Tag Archives: Mike Farris

Wanted! – Notable Americana and Roots Music Releases for 2018

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2017 was another great year for Americana and roots music, and 2018 so far shows no signs that the great music is waning. As our Cream of the Crop favorites from last year makes plain we continue to experience a golden age of roots and Americana music. From Sturgill Simpson winning the Grammy for the best Country album of the Year (for his least country album no less) to the increased numbers of roots artists in media and festival line-ups the genre continues to represent and deliver on great music.

As I’ve said before, this is important not only because as fans, there’s abundant choices for our entertainment but because it continues to lay a foundation for future ‘Cream of the Crop’ recipients.

The list below is a collection of known 2017 notable Americana / roots releases. Some anticipated releases from artists like American Aquarium and Kacey Musgraves have no release dates yet, but when I become aware of them and others I will be updating the list throughout the year. Follow me on Twitter to stay current on changes to the list.

If you know of an actual release not listed yet please leave it in the comments.

One thing is for sure, it’s going to be another great year for roots music folks.

January 12th –
Brooks Dixon – White Roses EP
Ryan Bingham – ‘Live’
Cindy Alexander – ‘Nowhere To Hide’
Seth Lakeman – ‘Ballads Of The Broken Few’
Cassidy Best – ‘Same Old Sins’

January 19th –
First Aid Kit – ‘Ruins’
Lanco – ‘Hallelujah Nights
’
R. Finn (aka Chris Rondinella) – ‘Collecting Trip
Calexico, The Thread That Keeps Us
Steep Canyon Rangers, Out in the Open
Kalie Shorr, Awake EP
Mary Gauthier, Rifles and Rosary Beads
Devin Dawson – ‘Dark Horse’
Caitlyn Smith -‘Starfire’
Van William – ‘Countries’
Alice DiMicele – “One With The Tide”
Grace Basement – ‘Mississippi Nights’
Glen Hansard – ‘Between Two Shores’
John Gorka – ‘True In Time’

January 26th –
The Ben Miller Band – ‘Choke Cherry Tree’
Laura Benitez and The Heartache’s – ‘With All Its Thorns’
Sara Morgan – ‘Average Jane’
The Fugitives – ‘The Promise of Strangers’
Ron Pope – ‘Worktapes EP’

February 2nd –
Mike and the Moonpies – ‘Steak Night at the Prairie Rose’
The Wood Brothers – ‘One Drop of Truth’
John Oates – ‘Arkansas’
Sunny War – ‘With the Sun’

February 9th –
Wade Bowen – ‘Solid Ground
’
Jim White – ‘Waffles, Triangles & Jesus’

February 16th –
Matthew McNeal – ‘Good Luck’
Brandi Carlile – ‘By the Way, I Forgive You’
Courtney Patton – ‘What It’s Like to Fly Alone’
I’m With Her (Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz, and Aoife O’Donovan) – ‘See You Around’

February 23rd –
Jeff Hyde – ‘Norman Rockwell World’
3hattrio – ‘Lord of the Desert’
Doby Watson – “Family Mattress Deluxe”

March 2nd –
Vivian Leva – ‘Time is Everything’
Chip Taylor – ‘Fix Your Words’
Haley Heynderickx – ‘I Need To Start A Garden’
Son of the Chief – ‘Needless Road’
Savannah Conley – “Twenty-Twenty.”

March 9th –
Ashley Campbell – ‘The Lonely One’
Ross Cooper – “Another Mile”

March 16th –
Trailhead – “Keep Walking”

March 23rd –
The Price Sisters – ‘A Heart Never Knows’
Paul Thorn – ‘Album Don’t Let The Devil Ride’

March 30th –
Caitlin Canty – ‘Motel Bouquet’
Lindi Ortega -‘Liberty’
Kim Richey – ‘Edgeland’
Ashley McBryde – ‘Girl Going Nowhere’
Great Peacock – ‘Gran Pavo Real’
Sam Morrow – ‘Concrete and Mud’

April 6th –
Blackberry Smoke – ‘Find A Light’
Sarah Shook & the Disarmers – ‘Years’
Jodee Lewis – ‘Buzzard’s Bluff’
Kacey Musgraves – ‘Golden Hour’

April 10th –
Rita Hosking – ‘For Real’

April 13th –
John Prine – ‘Tree of Forgiveness’
Simone Felice – ‘The Projector’

April 20th –
Old Crow Medicine Show – ‘Volunteer’
Joshua Hedley – “Mr. Jukebox”
Charley Crockett – ‘Lonesome As a Shadow’
Ashley Monroe – ‘Sparrow’

