Tag Archives: Steve-Earle

San Francisco Chronicle Talks to Merle Haggard

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  • In anticipation of the upcoming Santa Rosa Merle Haggard/Kris Kristofferson show this Wednesday (see you there!) the San Francisco Chronicle’s Joel Selvin has posted a fine interview with The Hag conducted on his 200 acre ranch outside Mount Lassen, California.
  • In response to the tough economy and the fees attached to her, and many others, concert tickets, the queen of alt.country Lucinda Williams will offer each fan who attends a Lucinda Williams show in 2009 standing credit on merchandise sold at the concerts. Williams adds, “I understand that this may only be a small gesture and in no way solves the problem long term, but I feel that it is important to try and do something to make it a little easier during this time.” For more information visit Lucinda’s official site.
  • John Prine is slated to play a show with Steve Earle on at Wolf Trap’s Filene Center in Vienna, VA on FridayJune 5th, 2009.

Here’s a little gem from the YouTubes:

Neil Young & Waylon Jennings- Are You Ready For the Country? -  Sept 20 1984 -  ‘Nashville Now’ TV show

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H0VaY1EdrI[/youtube]

Steve Earle’s Townes Van Zandt Tribute Album Update

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As I’ve posted before Steve Earle is in the process of recording an album of cover songs of his freind, mentor, Texas legend and source of his son’s middle name Townes Van Zandt entitled simply Townes. Pitchfork has posted that the album will be released May 12 on the New West label and will also be available as a deluxe two-CD set and on 180-gram vinyl.

From Pitchfork: “Dust Brother John King, who produced Earle’s 2007 album Washington Square Serenade, mans the boards on one song, “Lungs”. On that same song, Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello guests on guitar. Singer-songwriter Allison Moorer, Earle’s wife, sings backup on “To Live Is to Fly” and “Loretta”. Earle also recruited a backing band of bluegrass all-stars to play on several songs. And duetting on “Mr. Mudd and Mr. Gold”: Earle’s son Justin Townes Earle, appearing on record with his dad for the first time. ”

Head over to Pitchfork.com to hear a stream of Earle’s cover of Van Zandt’s “Lungs”, featuring Tom Morello doing his wikki-wikki turntable-scratch thing on guitar.

Townes track list:

1 Pancho and Lefty
2 White Freightliner Blues
3 Colorado Girl
4 Where I Lead Me
5 Lungs
6 No Place to Fall
7 Loretta
8 Brand New Companion
9 Rake
10 Delta Momma Blues
11 Marie
12 Don’t Take It Too Bad
13 Mr. Mudd and Mr. Gold
14 (Quicksilver Daydreams of) Maria
15 To Live Is to Fly

Rock Band Goes Alt.Country

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So how do you know you’ve arrived? When talentless, sweaty geeks manipulate plastic instruments to music you’ve worked your butt off to create and hope will be taken seriously. Wooo hooo!

Harmonix and MTV Games today announced the debut of five alternative country acts to the Rock Band Music Store catalog of downloadable content including artists Neko Case, Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, Drive-By Truckers and Old 97’s.

“Alt Country 01” 5-pack features a signature mix of alternative country sounds from bluegrass and rockabilly to honky-tonk rock. The 5-pack includes “People Got A Lotta Nerve” from Neko Case’s soon-to-be released album Middle Cyclone (March 3, 2009), “Can’t Let Go” by Grammy winning singer/songwriter Lucinda Williams from her album Car Wheels On A Gravel Road (1998) and Steve Earl’s “Satellite Radio” from his album Washington Square Serenade (2007). The 5-pack also features “Three Dimes Down” from southern rock band Drive-By Truckers featured on the Brighter Than Creation’s Dark (2008) album and the Old 97’s live recording “Timebomb” from the band’s Alive & Wired (2005) album.

