Tag Archives: Aoife O’Donovan

Willie Nelson To Be Honored at Grammy Week Americana Music Association Benefit Concert

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shotgun willie

In keeping with its honoring music legends in the runup to the Grammy Awards (who in many ways prefers to forget them), the Americana Music Association will be producing a solute to none other than the red-headed stranger himself, Willie Nelson.

Willie will be saluted by peers and admirers that include John Prine, Tanya Tucker, Shooter Jennings, Rhiannon Giddens & Francesco Turrisi, Calexico, Andrew Bird, I’m With Her (Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz, and Aoife O’Donovan) and Yola. The War and Treaty, Iron & Wine, Madison Cunningham, Gregory Alan Isakov, Ida Mae, Sierra Ferrell and others still to be announced also are slated to take part in the tribute.

The evening celebrates the Recording Academy’s recognition of Americana musicians and typically uses the work of an Americana luminary as a focal point. Prine was the honoree last year and will be making his second appearance at the event to pay homage to the 86-year-old Texas singer and songwriter, who is not expected to attend.

Previous honorees include Everly Brothers singer and songwriter Phil Everly (which I was fortunate enough to attend), Eagles founding member Glenn Frey and country queen Loretta Lynn.

The benefit will take place at the storied West Hollywood venue Troubadour. Tickets are $75 and proceeds benefit the AMA. General sales begin at 10 a.m. Friday.

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

Watch Out – Aoife O’Donovan Covers Bruce Springsteen’s “Nebraska”

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Aoife O’Donovan - Nebraska

Springsteen’s “Nebraska” is a far cry from the more commercially engaging follow-up “Born in the U.S.A.” It’s a 4-track DIY stark study of rust-belt existential ennui some consider (I count myself as one) as his most personal work.

The title cut is a particularly dark tale of adolescent alienation as Springsteen employs acoustic guitar and harmonica to plumb for some glimmer of humanity surviving within the infamous Charles Starkweather, who at 19 went on a murder spree with his 14-year-old girlfriend Caril Fugate. In all the couple killed 11 people across Nebraska. This captured the attention of the nation and reflected it’s unease of the new rebellious rock music sweeping youth culture in 1958.

Though it breaks no new sonic ground Aoife O’Donovan’s rendition carries that very same somber beauty with her forlorn soprano and gently picked acoustic guitar.

The track will be featured on “In The Magic Hour Solo Sessions,” a six-song acoustic EP out November 1 which will include four songs O’Donovan latest “from In The Magic Hour” and a cover of Joni Mitchell’s “Turn Me On

Of the work O’Donovan’ said “In 2011, I did a residency at Rockwood Music Hall in NYC, says Aoife. “Each week was a different set, and while planning for the month, I decided to learn the album “Nebraska” from start to finish. Originally released in 1982, the year I was born, the songs are timeless. The sadness and depravity in the title track urge us to look a little bit deeper into ourselves. “I guess there’s just a meanness in this world.”

This Friday, October 4, Aoife will perform at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, singing on MPR’s Live From Here and performing with Kronos Quartet.

Aoife will embark on the Songs and Strings Tour in spring 2020, performing with a string quartet featuring Jeremy Kittlel on violin – a full list of dates is below. As the first Artist-in-Residence at this year’s FreshGrass Festival, Aoife performed with two different string quartets.

AOIFE O’DONOVAN SONG AND STRINGS TOUR
March 11 – Old Saybrook, CT – Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center
March 12 – Cambridge, MA – Sanders Theatre
March 13 – Vienna, VA – The Barns at Wolf Trap
March 14 – Richmond, VA – Modlin Center For the Arts
March 20 – Stoughton, WI – Stoughton Opera House
March 21 – Skokie, IL – North Shore Center For the Performing Arts
April 16 – Carrboro, NC – The Arts Center
April 17 – Paducah, KY – Clemens Fine Arts Center

Aoife O’Donovan Set For 2017 ‘Release The Hounds’ Tour; Spotify ‘Singles’ Released

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Aoife O'Donovan

If it seems that Aoife O’Donovan has constantly been on tour of late that perception is understandable. She spent a good portion oaf 2016 touring in support of her sophomore album, ‘In The Magic Hour.’ Instead of taking 2015 off O’Donovan will embark on a 21-city tour, entitled the Release ‘The Hounds tour’, that will offer a night of acoustic music with backing musicians Julian Lage & Chris Eldridge. The tour begins March 17, 2017, in Cambridge, MA.