April 27th –
Band of Heathens – “Live Via Satellite” On April 27th

May 4th
Scott Mickelson – ‘A Wondrous Life’
Parker Millsap – ‘Other Arrangements’
Trampled by Turtles – ‘Life Is Good On The Open Road’
Daniel Daniel – ‘Lonesome Hollow’
Rita Coolidge – ‘Safe in the Arms of Time’

May 11th
Ry Cooder – ‘The Prodigal Son’

May 18th
Kelly Willis – “Back Being Blue”
The Dead Tongues – ‘Unsung Passage’

June 1st
Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore – “Downey to Lubbock”
American Aquarium – ‘Things Change’

June 8th
Erin Rae – ‘Putting On Airs”

June 22nd
Jeffrey Foucault – ‘ Blood Brothers’
Paul Cauthon – ‘Have Mercy’
Lera Lynn – ‘Plays Well With Others’
Adam Wright – ‘Dust’
Roanoke – ‘Where I Roam’

June 29th
The Milk Carton Kids – ‘All The Things That I Did And All The Things That I Didn’t Do’

July 13th
Carolina Story – ‘Lay Your Head Down’ – buy

July 15th
The Brothers Comatose – ‘Ink, Dust, and Luck’ buy

July 20th
Lori McKenna – “The Tree”

July 27th
Andrew Combs – 5 Covers & A Song’ EP
The Hollow Ends – ‘Bears In Mind’

August 2nd
Kevin Galloway – “The Change”

August 3rd
Jim Lauderdale – ‘Time Flies” and “Jim Lauderdale and Roland White’

August 10th
Dawn Landes – ‘Meet Me at the River’
Robbie Fulks & Linda Gail Lewis – ‘Wild! Wild! Wild!’

August 24th
Devil Makes Three – ‘Chains Are Broken’
Ryan Culwell – “The Last American”
Murder By Death – ‘The Other Shore’

August 31st
Aaron Lee Tasjan – ‘Karma for Cheap’ buy

September 7th
Roscoe & Etta – ‘Roscoe & Etta’
Mike Farris – “Silver & Stone”
William Elliott Whitmore – ‘Kilonova’
Kathy Mattea – ‘Pretty Bird’

October 12th
Colter Wall – ‘Songs of the Plains’

October 14th
Asleep at the Wheel – “New Routes”

October 26th
Whitey Morgan and the 78s – ‘Hard Times and White Lines’

57th Annual Grammy Awards – Showing Our Roots

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Brandy Clark & Dwight Yoakam 'Hold My Hand'

The cultural trade show known as the 57th Annual Grammy Awards is now history. 83 golden antiquated media playback device replicas were handed out to some of the most talented musicians in the world.

But the event is anything but antiquated. The Grammys have been pushing the boundaries of social and streaming media for some time, improving every year and rivaling events like The Oscars and The Superbowl for social activity. The Grammys know how to create, and amplify, buzz.

Though I did not take part in the excellent Grammy social program as I had the past 4 years, I was graciously asked by Entertainment Tonight to live blog the event for ETOnline.com. and I did cover the pre-telecast (rechristened the GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony) at the Twang Nation twitter feed. That’s nearly 8 hours of tweeting, blogging, posting in all.

But this is not a social marketing site. Its about the music, and there was lot’s of it. Much of it great.

First , the winners.

The big winner in the Americana and roots category was Rosanne Cash. Cash, who had been an awards presenter earlier in the day, took home awards in all the categories she was nominated in. winning who won best American roots performance, American roots song for ‘A Feather’s Not A Bird’ and Americana album for “The River and The Thread.” “Reagan was president last time I won a Grammy,” Cash beamed, referring to her win for
“I just showed up for work for 35 years and this is what happened.” Cash’s last win was in 1985 for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for “I Don’t Know Why You Don’t Want Me.”

Other notable wins were Mike Farris’ first nomination turned into a win for win for Best Roots Gospel Album.

Bluegrass supergroup, The Earls Of Leicester – Jerry Douglas, Tim O’Brien, Shawn Camp, Johnny Warren, Charlie Cushman and Barry Bales – won for Best Bluegrass Album for The band’s self-titled release. “We’re very humbled by this,” Douglas said during his acceptance speech. “These guys worked with me — I’ve wanted to do an album like this since the first time I picked up a musical instrument … This is what it’s all about — Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs.” “Proud to bring Flatt & Scruggs to a new audience. I think we now have a mandate to do more.”

Nickel Creek and Punch Brother founder Chris Thile and bassist Edgar Meyer won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for their album, ‘Bass & Mandolin.’ The duo have been performing together sporadically for more than a decade. ‘Bass & Mandolin’ was also nominated for Best Instrumental Composition for the album track “Tarnation” and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.

After an ripping performance of 8 Dogs 8 Banjos on the Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony stage, Old Crow Medicine Show encored with a win for Best Folk Album, for ‘Remedy.’