Release Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 (Xbox LIVE Marketplace for Xbox 360®)
Thursday, February 26, 2009 (PlayStation®Store)

** Dates for Rock Band game tracks are tentative and subject to change **

Eleven Hundred Springs to Present the Country Jam Concert Series

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  • The always excellent mp3 blog HearYa has offered up some in studio choice cuts from RiotGrrrrl hillbilly trio, and TwangNation favorite,  Those Darlins.
  • Speaking of free downloads, Largehearted Boy has some rare and legal downloads from the likes of Kelly Joe Phelps, Mark Olson and Gary Louris, Son Volt, Steve Earle and Jason Isbell.
  • If you tuned in to watch watch Fabchannel’s live webcast of Neko Case from Amsterdam Sunday you were probably pretty surprised that it didn’t seem to work. Unfortunately, the webcast didn’t happen because Neko fell ill and was unable to play. More information can be found  on her official site. Case is rescheduling her performance for sometime in August or September.
  • Eleven Hundred Springs will be presenting the Country Jam Concert Series featuring EHS, Jesse Dayton, the Tejas Brothers and Deke Dickerson. The show will take place at Dallas’ Double-Wide bar on April 24th, things get started at 8pm.

Buddy Miller Recovering After Heart Surgery

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Buddy Miller, one of Nashville’s most prolific singers, songwriters, guitarists, recording artists and producers suffered a heart attack in Baltimore, Md., on Thursday, Feb. 19. He was on tour with Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin and Shawn Colvin; the tour is dubbed “3 Girls And Their Buddy.”

Miller, 56, was taken to John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, and he underwent a triple-bypass heart surgery on Friday, Feb. 20. The surgery was successful, and Miller will likely be recovering in Baltimore for several weeks.

Named the “Artist of the Decade” by No Depression magazine, Miller has written songs that have been recorded by the Dixie Chicks, Lee Ann Womack, Brooks & Dunn and others. He is a veteran of Harris’ Spyboy band, and in the past year he has been touring as a featured instrumentalist in Robert Plant and Alison Krauss’ band. He has produced albums for Solomon Burke, Allison Moorer, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and others. Miller has lately been producing a new album for Patty Griffin. He has been called “the best country singer” alive by Steve Earle.

Miller is married to Nashville singer-songwriter Julie Miller, and the pair have a duo album coming out on New West Records on March 3. (source: tennessean.com) Update: Word is that Miller didn’t actually have a heart attack, but was experiencing chest pains when he was taken to the hospital.

Buddy Miller – Written in Chalk

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4b7ECl81uc[/youtube]

A Twangy Valentines Day

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Ah, love is in the air -  But if you’re a fan of country music then you know dysfunction litters the alleyways in the heart of classic narratives. Cheating, lying , drinking, throwing heavy objects, crying, more drinking – some of the best country songs contain some, if not all, of these elements. Alt.country/roots rock…whatever takes things in more interesting places but many of the same themes remain from the source. In celebration, and protest, to Valentines day here is the official Twang Nation list of best Alt.Country love songs.

In no particular order:

Gram Parsons – A Song For You
Caitlin Cary & Thad Cockrell – Please Break My Heart
Lucinda Williams – Still I Long For Your Kiss
Steve Earle – Valentine’s Day
Steve Earle – Goodbye
Townes Van Zandt – I’ll Be Here in the Morning
Neko Case – Favorite
Son Volt – Tear Stained Eye
Ryan Adams – Come Pick Me Up
Drive By Truckers- Marry Me
Old 97s – Big Brown Eyes
Bottle Rockets – I’ll Be Coming Around

Disagree? Add your own!