You can hear a taste of her solo performance in the new recording of “Stanley Park” released today as part of Spotify “Singles” feature. Also included is the cover of “Lakes of Pontchartrain” with violinist Colin Jacobsen and cellist Eric Jacobsen. The newly launched two-song weekly playlist features exclusives of an original track (a-side) and a cover (b-side) recorded in Spotify’s NYC studio by 20-plus top artists.

In May 2017, O’Donovan, in partnership with Cuba Rhythm & Views , will help lead a remarkable cultural exchange in Havana, Cuba between American and Cuban musicians. She will accompany select fans on this cultural trip of a lifetime and meet some of Cuba’s most celebrated performers and artists. She will perform in two Cuba Rhythm & Views-produced concerts with world-renowned Cuban pianist Aldo Lopez-Gavilan, at Fabrica de Arte Cubano, and again with Havana’s premier chamber group, Orquesta de Camara de La Habana.

During a recent musical guest appearance on A Prairie Home Companion, O’Donovan performed “Magpie” with new host Chris Thile, who appears on the album track. She will perform on the show again December 10, at Town Hall in New York as part of the house band, followed by a series of house band guest appearances in early 2017.

AOIFE O’DONOVAN TOUR DATES
December 10 – Town Hall – New York, NY*
January 21 – Pasadena Convention Center – Pasadena, CA*
February 4 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN*
February 18 – Fitzgerald Theatre – St. Paul, MN*
February 19-26 – Cayamo Cruise – Tampa, FL
March 1 – The Plaza Live – Orlando, FL
March 17 – Sanders Theatre – Cambridge, MA^
March 18 – Stone Mountain Arts Center – Brownfield, ME^
March 19 – The First Unitarian Church – Burlington, VT^
March 22 – Stage One – Fairfield, CT^
March 23 – The Shea Theater – Turners Falls, MA^
March 24 – Massry Center for the Arts at The College of Saint Rose – Albany, NY^
March 25 – Harvester Performance Center – Rocky Mount, VA^
March 26 – Big Ears Festival – Knoxville, TN^
March 28 – The Taft Theatre Ballroom – Cincinnati, OH^
April 6 – Savannah Music Festival – Savannah, GA^
April 13 – Kahilu Theatre – Waimea, HI^
April 14 – Maui Arts & Cultural Center – Maui, HI^
April 15 – Hawaii Theatre — Honolulu, HI^
April 18 – Neptune Theatre – Seattle, WA^
April 19 – Aladdin Theatre – Portland, OR^
April 21 – Kuumbwa Jazz Center – Santa Cruz, CA^
April 22 – Freight & Salvage – Berkeley, CA^
April 23 – Jackson Hall / Mondavi Center – Davis, CA^
April 25 – Campbell Hall / UCSB – Santa Barbara, CA^
April 26 – Smothers Theatre / Pepperdine University – Malibu, CA^
April 27 – Price Center East Ballroom – La Jolla, CA^
May 20 – folkBALTICA: Robbe & Berking Shipyard – Flensburg, DE
May 26 – Fabrica de Arte – Havana, Cuba
May 27 – Fabrica de Arte – Havana, Cuba

*A Prairie Home Companion date
^Performing Solo as part of the Release The Hounds Tour

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”

Wanted! – Notable Americana and Roots Music Releases for 2016

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Ghosts of Highway 20 - Lucinda Williams

2015 was another bumper crop year for Americana and roots music, and 2016 show vast signs that the great music will continue to come. As our Cream of the Crop favorites from 2015 makes plain we might be experiencing a new golden age of roots music as a growing influence on our contemporary culture and as a sustainable , and viable, business for young and old artists alike.

That last part is crucial as it provides seed corn for the future of this music we truly love.

The list below is a collection of 2016 notable Americana / roots releases. Some anticipated releases from artists like Sturgill Simpson, Elizabeth Cook, Robbie Fulks, Lydia Loveless, Al Scorch and Brandy Clark have no release dates yet, but when I’m aware of them and others I will be updating the list through the year and will send word through my twitter account

If you know of a release not listed leave it in the comments and I might add it.

Look for new things coming in the 2016 at Twang Nation. With your help it’s going to be a great year folks.