“We started our 18th year of making music together this year, and we want to thank Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie for lighting the way,” singer/fiddler Ketch Secor said from the podium.

Glen Campbell won his sixth Grammy of his extraordinary career for Best Country Song. The ailing country legend won for “I’m Not Gonna Miss You,” the bittersweet song Campbell penned with Julian Raymond for the 2014 documentary ‘Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me,’ won against songs by Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Miranda Lambert and Tim McGraw with Faith Hill.

Best Historical Album went to the excellent Hank Williams The Garden Spot Programs, 1950. Colin Escott & Cheryl Pawelski, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer.

One of the most talked about surprises of the evening was Beck’s win for Album of the Year for his 12th album ‘Morning Phase.’ Though I could quibble about Beck’s moody-folk/pop masterpiece
winning a Best Rock Album award earlier in the evening (rock?) there’s no arguing that Beck is a musician with an artistic vision, with little apparent care for the charts and industry. A rare vision richly deserving the honor of a high-profile award.

Apparently after the win twitter spiked with ‘Who is Beck?’ Supposedly by people genuinely unaware of the artist. The rest was Kanye West.

The stand out performance was Best New Artist nominee Brandy Clark sharing the stage with her idol and recent tour mate Dwight Yoakam. The two performed a lovely rendition of “Hold My Hand” from the Best Country Album nominated ’12 Stories.’ Perched on a round stage with no extravagant light show, two simple guitars and two warm voices. It was the most low-key performance of the 2015 Grammys and the one that best personified what most matters, and is often lost, in theses events.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu9-3yC012g

2014 Grammy Nominees – Americana and Roots Music

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grammy

The National Academy of Recording Arts and Science tried something new to announce the nomineews for the 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards. The nomniees were announced piecemeal, per catagory, via twitter exclusively starting at 9am.

Ths staggared apprach was odd but, if you kept on top of thier account, not terrible. A social media strategy is to garner attention for the nomination process and let musicians and other personalties announce via video tweets and the nomninees and fans to organically respond in kind. In that context this was a win.

After the major categories, best pop album, country album and the like , were out of teh way – with nominee reactions tweeted in reponse (which really is the only up side to the Twiiter  approach) the Best Americana Album nominees were released just before noon.

That the catagory was tweeted with the other major categories, along with fancy graphic of the nominee album covers , was like hanging with the cool kids – well, the popular kids,  as the other roots categories like folk and bluegrass – had to wait for the full nomninee list to be released later in the day.

I was three for 7 for my Americana Album of the Year predictions. Rosanne Cash, one of my safe bets (and still my choice to take the prize) and, suprisingly two of my dark horse choices, Nickel Creek and Sturgill Simpson, made the list.

My quibbles are with John Hiatt, inclusion for ‘Terms of My Surrender,’ a solid but not exceptional release. Keb’ Mo’ is nominated for ‘Bluesamericana.’ Mo is a legendary blues performer , and Blues Grammy winner, and should be represtented in that esteemed category. NARAS includes blues as a formal component to the category and though I agree with that the blues are a major part of Americana as a award category it is already represented as a formal genre. In that sme vein Dave & Phil Alvin’s rootsy jam ‘Common Ground’ is puzzlingly nominated in the Blues category. I say swap ’em.

Another head scratcher is the inclusion of Old Crow Medicine Show. Their latest effort ‘Remedy’ is certainly worthy of a nomination, but in folk? They would be better reprsented in Americana or even Bluegrass as these are their true styles.

NARAS continues to not care about the endless echo chamber of country music awards shows by making two sprising nominations. One being my top pick of 2013, Brandy Clark’s ’12 Stories as well as Lee Ann Womack’s ode to old-school aethsetic  ‘The Way I’m Livin’ ‘ Dierks Bentley, Eric Church and Miranda Lambert round out the list. The Acadamy is daring, but not totally deaf to the county mainstream market. 

Who will win? Well, Kasey Muagraves won the trophy last year for her irreverent ‘Same Trailer Different Park,’ so anything could happen.

Brandy Clark is also up against some stiff competition for New Artist, but she certainly deserves to win. 

Beck is nominated for his wonderfully melencholy folk ‘Morning Phase’ and for Best Rock Song and Rock Performance (still unsure of the distincion here) for the spacey ‘Blue Moon.’ Ryan Adams is up in the same categories with his latest self-titled album and song/performance for his retro-rock ‘Gimme Something Good.’

Alison Krauss, The women with the most Grammy wins, could increase her Grammy count to 28 with a win in the American Roots Performance category. She, Billy Childs & Jerry Douglas are nominated for their collaborative effort on ‘And When I Die’ from the tribute ‘Map To The Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro.’ This is her 42nd nomination.

