastern. The Nashville Sound is the first official Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit album since 2011’s Here We Rest. The 400 Unit features Derry deBorja (keyboards), Chad Gamble (drums), Jimbo Hart (bass), Amanda Shires (fiddle) and Sadler Vaden (guitar). The group just announced a five-night stand at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium October 10,11,13-15 to add to their extensive tour. See the list of tour dates below.

Jason Isbell - 'The Nashville Sound'

June 17 – Asheville, NC – Thomas Wolfe Auditorium #

June 18 – Raleigh, NC – North Carolina Museum of Art #
June 19 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore Philadelphia #
June 22 – New York, NY – Beacon Theatre #

June 23 – New York, NY – Beacon Theatre +

June 24 – New York, NY – Beacon Theatre +

June 26 – New Haven, CT – College Street Music Hall +
June 27 – Boston, MA – Blue Hills Bank Pavilion +

June 29 – Canandaigua, NY – Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center >
June 30 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion +

July 1 – Cincinnati, OH – PNC Pavilion at Riverbend Music +
July 2 – Huber Heights, OH – Rose Music Center at the Heights +
July 5 – Papillion, NE – Sumtur Amphitheatre +
July 7 – St. Paul, MN – The Palace Theatre +
(Sold Out)
July 11 – Sioux Falls, SD – The Washington Pavilion +

July 12 – St. Louis, MO – Peabody Opera House +

July 14 – Austin, TX – ACL Live at the Moody Theater +

July 15 – Austin, TX – ACL Live at the Moody Theater #

July 16 – Austin, TX – ACL Live at the Moody Theater #

July 18 – Houston, TX – Revention Music Center #

July 19 – Jackson, MS – Thalia Mara Hall #

July 21 – Miami Beach, FL – The Fillmore *

July 22 – St. Augustine, FL – St. Augustine Amphitheatre *
July 23 – North Charleston, SC – North Charleston Performing Arts Center*
September 7 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre
October 10 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
October 11 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
October 13 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
October 14 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
October 15 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium

Support: # Amanda Shires / + Mountain Goats / > Iron & Wine / * Strand of Oaks

2017 European Dates

October 25 – Manchester, UK – Albert Hall
October 26 – Glasgow, UK – O2 ABC
October 27 – Dublin, Ireland – Olympia Theatre
October 29 – Brighton, UK – Brighton Dome
October 30 – London, UK – Roundhouse
October 31 – Birmingham, UK – Symphony Hall
November 2 – Paris, France – Le Café de la Danse
November 3 – Brussels, Belgium – Ancienne Belgique
November 6 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso
November 7 – Hamburg, Germany – Uebel & Gefährlich
November 8 – Berlin, Germany – Columbia Theater
November 10 – Oslo, Norway – Sentrum Scene
November 11 – Oslo, Norway – Sentrum Scene
November 12 – Stockholm, Sweden – Münchenbryggeriet
November 14 – Copenhagen, Denmark – DR Concert Hall

Tift Merritt supports all European dates

Son Volt To Release Eighth Studio New Album ‘Notes Of Blue’ February 17

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Son Volt - 'Notes Of Blue'

stalwart alt.country pioneers Son Volt will release a new album ‘Notes Of Blue’ on February 17 on the Thirty Tigers label. ‘Notes Of Blue’ will be thw follow-up o he 2013’s acclaimed ‘Honky Tonk.’

The 10 songs on Notes Of Blue are inspired by the spirit of the blues, but not the standard blues as most know it. The unique and haunting tunings of Mississippi Fred McDowell, Skip James and Nick Drake were all points of exploration for Farrar for the new collection. The album opens with the country soul of “Promise The World”, followed by “Back Against The Wall”, a song that could stand alongside the great Son Volt songs of their early albums. However, ‘Notes Of Blue’ reflects the blues as it resides in the folk tradition, but heavily amplified. The primal stomp of “Cherokee St.”, the frenetic guitar on “Static” and the raw slide in “Sinking Down” exude grit and attitude. Conversely, tracks such as “The Storm” and “Cairo and Southern” seamlessly meld blues with hypnotic melodies that add a unique balance to ‘Notes Of Blue.’

Founder Jay Farrar possesses one of the most distinctive voices in roots, rock, country or any genre. He exudes a soulful longing combined with a wise-beyond-his-years command that is as arresting and compelling as ever. As a songwriter, Farrar’s depth and poetic penchant has been the foundation of a thoughtful, deep and intelligent body of work. Both attributes are on full display on Notes Of Blue, as he touches on themes of redemption and the common struggle, both of which are at the core of the blues.

‘Notes of Blue’ will be available to pre-order via the Son Volt website November 29th. The group will announce upcoming live dates in support of the album That same day, while tickets are scheduled to go on sale December 2nd.

Whether you call it alt.country, Americana, roots rock, insurgent country or just good ol’ rock ‘n’ roll anytime Son Volt releases a new album it’s cause for celebration.

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

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.

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