January 11th
Keegan McInroe – “Uncouth Pilgrims”

January 15th
Dylan LeBlanc – ‘Cautionary Tale’
Randy Rogers Band – “Nothing Shines Like Neon”
Hank Williams Jr. – “It’s About Time”
Dawn Landes And Piers Faccini – ‘Desert Songs’

January 22nd
The Cactus Blossoms – ‘You’re Dreaming’
Simon Linsteadt – Self-Titled
Aoife O’Donovan – “In the Magic Hour”

January 24th
Michael Chapman – ‘Fish”

January 26th
Brad Armstrong – “Empire”

January 29th
Buddy Miller and Friends – ‘Cayamo Sessions at Sea’
Sierra Hull – ‘Weighted Mind’
Aubrie Sellers – ‘City Blues’
Miranda Lee Richards – “First Light of Winter”

February 5th
Lucinda Williams – “The Ghosts of Highway 20”
Dori Freeman – ‘Dori Freeman’
Luther Dickinson – ‘Blues & Ballads (A Folksinger’s Songbook: Volumes I & II)’
The Infamous Stringdusters – ‘Ladies & Gentleman’
Freakwater – ‘Scheherazade’
The O’s – ‘Honeycomb’

February 12th
Vince Gill – “Down to My Last Bad Habit”
Wynonna Judd – “Wynonna & the Big Noise”
Lorrie Morgan – ‘Letting Go … Slow’
Joey + Rory – “Hymns That Are Important To Us”
Malcolm Holcombe – ‘Another Black Hole’
Wheeler Walker Jr. ‘Redneck Shit’
Alex Dezen – ‘Alex Dezen’
Matt Patershuk – ‘I Was So Fond of You”
Applewood Road (Emily Barker, Amber Rebirth and Amy Speace) – ‘Applewood Road’

February 19th
Lake Street Dive – ‘Side Pony’
Austin Lucas – ‘Between The Moon and the Midwest”
Mike June – ‘Poor Man’s Bible’

February 26th
Shooter Jennings – ‘Countach (For Giorgio)’
Waco Brothers – ‘Going Down in History’
Kathryn Legendre – ‘Don’t Give A Damn’
Michael Daves – ‘Orchids and Violence’
Jane Kramer – ‘Carnival of Hopes’
Paul Burch – ‘Meredian Rising’
Bonnie Raitt – ‎’Dig In Deep’‬
Caleb Caudle – ‘Carolina Ghost”
Jen Lane – ‘This Life of Mine’
Ashley Monroe – ‘Live At Third Man Records”

March 4th
Loretta Lynne – ‘Full Circle’
Chris King – ‘Animal’
Anielle Reid – ‘Love Song’
Dead Tongues – ‘Montana’

March 11th
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real – ‘Something Real’
Waylon Jennings – ‘Return of the Outlaw: The Abbott, Texas, Broadcast 1973’

March 18th
Various – Dave Cobb’s ‘Southern Family
Grant Lee Phillips – ‘The Narrows’
Sean Watkins – “What To Fear”
The Roosevelts – ”The Greatest Thing You’ll Ever Learn’

March 25th
Parker Millsap – ‘The Very Last Day’
Margo Price – ‘Midwest Farmer’s Daughter’

April 1st
Elephant Revival – ‘Petals’
Robbie Fulks – ‘Upland Stories’
Teddy Thompson and Kelly Jones – ‘Little Windows’
Left Arm Tan – ‘Lorene’

April 8th
Hayes Carll – “Lovers and Leavers”
Tim McNary – ‘Above the Trees’ EP

April 15th
Hackensaw Boys – “Charismo”
Pauline Andres – “The Heart Breaks”
The Lowest Pair – ‘Fern Girl and Ice Man’ / ‘Uncertain As It Is Uneven’

April 19th
Crow Moses – “Nightshades”

April 22nd
Nate Leavitt – “Someone Send a Signal”
Derek Hoke – ‘Southern Moon’

April 29th
Larry Hooper – ‘No Turning Back’

May 3rd
Robert Ellis – ‘Robert Ellis’
Jeremy Nail – ‘My Mountain’

May 6th
Mary Chapin Carpenter – ‘The Things That We Are Made Of”
Jimbo Mathus – ‘Band of Storms’ EP
Vaudeville Etiquette – ‘Aura Vista Motel’

May 20th
Crystal Yates – ‘The Other Side’