Congratulations to all the nominees. Keep an eye on GRAMMY.com and CBS February 15, 2015 to see who takes home the trophy.

My choices are in BOLD.

EDIT – It was a major oversight that Mike Farris was not originally included as a nominee for the Best Roots Gospel album for his ‘Shine For All The People.’ He is one of the best performers, and human beings, I’ve ever had the privilege to know. Congratulations to Mike and all the good people at Compass Records.

Best Americana Album
‘The River & the Thread’ – Rosanne Cash
‘Terms of My Surrender’ – John Hiatt
‘Bluesamericana’ – Keb’ Mo’
‘A Dotted Line’ – Nickel Creek
‘Metamodern Sounds in Country Music’ – Sturgill Simpson

Best country album
‘Riser’ – Dierks Bentley
‘The Outsiders’ – Eric Church
’12 Stories’ – Brandy Clark
‘Platinum’ – Miranda Lambert
‘The Way I’m Livin’ ‘ – Lee Ann Womack

Best rock song
‘Ain’t it Fun’ – Paramore
‘Blue Moon’ – Beck
‘Fever’ – The Black Keys
‘Gimme Something Good’ – Ryan Adams
‘Lazaretto’ – Jack White

Best rock albums
‘Ryan Adams’- Ryan Adams
‘Morning Phase’ – Beck
‘Turn Blue’ – The Black Keys
‘Hypnotic Eye’ – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
‘Songs of Innocence’ – U2

Best new artist
Bastille
Iggy Azalea
Brandy Clark
HAIM
Sam Smith

Best American Roots Performance
Gregg Allman & Taj Mahal – ‘Statesboro Blues’
from: ‘All My Friends: Celebrating The Songs & Voice Of Gregg Allman’ [Rounder]
Rosanne Cash – ‘A Feather’s Not A Bird’ from: ‘The River & The Thread’ [Blue Note Records]
Billy Childs Featuring Alison Krauss & Jerry Douglas – ‘And When I Die’ from: ‘Map To The Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro’
[Masterworks]
Keb’ Mo’ Featuring The California Feet Warmers – ‘The Old Me Better’ from: ‘Bluesamericana’ [Kind Of Blue Music]
Nickel Creek – ‘Destination’ from: A Dotted Line [Nonesuch]

Best American Roots Song
(A Songwriter(s) Award. Includes Americana, bluegrass, blues, folk or regional roots songs. For Song Eligibility Guidelines see Category #3. (Artist names appear in parentheses.) Singles or Tracks only.)
– ‘A Feather’s Not A Bird’ – Rosanne Cash & John Leventhal, songwriters (Rosanne Cash) from: ‘The River & The Thread’ [Blue Note Records; Publishers: Chelcait Music admin. by Measurable Music LLC, a Notable Music Co./Lev-A-Tunes]
– ‘Just So Much’ – Jesse Winchester, songwriter (Jesse Winchester) from: ‘A Reasonable Amount Of Trouble’ [Appleseed; Publisher: Bug Music]
– ‘The New York Trains’ – The Del McCoury Band
Woody Guthrie & Del McCoury, songwriters (The Del McCoury Band)
Track from: My Name Is New York: Deluxe Audio Book [Woody Guthrie Publications, Inc.]
– ‘Pretty Little One’ – Steve Martin And The Steep Canyon Rangers Featuring Edie Brickell
Edie Brickell & Steve Martin, songwriters (Steve Martin And The Steep Canyon Rangers Featuring Edie Brickell) from: Live
[Rounder; Publishers: LA Films Music/Brick Elephant Music]
– ‘Terms Of My Surrender’ – John Hiatt songwriter (John Hiatt)
from: ‘Terms Of My Surrender’ [New West Records; Publisher: So Not That Music]

Best Folk Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal or instrumental folk recordings.)
– ‘Three Bells’ – Mike Auldridge, Jerry Douglas & Rob Ickes [Rounder]
– ‘Follow The Music’ – Alice Gerrard [Tompkins Square]
– ‘The Nocturne Diaries’ – Eliza Gilkyson [Red House Records]
– ‘Remedy’ – Old Crow Medicine Show [ATO Records]
– ‘A Reasonable Amount Of Trouble’ – Jesse Winchester [Appleseed]

Best Blues Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal or instrumental blues recordings.)
– ‘Common Ground – Dave Alvin & Phil Alvin Play And Sing The Songs Of Big Bill Broonzy’ – Dave Alvin & Phil Alvin
[Yep Roc Records]
– ‘Promise Of A Brand New Day’ – Ruthie Foster [Blue Corn Music]
– ‘Juke Joint Chapel’ – Charlie Musselwhite [Henrietta Records]
– ‘Decisions’ – Bobby Rush With Blinddog Smokin’ [Silver Talon Records]
– ‘Step Back’ – Johnny Winter [Megaforce Records]