Caitlin Cary Thad Cockrell -  “Please Break My Heart”

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMv6WuvULm4[/youtube]

Steve Earle Working on Townes Van Zandt Covers Release

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  • The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced that rockabilly angel Wanda Jackson will be  inducted as the only 2009 recipient in the Early Influence Category. On April 4, 2009, the Induction Ceremony will take place in Cleveland for the first time since 1997. The 2009 Induction Ceremony will be broadcast live on Fuse TV.
  • Speaking of Steve Earle, the country-rock legend has also been featured in the latest Rolling Stone magazine. Earle discuses his upcoming album covering his musical mentor and Texas music lend Townes Van Zandt that he’s currently recording in New York City and Nashville (where he says the selection of musicaians is much better.)  The album will feature Rage Aagainst The Machine guitar-master Tom Morello on the Van Zandt song Lungs.
  • The first single from Neko Case’s new album, Middle Cyclone, is “People Got A Lotta Nerve.” To promote the single, Neko and her record label, Anti-, will donate five dollars to Best Friends Animal Society for every blog that reposts the song and one dollar for every iLike user that adds the song to his/her profile. So here it is: People Got A Lotta Nerve(mp3)
  • And another death knell for the recording industry as it once was has been tolled as the Times Square Virgin Megastore announces that it will close. I bought No Depression magazine there when I was working a gig near the Square. Times, they are a’changing…

Justin Townes Earle Readies ’09 Release

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NoDepression.com reports that Bloodshot Records recording artists, and son to Steve Earle and namesake of Townes Van Zant, Justin Townes Earle, will be releasing a follow up to the excellent Bloodshot debut The Good Life. The new disc is called Midnight at the Movies, and is due out in March of ’09.

If you’re in Texas get yer ass out and see one of the best bar bands in America , The Supersuckers.

Nov 14 2008 – Jacks Patio Bar  –   San Antonio, Texas
Nov 17 2008  – Vortex  –   Beaumont, Texas
Nov 18 2008   – Continental Club  –   Houston, Texas
Nov 19 2008  -  Continental Club   -  Houston, Texas
Nov 20 2008   – Lakewood Bar and Grill  –   Dallas, Texas
Nov 21 2008   -  Scoot Inn  –   Austin, Texas

If you’re in my neck of the woods, San Francisco, CA. get yer ass out and see the one and only Texas Yoda, Willie Nelson at the legendary Fillmore Auditorium. Willie plays Friday, Jan 16,  Saturday, Jan 17, PM Sunday, Jan 18, Monday, Jan 19, and Tuesday, Jan 20. Must be all that good medical marijuana here in town.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 8

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Just a few shots from the excellent Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 8 at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. A tip of the hat to investment banker, banjo player and member of the Bluegrass band The Wronglers Warren Hellman, who finances this gift to San Francisco every year and offers some of the greatest roots performers in the country. I don’t know how or why,  but I was taught to never look a gift horse too closely in the molars. Thanks!

8th Annual Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Day 1.5

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Yeah day 1.5, I missed Friday’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass featuring Mr. Plant and Ms. Krauss show so on with this one.

Beautiful weather (despite some early afternoon mist), the crowd grew throughout the day into huge throngs of passionate fans.  You want crazy hippy dancers still bummed about the Dead’s….er death, yeah they were there too.

The day started for me with Tift Merritt. Tift put on a spirited show with a crack band. Moving to Paris (and losing her record deal) has certainly agreed with her. Guy Clark & Verlon Thompson were next. I’ve never see a full set my Clark (and at one hour sets I still haven’t) but he and Thompson did a great job of covering a lot of Clark ground as well as a couple of  Thompson originals.

Austin’s Bad Livers came back from the dead to play a their first show after an 8 year hiatus.  They sounded great and glade to be in the thick of all their punk-bluegrass Texas sized gully-washer.  The Gourds followed with their Texas brand of hillbilly world music mash-up stew that satisfied just fine. Texas legend Jerry Jeff Walker followed with a raucous show that belied the man’s age.  Thankfully Redneck Mother was on he menu and Mr. Bojangles was not.

The blissful gospel sounds of Odetta was next and wooed the crowd with her majestic voice and presence. Steve Earle & The Bluegrass Dukes eneded the night with a great rendition of the 10-year old Steve Earle & The Del McCoury Band collaboration The Mountain as well as blugrassed up verions of Earle originals “An American Boy” and the show closer “Cottonhead Road.”

i need to thank my partner in crime (and daughter) Isobel for accompanying me from stage to stage while I covered this.