May 27th
The Lowest Pair – ‘Fern Girl and Ice Man’ and ‘Uncertain As It Is Uneven’
Bonnie Bishop – ‘Ain’t Who I Was’

June 17
Sarah Jarosz – ‘Undercurrent’
Kris Kristofferson – ‘Cedar Creek Sessions’

June 24
The Felice Brothers – “Life in the Dark,”

July 1
Sara Watkins – ‘Young In All The Wrong Ways’

July 4
James Scott Bullard – “Box of Letters”

July 8
Mark Chesnutt – ‘Tradition Lives On’
Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley – ‘The Country Blues’

July 15
The Earls Of Leicester – ‘Rattle & Roar,’

July 22
High Bar Gang – ‘Someday the Heart Will Trouble the Mind’

August 5
Chelle Rose – ‘Blue Ridge Blood’
Summer Dean – ‘Unladylike’

August 12
Kelsey Waldon – ‘I’ve Got a Way on’
Boo Ray – ‘Sea of Lights’

August 19
Lydia Loveless – ‘Real’
John Paul White – ‘Belah’

August 26
The Devil Makes Three – ‘Redemption & Ruin”
Dietrich Strause – “How Cruel That Hunger Binds”
Waiting for Henry – ‘Town Called Patience’

September 9
Blue Highway – ‘Original Traditional’

September 16
Amanda Shires – “My Piece Of Land”
Jesse Dayton – ‘The Revealer’
The Buffalo Ruckus – ‘Peace & Cornbread’

September 30
Drive-By Truckers – ‘American Band’
Jim Lauderdale – ‘This Changes Everything’

October 7
Shovels and Rope – ‘Little Seeds’
Hiss Golden Messenger – ‘Heart Like a Levee’
The Dexateens – ‘Teenage Hallelujah’

October 28
Aaron Lee Tasjan – “Silver Tears”
Various Artists – ‘Highway Prayer – Tribute to Adam Carroll”
Jasmine Rodgers – ‘Blood Red Sun’

November 4
Kent Eugene Goolsby – ‘Temper Of The Times’

November 18
Miranda Lambert – “The Weight of These Wings”

Watch Out! Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz & Aoife O’Donovan “Be My Husband” [Video]

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Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz & Aoife O'Donovan "Be My Husband"

The elegant simplicity of the video for Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz and Aoife O’Donovan’s “Be My Husband” mirrors in production the song’s simple beauty in this acapella vow of love and devotion.

Deftly directed by Watkins’ husband, Todd Cooper, the video was filmed in March on the deck of the A Prairie Home Companion cruise (they have a cruise for everything ) through the windy Carribean. Accompanied only by the percussion of foot stomps and claps the song highlights these extraordinary women’s vocal prowess to the song written by Andrew Stroud for his then wife, Nina Simone’s 1965 album Pastel Blues.

The performance brings to mind that singular moment of Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris and Gillian Welch performing ‘Go To Sleep You Little Baby’ off the “Oh Brother Where Art Thou?” soundtrack.

“Be My Husband” is the B-side off their 7″ single release Crossing Muddy Waters, available now. “Be My Husband” will be digitally available on May 26.

Fittingly the connection with A Prairie Home Companion will continue as the girls will be appearing on the May 22nd show and May 23rd broadcast in Vienna, VA to launch their US “I’m With Her Tour” dates. (Full dates below).

The 7 inch vinyl can be found here.

Tour Dates
2015-05-22 Vienna, VA – A Prairie Home Companion
2015-05-23 Vienna, VA – A Prairie Home Companion
2015-07-10 Katonah, NY – Caramoor
2015-07-11 Mt. Solon, VA – Red Wing Roots
2015-07-18 Vancouver, Cananda – Vancouver Folk Music Festival
2015-07-25 Lyons, CO – Rockygrass
2015-08-29 Fayetteville, AR – Fayetteville Town Center
2015-09-05 Pagosa Springs, CO – Four Corners Folk Festival
2015-09-19 North Adams, MA – FreshGrass

Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz and Aoife O’Donovan Announce 7 inch Release

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Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz and Aoife O’Donovan

Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz and Aoife O’Donovan have individually built sterling reputations in the roots music world. This Americana super group – think of an Americana
version of Trio – are set to release a 7 inch May 8 via a collaboration by Sugar Hill Records and Yep Roc Records.