Best Bluegrass Album
(For albums containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal or instrumental bluegrass recordings.)
‘The Earls Of Leicester’ – The Earls Of Leicester [Rounder]
– ‘Noam Pikelny Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe’ – Noam Pikelny [Compass Records]
– ‘Cold Spell’ – Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen [Compass Records]
– ‘Into My Own’ – Bryan Sutton [Sugar Hill Records]
– ‘Only Me’ – Rhonda Vincent [Upper Management Music]

Best Roots Gospel Album
– ‘Forever Changed’ – T. Graham Brown [MCM World Media]
– ‘Shine For All The People’ – Mike Farris [Compass Records]
– ‘Hymns’ – Gaither Vocal Band [Gaither Music Group]
– ‘A Cappella’ – The Martins [Gaither Music Group]
– ‘His Way Of Loving Me’ – Tim Menzies [Grace Records]

Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package
– ‘Cities Of Darkscorch’ – Leland Meiners & Ken Shipley, art directors (Various Artists) Label: The Numero Group
– ‘A Letter Home (Vinyl Box Set) – Gary Burden & Jenice Heo, art directors (Neil Young) Label: Third Man Records
– The Rise & Fall Of Paramount Records, Volume One (1917-27)
Susan Archie, Dean Blackwood & Jack White, art directors (Various Artists) Label: Third Man Records/ Revenant Records
– ‘Sparks’ (Deluxe Album Box Set) Andy Carne, art director (Imogen Heap) Label: RCA Records/ Megaphonic Records
– ‘Spring 1990 (The Other One)’ Jessica Dessner, Lisa Glines, Doran Tyson & Steve Vance, art directors (Grateful Dead)
Label: Rhino

Best Album Notes
– ‘Happy: The 1920 Rainbo Orchestra Sides’ David Sager, album notes writer (Isham Jones Rainbo Orchestra)
Label: Archeophone Records
– ‘I’m Just Like You: Sly’s Stone Flower 1969-70’ Alec Palao, album notes writer (Various Artists) Label: Light In The Attic Records
– ‘Offering: Live At Temple University’ Ashley Kahn, album notes writer (John Coltrane) Label: Resonance/Impulse
– ‘The Other Side Of Bakersfield: 1950s & 60s Boppers And Rockers From ‘Nashville West’ ‘ Scott B. Bomar, album notes writer (Various Artists) Label: Bear Family
– ‘Purple Snow: Forecasting The Minneapolis Sound’ Jon Kirby, album notes writer (Various Artists) Label: The Numero Group
– ‘The Rise & Fall Of Paramount Records, Volume One (1917-27)’
Scott Blackwood, album notes writer (Various Artists) Label: Third Man Records/Revenant Records

Best Historical Album
– ‘Black Europe: The Sounds And Images Of Black People In Europe Pre-1927’ Jeffrey Green, Ranier E. Lotz & Howard Rye, compilation producers; Christian Zwarg, mastering engineer (Various Artists) Label: Bear Family
– ‘The Garden Spot Programs, 1950’ Colin Escott & Cheryl Pawelski, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer (Hank Williams) Label: Omnivore Recordings
– ‘Happy: The 1920 Rainbo Orchestra Sides’ Meagan Hennessey & Richard Martin, compilation producers; Richard Martin, mastering engineer (Isham Jones Rainbo Orchestra) Label: Archeophone Records
– ‘Longing For The Past: The 78 RPM Era In Southeast Asia’ Steven Lance Ledbetter & David Murray, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer (Various Artists)
Label: Dust-To-Digital
– ‘There’s A Dream I’ve Been Saving: Lee Hazlewood Industries 1966 – 1971 (Deluxe Edition)’ Hunter Lea, Patrick McCarthy & Matt Sullivan, compilation producers; John Baldwin, mastering engineer (Various Artists) Label: Light In The Attic Records

Austin City Limits Announces Inaugural ACL Hall of Fame in Conjunction With Upcoming 40th Anniversary

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Austin City Limits

Austin City Limits (ACL) announced today the launch of the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame in conjunction with the iconic television series’ upcoming 40th Anniversary. This Hall of Fame’s Inaugural Induction Ceremony will take place on Saturday, April 26, 2014 at ACL’s original home, KLRU’s legendary Studio 6A. Recognizing both artists and non-performers who have made the long-running show a music institution, the ceremony will honor the first class of inductees, featuring two legendary music acts, Willie Nelson and Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, and a pair of individuals who have played an invaluable role in the genesis of the series, show creator Bill Arhos and longtime University of Texas football coach Darrell K. Royal.