The record is produced Gary Paczosa (Alison Krauss, Dolly Parton) and will is a cover of John Hiatt’s “Crossing Muddy Waters,” featuring Watkins on fiddle, Jarosz on banjo and O’Donovan on guitar. The flip side offers an cappella version of Andy Stroud’s “Be My Husband.”

“One thing I’m really excited about in terms of this particular group of voices is that each individual has a lot more range than people might think,” O’Donovan said “it’s going to be fun experimenting with different dynamic and harmonic possibilities.”

Watkins, Jarosz and O’Donovan crossed paths many times throughout their careers, however, it was after an impromptu joint performance at the 2014 Telluride Bluegrass Festival that led the trio to the idea of a collaboration.

“I respect Sarah and Aoife’s instrumental and vocal musicianship so much,” Watkins said. “Writing, arranging, every time we play together we are learning how to be a supportive, explosive, good band. That’s very satisfying.”

The “I’m With Her Tour,” premiered during February’s Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow. Their performances are a culmination of the trio together as one band; sets include a mix of each other’s songs, cover songs and traditional songs. Watkins, Jarosz and O’Donovan visit Europe in April and May, with dates in Sweden, Spain and the UK. Later in May they kick off their North American dates with two nights at Wolf Trap as part of Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion and continue on to some of the US and Canada’s premiere music festivals.

“I’m really excited about this trio because we each do our own thing and we each do it differently, so I’m looking forward to discovering all of the unique possibilities that come with combining our individual voices,” Jarosz said.

Pre-order | Tour dates

Cream of the Crop – Twang Nation Top Americana and Roots Music Picks of 2013

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Twang Nation Best of 2013

As the last days of 2013 drop away the business-as-usual music industry remains bogged in a largely self-inflicted quagmire, but don’t tell musicians this. Industry gatekeepers and financial barriers are being overrun by people with a passion for the craft, and the talent and drive of a refusal to be denied. And we, dear reader, are richer because of it.

If there’s a theme to this year’s choices it’s that women are blazing a trail between Americana and mainstream country music. Lindi Ortega, Brandy Clark, Julie Roberts, Kelly Willis, Aoife O’Donovan and Valerie June might honing their craft from different angles, but a more than cursory listening shows they are making great contemporary music drawing from a common roots music well.

2013 was also a great year for what might be called “real country music.” However you define this vague term (Jimmie Rodgers? Willie? Garth?) you’ll find much of Country Music’s Golden Eras reflected in Brandy Clark, Dale Watson, Sturgill Simpson, Robbie Fulks as well as the mighty Son Volt, who released one of the best albums of their career with “Honky Tonk.”

Also the craft of songwriting and rich, engaging narrative is alive on Jason isbell’s best solo outing yet, Southeastern. Also on the veteran Guy Clark’s “My Favorite Picture of You” and relative newcomers John Moreland and John Murry.

2013 brought us some of the most creative and daring music in the Country, Americana and Roots fields and all indicators point to 2014 being even better with releases upcoming from Roseanne Cash , The Drive-By Truckers, Jason Eady, The Ben Miller Band and many more.

And in spite of T Bone Burnett’s advice to keep their art pure and unscathed by dirty, dirty self-promotion, these folks are out there hustling to breach popular consciousness.

I hope this list helps in some small way.

it was a challenge to keep the list to just 10, so again this year I surrendered to representing excellence over some arbitrary number.

Don’t see your favorite represented? Leave it in the comments and let’s spread the twang.

20. Austin Lucas – Stay Reckless – Nobody does pedal-to-metal roots-rock like Lucas. “Stay Reckless” elevates his song to a new level.

19. Aoife O’Donovan – Fossils [Yep Roc Records] – Alison Krauss covered O’Donovan’s song “Lay My Burden Down,” O’Donovan’s album is so good you might forget that.

18. John Murry – The Graceless Age [Evangeline Recording] Dark and engaging without veraing into bleak and self-pitying. John Murry makes feeling bad sound good.

17. Dale Watson – El Rancho Azul [Red House] Watson finds his hony-tonk sweet spot and does the Lone Star State proud.

16. Julie Roberts – Good Wine & Bad Decisions [Red River Entertaintment] – Music Row’s golden girl confronts set-backs and tragedy by creating the best album of her career.