Performers for this intimate evening include inductees and Doyle Bramhall II, Mike Farris, Buddy Guy, Emmylou Harris, Lyle Lovett, Lukas Nelson, Robert Randolph and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Former University of Texas football head coach Mack Brown will participate in the inductions, as well as special guests. More information about performances and additional guests will be announced prior to the event. Details about the physical ACL Hall of Fame will also be unveiled at the ceremony.

Guitar legend Stevie Ray Vaughan and “Coach” Darrell K. Royal will be inducted posthumously during the ceremony. Willie Nelson, ACL show creator Bill Arhos and Vaughan’s longtime band Double Trouble, featuring Chris Layton, Tommy Shannon and Reese Wynans, will be inducted at the event. The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be an annual event, honoring a new class of inductees each year. This year’s Inaugural ceremony will be an invitation-only benefit for ACL parent station KLRU-TV, Austin PBS.

“There are other Halls of Fame, but none quite like this,” says ACL Executive Producer Terry Lickona. “Austin City Limits has become a unique American institution, in both the worlds of popular music and television. It has such a rich history and legacy that we decided it was time to celebrate and honor the artists and individuals who made it what it is today.”

ACL began broadcasting in 1976 as a live-music show that served to showcase musicians; it has since grown to feature performers of all genres from all over the globe. Since its inception, the Peabody Award-winning series has become an institution that’s helped secure Austin’s reputation as the Live Music Capital of the World. ACL continues its mission of producing great television with the debut of its 40th Season in October 2014. The program airs weekly on PBS stations nationwide and episodes are made available online at http://acltv.com/watch/.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass: 11 Must-See Acts

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Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 13

There’s no denying the amount and quality of talent on the bill every year at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival. Act-for-act no other festival only event can touch it for some of the finest Americana and roots. Then there’s the breathtaking backdrop of Hellman Hollow in San Francisco’sGolden Gate Park. Oh, and it’s free.

This combination is both good and bad. The quality is high and music plentiful, but the free access brings in droves of folks, and they increase every year.

This 13th year of the free festival does it’s benefactor, the late, great Warren Hellman, proud. I imagine him sitting in heaven, his lanky legs hanging off a cloud, strumming with his banjo with the bands playing below.

With 6 stages many folks choose to pay a blanket at a single stage and stay put. Some, like me, travel through the ocean of humanity to catch key acts and serendipitous discoveries.

With 6 stages brimming with greatness you really can’t go wrong setting up a blanket with refreshments at a single stage. Some (like me) prefer wandering stage to stage through the ocean of humanity sampling the ample musical ware and happening upon serendipitous discoveries.. The full bill really is a bounty to satisfy any roots music vet or for greenhorns looking for an crash introductory course.

Here re some well-known and less well-known acts I’ve circled on my must-see list.

Friday:

The Felice Brothers: The grittier, and more literate, alternative to Mumford and The Lumineers. Sometimes woozy, oftentimes chaotic, their performances are always passionate and their songs of common desperation and love is reminiscent of The Boss. 2:10pm – Rooster Stage

First Aid Kit: I’m not typically a fan of winsome singers, I’m more of a belter fan. But this Swedish indie-folk duo has won me over Sisters Johanna and Klara Soderberg, are winning over U.S. fans with their brand of breezy pop-Americana. 4:30pm – Rooster Stage.

Father John Misty: This ex-Fleet Fox first appeared on Bay Areas musical map after his exhilarating performance at last year’s Outside Lands. Roots stamped with psychedelic overtones and general weirdness. No telling where this could lead. 4:15pm – Arrow Stage

Bonnie Raitt: Is blues Americana? i have my opinion, bit there’s no denying the legendary talent of last year’s Grammys for Americana Album of the year. Expect catchy blues-rock with spicy guitar chops sprinkled. 5:45pm – Banjo Stage

Saturday:

Patty Griffin: This Austin, Texas treasure is touring behind her extraordinary “American Kid” and just before the proper release of her lost gem “Silver Bell.” Show up to hear cuts from these, and her extensive catalog. Also Buddy and “Percy” might show up. 4:05pm – Rooster Stage.

Robert Earl Keen: Many HSB faithful arrive just to see this Aggie put on one of the best truckless tailgate parties ever. Prepare to drink and sing at the top of your lungs. 5:30pm – Rooster Stage

Sturgill Simpson: Simpson is a reluctant contemporary agent of the Outlaw Country aesthetic. This is what makes him perfect for the role. Come hear him and his hot-brand band single-handedly put Music Row to shame. 6:05pm – Porch Stage

Sunday:

Shovels & Rope: The Charleston, South Carolina duo Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent of Shovels & Rope won the song of the year for “Birmingham” and emerging artist of the year at the recent Americana Awards. Come to see why their brand of gritty soul , ramshackle performance and engaging stage banter make them a fan favorite. 11:00am – Arrow Stage

Mike Farris & the Roseland Rhythm Revue: Like soul? Like Gospel? This is where you need to be. Ferris’
heavely vocals matched with the McCrary Sisters will assure a toe-tapping and booty shaking great time. 11:00am – Banjo Stage

Tim O’Brien & Darrell Scott: A decade after their first collaboration these master craftsmen are back with their latest “Memories & Moments.” Come gather around children and sit at the feet of lends and take note at how it is done. – 3:05pm – Banjo Stage

Della Mae: Sure their a band of hotties. But what’s hotter is their chops. Come for a heavy does of strictly bluegrass hold the hardly.

News Round Up:WSM to Launch Live From The Loveless Cafe

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  • Tune in tomorrow night to catch Emmylou Harris and Vince Gill perform together Wednesday’s Jay Leno Show. The pair on the West Coast participating in a series of All For the Hall benefit shows. Proceeds from the all-start line up, which also includes Melissa Etheridge, Dwight Yoakam, Keith Urban, Jason Aldean, Faith Hill and Taylor Swift, will allow Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to expand. (The Boot)
  • Dr. Ralph Stanley’s autobiography Man of Constant Sorrow: My Life and Times will be released on October 15 (BluegrassJournal.com)
  • The Americana brand continues to grow! Legendary radio station, WSM 650-AM, will launch a weekly Americana program called Music City Roots: Live From The Loveless Cafe. The on Oct. 14 debut show will feature  the legendary Emmylou Harris,  acclaimed duo Pam Rose and Mary Ann Kennedy, and emerging artists Annie Crane and Robin Ainger. Artists slated to performing in the coming months include Sam Bush, Radney Foster, John Cowan, Dexter Romweber, Dale Ann Bradley, Peter Bradley Adams, Mike Farris, Scott Miller and Webb Wilder. Each Wednesday evening broadcast will feature three to four artists in 30-minute segments, followed by a free-form “Loveless Jam” where all the artists and their bands will be invited to collaborate on the fly. WSM will air the show Wednesday nights from 7 – 9 p.m. live from the Loveless Barn in Nashville, TN. Ticket are on sale for performances.

Chris Morris Returns with Hillbilly Deluxe

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  • MyWestTexas.com’s Jimmy Patterson  looks over the life of country music legend Waylon Jennings as a catalyst that changed the genre forever.
  • Chris Morris, the programmer for the defunct 103.1 country, blues, roots program “Watusi Rodeo,” has found a new venue online with  “Hillbilly Deluxe” on Scion Radio 17’s Web site.  The three-hour show streams continuously, so drop in and take a listen. There will be a new show posted every month. Great luck with the show Chris!
  • Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival has announce the initial lineup for the eighth annual 2009 four-day camping and music festival held on June 11 – 14 on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee, 60 miles south of Nashville.  Some of the country and roots artist to perform are Wilco, Andrew Bird, Merle Haggard, The Del McCoury Band, Lucinda Williams, Neko Case, Jenny Lewis, Robert Earl Keen, Tift Merritt, Mike Farris , Todd Snider and The SteelDrivers.

Son Volt live at Bonnaroo 2006: Windfall

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcKqNZKoEzQ[/youtube]

Americana Update

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When Bob Lefsetz, of the online music industry screed the Lefsetz Letter, writes about you positively you’re
probably doing something really cool. This is just what he has done after listening to the Americana Music Awards on XM Radio while driving in his home town of Los Angeles. I was in attendance at the Nashville’s Historic Ryman Auditorium and though his angel was on Robert Plant;s involvement with the Americana movement his point is an importmnat one, it’s about something all but lost in today’s culture, authenticity.

Sitting in the Ryman is to a country music fan as close to a secular sense of the divine there is to be had. Add a live performances by Ryan Bingham and Joe Ely (together with band leader Buddy Miller), an appearance by Alison Krauss, Robert Plant, Levon Helm, Joan Baez, Steve Earle, James McMurtry and John Hiatt and you’ve achieved, in my opinion, musical nirvana.

Alison Krauss and Robert Plant took top honors with Album of the Year with Raising Sand. The Band’s drummer/singer,now solo artist, Levon Helm won Artist of the Year. The award was presented by Billy Bob Thorton, who was on hand to promote his Americana/Country band The Boxmasters and thier new self-titled release. I caught Billy Bob and the Boxmasters at at the Cannery last night and was surpirised at how well done the music was and how fully invested he is in this musical endevor. Billy Bob also eaned my repect when he invited Charlie Louvin on stage for al acapella duet of the old Louvin Brothers murder ballad “KnoxvIlle Girl.”