15. Caitlin Rose – The Stand-In – [ATO Records] Rose deftly proves that “pop” doesn’t have to be bad.

14.5 – Will Hoge – Never Give In – Roots rock with a hook done right. [Cumberland Recordings]

14. Bruce Robison, Kelly Willis – Cheater’s Game [Preminum Records] – Austin’s Americana power couple delivers an engaging charmer.

13. Sarah Jarosz – Build Me Up from Bones [Sugar Hill Records] Jarosz songwriting, playing and vocals hit a new level and shw her to be already beyond her young years.

12.5. Daniel Romano – Come Cry With Me – had to slip in this neo-trad gem in response to the comment reminding me of it’s badassery. Yes, I do read the comments when I agree with them.

12. Robbie Fulks – Gone Away Backward [Bloodshot] Fulks creates an excellent, heartfelt bluegrass album sans his signature wink and smirk.

11. Valerie June – Pushin’ Against A Stone [Concord] Newcomer June fuses roots and soul and shows why she’s an Americana rising star.

10. Holly Williams – The Highway [Georgiana Records] – The songwriting on “The Highway” moves Williams out of anyones shadow.

9. Son Volt – Honky Tonk [Rounder Records] – Jay Farrar takes up the pedal steel and re-discovers Son Volt’s soul.

8. Lindi Ortega – Tin Star [Last Gang Records] Ortega’s exceptional “Tin Star” moves her into the realm of Queen of Americana music.

7. Hiss Golden Messenger – Haw [Paradise of Bachelors] M.C. Taylor continues to explore life and faith and stake new roots music territories.

6. Gurf Morlix – Gurf Morlix Finds the Present Tense [Rootball] A legendary songwriter/musician gets existential and rewards us with a fantastic body of work.

5,5. Shonna Tucker and Eye Candy: A Tell All [Sweet Nector] – I foolishly omitted this pop-roots-soul gem on first pass. I now remedy that grievous oversight.

5. Guy Clark – My Favorite Picture of You [Dualtone] A master still makes it look easy. It ain’t.

4.John Moreland – In The Throes [Last Chance Records] Moreland is an accomplished student of song craft and “In The Throes” moves him into the master class.

3. Sturgill Simpson – High Top Mountain [High Top Mountain] Reluctant savior of outlaw soul creates a masterpiece in spite of expectations.

2. Jason Isbell – Southeastern [Southeastern Records] – With an already accomplished body of work Isbell surpasses himself and creates a classic.

1. Brandy Clark – 12 Stories [Slate Creek Records] – It takes guts to refuse to be a cog in the Music Row machine and create an debut this daringly country.

Twang Nation Podcast Episode 15 – The Civil Wars, Robbie Fulks, Valerie June

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Twang Nation Podcast

Hey Twangers! Here it is, number 15 podcast. In this special episode we feature the latest from The Civil Wars, currently residing on the top of the Billboard charts. Also excellent new music from Robbie Fulks, Valerie June, Aoife O’Donovan and Trisha Ivy. Also er feature a great cut from the master songwriter himself Guy Clark.

We finish up by featuring an older cut by Jim White that is currently enjoying popularity due to placement on a recent placement on FX’s “Breaking Bad.”

As always. I hope you like this episode of the Twang Nation Podcast and thank you all for listening. If you do tell a friend and let me know here at this site, Google+ , Twitter or my Facebook page.

As always , BUY MUSIC, SEE SHOWS!

Opening Song – Dale Watson – A Real Country Song

1. The Civil Wars – song: I Had Me a Girl – album: The Civil Wars (Sensibility Recordings/Columbia Records)
2. Robbie Fulks – song: I’ll Trade You Money For Wine album: Gone Away Backward ( Bloodshot records)
3. Valerie June – song: Twined And Twisted – album: Pushin’ Against a Stone (Sunday Best Recordings)
4. Jason Isbell and John Paul White – song: Old Flame – album:High Cotton ( Lightning Rod Records)
5. Aoife O’Donovan – song: Briar Rose – album: Fossils (Yep Rock Records)
6. Court Yard Hounds – song: Phoebe – album: Amelita (Columbia Records)
7. Guy Clark – song: The Death Of Sis Draper – album: My Favourite Picture of You (Dualtone Records)
8. Porkchop Express – song: On My Way Down album: Skin Your Smoke Wagon (self-released)
9. Trisha Ivy – song: Talking in Your Sleep – album: Cotton Country (self-released)
10. Jim White song: Wordmule album: “Wrong-Eyed Jesus” (Luaka Bop)