A quick shout out to some of my fellow bloggers I caught up with -  Larry Karnowski at Hickory Wind, Greg Geil at AmericanaRoots.com, Justin Gage at Aquarium Drunkard.com and Dodge at My Old Kentucky Blog.com.

Here’s a list of the winners from the awards show …

Album of the Year: Raising Sand, Alison Krauss and Robert Plant
Artist of the Year: Levon Helm
Duo/Group of the Year: Alison Krauss and Robert Plant
Instrumentalist of the Year: Buddy Miller
New Emerging Artist of the Year: Mike Farris
Song of the Year: “She Left Me for Jesus,” Hayes Carll and Brian Keane (songwriters)

Awards were also given, including …

Spirit of Americana Free Speech in Music: Joan Baez
Lifetime Achievement (Songwriting): John Hiatt
Jack Emerson Lifetime Achievement (Executive): Terry Lickona
Lifetime Achievement (Performance): Jason & The Scorchers
Lifetime Achievement (Instrumentalist): Larry Campbell
Trailblazer Award: Nanci Griffith
Lifetime Achievement (Producer/Engineer): Tony Brown

Billy Bob Thorton and Charlie Louvin – Knoxville Girl

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Af1DwHeV_c[/youtube]

Americana Music Association Announces Line Up

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  • The Americana Music Association has released an initial list of arists that will be playing around Nashville during their music festival and conferencethis September 17-20 2008. Some of the performers will be: Jim Lauderdale, Mike Farris, Kane Welch Kaplin, The everybodyfields, The SteelDrivers, Tift Merritt, Jason & the Scorchers, Joe Ely, Malcolm Holcombe, Rosie Flores, Band of Heathens, Laura Cantrell, Cross Canadian Ragweed, James McMurtry, Jason Isbell and much much more.
  • The drop date for Chris knight’s new album, Heart of Stone, has been pushed back to September 2nd due to “production issues.” Guest musicians on Heart of Stone include Mike McAdam (Steve Earle, Radney Foster) on various guitars, Keith Christopher (Georgia Satellites, The Yayhoos) on bass, Tammy Rodgers (The SteelDrivers) fiddle and vocals, mandolin and banjo, and Michael Webb (The Wreckers, Allison Moorer) on B-3 organ, piano and accordion. Producer Dan Baird also contributes on guitar and vocals. Knight says of Heart of Stone “It might just be my best. For some reason, there’s a cohesiveness here that’s not like anything I’ve done before. But at the same time, it’s not real predictable. There’s a lot of texture to it as well, but it’s a simple record. I don’t know how that happened. But I know it when I hear it.”
  • The documentary “Johnny Cash: The Man, His World, His Music” will air on PBS stations tomorrow night. The film is directed by Robert Elfstrom and is a “cinema vérité look at Cash.”  PBS produced the documentary almost 40 years ago (!) Robert Elfstrom also takes some time to answer some questions for the the Tennessean (via the 9513)

Americana Music Association 2008 Honors and Awards Nominees Announced

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The 2008 Americana Music Association Honors and Awards Nominees have been announced with Alison Krauss & Robert Plant getting the most nods for their moody roots release “Raising Sand.”  Some are dead on and some, like the The Avett Brothers who have come out with no new release for 2008, you just wonder if the AMA is going to have it’s own equivalent shoo-in like the Country Music Awards giving Kenny Chesney Entertainer of the Year for something like 13 years in a row (5 years in a row, actually.)

Here’s the list

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Alison Krauss & Robert Plant
Raising Sand
Hayes Carll
Trouble in Mind
James McMurtry
Just Us Kids
Levon Helm
Dirt Farmer

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Steve Earle
Levon Helm
Jim Lauderdale
James McMurtry

INSTUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR
Buddy Miller
Chris Thile
Gurf Morlix
Sam Bush

NEW EMERGING ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Justin Townes Earle
Mike Farris
Ryan Bingham
The Steeldrivers

SONG OF THE YEAR
“Broken” Tift Merritt
“Cheney’s Toy” James McMurtry
“Gone Gone Gone” Alison Krauss & Robert Plant
“Poor Old Dirt Farmer” Levon Helm
“She Left Me for Jesus” Hayes Carll

DUO/GROUP OF THE YEAR
Alison Krauss & Robert Plant
Drive By Truckers
Kane Welch Kaplin
The Avett Brothers

In more Americana Music Association news, the AMA is going to give their Lifetime Achievement in Performance Award to alt.country pioneers Jason and the Scorchers. The Awards show will be held Thursday, September 18 at the Mother Church of Country Music, the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Original Jason and the Scorchers members Jason Ringenberg, Warner Hodges, Jeff Johnson and Perry Baggs will be on hand not only to accept the honor, but to perform together for the first time in more than a decade.